Читать книгу Required: Three Outback Brides: Cattle Rancher, Convenient Wife / In the Heart of the Outback... / Single Dad, Outback Wife - Margaret Way - Страница 7

RORY COMPTON had already arrived by the time she made her way downstairs. She realized with a prickle of something like discomfort and an irrational guilt she had taken a few extra little pains with her appearance. She was aware too of a quickening of excitement that was gathering in strength. She hadn’t expected anything like it. Not here, not now. Not when she wanted time to re-evaluate her life. She was a woman trying to recover from a recent divorce. Sad things had happened to her, leaving her feeling low, but the advent of Rory Compton into her life had sparked off some sort of revival. Without wanting to, or without planning it, he had somehow brought her back to life. Could it possibly have something to do with the rebound syndrome? She had actually seen it at work with a friend. Women were very vulnerable after the break-up of a relationship. Was she one of them?

Since she had met him she had started to ask herself that very question. She couldn’t stop thinking of him though she had willed herself not to. But like all things forbidden he had stuck in her mind. There was just something about the man that had penetrated the miasma of grief she had been battling since the death of her beloved father and the failure of her marriage. She had been certain in her mind she wanted to remain untouchable. At least for a proper period of time. In a sense she was mourning the death of her marriage; the death of a dream.

Rory Compton had changed all that and in a remarkably short space of time. She would do well to see the danger in that. All it had needed was a glance from his remarkable eyes; the peculiar excitement she had felt when he had swept her up into his arms; the way her heart rate had speeded up. He had drawn from her not only a physical, but an emotional response. It wasn’t simply his arresting looks. She had really liked the way he had been at the Cunningham’s dinner party; his sense of humour, his broad range of interests and the sympathy and sensitivity he had shown towards the politician, a fellow man battling the depression that had fallen on him so unexpectedly.

Rory Compton was formidable, she had concluded. A real presence for a man his age. There was something very purposeful and intent about him and she had to concede a hidden anger, or at the very least brooding. He had actually made her feel like her old self. Correction. More like she was running at full throttle. Was it the adversarial look in those silver frosted eyes? Or the taunting half smile? He was physically very strong. He had lifted her as though she weighed no more than a twelve-year-old. She sensed his physical attraction to her—given that it was quite involuntary—maddened him. Here was a man who liked to be in control.

Holding her in his arms had quite spoilt it for him. The truth was—she couldn’t hide it from herself—she had been as aroused as he was. Powerful physical attraction was a daunting thing, especially when it came out of left field. She would do well to be wary of it. Once bitten, twice shy? What did she know of him after all? Her judgement had been way off with Mark. She wasn’t about to make a habit of it. She needed to know much more about Rory Compton. It would be better given her background to mistrust rather than trust.

What you’re feeling, girl, are hormones. You have to let it pass.

He was seated on the verandah at the white wicker table. Valerie and Chloe flanked him, both looking surprisingly mellow. Chloe too had gone to some pains, Allegra thought gently. Her apple blossom skin that flushed easily heightened the colour of her eyes and she was wearing a very pretty dress Allegra had brought with her as a present, knowing exactly what would best suit her sister.

Allegra paused for a moment in the open doorway, hoping she had given them enough time alone with their visitor as requested, though requested was too polite a word.

Immediately Rory Compton saw her he sprang to his feet, the man of dark compelling looks she too vividly remembered. A wedge of crow-black hair had fallen forwards on his forehead giving him a very attractive, slightly rakish look. Worn longer than was usual, his glossy, thick textured hair curled up at his nape. It would be great hair to touch. His eyes glittered against his bronze skin. Today his cheekbones looked more pronounced. There wasn’t a skerrick of weight on him. His nose was very straight above his beautifully cut mouth. Not generously full lipped like Mark’s, but firm and chiselled. He had the sort of face one wouldn’t forget in a hurry.

Despite her little pep talks to herself she forgot about betrayal, failure and the tense situation that existed between her and Valerie. She pretended she was considering a particularly sexy man to act as the foil for the beautiful female model in a fashion shoot. No question he would get the job. Two or three inches over six feet, by and large he was moving from lean to nearly thin even in the couple of days since she had last seen him. It startled her to realise it, but something about him caught at her heart. It was a sentiment that in its tenderness took her completely by surprise. This man was eating away at her defences. No wonder she felt a tingle of alarm.

As on the first occasion when they had been introduced, he didn’t smile and he had a wonderful smile. She’d seen it directed at Chloe among others. She didn’t smile, either, and there was nothing wrong with her smile. Instead she inclined her head in acknowledgement of his presence. Both of them matched up in self-protectiveness, she thought. Perversely she wondered as her eyes alighted on his mouth what it would be like to kiss those chiselled lips?

