Читать книгу The Girl from Honeysuckle Farm / One Dance with the Cowboy - Jessica Steele - Страница 8

SOMEHOW, in between worrying about finding a new home for herself and Ruby, Phinn could not stop thoughts of Ty Allardyce from intruding. Though, as the days went by and the weekend passed and another week began, Phinn considered that to have the man so much in and out of her mind was not so surprising. How dared he order her off his land?

Well, tough on him! It was a lovely early May day—what could be nicer than to take Ruby and go for a walk? Leaving the flat, Phinn went down to collect her. But, before she could do more than put a halter on the mare, Geraldine Walton appeared from nowhere to waylay her. Phinn knew what was coming before Geraldine so much as opened her mouth. She was not mistaken.

‘I’m sorry to have to be blunt, Phinn,’ Geraldine began, ‘but I really do need the stable flat by the end of the week.’

‘I’m working on it,’ Phinn replied, at her wits’ end. She had phoned round everywhere she could think of, but nobody wanted her and Ruby. And Ruby fretted if she was away from her for very long, so no way was Ruby going anywhere without her. Phinn had wondered about them both finding some kind of animal sanctuary, willing to take them both, but then again, having recently discovered that Ruby was unhappy with other horses around, she did not want to give her ailing mare more stress. ‘Leave it with me,’ she requested, and a few minutes later crossed the road on to Broadlands property and walked Ruby through the spinney, feeling all churned up at how it would break her heart—and Ruby’s—to have to leave her anywhere.

The majestic Broadlands Hall was occasionally visible through gaps in the trees in the small wood, but Phinn was certain that Ty Allardyce would by now be back in London, beavering away at whatever it was financiers beavered away at. Though just in case, as they walked through fields that bordered the adjacent grounds and gardens they had always walked through—or in earlier days ridden through—she made sure that she and Ruby were well out of sight, should anyone at the Hall be looking out.

Hoping not to meet him, if London’s loss was Bishops Thornby’s gain and he was still around, Phinn moved on, and was taking a stroll near the pool where she and her father had so often swum when she did bump into an Allardyce. It was Ash.

It would have been quite natural for Phinn to pause, say hello, make some sort of polite conversation. But she was so shaken by the change in the man from the last time she had seen him that she barely recognised him, and all words went from her. Ash looked terrible!

‘Hello, Ash,’ she did manage, but was unwilling to move on. He looked positively ill, and she searched for something else to say. ‘Did you get your camera all right?’ she asked, and could have bitten out her tongue. Was her cousin responsible in any way for this dreadful change in him? Surely not? Ash looked grey, sunken-eyed, and at least twenty pounds lighter!

‘Yes, thanks,’ he replied, no smile, his eyes dull and lifeless. But, brightening up a trifle, ‘Have you seen Leanne recently?’ he asked.

Fleetingly she wondered if Ash, so much in love with Leanne, might have found cause to suspect she was money-minded and, not wanting to lose her, not told her that it was his brother who owned Broadlands. But she had not seen her cousin since the day Leanne had learned that Ash was not the one with the money and had so callously dropped him.

‘Leanne—er—doesn’t come this way—er—now,’ Phinn answered, feeling awkward, her heart aching for this man who seemed bereft that his love wanted nothing more to do with him.

‘I don’t suppose she has anywhere to stay now that you’re no longer at Honeysuckle Farm,’ he commented, and as he began to stroll along with her, Phinn did not feel able to tell him that the only time Leanne had ever shown an interest in staying any length of time at the farm had been when she’d had her sights set on being mistress of Broadlands Hall. ‘I’m sorry that you had to leave, by the way,’ Ash stated.

And her heart went out to this gaunt man whose clothes were just about hanging on him. ‘I couldn’t have stayed,’ she replied, and, hoping to lighten his mood, ‘I don’t think I’d make a very good farmer.’ Not sure which was best for him—to talk of Leanne or not to talk of Leanne—she opted to enquire, ‘Have you found a new tenant for Honeysuckle yet?’

