by Jane Corrie
As she entered the town her mind was busy making plans of what she considered priority jobs. The weeds, for one thing, would have to be cleared, not only from the front of the house, but the back, too. She frowned as she recalled Kade Boston's furious remarks about his cattle and the likelihood of them being poisoned by them. Her lips set in a firm line. Well, that made the back of the house the first priority. Then there was the fencing to be seen to�providing it was in a fit
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state to be repaired, and this Josie doubted very much. She sighed. How much was fencing, anyway? and how much land did her grandfather still own? There were so many questions to be answered, and so much to be done, and all to be accomplished without upsetting that fierce pride of
his. The first store Josie came to was the candy store, and she felt a wave of nostalgia as she looked through the small archway that led to the shop, and wondered if dour old Mr Hobson was there, and if so, would he still recognise her? She frowned on trying to recall just how old he had been, for at the age of ten she had thought him verv old, but he might only have been in his thirties. One was apt to look on anyone above , twenty as in their dotage at that tender age, she
mused smilingly. Her thoughts were abruptly curtailed as she caught sight of a small card glued to the glass door of the store, that stated that help was required, and would anyone interested enquire within. A sparkle came into Josie's eyes; she wanted a job, didn't she? She pushed open the door and went inside. The shop was empty when she entered, and while she waited for someone to attend to her, her eyes swept round the store. There had been some changes, she noticed. For one thing, more space had been made, and her eyes rested on a separate counter at the end of the store, above which hung a sign that read 'Soda fountain', where presumably soft drinks were served, and milk shakes were made up. Josie did not remember such a service before,
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and she seemed to remember that there had once been shelves there. A man appeared from a door behind the area
she was staring at, and Josie's eyes widened in disbelief. It couldn't be�could it? She waited until he had finished the task of wiping the counter down and looked up to serve her;
'Nat?' Josie asked a little uncertainly.
Nat Muntrose started, and stared at her. His slight frown told Josie he was trying to place her. She smiled at him. 'Well, I knew you,' she said delightedly. 'Don't tea me I've changed that much I'
'Josie?' he asked in half belief, making her smile widen at his incredulity.
'I'll have two sticks of liquorice,' she said grandiv, 'and you can have one if you give me some of your lemon drops.'
Nat grinned, and came from behind the counter with hand outstretched towards her. 'Now I know it's you,' he said with a chuckle. 'What in tarnation have you been doing all these years?'
'First things first,' answered Josie, accepting the proffered hand, and thinking that for all his height, he was just the same Nat she had known all that time ago. He was still very thin, and .still had
that gawky way of walking that she remembered so well. 'Has the job gone?' she asked quickly.
Nat's eyes widened at the question and he gave her a questioning look. 'You mean ...' he began slowly, not sure whether to finish the sentence or not.'
Josie nodded. 'Yes. I want it. Are you working here, or do you own the store?' she queried.
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He grinned. 'Reckon I'd paid for it with all the candies I used to buy,' he told her, then reverted back to Josie's previous request and scratched his head. 'You sure you want the job?' he asked.
'Absolutely certain,' returned Josie seriously. 'I'm back to stay, and I shall need something to do to keep me occupied.'
There was something in her voice that caught Nat's attention. She hadn't, he thought, changed all that much. Of course she looked different, as well she might after twelve years; grown into quite a beauty, he thought, and wondered why she hadn't been snapped up in the marriage mart. His gaze lingered on her hands. No rings were in evidence, so presumably she was still single, and he thought that the Englishmen must be very slow on the uptake to allow such a state of affairs. As foineeding a job�and she meant it, he knew this; his lips thinned as the thought that the old man had clammed up on her too went through his mind. Shaking these thoughts off. he met her anxious gaze and gave a grin. 'Sure. Okay. it's yours. We don't pay a fortune, mind you, and I guess the wife will want a say in it, too.' His grin widened. 'Guess it depends if she'll forgive you for pulling her pigtails when you sat behind her in class.'
Josie's eyes widened. 'Lucy Hobson?' she exclaimed, then gave a comical half grimace. 'Well, that settles it! I shall be turned down out of hand,' she added mournfully.
Nat chuckled. 'Not if I know my girl, you won't. She'll be too busy catching up on the years between the pair of you, and parading our family. To hear her talk we've the brightest kids this side of
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the universe,' he frowned slightly as a thought
struck him. 'Well, you can't win 'em all. Our
Billy's a bit on the slow side�has trouble with
reading. Teacher called it some fancy name, I can't rightly recall right now, but the others are bright enough.' Josie looked interested. 'A sort of word blindness?' she asked. Nat gave a surprised start. 'Sure�I guess that's what she meant.' 'Is that why you asked for help?' queried Josie. 'With his reading, I mean?'
Nat shook his head. 'Nope�though he sure needs help.' He nodded towards the soda fountain. 'That's the job we had in mind. Lucy took it on for a spell, but what with the kids, she found it hard going.' He gave Josie another doubtful look. "As I said, we can't pay much. Lucy's dad kinda let things slip, and we're only just showing a profit.'
