Amorous Redemption

by Faye Hall

  Following the makeshift path made through the scrub by him earlier, she searched for him, needing to understand why her offer had upset him so much. She didn’t like the idea of this man being upset at her, though she knew such a thing was foolish. After all, who was she to him but a nobody? He had no need nor want for her growing emotions toward him, but even knowing this, she couldn’t deny them. She craved the feel of his hands upon her, but it was more than that too. She enjoyed listening to him speak her name, or the way he watched her when she walked toward him. She waited each day for even the slightest tender word from him and she held it close to her heart.

  Her heart?

  This wasn’t an emotion she had prepared herself for.

  When first she had lain with Duncan, Phoebe had thought to maybe seduce him into doing his will. Never had she imagined she would be willing to surrender her heart to him, but now...

  Noticing a small clearing up ahead, she thought to stop there and gather her senses before going on further in search of him. After all, she couldn’t confront him feeling like the lovesick fool she was.

  This man didn’t want her love, nor did he need it.

  Pushing aside the green branches of the Callistemon, Phoebe looked out across the small clearing, her eyes instantly going to the figure of a man sitting on the fallen tree trunk, his arms resting on his knees, his stare focused on the dirt before him. In that moment, he looked like a lost soul needing direction and she felt her heart ache for him. She wanted to go to him, to reach out to him and give him the direction he needed.

  “Go back to the camp, Phoebe,” he ordered without looking up to face her.

  “Please let me stay, Duncan,” she begged as she carefully approached him across the clearing, her fingers fiddling with the buttons on her shirt.

  Finally he looked up at her, his green stare dark. “Have you come to pay me?” he asked, his obvious annoyance clear in his tone. “Is that why you’re here?”

  “It’s not like that,” she tried, needing him to understand.

  “Are you so certain?” he asked her. “You said you would give yourself to me as payment remember.”

  She knew he wouldn’t listen to her, at least not tonight. “If that is what you must believe, Duncan.”

  “Why are you here, Phoebe?” he asked. “I want to know.”

  She stopped just before him, suddenly very conscience of their closeness. “You seemed upset with me when you left the campsite. I needed to come find you and—”

  “And what?” he asked. “Play my whore after all?”

  She tried to ignore how much his harsh words pained her. “If that is what you want, Duncan.”

  He reached out for her then, his fingers lacing with hers and pulling her nearer to him, his lips gently caressing her cloth covered belly.

  “What I want is you, Phoebe,” he admitted, the words being dragged from him. “But I don’t want you to play my whore or to be any form of payment. I want you to…”

  His words trailed off. Finally he looked up at her, his green eyes studying her. Unconsciously she laced her fingers through his blonde hair, hypnotised by the allure that was this man.

  “I want you to desire me, Phoebe...as a man and not as a means to an end. I want—”

  Her kiss stopped his words. When her lips left his, her name was barely a whisper from his lips. Hesitantly she bit her lip, knowing she should not confess any emotion to this man still knowing she couldn’t stop herself.

  “I do desire you, Duncan, though I know I shouldn’t,” she rasped. “My body is yours...as too is my heart.”

  He pulled her to him then, his hands busily needing to free her from her restricting clothing, his lips needing to taste every inch of her burning flesh.

  * * * * *

  Phoebe woke the next morning later than usual, the arms of the man who had loved her so passionately last night still engulfing her. When she went to pull away from him, his arms tightened around her.

  “And where do you think you’re going?”

  She turned in his arms to face him. “I had thought you’d want to be heading off soon so I thought I should get dressed.”

  Duncan eyed her intently, remembering all the pleasures he had sought with her mere hours ago. They were pleasures he wanted to share with her again and again. His hand going to her face, his fingers played with her silken black strands of hair.

  “So where are we going?” he asked playfully.

  “I’m not sure what you mean?” she asked.

  He kissed her lightly, knowing just how much these next words would cost him. “I’m not taking you back to Inkerman Downs Station, Phoebe. I’ll take you anywhere else, but I can’t take you back to your family...not now.”

  She hugged him tightly. “Thank you, Duncan. Thank you so very much.”

  “There is a catch though,” he quickly added, his tone serious. “I meant what I said last night. I don’t want your money, Phoebe, nor will I let you sleep with me just to keep you safe.”

  She rested her hands on his chest. “That isn’t fair, Duncan. You need the money.”

  “I might,” he replied. “But I don’t need it at the cost of your life or your dignity.”

  “And what of your debts?” she asked. “How do you expect to pay them off without my money or that of my family?”

  “I don’t know,” he admitted honestly. “I need to make sure you’re safe and settled somewhere first, then I will worry about that.”

  * * * * *

  They travelled in a north-easterly direction when they finally set off again that morning.

  “We need to find our way back toward the Burdekin River,” Duncan said. “We’re running low on food and there are a few aboriginal tribes that live near there that should be able to help us.”

  “You’re taking us to the natives?” Phoebe asked, clearly shocked. “Are you mad?”

  He shook his head. “I’m not mad, not about this anyhow. I discovered a few years ago just how much an Aboriginal tracker has to teach a man in my line of work.”

