The Bushranger's Wife

by Cheryl Adnams

  He didn’t take it. ‘Why are you giving it to me?’

  ‘For the supplies,’ she said. ‘The food, the linens.’

  He was appalled. ‘I don’t need your money and I don’t want it. If you are to be my wife, you will be kept comfortable. Do not worry about that, Miss Stanforth.’

  She winced as though he had slapped her and he felt bad for it instantly. His pride had made him lash out.

  Walking to her, he took the purse, put it back in her pocket. ‘Save it. I have plenty of money. And yes, I stole most of it,’ he added before she could say anything. ‘But some is earned legitimately too. That is the money I will spend on you, if it makes you feel better.’

  ‘You’ve misunderstood me,’ she said. ‘This is an agreement of convenience, a partnership. I don’t expect you to keep me in the manner in which I was accustomed at the manor. I expect to live as you do and earn my keep.’

  ‘You going to start bailing up coaches on the highway?’ he joked.

  ‘Wouldn’t that be fun,’ she said, with a slow devious smile he didn’t like the look of.

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous. I said I would marry you, and if you wish to keep that agreement then I will treat you as my wife and provide for you.’

  ‘Of course, Jack,’ she said, looking meek. He hated that. Meek didn’t suit her.

  He watched a moment as she began unpacking things from the bags he’d carted in.

  ‘I’ll go get the rest of the supplies and deal with D’Artagnan, he needs a brush down before I settle him back in the stables,’ he mumbled and left her in the house, closing the door behind him.

  Scrubbing his hands over his face, he looked back in at her through the front window. Great. They’d had their first fight. And they weren’t even married yet. This was going to take some getting used to. Having a woman in the house. Having a wife. Having someone who relied on him for everything but expected to do her part. Navigating a relationship for the first time in his life was going to be akin to walking through Ballarat at night without falling down a mineshaft.

  ***

  The next morning, Jack half expected her to be gone. And as the days passed he kept waiting for her to realise the insanity of the situation. He figured once her anger wore off, she would forgive her family and miss them and her luxurious mansion, then ask to be taken home. As much as he wanted her with him, if she wanted to leave, he knew he’d never force her to stay.

  One warm afternoon, Jack prepared to meet Bobby and Garrett. Alfred had given them the details of a coach arriving from Melbourne carrying a wealthy gentleman and his son who’d just arrived from France. Just because Prudence was living with him now, didn’t mean he would stop working. He’d been very clear about that part of their arrangement. A man didn’t change who he was simply because a woman came into his life.

  It was impossible to ignore her as she stood at the door of the stables and watched him saddle Persephone. She wore one of the dresses he’d borrowed from Mrs Barnett’s daughter, the deep purple one, and it made her green eyes glow like the eyes of the cats that ran wild around Ballarat. He kept expecting her to tell him not to go, to give him that frighteningly judgemental eye of hers. So when she spoke, he couldn’t have been more surprised.

  ‘I’d like to come.’

  He sent her a dismissive look but said nothing.

  ‘Just once. To see how you do it.’

  ‘You’ve seen how I do it,’ he tossed back with a cheeky grin. ‘Firsthand.’

  ‘I wouldn’t get in the way. I’d just stay on the sidelines and watch.’

  ‘A highway robbery is no place for a lady.’

  ‘Unless she’s the one being robbed, is that it?’

  He didn’t answer, just kept working on preparing the horse.

  ‘So who is the unlucky soul who gets to meet Jack the Devil today?’ she questioned, stepping up to pat Persephone’s nose. ‘Another silly man trying his luck at gold mining? Honestly, I don’t know why people keep coming over to try their luck at finding gold. Most of the mines duffered out years ago, at least in this district.’

  ‘What do you know about duffered out mines?’ he asked with a chuckle.

  She gave a light shrug. ‘They’d be better off heading for South Australia. I read they’ve just found copper in the west of the state.’

  ‘Ah, yes, but then we wouldn’t have the pleasure of robbing them,’ Jack said with a wink. ‘But I believe today’s lucky marks are a French gentleman and his son. Here to set up a dress shop.’

  ‘Really? Perhaps you can steal me some French couture.’

