"Did you?" Karla gasped. "You never told me."
Ryan shrugged. "Guess the topic never came up. There were about twenty kids most of the time I went here. Hear its much lower now and the school will probably be closed."
By now they were both outside their parked car and Karla walked in through the gate built in a wooden fence. She stepped across the playground and around the building. Everything was so neat and tidy, except when she looked in the window. Inside there were a dozen or so desks and several other bits of furniture. Some children's chairs were on the desks while others were shoved under or lying on the carpeted floor The blackboard, an old fashioned one that was written on using chalk, was covered in adult and children's printing including several scribbles while a table beside the teacher's desk was piled high with reading and exercise books and bits of math equipment that hadn't been put away. The only tidy part was the far corner where two computer monitors sat on a long table. The classroom walls were quite attractive with children's projects and art displayed. These ranged from work done by junior children to a delightful mural of native forest and birds, probably done by senior pupils.
Karla screwed her nose up and walked around to another window and looked in at a small porch. Children's coats, clothes and gumboots were strewn everywhere and three lunch boxes littered the floor.
"Don't think he's done the cleaning yet," Ryan said from behind her.
Karla nodded. "A dear little school from the outside but a bit of a mess in there." She nodded at the window.
"Old Ted Wilton's been here about fifteen years. Heard he's a bit casual. Used to live in a schoolhouse next door but now travels up from Riversdale village where he has a home. They sold the schoolhouse and it was taken away. The government let the Board of Trustees have half the money from the sale that they used for the new computers and ground improvements. Didn't have them in my day."
They walked back to the car and Ryan drove off. "Needs your tender care, I'd say."
Karla grinned. "Well, it would be more peaceful than at Tui Park," she admitted.
*
They drove on past a small hall painted a faded blue and a few hundred metres later Ryan turned into a long driveway with paddocks filled with ewes and lambs on each side. At the end behind a grove of slightly overgrown shrubs and several larger trees stood a 1930s vintage house and several outbuildings. It looked spruce and fresh with a new grey roof and lighter grey wooden walls. The surrounding section consisted of mown lawns but the gardens were unkempt with a mere hint at their formal glory.
Ryan pulled in beside a corrugated iron car shed and grinned at her. "Good, the roof is on and the painters have finished," he muttered. "I decided the place needed a patch up but haven't done anything inside yet. Don't expect anything flash."
He led her across to a side veranda, unlocked a door and pushed it open. Karla sniffed the slightly musty smell of a closed up dwelling but was pleasantly surprised when she stepped into a spacious kitchen and living area. The ceiling showed where a wall partition had been removed and the whole room; though shady and quite cold, gave her the impression of stylishness with comfortable furniture and an older style television in the corner
"When Dad became ill we moved here from the big house so the manager could use it. Clive and Linda had four children but they're all grown up and left. After Dad died, Mum stayed on a while before shifting to Wellington but left the furniture and other family items behind. Everything is still here so it's really a bit of a museum." He glanced around. "I'll go and turn the electricity on. There should be hot water by this evening."
He showed her through the house. There was a second living room, three bedrooms and a bathroom. The whole area was tidy with made up double beds in two of the bedrooms while the third one looked as if it was used as an office with a computer, desk and several bookcases filled with both books and documents along one wall. Again, it looked quite cared for but a little dated in appearance.
"Linda's been and vacuumed it out," Ryan said. "She's pretty good that way. I'll open the front door and let a breeze through. These older houses were always built the wrong way around with the living area and kitchen at the back where they get no sun until late in the day and the bedrooms getting it all in the morning. The trees around need topping too for they cut out the sun especially in winter when you need it."
"It's wonderful, Ryan," Karla gasped. "Even the pictures reflect you." She gazed up an aerial photograph and recognised the house she was in. "The farm?" she asked.