  “Like what?” she asked.

  “Like which berries to eat when you're running low on food to keep you alive. Also which plants are best used if you're injured to stop infection from setting in.”

  “You sound almost as if you trust these people, Duncan?”

  “I do,” he replied. “There are some I would trust with my life for they have saved it more than once. They will help us.”

  Silence fell between them for a few minutes.

  “Why are you helping me, Duncan?” she finally asked. “What do you get out of helping me?”

  He kissed the back of her neck. “I don’t want anything other than to know you are safe.”

  Leaning back into him, she looked around at the scenery, and the many beautiful native trees surrounding them. Though she had travelled through these parts many times with her family, it was only now she was noticing the true beauty of the Queensland outback. So much beautiful flora grew out in these parts, flowering beautifully despite the lack of rain out here. Smiling to herself, Phoebe knew she would be willing to make this wilderness her home if it meant she could stay with him and safely away from her family.

  Glancing at the pale trunks of the tall ghost gums that were plenty in this area, she saw something suddenly move behind one of them.

  “Duncan, did you see that?” she asked pointing in the direction she had seen the moving object. “It looked like a man.”

  “It’s probably just a kangaroo. There are plenty of them out here,” he suggested, looking to where she pointed.

  Just then a bullet flew over their heads hitting the trees behind them.

  “Those bastards!” Duncan yelled. “Hang on, Phoebe. I have to get us out of here!”

  Chapter Six

  Bullets flew around them as Duncan tried to sprint the scared horse through the mulgra and away from the immediate danger that had found them again. Phoebe tried to stifle her screams as the branches scratch
ed at her, her shirt sleeve tearing. The horse sprinted, being darted and turned through the scrub land. He could feel her breathing quicken and he knew she was afraid.

  “Honey, if we get separated, you run for your life,” he warned her.

  “But Duncan—”

  “No buts!” he cut her off. “Those men out there don’t care if either of us live or die!”

  Reaching thicker scrub, he dismounted the horse, pulling Phoebe down to join him. Releasing the horse’s reins and smacking him on the rear, he let the animal go to find his own safety knowing his first priority was to save this woman.

  Pulling her behind him further into the thick vegetation around them, Duncan pushed her down and behind the thick branches.

  “You need to stay here,” he commanded her. “No matter what happens you don’t move!”

  Phoebe fought against him. “No!”

  Duncan pushed her back down. “You’ll be safe here. I’m going to go try and draw their attention away from here and from you.”

  “You can’t go out there!” she clung to him. “They’ll kill you!”

  He kissed her hard and fast. “I will come back for you when it’s safe.”

  Turning away from her then, he ran in the direction the bullets were coming from. He had barely taken a few steps when she screamed out in fright of the man on horseback approaching her with his gun raised. Reaching for her, Duncan pulled Phoebe back to him and ran for safety, pulling her behind him.

  Thinking they had finally lost the man chasing them running through the thick mulgra, branches ripping at their clothes and at their skin, their steps began to slow.

  Suddenly another gunshot rang out from behind them. He reached for her, falling to the ground and pulling her beneath him, needing to protect her from whatever harm had followed them.

  “Duncan MacAllester!” a man’s voice yelled out. “You get your arse out here! Now!”

  “Who are these men, Duncan?” Phoebe asked, obviously scared. “How do they know you?”

  He tried to avoid answering her. “I told you I owed people money.”

  “Enough is enough!” another male voice yelled out. “Duncan, get your sorry arse out here!”

  She suddenly went pale. “T-That’s Gordon.”

  “The woman comes with me, Duncan” Gordon yelled. “And you, dear brother...well, you get given to these men here to try and beg forgiveness for the money you stole from them.”

  “Brother?” she asked, pushing away from Duncan and distancing herself from him slightly as tears filled her eyes. “Y-You’re his brother?” she asked, the words being pulled from her.

  Trying to fight her struggles against him as she tried to free herself from his hold, Duncan grasped for her desperately.

  “You have to let me explain, Phoebe,” he begged her.

  She lashed out at him, punching and kicking at him, needing to be free.

  “You’re Gordon MacAllester’s brother!” she shouted more than asked.

  “It’s complicated, Phoebe,” he tried again, gripping on to her as if his life depended on it, needing her to listen. “You need to let me explain!”

  Finally freeing herself, Phoebe struggled to her feet, avoiding his attempts to grab her.

  “We’re coming out!” she yelled back at the men.

  “What are you doing?” Duncan begged her, his hand reaching for her and grabbing her by the elbow.

  Pulling away from him, Phoebe walked through the trees toward the armed men.

  “You can’t go out there!” he yelled at her. “You know what he’ll do to you!”

  She turned back and glared at him. “No worse than what you already have, Duncan.”

  * * * * *

  Turning away from him then, Phoebe walked out of the scrub and toward the armed men, no longer caring what happened to her.

  Duncan had lied to her. He had lied to her about everything.