  ‘Couture?’

  ‘Dresses, Jack. Clothing. The French are very fashionable.’

  ‘What’s wrong with the dresses I got you?’

  ‘Nothing at all,’ she said. ‘But I don’t feel right taking them from such a good Christian woman.’

  That sting of jealousy was in her tone once again. Erring on the side of caution, Jack ignored it and mounted Persephone. ‘I’ll be home before dinnertime. What will you do to amuse yourself today?’

  ‘Can’t I come with you?’ she tried again, a little pout touching her lips this time.

  ‘I said no.’

  She huffed with annoyance, ‘Fine. Then I had best do some clothes washing. My undergarments will be standing on their own soon.’

  Jack shifted uncomfortably in the saddle. He didn’t want to think about her without her undergarments on as she washed them in the big outdoor basin. Best to stay away from that tempting image. She’d been with him for five days now, having run from Carrington Manor with only the dress she had on. The dresses he’d borrowed from Hilda Barnett were old and worn. He made a mental note to have some new dresses—and some new undergarments—delivered to her as soon as possible.

  ‘Well.’ He stared at her for a moment, wondering whether he should lean down and give her a kiss goodbye. He wanted to. Really wanted to. It wouldn’t be unheard of. They’d kissed several times now. But since she’d come to live with him, he didn’t want her to think he was going to force himself on her, so he thought it wise to keep a distance between them for now. She looked up at him with a gentle smile, before running a hand down his shin, sending tingles up his leg directly to his groin.

  ‘I’ll see you tonight,’ he said, and rode out of the stables.

  ***

  The robbery took place on the main road to Melbourne. A little too close to Ballarat for Jack’s liking. He’d left the planning of the heist to Garrett. The boy was still a little green and he’d have to have a word with him about not pulling heists so close to where they all lived. But because it was close to town, the job was done in record time, which meant Jack could stop in at the dress store in Ballarat before he headed back to the house. The French dressmaker they’d bailed up did have plenty of fabrics; silks and satins, but Prudence could hardly wear dresses made from stolen fabric so easily identifiable, so he’d left them behind and taken only the cash and other valuables.

  ‘Got yourself a lady friend, Mr Fairweather?’ Mrs Bowie, the manager of the store, said as she wrapped his purchases in brown paper.

  What had he been thinking, buying the dresses in Ballarat? He should have gone to Melbourne where no one knew him.

  ‘Uh, no, they’re for my sister,’ he lied.

  She held up the nightdress Jack had picked out. It was thin and made of the softest fabric. ‘Sister?’

  The coquettish smile said she didn’t believe him.

  ‘I didn’t know you had a sister,’ Mrs Bowie said, continuing to fold the nightdress into the package.

  ‘She lives in Geelong.’

  ‘I’d have thought you’d buy her some nice dresses next time you were in Melbourne then,’ Mrs Bowie went on, tying string around the parcel. ‘Much prettier fashions in the city than what we have here.’

  ‘I like to support the local economy.’

  That pleased Mrs Bowie no end. ‘Bless you, Mr Fairweather. Wish more folks had the same idea. I hope your si
ster likes the dresses.’

  He gave her a weak smile, took the parcel and headed out of the store and straight into the path of Sergeant Carmichael.

  ‘Fairweather.’

  ‘Sergeant,’ Jack returned.

  ‘I hear one of your coaches was robbed today,’ the Sergeant said, removing his hat to wipe the sweat from his nearly bald head. ‘A gentleman by the name of …’ he consulted his notebook, ‘Pierre Rochelon spent the last hour in my office listing all the goods stolen from him and his son.’

  ‘Indeed?’ Jack showed the appropriate level of shock. ‘I had not been made aware as yet. I’d better head down to the office and check with my manager.’

  But the sergeant wasn’t done it seemed, as he turned to walk with Jack towards the main street offices of Fairweather Transport. ‘I noticed you haven’t been around town much this last week.’

  ‘Been watching out for me, Sergeant?’

  ‘I like to get to know the people in my town. It seems you don’t spend much time working in your own business, Mr Fairweather.’

