by Jane Corrie
'Ah knows he's nice,' murmured Milly, 'but he ain't for you,' she insisted stubbornly.
'You're as bad as Father was,' Holly replied crossly. 'And he wanted me to marry Pete ! Just because Hal's not a landowner you think he's not good enough for me.'
Milly gave her an odd sideways look. 'You wait, my girl. You see, you find out soon enough.'
CHAPTER ELEVEN
AT dinner that evening it soon became apparent to Holly that Milly was not the only one to disapprove of the engagement. Hayes was distinctly put out and Holly could not decide which of the two, Hal or herself, he was the more furious with.
On the whole it was an uncomfortable meal, with Hal's attempts to lighten the atmosphere effectively quashed by a curt Hayes. Holly was slightly bewildered. Did he hate her so much? Did the thought that she would be living on his land rankle? She looked across at Hal, now sombre and concentrating on his food, and felt a spurt of anger against Hayes. She could imagine the arguments he had put forward against the marriage; age, for one thing. He had bluntly said Hal was too old for her the first time she had met him, but what did he know of her and Hal? Nothing ! She would show him! She would make a very good wife for Hal. She was not as useless as he thought.
Hal looked up suddenly and met her eyes. There was a rueful expression in his. almost as if he were saying, 'They're right, you know.' Holly's look of understanding eased his mind and he gave her his familiar grin in reply.
Watching this silent communication, Hayes suddenly barked out at Holly, 'I'd like to see you in the study after dinner.'
Hal's eyebrows rose at this royal command and he looked at Hayes. Hayes met his look square on. 'Alone,' he said abruptly.
Hal looked as if he might argue the point, but Holly caught his eye and gave a tiny shake of the head. She would welcome a chance to put her point of view. If Hayes thought he could dissuade her from the marriage he was in for a big surprise I She acknowledged the order with a curt nod.
Entering the study, Holly found Hayes standing by the window with his back to her, looking out across the paddock. He did not turn round when she walked in, but Holly knew he was aware of her presence. 'So you're going through with it in spite of the advice I gave you, are you?' he said harshly.
Holly bristled. Who did he think he was, anyway? She curbed her temper and tried a sensible approach. 'I know you mean well—' she began, but the rest of the sentence was cut off as he exploded:
'Mean well be damned! I could choke the life out of you !' He swung round to face her and Holly took a step backwards in amazement. He was furious, his eyes blazed at her and she knew he was having trouble keeping his hands off her. Her startled mind tried to account for this ferocious attack and all she could come up with was that he was labouring under the impression that Hal would leave him and manage Green Paddocks, letting his precious scheme for breeding new stock fall by the wayside. Hal couldn't have explained things, she thought. 'I don't think,' she said coldly, 'you've quite understood ...'
Again she was interrupted. 'I understand all right !' he muttered savagely. 'And if you think I'm standing by and letting Munt walk off with my property you'd both better think again!'
Holly's eyes narrowed. It was as she thought. 'You can have Green Paddocks,' she answered in a voice loaded with contempt. 'It's yours now, anyway. I'm sick of feeling like a lodger. Hal's going to accept the job you offered him up north—in case you thought he'd stay here. I understand there's a property being offered with it. We shall live there.'
'Over my dead body !' shouted Hayes. 'Who the hell wants Green Paddocks anyway ! Didn't it ever enter your lame brain that I could have found a dozen properties in a hell of a better state than this one. Well, did it?' he fumed.
Holly blinked. She rather wished Hal had insisted on joining her instead of strolling down to the men's quarters to see Dave and the boys. Why didn't Milly come? Surely she could hear him shouting? With wide eyes she regarded him warily and wondered how far she was from the door. Trying to control her thumping heart, she whispered, 'No!'
He moved swiftly and caught her to him, and an extremely startled Holly found herself held in a merciless grip. She felt the blood pound in her head and wanted to cry out. but no sound came. It was as if time stood still; the very magnetism of the man was drawing her closer and closer to the edge of a whirlpool. She didn't understand why she felt this way, it was as if she had no. will of her own. In blind panic she made an attempt to free herself from the spell he was weaving around her. His arms completely enclosed her and she was held tight against his hard body; she could even feel the strong beat of his heart. She gazed up at him with pleading eyes. 'Let me go. Hayes,' she whispered when her efforts to free herself proved unsuccessful.
His answer was to hold her closer. His eyes narrowed as they took in every line of her features. 'You don't know much about love, do you, Holly Drew?' he said softly. 'And I'm damned if Munt is going to teach you. I'm afraid you*re going to have to put up with me. Now we start the first lesson,' he murmured.
For the second time that day Holly found herself being kissed. Not that the kiss Hayes was giving her had any comparison with Hal's. This one took her to the whirlpool again and this time she went in head first. It was a hungry kiss that never seemed to reach saturation point; her soft lips were crushed under his demanding ones. Complete and utter domination was ruthlessly sought and Holly wondered vaguely whether she would ever be the same again. She was not given much breathing space, and when he did lift his head his lips roamed the corners of hers. 'I ought to have done that a long time ago,' he groaned. 'Heaven knows I wanted to.' He sought her lips again. 'If you hadn't been such a little spitfire,' he told her an age later, 'and so determined to thwart my every move, we would have been married by now, and I wouldn't have had to spend what seemed a lifetime away from you wishing I'd never set eyes on you.'