Don’t think about it!

She had nothing to hope for with Rory Compton. He was a near stranger It was the wrong time for starting another relationship anyway, though she couldn’t help but be aware there was something between them.

‘Mrs Hamilton!’ He inclined his dark head in greeting.

‘Please, Allegra.’ It came out more coolly than she intended. She planned to drop the Hamilton anyway.

‘Well now we’d almost given up on you!’ Val announced, as though Allegra was habitually late and consciously rude.

‘Why is that, Val?’

Rory held a chair for her. He hadn’t been expecting to hear her call her mother by her Christian name, or to mark the swirling undercurrents now they were together. This wasn’t one close-knit family, he swiftly intuited. Chloe had no problem with ‘Mum.’ In fact Chloe was sweetly affectionate towards her mother and her mother clearly doted on her. That wasn’t the case, it seemed, with her elder daughter.

‘Well you did tell us you had plenty of other things to do,’ Chloe started into a deliberate lie. Why did men have to look at Allegra the way they did? It brought out the worst in her.

‘Like making coffee or tea?’ Allegra looked down on her sister’s silky brown head. ‘Would you like to come and help me?’ Since when? When there was a job to be done it had never taken Chloe long to disappear. Born and reared on a working station Chloe had no love of the outdoor life or work of any kind. As a girl she had always wanted to stay at home with Mum who had never encouraged Chloe to pull her weight.

Valerie, as was her practice, jumped in on Chloe’s behalf. ‘Chloe has opted to take Rory for a drive around the property. But we would like coffee first. Coffee for you, Rory? Or tea if you prefer?’ Valerie smiled at this extraordinarily personable young man. Chloe had already told her how strikingly handsome he was. Not to mention those eyes!

Rory, however, turned to Allegra. She was so damned magnetic he decided there and then caution had to determine his every response. ‘Coffee’s fine,’ he said. ‘Sure I can’t help you bring it out?’

Some imp of mischief got into Allegra. ‘Thank you so much,’ she said gracefully. ‘Please come through.’ She turned to lead the way, but not before catching the glare in Valerie’s eyes.

Under the terms of her father’s will his estate had been split three ways, but not in the way any of them had expected. Certainly not Valerie. She and Chloe had each inherited quarter shares; Allegra half, much to Valerie’s outrage.

If I want to invite this man into the house I have a perfect right to do so no matter the scowl on Valerie’s face, Allegra thought. Her father’s will had further alienated her from her family when she had thought their mutual loss would bring them closer together.

Faint hope! She knew Valerie and Chloe believed she had received a handsome divorce settlement from Mark but she had refused to take a penny. How could she do such a thing? The choice to end the marriage had been hers. She wanted nothing of Mark’s, even the beautiful jewellery he had given her. She hadn’t even opted to take her wedding ring let alone the magnificent solitaire diamond engagement ring. He could save that for her successor.

Rory followed her into the large well equipped kitchen, definitely troubled by the undercurrents. He was surprised Allegra—who looked like she was used to being waited on hand and foot—was the one to organise the morning tea. He really had to stop being so quick with his assumptions Blame it on his unnatural bias.

‘Coffee, you said?’ She gave him a glance that just stopped short of challenge.

He understood because he felt the same powerful urge to challenge her. He didn’t understand exactly why, but he did know everything had changed since he had met her. ‘Yes, thank you.’ He looked about him. ‘You have a very attractive home.’

‘It actually needs refurbishing,’ she said, setting the percolator on the hot plate. ‘Nothing has been touched since my mother redecorated it in the early days of her marriage.’

That meant well over twenty years surely? Chloe had told him that first evening she was twenty-three to Allegra’s twenty-seven. She had made twenty-seven sound more like seventy-two. ‘She hasn’t felt the urge to try her hand again?’ he asked. ‘I thought women loved rearranging things.’

Allegra sliced into the fruit cake she had made the previous day. ‘So we do, but my mother, sadly, is no longer with us. She was killed in a car crash when I was a toddler. I would have been killed, too, only it was one of the rare times I wasn’t with her.’

Initially he felt shock, then an explanation for the things that were troubling him. ‘I’m very sorry for your loss,’ he said with sincerity. ‘So Valerie is your stepmother?’

‘And Chloe my half sister,’ she nodded. ‘My father remarried when I was three. A lot of people think Val is my mother because she’s always been there.’

He looked at her keenly. ‘But she wasn’t the mother you wanted?’