  ‘As I just said, I have an office manager,’ Jack returned easily. ‘He is much better at running things. I’m just the money behind the business.’

  ‘I see. So what do you do with your time?’ the sergeant asked as they arrived at the office.

  ‘What all men of no occupation do,’ Jack said, with a raise of his eyebrows. ‘Play cards, ride my horses, and at night? It’s all wine, women and song.’

  Jack tipped his hat and stepped into the office, leaving the sergeant to wander back down the street alone.

  ‘Nosy bastard, isn’t he?’

  Jack turned to see his manager Alfred leaning on the counter.

  ‘Mmm, a little too nosy.’

  ‘He was in here this morning, doing the rounds of town. Apparently a girl’s gone missing from her home, not far out of Ballan. Wanted to know if she’d taken a coach to Melbourne perhaps. Family thinks she was kidnapped. Sergeant believes it’s more likely she ran away to the city.’

  ‘Really?’ It wasn’t a surprise that the police had been contacted, but it still gave Jack a moment’s concern. ‘Did the sergeant say who she was?’

  ‘Some nobleman’s niece.’

  ‘Mmm.’

  ‘Beggin’ your pardon for saying so,’ Alfred began. ‘But you seem … distracted.’

  Distracted. He couldn’t deny it. Prudence was a distraction. His mind hadn’t been on the job that morning. If it had, he would have suggested moving the robbery further up the road to the other side of Creswick, or cancelling it altogether. His mind had been on Prudence. His mind was constantly on Prudence. He was wound up so tight, he couldn’t think of anything else and it was becoming detrimental to his job. Going this long without laying with a woman was a rarity for him. Stepping to the window, he glanced down towards the Duchess of Kent Hotel. There was any number of willing women there who would help him let the steam out of the kettle, so to speak. He wasn’t married yet.

  But none of them were Prudence. She was the only one he wanted. And he wanted her badly.

  ‘Jack.’

  ‘Mm?’ Jack broke out of his thoughts and glanced at Alfred again. ‘Oh, distracted, yes. I’ve been spending more time at Little Windsor. Finally getting her up to liveable.’

  ‘Are you thinking of retiring?’

  ‘Good God, no.’ Jack shot out a laugh. ‘You can’t get rid of me that easily, old man.’

  And with that he headed out the back to the stables where he’d hidden Persephone.

  ***

  Prudence was asleep in the chair by the fire when he arrived at Little Windsor. A delicious smelling stew bubbled in a pot hanging over the fireplace. Placing his purchases on the other armchair, he approached her. The firelight played on her face and in her hair, sparking the orange highlights. Unable to resist, he leaned down and kissed her lips lightly.

  She stirred and her eyes fluttered open.

  ‘Jack, you’re home,’ she said sitting upright, before stretching in a way that made his eyes fall upon her bosom, straining against her dress. ‘Oh, I fell asleep. The Bourguignon, is it ruined?’

  ‘Bourguignon?’ Jack asked. ‘Looks like stew.’

  Pru chuckled. ‘By any other name …’

  ‘Smells wonderful.’ He moved to dip a spoon into the stew to give it a taste test. ‘It tastes wonderful, too. You made this?’

  ‘I may not know which end of a broom to use,’ she joked, letting out a delicate yawn. ‘But I had a wonderful culinary tutor in London. Are you hungry?’

  ‘Starving,’ he said, taking her hand and helping her from the chair. ‘But, before we eat, I have a surprise for you.’

  ‘I can come with you on your next robbery?’ she asked, wide-eyed with excitement.

  ‘No, that will never happen.’

  ‘But Jack—’

  ‘I said no, Prudence. I won’t talk about this again.’

  The mood took a rapid shift from happy and relaxed to tense and irritated.

  He shook it off and moved to where he’d left the parcels. He handed the brown paper packages to her.

  ‘What is it?’

  ‘Well, open it and find out,’ he instructed.

  Nervously, he waited until she untied the string, and tore through the brown paper. Lifting the green cotton, the pretty day dress unfolded and he caught it before it hit the floor.

  ‘More dresses?’