All this Holly heard, at least part of her heard; the other part wanted him to kiss her again. If this was love she liked it very much! She felt as if she was only just starting to live. Then she thought of Hal and was swiftly brought back to sanity and struggled to free herself. 'Hayes! Stop ! It's no use. Hal,' she whispered. 'Oh, Hayes, Hal!'
This produced another bone-shaking kiss. 'If he's the man I think he is,' he said quietly as she lay breathless against his shoulder, 'he'll know I won't let you go.'
Holly stiffened in his arms. Hal knew! She pulled herself away from Hayes, and her eyes started to smart. 'You mean he purposely asked me to marry him to make you propose?' she asked slowly, feeling her bright new world crumbling about her.
Hayes pulled her firmly into his arms again, and as she struggled furiously to free herself, he murmured, 'You're not going to win, so you might as well save your strength. You're going to need it.'
After he had kissed all the fight out of her he said, 'I wish I could say yes. for my peace of mind; but that man really loves you. A selfless love few are capable of: enough to let you go to someone he'd consider more suitable.' He shook her gently. 'Why do you suppose I offered him the northern job? I wanted to put as much distance between the two of you as possible. I wasn't taking any chances of him diving down to see you on his off periods.' His lips touched her hair. 'I'm afraid I haven't Hal's qualities—I'd light to the death for you. No man takes you away from me, so you'd better make up your mind to take me. You're not taking anyone else,' he said quietly, 'I'll see to that.'
Holly felt a surge of happiness flow through her, tinged with a touch of sorrow at the thought of Hal. She didn't deserve two such fine men caring for her, and she prayed Hayes was right and Hal would not be hurt. She looked back at Hayes studying her with a look that melted her bones. 'You've a funny way of courting,' she murmured wickedly. 'I was absolutely sure you hated me.'
His lips twitched. 'I did at times,' he confessed. 'But they say hate is akin to love, don't they? It was safer to adopt that attitude. I knew there had to be a reason why you got under my skin, and why I got under yours,' adding meani
ngly, 'I fell in a lot sooner that you did, that's all, but I didn't intend to give you much more rope.'
'You said you preferred more sophisticated women,' she reminded him cruelly.
Hayes gave a grimace. 'At that precise time I was trying to convince myself as well. I simply refused to believe I'd fallen for a five-foot-nothing bundle of dynamite to which I apparently held the fuse!'
Holly chuckled. 'Five foot four, if you please,' she murmured demurely, then thought of something else as he sought her lips again. 'Where are we going to live, Hayes?' she asked, and held her breath for the answer. She wasn't sure she fancied Coomela, it was a bit too grand for her.
His finger traced her high cheekbones. 'I have a feeling it had better be Green Paddocks,' he said softly. 'More suitable for bringing up children, don't you think? Also, I shall be able to keep an eye on what's going on with the stock I'm having brought down tomorrow. I've seen to the other end; Coomela now has a manager, a good man I've no worries about leaving in charge.' He raised one eyebrow at her. 'Any other questions?' he asked airily.
Holly's gratitude shone in her eyes. She could stay on at her beloved Green Paddocks I She flushed as she said, 'I gathered the wedding's in November.'
Hayes smiled wickedly and pulled her close. 'That information was for Pete Mills,' he said. 'I've no intention of waiting almost a year. You have one month, my girl, no more.'
As she nestled contentedly in his arms, Holly had another thought. 'Hayes, may I keep turkeys alter we're married?' she asked hopefully.
He chuckled. 'Ma Bartar!' he exclaimed.
'Milly did tell you!' Holly said crossly.
This produced another chuckle from Hayes. 'I'm afraid poor Milly was shocked to the core—seemed to think it was all her fault for drumming her into you since childhood.'
Holly had a nasty thought. 'Hayes, you didn't ring her—did you?' she pleaded.
'As a matter of fact—' he began teasingly.
'Oh, no!' groaned Holly. 'Poor Ma Bartar—just you wait till I see Milly!'
'Hold on,' laughed Hayes, 'I haven't finished. Quite a character, isn't she? Ma Bartar, I mean. I'm afraid she rather took the wind out of my sails. I did have a word with her and all I got for my pains was a demand to know what was I hanging about for, and here I quote "Girls like Holly Drew don't grow on trees" and a lot more besides,' he grinned. 'Seems she quite took to you.'
Holly's eyes misted over. 'And I to her,' she said. 'She's getting old, Hayes, I can't see her carrying on much longer, not without some kind of help. Couldn't we do something?'
'Providing she lets me into the farm without filling me full of holes,' he answered, grinning, 'I guess we can work something out. It might be wise if you came along on the first expedition, though. I have a distinct urge to live just now.'
Holly buried her head in his jacket lapel. 'I love you !' she declared fervently.
'You better had,' threatened Hayes, gathering her closer.
