A Most Determined Bachelor

‘I’ve already told you,’ he snarled. ‘However, I’ll spell it out again. The situation is this—I have no wish for a girl such as yourself to be living in my house. Is that clear enough?’

‘Perfectly clear... although it’s beyond me to know exactly what it is about me you’re so afraid of,’ she said with cold dignity. She took a long, deep breath. ‘So, what will you do about Robin?’

‘I’ll appeal to Miss Coster for help,’ Ryan informed her smoothly. ‘I shall make it worth her while to take care of the boy.’ He turned to the older woman. ‘Will you agree to do so, Kate? You can either stay here or take him to your cottage.’

Kate Coster looked so startled by the suggestion she could only gape at him. Nor did she appear to be particularly pleased by it. She frowned, and although her thin lips opened, no sound came from them.

‘It’ll be worth your while, Kate.’ Ryan pursued softly.

‘You know I can be generous when the mood takes me.’

‘Oh, yes, I do indeed,’ Kate admitted. ‘Oh...well...I...I suppose I’ll do it,’ she said with reluctance. ‘But he’ll have to be a very good boy and do everything I say at once. I shall not tolerate the slightest disobedience. Do you understand, Robin?’ She glared at the boy menacingly.

Judy was appalled by Kate’s manner and attitude. The woman’s a fool, she thought. She might have been a school teacher, but this was not the way to deal with children—especially Robin—and not for one moment would she consider leaving him in Kate’s care. But the boy had been sent to Ryan. She herself had delivered him. And because Ryan had no wish for her to be in his home the situation had become problematic.

Robin’s voice rose on the air. ‘I don’t want to be left with her,’ he wailed tearfully.

The boy’s loud protests were ignored by Ryan. ‘Well, that’s settled, then,’ he said with easy satisfaction. ‘Kate will take over. I’m sure everything will work out well. OK, Kate—he’s all yours.’

‘No...no...no...’ Robin shouted, while clinging even more tightly to Judy, at the same time beginning to stamp his feet.

‘Stop this nonsense at once,’ Kate snapped at him.

‘Don’t leave me, Judy,’ he pleaded between gasps of weeping. ‘Please, Judy...don’t leave me with her—’

Judy began to feel desperate, her frustrations almost bursting within her as she put her arms about Robin in an effort to comfort him. She was assailed by a feeling of helplessness, and then Robin’s pleadings gave rise to another question, which she flung at Ryan above the noise of the boy’s weeping. Glaring at him above Robin’s head, she demanded wrathfully, ‘Mr Ellison—would it be too much to ask what plans you have in mind for me? As you intend throwing me out of your house, shall I be left on the road or tossed into the sea?’ Agitation caused her voice to shake.

‘Nothing so drastic, Miss Arledge,’ he retorted coldly. ‘If you’ll come over to the window I’ll show you where you’ll be sleeping this evening. It’s not far away.’ He strode across the room and stood waiting for her to join him.

Judy had already noticed that most of the windows faced the ocean, and now curiosity caused her to comply with his request. Keeping her arm about Robin, she drew him with her as she went to stand beside Ryan.

He pointed towards the left, where two wide buildings were situated near the waterfront. They were surrounded by lawns and gardens. ‘The first building is a motel,’ he explained. ‘The second is its restaurant. If the motel hasn’t a vacancy I’ll find you one elsewhere, and tomorrow I’ll arrange for your return flight to Christchurch. There’s no need for you to worry about anything. Robin will be quite all right with Kate. He’ll get over his upset.’

But Ryan’s words set Robin off again. Sobs shook his body as he said between gasps, ‘I want to be with Judy. I don’t want to be with...with that other one. I don’t like her. She’s crabby and cross.’ The wails grew louder.

Kate’s stern tones rose above the din Robin was creating. ‘Didn’t I tell you to stop this nonsense at once?’ she scolded. ‘You will come with me and have your face and hands washed.’ She crossed the room and grabbed his arm, making an effort to drag him away from Judy.

But the action had dire results. Robin threw himself into one of his famous tantrums, which was something Judy had been secretly fearing. His sobs switched to loud yells as he wrenched his arm from Kate’s grasp. His small fists flayed at her, then his leg swung as he kicked her on the shin with his heavy winter shoe.

Kate sprang back with a horrified shriek. ‘You little brat—’ she ranted furiously. ‘This is a tantrum if ever I’ve seen one.’

