“I’d better go.” He broke away and held her at arms-length. “If we keep this up I won’t get to the tractor.”
“Would that be so bad?”
His face was serious again. “I’m sorry, Paula. I have to go.” He kissed her on the cheek and left to put on his boots. Paula felt cold after the warmth of their bodies together. She glanced around the room one more time and sighed. Turning her back on her handiwork, she headed off to make the bed. There was a whole morning to kill before Rowena came.
She smoothed over the sheets and tried to work out what to make of Dan’s aunt. She couldn’t decide whether the woman liked her or not and she certainly hadn’t forgotten the conversation she’d overheard in the church. Then, yesterday afternoon Rowena had called in on Paula with a casserole for their dinner. Which was just as well, she thought as she fluffed up the quilt. I wouldn’t be winning country woman of the year on my attempts at meals so far.
Rowena had admired the spare room and they’d talked about how Paula was going to furnish it for her parents’ visit. Rowena had some of the old curtains that had fitted the windows and she promised to bring them back with her the next day. She’d told Paula she would take her to drop off Dan’s lunch and then they would go into town to meet someone who could help with the decorating.
That was the problem really, Paula thought. Rowena had told her what she would do. Paula gave the pillow she was holding an extra thump. She didn’t like being told what to do. Some of the people she had worked with had made the mistake of thinking her size meant she was someone who could be pushed about. Paula had soon set them straight.
She smiled to think little more than a year ago she’d been executive assistant to the boss. It sounded fancy but was just another name for Marco’s gofer. In one day she could end up covering anything from overseeing the reception, phones and meetings to casting her eye over a financial report. Then she might have an evening PR event to organise and finally end up in Marco’s bed. How could she have been such a fool?
She pulled the quilt tight. Forget it. Sydney was another world now, another lifetime. Once again, she was thankful for Dan.
She checked the trap under the bed. No mice. She was still getting the odd one in the living areas. They were fairly thick outside but Dan was hopeful his baiting program would stop them reaching the plague proportions he’d experienced in the past. Paula just hoped she could keep her mother from seeing any. Mrs Crawford could get a bit hysterical over a picture of a mouse let alone the real thing.
Only a few more days and her parents would be here. Dan was probably right. It would be nice to have a bit of company and she knew her father wouldn’t stay long. He never left his work for an extended time. She sighed and glanced at her watch. Time to tackle another project before Rowena came. The middle bedroom had to be swept out ready to stack the boxes her parents were bringing.
Paula pushed open the door. A rotten smell stopped her and her hand flew to cover her mouth and nose. She edged into the all-but-empty room wondering what could make such a stink. A fly buzzed in the corner and she remembered the trap. When had she checked it last? It must be a couple of days. Keeping her hand to her face she moved closer, bent towards it, then quickly stepped back as warm bile rose in her throat. A mouse lay caught by the trap and maggots writhed in its rotting body. She rushed from the room, gasped a deep breath of fresh air and steadied herself against the passage wall.
“How will I clean that up?” she moaned. Just recalling the sight made her stomach churn.
In the laundry she gathered rubber gloves, disinfectant, air freshener, hot water, and picking up a newspaper and a small broom she went back to the bedroom. Before she went in she tied one of Dan’s clean hankies around her face, pushed the door open a little and squirted air freshener into the room; then with gloved hands raised she took a deep breath and pushed the door with her shoulder. She rushed to the old window and shoved it up as far as it would go.
Back at the door she armed herself with the broom and newspaper and turned to approach the mouse with the same stealth as a bomb defuser. She turned away quickly as the sight of the squirming maggots made the bile rise in her throat again. Reaching blindly she swept at the body. A quick peek showed she had it on the paper. She wrapped it tightly, trap and all, and rushed the bundle out.
Outside she took several gulps of fresh air before returning to the bedroom where she discovered several maggots still writhing in the spot where the mouse had been, looking for their dinner. Paula scrubbed at the floor with the hot water and large dollops of disinfectant until the only thing she could smell was the odour of pine. Her skin and hair reeked of it but it was better than the alternative.
