by Anne Hampson
‘Can they do it?’ Teri had asked doubtfully. ‘It’s a skilled job, surely?’
‘These two are quite adept at doing these sort of alterations. They built my extension to the kitchen.’
Brand would not take any money for the alteration, saying his boys would have been idle had they not been employed at Karunda. Teri had not liked the idea of accepting this sort of help without payment and she had begun to protest. But as Brand had portrayed impatience and then open anger she had allowed the matter to drop. Since the incident of the kiss she had endeavoured to keep him at a safe distance, and in the main had succeeded. Now and then, though, some circumstance would occur where they found themselves alone and invariably Brand would become familiar - and Teri would once again find herself affected by him. Invariably she was successful at hiding her feelings and she would notice sometimes that his mouth would harden with a sort of determination mingled with anger.
He had never tried to kiss her since that night, but Teri sensed that he had several times been very near to doing so. How would she react? she often asked herself, honest enough to admit that her increasing awareness of him was, to say the least, troublesome, and it did not occur to her now and then that, had she never met Kemp, and suffered the consequent disillusionment, she might have responded very differently to Brand’s subtle advances. Not that she would even consider an affair with him ... but Teri was now almost sure that an affair was the last thing Brand had in mind. Which meant that he had become seriously interested in her, but that very fact made him suspect, simply because a serious interest did not necessarily mean a lasting interest, as had already been proved by Kemp’s action in jilting her. No, she would never risk that again, so Brand could abandon any ideas he had about making her fall in love with him.
‘Auntie Teri!’ Wendy was at the bedroom door and Teri bade her enter. ‘I’m up and washed and dressed! What time is Auntie Susan coming? I can’t wait to see Karen and Selena - and Neal, of course,’ she added as an afterthought.
Teri smiled affectionately at her, shaking her head a little.
‘You’ve a long while to wait, darling. They’re not expected at Uncle Brand’s until after lunch.’
Wendy’s face twisted as if she were in agony.
‘That’s hours and hours!’
‘I’m afraid it is. You should have stayed in bed a little while longer.’
‘I couldn’t; I was too excited. Will they come and play with me right away - as soon as they get here, I mean?’
‘Auntie Susan will probably want to have a little talk with Uncle Brand first, but they’ll all be over before tea.’
‘Aunt Linda as well!’ Wendy clapped her hands. Her face had cleared and her expression was now one of glowing anticipation. Teri’s smile returned. There was no doubt about the bond that had grown up between Linda and Wendy. ‘Will she take me to Candida Lodge to stay, like she did last time she came?’
‘Is that what you want?’
Wendy nodded.
‘I like staying at Uncle Brand’s house.’ She became thoughtful. ‘Uncle Alec’s coming this time, though, so there might not be enough room.’
‘Well, you’ll just have to wait and see. Come, pet, let’s go and make the breakfast’
Jon enthused about the soils of the newly-planted citrus fields, and as she listened Teri had to smile. Jon had not known one type of soil from another before coming out to Karunda, but now he talked of lateritic red loams and chernozems as if he had been a student of pedology all his life.
‘Do you want some more toast, Daddy?’ Wendy held out the toast rack and he helped himself.
‘Thank you, Wendy.’ Jon turned to his sister. ‘As I was saying, the soils are dark and rich, owing to the high organic content; they’ll be extraordinarily fertile once they’re properly irrigated.’
‘What’s irrigated, Daddy?’
‘Watered, darling. I’ll have that last piece of toast if neither of you want it.’
Wendy passed it to him; he caught Teri’s smile and a grin broke - a boyish grin she had known so well in the old days when he was so happy with his wife.
‘You’re really enjoying yourself, aren’t you?’ Teri said, passing him the butter.
He nodded enthusiastically.
‘The whole thing’s, been a challenge. Just imagine a couple of novices like us coming out here and taking on a farm. Had we been quite sane at the time we’d never even have considered it.’