Josie smiled back reassuringly. 'I still want the job,' she said gently. 'I want to help pay my way, Nat, and,' she added brightly, 'I'll give your Billy some private coaching lessons into the bargain. What do you say?'
His eyes widened as he replied slowly, 'Well, that's just what the teacher said he'd need, but that sort of help is hard to come by. Lucy tries, but she still gives a hand in the shop when we have a busy spell.' He frowned. 'I know it worries her, though, that she can't spend as much time on him as she'd like, not with three other youngsters to keep an eye on.'
'Well,' replied Josie grandly, reminding Nat of the young Josie, 'I shall give him the benefit of my
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four-year training course, until, that is, I accept an appointment to some university.' Her twinkling eyes belied this grand statement, but Nat was suit
ably impressed.
'You're a teacher?' he exclaimed in wonderment, then looked towards the soda'fountain and shook his head slowly. 'You ought to be able to do better than that,' he halt muttered, but Josie heard
him. 'I know, Nat, and eventually I will,' she replied seriously. 'But right now I need a start,' she shrugged. 'Something to be going on with. It doesn't matter what,' she added.
Nat nodded understandingly, and with a grin
asked her if she would care for a coffee. It was
about time he had one, he said, and in any case he
couldn't let her go without seeing Lucy, and she
ought to be in shortly, after taking the kids to
school. 'Course,' he added as he led the way
through a door that led to their private quarters,
'she has to catch up on the gossip while she's about
it. Good job we're never busy at this time in the
morning, or it would be just too bad I'
Josie sat in the small but comfortable living
room while Nat fixed the coffee in the kitchen,
giving her snatches of gossip as he worked, al
though most of it was meaningless to Josie, she had
been away too long, but she was interested in Nat's
family. He mentioned the fact that his father was
now working for Kade Boston, and this Josie al
ready knew, but she said nothing. 'That rancher
sure livened the town up,' he remarked as he car
ried the cups through to the living-room. 'And 1
guess it needed it,' he frowned. 'What with other
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businesses folding up, he just about injected the
life-saver. Oh, sure, lots of townsfolk kinda re
sented his high and mighty way of taking over�at
first, that was, until they found out he was a big
man in his trade and that brought trade to this
place. There's talk of a hotel being built to accom
modate buyers that drop in on spec to take a look
at his stock; and going by the mighty fancy prices
they pay for his cattle, I guess they're pretty fine stock.' He handed Josie her coffee. 'I never thought Dad would settle down there, but seems he's got a good job in their records office, and though he misses the outdoor life, he's happy enough.'
Accepting 'the coffee, Josie smiled her thanks and thought about Nat's father. In missing the outdoor life, Nat was referring to the job he had had with her grandfather, and she was in no doubt that the 'businesses folding up' reference applied
solely to the market garden, for once upon a time her grandfather had been the 'big man' around those parts.
As if sensing her thoughts, Nat said as he settled himself in the chair opposite her, 'He sure changed.'
Josie didn't have to ask whom he was talking about, but just waited for him to go on, and he did, saying abruptly: 'Dad couldn't get through to him at all,' and giving her a mournful look continued, 'Weren't all that long after you went to the
U.K. He just clammed up on everyone�thought he was missing you�least. Dad thought so; but each time he said anything about you he got his head bitten off.' He gave a grin, then sobered.
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'Sprinklers packed up soon afterwards, and that was that. Dad tried to get him to see sense and pay out for new equipment.'
He drank some of his coffee, then went on, 'Stands to reason he could afford it, but it seems he'd just lost interest, and things went from bad to worse. Dad stuck it out as long as he could�as it was, I think it was old Joseph that pushed him out�he'd got a family to look out for.' He put his cup down and searched tor a packet of cigarettes, and offering Josie one, that she refused, continued: 'It did cross our minds that something had happened to you.' He gave her a searching look. 'Thought the.world of you, he did, but whatever it was, he wouldn't let on�no way.' He drew on his cigarette and expelled it in a long plume of smoke. 'After a while folk stopped asking questions and let him get on with it. No sense in sticking your neck out for chopping�which was what they got when they approached him.' He stared at the end of his cigarette. 'Seems he turned miser as well; used to be a good spender in the town�well, you know how he used to be�he never gave you candy money without making sure us kids had something too,' he remarked, giving Josie a quick look.
She nodded and her eyes turned misty. Gramps had let everybody think he was hoarding money, when all the time he was sending every available cent to her�or thought he was. For him to be so short of money so soon after her departure, it looked as if the woman who had agreed to take her�Josie simply couldn't think of her as 'Aunt', not now�had demanded a lump sum to start with. Waiting until Josie was with her, and then making
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the demand. She sighed inwardly; it was hardly something her grandfather could explain, was it? that he was being subtly blackmailed by a member of his own family. Even though the relationship was only by marriage, it didn't make it any more acceptable. She swallowed and asked Nat quickly, 'Nat, do you think he's got a long stocking, as everybody else seems to think?'
He gave her a gloomy look and shrugged as he stubbed out his cigarette in the tray on the table. 'Guess he must have,' he answered slowly. 'He doesn't spend much, and it's common knowledge he must have made a packet out of selling off part of his land to Kade Boston.'