She took a few moments to answer. ‘You’re going to psychoanalyse me?’

‘No, just a question.’

‘Why would you say that?’ She wasn’t surprised, however, by his perception.

He gave a self-deprecating shrug. ‘I’m an authority on mothers that go missing. Mine left home when I was twelve and my brother, Jay, fourteen.’

‘And the reason, seeing we’re cutting right through the usual preliminaries?’

‘She couldn’t take it anymore,’ he offered bluntly.

‘She was having marital problems?’ Allegra began to load the trolley.

‘You would know about them,’ he answered in a low dark voice.

‘Indeed I do,’ she returned smartly.

‘Yes, she was having problems,’ he admitted, thinking the very air scintillated around her. ‘My father was and remains a very difficult man.’

‘You look like you might have a few hang-ups of your own?’ She stopped what she was doing and pinned him with her gaze

‘Thanks for noticing,’ he said suavely.

‘Don’t feel bad about it. I have them as well. So name one.’

‘I don’t trust beautiful women.’

Her stomach did a little flip. He could say that yet it was as if he had reached out and kissed her. ‘Never in this world?’ Somehow she managed a smile.

‘No.’ Slowly he shook his head, not breaking the eye contact.

‘Wow!’ The expression on her face was both satirical and amused. ‘We’re going to have lots to talk about. I don’t trust handsome men.’

‘I understood your ex-husband adored you?’ Now that was definitely a challenge.

‘We had different ideas about what being ‘adored’ meant. I think you actually did adore your mother?’

His eyes turned as turbulent as a stormy sea. ‘We both did. Jay and I. Seen from our point of view her leaving was an abandonment.’

‘But you see her now?’ she asked, fully expecting the answer to be yes.

He picked up three lemons and juggled them in his sure hands. ‘Not for many years,’ he said and returned the lemons to the bowl. ‘Close on fifteen.’

‘Good grief!’ She didn’t hide her surprise. ‘So you haven’t seen her since you were a boy?’ She wondered how that could have been allowed to happen.

He held aloof. ‘That’s right, Mrs Hamilton.’ He focused on watching her move around the kitchen. She was very efficient in her movements. In fact she was perfectly at home in a kitchen when he had been too ready to think she was the quintessential hothouse flower who lay about gracefully while someone else did the work.

‘Allegra,’ she corrected, speaking sharply because he was unnerving her and he knew it. ‘Sorry, I don’t care for Mrs Hamilton,’ she said more calmly. ‘You don’t feel motivated to find her?’

He didn’t hesitate. ‘No. But I know where she is.’

She had to suck air into her lungs. ‘You make it sound like the outer reaches of the galaxy.’

‘Might as well be.’ Rory had to steady himself, too, unwilling for her to see just how much the old trauma still hurt. ‘It’s a long, hard road back from betrayal, Allegra.’ He placed mocking emphasis on her name.

She studied his handsome, brooding face for a moment. ‘Isn’t it strange how we punish the ones we love? You’re absolutely sure you know the reason? She must have been desperately unhappy?’

He took so long to answer she thought he was going to ignore her question. ‘That’s there under the abandonment,’ he conceded. ‘I guess she was unhappy. For a while at least.’ He put a mocking hand to his heart, his luminous eyes dangerously bright. ‘She remarried a couple of years later.’

‘Life goes on.’ She shrugged. ‘So did my dad, but he never forgot my mother. One of the reasons he remarried so soon was that he needed a wife to look after me.’

And what a beautiful child she must have been! Rory let his gaze rest on her, aware his fingers were curled tight into his palms as though he might make some involuntary move towards her. A woman like that any man could lose his senses. But to let himself fall in love with her would be one hell of an ill fated idea. She had wonderful skin, wonderful colouring. He allowed his eyes, at least, to barely skim the low neckline of her top. It dipped as she moved, revealing the satin-smooth upper curves of her breasts. The blue of that clingy little top was the same colour as her eyes. Of course she knew that. She wore her mane of garnet hair in a classic knot. And it was natural. Abandoning indifference if only for a moment he had asked Chloe. Chloe said the only nice thing she had said about her sister all night. ‘Yes, isn’t it beautiful! Hair that colour is rare!’

The sheer power of a beautiful woman!. A lover of beauty in all its forms, Rory felt himself drenched in heat. He had to realise he was achingly vulnerable to this particular woman. A woman like that could take a lot off a man without giving a thing back.

Belatedly he picked up the conversation. ‘And that woman was Valerie?’

