My Estranged Lover (Middlemarch Shifters Book 5) (10 page)

Caroline studied the wicked expression in his eyes. Her tongue came out to moisten dry lips and his pupils dilated. “I…I’m looking forward to that.” Nothing less than the truth. Marsh thought she was beautiful. He’d touched her constantly during the last few days. In private, he’d kissed her, slipped his hand over her backside. In public, he’d slid his arm around her waist or placed his hand in the small of her back to guide her. She’d noticed her father-in-law’s sneer when they’d met him at the petrol station. It had been hard not to, but at least she understood now that her in-laws believed Marsh had killed his brother.

Not that she approved of their behavior.

A knock sounded on the door. “Hello,” a voice called.

Marsh opened the door to an older man with a full head of gray hair. His tanned face and the network of wrinkles spoke of a life spent outdoors but his smile held warmth and welcome. “Mr. Sinclair?”

“I told you on the phone. Everyone calls me Cam. You must be Caroline.” He offered his hand to both of them. “I’m pleased to have you here. Saber spoke well of you both, and I value his opinion. We’re having an informal get together up at the main house. Since it’s Sunday we try to take care of just the basic chores and let most of the men have the day off. Did you need any help with unloading?”

“We’ve got it,” Marsh said. “We have our clothes and a few personal possessions.”

“All right. Come when you’re ready. Some of the workers have arrived. The kids are playing on the lawn and making the most of the fine weather.” He lifted his head to sniff the air. “It won’t last much longer. Think we’ll have an early snowfall this year.”

“Thank you, Mr.—Cam,” Caroline said, taking an instant liking to the big man.

“Can we have a few words about the roster for this week?” Cam asked.

“I’ll organize the boys,” Caroline said.

She headed back inside and unpacked the boys’ clothes. Each of the single rooms had a built-in dresser and a wardrobe. The walls bore evidence of the earlier inhabitant, the bits of tape and pin holes indicating lots of posters. Cam had said they could paint or redecorate if they wanted. Maybe in their room and the lounge, but the boys might like to have posters.

“James, come and help me unpack your clothes and toys please.”

James appeared in the doorway. “The air smells different here.”

Caroline tucked underwear in a drawer. “Lots of things are different here. This is your room. We will meet the other people who live on the station soon, but you have time to unpack your books and toys. You can keep them in the bottom drawers. Okay?”

By the time Marsh came back inside, she’d made the three beds and started unpacking Marsh’s clothes. Marsh was frowning.

“Problem?”

“No, it’s a lot to take in. Glenshee Station is so big. They have a helicopter to muster the high country. I can have my own dogs if I want.”

“Could we get a dog for the boys?”

“I think that will be all right. Let’s settle in first and discuss the pet issue later. Are you ready to go?”

“Sure thing.” Caroline glanced at her rumpled dress, an attack of nerves at meeting new people and wanting to fit in so badly doing a number on her confidence. “Do you think I need to change?”

“Cam said it’s casual. Let’s go as we are. I’ll round up the troops.”

* * * * *

Marsh hurried away, his mind on his conversation with Cam. Saber had informed Cam that Caroline didn’t know about shifters. Cam had said he’d told everyone, but he expected Marsh to fill Caroline in sooner rather than later.

He knew Cam was right.

But revealing his true self terrified him.

Their relationship still teetered, and he thought he’d die if Caroline left him.

Then there was the fact their sons were feline since feline genes trumped human ones in the gene pool.

Aware that he needed honesty, he’d discussed this with Cam. Cam had given him a month. He said, and Marsh agreed, that the men who worked for him loved life at the station because they could change at whim. They shouldn’t have their lives disrupted because he worried about his human wife’s reaction.

“We’re ready,” Caroline said with a bright smile. She’d loosened her hair from the practical ponytail and colored her mouth with lipstick.

He closed the distance between them and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “You look stunning.” He clasped her hand. “Ready, boys? I’ll point out the new places as we go.”

James trotted ahead, Ricky following with his usual determination.

“Ricky is flagging,” Caroline said.

“We don’t have to stay for long, but it’s important to meet everyone.”

“I’m nervous.”

Marsh glanced at her. “Me too.”

They both laughed at that and walked up the wide gravel road to the main homestead. They passed several other houses that looked much like theirs. Some had gardens full of vivid-colored flowers while other lawns bore discarded toys.

“There aren’t many trees in the Mackenzie basin,” Caroline said.

“Not the place to come if you want to learn to climb trees,” Marsh agreed.

They rounded a bend, and the homestead came into view.

“Wow, it’s like something out of a magazine,” Caroline breathed, and Marsh heard the awe in her voice.

“Felix told me Cam’s grandparents built the house. They’ve added on as the years have passed.”

“Who does the gardens?”

“Both Cam and his wife enjoy growing things.”

Greenery contrasted with splashes of orange, yellow and red. A wide verandah supported hanging baskets filled with purple and white petunias. With his feline hearing, Marsh could hear the casual chatter and the shrieks of playing children.

A small boy ran into sight and as Marsh opened a white gate, he disappeared around the corner.

“The new people are here,” he shouted.

Marsh grinned and a glance at his sons told him they’d heard too. “This way,” he said, guiding Caroline to a path that ran around the house.

“How do you know?”

“That’s where the people are,” James said, answering for Marsh.

“I swear you have the hearing of bats,” Caroline said. “I can’t hear anything. Maybe I should get my hearing checked?”

“There is nothing wrong with your hearing.” James and Ricky ran around the corner. “Come on.” Marsh tugged her after him, registered the tremor of her hand and stopped. He cupped her face. “Don’t worry. They’ll all love you, especially once they taste your cooking.”

