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She stared into the naked fury in his dark eyes and frowned as his strong fingers bit into her shoulders. ‘What do you mean?’
‘What do I mean?’ He stared at her incredulously and gave her a little shake. ‘For goodness’ sake, woman, do I have to spell it out? A drunken man has a go at his wife and you intervene.’
‘And?’
His mouth tightened. ‘And it could have been you next.’
She frowned. ‘Well, I was glad to see you, that’s for sure—thanks for that, Sean.’
He released her with a sigh of frustration and dragged both hands through his hair. ‘You just don’t get it, do you? You could have been seriously hurt, but if there’s something you want to do then you just do it, don’t you, no matter how many people might be worrying about you?’
‘Hold on.’ She stared at him, her irritation mounting. ‘You’re saying I should have stood back and let him wallop her?’
‘If necessary.’ Sean gritted his teeth. ‘You could have called for me or Jack or the police—anything rather than just wading in yourself. It was just luck that I saw what was going on.’
‘Well, I didn’t have time for that—he was hitting her, for goodness’ sake!’ Her eyes blazed angrily and he gave a short, humourless laugh.
‘I noticed—and you were going to be next! You’re going to get yourself in serious trouble one day. You just don’t seem to think about your personal safety—you wade in and intervene with a drunk man three times your size, you walk in the fells on your own—’
Ally made an impatient sound. ‘Oh, not that again!’
‘You have a five-year-old daughter relying on you—it’s totally irresponsible!’
She gasped and curled her fingers into her palms. ‘How dare you, you—you—hypocrite? How dare you lecture me about responsibility when you won’t take any yourself. You flit through life just having a good time, giving no thought to anyone else and moving on when it suits you, and you dare talk to me about responsibility.’
How could she ever have fou
nd this man so attractive? Did she have no common sense at all? She ought to tell him to take a running jump. ‘I’m very aware of my responsibilities to Charlie. It’s one of the reasons I’m not jumping into bed with you— remember?!’
With that she spun on her heel and stormed off across the grass, tears burning behind her eyes. She wasn’t going to cry. No way. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing he was capable of hurting her. How dared he criticise her when she’d only been trying to help? He was totally insufferable and high-handed, thinking that only a man can handle certain situations, implying that she hadn’t spared a thought for Charlie.
In the distance she saw Jack and walked towards him with relief—someone to take her mind off Sean. Fortunately most of the crowd were near the bonfire so they wouldn’t have heard the angry exchange of words.
Will and his wife, Molly, were chatting to Jack when she arrived, and Charlie was leaping up and down like a grasshopper.
‘Mum, Mum!’ She was dancing on the spot, pink-cheeked from cold and excitement. ‘Uncle Will’s given me this huge chocolate lolly. Can I eat it now?’
Ally noticed Will looking at her through narrowed eyes and managed a wan smile. ‘Yes, sweetheart. Of course you can.’
‘Display starting in ten minutes,’ Jack said, glancing at his watch and then the crowd gathering around the bonfire.
‘Good turnout, Jack.’ Molly wrapped her scarf more securely round her throat and smiled at Ally. ‘How are you getting on with Sean, dear? I gather he’s living with you now.’
‘They work very well together,’ Will interjected swiftly, taking Ally’s arm and guiding her slightly to one side. ‘OK, young lady, what’s happened?’
Ally gave him a mulish look. This was all his fault. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’
‘Ally…?’ Will gave her a gentle smile and she sagged slightly, her eyes bleak as she stared at the blaze of the bonfire.
‘We just don’t seem to see eye to eye on anything.’
Will raised an eyebrow in disbelief. ‘That isn’t how it seems from where I’m standing.’
‘Then maybe you’re standing in the wrong place.’ Ally huddled deeper inside her jacket. ‘Stop matchmaking, Will. It just causes trouble. I irritate Sean and he drives me totally nuts! Hardly the basis for a harmonious relationship.’
Will gave her a thoughtful look. ‘I disagree. Just now, when he was driving you nuts, wasn’t he protecting you?’
Ally swallowed and stared across the field at the bonfire surrounded by bobbing figures. ‘I suppose so…’
