by Anne Hampson
‘It was lovely on the tractor,’ she smiled, taking her aunt’s hand and bringing it to her cheek. ‘The boys were in the field with us and they sang all the time and I liked it.’
Teri smiled and ruffled her hair.
‘A wash, young lady, and a change of dress before you have your meal.’
‘All right. Shall I do it myself?’
‘Very well -but remember your neck.’
Wendy chuckled and touched her throat.
‘I always have a line, don’t I?’
‘A tidemark, yes,’ agreed her father. But both he and Teri believed in allowing Wendy to do things for herself, and as long as she had a bath every night they did not trouble very much about her ‘line’ as she called it — not unless they were going into town, that was.
‘Our neighbour called this morning,’ Jon said when they had all sat down to lunch. ‘He drove into the yard just as I was driving off with the tractor, so he wouldn’t stay. You only just missed him.’
‘What’s he like?’ Teri asked the question absently. She wasn’t in the least interested in their neighbour - the man who had no time for women.
‘A damned nice bloke. Said he’d watched the farm go down the nick and it had infuriated him because the previous owner - Mirrie’s husband - had lived for it. He promised any help we might require. I’ve asked him over for drinks this evening,’ Jon ended, and Teri inclined her head to hide the sudden frown crossing her brow. She refrained from making any protest, however, because although she herself had no desire to meet their neighbour she felt he would be good for Jon. A man needed a man’s company. Also, in view of their inexperience the assistance and advice of a man like Brand would undoubtedly be helpful, although Teri did hope he would not carry his helpfulness to the point where it could be termed interference.
‘You told him we were brother and sister?’ she asked.
‘Yes.’ A small pause. ‘He saw Wendy and I realized he was puzzled because I hadn’t mentioned a wife. So I told him I was widowed.’
Teri blinked.
‘But—’
‘A man doesn’t go about telling strangers his wife has walked out on him,’ interrupted Jon defensively, and so abruptly that Teri refrained from saying anything more on the subject.
Brand Royce arrived after dinner. Teri was in the kitchen preparing some light refreshments for them to have with their drinks and she didn’t see the white car or hear their visitor telling her brother that he had dined at the club in Oaksville and had called on his way back, hence the use of the car. Having finished her task she walked into the lounge, forcing herself to smile. She stopped dead; the smile was wiped from her face.
‘Teri,’ began her brother, ‘meet Brand—’ He stopped. ‘Is anything wrong?’
It wasn’t true! No, it could not possibly happen!
Brand was actually smiling, although the smile could scarcely be called friendly. It was in fact one of rather sardonic amusement designed, she decided, to make her feel exceedingly small.
‘We have met,’ drawled Brand, offering her his hand.
Reluctantly she took it, staring at him and taking in details of his appearance for the first time. Severe features and sun-tanned skin; a lined and aristocratic forehead into which his dark brown hair cut a prominent widow’s peak. His mouth was firm, his jaw square and rigid; his hazel eyes reflected the amusement already portrayed in his lazy smile.
‘H - How do you do,’ she stammered, aware of her brother’s questioning gaze - and aware that by these words she had once more made a fool of herself.
‘Do you care, Miss Manders?’ Brand quizzed, and a flush rose, highlighting the delicate contours of her face, but her sapphire eyes were coolly surveying him, and at his added, ‘I wonder?’ they glinted with specks of chipped ice. The man was rude, and she wondered why he didn’t turn right round and take himself off now that even another encounter had occurred between them.
‘What’s all this?’ Jon wanted to know, bewildered.
Teri withdrew her hand, but not before she had admitted that their guest had the most shapely hands of any man she had known.
‘Mr. Royce and I met in town this morning.’ But she looked away, reluctant to enlarge on that.
‘Met?’ frowned Jon. ‘You never mentioned it when I was telling you Brand was coming this evening.’
‘I didn’t know that the man who - who—’ She stopped, and with increasing amusement Brand explained,
‘We had a slight accident with our respective vehicles, but it was nothing.’
