Driftwood by Mandy Magro - Chapter Sampler

7/27/2019 Driftwood by Mandy Magro - Chapter Sampler

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MANDY

MAGRO

Driftwood


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DID YOU PURCHASE THIS BOOK WITHOUT A COVER?If you did, you should be aware it is stolen property as it was

reported unsold and destroyed by a retailer.

Neither the author nor the publisher has received any paymentfor this book.

First Published 2013First Australian Paperback Edition 2013ISBN 978 174356463 9

DRIFTWOOD 2013 by Mandy MagroPhilippine Copyright 2013

Australian Copyright 2013New Zealand Copyright 2013

Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilisation of this work in wholeor in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now knownor hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or inany information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the permissionof the publisher, Harlequin Mira, Locked Bag 7002, Chatswood D.C. N.S.W.,

Australia 2067.

This book is sold subject to the condition that shall not, by way of trade orotherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the priorconsent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in whichit is published and without a similar condition including this condition being

imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in anyform. This edition is published in arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A..

This is a work of ction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either theproduct of the authors imagination or are used ctitiously, and any resemblanceto actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales isentirely coincidental.

Published byHarlequin Mira

An imprint of Harlequin Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd.Level 4, 132 Arthur StreetNORTH SYDNEY NSW 2060

AUSTRALIA

and TM are trademarks of Harlequin Enterprises Limited or its corporateafliates. Trademarks indicated with are registered in Australia, New Zealand,the United States Patent & Trademark Ofce and in other countries.

Printed and bound in Australia by Grifn Press


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1861 Goldbury Township, New South Wales

Te joyous rumble o a drunken get-together ltered up through

the rickety foorboards o twenty-three-year-old Anne MargaretWillows bedroom. Te landlady o the Goldbury Hotel leant

on the windowsill, clutching a thin cotton sheet around her

curvaceous, unclothed body and listened to the distinct sound o

the old piano blending harmoniously with the upbeat strum o a

banjo. Te hardworking diggers and the women they had chosen

or the evening joined a chorus o merry song. A substantial-sized

nugget had been ound in the neighbouring goldelds and that was

cause or celebration. It was a promise o ortunes to be discovered

and reuelled the hope that had diminished over time as the men

C H A P T E R

1


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10 M A N D Y M A G R O

that vanished down the long hallway. Te slam o a door was soon

ollowed by the rhythmic thump o an iron bedhead against a wall.

Relishing the wisp o a cool evening breeze as it rereshed herstill fushed skin, Anne gently chewed her bottom lip and watched

William Campbell pull on his moleskins then run his hands

through his sandy brown hair, his muscular body making her want

to ravish him yet again. Whatever was she thinking, alling or

the likes o him? It was just asking or trouble. Tough she had to

silently admit that his wayward image made it even more thrilling

or her to be consorting with him.

William turned to ace her, a satised grin curling his ull, rm

lips. Te fickering light rom the kerosene lantern accentuated his

rugged eatures, and his dark chocolate eyes speckled with gold

captured her, stealing her breath. He pulled his shirt ree rom theback o a stool and shrugged it onto his broad shoulders as he picked

his pistol up rom the dressing table and pushed it into the leather

holster at his waist. He sauntered towards her and cupped her ace

with his strong hands, his lips meeting hers once again, making her

legs buckle beneath her. She let the sheet all and her tingling bodypressed into his. She moaned sotly, all o her responding to him as

he unclipped her hair, the long ringlets futtering ree and cascading

down her back. She breathed in his scent, a mixture o manliness,

horse, gunpowder and leather. It was enough to make her ache

uncontrollably or him, craving his delicious mouth upon her pale

English skin once more. Te heights o pleasure he bestowed on her

were an addiction she would never be ree o.

A melodious whistle rom the dusty street below captured their

attention and they reluctantly untwined rom each other. Anne


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D R I F W O O D 11

quick getaway. Annes heart sank. Te time had come again. She had

to say goodbye. Be strong, dont cry this time. It only upsets Will more.

Te whistle warned that the traps were riding back into town,returning rom the neighbouring settlement o Kilmaroy. Which

meant William would have to make a break or it into the dense

scrublands beyond Goldbury. A man could remain hidden or as long

as he liked out there; the land was vast, untamed, unorgiving but

William thrived in it. Te bush was where his spirit was truly alive

and it was one o the many traits that had attracted Anne to him

rom the beginning they shared an immeasurable love or the

countryside.

