Fires of fortune Book

As a boy, Ben Beckman is sheltered from the harsh realities of life by his Aborigine mother, Diamond. She will do anything to protect him from both the bigotry of others and the mystery of his father. But Ben's carefully constructed world shatters one evening when Diamond lies dying, and the wealthy Dr. Thurwell next door refuses to treat her because of her color. Crazed with grief and lashing out at a world he never realized existed, Ben vandalizes Dr. Thurwell's mansion. This time, however, Diamond is not there to protect her son, and Ben must face the tragic consequences alone. Through the following difficult years, Ben's hatred of Dr. Thurwell grows. Becoming as wealthy and influential as the doctor does not satisfy Ben's need for revenge, so he decides to tear apart Dr. Thurwell's family just as the man destroyed his. Ben and Phoebe Thurwell, the doctor's daughter, grew up next door to each other. When they meet again as adults, Phoebe offers the hand of friendship to Ben. But Ben is still motivated by his bitter feud with her parents...