‘Yes.’ Allegra for her part, didn’t fully understand why this man moved her like he did. It was as though she could see through the layers of defences accumulated through the years, to when he was a handsome, daring little boy. A little boy who had the capacity to be badly hurt.

‘A lot of expectations were put on her,’ he said.

‘Absolutely!’ Her answer was faintly bitter in response to the irony of his tone.

‘It can’t be an easy job trying to raise another woman’s child?’ He looked at her, lifting a black brow.

‘No one suggested it was,’ she said bluntly.

‘Okay, I’ll back off.’

‘Do.’ She was frosty in her tone. ‘To get off the subject, I might as well tell you I’ve read up on Compton Holdings. I’ll ask a few questions of my own now, if I may? Why did you leave? Surely with a huge enterprise and a flagship station like Turrawin there was more than enough room and work for two brothers? Or a dozen brothers for that matter.’

His expression hardened. ‘For most people there would be, but you haven’t met my father. My father is a very controlling sort of man and I’m long past marching to his drumbeat. I needed to strike out on my own.’

‘Then you have the money to buy here?’ She resorted to a brisk business-like tone.

‘Always supposing I’m interested.’ His eyes mocked her. ‘I haven’t seen over the place yet.’

‘You wouldn’t be here if you thought it a waste of time, but I warn you I’m no push-over, Rory Compton.’

‘Excuse me, you inherited?’ He leaned back nonchalantly against a cabinet and folded his arms.

What a combination of male graces he had, such an elegance of movement. ‘I’m the major shareholder,’ she informed him coolly, aware of something else. He offered torment as well as poignancy.

‘That’s unusual?’

‘Well you’d know all about that.’ She came back spiritedly.

‘Touché!’ Unexpectedly he gave her his rare smile. It was so heartbreaking it was just as well it came and went fairly rarely. ‘I think we got off on the wrong foot, Allegra.’

She wanted to remain as cool as a cucumber but the way he said her name tugged at her heart. Perversely it reminded her of the need for caution. How could her interest in a man reawaken so quickly after her divorce? The answer? This man was too compelling. ‘That happens when people are wary of one another,’ she said.

‘Are we?’ he asked, feigning a wondering voice. Neither of them could deny there was a strong current running between them.

‘Isn’t that the word you would use?’ She kept her eyes on him. No struggle at all.

‘As I say, it pays to be wary around a beautiful woman.’ Impatiently he slicked that troublesome stray lock back. ‘Did I mention I find you beautiful?’ Well, she knew that for a fact. No harm in getting it out into the open.

‘That worries you?’ Her blue eyes checked on his expression.

‘Terribly.’ He smiled.

The really extraordinary thing was she smiled back. ‘Whatever looks I have they haven’t done me much good,’ she said wryly.

‘But I understood from Chloe you’re a fashion editor on a magazine? If they wanted someone to look the part you had to be it.’

‘Why thank you, Rory.’

He smiled. ‘If I know anything about women, it’s they like to be complimented now and then.’

‘True. Okay, my looks were important there,’ she conceded. ‘But I wanted a happy marriage far more than a successful career. I wanted children. I wanted family. I wanted years and years and years of watching my kids grow up. I wanted grandchildren. I wanted my husband and myself to grow old together, still in love.’

He gave her a searching look. ‘A lot of wants, Allegra. You didn’t try for a family?’ God a man would so want a child with her.

There was pain in her expression. ‘You don’t know when to quit do you? That’s a very personal question.’

‘Maybe, but I’m in pursuit of truth here. It so happens, I’m looking for a wife.’

Her heart did a somersault in her breast. ‘Is that your next career move?’ Somehow she gave the question an edge of sarcasm.

‘Sure is. Total commitment,’ he confirmed.

‘Don’t dare look at me.’ She issued the warning with a little laugh. ‘I won’t be thinking of marriage for a long, long time.’

‘Afraid?’

‘You bet!’ she answered swiftly. ‘I made one mistake. I’m sure you’ll appreciate I’ll be very cautious about making another. To be honest, Rory, I didn’t see your offer coming.’ She gave him a sparkling glance.

‘I didn’t make one, did I? Hell, I’m as cautious as you, Allegra. But I have to tell you, you impress me.’ He made a mock study of her as though she were a possible candidate. ‘You’re a highly desirable woman in any man’s language, but there’s that wary bit we both share.’

‘Maybe you’d be more in tune with Chloe?’ she suggested. ‘And here I was thinking you were simply looking to buy a property?’

‘But I am,’ he assured her. ‘It was you who introduced the subject telling me you wanted children. I feel the same way I want a wife and family. It’s predictable I suppose. I never really had one.’

