The Station Boss

by Jane Corrie

  the door opened and Vicky walked softly into the room as if not to disturb Sheena had she still been asleep.

  `'Just,' replied Sheena, accustoming her eyes to Vicky's dim outline as it was now almost dark. 'What time is it, Vicky ?' she asked as she swung her legs off the bed and put on the bedside light.

  Four-thirty,' replied Vicky. 'I looked in on you several times, but you were fast asleep. I suppose it's the travelling. I always got tired when we used to go abroad.'

  Sheena looked back at Vicky, whose hair looked in need of a comb through, but did not comment on this. She wondered if she was going to carry on with her game of make believe, and if so, what she ought to do about it.

  She was saved the necessity by Vicky suddenly asking, 'Are you Clay's girl-friend?'

  Sheena gasped and stared back at Vicky, who met her astonished gaze with a look of limpid innocence, and Sheena, not knowing her well enough to be able to tell whether it was feigned or not, replied cautiously, 'I'm not sure what you mean by that.'

  Vicky shook her head impatiently. 'You know what I mean!' she asserted firmly. 'Clay's got lots of girl-friends, but he's never put them up in this room —so I kinda thought ...' She hesitated as if searching for the right words.

  Sheena gazed round the room slowly. 'What's so special about this room?' she asked curiously, breaking into Vicky's musings.

  Vicky's small features seemed to close up for a second before she replied in what she tried hard to sound like a casual way, 'It was Grandma's.'

  That was all she said, but it said a great deal more to Sheena than Vicky realised. Did she resent the fact that Clay had put her in her beloved grandmother's room? Sheena wondered. If she did, then it would not have been a very clever move on his part, particularly as he wanted Vicky to get on with her.

  `Well, are you?' repeated Vicky impatiently, going back to her original question.

  Sheena gave an inward sigh of exasperation. There was nothing like being thrown head first into the fray, she thought ironically. She got up from the bed and walked over to the ornate dressing table and started to lay out her brush and comb set on the inlaid top in order to give herself time to reply.

  If she said that she was Clay's girl-friend, what then? Surely Vicky would have the intelligence to see through such a statement. She knew very well that Sheena had only met her uncle recently—very recently—twenty-four hours ago, to be exact, she recalled Clay's words on that same subject. At this thought a light flush stained her features and she hurriedly bent down pretending to look for something in the dressing table drawers so that her features were hidden from the watching Vicky. She then recalled what Clay had said about them having time to get acquainted before springing the 'engagement' on Vicky.

  Her mind made up, she looked up at Vicky. 'No,

  Vicky,' she replied steadily, hoping that she would not press the point.

  'Then why did you take so long to answer?' asked the embarrassingly astute Vicky.

  'Because I was slightly thrown by the question,' replied Sheena exasperatedly. 'I've only just met your uncle, as you well know. I didn't exactly expect to be asked such a question,' she tacked on for good measure.

  Vicky gave her a wicked grin, but made no apology. 'Well, you soon will be,' she replied, almost nonchalantly, but with conviction.

  Sheena stared at her. 'What if I had a boy-friend?' she asked lightly yet curiously, since it was the truth even though Vicky was not to know it.

  Vicky gave an exaggerated shrug. 'That won't make any difference,' she told Sheena. 'You don't know Clay. I do, and if he wants you to be his girl-friend then you'll be his girl-friend,' she announced calmly, making Sheena's eyes open a shade wider. "sides,' she went on, with a look in her eyes that said that she was thoroughly enjoying herself, 'you're in Grandma's room.'

  Sheena was certain that Vicky was now indulging in a daydream at her expense, and began to relax a little. It did no harm to indulge her here. don't see what that's got to do with it,' she answered, giving the little girl a smile that showed that she was well aware of what she was up to.

  Vicky gave her a long earnest look, then moved up closer to her. 'You don't believe me, do you?' she re-

  plied in a lofty manner. 'Well, I know something you don't know, and I'm not sure that I'm going to tell you,' she added, just as loftily.

  Sheena surveyed her with her head on one side and gave her a searching look. 'Perhaps it's better if I don't know,' she answered quietly. 'I'm not sure your uncle would care to have us talking about him in this manner.'