William held her gaze, his eyes piercing. I love you so much,

Anne. And Im sorry this visit was eeting. But one day Ill give you

all that you deserve, all that youve ever dreamed o: our very owncattle property up north, by the sea. Ten, with the reedom that

comes with that, even wild horses wont be able to drag me away

rom you . . . He ran his ngers over her parted lips. We will name

it Waratah, ater your avourite tree, the one with a blossom that

matches the ery colour o your hair and spirit. His lips twitchedinto a aint smile. You have my word.

Anne nodded as warm tears trickled down her cheeks. She curtly

wiped them away, straightened her back and gripped the sheet

around her tighter, the immense inner strength she usually exuded

abandoning her in Williams presence. I love you, too, Will. I just

wish our lives could be dierent so we didnt have to be away rom

each other all the time. She blinked a ew times, sniing. Its so

hard, particularly when the sergeant keeps making his eelings or

me known. I nd it difcult to tolerate his company, especially ater


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ban him rom the hotel. He is above the law, as he has well proven

to us. However, I know you are a man o your word, so I will hold

your promise close to my heart. Always.William gritted his teeth, his jaw twitching. Tat trap will

be sorry i he ever lays a hand on you. Im not one or taking a

lie Im not, God but i it came to it, i he hurt you, I wouldnt

hesitate. He pulled on his boots then grabbed his wide-brimmed

hat, allowing himsel a small smile as he tenderly tilted Annes chin

upwards. See you again soon my darling Anne.

Placing a nal lingering kiss on her lips, William clambered

out the bedroom window and jumped the ten eet to the ground.

Anne moved to the window and watched sombrely as he eortlessly

mounted his horse, her eyes locking briefy with his as he glanced

back at her. Ten, with a sharp fick o the reins, William and hismen rode past the blacksmiths and towards the outskirts o town,

their silhouettes ading into the darkness as they galloped away, the

horses hooves thunderous upon the hard dirt road. She had no idea

when she would see him again a day, a week, a month, or three

months? It depended on whether the police were in town; moreoten than not, they were.

She hued. Damn the traps! Tey had no right hunting him

down in the rst place. In her eyes, William Campbell was no

criminal; he was a decent, generous soul who had been dealt a low

blow and was now driven to steal rom the rich in order to survive.

o make matters worse, it was all because o her. Will only stole

rom those who made their ortune at the peril o others and shared

his gains among the less ortunate. His kind spirit was never greedy,

and his greatest satisaction came rom seeing the unlucky with


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D R I F W O O D 13

Ater a year o clandestine interludes, she still ound hersel

alling deeper or William every time they were reunited. And no

matter how hard she ought to ignore her eelings, she wouldbe a ool to deny that she was madly in love with Wild Will,

the wanted bushranger. She had passed the point o no return.

William Campbell had not only stolen rom the rich, he had also

stolen her heart.

Annes thoughts crashed back to when William was a successul

armer, a man who prided himsel on his honest living, and how that

was all taken away rom him one ateul day the day the sergeant

had learnt o her ondness or William. In an unjustifed jealous rage,

Sergeant Hocking retaliated by laying blame on William or a crime

he had never committed: the heinous murder o an entire amily,

including a six-month-old baby. Te motive behind the killings wassaid to be greed, as the amily was one o the wealthiest in the area,

owners o a substantial amount o real estate in Goldbury and back

in England. But even ater an extensive search by the police, the

jewels and money that had been stolen had never been recovered;

the true killer had obviously made sure the evidence was well hidden.Anne knew William was not capable o taking a childs lie. A

mans lie maybe, i he was driven to it, but unquestionably not a

childs. However, or some o the Goldbury townsolk, the ones who

didnt know Williams kind-hearted character, it was a completely

dierent story. Tey rallied behind Hocking, calling or Will to be

hanged, labelling him a cold-blooded murderer. It sickened Anne,

and she was determined to clear Williams name by fnding the real

killer. She had her suspicions but not enough evidence to point the

fnger. Yet.


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water. William had remained in jail or three long weeks as he waited

to be hanged, knowing the entire time that his beloved cattle and

horses were dying a long, painul and cruel death. Anne knew theagony o losing his livestock to such remorseless slaughter had been

the turning point or William, the deciding actor that had made him

seek revenge by becoming a bushranger.

Sliding her back down the wall, Anne hugged her knees to her

chest as she pondered a lie up north with William. She had always

dreamed o moving there. It would be glorious and they would be

ree o all o this misery, o living in a place governed by lawless

authorities. She could wake up beside William every day, have his

beautiul children, and be a good wie by happily tending to his

needs. Tey could take long walks along the beach together, hand

in hand, marvelling at how wonderul their lives had become. Itwould be absolute heaven. But was it ever going to become her

reality? Would William evade being arrested long enough to come

good on his word? Would he live long enough to keep his promise?

