Wild Affection

o come to the realization th

go to Sydney to receive

hirty-acre land grant. He

d access to the Hawkesbury

peculators who bought up

given their thirty acres a

s immensely comforting to

almost immediately upon

tio

itchen giving instruction

ly touched his food thes

eaker by

th you a moment, in private

look on Mau

Robin to the small room o

mething you'd like to d

d; he was going to tell he

dn't blame him, and even

on his newly acquired stat

mper had a way of explodi

e most outrageous, exaspe

y to scramble her brains an

Besides, she felt perfectly

outsid

I won't leave you and your

able to tak

I know what has to be do

down on your own land. P

er you

r, Kate. It would cause him

at the doctor said about s

on't leave your f

," Kate mocked. "Do yo

I want you to accompany m

looking for work. I thought

im to come out to t

r a moment and decided she

lived he'd insist on a co

you l

e ready in

eep most the afternoon, an

plies a

the dray and wait outside.

st months and th

d Kate onto the unsprung w

her. He slapped the reins

ey plodded forward. It to

hriving city of Parramatta

atta and capitalists had m

ch now boasted a doctor,

s necessary

Robin instructed, "while I

s. If I'm not back by the t

he d

her high perch, but even

g from one of the stores,

arms, nearly bowling Kate

ith clouds of silver-blond

e eyes as big as saucers

husiasm that left a bad

good news! No one is more

o her words she stood on

kiss on Ro

er waist and twirling her

y ankles. Kate thought

, isn't it, Serena," R

ena hinted slyly. "I've be

thing of his thoughts and

few short weeks ago he ha

don was granted. With her

had been given land grants

d to sell, most of that la

obin intended to snare a po

e meeting Kate, Serena no l

sn't as if Robin were her o

long without male compani

man Serena was seeing. Sh

e was certain they wou

t I'm going to do or how s

've saved most of my wages

possibly leave McKenzi

zie is gravely ill, and I

he'd approached Robin, Ser

e. Nothing she saw s

nzie. Kate, meet Serena Ly

ba

annoyance. What must she

athryn? "Pleased to

e new owner of McKenzie

his dau

hter?" Serena stressed. Th

rena thought about a woma

matter how lovel

ng from Robin, and Kate

chuckling. She scowled at

s dance with

ou, Serena, but I am unmar

sent s

I have shopping to do." Her

ched Kate

woman," she said, promptl

is no wonder the woman nev

old

in never thought of Kate

ct that she was all woman,

rfully fa

see me, Robin?" Serena as

alone." Her eyes promise

he ample charms of Serena

st

ena Lynch knew all about p

Robin knew she wasn't a vir

really didn't matter how Ser

Dare had warned him that

gossip were bandied about

d to think that the gossi

Robin held any false expe

to please a man in ways

ain faithful as long as

d no idea why s

n to spend time alone with y

wn. I promised William McK

pending on me to get her b

rous the road

rough incredibly long las

Only this time it didn't

ng several times in the di

y preposterous thought pop

as too ludicrous to think t

hen she, Serena, was more

other men Serena could ha

derful lover, always gener

t had mattered little that

riends, the Penrods, had pe

don would eventu

soon, Robin?" Serena ask

of each other lately, and

proposal from you i

nly the prospect sounded

hinking clearly. Dare had

and Robin knew Dare was s

ife one day, but he wasn't

wan

promised halfheartedly. Sh

ering for you, we'll talk a

t it would hav

e it soon." Then she pres

the lips. "That's so you'l

ally discuss y

ut the store window when

The little hussy, Kate tho

she is making of herself

ol? A thought came unbidd

ave Casey Penrod, he h

oking for," Robin said wh

. "His name is Gil Benn

s a short, stocky man wit

set eyes on him, she knew

to look at her straight on,

rawl. He also swagge

sked, raking Kate from he

e female sex in general.

on bo

nting a glance at Robin to

ett. He did. "Where

ment, then said, "I was st

for a

bin's head. Parton statio

aughter and one of the con

n when the girl became preg

e the girl hadn't lived to

Could Bennett be the man

ould Robin take the chance

te? The answer

man the McKenzies are look

If Robin hadn't come out an

Robin had heard the gossi

ed the work," Bennett w

hat happened to P

ett was referring to but s

. Bennett. I don't

d his eyes narrowed danger

handsome bloke like Fletche

ch. If that's what it takes,

aints

g closer to Robin.

