Spotlight: Apathy & Vigor by Faye Hall

Will the love of a woman save him from his own apathy?

Tristen Brone lived a carefree life of wealth and passion – until one day it all came crashing down around him.  In only a few days he lost everyone he loved in the world – his woman, his best friend and his parents.  The once confident, handsome young man, was now scarred for life and on a quick downward spiral of sorrow and depression.  He no longer wanted to live.

When Amalie Fergus arrives on his doorstep, a travel bag in her hand, begging him to take her in, he becomes suspicious.  Despite his passionate past with this woman, and the feelings he still had for her, all he could think of was how quickly she abandoned him after the fire that killed her brother and left Tristen physically scarred.  So why had she come back into his life after all these months?

Amalie Fergus lost her brother in a fire, her lover had abandoned her upon finding her with child, and now her father had been poisoned, leaving their properties to be repossessed.  She had nothing and no one left to turn to.  In desperation, she found herself forced to work for a living, trying to do her best as a maid for any rich gentleman who would take her in.  What she hadn’t expected was for one of those men to try and force carnal favours from her, or for her now to be on the run for his murder.

Running from the scene of the crime, fearful what was to become of her, Amalie finds herself colliding with a man from her past who offers to hide her from the police on one condition – she return to Tristen and steal some property papers from him.  

Trapped by the man from her past, and now forced back into Tristen’s life, Amalie searches for who murdered her brother.  She could never have foreseen the cruelty she would discover, or the man she would willingly surrender her heart to.

Excerpt

“Damn it!” Tristen cursed. “There has to be a way I can explain how much Amalie means to me without disgracing her in your father’s eyes.”

“Is this why you sent for me to join you out here?” Jacob asked. “Did you think I would have the answers for you?”

Tristen was confused. “I never sent for you. The only person I asked to meet me out here was Amalie.”

Jacob pulled a note out of his pocket and handed it to Tristen. “Are you saying you didn’t send me this?”

Tristen took the piece of paper and glanced down at it. Shaking his head, his gaze shifted back to his friend. “I didn’t write this.”

“Then who did? And why would they put your name on it?”

The two men stared at each other, both confused. Tristen didn’t know how to answer Jacob. All he could tell him was the truth about Amalie.

“I love her,” he confessed, his words soft and heartfelt as he folded the note he was holding and placed it in his trouser pocket. “She is everything to me.”

“Amalie’s pregnant,” Jacob said.

“What?” Tristen asked, shocked by what he was hearing.

“You’ve been sleeping together for eight months, a baby is hardly a surprise,” Jacob stated.

Tristen knew what his friend said was true, but still...a baby? Why had she not told him yet?

“I can try to talk to my father for you,” Jacob finally relented, interrupting his thoughts. “Besides, I can think of worse brother-in-laws to have than you.”

Tristen smiled. “I’m going to be a father.”

Jacob nodded. “It appears that way.”

Just then a blood-curdling scream came from inside the workers’ cottage a few yards from where they were standing.

“What the devil?” Tristen asked as he and Jacob ran toward the building.

“Jacob, help me!” the woman’s voice yelled from inside.

“Oh my God, that’s Amanda!” Jacob exclaimed.

Tristen ran with his friend to the front door of the building. “Why would she be calling for you?”

Jacob stopped at the door. “You’re not the only one who has been keeping secrets,” he confessed, opening the already slightly open door and stepping inside.

Following his friend inside, Tristen wanted to ask exactly what he meant by that. But the smoke drifting toward him on the air made the words die on his lips.

“We need to find her and get her out of here,” Jacob exclaimed as he rushed into the smoke.

Tristen reached for his shoulder, pulling him back. “Take it easy, mate. You have no idea what is in there or where the smoke is coming from.”

Hearing Amanda scream again, Jacob pulled away from him and ran into the smoke. Tristen followed, close on his heels. As the smoke got thicker, he quickly lost sight of his friend.

“Jacob!” he yelled, knowing they had to get clear of this building before the fire took over. He heard no reply.

His pace slowing slightly, he lifted his shirt over his nose and mouth to protect him from the thick smoke. Just up ahead he could hear the crackling of flames, and he knew it wouldn’t be long before this building, and anything around it, went up in flames. He didn’t want to be in there when that happened. Tristen had so much to live for now. Amalie and he were going to have a baby.

“Tristen!” he heard Jacob yell to him, and he could only hope he was getting closer to him.

Looking down at the floor, he saw the unmoving body of a woman. “Amanda?” he asked, kneeling down beside her to see how badly she’d been hurt. The smoke was too thick for him to see anything though. Dragging her toward him, he placed his hands under her arms and tried to move her out of the smoke and toward the exit.

“Help me, Tristen,” Jacob’s ragged voice yelled to him.

About the Author

Come on a journey with me through 19th century North Queensland, Australia and explore the passions and hardships of unique characters.
There is corruption, deceit and murder, as well as cattle rustlers, slave traders and hell fire clubs. Explore townships of Jarvisfield and Inkerman, as well as Ravenswood and Bowen. One book even incorporates my great grandmothers cattle station 'Inkerman Downs Station'.

As well as an author, I am also the most spoilt wife in the world, and a very contented mother.
Come and discover all the passion and drama of North Queensland history with me.