Together Under the Stars

by Beryl Matthews

  ‘I will, my dear. Ah, here are our guests.’ She smiled as they came down the stairs with Bill who was talking to Tom about something that was making him laugh.

  It was an interesting meal, and by the end it was as if they were old friends of his parents. It was an encouraging sign to see things going so well up to now.

  Coffee and brandy were served in the comfort of the lounge. Steve longed to have Nancy to himself, but this evening was for their parents to get to know each other, and he accepted that. He would have plenty of time later to be with her.

  The next morning Rose drove them away on their shopping trip, leaving Bill and Steve to their work.

  ‘They will be gone for the rest of the day, so let’s go out and check the herd.’

  ‘Okay.’ Steve put on his hat and walked with his father to the stables.

  Two more of the regular hands had arrived, so the four of them rode out together. They spent most of the day checking the condition of the steers, and making a note of when they could send some to market. The Allard ranch was noted for its high-quality beef, so they only sent the finest animals.

  It was late afternoon when they returned, and there was food laid out in the bunkhouse for everyone to help them­selves.

  ‘We had better get cleaned up before your mother gets back. We can deal with some paperwork while we are waiting for them. I’ve advertised for an accountant but haven’t had any luck yet. When are you thinking of taking Sally and Tom to see the house?’

  ‘In a few days. I’ll have to be careful and pick the right moment when they are relaxed and enjoying themselves.’

  ‘I’m damned sad about the situation you find yourself in, son. And I don’t want to sound callous, but if this doesn’t work out, then time will heal, and there will be someone else for you.’

  ‘You taught me never to accept second best, Dad, and I’m not going to lose her without doing everything I possibly can to keep her. I’ve already begun the procedure for them all to live in Canada.’

  ‘Have you? When did you do that?’

  ‘The day I sent the tickets.’

  ‘Good heavens, Steve, I never thought of you as a gambler. You’ve thrown your dice in the air without knowing if they are going to fall in your favour.’ He looked at his son in astonishment, which turned to respect and pride. Then he grinned and slapped Steve on the back. ‘Hey, if you win, we might get our accountant as well.’

  ‘Or we might not.’

  ‘They don’t stand a chance against the Allard men.’

  The father and son smiles were identical, as they went indoors to make themselves presentable again.

  They were waiting when Rose drove up to the house, and stepped forward to open the car doors.

  ‘The shopping is in the boot,’ Rose told them.

  ‘Trunk, Mother,’ Steve corrected.

  ‘Don’t waste your time; you know your mother refuses to speak our language.’

  ‘It isn’t your language, it’s English, and you have just made changes without our permission,’ she told her husband, a glint of mischief in her eyes.

  That had everyone laughing, and she ushered her shopping companions into the house. ‘Leave the shopping to the men. We need a strong cup of tea.’

  As they disappeared, Bill winked at Steve. ‘She’s a clever woman. That little act distracted them so they didn’t have time to confront you about paying for their purchases.’

  ‘She’s only delayed it. Look at this lot.’ The parcels were piled up to the top. ‘There isn’t room for one more package.’

  They loaded themselves up and walked into the lounge where the others were already sitting down with cups of tea in their hands. After dropping everything onto a large leather sofa, Bill tossed the car keys to a servant who left to put the car in its parking spot. They poured themselves tea and sat down.

  ‘Did you get everything you wanted?’ Steve asked inno­cently.

  ‘Everything and much, much more.’ Tom was shaking his head. ‘The boots and jackets you bought us were far too expensive. You have already given us so much and we can’t keep taking from you, it isn’t right. I’ll make a note of every­thing you and your mother have paid for and send you the money when we get back home.’

  ‘And we will send it right back, Tom. I brought you here and you must have the proper clothes to be able to enjoy your time on the ranch.’ He turned his attention to Nancy, who hadn’t said a word. ‘Are you going to refuse my gifts?’

  ‘I wouldn’t dream of it because I know I will be wasting my time, but I’ll get my own back on you somehow.’

