New Boss at Birchfields (5 page)

‘
Because no one can get along with that man,
’
Annie Skinner replied emphatically.
‘
He
’
s a real rough diamond, you know. His word is law up there at Birchfields. More like a dictator than anything else, that
’
s what Blane Lennox is! Oh, I can tell you there will be no one queueing up there for the job.
’

But Briony was only half listening. So there was actually a job vacant in Abergour after all! