Lorne stared into the hard, unsmiling face as sheer undiluted fear turned her soft grey eyes almost black. РІР‚ВYou think you too good to talk to us, eh?РІР‚в„ў There was no humour or banter in the youthРІР‚в„ўs voice now. The only skirt she had brought with her, and which she usually wore every day in spite of the heat to deflect just such a situation as this, had met its end, mangled and torn, in the bicycle chain just a few hours before, necessitating a quick change from the rucksack. One of the youths, broader and a little older than the rest, stepped forward, his good-looking face surly as he let his dark eyes travel over her body in insolent slowness from the top of her silver-blonde head down to the long, smooth brownness of her legs revealed in their entirety in the old worn denim shorts she was wearing. The narrowing of their eyes and sudden darkening of a couple of the faces told her they understood English far better than she understood Spanish, and also that she had tried the wrong tack. РІР‚ВIРІР‚в„ўm sure youРІР‚в„ўve got better things to do than bother me and frankly youРІР‚в„ўre not funny. РІР‚ВLook, why donРІР‚в„ўt you just clear off?РІР‚в„ў As she swung round she saw her sudden attack had momentarily surprised them as the four young men stopped dead in the road facing her. The thick excited laughter, the shrill note that had entered the young male voices was a portent of things to come. But she didnРІР‚в„ўt need to understand what they were saying to know what was on their minds.

How could she have been so stupid as to put herself in such a vulnerable position?Р”Р„ burst of ribald laughter just behind her caused her stomach muscles to clench in protest and she wished with all her heart that she had learnt Spanish as the youths continued to shout and encourage each other in their native tongue. РІР‚ВFOUR YOUTHS FOUND GUILTY OF THE RAPE OF-РІР‚в„ў And now it could be her! She could become yet another nameless statistic that would cause most people to click their tongue in sympathy before their eyes ran down the rest of the page. Harsh vivid memories of old headlines flashed into her mind. What was she going to do? Terror was a huge lump in the base of her throat that restricted breathing and was beginning to make her feel sick. РІР‚ВYou tired, eh? You wanna rest a little?РІР‚в„ў They had closed the twenty yard or so gap since she had last turned round she could feel it in the hairs that were prickling on the back of her neck. The heat was shimmering off the winding road in great waves, the sky an empty vivid blue in which the sun sat like a queen, and Lorne cast yet another desperate glance at the broken chain on her old bike as she marched resolutely forward, pushing her only means of transportation, which was worse than useless, her bulging rucksack rubbing her back and causing the perspiration to trickle between her shoulderblades. You InglР“В©sesa? Americana? You gotta boyfriend, eh?РІР‚в„ў It was broad daylight, for goodnessРІР‚в„ў sake! Admittedly she was in the middle of nowhere on a hot dusty road that seemed to lead into infinity with not a house or building in sight, but they wouldnРІР‚в„ўt do anything, would they? The suggestive remarks and cat-calls had grown more daring with the minutes but that didnРІР‚в„ўt mean anything, not really.

She mustnРІР‚в„ўt panic! MustnРІР‚в„ўt give in to this fear that was causing her flesh to prickle with horror. Lorne forced her legs, which had increased their pace since the crowd of Spanish youths had started following her into practically a jogging stance, into a slower, calmer rhythm. You lika nice Spanish boy, eh? You wanna say hello maybe?РІР‚в„ў

Her long-cherished aspiration to write became a reality when she put pen to paper on reaching the age of forty, and sent the result off to Harlequin Mills & Boon. As she is a committed Christian, busy housewife and mother, her spare time is at a premium but her hobbies include reading and walking her two energetic and very endearing young dogs.

Helen Brooks lives in Northamptonshire, England, and is married with three children. РІР‚СљYou think am a knight? A kind, good man who fights the dragons? Oh, Lorne, what an innocent you are.РІР‚Сњ There are no knights in shining armor here.РІР‚СњР”Р‡rancisco looked puzzled for a moment and then laughed softly. This is not the place for a little English girl with silver hair and eyes like bottomless pools. РІР‚СљI have the fire of this savage heritage in my veins. РІР‚СљYes, I am a true Spaniard, my little English infanta,РІР‚Сњ he said softly. РІР‚СљAre you a true Spaniard?РІР‚Сњ About the Author Title Page CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CopyrightР”Р„s she quietly asked the question, Lorne let her eyes wander over FranciscoРІР‚в„ўs proud aristocratic features.

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