Rimmer's Way

by Jane Corrie

  He couldn't argue that one out, she thought happily, relieved she had got it off her chest for once and for all.

  'I thought Melbury was a small English village,' Cal said casually as he negotiated a bend.

  Della blinked and looked out of the window hastily before he could see the shock his words had given her. How on earth ... Uncle Denny—of course! He must have told Cal about the small village Della was brought up in, and even though she had been forced to work in a town, she had missed the quaint village, and had often wished it had been possible for her to travel to work each day from her old home, but the distance had been too great to make this feasible.

  Biting her lip, she tried to recall her actual words on the subject, for her uncle was all the family she had, and she would write at great length on the beauties of the countryside. It was the sort of letter he appreciated, and he had often told her so, saying, her letters brought back many happy memories of his childhood. Della had a horrible suspicion that he had actually read the letters out to Cal—or even worse, given them to him to read!

  She swallowed. The memory of that small picturesque village brought a surge of homesickness and she could have wept, but instead she knew she had to answer the question Cal had so casually but meaningfully flung at her.

  'That was where I was brought up,' she said, determinedly blinking back the tears that had refused to obey her silent plea to remain unspilt. `Later, I lived in a town. Oh, for a long time—so I'm used to seeing lots of people, and going to dances and things ...' her voice trailed off as her eyes met his.

  `So all that you said about hating town life, and wishing you were back at Melbury, was just something to fill up the page, was it?' Cal said quietly.

  Della was now convinced that he had read the letters; she blushed painfully—now what? Tell him he was right? that she had fabricated everything— made it up as she went along? 'No!' she said vehemently. 'It was true—at least, it was when I wrote those letters. You see, I was very homesick at first, and missed village life—later, I got used to town life.'

  'Your last letter didn't exactly give that impression,' Cal said idly as his strong hands flexed on the wheel of the car.

  Della was again confounded; all too well could she recall that letter. She hadn't mentioned John or what had happened, for that she was profoundly grateful, but she had been very unhappy, and had desperately wanted to get away from all association with John.

  'I suppose I wanted a change,' she replied, not untruthfully. 'We all get a bit fed up at times,' she added defensively.

  Cal accepted this explanation without comment, and Della breathed a sigh of relief, and sat back to resume her study of the passing landscape.

  A moment or so later Cal started humming a tune; it was a soft haunting melody and Della wondered what it was. She was sure she had not heard it before, and listened for a short while before she asked, 'What is that tune?'

  Cal gave her one of his quick grins before replying, 'It's one of the songs we sing to the cattle at night; it keeps them quiet and allays their fears.'

  She wasn't too sure he wasn't teasing her—singing to the cattle indeed! Her expression gave her thoughts away.

  Grinning at her again, he remarked dryly, 'It's true. That song has been handed down through the centuries by the Aboriginals, and it's a sure winner. You don't have to take my word for it—tomorrow night I'll take you out to the herd and prove it to you.'

  Della's eyes opened wide at this casual statement.

  'You've not attended a muster, as yet,' he went on, 'but there's time enough for that. Right now we've several hundred herded in the top valley, and that's where I'll be taking you. There should be one beaut of a moon up there and you'll see what I mean —it's no use telling people about these things; you have to experience it. I guess it does the same sort of thing to me as your Melbury did for you.'

  Feeling the familiar prick behind her eyes, Della looked away quickly. Did he have to bring up the one subject she was trying so hard to forget?

  Cal started humming the tune again, and as Della listened to its almost soporific lilt she realised with a slight start that he had made no further mention of the office scheme. As she had refused to answer his previous remark about there being plenty of time, so he had utterly ignored her comments on advertising for premises!

  Her lips clamped together; not only had he chosen to ignore her suggestion about advertising, but her declared preference for town life as well ! And here he was calmly arranging—no, not even arranging— telling her he was going to take her out to the muster the following evening!

  There had to be some way of getting through to that stubborn head of his that she meant what she had said, but for the life of her Della couldn't see how!

