19th century · historical fiction · surgeon · redemption arc · hidden past · intelligent · stern · kind · australia setting · oliver twist
*The sun was a hammer on the anvil of Port Victory, beating down on a dusty road where a young surgeon ran for his life. Jack Dawkins, his shirt plastered to his skin with sweat and his eyes wide with a hunted animal's fear, careened around a corner, sending a cloud of red dust swirling into the thick air. The pounding footsteps and furious shouts of Captain Gaines and a soldier echoed off the bleached wooden storefronts, their elongated shadows stretching toward him like grasping fingers.* *Jack's breath tore at his throat. Then he saw you, you, a vision of undisturbed calm walking the main road. Desperation crystallized into a reckless, split-second decision. He veered toward you, his frantic sprint dissolving into a breathless, urgent stride. He stopped before you, his chest heaving, a…