Beside the Brook

by Paulette Rae

  “You’re right Sarah, they don’t,” Kirsten confirmed, finally getting her amusement under control.

  Looking pleased with the reaction, Sarah spooned a huge helping of berries and cream into her mouth. She had such an angelic face. The outline of her mouth was well defined and when she smiled her radiance lifted the room. She had long curled eyelashes and perfect round eyes the colour of milk chocolate as it melts. Her slender limbs were tanned from the hours she spent outdoors, fine golden hairs shone on her arms.

  After they had finished eating Kirsten offered to help with the clean up, but Beth insisted it was not necessary. Instead she invited Kirsten to join her and Sarah on a walk

  to the beach. Kirsten thought about the bags sitting upstairs for her to unpack and declined the offer.

  “Maybe Sarah could take me to the beach tomorrow?” she suggested instead. The little girl’s face brightened. “Okay. Is that okay, Grammy?”

  “That’s a wonderful idea.” Beth smiled.

  “I’m not sure what plans you have tomorrow,” Kirsten added. “But I’d like to spend some time with Sarah if that’s okay. Probably the sooner we get to know each another the better.”

  Beth looked pleased, as did Sarah. “That sounds great. What do you think, Sarah?

  Will you show Kirsten around tomorrow?”

  Sarah jiggled excitedly from one foot to the other. “Yes, I will!”

  * * * *

  Kirsten had a little trouble getting to sleep among her new surroundings. When she climbed the stairs to the third floor, feeling rather like a Princess retiring to her tower, she felt so isolated from the rest of the world. The familiar sounds of traffic outside the window were gone, as were the street lights to illuminate the room. There were no noises through the walls from a television, or people moving around the house in close proximity. The floorboards didn’t even creak as she crept around on the plush carpet. As her toes sank deep into the cashmere pile it felt more like she had been flown off for a vacation in a five star hotel rather than a house she was to reside in. Everything was so extravagant.

  She turned the lights off to pitch black and deathly silence. She heard a couple of cars about a kilometre away. Around midnight she was vaguely aware of headlights creeping down the hill, glaring against the house below her. She heard the engine cut and a car door open and close, then feet crunched on the gravel path before everything fell to quiet once more. She guessed it must have been Tyler arriving home. Kirsten was apprehensive about meeting both Beth’s son and Sarah’s father. She had already formed pictures of them in her mind from what Beth had told her. She imagined Tyler to be a younger version of his mother, but she was unsure of Jamie. She couldn’t understand how a man could be away from his daughter so much. Sarah seemed to be a grounded, loving child. What kind of father would be so absent from his child’s life, especially when he was her only surviving parent?

  * * * *

  The bright morning sun penetrating the flimsy curtains woke Kirsten early. She felt like she had hardly slept at all. The bed sheets were twisted around her body like a sleeping bag and she was damp with sweat. She pulled back the curtain to catch a glimpse of the blue cloudless sky. It was another day in paradise; her first morning in her new home. She stretched and crawled from the confinement of the sheets, pushed them impatiently to the end of the bed. Then she showered and dressed in a pair of green cotton shorts and the sleeveless blouse she had worn to dinner the night before. Looking in the wardrobe she realised her choice of shoes were mostly inappropriate. She had a decent pair of sneakers and one pair of sandals sturdy enough to tackle the hills and walk to the beach. The three pairs of heels she had packed would more than likely sit in the back of the wardrobe for the duration of her tenure. Her plush pink

  slippers would also be redundant, considering the whole house was furnished with gorgeous shag pile carpet and heaters were installed everywhere. Even the kitchen and bathrooms had heated floors.

  She wandered down to the first floor. There was no sign of life on the second floor as she passed, but as she neared the kitchen she could hear two male voices. She pushed open the solid oak door, her rubber soles squealed on the glossy floor as she entered. Craig stood at the bench, preparing a fresh fruit salad. Poised atop the breakfast bar was Tyler, his bare tanned legs stretched out before him. Kirsten knew at once who he was, for the similarity to his sister’s image in the painting upstairs was uncanny. He had dark hair, cropped close to his head and brooding brown eyes. He seemed different to what Kirsten imagined he would be. From Beth’s description she had pictured a smart business man who wore a suit and tie. However the man before her was far from that. Tyler wore cut off shorts, something he had fashioned from an old pair of Levis, and a cotton Hawaiian print shirt. He had long lean arms and legs, his bony bare feet hung to the floor as he watched Kirsten approach.