‘I’m—undecided what to do,’ Ash answered, and suddenly the brilliant idea came to Phinn that, if he had not yet got a tenant for the farm, maybe she and Ruby could go back and squat there for a while; the weather was so improved and it was quite warm for early summer. Ruby would be all right there. But Ash was going on. ‘I did think I might take it over myself, but I don’t seem able to—er—make decisions on anything just at the moment.’

Ash’s confession took the squatting idea from Phinn momentarily. Leanne again! How could she have been so careless of this sensitive man’s fine feelings?

‘I’m sure you and Honeysuckle would be good for each other—if that’s what you decide to do,’ Phinn replied gently.

And Ash gave a shaky sigh, as if he had wandered off for a moment. ‘I think I’d like to work outdoors. Better than an indoor job anyway.’ And, with a self-deprecating look, ‘I tried a career in the big business world.’

‘You didn’t like it?’

He shook his head. ‘I don’t think I’m the academic type. That’s more Ty’s forte. He’s the genius in the family when it comes to the cut and thrust of anything like that.’ Ash seemed to wander off again for a moment or two, and then, like the caring kind of person he was, he collected himself to enquire, ‘You’re settled in your new accommodation, Phinn?’

‘Well—er…’ Phinn hesitated. It was unthinkable that she should burden him with her problems, but the idea of squatting back at Honeysuckle was picking at her again.

‘You’re not settled?’ Ash took up.

‘Geraldine—she’s the new owner of the stables—wants to do more on the riding school front, and needs my flat for a member of her staff,’ Phinn began.

‘But you work there too?’

‘Well, no, actually. Er…’

‘You’re out of a job and a home?’ Ash caught on.

‘Ruby and I have until the end of this week,’ Phinn said lightly, and might well have put in a pitch for his permission to use Honeysuckle as a stop-gap measure—only she chanced to look across to him, and once more into his dull eyes, and she simply did not have the heart. He appeared to have the weight of the world on his shoulders, and she just could not add to his burden.

‘Ruby?’ he asked. ‘I didn’t know you had a child?’

He looked so concerned that Phinn rushed in to reassure him. ‘I don’t.’ She patted Ruby’s shoulder. ‘This lovely girl is Ruby.’

His look of concern changed to one of relief. ‘I don’t know much about horses, but…’

Phinn smiled. There wasn’t a better-groomed horse anywhere, but there was no mistaking Ruby’s years. ‘She’s getting on a bit now, and her health isn’t so good, but—’ She broke off when, turning to glance at Ruby, she saw a male figure in the distance, coming their way at a fast pace. Uh-oh! Ash hadn’t seen him, but she didn’t fancy a row with Ty Allardyce in front of him. ‘That reminds me—we’d better be off. It’s time for Ruby’s medication,’ she said. ‘Nice to see you again, Ash. Bye.’

And with that, unfortunately having to go towards the man she was starting to think of as ‘that dastardly Ty Allardyce’, she led Ruby away.

‘Bye, Phinn,’ Ash bade her, seeing nothing wrong with her abrupt departure as he went walking on in the opposite direction.

With Ruby not inclined to hurry, there was no way Phinn could avoid the owner of the Hall, who also happened to be the owner of the land she was trespassing on. They were on a collision course!

Several remarks entered her head before Ty Allardyce was within speaking distance. Though when he was but a few yards from her—and looking tough with it—her voice nearly failed her. But in her view she had done nothing wrong.

‘Not back in London yet, I see!’ she remarked, more coolly than she felt.

‘Why, you—’ Ty Allardyce began angrily, but checked his anger, to demand, ‘What have you been saying to my brother?’

While part of Phinn recognised that his question had come from concern for Ash, she did not like Ty Allardyce and never would. ‘What’s it got to do with you?’ she challenged loftily.

His dark grey eyes glinted, and she would not have been all that surprised had she felt his hands around her throat—he looked quite prepared to attempt to throttle her! ‘It has everything to do with me,’ he controlled his ire to inform her shortly. ‘You Hawkins women don’t give a damn who you hurt…’

‘Hawkins women!’ she exclaimed, starting to get angry herself. ‘What the devil do you mean by that?’

‘Your reputation precedes you!’

‘Reputation?’

‘Your father was devastated when your mother dumped him. My—’

Mother dumped him! Phinn was on the instant furious, but somehow managed to control her feeling of wanting to throttle him to butt in with mock sarcasm. ‘Oh, really, Allardyce. You truly must try to stop listening to village gossip…’

‘You’re saying he wasn’t devastated? That his reason for not paying the rent had nothing at all to do with the fact that your mother took up with some other man and left your father a total wreck?’

Oh, Lord. That quickly squashed her anger. She did not doubt that her father had been capable of conveying his marriage break-up as his reason without exactly saying so. But his marriage break-up had had nothing to do with him not paying the rent—the fact the rent had not been paid had been more to do with her mother’s hands no longer being on the purse strings. It was true, Phinn had discovered, that the rent had only ceased to be paid when her mother had left.

‘What went on between my father and mother is nothing at all to do with you!’ Phinn stated coldly, wanting her anger back. ‘It’s none of your business…’

‘When it comes to my brother I’ll make it my business. You’ve seen him! You’ve seen how gutted he is that your cousin ditched him the same way your mother ditched your father. I’m not having another Hawkins anywhere near him. Get off my land and stay off it! And,’ he went on icily when she opened her mouth, ‘don’t give me “Huh!” This is your last warning. If I catch you trespassing again I’ll have you in court before you can blink!’

‘Have you quite finished?’

‘I hope never to have to speak to you again,’ he confirmed. ‘You just leave my brother alone.’

‘Be glad to!’ she snapped, her eyes darkening. ‘I don’t know what Bishops Thornby ever did to deserve the likes of you, but for my money it was the worst day’s work he ever did when old Mr Caldicott sold this estate to you!’ Thereafter ignoring him, she addressed the mare. ‘Come on, Rubes. You’re much too sweet to have to stand and listen to this loathsome man!’

With that, she put her nose in the air and sauntered off. Unfortunately, because of Ruby’s slow gait, she was prevented from marching off as she would have wished. She hoped the dastardly Allardyce got the idea anyway.

Her adrenalin was still pumping when she took Ruby back to her stall. Honestly, that man!

Phinn wasted no time the next day. Once she had attended to all Ruby’s needs, she made the long walk up to Honeysuckle Farm. She walked into the familiar farmyard, but, having been away from the farm for around three months, as she stood and stared about she was able to see it for the first time from a different perspective. She had to admit to feeling a little shaken.

Rusting pieces of machinery littered the yard, and there was a general air of neglect everywhere. Which there would be, she defended her father. Had he lived he would have repaired and sold on the rusting and clapped out pieces. Had he lived…

Avoiding thoughts that some of the machinery had lain there rusting for years, and not just since last October when her father had died, and the fact that the place had become to be more and more rundown over the years but that until today she had never noticed it, Phinn went to take a look at the old barn that had used to be Ruby’s home.

The secure door latch had broken years ago, but, as her father had so laughingly said, they had nothing worth stealing so why bother repairing it? That his logic was a touch different from most people’s had all been part of the man she had adored. It hadn’t been that he was idle, he’d just thought on a different and more pleasurable level.

The barn smelt musty, and not too pleasant. But it was a sunny day, so Phinn propped the doors open wide and went in. Everything about the place screamed, no! But what alternative did she have? Ruby, her timid darling Ruby, would by far prefer to be up here in the old barn than where she was. Had Phinn had any idea of Ruby’s fear of the other horses she would never have taken her there in the first place. Too late now to be wise after the event!

Looking for plus points, Phinn knew that Ruby would be better on her own, away from the younger horses. As well as being timid, Ruby was a highly sensitive mare, and with their mutual attachment to each other, Honeysuckle was the best place for them. Another plus: it was dry—mainly. And there was a field. Several, in fact. Overgrown with weeds and clutter, but in Phinn’s view it wouldn’t take her long to clear it and put up some sort of temporary fencing.

With matters pertaining to Ruby sorted out in her head, Phinn crossed the yard, found a ladder, and was able to gain entry into the farmhouse by climbing up to a bedroom window. Forcing the window did not take a great deal of effort, and once in she went through to what had once been her own bedroom.

It smelt musty, but then it hadn’t been used in months. There was no electricity, so she would have to do without heat or light, but looking on the brighter side she felt sure that Mickie Yates would cart her few belongings up for her. Mickie had been a good friend of her father’s, and she knew she could rely on him not to tell anyone that she was squatting—trespassing, Allardyce would call it if he knew—at Honeysuckle.

Phinn left Honeysuckle Farm endeavouring not to think what her mother’s reaction to her plan would be. Appalled would not cover it.

By Thursday of that week Phinn was trying to tell herself that she felt quite enthusiastic about her proposed move. She had been to see Mickie Yates and found him in his workshop, up to his elbows in muck and grease, but with the loveliest smile of welcome on his face for her.

Whatever he thought when she asked for use of him and one of his vehicles to transport her cases and horse equipment on Friday she did not know. All he’d said was, ‘After three suit you, Phinn?’

She knew he would be having his ‘lunch’ in the Cat and Drum until two fifty-five. ‘Lovely thank you, Mickie,’ she had replied.

It was a surprisingly hot afternoon, and Phinn, not certain when she would be in the village again, decided to walk Ruby to the village farrier. It would be even hotter at the forge, so she changed out of her more usual jeans and top, exchanging them for a thin, loose-fitting sleeveless cotton dress. Donning some sandals, she felt certain that by now grumpy Allardyce must be back in London, where he surely more particularly belonged.

Perhaps after their visit to Idris Owen, the farrier and blacksmith, a man who could turn his hand to anything and who had been another friend of her father’s, Phinn and Ruby might take another stroll in the shady spinney.

Knowing that she should be packing her belongings prior to tomorrow’s move, she left her flat—and on the way out bumped into Geraldine Walton. Geraldine seemed difficult to miss these days. But for once Phinn was not anxious about meeting her.

‘You do know I shall want the flat on Saturday?’ Geraldine began a touch stiffly, before Phinn could say a word.

‘You shall have it,’ she replied. ‘Ruby and I are moving tomorrow.’

Geraldine’s severe look lightened. ‘You are? Oh, good! Er…I hope you’ve found somewhere—suitable?’

Phinn ignored the question in her voice. Villages being villages, she knew she could not hope to keep her new address secret for very long. But, her new address being part of the Broadlands Estate, the longer it was kept from Ty Allardyce the better. Not that she was aware if Geraldine even knew him, but there was no point in inviting more of his wrath—and a definite court summons—if they were acquainted.

‘Most suitable,’ she replied with a smile, and, aiming to make the best of what life was currently throwing at her, she went to collect Ruby.

Idris greeted Phinn with the same warm smile she had received from Mickie Yates. Idris was somewhere around fifty, a huge mountain of a man, with a heart as big. ‘How’s my best girl?’ he asked, as he always did. No matter what time of day she visited, he always seemed to have a pint of beer on the go. ‘Help yourself,’ he offered, as he checked Ruby’s hooves and shoes.

Phinn still did not like beer any better than she had when she had first tasted it. But it was blisteringly hot in there, and to take a healthy swig of his beer—as encouraged so to do in the past by her father—was now traditional. She picked up the pot and drank to her father’s memory.

When he was done, Idris told her that she owed him nothing, and she knew he would be upset if she insisted on paying him. So, thanking him, she and Ruby left the smithy and headed for the small wood.

Keeping a watchful eye out for the elder Allardyce, Phinn chatted quietly to Ruby all the way through the spinney, and Ruby, having a good day for once, talked back, nodded and generally kept close.