‘No, I suppose not - but we weren’t sane, were we?’
‘We are now, though.’ He paused a moment, watching her carefully. ‘I said that time would heal, remember?’
‘Yes, but I never would have believed I’d get over it so quickly as this.’
‘Nor I. It’s been the work - damned hard work for us both, but we’re going to succeed with this farm, Teri. Mirrie won’t know it when she comes over next year - if she comes, that is.’
‘She says so in her letters. I hope she won’t mind the changes we’ve made.’
‘Not Mirrie; she’s just about the most understanding woman I know.’
‘She certainly knew what was good for you and me.’
‘She had faith in us, too. And we haven’t let her down. Do you realize how much we’ve done in so short a time?’ Teri merely nodded and Jon went on, ‘It would have been impossible, though, without Brand’s help. We’d have taken at least another three or four months to clear that bush — if we’d ever thought of clearing it, which is most unlikely because we hadn’t any idea what to do with it.’
‘And now we have all new baby trees on it,’ put in Wendy, unwilling to be left out of the conversation any longer. ‘And they have lovely shiny leaves. Can I have an orange when they grow?’
Jon and Teri laughed, but Wendy, her face quite serious, said knowledgeably that the fruit would not be all that long before it appeared.
‘Uncle Brand said so,’ she ended, in tones clearly indicating that whatever Uncle Brand said was indisputable.
After breakfast Jon went over to the new plantation, riding the roan gelding he had recently bought from Larry Daley. He had offered to take Wendy with him, knowing Teri had to go into Oaksville to do some shopping, but Wendy preferred to go with her aunt.
‘We go into a cafe and I have ice cream,’ she told her father by way of explanation. ‘Auntie Teri has coffee — and sometimes we have a cake.’
‘Don’t you ever get a cake at home?’ asked Jon. ‘Auntie Teri is always baking.’
‘I know, but they taste different when you have them in a cafe.’
Jon laughed and went off; Teri got out the station wagon and she and Wendy went off to town. The groceries were bought first and then the drinks which Jon had told Teri to get.
‘Can I have a drawing book?’ Wendy asked as they came to the stationers.
‘You have several at home,’ began Teri, but her niece interrupted her, pointing to a book in the window.
‘I like that one; it’s all about the African flowers. I’ve got plenty of crayons so I can colour them in. Please let me have it, Auntie Teri.’
‘Certainly you shall have it.’
‘Ooh - good!’ Wendy was in the shop and at the counter before Teri got through the door. ‘That lovely drawing book in the window, please,’ she was saying to the assistant.
‘Just hold your horses,’ said a deep masculine voice. ‘It’s not your turn.’
‘Uncle Brand! Oh, I never thought we’d see you in town. What are you buying?’
Brand turned, looking for Teri, his hazel eyes twinkling as he obviously recalled that other occasion on which he and Teri had met in the stationer’s.
Colour touched her cheeks; she wished Brand would not look at her like this, or smile that lop-sided smile every time he saw her. Did he know how attractive it was? she wondered.
‘What are you buying, Uncle Brand?’ Wendy repeated, clutching his hand. ‘I’m buying a drawing book - well, you draw in some of it and you colour in the other p
art. I’ll show it you in a minute when the lady gets it out of the window.’
‘I have one here.’ The assistant produced an identical book and gave it to Wendy. Brand placed the money on the counter. About to make a protest Teri saw the sudden darkling glint in Brand’s eye and bit back the words.
‘Wise girl,’ he said crisply, and asked to see some birthday cards.
‘Birthday cards?’ echoed Wendy, forgetting her book for a moment. ‘Whose birthday is it?’
Brand laughed and ruffled her hair.
‘You don’t miss anything, do you? It’s Auntie Linda’s birthday on Saturday.’
‘Is it?’ Teri spoke at last. ‘I’m glad we saw you then. I’ll get her a card while I’m here.’
‘Glad you saw me?’ His brows rose a fraction. ‘Only for that reason?’