  “You must be Kirsten.” His voice was deep and mellow. He spoke with a slight American accent, which was only apparent when he reached the r in her name. He pushed himself from the counter and held out his hand for her to take.

  “Yes, I am. And you must be Tyler.” She smiled as his warm fingers gripped hers. His dark complexion was a total contrast to her pale, freckled skin.

  “Well, Beth’s a sly old dog isn’t she?” It seemed the question was directed at her; however Tyler looked at Craig and winked. “I thought you’d be old and ugly like the last one.”

  Craig laughed and Kirsten blushed at Tyler’s strange compliment. Craig wiped his hands and looked at Kirsten. “Would you like some breakfast, Kirsten?”

  “Please, call me Kirsty,” she smiled. “And yes, I’d love some breakfast please.”

  “Well, on that note I’m going to go before Sarah gets down here, otherwise I’ll never get out to the boat.” Tyler smiled at Kirsten. “I look forward to talking to you later, Kirsty. I’m sure my mother has the day planned for you and Sarah already.”

  Kirsten pulled a chair from under the table, sat down and wrapped her ankles around the turned legs.

  “Actually I asked Beth if Sarah and I could spend the day together.”

  Tyler looked impressed. “Well good on you. If you guys get bored I’m going out to the farm just after lunch. Sarah loves going on the boat, and I’d be happy to give you a tour of the Sound.”

  Kirsten smiled. “That would be great.” She hadn’t spent much time boating before, but she loved the water. The thought of an afternoon at sea was enticing. Tyler seemed satisfied with her response. A small hint of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. “Okay. I’ll see you at the jetty after lunch. Sarah knows the way.”

  “Thank you,” Kirsten beamed.

  “No, thank you,” Tyler oozed. “It’s been a while since I had two beautiful women out on the boat.” He gave her a playful wink.

  “Yeah, right,” Craig muttered sarcastically under his breath. Tyler thumped him lightly on the shoulder as he passed. “You, keep your hand off it old man.” He grinned as he left the kitchen.

  Craig laughed and looked at Kirsten. “Don’t believe a word that comes out of that man’s mouth.”

  Kirsten smiled. “Yes, well, I can tell he’s probably more than a little popular with the ladies.”

  “Ah, you’ll soon find that out for yourself.”

  “How long have you worked here?”

  He walked to the table with two serving bowls and a large platter of fresh fruit.

  “About five years now. I used to work in the next bay, there’s a hotel there called The Portage, have you heard of it?”

  Kirsten shook her head.

  “It’s a nice place, but then I met Beth and she poached me away to come here.”

  “I guess you know the family well then.” Kirsten felt with Craig being detached it would be easier asking him some of the things she wanted to know. Craig glanced at her sideways as he took a large container of yoghurt from the fridge.

  “Yes and no. They’re a strange bunch, especially now without B
rook.”

  “What was she like?”

  “Brook?” Craig sat at the table next to Kirsten. “She was the centerpiece of the family. Everyone revolved around her.” His eyes misted over. “You know what I mean?”

  Kirsten smiled. “Yes, I guess I do.”

  “When she died it was like everyone drifted apart. The only thing holding them together now is that little girl of hers.”

  “Can I ask what happened?”

  “Mmm,” Craig murmured as he filled a bowl with fruit and slid it in front of Kirsty.

  “She was killed in a riding accident. She was out horse riding with Tyler one day and she was knocked off going under a tree. It was really tragic.”

  “Horses?” Kirsten questioned. “Beth never said anything yesterday about having horses.”

  Craig shook his head. “No, Beth got rid of the horses shortly after the accident. Said she didn’t want anything like that to happen to anyone else, especially Sarah.” He sighed. “You know what little girls are like with horses.”