Holly could not be completely happy until she had seen Hal, and her chance came the next morning after breakfast. Hal had spent the night at the men's quarters and come to the homestead for breakfast. Holly knew Hayes had seen him, and she was a little apprehensive about his reaction, but she needn't have worried. Hal gave her the same old grin and her heart lifted.
After coffee on the verandah he held his hand out to her and looked at Hayes sitting beside her. 'Mind if I steal her for a while?' he asked Hayes.
Hayes' eyes swept possessively over her and Holly felt her heart lurch. He nodded abruptly. 'For a while,' he said slowly.
Holly felt his eyes on them as they walked towards the paddock fences.
'Happy, princess?' murmured Hal.
She wanted to fling her arms around him to show him how happy she was, but it wouldn't be fair to him, and Hayes still watching them might just take exception to such a demonstration of affection, so she had to content herself with a fervent, 'Oh, Hal, if only you knew !' Then she looked hard at him.
'But you did know, didn't you?' she said accusingly.
Hal gave a rueful grin and leant against the fence. 'Like I said, Holly girl, you don't see things,' he answered quietly.
'Was it your idea he passed himself off as my fiancé to get Pete to take the cheque?' she asked curiously.
Hal started and stared down at her, then shook his head. 'Well, I'm darned,' he muttered. 'He must have had his eye on you even then.' He grinned at her. 'And I thought it happened while he was down here.'
It was Holly's turn to stare. 'You mean it wasn't your suggestion?' she asked bewilderedly.
Hal got his tobacco pouch out and started to roll a cigarette. 'No, sir,' he said. 'Hayes isn't the kind of boss one makes those sort of suggestions to.' He lighted the cigarette and drew slowly on it.
'Then how did you know?' she began perplexedly.
'I didn't,' Hal said. 'Not then. When you took off that time, I was all set to chase after you. He called me all kinds of a fool for getting embroiled again. I threw in my notice and we kinda got sorted out after that. His wanting extra land and Green Paddocks going begging—well, it seemed the answer.' He fell silent. Holly's thoughts went back to that first meeting. 'Wasn't until he came back,' Hal continued quietly, jerking Holly back to the present. 'When he left he was all set to put a manager in, if the place passed muster, that was. I did hope to be given the job, but Hayes had another man in view, Jack Jenkins. Well, there was Jack expecting to be sent for any day. Hayes hadn't planned to be away more than a week.' He drew on his cigarette again. 'A week goes by, then a fortnight, and still no sign of him returning. We couldn't fathom out what the hold-up was. Well, when he does come back, he was like a man sickening for the mumps, and as touchy as a grizzly to tangle with and twice as dangerous.' He grinned at Holly. 'Like you, girl. I was a bit slow on the uptake until I overheard him talking to Milly on the phone and asking after you, then I fell in. Guess Milly caught on quicker than anybody.'
Holly placed her hand over Hal's large one. 'Is that why you proposed, Hal? To bring him up to scratch?' she asked.
Hal looked away suddenly, but not before Holly saw the look of pain in his eyes. 'Something like that,' he said, then muttered, 'No, dammit! I wasn't sure how you felt about him. I wasn't going to let him hustle you into marriage, either, if you didn't care for him. When you accepted me I guess I hoped I was right, and you didn't care for him. I knew you hadn't realised he'd fallen for you.' He shook his head at her. 'You gave him a bad time, honey. He's a proud man, not used to females treating him like the odd man out. Guess he was pretty soured too, from what I've heard the females practically throw themselves at him.' He looked beyond the paddocks, 'Thing was, I couldn't make out what game he was playing. Guessed he wanted you, and when a man like that wants something he makes sure the odds are loaded in his favour. When he offered me the northern job I had a pretty good idea what was in his mind.' He sighed and clasped her hand. 'It wouldn't have made any difference, Holly girl, you know, had you felt the same way about me, but you didn't, and I knew it. You'd have married me in all innocence, wouldn't you?'
Holly's head was bowed, and she nodded dumbly. There wasn't much she could say. She loved Hayes, he was the only man for her.
Hal went on, 'Hayes was as mad as fire at me for beating him to the punch. Guess I asked for it, but one thing he said hurt most. The truth: You didn't love me, and he knew it. Said I was taking advantage of you, and he was right.' He was silent for a few seconds, then told her, 'He's a fine man, princess. Good enough for me to stand aside for, but remember, I'll always be around.'
Holly could not speak, she was too choked.
'Hal ' she tried to get out.
He pulled her hand through his arm. 'Come on, princess, I've a feeling that man of yours feels we've had long enough.'
Holly glanced to where Hal was looking, and sure enough Hayes was striding towards them with a purposeful expression on his face. Her heart swelled with pride as she noted his proud bearing and line autocra
tic features. His eyes were on her and meeting them Holly saw the half doubt in his as he eyed Hal, then looked back at her. Her thoughts were mirrored in her eyes, the love that shone out of them made Hayes catch his breath, then he moved forward and claimed her hand.
Together the three of them wandered back to the homestead. Holly caught sight of Milly standing at the window with a huge smile on her face. She had been right all along. As Milly would have put it herself, Hayes was her fella !