That wasn’t sufficient and Teri resignedly related the whole - but neither she nor Brand mentioned the encounter in the shop. Teri sat down and the men did likewise, Jon clearly troubled about the accident.
‘Your car was damaged?’ He put the question to Brand, but his eyes rested on his sister’s flushed countenance.
‘It was nothing,’ repeated Brand. ‘Let’s forget all about it.’
Teri knew she should have rewarded him with a grateful glance, but she had no intention of doing so. She did not like the man and she was very sure she never would like him. However, he was here, and good manners demanded she be in some measure gracious to him, although it was an effort, and when he and Jon went off into a discussion on the best and speediest way of repairing the damage done to the farm over the past three years she was quite content to sit and listen. But as the discussion progressed she began to bristle inwardly. Brand Royce obviously thought he knew everything! And when he advised Jon to concentrate on crops rather than stock she interrupted with,
‘The previous owner specialized in dairy-farming, so I feel we should follow his example.’
Dark eyes were turned to regard her with the sort of inquiring look that plainly revealed the fact that Brand assumed the farm belonged to her brother.
‘Kenneth Downs had a fine pedigree herd, but that has gradually decreased, owing to the manager’s neglect. To replace such a herd would cost a small fortune, which your brother informs me he doesn’t have. Maize is what you want, on about half the land, that is, and the other - I suggest you plant citrus trees.’ His attention returned to Jon, who was looking a trifle uncomfortable. ‘The land will take some clearing, though, because it’s been allowed to lie uncultivated for over two years, and it’s practically returned to the original bushveld.’
‘You yourself have cattle,’ Teri softly pointed out. The dark eyes glinted. Before Brand could speak Jon made a hurried intervention.
‘Brand has explained, Teri. It takes money to build up a herd like that.’ He shook his head. ‘No, we’ll have to go slowly, and I think maize is a good idea because we need the turnover. Citrus fruit would be a good long-term policy, you think?’ He glanced at Brand, who nodded, his eyes still on Teri, who lowered her head, more to hide her expression of anger than anything else.
‘We do have some cattle,’ she couldn’t help saying. ‘We could breed more from that.’ An awkward silence followed and she felt forced to end it. ‘I prefer mixed farming for a start.’
‘For a start?’ The faint hint of deprecation in Brand’s voice did nothing for her rising temper.
‘Until we can rear a decent herd of cattle.’ She was being deliberately obstinate, she knew, and the only excuse she could find was that the man’s superior knowledge riled her.
Jon frowned at her. He was beginning to show impatience and it was almost with relief that Teri heard a sudden cry from the end bedroom. Her brother looked at her, puzzled.
‘That’s not like Wendy. She usually sleeps the clock round without wakening.’
‘She had toothache this morning. I expect it’s returned. I’ll take her to the dentist tomorrow.’ Teri was already on her feet. Making a stiff apology to their guest, she left the room.
‘What is it, darling?’ Teri put on the light and saw that Wendy was sitting up in bed.
‘My tooth.’ Wendy stopped crying and opened her mouth. ‘It hurts awfully.’
‘We must take you
to the dentist tomorrow.’ She sat down on the bed, wondering what to do to give the child relief. She had tried to buy some junior aspirins this morning, but the shop was sold out.
‘I can’t go to sleep, Auntie Teri. Will you stay with me?’
‘Of course,’ returned Teri soothingly. ‘But just let me tell Daddy, then he won’t be wondering what’s wrong.’
She returned to the lounge, where both men were seated by the open window.
‘Is it her teeth?’ asked Jon anxiously. Teri nodded.
‘She wants me to stay with her. I wish I had something to ease the pain.’
‘Put a bread poultice on her face,’ advised Brand, speaking as if Teri had no sense at all, and she lifted her chin, a sparkle entering her eyes.
‘That’s an idea,’ agreed Jon. ‘The warmth will help.’
‘Yes, I suppose it will,’ she was forced to admit, and it seemed that a glimmer of triumph entered Brand Royce’s expression.
‘I’m imagining things,’ she told herself later as she prepared the poultice. ‘Just because I don’t like the man.’