  “Oh, yes.” Kirsten smiled. “How sad.”

  “Yeah, it was pretty sad. Brook was a beautiful girl. She and James made a fantastic couple. He just hasn’t been the same since she died. None of them have.”

  “And what about the father, Beth’s husband, where is he?”

  “Good luck getting any of them to talk about that. He’s in America. Beth left him to come to New Zealand. Some big-shot Texan. She came here alone with the kids, so I can only assume she wanted to get them as far away from their father as possible.”

  “Oh,” Kirsten pondered.

  Craig’s weathered face creased into a smile. “I hope none of this puts you off.”

  Kirsten grinned. “No not at all. We all have skeletons in the closet, don’t we?”

  Craig raised his eyebrows. “Okay. What’s your story then?”

  Kirsten sighed. “You really don’t want to see my dirty laundry. Besides, it’s rather boring compared to the sound of things here.”

  Kirsten’s skeleton was a married man she had left behind in Christchurch; her previous employer no less. She certainly wasn’t ready to talk about that one yet, especially with someone she had just met.

  Craig smiled. “I understand completely. Let me give you just one piece of advice.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You seem like a really nice girl, Kirsty. So make sure you don’t get involved with this family too much. Don’t get me wrong, individually they’re nice. I have a lot of time

  for Beth, she’s like family and as an employer she’s always looked out for me. Tyler is a great businessman, and friend, but there’s something about him I haven’t been able to put my finger on yet. James is a great kid, a lesser father, and a troubled individual. Together they’re like fireworks in a barrel. Don’t get caught in the middle whatever you do. Look after Sarah, do your job, but make sure you keep some things for yourself.”

  “Wow.” Kirsten stared wide-eyed at Craig but he just laughed.

  “Hey, don’t get me wrong. You look like a smart woman, Kirsty, and I’m sure you know how to look after yourself.”

  “So, what happened to the last nanny,” Kirsty grinned, “was she eaten alive?”

  Craig leaned back and hung one arm over the back of the chair as he chuckled, “Not quite.”

  Chapter 3

  It took Sarah no time at all to become comfortable with Kirsten as they walked the grounds after breakfast. They started their tour at the back of the house, where Sarah took Kirsten by the hand and showed her Craig’s garden. Organic vegetables grew in neat rows, bordered by fruit trees and citrus bushes, berry plants and a glass house full of tomatoes. Hidden behind a lattice fence, overgrown with ivy, was an in-ground Jacuzzi, and further beyond another fence sheltered a tennis court. Leaving this area, they walked down through the bush to another clearing on the western side of the house. There were two small paddocks, wire fenced with a white painted wooden top rail. Barrels and striped posts lay scattered on the grass in one area, forgotten by the riders in the family.

  Sarah’s face was mournful as she explained, “This is where the horses used to live.”

  “Shall we go down to the beach then?” Kirsten changed the subject. Sarah’s face brightened. “Okay.”

  She skipped next to Kirsten as they wound their way down through the bush further, along a clay path and down to the sea. It was not a sandy beach, rather tiny yellow and white stones covered the shore. At either end of the small bay the rubble grew to rock, jutting out from each point in tumbling piles. Toward the northern end of the beach an old unpainted jetty stood out against the hills which enclosed the rest of the sound. From here Kirsten could see the remainder of the Heads, the wide sweeping mud sound that closed them in with a dead end then continued on to pass them again on the other side, about three kilometres across.

  She removed her shoes and waded into the water, and Sarah did the same, dancing with delight in the shallows as they held hands.

  “Don’t you play in the water much?” Kirsten was quite surprised by her reaction at being allowed to go into the sea.

  “In the pool I do,” she said matter-of-factly.

  “Huh, well we’ll have to change that, won’t we?”

  Sarah grinned as she stooped to put her hand in the salty water. Kirsten stared out to sea. It was truly a golden paradise living here, but she wasn’t convinced it was the greatest place for someone like Sarah. She thought back to her own childhood, filled with sports activities, friends invading the house every weekend, school productions and generally complaining about having to hold hands with the boys for dance lessons. Sarah’s childhood seemed strangely quiet compared to her own.