By the time she could hear Rowena’s car approaching along the race Paula was showered, changed and sitting on the side verandah in one of the wicker chairs she’d rescued. The old chairs and table had been stacked in the sleep-out among other old bits of furniture. She was sad to see most of it was beyond repair but she had dragged the chairs out and cleaned them. They had a few holes and straggly bits of wicker but were still usable. Some new cushions would make them quite comfortable. Tucked along the wall just outside the door where the verandah ran along to meet the kitchen, it would be a cosy spot to sit with a cuppa.
Paula shuddered as a vision of the maggoty mouse returned, along with the smell of pine disinfectant. She would have to remember to check every trap every day.
She distracted herself by focusing on the view across the gently sloping valley. It really was picturesque and one she didn’t think she’d ever get tired of looking at. The deep earthy browns of the recently ploughed land showed up in sharp contrast to the patchwork grey and green shades of paddocks not touched yet. The darker shades of fences crisscrossed in straight lines, marking the boundaries dotted with trees.
Paula stood up as Rowena roared past and around to the back of the house. She was looking forward to going to town. Now that the bedroom was painted she did need a few things to go with the furniture that her parents would be bringing in the trailer. And she might be able to find some cushions and throw rugs to cover the old furniture. She wasn’t sure where Rowena was taking her so she’d dressed in a beige cable-knit wool sweater and a chocolate brown long-line skirt with her flat boots. Even though the sun was shining there was a chill in the air and she’d thrown a soft woollen scarf in a blend of browns and soft yellows around her neck.
“Paula?” Rowena’s call came from the kitchen. Paula drew in a deep breath and took one more look across the peaceful view before she went inside to find out what Rowena had in store for her today.
Rowena drove at breakneck speed across the dirt roads, only slowing down once they reached the track that led them to the paddock where Dan was working. She pulled up abruptly between Dan’s vehicle and a truck with a huge container on the back. Paula was relieved to get out of the car and watch as the tractor Dan was driving worked its way around the paddock towing a huge machine spread out behind like a winged monster.
Tom climbed out of the truck to meet them as Rowena unpacked a basket of homemade pasties.
“Hello, Paula.” Tom lowered his gaze as she smiled back at him.
“Come on, Tom,” Rowena called. “Eat these while they are still warm. Dan will soon be here and you can take over while he eats his lunch.”
Paula watched as Tom went back to the truck and poured water from a container over his hands before wiping them on an old towel. He still limped slightly but she was relieved to see he had boots on both feet.
“How’s your foot, Tom?” she asked as he took a pastie from Rowena.
“Well and truly on the mend.” Rowena’s raised voice cut in. “Eat up, Tom. He’s nearly here.”
Paula looked from Rowena to Tom. Did she mean to be so rude?
“It’s okay, thanks.” His voice was barely audible over the noise of the approaching tractor. He gave Paula another of his lopsided smiles.
Rowena was already waving Dan out of
the cabin as he stopped the huge tractor a few metres across the paddock from them. Tom set off towards it clutching his pastie. Dan climbed down from the cabin and talked to Tom before walking over the ploughed dirt to join Paula and Rowena.
“A picnic, ladies, how nice.” Dan grinned and kissed Paula, then went to wash his hands. The tractor revved and then jerked before it moved away on its repetitive journey once more.
Dan sat on a drum and Rowena leaned on the car as they ate their pasties.
“How many acres have you done today?” Rowena asked as they all watched the distant tractor progressing around the paddock.
“Not many. The motor on the seed and super unit wouldn’t start. It got moisture in it overnight so that set us back an hour or so.”
“How is Tom going?”
“He’s fine. No need to worry about him. It’s the weather that bothers me.” Dan nodded towards the western horizon at a low bank of dark clouds. “We’ve already had a hold-up today and I don’t want rain again for a while. At least until we get this paddock finished.”