‘That’s right,’ Judy informed her calmly. ‘Robin’s very good at tantrums. I’ve seen quite a few of them.’

‘Hell’s teeth—can’t you shut him up?’ Ryan barked at her.

His tone brought Judy’s own temper seething to the top. ‘Now you listen to me, Ryan Ellison,’ she raged at him above the noise of the boy’s gasping sobs. ‘Robin is my responsibility and I won’t desert him if he’s not happy. If I go to that motel he comes with me. Is that understood? And you can explain the reason for it to his grandmother.’ Her face flushed as she held Robin in her protective embrace.

As if by magic her words silenced the boy, who had grasped their meaning without any trouble. His oear-filled eyes gazed up at Judy imploringly as he pleaded, ‘Promise, Judy... Promise you won’t leave me? Promise... promise... promise...’

‘Yes, darling, I promised.’ She opened her shoulder bag and drew out a bundle of tissues. ‘Wipe your eyes and blow your nose...there’s a good boy. And don’t let’s have any more fuss.’

Ryan made no secret of his relief. ‘At least you seem to be able to control him.’

Kate examined her shin, then demanded aggressively, ‘How often do these tantrums occur?’

‘Only when he feels very deeply about something,’ Judy informed her. Then she sighed and went on in a resigned tone, ‘If you’ll pardon my frankoess, I can only point out that your manner towards Robin was stern and bossy for no reason at all. It made him feel frightened and insecure. Anyone who is accustomed to dealing with young children would have realised that he’s had a long and tiring day. He was up early, leaving all that’s familiar, to catch a plane from Christchurch to Wellington, and then there was a wait before boarding a different plane to Napier. After all, he’s only six.’

‘The little man has had a busy day,’ Ryan drawled in what sounded like a more kindly tone.

Judy pursued her efforts to make excuses for Robin. ‘And that is not all. You—Mr Ellison—have made no secret of the fact that you don’t want me here. That’s upset him badly because I’m his link with security and all that’s familiar.’ She paused to take a deep breath, then went on warningly, ‘If I agree to your plan and leave him here, he’s likely to sob his heart out for most of the night And when he becomes upset to that extent he’s liable to wet the bed—and I’m not just talking about tears on the pillow!’

‘Bedwetting!’ The word was jerked out of Kate with a gasp of horror. ‘Oh, dear...oh, dear...we can’t have that.’ She turned a pathetic face towards Ryan. ‘I’m sorry...I don’t think I can cope with the boy. I’m too old. I’m beyond handling children who can be as difficult as this one. I’m afraid you’ll have to make other arrangements—’

‘It’s all right, Kate,’ Ryan said irritably. ‘I suppose Miss Arledge will have to stay here after all.’ He sighed, as though the thought exasperated him.

Judy looked at him with disdain while wondering what on earth had made her imagine she’d like to get to know this man better. Then her tone became scathing as she said, ‘Thanks a million for the charm and warmth of your invitation, Mr Ellison. However, I can assure you that staying here is the last thing I wish to do.’

His mouth twisted slightly as he frowned at her. ‘So—what action do you intend to take?’

Feeling suddenly exhausted, Judy spoke wearily, ‘If you’ll be good enough to take me to the motel, I’ll stay there as you suggested—providing they have a vacancy, of course. Robin will come with me and tomorrow we’ll go back to Christchurch. It’s as simple as that.’

‘I’m afraid it’s not as simple as that,’ he retorted, in a voice as hard as granite. ‘The boy stays here with me. He’s been sent to me and there must be a reason for it. The dragon does nothing without a reason. Perhaps you can help me fathom it out—unless you’ve been sworn to secrecy?’

‘Secrecy? What utter rubbish!’ Judy exclaimed, while gaping at him incredulously. ‘I must say you’re a strange man with some very odd ideas, Mr Ellison.’

‘Am I indeed? Well, perhaps I’m approaching this from the wrong angle. Perhaps I’m being over-protective of my hermit’s cave—as Kate likes to refer to this place.’ He sent a mocking glance towards his housekeeper, then his manner changed as he took several steps closer to Judy and stood staring down into her face.

Speaking softy, and keeping his deep voice low, he said, ‘Judy—will you try to overlook these eccentricities you see in me? I’d be grateful if you’d stay so that we can talk this over.’