‘So what’s wrong with advertising?’ she suggested helpfully.

‘Nothing whatsoever,’ he said. ‘We guys live in such isolation it’s not easy to find partners.’

‘I understand that,’ she said, ‘having been reared on the land. I have a feeling, though, if you do advertise you’ll be inundated with answers.’

‘I’m counting on it. In the meantime, there’s you!’ He flickered a silver glance at her.

It was pathetic, but thrills ran down her spine. ‘It’s like I told you, Rory Compton. Count me out!’

His handsome face was openly mocking. ‘I know better than to argue.’

‘That’s a relief.’ She felt a flush over her whole body.

Footsteps echoed in the hallway. In the next minute Chloe bustled in, eyes wide as she tried to gauge the atmosphere. From the look that came over her face she could have suspected amazing sex on the kitchen table. ‘What in the world are you doing?’ she asked, transferring her glance from one to the other.

‘My fault,’ Rory said, and flashed Allegra a smile.

Chloe’s cheeks smarted. ‘I just thought you might need some help?’

‘We’re fine thanks, Chloe,’ Allegra said pleasantly. ‘You can play Mother and wheel the trolley out if you like.’

Forty minutes later Rory was sitting in the passenger seat of the station Jeep with Chloe at the wheel. So far he could see work around Naroom had all but come to a stop. Why wouldn’t it without an overseer to run it? Whatever had persuaded Mrs Sanders to sack her late husband’s right hand man? It didn’t make sense unless that was confirmation she had no intention of remaining on the land. Even then it was counter productive to allow the property to decline. He had seen around the homestead and liked it. It was spacious, comfortable, attractive. The outbuildings for the most part were in good condition. Now he asked Chloe to stop while he spoke to one of the stockmen who was driving a small mob of healthy looking beasts towards the creek.

‘We’d be mighty pleased if a good man could buy the place,’ the stockman confided within minutes of Rory’s calling out to him. He was only too ready to talk and hopefully hold on to his job. ‘Things have gone from bad to worse since the Boss died and Jack left. Jack Nelson was the overseer here for the past ten years with no complaints from the Boss, but Jack and the Missus couldn’t see eye to eye. Or even half an eye come to that. She never wanted to spend any money maintaining the place. It was a real battle trying to get any money out of her for anything, even paying the vet. Jack reckoned she was only waiting for a buyer so she could sell up. The only one who loves the place is Miss Allegra. Miss Chloe now—I can see her back there in the Jeep—you want to strap yourself in—she won’t do no rough work. Not much of a rider, either, which is pretty funny when to see Miss Allegra in the saddle does a man’s heart good. She can handle most of the jobs on the station, too. Her dad taught her. Chloe, now, always liked to spend her time indoors with her mum. Both of them are bone lazy if you ask me. Hell, don’t tell her that. I could lose my job.’ He shut up abruptly.

Back in the Jeep Rory would have liked to suggest he take over the driving but didn’t want to hurt Chloe’s feelings. She didn’t so much steer as wrestle with the wheel. One of her little foibles was hitting as many pot holes and partially submerged rocks as she could, sniffing them out like a heat-seeking missile. It was almost as if it were her bounden duty. Then she groaned aloud as the vehicle reacted with a stomach churning kangarooing. Excuses ranged from, ‘Whoops, didn’t see that!’ to ‘That wasn’t there last time!’ Maintenance on the Jeep would run heavily to shock absorbers he reckoned.

‘What did Gallagher have to say?’ she asked when they resumed their seats after another bout of catapulting.

Rory thought it better not to pass on Gallagher’s indiscretions. ‘Nothing much. Just saying hello.’

‘It’s a wonder Mum didn’t sack him along with Jack Nelson,’ Chloe muttered, incredibly clipping a branch of a tree.

‘Why’s that?’ Rory wondered how Chloe could possibly drive in a city or even a small town without hitting everything in her path. He even began to wonder if she’d had any proper driving lessons or simply got behind the wheel one day without bothering about lessons or a licence. He recalled he and Jay could drive around the station from a very early age.

‘Cheeky bugger! Not respectful enough to Mum or me.’ Chloe bridled.

‘Who, Nelson or Gallagher?’ Both that voice in his head said.

‘Both,’ Chloe confirmed, her pretty mouth tightening. ‘It would be wonderful if you really liked the place, Rory. No one ever thought Dad would die so young. Mum and I are lost without him. Running a station needs a man. Dad needed a son. Instead he got Allegra and me,’ she said wryly. ‘I stayed. I was the loyal one. Allegra cleared off as soon as she could.’