Paula listened enviously to their conversation and wished she knew enough to be more involved. She wanted to be the one Dan shared his concerns with. She watched the distant cloud bank and then breathed in the freshness of the newly turned soil around her. Bathed in sunshine it was hard to imagine rain could be close.
“Have some tea, Paula. There’s cake as well.” Paula accepted the steaming cup but not the cake.
“I’m still eating the pastie.” She watched as Rowena and Dan took slices of cake. They certainly ate fast. The pastie was large but she was enjoying the spicy taste of peppery vegetables encased in the thin crispy pastry. Had she eaten breakfast? She’d had coffee while Dan had eaten his but she couldn’t remember eating anything herself. And she hadn’t felt hungry after discovering the dead mouse.
“What are you getting up to in town?” Dan’s question drew her back to the conversation.
“Rowena’s taking me to meet someone.”
“I thought Paula should go to Dara’s new shop,” Rowena said.
“It’s been there over a year.”
“That’s new,” Rowena countered. “Anyway, I think she may have some things Paula will like for the house.”
“Uh-oh! I hear the sound of shopping.” Dan grinned.
“Paula has to get out and meet people. I think she will enjoy a trip to Dara’s.” Rowena bustled about, packing up the lunch things and loading them into the boot. Dan rolled his eyes in Paula’s direction and she gave him a nod. He had been put in his box.
“We will get to go out more once seeding is finished,” he said quietly.
“I know. I’m fine, really, but Rowena offered to take me to town.”
“Told you, more likely.”
Paula giggled. “I’m looking forward to it anyway.”
“And I’ll give some thought to getting you a vehicle.”
“It’s okay, Dan. I know you’re busy. I should have organised it myself.”
Rowena shut the boot with a boisterous bang and got into the car.
“Get Dara to book the purchases to me,” Dan said as Paula went to follow.
“I’ve got my card.”
“She’s an independent woman.” Rowena started the car and backed away. Paula gave Dan a weak smile and a wave before she gripped the armrest. She didn’t know whether to be more worried about Rowena’s brusque tongue or her wild driving.
* * *
Dan watched as Rowena’s vehicle roared off down the track and shook his head slowly. He had long ago given up worrying about her driving but now that she had Paula with her he felt some concern. He couldn’t imagine how unbearable life would be if anything happened to Paula.
He thought briefly of his own parents and what a sad man his father had been. Dan couldn’t remember his father any other way. Thank goodness for Rowena, who had made sure she brought some happy times into his young life. He was indebted to her. She had been the mother he never knew and she had tried hard to give him a normal childhood in spite of the sad shadow of his father never far away.
The sound of the tractor coming closer reminded him they still didn’t have the replacement set of ploughshares he’d ordered weeks ago.
Bugger it. He’d forgotten to ask Rowena to call in at the agent while she was in town. It would save him a trip. The shares hadn’t arrived when he’d been in town last week and the agent promised he’d have them by today. Blunt shares were a hold-up he didn’t want to waste time on. Dan strode over to the truck. He’d have to try to catch Rowena on the two-way.
* * *
Paula tried hard to concentrate on the first part of the drive so she could remember the way, but it was useless. They were travelling from another direction and none of it looked familiar to her. She could find her way to most locations in Sydney with only a little help from her phone. Out here it was just endless paddocks, trees and fence lines punctuated with the occasional farm gate.
Dan’s voice crackled at them from the two-way and Paula kept her eyes glued to the road as Rowena answered him and continued to drive at the same speed.
Rowena replaced the handpiece. “One thing you find out about trips to town, you can never go without having to bring something back for the men. Even when you think you’ve escaped without a list, they can still get you on the two-way. I’ve been thinking we should update our mobile phones and get one for you.”
Paula was surprised at Rowena’s sudden change of tack. “I’ve got one but there’s no service in this area. I had been planning to get a new provider.”