Once out of the shaded spinney, they strolled towards the pool with the heat starting to beat down on them. Ruby loved the warmth, and Phinn, catching a glimpse of the pool, had started to think in terms of what a wonderful day for a swim.

No, I shouldn’t. She attempted to ignore that part of her that was seeing no earthly reason why she shouldn’t take a quick dip. She glanced about—no one in sight. They ambled on, reaching the pool and some more trees, and all the while Phinn fought down the demon temptation.

She would never know whether or not she would have given in to that demon had not something happened just then that drove all other thoughts from her head. Suddenly in the stillness she heard a yell of alarm. It came from the dark side of the pool. It was the cry of someone in trouble!

In moments she had run down the bank and did not have to search very far to see who was in trouble—and what the trouble was! Oh, God! Her blood ran cold. Across from the shallow end was a dark area called the Dark Pool—because that was precisely what it was: dark. Dark because it was overhung with trees and the sun never got to it. Not only was it dark, it was deep, and it was icy. And everyone knew that you must never attempt to swim there. Only someone was in there! Ash Allardyce! He was flailing about and quite clearly close to drowning!

All Phinn knew then was that she had to get to him quickly. There was a small bridge spanning the narrow part of the pool, but that was much farther down. And time was of the essence. There was no time to think, only time to act. Her father had taught her lifesaving, and had taught her well. Up until then it was a skill she had never needed to use.

Even as these thoughts were flashing thought her mind Phinn was kicking off her sandals and pulling her dress over her head. Knowing she had to get to Ash, and fast, and all before she could query the wisdom of what she was doing, Phinn was running for the water and taking a racing dive straight in.

After having been so hot, the water felt icy, but there was no time to think about that now. Only time to get to Ash. Executing a sprinting crawl, Phinn reached him in no time flat, gasped a warning, ‘Stay still or you’ll kill us both,’ turned him onto his back and, glad for the moment that he was twenty pounds lighter than he had been, towed him to the nearest bank, which was now on the opposite side from where she had first seen him.

How long he had been struggling she had no idea. ‘Cramp!’ he managed to gasp, and managed to sit up, head down, his arms on his knees, exhausted, totally drained of energy.

It had all happened so quickly, but now that it was over Phinn felt pretty drained herself, and had an idea she knew pretty much how a mother must feel when she had just found her lost child. ‘You should have had more sense,’ she berated him with what breath she could find. ‘Everybody knows you don’t swim in that part of the pool.’ Suddenly she was feeling inexplicably weepy. Shock, she supposed. Then she remembered Ruby, and looked to the other bank. She could not see her. ‘I’ll be back,’ she said, and took off.

Not to swim this time—she didn’t feel like going back in there in a hurry—but to run down to the small bridge. It fleetingly crossed her mind as she ran to wonder if Ash had perhaps been a touch suicidal to have chosen to swim where he had. Then she recalled he had said he’d had a cramp, and she began to feel better about leaving him. She had been brought up knowing that a deep shelf had been excavated on that side of the pool for some reason that was now lost in the mists of time. The water was deep there—nobody knew how deep, but so deep as to never heat up, and was regarded locally with the greatest respect. Ash, who hadn’t been brought up in the area, could not possibly have known unless someone had told him. Well, he knew now!

Phinn ran across the bridge, and as she did so she saw with relief that Ruby had not wandered off and that she was quite safe. Phinn’s relief was short-lived, however, because in that same glance she saw none other than Ty Allardyce. Phinn came to an abrupt halt.

Oh, help! He was facing away from her and had not yet spotted her. He was looking about—perhaps searching for his brother? He was close to Ruby. Then Phinn saw that he was not only close to Ruby, he had hold of her rein. Phinn knew then that it was not his brother he was searching for but Ruby’s owner—and that Ruby’s owner was in deep trouble!

As if aware of someone behind him, Ty Allardyce turned round. Turned and, as if he could not believe his eyes, stared at her.

