“What’s he saying?” Bess asked, cupping her hand around her right ear.
“He has the results,” Bancroft told her. “We’ll know in a minute if the fellow learns how to shout.”
“I can’t hear a blasted word in this racket,” Smith said. “Come on, Bess. You too, Bancroft!” Mounting his horse, he pushed through the crowd with Bess at his back. On the opposite side of the square, Danskin was also heading to the voting booth.
As the crowd ignored the result and happily fought each other, Smith and Danskin mounted the steps to approach the mayor.
“Who won?” Smith and Danskin asked together.
“Were you not listening?” the mayor asked. “I announced the winner three minutes ago.”
“We could not hear for the riot,” Smith explained.
“Lord Fitzgibbons gained seventy-six votes and Sir George Danskin thi