‘Oh, yes, when was this?’ He tried not to sound too interested when he found himself avid for information.

‘She insisted on going to university while I had to stay at home. Mum needed me. It’s so lonely out here a girl could go ape. Afterwards Allegra landed a magazine job. We all know why. She’s the perfect clothes horse and she does have good taste although it took a few years before she got the big promotion.’

‘Was this before or after she married?’ Rory asked, intrigued Allegra might have kept working when she had married a rich man.

‘The promotion?’ She took such a lengthy look at him, Rory was forced to put a steadying hand on the wheel.

‘Yes.’

Chloe placed her hand gently over his and took a while to take it off. ‘She was fashion editor when she met Mark. She could easily have quit her job and devoted herself to being a good wife to Mark, but she didn’t. I think a man deserves that, don’t you? He’s such a lovely man, too, and she dumped him. I ask you! Dump the love of your life?’

‘Obviously he wasn’t,’ Rory suggested, not trying all that hard to dull the sarcasm.

‘Seems not,’ Chloe sighed and headed into a clump of brambles. ‘Mum and I really took to him. He’s so handsome and clever and rich and he worshipped her. It’s a bit weird isn’t it the way men worship beautiful women? I mean beauty’s only a tiny fraction of what a real woman is all about. I tell you when she left him Mum and I were gobsmacked. We even thought he might top himself.’

‘Surely not!’ Rory groaned before he could help himself. ‘Your father liked him, too?’ He wanted some perspective on the worshipping husband. Not that he exactly blamed him, tiny fraction or not.

Pretty Chloe scowled darkly. ‘Oh, as far as Dad was concerned no one was good enough for Allegra!’ she said, her voice betraying her intense jealousy. ‘You’ve no idea what it was like for me when we were growing up. Allegra always wanting the attention and getting it from Dad. Allegra could be an absolute pig!’ She paused a moment to cool down. She didn’t want Rory getting the wrong idea about her. ‘We’re half sisters, you know.’

‘Allegra did tell me,.’ Rory admitted, surprised they were any relation at all.

‘She would. No matter how much Mum and I tried she would never let us love her and Mum’s the sweetest woman who ever drew breath.’

Rory fought a wry smile.

‘I hesitate to say this,’ Chloe continued with some relish, ‘in fact it hurts me, but it might help you understand. My beautiful sister is pretty shallow. I don’t think there’s a man alive who could make her happy.’ To reinforce her opinion Chloe hit the steering wheel with her open palm.

Sibling rivalry could be absolutely deadly Rory thought. Potentially so could Chloe’s driving. ‘That’s your opinion, Chloe, is it? And what about you?’ Rory kept his eyes glued ahead for more likely obstacles. If he’d only known what going for a drive with Chloe held in store! ‘What are your plans if and when the station is sold?’

Chloe swung her head to beam at him. A woman just waiting to be hit by Cupid’s arrow. ‘I’m going to find myself a man,’ she confessed with a dimpled grin. ‘I’m going to have a Big White Wedding I’ll always remember. And I won’t have Allegra for my damned bridesmaid,’ she tacked on wrathfully, heading towards a solitary gum tree like it was a designated pit stop. ‘You can be sure of that!’.

Rory gently nudged the wheel. ‘Obviously a sore point?’ The reason wasn’t lost on him.

‘Well, I won’t want her upstaging me on the best day of my life.’ Inexplicably she braked hard as if they were coming to a set of traffic lights mysteriously erected in the bush. ‘Can you blame me?’ Satisfied about whatever it was—he didn’t have a clue—she picked up speed again. ‘I won’t even let her meet my husband until after we’re married just to be on the safe side. I won’t be like her, either. Sadly she could only stay married five minutes. Marriage is forever, Rory, don’t you think?’

He must have lost a layer of skin. Either that or it was the way Chloe was affecting him. ‘Absolutely,’ he said, ‘or I’d want my money back.’

They insisted he stay for a late lunch again prepared and served by Allegra who, as far as Rory could see, could get a job at a top restaurant.

‘Great meal, Allegra,’ he complimented her. In fact it was the best meal he’d had for quite a while, outside dinner with the Cunninghams.

Chloe blushed fiercely. ‘It’s only a chicken dish,’ she pointed out with a flick of the head, though she had not only overloaded her plate she had scoffed the lot.

‘The secret’s in the spices,’ Allegra told him, ignoring her sister, instead of giving her the thump on the back of the head she deserved. ‘I’d be glad to give you the recipe to hand on.’

‘Perfect,’ he said.

