A Wicked Deception Read Online Free PDF Page B

much to ask from a mining town whore.”
    Robbie lunged at him . His fist contacted so hard with Tom’s mouth it knocked him to the ground.
    “I’ll get you for this, Pritchard,” Tom threatened as he rose groggily to his feet and advanced towards them , fists raised. “I’ll get even with you too, Miss prim and proper Melanie. That’s a promise.” He swung away from them and stomped off muttering obscenities.
    How good i t felt being held in Robbie’s close, comforting embrace. He wouldn’t let anything bad happen to her.
    “Why on earth did you come out here with him?” Robbie demanded.
    “He made me , gripped my hand so tightly I couldn’t get free without creating a scene.” She broke away from him, remembering how he had neglected her for most of the night. “Anyway, where were you? You dumped me here and left.”
    “I’m sorry, Mel . You have to believe me. Something serious came up – about the miners. I can’t tell you what, but I always kept an eye on you. I saw Ogilvy dragging you outside, bastard.”
    “I can’t go inside, I must look frightful.”
    “You are a bit messed up.” He took her hand, squeezing her fingers reassuringly as he led her from the terrace around to the front verandah. “I’ll go in this way to collect your cloak. There shouldn’t be anyone around at the moment as supper is being served.”
    He strode inside, leaving her alone on the verandah. If he hadn’t come to her rescue the consequences could have been dire. You fool. Just because Robbie neglected her she had allowed Tom to take liberties.
    When Robbie returned with her cloak, he laid it gently across her shoulders, and she fumbled with the tie until he lifted her hands away. “Let me.” He adjusted it carefully. His knuckles brushed her cheek accelerating her heartbeat.
    His breath, with only a trace of whisky on it, warmed her face. “Oh Melanie, you’re so beautiful.” He groaned and gave her a quick kiss. “I wish we could get away from James, the diggings, everything, just the two of us.”
    “I wish we could too .” She wrapped her arms around his neck.
    “We’d better get out of here.” He stepped back a pace . “If Ogilvy spills his guts in there, I’ll probably be arrested for assaulting a police officer. Drunken bastard.”
    “Robbie! Stop swearing all the time.”
    “Well, he is. Wouldn’t have dared take such liberties with one of the gentry, but he didn’t mind treating you like a whore . Lucky I wasn’t carrying a gun, otherwise I’d have shot him down like the mongrel dog he is.”
    “Don’t talk like that . It’s dangerous. You could get into serious trouble if the authorities heard you.”
    When she settled herself into the beautifully cushioned interior of the coach and arranged her skirts, Robbie slipped in beside her and signaled the driver for them to be off.
    They held hands i n the darkness. Huge eucalypts bordering the road seemed black, almost grotesque, and she shivered, pulling her cloak around her more securely. This special night had been ruined by Tom Ogilvy. She should never have agreed to dance with him so often. He probably took it as an invitation to treat her like white trash. She once read in a book that’s how wealthy southern folk thought of ordinary working class people. A memorable occasion had been totally ruined by a drunken slave owner.
    When they arrived at the homestead, a lamp stilled burned. Please God, let James be in bed . She would be incapable right now of pretending the evening had been enjoyable. To go through one of his probing inquisitions would be an absolute impossibility. Robbie helped her out of the coach and motioned to the driver to leave them.
    “I’m sorry about your night being ruined.” He pulled her into his arms, and his mouth moved on hers. Tentative at first, but when her lips trembled in response, his kisses grew fierce, hungry, demanding a response that she willingly gave. His hand slid under the neckline of her