For, as she was only too aware, there was no such thing as an old

bushranger. Shehad

to believe him, had to believe he would fnda way to make their dreams come true, or it was all that kept her

going in this godorsaken place.


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2012 Far North Queensland

Approaching the frst -junction shed seen or over an hour, aylor

Whitworth eased o the accelerator o her Jeep Wrangler, paprika-coloured dust trailing out behind her as ar as the eye could see. Te

dust had even ound a way inside, speckles o it clinging to nearly

every part o the interior.

Squinting through her windscreen, aylor tried to read the road

sign that was now shadowed by a radiant setting sun. Te vast

countryside she was driving through was glorious, exactly what shed

yearned or, but she ound it hard to ully appreciate, conscious o the

act night was ast approaching and her uel light had been glowing

orange or the past hal-hour. Te likelihood o a servo being nearby

C H A P T E R

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With panic beginning to set in, aylor took a ew deep breaths

while willing her usually logical mindset to take control. She had

to fnd a township soon or she would end up running out o uel,leaving her stranded in the middle o nowhere or the night. Te

very thought terrifed her, and images o being eaten alive by a pack

o hungry dingos or dying rom a venomous snake bite consumed

her. Te brave young woman who had stormed out o her parents

bay-side Brisbane home yesterday morning with only one bag o

clothes and her treasured Fender acoustic guitar, threatening that

she was never going to set oot in their house again, was long gone.

What was she thinking, driving into the unknown? Letting her

anger get the better o her, allowing it to cloud her usually cool,

calm judgement? Being a typical Aries, she was an easygoing soul

and it took a lot or her to get pissed o, but once she elt somethingor someone was worth fghting or, all hell could break loose. And

yesterday at her amily home, it had.

aylor took a look around her at the endless felds glowing with

golden light rom the setting sun. Where in the hell was she going?

And what was she going to do when she got there? With ewerthan fve hundred bucks in her bank account she would have to

fnd work quick smart. But what was she going to do i there was

no work? Go crawling home with her tail between her legs? Not

bloody likely!

She smacked the steering wheel as she recalled the heated

argument with her parents. What a mess her hot-headedness had

gotten her into! Damn her cold-hearted stepather or demanding

she quit her stablehand job so she could go to medical school and

ollow in his ootsteps. Damn her mum or agreeing with him. And


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D R I F T W O O D 17

Dreams o embracing her love or horses and becoming a jillaroo,

o living in the country, o singing her country songs to people

who would actually appreciate them, and fnding hersel a tall, sexycowboy to all madly in love with. Ahh, in a perect world . . .

True love, she whispered to hersel. She had been searching or

true love since she was seventeen, it was just that all the guys she had

dated over the years seemed more concerned about being in love

with themselves than alling in love with her. Now at twenty-two,

she craved alling deeply in love, eeling what it was really like, the

overwhelming kind o love that leaves you breathless, that moves

heaven and earth, makes you do crazy things; someone you would

die or, someone who would die or you. Now that, to Taylor, was

true love.

Was she, like her parents had repeatedly told her, naive andcrazy or thinking she could make an honest lie or hersel in

the country? Maybe they were right. Or maybe she was just the

black sheep o the amily. Perhaps she was more like her biological

ather. I it were true, she was glad o the act. She didnt want to

be like her upper-class amily, stressing about every little detail inlie, mapping out the year ahead, pretending to be something or

someone she wasnt. No, she wanted everything opposite to that, to

them. She wanted to eel ree, to let lie lead her where it would. An

irrepressible sixth sense confrmed she was meant to be a country

girl and ollow in her real athers ootsteps, not her stepathers.

Her passion or everything country was deeply embedded in her. It

was a compulsion she couldnt shake, and one she could no longer

ignore, much to her mothers annoyance.

Taylor wiped the gathering tears rom her eyes. God, she wished


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her as a baby the only evidence he had even existed. She didnt even

know his name. Her mum, Grace, and her grandparents reused

to speak o him. Tey told her he was a bad man best let in thepast. She resented them or that. How could they be so cruel to not

even talk about him as she was growing up? It had caused massive

arguments but her mum had never budged, had never revealed a

thing. What could he have done that was so terrible? He looked

like a really genuine bloke in the snapshot, his broad smile showing

how proud he was o the new bundle in his arms. And her mum

looked really happy standing beside him, undeniably in love.