  He helped her to drape the pale green dress over the chair before she unfolded the other two garments. ‘You said you didn’t want to wear the borrowed ones anymore. We can donate those to the church if you wish. I hope the sizes are right. I had to guess. There’s a few day dresses in there and one semi-formal. There was a nice blue silk and lace dress, but I guessed it might be some time before we’ll be attending any high society balls again.’ She stayed so quiet, he wondered desperately what she was thinking. ‘We can take them back if you don’t like them—’

  ‘I love them, Jack.’ She stepped forward and laying her hand against his chest, she reached up and kissed him. ‘This was so sweet of you.’

  Her chaste kiss sent shockwaves of lust through his body and he moved away, putting the armchair between them. ‘Of course, if you decide to stay, we’ll need to get you some winter coats before it gets too cold. I also got you a …’

  She opened the other package and pulled out the nightdress. It floated, and against the firelight, was transparent.

  Oh God, he didn’t need to see that right now.

  She smiled coyly as she held it up against her body. The heat of the fire had nothing on him as she peered up at him through her lashes.

  ‘Perhaps you should put that away for now.’ Dear God, please.

  ‘I love it,’ she said breathlessly. Moving to him, she ran her hands across his stubbled jaw, leaned in slowly and kissed him again. ‘Thank you.’ Another kiss, her lips lingered longer on his this time, before she pulled back. ‘But we need one more dress.’

  ‘One more?’ He tried to make his voice sound light and unaffected. It wasn’t working. ‘You can have as many as you want.’

  ‘I think I need to pick this one out myself. My wedding dress.’

  Hope and lust were a confused ball in his stomach. ‘You still want to marry me?’

  ‘I proposed to you, didn’t I?

  ‘You were upset and frightened. I didn’t want to hold you to that.’

  His groin tightened when she pressed her body against his. ‘Hold me to it, Jack. Hold me.’

  On automatic now, his arms went around her tiny waist while her hands feathered in his hair, and holding her to him, he kissed her, strongly, soundly. God, he wanted her. He was used to being able to take the women he wanted to bed without a second thought or guilt. But this was Prudence, she was a lady, and he had no doubt she was a virgin. He couldn’t take what he wanted. Not yet.

  Pulling away, he took in the rosiness in her cheeks, the passion in her eyes.

  ‘You’ve c
ooked a delicious dinner,’ he said, putting some distance between them. ‘I’m starved. Let’s eat.’

  Holding a hot pot of stew between them would force him to rein in his out of control desires. So he picked it up carefully and placed it down on the metal plate next to the fire.

  He grabbed one of the bowls she had nearby and the ladle. ‘One spoonful or two?’

  They ate at the large dining room table, candlelight flickering between them along with unspoken wants and desires.

  ‘Pru, you should know, your family have reported you missing. The police are involved.’ She put down her spoon and sat back, a sad expression marring her pretty features. ‘If they find you, they’ll take you away and probably have me arrested.’

  ‘Then the sooner we marry, the better,’ she said, lifting her eyes to meet his. ‘I proposed to you, Jack, and I meant it. I’ll be happy to be your wife, in every sense of the word.’

  He averted his eyes. ‘But if you ever feel differently …’

  ‘I won’t,’ she said standing from her chair and moving around to his side of the table. ‘I won’t.’

  ‘I will not pressure you to do anything you’re not ready for.’

  She leaned down and whispered in his ear. ‘I think it’s me who is pressuring you.’

  ‘You have no experience with men.’

  ‘None,’ she admitted, sitting down in his lap and playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.

  He swallowed hard. ‘You’re doing fine so far.’

  Oh, the smell of her, the softness of her. He certainly felt the pressure. ‘Perhaps you need to think about it a bit longer.’

  ‘If we’re going to be married, don’t you think we should … test the waters?’

  Lord, she was testing him alright.

  Her lips were on his ear and he felt his groin begin to harden beneath her round bottom.

  ‘Pru …’

  ‘I love it when you call me Pru.’

  His whole body went rigid when her mouth closed over his earlobe and sucked.

  Groaning, he let himself be feasted upon by her for a moment before he could stand it no longer. He pulled her mouth to his, licking, tasting, biting and everything he did to her, she did in return, like the good little student she was.