Cherrybrook Rose Read Online Free

of them slammed the butt of his Snider carbine into the man’s stomach. He fell to the ground, dropping the stone, totally defenceless against the two guards, who became intent upon kicking him into submission with their steel-capped boots.
    Molly remained motionless, her muscles incapable of doing anything more than keeping her upright, but beside her, the indignation swirled in Rose’s breast like a rising tide, drowning her senses in unleashed fury. In a trice, she flung aside her riding skirt, vaulted the stone wall and careering down the steep bank, began to pummel the back of one of the guards.
    â€˜No, you senseless fools!’ she shrieked, spittle spraying from her incensed lips. ‘’Twasn’t
him
! He
stopped
the other one!’
    Her fists continued to pound ineffectually at their target, and it wasn’t until Jacob’s arms encircled her, pinning her own to her sides, that she was forced to stop, though she wriggled like a mad woman, her hat flying from her head and her dark curls whipping across her face like some wild witch.
    â€˜Hush now, Miss Rose!’ the strong, steady voice commanded. ‘And you two,
stop
before you kill ’en, will you!’
    His authoritative tone ran like ice through the guards’ brains as they ceased their retribution with reluctance. Every man held his breath, his heartbeat quickened, as the tension crackled along the halted line, those that were near enough confounded by the savage but beautiful apparition that even now was desperately attempting to break free from the burly warder’s hold, her chest heaving deliciously up and down.
    â€˜Is this true?’ Jacob asked in his usual calm manner.
    â€˜Yes. Of course ’tis!’ Rose told him. ‘
He
was the one who was about to hit you over the head with the stone!’ she accused, pointing at the guilty villain, who merely grinned back. ‘
That
poor fellow stopped him, and those idiots—’
    â€˜All right, all right!’ Jacob tried to interrupt.
    â€˜We saw it all from up there! Ask any one of these men—’
    â€˜Rose, do calm down!’ Jacob hissed warningly in her ear. ‘Never ask a prisoner to cop another! Now!’ He raised his voice again as he turned back to the guards, slowly releasing his grip on her as he did so. ‘I believe what this young woman says. Six four nine’s always been a troublemaker. I’d just that second had to rebuke ’en. The
other
fellow’s new. Model prisoner, so far. So, all right, everyone! Show’s over! Move along now!’
    A general moan rumbled along the line of convicts as they began to trudge back towards their meagre evening meal, an hour of oakum-picking and an hour of reading or writing in their cells, or if they weren’t literate under the prison teacher’s tuition, before lights out. It had been a rare entertainment, and that untamed, spirited wench . . .
    â€˜Yes, get up, you bastard.’
    Jacob had already moved on and didn’t see the final blow that one of the guards inflicted with his boot upon the prostrate form of the prisoner. But Rose did, and the soldier’s shin felt the crack of her own foot as she lashed out at him, her blazing eyes deepening to an outraged indigo. He backed away. He had the feeling he’d seen her somewhere before. She was dressed like a lady in a riding habit, and although she spoke with a local accent, it was refined, and her words were well chosen and articulate. You never knew . . . And he didn’t want any trouble.
    With a scathing glance in her direction, he bent down to thrust a hand under the criminal’s armpit and drag him to his feet. The convict stifled a gasp of pain, one arm clutched across his middle, but he lifted his head and turned to look at his saviour.
    The tortured expression on his face was like a spike in her compassionate heart. He was young. At least, fine creases were only just beginning to