  ‘Sounds interesting. What will it be – a darts match?’

  ‘You haven’t got a dartboard.’

  ‘Yes, I have. It’s in the bunkhouse.’

  ‘Really?’

  He nodded. ‘Dad and I will play you and Mum. Go and put on your new ranch gear and we’ll have a game before dinner.’

  They were soon back and they all walked to the bunkhouse. There were a few hands there and they gathered round when they heard about the challenge.

  It was a hilarious match, which Nancy and Rose won with ease, while the two men told themselves they had been perfect gentlemen and allowed the girls to win.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  It was another week before Steve felt it right to take Tom and Sally to see the house. It was vital Nancy didn’t know about this because it could sway whatever decision her parents made. They had to stay because they wanted to, and not for any other reason.

  Rose had agreed to keep Nancy occupied, and they went off somewhere immediately after breakfast, leaving Steve alone with Tom and Sally. He stood up. ‘Fancy coming for a drive to see more of the ranch?’

  They readily agreed and were soon on their way. As they drove along, Steve explained the working of the ranch, the different seasons and how many men they employed. He wanted them to have a fuller picture of what it was like to live here. They reached the house and he pulled up outside. It was looking a picture now, with a fence around it and a garden ready for someone to do what they liked with.

  ‘What a lovely place,’ Sally remarked. ‘Is it still on your property?’

  ‘It is.’ He opened the car door for them. ‘Would you like to have a look inside?’

  ‘Yes, please.’

  He unlocked the front door and let them walk in, following close behind. ‘Have a wander round while I make some tea, or would you prefer coffee?’

  ‘Coffee for a change, please Steve.’ Sally took hold of her husband’s arm and urged him to explore this fascinating place with her.

  While they were doing this Steve put a match to the log fire, which was already laid, then went to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. By the time they came back it was ready. They settled in comfortable chairs and he asked, ‘What do you think of it?’

  ‘Very nice,’ Tom replied. ‘Spacious and comfortable.’

  Sally was still looking around the room. ‘It has a nice homely feel about it.’

  ‘It was my parents’ home until I was born, and then Dad had the large ranch house built. This has been empty for some time, which was a shame because it would make someone a lovely home.’

  ‘It certainly would, but it is rather remote.’

  ‘It’s only around twenty minutes from our house.’ Steve walked over to another door and opened it. ‘This room houses a two-way wireless, so anyone living here could contact us at any time. A small town with quite a few shops is only an hour’s drive from here, and a car comes with the house.’

  ‘My goodness, in that case you won’t have any trouble renting it, if that is your plan.’

  ‘You like it then, Sally?’

  ‘Oh yes, and I’m sure your parents were very happy here.’

  ‘They were.’ He paused briefly – now was the time. ‘Would you like to live here?’

  ‘Anyone would, don’t you agree, Sally?’ Tom said.

  ‘I certainly do.’

  ‘Then it is yours.
’

  They stared at him, not sure they had heard correctly. ‘Pardon?’

  ‘I said it is yours, if you want it, Tom.’

  ‘We could never afford a place like—’ He stopped and shook his head. ‘Nancy. If we stay here, she will as well.’

  ‘Yes, but I don’t want you to think about that. You took four young Canadians into your home and made them feel welcome in a strange country. That meant more to us than you know. You suffered years of war, lost so much and I wanted to give you the chance of a new life – a life where you will be surrounded by family and friends. Of course, I want to marry Nancy, I won’t deny that, but this is for you. That is all I want you to consider.’

  Sally was near to tears, so Tom did the talking. ‘You will have to give us time to think about this, Steve.’

  ‘Of course, I don’t expect a quick answer, and I would be worried if you did agree too quickly. Take your time, and promise me your decision will be based on one thing only, and that is what you and Sally want. The last thing in this world I want is for you to be unhappy, so think carefully. The house and everything that goes with it is yours if you want it. Oh, and if you are worried about finding work, Tom, then we are in desperate need of an accountant.’