Putting her coffee cup down on the table, Josie looked back at Nat who was studying his feet. 'What if I told you he was broke, Nat?' she said quietly, and nodded in affirmation as his startled eyes met hers. 'He's been paying for my education,' she went on, still in that quiet voice. 'And broke himself doing it.'
She pushed back a strand of hair that had clung to her cheek, with an impatient gesture. The ins and outs didn't matter at this time�or the fact that she hadn't received a quarter of what had been sent, she just wanted people to know how it was. Only too well could she imagine her grandfather's hurt and stubborn pride that had made him hold his tongue, not even confiding in Dan Muntrose, who had been more than an employee to him, for if he had, Josie-was sure Dan would have found a way of explaining the circumstances to others, without causing-embarrassment tp her grandfather; and what was more important, would
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have made sure he was still respected by the town folk. As it was, they had avoided him, and dubbed him a miser in the process. Her hands clenched into small fists; well, they would soon know the truth, she would make certain of that! She looked back at Nat, who seemed to be having trouble in digesting her last statement, and gave an offhanded shrug. 'If only I'd known,' she" said casually. 'But I didn't dream things were so costly,' and quickly looked down at the floor as she saw Nat's quick surprised glance at her. 'So the least I can do is try and make up for it now,' she said firmly, adding as her eyes met Nat's, 'I'm a modern version of the Prodigal Son, Nat!'
Nat stared at her suspiciously, and after a moment's thought remarked, 'Well, that don't sound like the Josie I used to know. Can't see you draining the old man of his last penny.' He shot her a long considering look. 'Seems like you changed top.'
'Oh, I did,' Josie got out quickly, not giving him time to think things out. 'I told you I didn't know how things were,' she gave him a bright challenging look. T didn't even bother to write,' she added for good measure, and gave a sigh. 'I think. I never forgave him for sending me away like that. I suppose I looked on it as conscience money.'
Nat was plainly puzzled and showed it by scratching his head. A tiny silence followed, then he said half to himself, 'Could be. You were mighty put out at going, if I recall,' then he added in a low voice, 'Folk are going to feel pretty bad over this if it comes out.'
Josie said nothing, but waited for him to go on.
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'It might be as well if things are left as they are,' he told her after giving her a considering look. 'But I'd like to tell mv dad. if you'll let me. He thought a lot of your granddad, and it'll clear up a few things that didn't make sense at the time. But that's as far as it will go. No call for others to
- know, they'll only put the wrong construction on things anyway.' 'That's not the way I want it done,' answered Josie with a note of determination in her voice. 'I want everyone to know. I don't care about myself, but I do care about Gramps. The sooner everybody knows there's no long stocking, the better. And,' she added fiercely, "I won't have everyone thinking of him as a miser and shunning him as if he were a leper, do you hear? I want the truth to come out, and I'm depending on you to pass on the news.' Her vehemence convinced Nat that she meant every word, but he wasn't happy about it. 'Folk can be mighty unkind,' he warned her. 'Might make things difficult tor you.' He screwed his eyes up in thought. 'Might even think you've come back to collect on what's left before he hands in his dinner pail.' Josie's eyes met his squarely as she asked quietly, "Is that what you think, Nat?' A slow shake of the head gave her the answer before he spoke. 'Nope.' he said firmly. 'I believe vou; you couldn't have known how things were�as you said�and it's like the old man to keep quiet about it.' He gave her a grin. 'And it's like you to
try and make up for it. I haven't forgotten the day vou gave all your candy mone
y to a kid that hadn't got a dad to look out for him.' He sighed on his
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next thought. 'Okay,' he said abruptly, 'I'll do as you say, but remember what I said about smallminded town folk.'
Josie let out a small sigh of relief; Nat would ^ keep his word and pass the news along, she also ; knew he would do his best to protect her from the
kind of gossip that was certain to spring from such information, but she felt reasonably certain that none of it would ever affect her seriously in the future. However, time was to tell a different story.
--�"vs-SSS
CHAPTER THREE
NAT'S forecast of his wife's reaction to the news
that Josie was not only back in the fold, but was
going to work for them, proved unerringly correct,
and Josie soon found herself caught up in the
whirl of the Muntroses' family life.
True to her word, she managed to fit in at least
an hour each day with Billy, painstakingly going
over previous school work that he had failed to
grasp because of his handicap, and during this time Lucy would take her place at the soda fountain. It was an admirable arrangement on both sides, and had Lucy had her way, Billy would have been kept
away from school, and Josie take over his entire
schooling. However, Nat had something to say
about that, and Josie had to agree that he was
right, tor Billy needed to be kept with the other
children. To treat him differently would be to
highlight his difficulties. Done this way, it was
looked upon simply as extra schooling and would
cause no embarrassment to the child.
Josie's worry over the way her grandfather might take the news that she had found a job in the township, doing what he could well describe as work beneath her capabilities, was pleasantly allayed by his abrupt nod, and his calm acceptance of the fact that she would have to wait a while until a better opportunity presented itself. It seemed to Josie
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that he was willing to bow that fierce pride of his aside, allowing nothing to come between them that might tempt her to go away again.