So, she had suddenly become Judy, she noticed. And why was her previous attraction towards this man rearing its head again? It was something she’d have to control, and to prevent him from seeing any hint of eagerness in her eyes she turned to stare through the window as she said, ‘Very well, I’ll stay—but we’ll talk only after Robin has been fed and put to bed.’ Despite her calm assertion, the thought of spending the evening with this man made her pulses quicken.

CHAPTER TWO

RYAN turned to Kate with a request. ‘Perhaps you could show Judy the food we have in the fridge? I’m sure she’ll find something suitable for Robin. While you’re doing that I’ll bring her suitcase up from the Range Rover.’

Kate sniffed and led the way to the kitchen. ‘Rather you than me with that boy,’ she muttered, with a hint of sympathy.

Judy rose to the child’s defence. ‘He’s a dear little boy and I’m very fond of him.’ Then she smiled disarmingly. ‘After all, most children become cross when they’re tired and hungry.’

Kate sniffed again as she opened the large fridge. ‘Then you’d better let him have some of this meat and vegetable casserole. You can heat it up in the microwave. Or perhaps you’d prefer to give him a plain boiled egg with fingers of toast. I’ll leave you to make up your own mind about it. Goodnighl’

Judy watched her open a door in the kitchen, then make her way down a back stairway. Miss Coster, she realised, was feeling disgruntled with the world in general, but there was little that she herself could do about it A sigh escaped her as she searched for a small saucepan in which to boil an egg. Robin, she knew, was in no state to be confronted by vegetables, whereas he enjoyed poking toast soldiers into a softly boiled egg.

An hour later, with a very drowsy small boy fed and put to bed, Judy was feeling more relaxed. She had renewed her make-up, and had changed into a damson-colored dress which made her eyes seem a shade purple. She was also feeling more confident, and as she sat opposite Ryan in the living room, while sipping a delicious Spanish sherry, it was hard to believe that this was the same man who’d been so annoyed when he’d learnt she was not Mrs Fulton.

To her relief, he now appeared to be resigned to her presence, and was treating her as a normal guest instead of something untouchable that had found its way into his hermit’s cave. The fact that he had no wish to entertain a young woman such as herself appeared to have been forgotten. Or had it been temporarily put on hold until he’d learnt all she could tell him?

However, he didn’t rush matters, and her crystal glass had been refilled before the questions began. It was enough to make her realise that the sherry was intended to loosen her tongue, although she knew there was little she could tell him.

Ryan leaned back in his chair, his long legs stretched before him, his olive-green eyes hooded as they examined the liquid in his glass. ‘OK... so tell me about the workings of the dragon’s mind,’ he requested lazily.

Judy laughed. ‘I’m afraid it’s beyond my powers to do that.’

Frowning, he said, ‘As I remarked earlier, she does nothing without a reason—and as she’s never gone to this extent before, I can’t help wondering what it is.’

Judy shook her head vaguely. ‘Apart from bronchial trouble, I can’t imagine what it can be—although I can hardly believe she’d send Robin to Napier without giving you a reason.’

He shrugged. ‘Only the one about his need for a warmer climate. Is he really bronchial?’

‘To be honest, I’ve never noticed it,’ she admitted.

Ryan continued to frown as he said, ‘If it was so imperative for him to come to Napier, why didn’t Verna bring him? After all, she’s his mother. Or Mrs Simmons herself?’

Judy had no wish to discuss Hilda Simmons or Verna. She wanted to learn a little more about this man, whose masculinity stirred something deep within her. But she knew he expected an answer, therefore she said, ‘It seems that Verna had already left for a skiing holiday a few days before Mrs Simmons decided upon this move. The snow is supposed to be really good further south, near Queenstown.’

His mouth tightened. ‘I’ll bet it is. It’s also mighty thick on Mount Ruapehu, where rm supposed to be skiing at present However, this business of young Robin was thrust upon me.’

She felt perturbed. ‘Are you saying you’ve had to forgo your own holiday?’

‘That’s it exactly.’

‘Why didn’t you refuse by explaining it was inconvenient?’

‘Because I was reminded that I owed her, and that I owed Verna. It had a strong smell of blackmail about it, but I decided that if the dragon imagined I was in their debt I would prefer to be free of it.’ He sipped his sherry, his eyes slightly narrowed as he went on, ‘Do you ever get the feeling there’s more to a situation than meets the eye? That’s how I feel about this. There’s something I just can’t put my finger on. Are you sure she didn’t say anything else?’