And that was when Phinn became aware of how she was dressed—or rather undressed. A quick glance down proved that she was as good as naked! Standing there in her wet underwear she was conscious that her waterlogged bra and briefs were now transparent, the pink tips of her breasts hardened and clearly visible to the man staring at her.

Her face glowed a fiery red. ‘A gentleman would turn his back,’ she hissed, with what voice she could find.

Ty Allardyce favoured her with a hard stare, but was in no hurry to turn around. ‘So he would—for a lady,’ he drawled.

Phinn wanted to hit him, but she wasn’t going any closer. And he, surveying her from her soggy braided hair down to the tip of her bare toes, took his time, his insolent gaze moving back up her long, long shapely legs, thighs and belly. By this time her arms were crossed in front of her body. Strangely, it was only when his glance rested on her fiercely blushing face that he gave her the benefit of the term ‘lady’ and, while still holding Ruby’s rein, turned his back on her.

In next to no time Phinn had retrieved her dress and sandals and, having been careless how her dress had landed, found that her hands were shaking when she went to turn it right side out.

But once she had her dress over her shoulders, she felt her former spirit returning. She had to go close up to him to take Ruby’s rein, and, as embarrassed as she felt, she somehow managed to find an impudent, ‘Lovely day for a dip!’

His reply was to turn and favour her with one of his hard stares. It seemed to her as if he was deciding whether or not to pick her up and throw her in for another dip.

Attempting to appear casual, she moved to the other side of Ruby. Not a moment too soon, she realised, as, not caring for her insolence, ‘That’s it!’ he rapped, his eyes angry on her by now much paler face. ‘I’ve warned you twice. You’ll receive notice from my lawyers in the morning.’

‘You have my address?’ she enquired nicely—and felt inclined to offer him her new address; but at his hard-eyed expression she thought better of it.

Ty Allardyce drew one very harsh, long-suffering breath. ‘Enough!’ he snarled. ‘If you’re not on your way inside the next ten seconds, I shall personally be escorting you and that flea-bitten old nag off my land!’

‘Flea-bitten!’ she gasped. How dared he?

‘Now!’ he threatened, making a move to take Ruby’s rein from her.

‘Leave her alone!’ Phinn threatened back, her tone murderous as she knocked his hand away. She was not sure yet that she wasn’t going to hit him—he was well and truly asking for it! Emotional tears sprang to her eyes.

Tears he spotted, regardless that she’d managed to hold them back and prevent them from falling. ‘Of for G—’ he began impatiently. And, as if more impatient with himself than with her, because her shining eyes had had more effect on him than her murderous threat, ‘Clear off, stay off—and leave my brother alone!’

Only then did Phinn remember Ash. A quick glance to the other side of the pool showed he had recovered and was getting to his feet, which told her she could safely leave him. ‘Wouldn’t touch either of you with a bargepole,’ she told Ty loftily, and turned Ruby about and headed in the direction of the spinney.

With everything that had taken place playing back in her mind, Phinn walked on with Ruby. She had no idea how long it was since she had seen Ash in trouble—ten perhaps fifteen minutes? A glance to her watch showed that it did not care much for underwater activity and would never be the same again.

She felt ashamed that she had very nearly cried in front of that brute. Flea-bitten old nag! But she started to accept—now that she was away from him, away from the pool—that perhaps she had started to feel a bit of reaction after first seeing Ash in difficulties, taking a header in to get him out, and then, to top it all, being confronted by Ty Allardyce.

Yes, it must be shock, she realised. There was no other explanation for her thinking, as she had at the time, that Ty Allardyce had been sensitive to a woman’s tears.

Sensitive! She must be in shock still! That insensitive brute didn’t have a sensitive bone in his body! How could he have? He had actually called her darling Rubes a flea-bitten old nag! Oh, how she wished she had hit him.

Well, one thing was for sure. She would take great delight in marking any lawyer’s letter that arrived for her tomorrow ‘address unknown’, before she happily popped it in the post box to be sent speedily straight back whence it came!