With the application of the poultice Wendy’s face cleared miraculously.
‘It’s a lot better,’ she said after a moment or two. ‘Will I have to have my tooth out tomorrow?’ She had been to the dentist before and was not in the least afraid. ‘I’ll get a penny, then, won’t I?’
Teri smiled.
‘I imagine the fairies will give you some money in exchange for the tooth.’
‘Last time the dentist didn’t give me my tooth.’ Wendy pouted at the recollection and added, ‘Will you make him give it to me this time, Auntie Teri?’
‘Of course.’ She looked at her niece, so small in the big bed, which was part of the furnishing left by Mirrie. In fact, very few of her things had been shipped to England, and although the furniture was old it was good, and Teri liked it much better than any modern stuff she could have bought in Oaksville.
‘Why do the fairies want teeth?’ asked Wendy, holding the poultice to her face.
‘I expect they find a use for them,’ smiled Teri.
‘Susan used to say they sold them to the pixies - her mummy told her that, but my mummy said they just kept them in a big box—’ Suddenly her face puckered and she started to cry. Teri felt a wrench of pain in her heart. ‘Where is my mummy, Auntie Teri? Will she be coming back soon?’
‘We must be patient, darling.’ Teri felt inadequate, as she always did when this question was asked. Fortunately it was not often, for Wendy was fast forgetting her mother.
‘Daddy keeps saying she’s gone on a holiday - but it’s a very long holiday.’ The poultice slipped and Teri fixed it again. Wendy’s lovely blue eyes were still filmed with tears and Teri dried them with a handkerchief. That Jon should have to lie . .. it was so dreadful, and yet what could he say to his child?
‘Is your toothache quite gone now?’ Teri asked, changing the subject. Wendy nodded vigorously, her fair curls flying about in enchanting disorder.
‘Yes - but stay with me - please.’
‘All right.’ Teri looked at a book from which she had earlier been reading. ‘Shall we have some more of Billy the Bear?’
Again Wendy nodded; Teri took away the poultice, put Wendy back on the pillow and, tucking the cover around her, began to read. Within a few minutes Wendy dozed and soon she was fast asleep. Teri closed the book, laid it on the table and quietly left the room.
CHAPTER TWO
ON her return to the lounge Teri noticed that her brother had brought the refreshments in from the kitchen, and after both men had risen on her entry, and Teri had taken possession of a chair by the window, it was Brand who handed her the plate of sandwiches.
‘Thank you.’ She helped herself and leant back in her seat.
‘Did the poultice do the trick?’ Brand asked, and Teri nodded her head.
‘Yes - thank you.’ The hesitation did not pass unnoticed and Brand looked hard at her, in a faintly puzzled sort of way.
‘I’ve given your brother the address of the dentist in Oaksville. There are two, but the other one doesn’t have a very good name, and in any case he’s not sufficiently patient with children.’
A small silence fell and Teri sent their guest a surreptitious glance from under her lashes. He was thoughtful; she gained the impression that he was deciding he liked Jon but was by no means enamoured of his sister. He spoke at length, inviting them over to Candida Lodge the following Friday evening.
‘It isn’t anything formal,’ he went on, ‘just a few friends coming in for a sundowner. It will give you both an opportunity of meeting one or two people like yourselves.’ He glanced at Teri. ‘I expect you have a baby-sitter?’
Many of the boys lived on the farm, with their wives and families, and it would not be difficult to arrange for one of those wives to come in, but Teri had no desire for company — neither Brand’s nor his friends’ — and so she shook her head, thanking Brand for the invitation, but declining it. Jon’s head jerked in surprise and Teri swiftly glanced away.
‘We could ask one of the women,’ he began, but Teri firmly shook her head.
‘You must go, Jon, but I prefer to stay with Wendy.’
A small uneasy silence followed, Brand regarding her keenly through half-closed eyes, his thin lips pursed. Then he shrugged his shoulders.