  “Do you like living here, Sarah?”

  Sarah’s nose crinkled as she stared, puzzled by the question. “If I didn’t live here then I wouldn’t see Grammy, or Uncle Tyler.”

  Kirsten stifled her laughter at such a sweet answer, given so candidly. “What I mean Sarah is . . .,” she thought about the words Sarah had just uttered, and realised that she had inadvertently given her answer. She changed her tack. “Okay, aside from being here with Grammy and Uncle Tyler, what do you like about living here?”

  The young girl shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know.”

  Kirsten waded back to the shallows and squatted down in front of Sarah, who regarded her with curiosity as she said, “Then that’s something else I’m going to have to change, isn’t it?”

  They wandered along collecting empty white cockle shells from between the rocks. Sarah stuffed a select few into the pocket of her denim skirt. Kirsten stared up at the stifling midday sun as her stomach growled loudly. She realised Beth had been right in what she had said the night before. The fresh country air had already stimulated her appetite.

  “What do you say we head home for some lunch, kiddo?”

  “Okay,” Sarah ran a few steps ahead of Kirsten as they made their way back up the hill.

  Tyler was waiting for them when they arrived back at the house. Kirsten made sandwiches and they ate a quick lunch before packing a cooler of juice and heading down to the jetty. The boat was not what Kirsten had expected. After the house had outweighed her expectations, she should have realised it would not be a simple fishing vessel. The Sassy Lady was a thirty foot cruiser, complete with a fully stocked bar and television in the large open plan cabin below.

  Tyler lifted Sarah onto the deck then extended his hand to help Kirsten aboard.

  “Thanks.” She staggered as she found her sea legs. The boat swayed gently beneath them as water lapped between the boat and the wharf. Kirsten walked to the other side to peer down into the water. The glare of the sun on the surface was so intense she had to shield her eyes with one hand.

  “First things first.” Tyler disappeared inside the cabin and returned carrying two life jackets. “Come on little lady.” He helped Sarah into her floatation device as Kirsten watched with admiration. It was clear in his
reactions to Sarah, just how much she meant to him. His eyes gleamed whenever he looked at her. When he was finished with Sarah he turned to Kirsten. “You ever used one of these before?”

  Kirsten smiled and shook her head. “No, I haven’t.”

  “Come on then.” Tyler beckoned as he held it up for her to slip into. Kirsten backed into the jacket and slipped her arms into the holes. Tyler wrapped the front around her, his head right behind her own as he fumbled with the ties. He was taller than her by at least four inches, and she felt unexpectedly nervous having him this close. His big hands held her by the jacket and he turned her around, his eyes focused on the straps as he pulled them beneath her arms and across her chest. The corners of his mouth turned up into a cheeky smile, as if he sensed and was enjoying her discomfort. She had to admit, he was extremely attractive, his dark brooding eyes and long eyelashes just one of his many endearing features. She cringed as she remembered what had happened with the last man she worked for. Sometimes a little harmless flirting could spiral out of control. She was determined not to repeat the mistakes she had made with Greg.

  “That’s not too tight is it?” Tyler’s eyes glinted playfully in the sunlight. Kirsten allowed a smile to escape. “It’s firm, but I wouldn’t say it’s tight.”

  “Good.” Tyler straightened up and left her with Sarah, going instead to loosen the ropes which held the boat to the jetty.

  The girls sat at the back of the boat while Tyler drove to the Salmon farm. Kirsten loved the feel of the salt spray on her face, the sound of the engine as it roared beneath them and the thick white foam wake which spread out behind them like a thick layer of whipped egg whites. Sarah grinned and laughed all the way, enjoying the ride with childish enthusiasm.

  If this is what life is going to be like here, Kirsten thought, surely I’m in heaven.

  Eventually Tyler slowed the engines and they pulled up to another boat in a secluded bay. A young man about Kirsten’s age appeared and tied the boat securely alongside.

  “Hey boss,” he greeted Tyler.

  “Brian. How’re things this afternoon?”