His last words jerked Judy’s memory. ‘Well...she did say she thought Robin would be safe with you.’

‘Safe?’ He sat up straight and stared at her. ‘What did she mean by that? Safe from what, may I ask?’

Judy shook her head. ‘I haven’t a clue. I asked, but she brushed the question aside.’

‘Well. that settles it,’ he rasped irritably. ‘The dragon has definitely got some plot simmering.’

The statement confirmed Judy’s own thoughts, but all she said was, ‘Vema will probably be able to explain...when she arrives.’

His face became a mask. ‘Verna is coming here?’

‘Of course. Didn’t her mother tell you? She’ll come to fetch Robin at the end of the school holidays. It’ll probably please you to learn that I was ordered to return to Christchurch almost at once.’

‘So I’m likely to have Verna here instead of yourself?’

She nodded. ‘Perhaps sooner than you expect.’ How did he feel about that? she wondered, covertly watching his face and hoping for a reaction to the thought of Verna’s arrival. But his expression remained unfathomable, and she then tried to tell herself that the question had no real interest for her. Or did it?

After that a silence hung between them, until she glanced at her watch and was amazed to see how the minutes had slipped by. A hunger pang told her it was time she ate, and hesitantly she said, ‘I’ve no wish to appear to be taking over your kitchen, but—would you like me to do something about the food Miss Coster has left in the fridge?’

Ryan took a hasty glance at his own watch. ‘Yes, it’s time we had supper. Let’s do things together. I’ll find cutlery and tablemats while you put whatever you wish into the microwave.’

She stood up and moved towards the kitchen. ‘Let’s do things together’, he’d said. It sounded pleasant, but of course she knew that he meant nothing of a familiar nature, and the sooner she controlled her wayward thoughts the better. Remember Alan Draper, she reminded herself. All men are the same.

As he took plates from kitchen cupboards he said, ‘While you’re here you’ll be attending to meals, so as far as the kitchen is concerned—it’s all yours.’

‘Thank you—I’ll take care of it’ She smiled while studying which elements to switch on beneath the previously prepared carrots, Brussels sprouts and potatoes—the latter to be mashed.

He came to her aid, standing close enough for his arm to brush her own as he pointed out the various heating areas on the shiny black ceramic stove-top. It caused her to catch her breath, but she gave no sign of her racing pulses as she murmured a faint, ‘Thank you.’

If he noticed that her colour had risen slightly he ignored it by saying casually, ‘I must say you’re very good with Robin. A real little mother, in fact.’

Praise from Ryan was unexpected. It caused her colour to deepen.

He went on, ‘I was impressed by your care in making sure his teeth were cleaned before bedtime.’

A shaky laugh escaped her. ‘That’s because I was a dental nurse. You could say I’m very tooth-conscious.’ She paused, then went on ruefully, ‘You’ll notice I said was a dental nurse.’

‘You were made redundant?’ he asked, while eyeing her sharply.

‘Not exactly.’ She spoke with quiet dignity. ‘Until recently I worked for a dentist who had a one-man practice. The poor man died from a brain haemorrhage. His death put me out of a job, and so far I haven’t found another.’

Judy sighed while recalling the morning she’d been phoned by a tearful newly widowed woman and given the sad news. She’d been told to cancel all appointments, then shut the door and go home. Later she’d assisted by settling accounts and making an inventory of all surgery equipment.

‘I don’t suppose dental nurse jobs are very thick on the ground,’ Ryan said, while watching the shadows of sadness linger on her face.

‘They’re not...that’s why I was free to bring Robin to you. But that’s enough about me. You can’t possibly be interested.’ Then, feeling a change of subject was indicated, she said with sincerity, ‘I’m sorry your holiday has been disrupted—although there’s nothing to stop you from keeping to your plans. Robin and I would be all right staying here, so long as you don’t object to us occupying your house while you’re away.’

He said nothing while opening red wine and placing it in a bottle-holder. Then his mouth tightened as he remarked in a mocking tone, ‘You sound as if my absence would be preferable to my presence.’

‘It wouldn’t matter to me one way or the other,’ she responded coolly, while knowing this to be a lie.

He met her blue-eyed gaze steadily. ‘Aren’t you forgetting the small matter of the boy being safe with me? While you’re both in Napier I intend to remain close.’

Judy’s smooth brow wrinkled as she put portions of the casserole into the microwave. ‘I’m still unable to understand what Mrs Simmons meant by that,’ she admitted.