Teri’s colour deepened. How was she to keep this determined man at a distance?
‘Wendy dear, you haven’t thanked Uncle Brand for buying you that nice book.’
‘Evasion again,’ murmured Brand for Teri’s ears alone. ‘You’re becoming an expert. Come, help me choose a card. Last year Linda said I’d sent her a man’s card.’
‘Thank you very much for buying my book, Uncle Brand.’ Wendy smiled up at him and added, ‘Why did Auntie Linda say it was a man’s card?’
‘Because it had a man on it - fishing in a stream.’
Teri had to laugh.
‘Surely you knew it was a man’s card?’
He shrugged and spread his hands deprecatingly.
‘I bought it for the scenery.’ He took a box of cards from the assistant and moved away from the counter. ‘We’re holding everyone up. Let’s go over here out of the way.’
‘Can I buy Auntie Linda a birthday card?’ Wendy asked, looking at Brand. ‘I haven’t any money, though.’
‘Then how are you going to buy a birthday card?’ Brand put the box on a ledge and picked up one of the cards.
‘Could I borrow some from you?’ Wendy looked doubtfully at him. ‘I get my spends on Saturday so I could pay you back then.’
‘Wendy, you don’t ask for money,’ chided Teri, though in gentle tones. ‘You know that it’s very wrong, don’t you?’
The child nodded and bent her head, becoming absorbed in her book.
‘How very nicely you’re bringing her up,’ commented Brand. ‘Some lucky children are one day going to get themselves a good mother.’ Ignoring that, Teri sorted through the box of cards before picking one out. ‘How frigidly reserved you are!’ Brand’s head was bent so that his lips were close to Teri’s ear. ‘Why the devil don’t you unbend and say what’s in your mind?’
‘Then I will.’ She appeared to be absorbed in the words inside the card. ‘You say the most ridiculous things. I’ve told you, often, that I’ve no intention of getting married, so how can I have children—?’ She broke off, colour flooding her cheeks as he raised his brows in a gesture of amusement.
‘Now... shall I say what’s in my mind? - or will you slap my face? Perhaps I’ll practise caution seeing that we’re in this public place. Have you chosen your card?’
‘Yes,’ she almost snapped, and Wendy glanced up in surprise.
‘Are you cross with Uncle Brand?’ she asked, frowning.
‘She’s always cross with me, Wendy. Some day she won’t be though, and I’ll put the flag out.’
Wendy tried to understand this but failed, and she began turning the pages of her book.
‘Come, darling, choose a card for Auntie Linda.’
‘Oh, are you lending me the money?’
‘I’m giving it to you.’ Teri looked at Brand. ‘Can I let her have the box - or haven’t you chosen yet?’
‘This one will do. Yes, give her the box.’
‘This one!’ Wendy was almost dancing with excitement. ‘Auntie Linda will love it, because she likes Buster, and this dog’s exactly like my Buster!’
‘I can’t say I admire your choice of name for the dog,’ remarked Brand as they all went back to the counter. ‘What made you choose Buster?’
‘Because he eats and eats until he nearly bu—’
‘Wendy,’ laughed Teri, ‘you don’t say words like that!’
Wendy merely twinkled up at Brand, whose eyes were laughing at her.
‘Are you coming to the cafe with us?’ she inquired presently as they left the shop. ‘I’m having ice cream, and you can have ice cream if you want - or you can have coffee.’
‘I’ll have coffee.’ His glance strayed to Teri. ‘No frown?’ he quizzed. ‘It would almost seem that you welcomed my company.’
She pursed her lips, sending him a speaking glance. Brand sent her an oblique smile and casually remarked that one of these days she would change her opinion of him. She gave a slight start and said,
‘How do you know what sort of opinion I have of you?’
‘I know your opinion of men in general, and as yet I’m no different from the rest.’