‘Hand on? Who to?’ Chloe looked baffled, staring from one to the other in an effort to get them to divulge the secret.

‘Rory is compiling a cookbook to hand over to his future wife,’ Allegra said.

‘Good heavens! Are you really?’ Chloe looked fascinated by such a thing. After all she had a glory box.

‘I hadn’t been thinking of it,’ Rory confessed. ‘Now I’m convinced I should do it.’

‘Anyone special in your life, Rory?’ Valerie asked, irritated beyond measure by the constant exchanges between their visitor and Allegra and trying none too successfully not to show it.

He shook his head. ‘No, not really, Mrs. Sanders.’ He gave her an easy smile.

‘What’s wrong with all the girls then?’ Valerie favoured him with a girlish one of her own. ‘I would have thought you’d be fighting them off?’

Chloe, mouth slightly open, looked like she felt exactly the same way.

‘A man doesn’t get to meet too many where I come from,’ Rory explained. ‘The desert is about as remote as one can get.’

‘Well then I’m sure you’ll do better here,’ Valerie said with great satisfaction, aiming a fond glance in her daughter’s direction.

Rory vowed there and then not to give Chloe the slightest encouragement.

He took his leave of them thirty minutes later saying he’d have to think things over before getting back to them.

‘Naturally’ Valerie smiled and touched him gently on the arm. ‘We have to put our heads together, too.’

‘Walk out to the car with me.’ Rory managed to get off a quick aside to Allegra as Valerie wheeled about to have a word—never mind what it was—with her daughter.

‘Very well.’ Allegra led the way down the front steps, fully expecting Chloe to seize the moment and race after them. All right, Chloe didn’t normally race, but there was always the first time. She had obviously taken a shine to Rory. Even Valerie had broken out into sunny smiles. One had to be a good looking young man to get one.

Strangely Chloe didn’t come after them. There was only one explanation. It was too hot. ‘So do you want to tell me your thoughts now?’ she asked as Rory fell in alongside her. She really liked the way she had to look up to him. In her high heels she and Mark had been fairly level.

‘Your stepmother made a huge tactical error sacking your overseer,’ he commented in a crisp voice.

‘Tell me something I don’t know,’ she sighed. ‘Jack got on with everybody.’ Except Valerie.

‘Obviously he found it pretty hard going with your stepmother.’

Not wanting to criticise Valerie, Allegra said nothing.

‘Surely you have a big stake in seeing the place is run properly?’ Rory prompted, looking down at her flaming head. For some reason—again beyond him—he felt he could talk to her like he’d known her for ever. She was tall for a woman, around five-eight but to him she felt small. Indeed he’d had extreme difficulty keeping the feel of her out of his dreams. But there was no way he could volunteer that.

‘That’s why I’m here.’ She showed a little flash of temper. ‘Losing Dad was a great blow for all of us. Dad was the one who held us all together. With him gone I’m very much afraid I’ll be minus what family I have left. Val and I never did get on.’

‘Actually I can understand that,’ he said laconically.

When Val had been on her best behaviour, Allegra thought. He should come on them unexpectedly. ‘The thing is I was fatally blemished in my stepmother’s eyes because I resemble my mother. Val suffered from the second wife syndrome. It’s a very hurtful and wounding situation.’

Rory nodded. ‘Skewed by the dagger of jealousy! Have you all come to some agreement on an asking price?’

‘Not as yet,’ she said.

‘You are going to be able to work it out, right?’ he asked dryly.

‘Don’t worry, we will. I take it you feel you can do something with the place?’

‘Not feel, know,’ he said, sounding utterly confident.

‘Ah, the arrogance of achievement!’ she said. ‘Word is you ran your family station?’

‘Jay and I.’ He put her straight. ‘I love my brother.’

‘But he’s not the cattleman in the family?’

‘Would you believe he wanted to be a doctor?’

She picked up on the sadness, the regret. ‘So, what stopped him? What finer calling could there be?’

‘He’s my father’s heir, Allegra,’ he pointed out. ‘That says it all.’

‘Okay. I understand. And I don’t.’ For total strangers they had moved quickly to a very real communication, no matter how edgy. ‘It seems to me Jay should have fought for his dream, instead of letting it die a slow death.’

‘Only life has a way of falling short of our dreams,’ he said, ever sensitive to any criticism of his brother. ‘So what decided you to scuttle your dream?’ he questioned, combining a real desire to know with that little flash of sexual hostility.

‘Scuttle is entirely the wrong word.’ She gave him her own admonishing glance. ‘I wanted to cure the situation. My dream was to find harmony and fulfilment. I thought I had a fighting chance with Mark but it blew up in my face like Krakatoa.’