  Tears were rolling silently down Sally’s face now, so Steve stood up. ‘Don’t tell Nancy about this, then if you decide against it you can all return to London, and no harm will have been done. I’ll wait outside until you are ready to leave.’

  He walked out, leant against the car and found himself reaching for a cigarette, regretting he had given up. He had done his best to make them see that it must be what they wanted, regardless of anyone else. He could do no more.

  An hour later they were back at the house and Steve went looking for his father. He found him in the study with Nancy at the large desk, writing in a ledger.

  They looked up when he walked in. ‘Hiya, Steve. Nancy took pity on me. She’s very good at sorting out paperwork.’

  ‘I know she is, but she didn’t come here to work.’

  ‘I insisted,’ she told him. ‘You were nowhere to be found and I could see your father needed help.’

  ‘I was going to do that tonight,’ he told her defensively.

  ‘No need, it’s all done now.’ She beamed at Bill. ‘It didn’t take us long, did it?’

  ‘No time at all,’ he replied, trying hard to hide his amuse­ment.

  ‘Well, if you are quite finished, why don’t you go and get yourself into your cowgirl gear and I’ll teach you to ride a horse.’

  ‘Oh good, that’s on my list of things to do while I’m here.’

  ‘You’ve got a list?’ Bill asked.

  ‘Of course.’ She gave the Allard men a cheeky grin. ‘After I’ve learnt to ride you can teach me to drive, and fly a plane. How long did you say our tickets last?’

  ‘Six months.’

  ‘Hmm, that might be enough time for some of the things on my list.’

  They watched her leave the room and began to laugh. ‘I think she means it, Steve.’

  ‘I’m sure she does.’

  ‘How did your visit to the house go?’

  ‘They were shocked, but didn’t turn the idea down straight away. They are going to think about it, and I did my best to make them see it must be something they want, and not to accept because of Nancy and me. I hope they keep that in mind, because it wouldn’t help us if they stayed for the wrong reason and were unhappy.’

  ‘Yes, that is vital.’

  They didn’t have time to discuss it further because Nancy reappeared dressed in hard-wearing trousers, shirt, boots and carrying the hat.

  Steve’s heart did a flip when he saw her. She really looked as if she belonged there. He walked over, removed the hat from her hand and placed it on her head, then stood back. ‘Now you look the part. What do you think, Dad?’

  ‘Hmm.’ He walked round her, then nodded. ‘Almost perfect, just needs a bit of wear on the seat of the pants.’

  ‘A few hours in the saddle will put that right.’ He held out his hand to her. ‘Come on, let’s get you started.’

  Bill was just filing away the last of the paperwork when Rose came in. ‘Steve’s looking happy. Do you know how he got on this morning?’

  ‘We didn’t have much time to talk, but they are thinking about it. I hope it works out because the more I see of Nancy the more convinced I am that she is the right one for him. She’s a good sensible girl and would make him a lovely wife. I like her.’

  ‘So do I.’

  There was a tap on the door and Tom and Sally came in looking worried. ‘Sorry to disturb you, but could we talk to you, please?’

  ‘Of course. Come in and sit down. What can we do for you?’

  Tom launched into their visit to the house and what Steve had told them.

  ‘And what is worrying you about that?’ Bill asked.

  ‘He can’t give us that lovely house and everything that goes with it,’ Sally blurted out.

  ‘Why not? It is his and he can do what he likes with it.’

  They stared at Bill and Rose, lost for words.

  ‘Tell us your concerns,’ Rose prompted, ‘and perhaps we can put your minds at rest. Coming to live in a place like this can be a bit of a shock, as I well know, but it didn’t take me long to realise I didn’t want to live anywhere else.’

  Sally was clearly agitated. ‘We must only stay if it’s some­thing we really want to do – Steve was very clear about that, so we mustn’t make a mistake.’