As yet ... What exactly did that mean? He could toss any hopes he might cherish to the winds, she felt like telling him, but she refrained and they proceeded in silence towards the cafe, where they were served under the trees. Birds flitted about among the branches, their plumage iridescent in the brassy sunshine; another bird vibrated past their table with an exotic flash of red and blue wings. Along the edge of the garden two boys manipulated pangas with long skilful sweeps, attacking the weeds that had sprung up after the intense thunderstorm rain which had fallen a few nights previously, and away in the distance the burnt-sienna hills quivered in the rising heat haze. Teri sighed unconsciously and Brand turned his head.
‘Sounds like contentment,’ he commented quizzically.
‘It is,’ Teri responded, a smile hovering on her lips< ‘We owe a lot to Mirrie.’
‘For the farm - or forgetfulness?’ Brand leant back in his chair, his eyes on Teri’s face. Soft colour mingled with the golden tan of her skin; her eyes were limpid, and blue as the sky, her short fair hair flicked back from her wide forehead in delightful litde half curls.
‘Both,’ she admitted, surprising him.
‘So you really have forgotten the hurt?’ He regarded her steadily, seeming almost to be holding his breath, as if something of vital importance hinged on her reply. Fully comprehending, she said truthfully,
‘I haven’t forgotten, but the pain has dulled.’ Strangely, she experienced no resentment at his allusion to Kemp and the hurt he had inflicted on her.
‘Have you had a pain, Auntie Teri?’ intervened Wendy anxiously.
‘It’s gone now, darling. Hurry up with your ice cream; we’ve lots more shopping to do.’
Wendy’s eyes gleamed. She picked up her spoon and delved into the half-melted confection.
‘Because all our relations are coming, isn’t it?’ She looked across at Brand. ‘You always have to buy lots of things to eat when you have visitors, don’t you? Mummy always did - she used to have two big baskets full. I don’t think she’ll ever come back off her holiday.’ This last was added mechanically, Wendy’s attention being with her ice cream. Brand glanced at Teri and said, very softly,
‘Surely it would have been better to tell her the truth, You’ll have to eventually.’
Teri’s thick lashes came down, screening her expression.
‘It was Jon’s decision,’ she murmured, once again wishing she was not forced to deceive Brand.
He shrugged, and changed the subject because Wendy was suddenly all attention. Five minutes later they parted company and Teri carried on with her shopping.
‘We must get a present for Auntie Linda,’ she said on entering the chemists. ‘A bottle of perfume, I think.’
‘Can I buy her something as well? Some beautiful scented soap and bath salts like I used to buy for Mummy.’
Teri nodded and let Wendy choose what she wanted. She wished the child would not speak of her mother - which was all wrong, Teri admitted, and yet she felt that the sooner Wendy forgot all a
bout Rosalind the better it would be for everyone concerned. At present both Brand and his sister had drawn their own conclusions about the ‘holiday’, believing Jon had deliberately shirked the unpleasant task of imparting the truth to his daughter, but Teri did wonder if Wendy would one day say something which would set off a spark of suspicion - at least in Brand’s mind, for he was more than ordinarily astute.
So persistent was this matter that she just had to mention it to Jon when, after lunch, she found herself alone with him, Wendy having gone to take Buster for a walk.
Jon nodded and frowned when Teri stopped speaking.
‘I realize what’s happening because Linda did once say it would have been better to tell Wendy the truth.’
His frown deepened. ‘You don’t tell your child her mother’s dead when she isn’t, so what do you tell her? — that her mother’s gone off and left her for good?’
Teri winced on hearing the bitterness creep back into her brother’s voice. Did he still love Rosalind? Only a few hours earlier he had been in the highest of spirits, talking as though his mind were well on the way to being healed.
‘I can’t help feeling that the truth will come out, and then we’re both going to feel horribly guilty and embarrassed.’
‘I agree - and don’t think I’m not troubled by it—’ He broke off, spreading his hands. ‘There’s nothing I can do now, though.’