‘So you took the only course open to you. You bolted?’ He was determined to know.

‘What does anyone do when they find out they’ve made a big mistake,’ she asked, very soberly. ‘Now I’ve got to get my life back on track. Incidentally I’m stunned I’m talking like this to a near stranger.’

‘It is a bit eerie,’ he agreed. ‘I’m not always like this with strange women, either. Then again we can think of it as pouring out a life story to the person sitting next to us on a plane.’

She laughed. ‘I assure you I’ve never done it. There’s too much to you, Rory Compton. Darkness, Lightness. Now I think back, I realise I was running away. I love Naroom. I love station life. After all it’s what I was bred to. Yet I was impelled to change my life. It wasn’t the best reason to marry.’

‘You obviously weren’t prepared to stick it out for the next forty years.’

It was said in a voice that so infuriated her, she wanted to slap him. ‘It strikes me that’s none of your business.’

‘True. It’s just that I’m dying to know. How long was it again?’

‘I repeat. None of your business, Compton,’ she returned coolly. ‘You don’t approve of what I did, do you?’ She came to a standstill staring up into his dynamic face.

He almost reached out to tuck a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. ‘I don’t approve of divorce in general, Allegra, being a child of divorce. Not unless there’s a very good and pressing reason. Which you may well have. Forgive me for not minding my own business.’

‘You know what they say. Curiosity killed the cat.’

‘Curiosity isn’t the right word. It implies a passing interest. I aspire to seeing more of you, Miss Allegra. For better or worse, we seem to have bonded. I haven’t as yet figured out why. There’s one thing jumps to mind. Your cooking. A woman’s ability to put out a good meal finds high favour with most men. Other things about you, however, could scare me.’

She acknowledged the mocking glitter in his eyes with a tight smile. ‘It’s hard to believe any woman could scare you. By the way, it amazes me—I’m not a short woman—but just looking up at you makes me feel dizzy.’

Hell, he felt dizzy just looking down at her. ‘Would you believe you appear small to me?’

‘Then I’ll definitely stick to high heels,’ she said.

He had a sudden vision of her walking up the Cunningham’s staircase, with him admiring her legs. ‘When you get to know me you’ll realise I am scarable,’ he said with a grin. ‘Is that a word?’

‘They let in new words every day.’ They walked on. ‘I know you worry about your brother. I know you’re desperately unhappy beneath the dark Byronic façade.’

‘Please.’ So self-assured, he looked embarrassed.

She decided being able to embarrass him pleased her. ‘Okay,’ she scoffed. ‘So there’s too much romance about Byron for you. Do you know I actually cooked that special lunch for you today because you’ve lost weight even since we met.’

‘Well fancy!’ He gasped in mock surprise. ‘You mean you’ve been studying me with those amazing blue eyes?’

‘I figure if you can look, so can I,’ she answered crisply. ‘Why did you want me to walk with you? Any particular reason?’

‘I’m certain you walk a lot faster than Chloe,’ was his flippant response. ‘Why? Did you have something better to do? Like spend more time with your stepmother and sister?’

‘Your family’s not everything it should be.’ She struck back.

‘Indeed it’s not,’ he agreed with a rasp in his voice. ‘When you think about it, Allegra, the two of us have lived through a lot of stuff. Though I’ve never had the unfortunate experience of being burned by a bad marriage.’

‘What about singed by a love affair that went wrong?’ she asked with feigned sweetness.

He only smiled. ‘Not yet.’

‘Don’t lay money on it not happening,’ she said. ‘Falling in love is a dangerous business.’

‘And your love for your ex-husband wasn’t unconditional?’

‘You’re making me angry, Rory,’ she said. In fact he was making her heart pound.

‘And I don’t blame you. I apologise. You raise my blood pressure, too.’

They had reached his Toyota, now Rory opened the driver’s door.

‘Don’t count on getting this place cheap, either,’ she warned, conscious her body was throbbing in the oddest way.

‘Then I’ll blame you for pushing up the price.’ He turned to fully face her.

They were so close, on a panicked reflex, Allegra stepped back, her heart almost leaping into her throat. It was her turn for embarrassment to wash over her.

‘So long, Allegra,’ he said, his eyes holding a wealth of mockery. He sketched a brief salute. ‘I’ll get back to you in a day or two.’

‘You’ve made up your mind now,’ She slammed his door shut, beating him to it.

He studied her through the open window. The sun was turning her glowing head to fire. ‘Be sure of it,’ he said.