  Her heart ached knowing the privileges she’d allowed him, and the heart she had given him, only to now know it had all been a lie. This man didn’t care for her. He had only been doing his brother’s dirty work.

  As she came to a stop before the men, her fiancé reached for her, his fingertips gripping her arm painfully.

  “You have led me a merry chase, you bitch!” Gordon cursed at her. “I’ve been on the road for weeks looking for you!”

  She struggled against him. Freeing herself and stepping toward the men beside her fiancé, she reached into the waistband of her trousers, pulling forth a leather envelope.

  “Which one of you is the bounty hunter?” Phoebe asked.

  A short, solid man stepped forward. “I’m the one who was sent to collect Duncan’s debt if that’s what you mean, Miss.”

  Without hesitation, she handed the leather envelope to the man.

  “This should cover the debt he owes to you in full and also compensate you and your men for the trouble you have been put to trying to find us.”

  The man looked inside the pouch then back to her, his face filled with complete shock.

  “The debt is cleared,” Phoebe demanded. “Duncan’s station no longer belongs to you men.”

  Gordon grabbed at her again, roughly pulling her back to him.

  “You’re paying his debts?” he asked, his tone harsh. “What did he offer you? Did he promise to rescue you? Did he promise you money?”

  She shook her head. “No, it’s for services rendered.” she replied.

  “Services rendered?” Gordon asked. “What services?”

  She held herself straight and strong, knowing the consequences that would befall her once she gave her response. Still she would give it and be damned.

  “I covered his debts as payment for something he gave me.”

  Gordon raised his brow. “And what exactly did my brother give you, Phoebe?”

  She let out a steadying sigh. “Your brother gave me a baby.”

  Chapter Seven

  Standing behind the thick trunk of the Melaleuca tree, the rubber vine that was thickly covering it helping hide him, Duncan watched as Phoebe was dragged to the waiting horse, thrown up into the saddle, and taken away by his brother. He felt like a coward not rushing out to save her, but he also knew that as soon as he entered the clearing his brother would have a gun aimed at him.

  He was no good to Phoebe dead.

  Duncan knew he had to go after her though, for if she were left to the hands of his brother she would be lucky to live the year out. And if what Phoebe had told him about her family was true, then he doubted they would be of any help to her once Gordon started beating her.

  “You are a lucky man to have a woman such as her sacrifice so much for you,” David, the leader of the debt collectors commented, having spied him trying to keep himself camouflaged.

  Duncan looked at the man, and defeated, he walked away from his hiding place and out into the clearing where David and his men were readying themselves to leave.

  “Who are you?” Duncan asked. “And what the hell do you mean by that?”

  “My name is David Pola,” he replied as he swung up into the saddle of his horse, grabbing the reins tightly in his glove covered hands. “And what I meant was if that was my lady, I wouldn’t just be standing here watching her ride off with another man.”

  “Who said she was my lady?” he asked.

  The debt collector smiled. “No one did. But given the wad of money she just handed me to save your life, I’d say you mean an awful lot to her.”

  Duncan hoped what David was saying to him was true, for he would do anything to have Phoebe safe and back in his arms. He had to go after her...even if it cost him everything he owned.

  “What do you care about it anyways?” he asked. “You and your men were sent by my brother to kill us.”

  David shook his head. “I was sent to get my money back, Duncan, nothing more. The men sent after you with guns weren’t mine.”

  “Then they were Gordon’s?” he asked.

  “You thi
nk it was an accident that the very moment you needed money I stumbled upon you in that hotel more than ready to loan you a fortune?” David asked laughing slightly. “Your brother set you up, Duncan. Gordon knew you needed money. He made sure you would. Just like he made sure you’d come to me to get it.”

  “So you do work for my brother?” he asked.

  David shook his head. “He wanted a money loaner and I gave him that. I said I would track you down to get my money back should you not pay. There was no other agreement between your brother and I, Duncan. We are not Gordon’s lackeys. We are little more than loan sharks and debt collectors, and your debt has been paid in full. We are now free to work for the next highest bidder...no matter who they are.”

  Duncan thought on the man’s words for a minute, then the idea came to him. If these men were hired gunmen, willing to do whatever was asked of them for a price, then they would be able to help him for the right amount too.

  At least that was his hope.

  He needed men like these if he were going to face down with his brother and rescue Phoebe. Duncan knew once he got back to his cattle station he would be able to pay these men in cash, but until then he would have to offer them something far more valuable to him.

  “I need men to help me get back to Inkerman and get my station back up and running. I also need to try and feed my way back into my brother’s life, and my parent’s company,” he said. “I need men like you.”

  David looked at him, laughing at his offer. “And how do you expect to pay us? Surely you don’t expect us to do such a thing out of loyalty?”

  He shook his head. “I have ways of getting you your money once I get back to my station and back working with my family. I can get you and your men money or properties or women. I can even get you passage back to England if such is your wish.”

  Again David laughed. “You expect me to believe that when you couldn’t even pay your original debts to me?”

  Duncan stared at this man, knowing he would have to step back into a life he thought long left behind him if he were to be able to see this through and get back to Phoebe.