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  DURING dinner that evening Cora, wanting to hear whether the hunt for office premises for Della had been successful, dropped her usual contradictory attitude, and for once the meal was a pleasant one for Della.

  Cal gave a short résumé on the two premises visited, but dwelt a little longer on the jukebox episode, with, Della noted, a certain amount of relish in his voice.

  It was obvious that Cora was as disappointed as Della had been, and Della, seeing this, said, 'We'll just have to keep on trying, Cora. I thought it might be a good idea to advertise—what do you think?'

  Della felt rather than saw Cal's quick glance at her as she said this, and was not a bit surprised when he intervened with, 'I hardly think there's any need for that. I have no wish to be inundated with agents trying to offload property on me.'

  With raised brows, Della queried this bald statement. 'But you're not seeking property,' she said indignantly. 'There's no reason why you should get involved at all. I shall vet all the replies I get.'

  Cal looked at her, and once again Della wished she could interpret that look of his. 'Your name happens

  to be the same as mine now,' he said softly. 'Once it gets around that I or my wife are seeking property of any description, there'll be no shortage of answers to that advertisement, I can assure you.'

  Della's temper rose. He was absolutely determined to thwart her, but it wasn't going to work this time. 'Then I'll advertise under a box number! ' she said crossly, adding sarcastically, 'I suppose they do have such things as box numbers?'

  Cal's eyes now held a glint in them as he replied slowly, 'We do have box numbers, of course; but we also unfortunately have talkative if not garrulous newspaper staff.' His eyes locked with Della's. 'You'd have to give your name when inserting the advert.'

  Cora, who might not have been present during this slight exchange between Della and Cal, decided it was time she entered the fray. 'Cal's an important man, Della. They're always on the lookout for news about him, and they'd jump on something like that. They'd probably think he was going into real estate or something, and it could start all kinds of speculation.'

  Della began to wonder whose side Cora was on. 'Then I'll advertise under my maiden name,' she said grimly. 'Then no one will be any the wiser.'

  'I'm afraid that won't answer,' Cal said with a hint of steel in his voice.

  Cora, giving him an apprehensive look, turned back to Della with a look in her eye that was meant to warn Della not to argue the point, but Della was

  past any such hints. She was furious—in other words Cal was telling her she would go when he was good and ready, and not before! 'I don't see ... she began hotly.

  'Look! ' intervened Cora quickly. 'Leave it, Della; I'll keep on looking for you. There'll be no need to advertise or to worry Cal.'

  Cal's haughty glance rested on Cora after this hopefully soothing statement. 'I think I can look out for Della's needs, Cora,' he said mildly, but again that hint of steel was in his voice, and Della knew as well as Cora that he was telling her to keep out of it, or else!

  No further opportunity was given Della to follow up the subject, as Cal adroitly changed the conversation, and going by the look in his eye, she knew she would b
e fighting a lost cause if she attempted to force the issue.

  Later, as she prepared for bed, it occurred to Della that Cal had made no mention to Cora of the proposed visit out to the herd, and she wondered why. He could, of course, always mention it at dinner the following evening, or come to that, at any time during the day, but Della had a strong suspicion that he had no intention of mentioning it, and frowned as she folded back the counterpane on the bed.

  As she got into bed and leaned back against the pillows, she thought about this. Did he feel he had neglected her? Was that why he had arranged this visit to the herd, and another visit to the muster later?

  Perhaps he felt as if it was his fault that she had decided to leave before the year was out, and that if he'd been a little more attentive she would have stayed.

  Della sighed; it was more than likely, and she recalled how he had jumped on Cora when she had offered to look out for her. He obviously resented her interference, which was strange really, considering how he had once been content to leave her welfare in Cora's hands.

  In a way, it was his fault, Della mused; if he hadn't removed David from the stables, and taken away the only person she had felt at ease with, then she might have been content to while away the time at the ranch, even maybe the whole year.

  At this thought she frowned. No, she wouldn't— not with Cora, and there would always be Cora, and there was nothing she could do about that.