  ‘That is very important, because if you are unhappy then your daughter will be unhappy, and that will not make for a good marriage. It would be disastrous,’ Bill pointed out plainly. ‘We are already fond of Nancy, but if you have the slightest doubts about moving here then you must refuse, for everyone’s sake. Steve understands that.’

  Tom nodded. ‘Yes, he is a fine boy. He raised the question of a job for me and said you needed an accountant.’

  ‘Desperately. The man we had for years has retired. Your daughter pitched in to help me this morning. She’s marvel­lous at organising things.’

  Sally smiled. ‘She takes after her father in that way. They kept her at Scampton because she was so good at her job, but I understand the commander didn’t think she should be there because of our son. He was killed, you know, and she waited for him to return, but he never did. He was a Lancaster pilot, the same as Steve.’

  ‘Yes, he told us. It must have been terrible for you.’

  ‘We were hurting bad, but then Nancy brought the boys home, and that helped so much. Our two boys would have liked each other if they had met.’

  ‘I’m sure they would,’ Bill agreed, then turned his attention to Tom. ‘If you do decide to stay, then the job as our accountant is yours, if you want it.’

  ‘Thank you. We need to give this a lot of thought, you understand.’

  ‘Consider it carefully, and remember what Steve said. You won’t be doing either of them a favour if you base your decision on their needs. If you decide this is not the life for you, then enjoy your holiday and go home with happy memories of your stay here.’

  ‘Yes, we understand that.’ Tom smiled at his wife. ‘We will give this serious consideration, won’t we, my dear?’

  ‘Take all the time you need. No one is going to pressure you into making a decision. The offer is there, and you must only do what you feel is right for you.’

  ‘We will.’ Tom stood up and helped his wife out of the chair just as a burst of laughter came from outside.

  They went over to the window and saw Steve running round a field leading a horse with Nancy on it, and whatever she was saying had him in fits of laughter.

  ‘He’s teaching her to ride so she can help with the next round-up,’ Rose told them jokingly. ‘Let’s go and watch the fun.’

  Bill rested his hand on Tom’s shoulder as they went outside. ‘What about you two? Fancy learning to ride?’

  ‘I’d love to have a go.
What about you, my dear, do you want to become a cowgirl like Nancy?’

  ‘I would love to,’ she replied eagerly.

  ‘Excellent. Go and get into your boots and I’ll have the horses saddled and ready. You too, Rose; you can show us all how it’s done.’

  For the next hour all problems were put aside as they tried to ride a horse for the first time in their lives.

  Over the next few days Steve took over teaching them how to ride, and his father was the driving instructor. Nancy and her parents were eager to learn new skills and were now obviously enjoying themselves.

  Tom was soon driving on his own, and Steve knew he took Sally to the house several times, but they never mentioned it and he didn’t ask. There were days when Steve and his father had to ride out to oversee the work of the ranch, but they had good hands and delegated as much as they could while they had guests. When they weren’t around, Rose spent her time with them, and as she was a good rider and could drive, she took them to see places of interest. However, he had a lovely surprise for them, and was eager for that time to arrive.

  Nancy heard the plane swoop over the house and ran outside in time to see the Cessna climbing into the clear blue sky.

  Bill came out and stood beside her. ‘Lovely sight, isn’t it?’

  She nodded. ‘I watched him take off many nights, roaring up towards the stars, and I prayed – oh how I prayed for each and every one of them.’

  ‘You must have seen many distressing things.’

  ‘Working at the base was a mixture of laughter and tears. They each had their own ground crew who looked after them, and they would be waiting for their boys to return. Many times I saw them standing by an empty parking space gazing up at the sky with tears in their eyes. It was hard on everyone, but the day Steve didn’t come back was terrible. I was so afraid I had lost him, just like my brother.’

  Bill turned her to face him. ‘What do you mean – he didn’t come back? What happened?’

  ‘Didn’t he tell you about the time he crashed into a farmer’s field?’

  ‘Oh, yes, he did mention that, but he said he landed, not crashed.’