Her heart sinking as she thought about her dad, aylor switched

o the Jeeps ignition, the haunting melody o Wish You Were

Here by Pink Floyd vanishing, leaving her sitting in ear-ringing

silence. Sometimes she wished she could pull on a pair o massivelyfared jeans and go back in time to live in the peace-loving seventies.

Bands like Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin were among her avourites,

along with her country idols like Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash

and Dolly Parton but the hunky and extremely talented Adam

Brand was at the top o her country music list. Adams voice meltedher insides, and word had it he was a very approachable and down-

to-earth guy, the stardom hed reached not having gone to his head

at all. She would give almost anything to meet him in person,

maybe even sing or him, i she had the guts, to nd out what he

thought o her vocal abilities. Her riends were orever telling her

how talented she was, but they were biased; getting approval rom

an accomplished musical artist was a whole dierent ball game.

Glancing over at her Hungarian Vizsla, Floyd, aylor smiled

adoringly. His need or a toilet break was apparent as he whined


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D R I F W O O D 19

to the ground in search o the perect spot to cock his leg, the golden

rust-colour o his coat almost merging with the colour o the road.

aylor giggled, thankul or his company. Floyd was a typicalVizsla: robust, lean, lively, loyal, gentle-mannered, earless and

most importantly o all very protective o her. Hed been aylors

mate or six years, her sixteenth birthday present, and she couldnt

imagine a day without him by her side.

Sliding rom the drivers seat, aylor stretched her long limbs,

her butt numb rom spending almost nineteen hours behind the

wheel, nine hours o it yesterday. A quick stop at a roadside hotel

last night had allowed her a restless sleep on what elt like a bed

older than her beore she had hit the road again early this morning

ater a greasy breakast o bacon and eggs. Placing her hands deep

in her jeans pockets, she wandered up to the signs, weighingup which way she should go, a weird yet wonderul eeling o

excitement washing over her. It was as i the land was refecting

her inner conusion, oering her literally a crossroads.

Exhilarating, liberating and scary all rolled into one.

A weathered sign pointing to the let read Waratah Stationand an equally worn one pointing to the right read Dritwood

38 kilometres, population 712. Hmm. Waratah Station sounded

very alluring but Dritwood sounded out o the ordinary,

picturesque. Te name suggested it was nearer the ocean, which

was odd, seeing this was primarily northern cattle country. aylors

curiosity was piqued.

Pulling her wild tresses o waist-length strawberry blonde

ringlets into a ponytail, aylor motioned to the let with a wide

sweep o her arm. Well, Floyd, what do you reckon? Do we go this


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a uel station, and a bed? Taylor elt her tummy rumble. Oh, and

possibly a pub with steak, chips and salad?

Floyd barked his reply, his tail wagging zealously.Yep, thats what I thought. Dritwood it is then. Lets just hope

we have enough uel to make it there, bugger having to walk in the

dark Id be shitting mysel.

Jay Donnellson smiled wearily at Frank Forester, Dritwoods

one and only copper, as the ofcer passed him an extra-strong black

coee across the desk then sat down opposite him, a rown creasing

his middle-aged eatures. An uncomortable silence settled, each

waiting or the other to speak. Jay knew there was a lecture coming

his way, and he probably deserved it.

Jay picked up the cup, his swollen knuckles throbbing, and tooka lengthy sip as Frank tapped the desk with his ngers. Cheers,

Frank, Jay said, trying his best to break the silence but to also avoid

the inevitable conversation.

No probs, Jay, said Frank, his ofce chair creaking as he leant

back and olded his arms. Im starting to think you like being

arrested, considering youve been in here twice these past ew

weeks. Whats going on with you? Is the stress o everything thats

happened catching up? Cause i it is, Im all ears. Sometimes it

helps to talk about it.

Jay shrugged casually, not knowing how to reply. Jay didnt

want to talk about his athers sudden death; about his older sisterrunning o to a high-paying job in the city and leaving all the arm

work to him; about Becky, his childhood sweetheart, leaving him

or another man; about his mothers heavy drinking; about almost


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D R I F W O O D 21

depressing, and problematic lie. He took a ew more sips rom his

bitter coee, wishing Frank had oered milk and sugar.