  `He wouldn't if it were anybody else,' answered Vicky. But you're practically family, so it doesn't matter.'

  Sheena frowned back at her. 'Family?' she repeated, beginning to feel a little out of her depth.

  Vicky nodded vigorously. 'It's a family secret that we used to share with Clay,' her eyes held a shadow in them at this point. 'When Grandma was here, that was,' she added slowly.

  Sheena did not know what to say. She knew that she was on delicate ground and wanted to keep their relationship on an even keel. 'I never knew my grandmother,' she said quietly. 'Mother used to tell me about her when I was young, and I used to wish I had known her. You're lucky that you knew your grandmother, Vicky.'

  As soon as she had said this, Sheena almost winced. Her choice of words had not been at all helpful, for in truth of fact Vicky was the most unlucky girl she had met. Only the fact that she was not supposed to know the fate of Vicky's parents saved her from making a swift apology for her thoughtlessness.

  To her utter relief Vicky acknowledged her senti-

  ments with a little sigh, showing no sign of upset at her comments. 'Grandma used to hate anyone using her room—even as a dressing-room when we had guests—and we used to have lots,' she added wistfully. 'Clay used to tease her about it. He once said that the only person he would allow to use it would be the woman he married.' She looked back at Sheena swiftly to see her reaction to this news.

  Sheena's brows lifted, but apart from this there was no other reaction and Vicky must have been disappointed. `That was a family joke, Vicky,' she said lightly. 'You said so yourself. Things are different now ' She hesitated, not quite knowing how to state the obvious.

  `Now that Grandma's gone, you mean?' Vicky cut in swiftly, with the light of challenge in her eyes. `Well, it's not so! It started as a joke, but Clay meant it ! We've had other guests since then, but no one gets Grandma's room,' she declared vehemently. `You'll see ! ' she ended on what sounded remarkably like a threat, and left Sheena with a nasty suspicion that mock engagement or no, she would very probably have to marry Clay in the end, if only to prevent Vicky from losing faith in her uncle!

  Once again Sheena was at a loss for words. If she argued the point, and judging by the light in Vicky's eyes she was waiting for her to do that, she just might say something that was better left unsaid. She sighed inwardly. Vicky's uncle Clay had not left her much of a loophole should she decide to back out of the arrangement. Not that that would worry him, she

  thought crossly. His only wish was that his niece should be a normal happy child, and he wasn't too bothered about the methods used to gain his goal.

  `All right, I'll see,' she temporised with a wry grin, not knowing how else to counteract Vicky's insistence.

  Vicky gave a small curt nod, that reminded Sheena of Clay, and that showed that she was well pleased with herself. 'Clay said I was to show you over the place,' she said happily. 'Shall we do it now? We've heaps of time before dinner.'

  Sheena, glad that the other subject had been dropped, replied lightly that as long as they were back in time for her to have a shower and change before dinner, she thought it was a good idea.

  The homestead was larger than Barter's Ridge, Sheena discovered, even without the added wing to accommodate extra guests. In all there were six bedrooms on the first floor, and two bathrooms. The ground floor contained a large well-furnished lounge and opening off it was an even larger room used as a playroom. At
the further end was a full-sized billiards table, and in the middle of the room was a table tennis table.

  All ages, it appeared, had been catered for Sheena thought, as her eyes rested on what must have been the children's corner of the large room. A well-used rocking horse badly in need of a coat of paint bore mute witness to this. On top of a battered-looking child's desk lay boxes of games and picture puzzles.

  An odd feeling came over Sheena as she took in

  all these evidences of a close, happy family. It was a feeling that she had never experienced before. It was as if she belonged there. That this old welcoming homestead had been waiting for her, and was not unfamiliar to her in any way.

  Her eyes were misty as she followed Vicky's slight figure out of the playroom and into a roomy study next to it.

  'If Clay's in here he doesn't like to be disturbed,' Vicky said, as Sheena gazed around the room. A large desk placed by a window at the end of the room gave the occupant an uninterrupted view of the dairy area and the surrounding paddocks.