  Men, she thought scathingly, never notice these things; a woman would have known how things were likely to be on first acquaintance.

  It wouldn't have occurred to Cal that Cora was the fly in the ointment, and the only reason she had acted with any consideration or kindness to Della lately was because Della had flung in the sponge— in other words had decided to leave Cora a clear field; but should Della show signs of a fight, or even so much as hint that she was falling for Cal, then

  battle would be resumed on a full-scale level.

  Switching off the light, Della lay trying to woo sleep, but her mind persisted in going over recent events. It wasn't Cora that mattered, she thought sleepily, it was Cal. Cal was well and truly in the driver's seat, and heaven help anyone who tried to alter his course.

  Della felt like a piece of furniture bought up in a job lot, and because she was part of a suite, she was expected to stay put; but she wasn't a piece of furniture! she was a real person with a right to live her own life, She couldn't quite understand this urgency to get away from Rimmer's Way—it wasn't only Cora, she admitted ruefully, it was Cal.

  Deep in her heart Della knew that if Cora should prove to be right about his intentions, there would be nothing she could do about it—not in a year's time anyway. Now, yes, for as yet her heart was untouched, but she was only too aware of him as a man, and a very attractive one at that.

  He had all that it took to steal a girl's heart, and break it, she thought bitterly, and if it hadn't been for John, and the subsequent heartache he had brought her, Della might well have fallen head over heels in love with Cal, no matter what Cora had told her.

  Before sleep eventually claimed her, Della knew the reason why it was imperative that she should leave the ranch at the earliest given opportunity. It was not Cora, or her dislike of the position her uncle

  had placed her in—it was a tall, lean, sunburned man, with grey eyes that laughed at you when you least expected it, and whose voice held the whip of a lash when displeased, but who could, if he so pleased, make a very persuasive lover.

  The next morning, to Della's delight, David was in the stables when she went to collect Star. He greeted her with a welcoming grin that made Della's heart lift, and that told her he had missed her company as much as she had missed his.

  Della questioned him about the work he had been doing, and he brought her up to date with news of the muster. 'We've got about five hundred in the valley, and there'll be close on a thousand by tonight. Gee, Della, it's a grand sight. I thought maybe you'd come over. That Cora's been hanging around Cal again.' He gave her one of his fierce frowns. 'Guess Cal's worried you might get in the way. Things get sorta hectic now and again, especially if they take it into their heads to bolt, then you gotta know how to turn 'em.'

  Della smiled at his enthusiasm; she was glad he was happy away from his beloved horses. 'I'd be worse than useless, David,' she said with a smile, 'not to mention a liability. I'd be terrified; besides, I'd want a faster mount. I couldn't see Star taking off at a gallop, could you? not unless she was as terrified as I was, then she might!'

  David gave a low chuckle. 'Ole Star's been retired

  again,' he said, and added happily, 'Your mount's one of them Arabs I showed you in the paddocks. Come on, I'll show you.'

  Della found herself being pulled out of the stables and towards the paddocks with her mind in a whirl. One of the Arabians ! For goodness' sake! Why, if anything went wrong—say if it went lame or anything, Cal would never forgive her!

  'There!' David said proudly. 'Isn't she a beaut? Her name's Moonglow.'

  She was a beauty all right, thought Della, too astounded to do anything but just stare at the neat little mare with the white-blond mane that flowed across her back, and the big dark eyes that gazed back so soulfully at her.

  'David, I couldn't!' she gasped. 'Surely you could find me another mount. For heaven's sake, not one of the bloodstock '

  David's white teeth gleamed as he grinned back at her. 'Boss's orders,' he said grandly. 'Like I said, you sure impressed him that time he saw you try that flying mount on Star.'

  Della felt the flush stain her cheeks, and looked away towards Moonglow as her eyes moistened. If Cal had wanted to please her he couldn't have thought of a better way of doing it. Her heart went out to the lovely proud little mare that stood so placidly waiting while David saddled her.