“There are still patches where we don’t get service. For instance where Dan is now. The agents who visit him out that way say they can’t call from there. Now, how long will your parents be staying?”
Again, Paula was taken by surprise at the speed of Rowena’s change of topic. It was as swift as her driving. She was glad when they arrived in town and she could get out of the car. Rowena parked in the main street in front of an old two-storey stone building that looked like it may once have been a bank. It gleamed with a new coat of paint on its window frames and pots of flowering shrubs sat cheerily on either side of the polished wood and glass front door.
“Here we are.” Rowena led the way. “Dara is doing a wonderful job with this place.”
Paula followed her in through the front door where a tinkling bell announced their entrance. They stood in a huge room with high pressed-tin ceilings that ran back deep into the block from the street. All around them, antique furniture sat among pieces that Paula recognised as imports from her experience with her sister’s business. There was not a lot of furniture but what was there was well displayed.
Brightly coloured woven mats and tapestries decorated the walls in between pictures and paintings representing various periods and countries. From the outside, it was impossible to know what an Aladdin’s cave could be found within, and topping it all off was the wonderful aroma of freshly baked cake mingled with coffee. Rowena had packed them up in such a hurry Paula hadn’t had the chance to have a piece of her cake and the smell was tempting her now.
“Hello, Rowena.” A thin woman, taller than Paula, emerged from the back of the shop. She had fine dark hair swept back from her face and flowing down over her shoulders. Many couldn’t get away with such a severe style but this woman had wonderful bone structure and piercing green eyes perfectly outlined with dark brown eyeliner, and ruby red lips.
“Dara, this is Dan’s wife, Paula.”
“Hello, Paula.” Dara moved forward and the necklaces and bracelets she wore jingled softly as she shook Paula’s hand. Up close, Paula could see fine lines etched into her face. She was probably older than she first appeared. “It’s lovely to meet you. Welcome to the sticks.”
“Thanks, Dara. You’ve got a wonderful collection here.” Paula glanced around again at the contents of the room.
“It’s a bit of a sideline. Keeps me out of mischief or I’d go nuts while Chris is a
t the farm.”
“Dara, I’ll leave Paula with you. I have some jobs to do and Dan needs me to collect parts from the agent.” She looked at her watch. “I’ll be back in an hour to pick you up, Paula.”
They watched as Rowena swept out of the door.
Dara leaned in closer to Paula. “So, have you synchronised your watches?” She grinned. “How are you getting along with the mother-in-law from hell?”
Paula paused. She wondered if Dara’s blunt response had exposed a kindred spirit.
“Put it this way, I don’t think I measure up to her idea of what Dan’s wife should be.”
“Well, you’re not from around here so that’s one black mark. You’re a city girl – that’s another – and from interstate as well, oh dear.” Dara shook her head.
“You seem to know a bit about me.”
“That’s all. Which is surprising really. The grapevine must be slipping. I guess I’ve been too busy redecorating this place.”
Paula thought the grapevine was alive and well from what she had discovered already but she didn’t want to dwell on that. “It’s a credit to you, Dara. You’ve got some interesting pieces.” Paula started to move among the furniture to have a closer look. She stopped in front of a redwood cabinet. “This is delightful. It’s Chinese, isn’t it?”
“You know your stuff.”
“Not really. My sister has an importing business and I’ve seen similar things in her showroom. I can pick some styles and regions but I’m not as good at judging authenticity as she is.”
“I was a flight attendant in another life. That was before Chris swept me away to the never-never.” She waved her arms in a wide arc, making the bangles jangle loudly. “I’ve always been a history buff and collected unusual pieces but they didn’t fit into the little house we lived in when we first married. When this old bank came up for sale, Chris suggested we buy it. You should have seen it when we moved in.”
“Do you live here?” Paula thought Dara had said her husband was a farmer.
A Chance of Stormy Weather Page 7