Chapter Six

Caroline allowed Marsh to tug her toward the cluster of strangers. She forced her shaky knees to bear her weight and toddled after him while praying she didn’t trip. This was so important. She had to make a good impression, for Marsh’s sake.

“Ah, good. You’re here,” Cam said. “I’ll introduce you.”

He led them from group to group, introducing them to everyone.

Both men and women were friendly, openly curious but made them welcome.

“Come and meet my wife,” Cam said to Caroline. “Maria is in the kitchen. I figured you might like to see where you’ll be working.”

Cam ushered Caroline inside to a spacious living room. Antique furniture combined with more modern, comfortable pieces to produce a welcoming ambience. Paintings of lakes and mountains covered part of one wall while several portraits stared at her with stern frowns from another. Her bare feet—bare since she’d insisted on removing her dusty shoes at the entrance—sank into the oatmeal-colored carpet.

“You have a beautiful house.”

“Thank you. My Maria has turned it into a home.” Affection shaded his voice as he led the way down a passage.

The scent of cooking drifted toward them. A roast of beef, by the delicious aroma.

“Maria, I’ve brought Caroline to meet you,” Cam hollered as he strode through an open door.

Caroline followed, instantly dazzled by the huge modern kitchen. Silver appliances and a large central island of marble.

A tall woman with dark brown hair grinned at them, her capable hands mixing what looked like a batch of bread. “I am so pleased to meet you, Caroline. You have no idea. None of the other women enjoy cooking, so when I learned you’re willing to step in and help me…color me thrilled.”

“I love cooking. It was a bonus when Cam said he’d be willing to pay me for doing something I enjoy.”

“I’ll leave you alone to discuss tactics,” Cam said. “Most of the staff are here.”

“Righto. I’ll bring out the snacks in ten minutes.”

Cam disappeared and Maria seemed to shrivel in front of her eyes.

“Are you all right?”

“I think I’m coming down with the flu,” Maria said. “I have no energy today.”

“Sit. Let me do that for you. Have you taken anything?”

“A couple of tablets for my headache.” Maria wavered on her feet and Caroline slipped her arm around the woman’s waist.

“You should be in bed.”

“Can’t. Someone has to feed the single men.”

“I can do it for you,” Caroline said, and placed her hand on Maria’s forehead. The woman had a temperature. “Tell me what you need doing. I’ll make a list and take care of the evening meal. Do you make breakfast as well?”

“And packed lunches.”

“Okay. Let me take care of this bread and you tell me what I need to do.”

“Hard to concentrate with this headache.”

“Why didn’t you tell Cam you weren’t well?”

“I didn’t want to worry him.”

“He’ll worry more if you keel over.”

“That I will,” Cam boomed from the doorway. “Why didn’t you tell me you were under the weather?” He cast an apologetic glance at Caroline. “Can you deal with the kitchen for Maria?”

“Yes. If I run into difficulties, I check with the men. They can tell me what Maria normally makes for them.”

Cam nodded and scooped his wife off the wooden kitchen chair.

“There are snacks in the fridge for everyone. Cupcakes in the pantry for the kids,” Maria called in a weak voice.

“I’ll take care of it,” Caroline promised.

Once Cam’s footsteps receded, she stared around the kitchen, taking in the commercial appliances. She’d finish kneading the bread and set it to proof then sort out the snacks. Then, she’d interrogate the men outside to discover what she’d let herself in for.

* * * * *

Marsh met the other farm employees. Several were mated and had children. They lived in homes similar to the one allocated to them. Cam had told him all the cottages—that was what he called them—were the same to prevent arguments. There were six single men who lived in the big cottage. Maria cooked meals for them while the mated men ate at home with their families.

Glenshee Station, named after the Scottish town where Cam’s forebears had lived before emigrating to New Zealand, hired more men than most—all shifters—apart from Caroline and Maria—which made Cam’s advice to tell Caroline of the existence of feline shifters imperative.

Selfishly, he decided to leave it a couple of days longer. For the first time in months he and Caroline were talking, flirting with each other, and he wanted that to reach its natural conclusion. Every muscle in his body tensed as he imagined making love with her, savoring her softness, her humor, the tiny noises she made when about to climax. Yeah. He sighed. Greedily, he wanted all that before he blasted their world off its axis again with the news he turned furry on a whim and their children would too.

Marsh kept glancing in the direction Caroline had gone.

Someone nudged him in the ribs and he jerked from his preoccupation.

“You have it bad for your lady,” a petite woman with a mass of curly black hair said. “Have you not been together for long?” She leaned closer. “Cam told us she doesn’t know a thing about shifters.”

“Long story,” Marsh said, his tone dry.

“But you have two children. Is this your second marriage?”

“No, as I said, a long story.” Marsh smiled since he didn’t intend to tell this woman their life story, despite her shifter status.

“Maria is a chatterer. I bet she’s bending your lady’s ear. I’m Josie, and you’ve met Alistair, my mate.”

“I have.”

“Go and check on her. I can see you’re uneasy.” Josie possessed a feline appearance with green slanted eyes and a snub nose. People would remark on it and come near the truth without knowing. “The kitchen is along the passage. You’ll be able to follow the scent.”

Marsh checked outside for the children. Ricky was playing a rough-and-tumble game with a group of boys while James was sitting with a girl of his age. They had crayons in their hands, their discussion intense, and Marsh grinned. This change would be good for the boys, no matter what his parents might say.

“The kids will be fine,” Josie said with a nudge of her pointed chin. “We all keep watch.” Her stomach grumbled. “I hope the food comes soon. Maria usually has us eating by now. She doesn’t approve of drunken employees.”

“Thanks,” Marsh said. “Perhaps they’ve lost track of time.”