No wonder he didnt have a woman to share his lie with. Fivemonths ater moving in, Becky had run or the hills, unable to

cope with the stress o being a cattlemans girlriend, and straight

into the arms o a rich city boy. She didnt even have the decency

to say goodbye, had just let a note, like he wasnt even worth her

breath. Shed broken his heart. He was still trying to mend it, and

trying to get over his bitterness towards the human race, because

lately, all anyone seemed to do was break his heart. Even his own

mother whom he loved dearly had her moments, her binge

drinking creating a massive rit in what used to be a loving mother-

son relationship. Wasnt it enough or him to lose his dad without

having to worry about losing his mum as well?Tank God he had om Connors back on the station to help

him out hed be up shit creek without him. om could be a

cantankerous bugger when he wanted to be but Jay thought o him

like a ather. Hed been the head stockman at Waratah or going on

twenty years and Jay had the comort o knowing that om wasntgoing anywhere; om swore he would be taking his very last breath

on the station.

Frank raised his eyebrows and Jay groaned. He didnt want to

talk about it with Frank or anyone else, or that matter. What

good would it do anyway? Couldnt he just keep on pretending that

this lie he was living was someone elses? Pretending he was all right

and handling everything like a bona fde countryman should, with

a sti upper lip and balls o steel. Tat was what his ather would

have expected o him, so that was what he was trying to do. Jay


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suddenly arriving. Considering he had been up beore the crack o

dawn to muster his cattle, it had been one long day. Anyway, both

times Ive been in here it hasnt been my ault. Last time was becauseI was trying to stop a ght at the ooty and this time was because

I knocked some bloke out who was beating on his missus out

the back o the pub. Te bloody coward, picking on a woman.

Scum o the rigging earth blokes are who do that. Im glad youve

locked him up. I hope you throw away the key.

Frank released a long, drawn-out breath. Believe me, I agree,

and I wish I could throw away the key. But still, you cant go around

clouting people, Jay. Its against the law. Youre lucky the bloke

didnt press charges tonight considering the mess you let him in, or

you would have ound yoursel in court. And Lord knows we dont

need you being shipped o to jail. Whod look ater Waratah then,and your dear mum? I may have been your athers best mate but I

cant change the law to suit you. I have to uphold it. Honestly, Jay,

it breaks my heart having to arrest you in ront o everyone. Frank

leant over and squeezed Jays shoulder. Come on, mate youre

notthat

guy. Youre ar rom it. I believe in you. You just gotta startbelieving in yoursel.

Jay hung his head, angry and ashamed or letting Frank down.

Again. Tis man was like an uncle to him. Im sorry. Ill try harder

to curb my temper rom now on. Promise.

Frank pushed himsel up, the legs o the chair scraping against

the worn lino foor. Please dont give some o the old residents in

Dritwood any more reasons to gossip. Remember, you have no

control over whats happened in years gone by, but you do have

control over your uture. Yes, your lie has had more downs then


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D R I F W O O D 23

Jay nodded solemnly, staring at the foor. Ill try, I reallywill.

He glanced up at Frank, elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped.

But, in actual act, I dont care what people think. I am who I am.Besides, I have nothing to prove to any bastard. Jay reclined,

hands astened behind his head, determination creasing his brow.

Frank whistled through his teeth as he placed his hands on the

table, smiling or the very rst time that night. With that glint in

your eye, you remind me so much o your ather right now. You are

denitely your athers son, so alike in everything you do. Frank

picked up his cup and swigged the last o the coee. Anyhow, Id

better get back to it, loads o paperwork to do. Do you need a lit

home? I can get one o the ambulance blokes to drive you back.

Nah, I only had a couple o beers at the pub and that was, um.

Jay looked at his watch, eyebrows raised. Shit! Tree hours ago. Icant believe its nearly ten-thirty. Ive got to be up in less than six

hours to start it all over again. I have cattle to load onto the truck

beore rst light, so they get to the saleyards in time.

Well drive sae, you hear. And watch out or the roos this time o

the night. Bloody crazy buggers are all over the roads.Righto. Will do. Jay stood and shook Franks hand.

Stay out o trouble, Jay, and say gday to your mum or me.

Sure thing. You should come and visit one o these days and

say gday to her yoursel, though. Shed like that. So would I. We

dont live thatar rom here, you know. Jay noticed Frank looked a

little uncomortable with the invitation. He paused or a moment,

waiting or a reply, but silence hung heavily once again and Frank

avoided his gaze. Jay picked his Akubra up rom the desk and

sauntered over to the ront door o the police station, halting briefy


19/20


avoiding Waratah Station these past few months and that worried

Jay. He used to call out all the time for a cuppa. Jay pulled his keys

free of his jeans pocket. He didnt have the energy to think aboutanything other than getting home to his bed. Why did everything

have to be so goddamn hard and when was life going to give him

the break hed been silently praying for?


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