Free Paradise Falls by Ruth Ryan Langan Page B

think to take a sip of spirits. Nor would their perfect daughter.”
    She stared down at his hand holding firmly to her wrist. “Let me go, Flem.”
    “What’s the matter, Miss Downey? Don’t tell me you don’t like being touched by a man.”
    “I don’t.”
    “Liar.” He leaned close, his hot breath stinging her cheek. “All women like it, though most of them think they have to pretend not to. It’s a game they play.”
    “It’s not a game I’d play. Let me go, Flem, or I’ll shout down the entire household.”
    His smile grew. A smile that had once been charming now caused a tiny thread of alarm to begin twisting along her spine. “No you won’t, teacher. And do you know why? Because you’re smart enough to know it would cause a scandal, and after Ma was through with all her bluster, you’d be the one to lose your precious job.”
    He could see at once that he’d hit a nerve. Pressing his advantage, he caught her roughly by the shoulders. Before he could draw her close she kicked him as hard as she could in the ankle.
    He swore. But instead of releasing her as she’d hoped, his two hands closed around her throat, and he shoved her against the wall before lowering his face to hers. Against her mouth he muttered, “You’ll pay for that.”
    With a little cry Fiona fought back. Her fingernails raked his cheek, causing him to swear again.
    “Why you little—”
    Before he could retaliate, he was abruptly yanked away. While Fiona watched in stunned surprise, Gray hurled his brother to the floor. Flem tried to scramble out of his reach but Gray caught him by the front of his shirt and hauled him to his feet, landing a punch in his gut that had him falling to the floor and grunting in pain. With a hiss of fury Gray hauled him upright again.
    Seeing Gray’s fist raised, Flem held up both hands to protect his face. “No. Don’t. I guess I got a little drunk. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
    Gray’s voice trembled with a black, blinding rage. “You’ll apologize to Miss Downey.”
    Flem lifted his head and even managed a shaky smile. “I’m sorry, Miss Downey. Truly I am. It wasn’t me. It was the whiskey.”
    Gray gave him a rough shove backwards, where he bumped into the wall and dropped to one knee. Fiona could do nothing more than gape at Flem as he touched a hand to his cheek. Seeing blood on his fingers, he muttered an oath and got to his feet, eager to escape.
    Gray thought about going after his brother and pummeling him. It was what Flem deserved. But at the moment, Fiona’s welfare was uppermost in his mind.
    He turned to her. “Are you all right?”
    She nodded, afraid to trust her voice.
    “He didn’t... hurt you?”
    She was too close to tears to speak. Instead she merely shook her head.
    “I’m glad I got here in time.” Seeing her distress, he walked to the pump and filled a tumbler with water.
    Fiona was aware that he’d dressed hurriedly, pulling the suspenders of his overalls over his bare chest. His feet, too, were bare, and his hair was mussed, falling over his forehead in a dark spill that gave him a decidedly dangerous look. It was a side of Gray she’d never imagined. For those few moments this gentle farmer had been like a man possessed. Now, though she sensed he was still in a state of high agitation, there was a cautious gentleness to him, as well.
    “Drink this.” He pressed the glass to her bands and she obediently emptied it.
    He set the glass aside and took her hands in his. Despite the heat of the evening they were cold as ice, “You should get to bed now.”
    “I should. Yes. Thank you, Gray. That’s little enough to say. I don’t know what I’d have done if you hadn’t—”
    They both looked up as the door to the kitchen was thrust open and Rose halted in the doorway, her eyes as dark with fury as Gray’s had been just moments earlier. In silence she took in the sight of the two of them, standing so close together, Fiona’s hands firmly nestled in