t. You heard Miss McKenz

rton's daughter, but I don

McKen

is like to die any day now

to take orders from a woma

the convict

e convicts working at M

tended. "Besides, our min

t McKenzie

oman speak f

leheartedly,

nnett grumbled, turning

ance on

" Kate asked once the man

understand what you were

he way home. Are yo

ready," K

espicable man! That poor

ion and Robin had just to

and why he didn'

oved against him, Kate, b

own he worked for the Pa

you talk

w men like th

y. Men like Gil Bennett

nvicts are like Bennett; s

mentioning," Robin exp

aling a loaf of bread to fe

ion. Not everyone is a pic

ler

Kate asked with slow deli

im

judge me on the kind of m

ps my years as a convict

I was when I arrived

"Maybe I'm just trying t

e. I meant it when I said

en I arrived, too trusting

to trust no one, except p

sures of life for granted o

be hard and tough and yes

sharply, seeing a Robin sh

harsh and demanding, but

eated him and how deeply

mpse into the inner man, a

ierced that tough facade a

obin Fletcher? Not that i

would once again be f

or the moment to savor the

was able to recognize many d

duced pods, the bottle tre

t in diameter, the grass t

lets that served as leaves,

and then a wallaby burst

as Kate in the intriguing

Robin had sto

e alarme

obin, startled by the inte

i

if we're going to be victi

sn't certain wheth

men, all armed with makes

appeared as if by magic fro

hem. "De

the talking," Robin hisse

tion, their h

empting to swallow the f

we here?" one of the m

curled in a sneer. "Looks l

igh

he had no weapon as he wo

get Kate out

to the side of the dray, r

ed out, knocking him aw

ed the wagon, and though R

dragged to the ground. He

te with terror as she wa

to the bed of the dray no

te had purchase

go," Robin panted as he tr

dy go. Don't you realize I'm

one of y

If ya are a convict yer a 't

never be free. We takes ou

nds '

his mates, ogl

ld with panic. She knew t

nd kill her. She looked ar

e knew was

he saw

e forest, a giant with a c

rs, and bull-like neck. He

dy parts were covered in r

his arms corded and bulgi

hless and she would have f

o chuckle aloud. Bug-eyed,

king him crazed to laugh a

ily crush him

he men shouted out. "Come

letcher and a lass. But I

wasn't a man in New South

hat didn't know of Robin F

r up." The other men obeye

Big J

rled hand and Robin grasped

was bruised and aching i

the coal mines, Robin had

iant seemed to appear fro

cted

hn asked, jerking a thum

hysteria and j

informed him. "Her fath

ion. She's al

k brought a collective guf

, his brow wrinkling in c

e's related to the woman w

ke Mercy," Rob

he lass is

to see to business, so Kat

lp

e yer

, ignoring Kate's

been pardoned,"

grinned. "Fre

etcher. With yer freedom

er hands full." Big John's

g forest, jerking Kate

am

ssed sharply. "For once do

e we free

to you and yer woma

he supplies, Big John

began. Her angry tirade

bin's warn

friends, and together t

ased that day. Fuming in

aside while the bushranger

the forest. Big John

ed. Kate was startled by

id everyone lov

in love as the first day t

childre

of sorrow? Kate wondered.

is e

s regards. Tell her if she

was soon lost in the sha

Let's get out of here. I do

John to co

ging, and soon they were

e bullocks

when he said Cousin Merc

never mentioned any

you, Kate. If Casey wanted

d y

a while, then said, "I f

y intend to get to the

a few minutes later they

dray. I'll be up in a few m

rm him, but he should be tol

nvict c

entered William's room. T

hat was possible. His skin

s cheeks hollow and gaunt.

ently reprimanding him fo

Maude had prep

said wearily. "You're late,

d bade him enter. "Come in

ere looki

what I expected. W

Are you so set on

m." Robin glanced at Kate,

trouble we had

per

William asked, his int

e dangers that exist for a

hen I'm gone you can't be

angers, William. We lost

with our

ace grew red with alarm th

What hap

erse version o

It seems that you and the

o Kate. "You're not to go

reinforces my belief that

e after I

ng to get w

'm never going to get well.

hter, I want to speak

t yo

as I say. Just keep in min

t y

ds caused a frisson of ap

g to cause her father furthe

glance at Robin as she sh

about the bail-up, William

e what happened today, Rob

to be safe always, even aft

o misunderstanding concer

onsiderable thought and aft

o a de

, a damn good man. I'd tr

te needs someone, someon

man, she'll make a wond

knew. He knew what was com

ad no rig

o be yours after I'm gone,

y Ka