Pictures of Love by Christina Green

Author:Christina Green [Green, Christina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781471308963
Publisher: AudioGO

CHAPTER SIX

Jess’s immediate thought was to say something soothing. Mike could be very unpleasant when he wanted, but Daniel surprised her into silence. Catching Poppy by her collar, he looked at Mike through the shadows, frowned, and spoke quietly.

‘You’ve been shooting, on my land?’

Jess tensed. She didn’t like the way this was going.

Mike said roughly, ‘Your land is it, all of a sudden, like? Let me tell you, mate, me an’ my friends have hunted over this land since we was boys, an’ we don’t intend to stop now that a Mr Big from London takes it into his head to say we can’t.’

Jess put a hand on his arm, but he shook it off, never taking his eyes away from Daniel.

‘Stop it, Jess. Don’t interfere. Get on inside.’

She didn’t move but said, in a voice that was far firmer than she felt, ‘I’m not going until you put down that gun and start behaving reasonably. Daniel’s got every right to—’

‘Oh, yeah, Daniel, is it?’ Mike interrupted coarsely. ‘I see, the new boss taking out the local talent, is he? Well, he’s picked the wrong ’un with you, Jess, hasn’t he? You’re my girl.’

‘Dream on!’ Jess snapped.

‘We’ll see, won’t we?’ Mike laughed. ‘I mean, have you told him that you side with all of us about Whitestones being done over? Now, Daniel.’

The name was underlined mockingly and Jess’s passion took flight. She flew at Mike, pushing against his arm and knocking the gun upwards. In that wild moment she heard Daniel shouting.

‘For goodness’ sake, Jess, take care!’

Then she felt his hands roughly pulling her back, stumbling as she fell.

Mike said explosively, ‘You fool! I mighta shot you.’

‘Well, if you must carry a gun it’s a risk we’re all taking, isn’t it, Mike? What on earth do you think you’re doing, behaving like this?’

‘You know what I’m doin’, Jess, so don’t pretend you don’t. And you’re not changing your mind again, are you? You know that the whole village’ll turn up tomorrow to hear this chap’s plans an’ we need you to manage the meeting.’

She pulled away, sickened at the thought of the inevitable conflict that tomorrow must bring, and watched him march back up the garden path.

From the cottage entrance he shouted back, ‘An’ keep that wild dog o’ yours under control, you hear me, Firth? Or else!’

The door slammed shut and there was a moment’s silence, until Daniel’s voice slipped into her anxious mind.

‘You OK, Jess?’

His arm was around her waist, his face close to hers.

‘Jess, what did he mean, about tomorrow?’

She turned and met the silvery, intense gaze directed at her. Carefully, she picked her words.

‘The meeting you talked about, in the village hall.’

‘Yes?’

The one word was suspicious. Clearly he wasn’t going to let her off the hook. Taking a long, deep breath, Jess faced the challenge.

‘They want me to be the spokeswoman for the village, Daniel. I’m supposed to stand up for the petition that’s been collected to try to stop you making Whitestones into something that we don’t want.

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