  The shelves on the wall around the room were packed with books and represented a small library. Sheena's gaze left the books and lingered on several old photographic prints hung above the shelves. That some were sepia-coloured gave an indication of their age, and had Sheena been alone she would have liked to have looked closer at them, as they were obviously family photographs.

  I don't suppose he'd mind if it was you,' Vicky commented thoughtfully, darting Sheena a conspiratorial look that she chose to ignore.

  Her confident prediction that whatever she did was sure to be all right with her uncle made Sheena devoutly wish that she could refute this prediction. On recalling Clay's hard features, she was sure that Vicky would soon find that she had overestimated her importance.

  On this thought Sheena felt a surge of anger against

  Clay for putting her in this position, as she would have not only to watch her words, but always be on the lookout for discrepancies in speech where Vicky was concerned, and it was bound to make their association an extremely tenuous one, quite apart from the fact that she did not relish the role Clay had assigned her to play.

  Vicky then led her through another passage and into the dining room, and through an open door the other side of the room through which she could see the lounge, and knew that they had completed the circuit of the ground floor.

  The dining room had the same age-old atmosphere as the rest of the homestead, and managed to look homely as well as elegant in spite of the impressive display of silver on a beautifully carved sideboard placed against the wall at the end of the room. The large dark highly polished table in the centre of the room was large enough to seat a dozen people quite comfortably, Sheena noticed.

  `I expect Cynthia will be inviting herself over for dinner before long,' Vicky said musingly.

  Sheena sensed that she was expected to show an interest in this calm observation but declined the offer, but Vicky was not so easily diverted. 'She thinks Clay will marry her,' she said, with a trace of scorn in her voice, then added in a tone of undisguised pleasure, 'Just wait till she sees you!'

  `You're making me feel like some kind of freak ! ' Sheena said crossly, and glanced meaningly at her watch. 'Isn't it time we got ready for dinner?' she

  asked, and frowned at Vicky's abrupt chuckle at her accusation.

  `Clay won't mind if we're late,' Vicky answered airily. Not when he knows I've been showing you over the house.'

  `Whether he minds or not,' replied Sheena primly, `I do mind, and I don't like being late for meals. There's Pietro to consider too, remember?' she added as she walked to the door.

  `Oh, Pietro won't mind if Clay doesn't,' answered the incorrigible Vicky. She darted Sheena a look of mischief. 'I suppose you want to pretty up, do you?'

  Sheena cast her an exasperated look; she couldn't win ! 'If you say so,' she replied dryly, and gave a wry grin as she caught Vicky's knowing nod.

  During dinner that evening, which was as good as any special dish of Cookie's, Sheena had to suffer Vicky's undisguised interest in her relations with Clay. She would watch one and then the other, and it was a relief when the meal was over and Clay announced that he had some paper work to catch up on, and could the girls entertain each other?

  As Sheena saw Vicky's slight start of surprise at this announcement, she had to hide a swift smile. Vicky was in for a few more surprises if she expected her uncle to down tools and alter his way of life because of her arrival. She was also extremely relieved, since it appeared that whatever he had planned should happen in the future, he did not intend to rush his fences, and this would give her ample time to adjust to the situation.

  When they reached the games room, Vicky challenged Sheena to a game of table tennis and was delighted to learn that she could play. 'Cynthia can't,' she said, and again Sheena detected the note of scorn in her voice. 'Thinks any game is a waste of time,' she added, as she handed Sheena a bat and gave her the ball, indicating that she should serve first.

  Sheena said nothing, but stationed herself at the end of the table and started serving. The game brought back painful memories of Doyle, since it was Doyle who had taught her to play at the start of their courtship.

  Vicky was no mean player herself, and after four games the honours were even, and it was decided that they should play one more game to find the winner.

  `Clay taught me to play,' commented Vicky, as they began the final game. 'Who taught you?'

  Sheena looked down at her bat, giving herself time to think before she answered as airily as she could manage. 'Oh, a friend of mine,' and hoped that would be that.

  `Boy-friend?' queried the astute Vicky.

  `As a matter-of-fact, yes,' replied Sheena, giving studious attention to her service station.