"That's about it," Ryan said and pointed to a second driveway and larger house further along the road. Beside it was a circular driveway, a woolshed, yards and several other farm buildings. "That's the main house. It is actually older than this being built about 1900 but it has been modernised several times and is recognised as one of the original homesteads in the area. Linda and Clive keep the grounds immaculate and garden club members often visit during weekends."
"Didn't you say he's retiring?"
"Yes. It's sad really. The farm has his stamp all over it but he is just the manager and doesn't even own the animals like some managers of farms like this do. He's been paid well over the years, though and gets a bonus every year if the farm makes a profit. I'm sure he's done well financially and should be able to afford a decent home in Masterton where he intends to retire." He shrugged. "It's the situation I wanted to avoid."
"Spending your life here and in years to come finding you are old and having little to show for it."
"That's about it. Dad turned grouchy and somewhat bitter. Mum seems better away from here, too, Trish has long gone but I've clung on. Sentimental reasons I guess."
Karla nodded and understood a little why Ryan took up the position at Tui Park School and also why he decided to go to university. It would have been so easy to just come back and run the farm. Of course the farm wasn't entirely his and having to really just be another manager like this Clive, could lead to a lonely life.
"You're deep in thought," Ryan interrupted.
"I think I understand your situation," she said.
"Yeah it's different now, though."
"How?"
"Coming back by myself always brought a lump to my throat but with you here so I feel alive, somehow." He stood behind and hugged her for a moment before letting her go and stepping back, "I'll go and get our things out of the car."
*
An hour later, Karla was enjoying a guided tour around the lower section of the farm with Ryan as her guide when a man in his sixties rode up on a horse. He looked a typical farmer with tanned face, wide brimmed hat, casual clothes and gumboots. He stopped, dismounted and grinned at Ryan.
"So you persuaded Karla to come out here, did yah, Ryan," he said. "It is Karla, is it not?"
Ryan nodded. "Yes, it's Karla. Karla, meet Clive Windley, our farm manager."
Clive gripped her hand in a tight squeeze and blue eyes fixed on her from under shaggy eyebrows. "Welcome to Top Plateau, I must say you are every bit as I imagined you, Karla. Ryan's has been saying great things about you for a year now."
"A year?" Karla whispered. She had been dating Ryan for nowhere near that time.
"Yeah well," Ryan stumbled as his cheeks and neck burned red. "It took me a while to persuade myself that one of the school bosses would be interested in the caretaker."
Clive looked bemused. "Did I put my foot in it?" he asked.
"Not at all, Clive," Karla said as she put her arm through Ryan's. "He's told me so many good things about you too and how the farm's flourished under your management." She swung her free arm out. "The place looks super."
The elderly farmer nodded. "The missus and me do our best and we've been lucky with the weather this year with no summer drought and a mild winter." He switched his eyes to Ryan. "Should get a hundred and twenty percent lambing rate if the late ewes are as good as the earlier ones."
"That's great," Ryan replied and explained to Karla. "That means that we have lots of twin l
ambs. For every hundred ewes we get a hundred and twenty surviving lambs. Sometimes if the spring weather turns bad we get less than a hundred percent."
Clive turned serious. "It'll definitely be my last season this year, Ryan," he said. "Can we have a talk sometime before you go back to Wellington?"
"I'm sorry to hear that Clive," Ryan said. "Karla and I will be here until Thursday so anytime will do."
"Linda said to invite you both over for a meal tomorrow night. We're by ourselves at the moment but grandkids are visiting from next weekend."
Ryan glanced at Karla who nodded. "We'd love to," he said. "Usual time?"
"Yeah," Clive used a thumb to raise his hat to Karla and climbed back into the saddle. "See you both later."
He gave his horse an affectionate rub on the neck and rode away.
"Sorry about that year ago bit," Ryan whispered, "Clive exaggerated the time a little."
"Did he?" Karla whispered. Thinking back, she realised that Ryan had shown an interest in her well before he had actually asked her out. She smiled. "Why didn't you… well you know?"
