Coming soon from Books We Love
Unsure of his
real past or name, Finn O’Connor thinks he was born in Ireland and taken from
his mother as a baby by a gypsy woman. As a toddler, an English woman then took
him to London. About ten he fled to join a gang of boys who survived by their
wits on the streets. Five years later, he was arrested for a minor crime and
transported to The Colony of New South Wales for a 10-year term. In 1846 as
transporting of criminals neared an end in NSW, he was moved to the infamous
penitentiary at Port Arthur in Van Diemen’s Land.
On the day
Finn received his papers of freedom an accidental meeting brought him into
contact with 20-year-old Esther Blythe. Born in Surrey, England, genteel Esther
is kind and caring. As a 4-year-old her parents brought her to Van Diemen’s
Land where her Papa, a doctor, took on the task of providing medical aid to the
prisoners at the Port Arthur Penitentiary and its surrounding area. Sadly, both
parents were killed in an accident, leaving Esther with no option but to work
as a governess/nursemaid.
The next day Finn walked out of the hospital with the proof
that he was a free man tucked firmly into his trouser pocket. As luck would
have it the injury had turned out to be not broken, but something to do with
the shoulder joint having to be pushed back into its rightful position. The
doctor who did this told him he had dislocated it when he fell. After the pain
from that subsided, he was told to rest it as much as possible. So, no more
fighting for some time, was the order given him.
It appeared that when his name came before the
Commissariat’s office, they realised that his ten-year sentence ended a month
or so back and therefore he was deemed free to go wherever he wanted. Just one
thing held him back, he had not one penny to his name and possessed just the
rags that he stood up in. There was the bundle he carried that contained his
mug and plate, a worn hairbrush he’d taken from a man who died, and a picture
Finn collected somewhere along the way of a place in Ireland called Kilmallock.
As he pondered what to do next, a soft mutter of annoyance
came from behind him and he turned in time to see a woman take a tumble.
Landing in a heap at the foot of the steps, her skirts flew about, showing a
glimpse of one perfectly shaped ankle. Seldom did females of good breeding
travel about alone in these parts so he looked about to see if her carriage
driver was here to assist her. A small cart stood not far away, but there was
no one else in sight so he went to kneel at her side, asking, “Are you all
right miss?”
With a small toss of the head, she looked up at him from the
most beautiful pair of eyes he had ever seen. Hair as black as night was pulled
back into some sort of roll behind her head beneath the bonnet that she hastily
straightened. At a guess he thought perhaps she was about twenty years of age.
Not used to being this close to a woman in some time he stood hurriedly and
offered a hand, feeling like the idiot he knew she must think him, while he
sent up a small prayer of thanks that at least the hand was cleaner than it had
been yesterday.
As she took the outstretched hand she smiled, and Finn’s
silly heart seemed to do a somersault. “Just feeling a bit stupid,” she said in
what Finn called a posh English accent. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
When she stood—close enough for him to feel her sweet breath
on his face, he realised he still held her hand and dropped it as if it was a
piece of hot coal. “Easily done,” he muttered, looking about again as he asked,
“Is your driver somewhere?” again feeling foolish for obviously nobody else was
nearby.
“No, I came alone.” Holding a small package aloft she added,
“Simply came along to pick up this medication for the small girl who is in my
charge.” Brushing at her skirts, she looked around. “Are you waiting on
someone?”
“No, I have just come from the infirmary too—only this was
because in my foolishness I had a fall and injured my shoulder.” Lifting this
arm as if to prove it was also all right, he dropped it swiftly, not knowing
what to do or say next, and asked, “Might I ask why you are not afraid of me,
Miss. Most females might be inclined to run swiftly from a man alone in these
parts.”