Read Online Mary Brock Jones by A Heart Divided - Free Book Online Page B

place. There were just too many young men here, too much money and too few lawmakers to control them. Uncivilised and dangerous was the undercurrent of this place.
    But so alive.
    She felt the grin touch her face. The sun was shining, her translation business was a roaring success and, for the first time in her life, she had sufficient funds for her needs. Soon, Philip would come back down the gorge with news of a golden strike. They would leave here, go back to England and live in the comfort their birth required. Finally, her real life would begin.
    Her smile slipped. That was a good thing, surely?
    Yes, yes it was . She shook herself sternly. England would be wonderful.
    “Hello, darling. Care to help a rich young fella spend his gold?” Then suddenly, a heavy hand fell over her shoulder. A second arm snaked around her waist, held her in far too familiar a fashion and pulled her hard against an overly muscled body. The smell of the man almost made her gag.
    She shoved her elbow sharply back. “Let go of me, you ignorant oaf.”
    “Now, sweetheart, that’s no way to talk to a man. All I want is a bit of fun.”
    “Georgie,” she shrieked, one hand battering uselessly at the big hand holding her. The child had scampered ahead but turned back at her call, running madly in and tackling the stranger’s leg. The man shook Georgie off, sending the small boy sprawling. Nothing daunted, Georgie sprang up, put up his fists and stood in furious challenge.
    “Let her go. That’s Miss Ward. You let her go!”
    The man just laughed, holding Georgie off easily while starting to drag Nessa away.
    “How dare you. Leave the boy alone. Who do you think you are?” She dug her hands into his, trying to claw them open.
    “Just a man who wants a good time with a pretty lady.”
    “And you think I would want anything to do with you?” She thumped madly at his arms, straining as hard as she could to get away from the hot, nauseating breath as his mouth came down on hers. Around them, a laughing crowd began to gather. Not a single man stepped forward to help. She recognised a couple of faces—men she had helped. They had been so grateful then. Now, they stood with the rest, egging on her captor. So much for her dream of safety.
    “Go on, give her one.”
    “Want to share her, mate?”
    Between Georgie’s shouts, the crowd calls and her shrieking, the noise volume had reached mad levels. Then a single gunshot rang through the air. A dead silence fell.
    “Move away from the lady. Now!”
    It was a voice she knew so well, but had never really expected to hear again. He stood at the edge of the crowd, the rifle pointed straight at her tormentor as the crowd edged slowly away.
    “C’mon mate. I just want a bit of fun. Go find your own piece of skirt.”
    “You really are stupid, son.” There was a click of the rifle being cocked.
    “Do as he says, boy,” growled another voice. Then another, and more joined in. The young man turned slowly to face the growing ranks against him.
    Carefully, he lifted his hands away from Nessa, stepping deliberately back from her. “No harm done, sirs.”
    No one else moved, all eyes shifting uneasily from the young miner to where John Reid stood watching the man leave, his gun slowly tracking the man’s movements. John did not lower it until the man was pulled swiftly by his mates into the crowd. One of them cuffed the man impatiently round his head.
    “You idiot. That’s John Reid. You want the run holders and packers against us?”
    The crowd quickly broke up now. John’s eye was on them all the time, gun set over his shoulder and ready if needed. Finally, only he and Nessa remained.
    Now the threat was over, all Nessa could feel was acute embarrassment. She stared solidly at the ground. This was not how she hoped to meet this man again. Then a firm hand tilted her chin up.
    “Are you all right?” said a deep warm voice. Her memory of that same voice had kept her from panicking throughout