"Like I said to Clive, I didn't think you'd be interested and there was Sally. It was only after we broke up that I …" He laughed, "Oh hell, you know what it's like?"
Karla smiled. "Sometimes it's harder when you're older than when you're young and invincible." Her arm was still through his so she let her hand drop, found his and squeezed. "Come on, you were going to show me the little stream down the other side of the plateau."
"Yes. The eels in it are a metre long," Ryan replied. "As kids, Trish and I use to feed them bread scraps. Some got quite friendly."
Hand in hand they walked across the paddock. The sun was on their backs and shadows bounced along ahead of them. Karla had not felt so relaxed and carefree in years. Perhaps Ryan's description earlier of feeling alive was more appropriate.
*
CHAPTER 4
Karla found Ryan's mother, Anne Doyle a pleasant quiet lady in her mid-sixties but wasn't so impressed with her husband, Alan who came across as a pushy extroverted sort. They arrived on Sunday afternoon and within half an hour Alan had unrolled a gigantic map over the kitchen table. It showed a surveyed map of Top Plateau and the immediate surrounding area with the school on the left and the northern farm boundary at the top. The two houses and other buildings were on the map as were the existing fences farm tracks and foliage. The changes were what attracted her attention.
The driveway to Ryan's house became part of a new road that cut right across the plateau area in a crescent shape to return to the original road near the northern farm boundary. Off this proposed road were smaller cul-de-sacs leading to more subdivisions, each around four hectares in size.
"Lifestyle blocks," Alan said. "It is different from the sections being sold in Riversdale in that the owners would have land to run a few animals in a similar way to lifestyle blocks around Palmerston North. If it goes ahead, the developer will need to build the road and other features but won't be burdened with offering a sewage scheme or water supply."
"Why?" Karla asked.
Alan glowered at her as if he didn't like being interrupted. "With lifestyle blocks this size the new homes would be allowed to have sceptic tanks and they would be responsible for their own water supply by using rainwater tanks. In the future we visualise linking up with the Riversdale water supply but they have their own problems at the moment with their subdivision and village supply."
"So you want to sell the farm to a developer?" Ryan asked.
"No, my company will develop it."
"Alan is a major shareholder in DaY Development," Anne explained. "It was originally Doyle and Young but Alan bought Eric Young out last year. You may have heard of them."
Karla hadn't and caught Ryan's eyes. He looked anything except enthusiastic about his stepfather's proposal.
"So why would anyone want a lifestyle block here?" Ryan asked. "Those around Palmerston North, for example are only fifteen minutes drive from a city of eighty-five thousand people. This block would be fifty kilometres from a town of twenty thousand."
"The view of the Pacific Ocean for a start," Alan replied. "This must be one of the best views in this part of the country, there's a local school nearby and the beach is close. My research shows that overseas people from America or even China would be interested in building upmarket homes. Sure, some rich foreigners like full sized farms but many only want an investment home with some even wanting one to rent out to tourists. I already have a couple of interested clients."
Karla frowned. Her initial opinion of Alan appeared to be spot on, he was like a super salesman who'd say anything to make a deal.
"This proposal includes two things that you haven't mentioned," she said.
Alan turned. "I haven't finished with my explanation yet, Karla," he muttered as if it was none of her business anyway. "What are your concerns?"
"You have included Ryan's property in your development but left out the hilly part of Top Plateau Station. I doubt if the hilly section will be of much value if the flat plateau is broken up as you suggest in your proposal."
"That's taken care of. The neighbour on your eastern boundary would buy the hill country and incorporate it into his farm. He has already offered us a good price. This could be used to partly finance the development costs of this subdivision."
"And our stock?" Ryan asked.
"We'd sell the stock. Again this will help in the development costs."
"You are assuming that I want to sell my third of Top Plateau Station to your company," Ryan said
Alan nodded. "There are some alternatives there too, Ryan. You could do that, have your Mum buy you out or come in a partnership with us. I visualise huge profits over the next five years if we go ahead."