‘You’ll come?’ he inquired of Jon, who nodded, but frowned too, at his sister’s bent head. Clearly he was puzzled by Teri’s marked coolness towards their visitor. Suddenly all three became alert, ears strained. Brand was the first to speak, asking sharply,
‘What’s wrong with that animal?’ Even as he stopped speaking the cry of pain cut once more into the silence.
‘I don’t know.’ Jon was anxious, but his face cleared in a second. He was glad of their neighbour’s presence, that was very plain. ‘It’s been making that noise on and off for the greater part of the day.’
‘It’s in calf?’ Brand was frowning heavily, and his ears were still cocked.
‘Yes, but the calf’s not due for another two months - not according to Johnson, our head boy.’
‘Johnson should know, of course—’ Brand broke off as the cry rent the silence again. ‘Unless I’m very much mistaken there are going to be complications. Have you a lamp?’ Brand eased his long slender body from the chair as Teri went into the kitchen to fetch the lamp, which she handed to him. ‘I’ll take a look,’ he said, and moved towards the door. Jon followed, but reappeared within a few minutes asking for another lamp.
‘Is it something serious?’ Teri bent down to take a lamp from a cupboard.
‘Brand thinks the calf will have to be brought — at once.’
‘Brought?’ Teri straightened up, staring at her brother. ‘You mean it’ll be premature?’
‘That’s right.’ Jon took the lamp from her outstretched hand.
‘But we can’t bring it. We don’t know a thing about bringing a calf.’ Already she saw both cow and calf dying and was mentally calculating the cost.
‘We’ll not worry our heads about that until we’ve heard what Brand has to say,’ and Jon went off, plainly convinced that Brand would see them through their difficulty. And he did. Five minutes later he and Jon were back at the house, Jon asking Teri to find Brand a pair of overalls. ‘I saw you washing a pair of mine yesterday; those will do.’
Teri fetched them and Brand took them from her, asking where he could change.
Jon took him to his bedroom, Teri watching their departure thoughtfully. It was exceptionally good of Brand to bother himself about their cow, especially as he was here on a social visit. What would have happened had he not been here? she wondered, her heart jerking. Assuredly they would have suffered a great loss.
‘If you happen to have yet another lamp,’ Brand said on emerging from the bedroom, ‘then fetch it out to me.’ His tone was brisk, commanding. ‘There used to be electricity in all the buildings,’ he frowned. ‘That foreman must
have neglected it for some reason — though why I can’t imagine. You should have it seen to, Jon - the wires renewed, if that’s all that is necessary He went out, rolling up the sleeves of the overall as he did so.
They had another lamp, but as it had not been in use for a long while it took Teri ten minutes or so to clean and fill it, but eventually it was working and she went out to the shed with it, where the cow now was and, unthinkingly, she stood in the doorway holding up the lamp in order to give Brand more light. Had her mind not been so absorbed with the possible loss she would most certainly have put the lamp down, or handed it to her brother. Brand, already examining the cow, turned, his brows lifted, waiting. Teri made no move and presently he said,
‘Put it down — and then you can go.’
‘Of course.’ Thankful that her swift rise of colour must escape him, Teri made a hasty departure. Obviously he would not bring the calf while she stood there, looking on, and it struck her that once again she had made a fool of herself. She should have made herself scarce as a matter of course, not waited to be told to do so.
Two and a half hours later the men returned to the house, Jon relieved and happy and Brand appearing faintly tired after his struggle.
‘Is there plenty of hot water?’ Jon asked and, when Teri nodded, ‘I’ll show you the bathroom, Brand,’ but Brand said he knew where it was.
‘The calf?’ Teri began when she and Jon were alone.
‘Fine, and so is the cow. Brand’s a marvel, Teri,’ he stated enthusiastically. ‘I watched him carefully — as he told me to - so that I’d know what to do if a similar situation should arise in the future.’
‘You could now bring a calf?’ With a dart of memory Teri saw him, ready for the office - grey suit, white shirt and a sober tie neatly knotted and fastened with a pin. What would Rosalind think of her husband now? Teri wondered, feeling proud of him, and oddly happy for him because of this look of satisfaction on his face — the look of someone who has successfully absorbed a useful lesson.
