Barbara Hannay - Claiming the Cattleman's Heart

Dear Reader,

The Australian Outback has an untamed beauty, a sense of loneliness and more than a hint of danger. When my heroine Lily was stranded in the Outback, and her only hope of rescue was Daniel Renton—a scowling, unfriendly, reclusive cattleman—she was justifiably scared. Her terror might have shot off the scale if she’d known that Daniel was only recently out of prison.

I love it when my muse throws up a situation like that—a bubbly, warmhearted, innocent heroine and a dark, powerful and dangerous man who has lost his ability to love. In this story I loved the promise of emotional risk and the knowledge that both Daniel and Lily had a difficult journey ahead before they reached a happy outcome.

Happy reading, and best wishes from Down Under!

Barbara

“I was selfish, Lily. I kissed you yesterday for all the wrong reasons.

“You drive me wild,” he continued softly. “The way you fix your hair fascinates me. The warmth in your eyes touches me, deep inside. There’s so much joy and beauty in you, Lily, and I—I wanted some of it for myself.” His voice cracked and he had to take a deep breath. “I couldn’t help it. I’m sorry.”

“Daniel—” Her own throat was so tight her voice emerged as a croak. “For heaven’s sake, don’t be sorry.” She swallowed and blinked. “I’m flattered—really flattered.”

He turned to her. His face was in shadow, but she could see the glittering brightness in his eyes. She reached for his hands and felt them tremble at her touch. “And if you still feel that way, I’d really like you to kiss me again.”

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Barbara Hannay was born in Sydney, educated in Brisbane and has spent most of her adult life living in tropical north Queensland, where she and her husband have raised four children. While she has enjoyed many happy times camping and canoeing in the bush, she also delights in an urban lifestyle—chamber music, contemporary dance, movies and dining out. An English teacher, she has always loved writing, and now, by having her stories published, she is living her most cherished fantasy. Visit Barbara at www.barbarahannay.com

In the Heart of the Outback…

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

EPILOGUE

DANIEL RENTON dived into the cool, glassy water of the Star River. His naked body slid down, down through the dark green silence till he reached the feathery grasses on the sandy river-bottom. Then with a short, swift kick he arced up again and saw, high above, the cloudless blue of the sky and the tapering trail of smoky green gum leaves.

He broke the surface and struck out for the opposite bank, revelling in the cool, clean water rushing over his skin, between his bare thighs, between his fingers and toes, washing every inch of him. Cleansing.

Cleansing.

If only…

Daniel swam powerfully, almost savagely, as he had every day since he’d returned a fortnight ago to Ironbark, his Outback Queensland cattle property. But he always demanded more from the sleepy river than it could possibly give him.

Oh, the water rid him of the sweat and the dust and grime he’d acquired during a hot morning’s work repairing fences, but it couldn’t rid him of the rottenness that lived inside him. He doubted anything could free him from that.

He might be out of jail at last, but the emotional taint of his shameful months of captivity clung to him with a tenacity that no amount of bathing could banish.

Flipping onto his back, Daniel floated. The river was slow and he hardly drifted at all. It was always so wonderfully quiet here.

The birds had retreated into midday silence and the treetops stood perfectly still. The river was as peaceful and silent as an empty church, and Daniel tried to relax, deliberately blanking out the heartbreak and anger and pain that hunkered deep inside him. If only the darkness could float away.

He loosened the muscles in his shoulders, in his arms and legs. He closed his eyes.

‘Hello! Excuse me!’

The voice, coming out of the silence, startled him. Splashing upright, Daniel trod water and looked back to the far bank. Against a backdrop of green and golden wattle, a figure in a floppy straw sunhat waved arms wildly, trying to catch his attention.

‘I’m sorry to bother you,’ a female voice called.

Daniel groaned. And glared at her. Who on earth could she be? Hardly anyone in the district knew he’d come home.

Still treading water, he shaded his eyes. The young woman was standing at the very edge of the water, leaning as far out as she dared and peering at him. Beneath her big floppy sunhat she wore a sleeveless white T-shirt that left her midriff bare and blue floral shorts and sandals. A woven straw bag hung from her shoulder.

A tourist. Not a local.

He didn’t welcome any intrusion, but at least a stranger would be easier to deal with than someone who knew him. A local would be suspicious or curious, and Daniel wasn’t ready to deal with either reaction.

‘What are you doing on my property?’ he growled.

‘Car trouble, I’m afraid.’

Great. A city chick with car trouble. He released a deep, weary sigh.

A million years ago he might have considered a young woman with a broken-down vehicle a pleasant diversion. But his days of trying to impress women were long gone. These days he just wanted—no, he needed—to be left alone.

A year and a half on a prison farm tended to do that to a man. It robbed him of do-good urges. It had almost robbed Daniel of the will to get out of bed in the morning. What was the point in trying?

‘I’m sorry, but can you help me?’

She was leaning so far out over the water she looked as if she was about to dive in and swim to him.

‘Hang on!’ It was a bark rather than a reply. This was a cattle property, not a bloody service station. But he struck out, swimming towards her in an easy freestyle. When he neared the shallows he stopped and stood in hip-deep water, his feet sinking into the weedy bottom.

The stranger on the riverbank was well disguised by her huge straw hat, but he caught a glimpse of light-coloured hair tied back or tucked up somehow. Apart from the snug fit of her blue floral shorts, she had a schoolmarmish air about her. Serious and anxious.

And yet…He could feel her studying him with frank interest. Her mouth flowered into an open pink O as she took in details of his bare torso.

‘What’s the problem?’ he asked.

She gulped, and said a little breathlessly, ‘I—I’m afraid I’ve r-run out of fuel.’

Immediately a bright blush flooded her neck and cheeks.

‘I know it was stupid of me, and I’m so sorry to trouble you, but I don’t know what to do.’ Her hands flapped in a gesture of helplessness. ‘I tried to ring the only person I know around here, but there doesn’t seem to be anyone home, even though they were expecting me. I managed to coast down the side of the mountain, but then my car conked out at the bottom. I saw your gate and your mail box and so I turned in here, and your ute was on the track back there, and I—’