Ryan nodded. "I'll need to think about it and get advice from my solicitor. Something as radical as this can't be rushed into."
"Of course not, " Alan replied as he rolled up the map. "With Clive Windley retiring at the end of summer it only gives us six months to act. It's a golden opportunity that you can be a part of."
Ryan caught Karla's eyes and raised an eyebrow. Obviously he wanted to talk about it with her in private.
*
It was Anne, though who approached Karla an hour later when Ryan and Alan accepted Clive's offer to go shooting rabbits at the back of the farm. The rabbit population wasn't too bad in the area but there was always the threat that with breeding, rabbits would again rise to unacceptable levels. Anne offered to help Karla weed a flower garden beside the driveway. There were many shrubs and plants there but the weeds needed to be removed and shrubs trimmed to restore the garden to its former glory.
It was hot work so by three she suggested they stop and have a coffee. Anne agreed but appeared hesitant about something. After more small talk she stirred her coffee and looked at Karla.
"Ryan doesn't say a lot to me but I think he's becoming serious about you," she said.
Karla frowned and wondered where the conversation was leading. "I enjoy his company," she replied.
Anne smiled. "Okay, that is really none of my business anyway. I just wondered if you could do something for me."
"Possibly. What would you like me to do, Anne?"
"I wouldn't ask but it is difficult for me. If I approached Ryan myself he'd get annoyed. I guess you don't know what it is like but adult children grow away from their parents and often regard any advice or queries with suspicion. Trish is worse than Ryan."
"So you want Ryan to sell his interest to you but if you directly ask him you're afraid he'll do the opposite."
Anne sipped her coffee and said nothing for a moment. "You're are an astute woman, Karla. I can see why you are doing so well as a teacher. My marriage to Ryan's father wasn't that good but in our day one just grinned and tolerated their situation. He became ill and as Ryan probably told you, died. I met Alan and my whole life changed. He is so different to Ryan's father and for the first time in forty yea
rs I am happy. I guess I am a coward but don't want to lose him."
Karla studied the woman sitting beside her and waited.
"I love Top Plateau. It was all that kept me going for most of my adult life. However, I know I'll never live here again and would agree to it being sold, except for one thing."
"You don't want Ryan to go in partnership with Alan?"
"No, more than that," Anne replied. "I don't want him to sell his third at all. This house and part of the farm was the original one Ryan's ancestors bought over a hundred and twenty years ago. The original homestead that was on this site burnt down in the 1930s and this house built to replace it. By that time two other farms had been amalgamated to form Top Plateau Station. With it was the other homestead so a more modest house, this one was built to accommodate Ryan's great-grandparents' family."
"So you are prepared to sell your land but don't want Ryan to do the same. Won't that spoil Alan's plan?"
Anne shook her head. "Oh he's a resourceful man. I dropped a hint that Ryan mightn't go along with it and he has an alternative plan drawn up. The road goes in by the main homestead and has a smaller number of subdivisions but in his opinion is still a viable option. It would leave Ryan's farm intact and with the animals he owns could easily be self-supporting if he chose to come home."
Karla guessed that Anne was also an astute businessperson. "I think Ryan will make his own mind up but will see what I can do," she said. "No promises, though."
*
After the pair left later that afternoon, Ryan grinned at Karla. "Mum knows it is useless trying to tell me what to do. I guess she's right but their ploy to leave her alone with you was obvious. Alan is no countryman and wasn't really interested in shooting rabbits. Did she convince you to persuade me it would be a good idea to sell my bit to herself or Alan's company?"
"No."
Ryan laughed. "She couldn't persuade you to nag me?"
"Half and half." Karla grinned.
"Now we're talking in circles. What's it all about?"
"First of all, I want you to do what you think is the best, not what Alan or your mother wants or be persuaded by any opinion I may have."
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