‘Me too—but you can bet that the dragon had something in mind. She’s very astute.’

Judy did not pursue the subject. She knew Hilda Simmons well enough to realise that her neighbour was inclined to dramatise and exaggerate most situations. Nor did she wish to mentally dwell upon the older woman, and in an effort to clear her thoughts she found herself wishing that the present amicability between herself and this man could be a little deeper than the mere surface.

A short time later, while serving him with food at his own table, she began to enjoy herself. It was like being his hostess, and she became aware of a small, happy glow of excitement within her. Despite his initial antagonism there was something about him that appealed to her. The shaded lights gave an aura of inscrutability to his clean-cut features, and she wondered about the direction of his thoughts. Was it possible they’d ever rest upon herself with any degree of friendship? Or was he even now happily contemplating the thought of Verna’s arrival?

As if to confound her, he raised his wine glass and said, ‘Here’s to our better acquaintance.’

Automatically she raised her own glass while repeating his words. Did he mean them? she wondered. In an effort to clear the confusion from her mind she stared through the alcove window to where the full moon hung like a silver dollar over this tranquil corner of the South Pacific Ocean. Darkness had now fallen, and the curve of the bay was brilliantly outlined by house and streetlights situated round the shore. Close at hand, and below the window, cars sped along the seafront road, the muted swish of their passing making the room seem like a haven of peace.

He said, ‘You’ve become very quiet and thoughtful. What’s put you in this mood?’

She raked in her mind for a logical reply, but could only come up with, ‘You spoke of our better acquaintance—but you’re ahead of me. You know much more about me than I know about you. It’s hardly fair.’

His dark brows rose. ‘Didn’t the dragon give you a nmning commentary on my entire life?’

‘Why would she do that?’ Judy said carefully, knowing it would be unthinkable to tell him what Hilda Simmons had said concerning his land activities—or that she considered he should have married Verna years ago.

He helped himself to more mashed potatoes. ‘Well—if you’re really interested—I grow food for export.’

‘What sort of food? Unless you think I’m prying...?’

He paused, as though wondering where to begin, then, staring into his wine glass he said, ‘I grow apples for export to the UK. Buttercup squash to go to Japan. There are acres of sweetcorn, where the cobs will end up frozen or in cans, also green peas that’ll receive a similar fate. There’s a large area of grapes, which will go to this country’s wine-makers, and in a couple of months’ time the asparagus cutters will arrive at dawn each morning to harvest the spears coming through the ground.’

Judy’s mind boggled as Hilda’s words flashed into her memory. ‘You must be a...a positive land baron,’ she exclaimed, the words just slipping out.

He regarded her through narrowed lids. ‘Land baron? That’s what Hilda Simmons always says... Are you sure she didn’t discuss me?’

Judy brushed the veiled accusation aside by asking, ‘How do you manage all these areas?’

‘Each section has its own manager, who is an expert in that particular line. He employs whatever staff he needs. We hold manager meetings to discuss procedure, like rotation of crops and the fertilisation of the soil. The ground has to be fed, you understand.’

She watched his lips as he spoke, noticing the sensuous lines of his mouth. He’d know how to kiss a girl, she found herself thinking, then dragged her thoughts back to a more even keel by saying, ‘I must say you seem very young to have become a land ba—I mean to have acquired so much land.’

Ryan shrugged. ‘I’m a mature thirty-two,’ he informed her. ‘Nor does the credit for land ownership rest with me. About a hundred years ago one of my paternal ancestors bought arable land when it was much less costly than it is today. It’s been passed down from father to son, some of whom added to it After the death of my parents it came to me. I feel it’s my duty to take care of it.’ A look of pain crossed his face.

‘You’re an only child?’ she asked gently.

‘That’s right’

‘What happened to your parents?’ She hardly knew how she dared ask the question, but something stronger than herself seemed to be at work. It was like a force that made her want to know more and more about this man.

Ryan spent several moments in silence before he said, ‘They were killed in a car accident. An idiot speeding to pass a car caused a head-on collision. It happened soon after I’d left school, so to keep myself sane I threw myself into farming, so that I could carry on where Dad had left off. I felt I owed it to him.’

‘I’m sorry,’ she said in a hushed voice, the thought of such an accident filling her with horror. At the same time sympathy made her long to reach out and touch him, and it was only with an effort that she kept her hands to herself.