  `And you're missing him?' prodded Vicky, with a flash of feminine intuition.

  Sheena lifted her bat in return to a high ball of Vicky's and attempted to give the ball a winning smash to her side of the table, but she missed the edge of the table completely and lost the point. 'I suppose

  I am,' she replied, tight-lipped. It was the truth and she didn't particularly care who knew it at that point in time.

  'Then you shouldn't have let Clay bring you here,' answered Vicky solemnly. 'If he wants to marry you, then you'd better forget that other boy-friend,' she added significantly.

  Sheena slapped her bat down on the table and gave the little girl an exasperated look. It's not like that at all,' she said sternly. 'My father wanted me to come here, so there was a good reason why I came, and why I shall probably stay, but I don't have to. If I want to go down South again, then I shall do just that. I'm very grateful for your uncle's help, but as I told you, I haven't anywhere to stay until my father's place is rebuilt.'

  'That old place on the edge of the property?' said Vicky with raised brows. 'You can't stay there ! ' she exclaimed indignantly. 'Clay won't let you,' she added adamantly.

  'It's not up to Clay,' replied Sheena, with as much dignity as she could muster, although she wanted to shout the words. `My father left me the smallholding, and I intend to carry on where he left off.'

  'Not if Clay says otherwise,' interrupted Vicky firmly, making Sheena take a deep breath and pray for patience in dealing with this altogether too assured child.

  Not if Clay says otherwise about what?' queried a dulcet voice behind them, and both of them turned to face the woman who stood just inside the door. 'Well?' she went on, in a low seductive drawl as she

  crossed the room towards them. 'I'm intrigued. Who's been upsetting Clay ?'

  `No one's been upsetting Clay,' replied Vicky, a frown of displeasure showing her feelings at this interruption. 'It's just that Sheena wants to work on that old smallholding that he let Mr Greig have, and I don't think he'll let her,' she answered abruptly, as if hating to impart even this news to the immaculately turned out brunette now giving Sheena a long calculating look out of her large dark eyes, the size of which was emphasized by a line of
mascara around the lids.

  `And you are?' she asked, with a note of patronage in her voice that was not lost on Sheena, who had not liked the way the woman had scrutinised her.

  `She's Clay's girl-friend,' answered Vicky quickly, with a gleam of appreciation in her eyes at the woman's obvious astonishment at this statement. `Clay brought her back with him from Sydney,' she supplied helpfully, then added as an afterthought, `This is Cynthia Layton, Sheena.'

  Sheena gave the naughty Vicky a frown of displeasure before she held out her hand to Cynthia. `Sheena Greig,' she said, finishing Vicky's nonchalant introduction. 'The smallholding belonged to my father, and don't take any notice of what Vicky's just said, she's having you on.'

  `I'm not so ! ' Vicky replied indignantly. 'Tell her what room you've been given,' she commanded Sheena, then without giving her time to answer, she went on, 'She's got Gran's room ! '

  `I don't see that that means anything,' replied

  Sheena, feeling an urge to slap Vicky.

  `Well, it wouldn't, would it?' answered Vicky, before Sheena could go on. 'I told you that, didn't I? But it does to us, doesn't it, Cynthia ?' she appealed, darting a malicious glance at the woman whose large dark eyes had now narrowed in speculation as they rested on the uncomfortable Sheena.

  `I agree with Miss Greig, and wouldn't put any meaning on that,' she answered stiffly, and Sheena felt she was being given a 'keep off the grass' warning where Clay was concerned. 'It's the room next to yours, isn't it?' she asked Vicky. 'I expect that's why she was given it. Being a stranger, she wouldn't feel quite so isolated as she would be if she had one of the guest rooms further along the corridor.'

  Sheena did not miss the emphasised 'stranger', but it did not bother her--she was a stranger, and had no intention of encroaching on her territory although this lovely but hard-looking woman would find that hard to believe. Clay's suggestion that they should enter into a mock engagement appeared even more ludicrous than it had at first to her, and she wondered if Miss Layton would be put into the picture at some later stage of the plot. She devoutly hoped so, since she could almost feel the waves of hostility emanating from her.