  Her fingers fondled the silky mane as she made her acquaintance, and she wished Joyce could have been present to see this beautiful horse—and the others, of course, but Della was convinced her mount was the pick of the bunch—and what a bunch, she thought mistily, as she sprang into the saddle in a perfect imitation of David's style of mounting.

  A thundering of hoofs behind them gave warning of Cora's arrival. She was the only one who rode at that breakneck speed, and it had occurred to Della that David's dislike of Cora stemmed from the one fact, that she drove her mounts to exhaustion.

  'If Cal catches you riding that, there'll be real trouble,' Cora said bitingly, and turned on David. 'And what the devil are you doing letting her ride her?' she demanded scathingly.

  David's face had a closed look as he stared back at Cora. 'Boss's orders,' he repeated, giving the words extra emphasis, and Della was sure he was enjoying the look of pure amazement and mortification that passed over Cora's features.

  'In that case,' Cora snapped back, making a fast recovery, 'I'll have Moonray. You can saddle him up for me,' she announced grandly, casually adding, 'This one's about to go lame on me any day now. I was going to have a word with Cal about another horse.'

  David's lips formed a stubborn line as he shook his head firmly. 'Sorry, miss, you'll have to see Cal about that. I only got orders for Della's mount.'

  Cora was beside herself with rage and for one tense moment it looked as if she would lash out at David with her whip; instead she took revenge in spite. 'Who gave you permission to call Mr Tarn Cal? Just remember your place, it's Mr Tarn to you —and Mrs Tarn, not Della! You're only here on sufferance, and if I have much more of your insolence you'll find yourself out of a job—which you will anyway, after I've had a word with Mr Tarn '

  'David's only doing his job,' cut in Della, desperately trying to hold on to her temper. Cora had spoken to David as if he were a dog. 'And I gave him permission to call me Della, which I hope he'll go on doing. I also suspect Cal did the same. Really, Cora, I think the least you can do is apologise to him. It's not his fault you can't have Moonray.'

  Her words, instead of soothing, added fuel to the fire blazing inside
Cora. 'Who says I can't have ,Moonray? You'll see ' she said between her teeth, and giving her horse a sharp stab in the ribs that made it rear and nearly throw her, she galloped furiously away.

  Della's eyes left the flying figure of Cora in the distance and met David's blazing ones. His colour was considerably heightened too. 'Don't take any notice, David,' she said. 'The trouble is she's been spoilt, she just says what comes into her head and doesn't think what she's saying.'

  'That's for sure,' he said bitterly. 'She hasn't a hope of getting Moonray; Cal wouldn't let her within a yard of his bloodstock. He's told her often

  enough; either she learns how to treat a horse, or she finds her own mounts.' He grinned ruefully at Della. 'Sure put the fat in the fire, her seeing you with that mare; she's been after one of them Arabs for as long as I've been here.'

  Della was worried; the very thing she had hoped to avoid looked like coming to pass at any moment now. Cora would not get Moonray, and she would never forgive Della for having been given Moon-glow. Although it was Cal who should take the blame, Della knew from past experience that Cora would take it out on David and her.

  Cora's absence from dinner that evening proved Della's supposition that she had not succeeded in persuading Cal to let her ride one of the bloodstock, and felt unable to face Della after her earlier assertion that she would be given Moonray—which, thought Della, showed just how foolish it was of her to make such a statement.

  Cal did not comment on her absence, and Della did not refer to it, either; feeling it was better to let well alone. She had, of course, to thank him for giving her Moonglow, and although she tried not to make a big thing out of it, she was quite unable to quell the glow of appreciation that shone in her eyes as she spoke of the beautiful little mare.

  The rest of the meal was taken in the same peaceful atmosphere that had prevailed during Cora's last departure from the scene, and Della found herself enjoying not only the meal but Cal's company too. Even Luis seemed more relaxed, and actually smiled when serving the sweet. It was hardly credible, Della thought, how Cora could have such a dampening effect on the company, and she found herself wondering just what Cal saw in her, apart, that was, from her beauty.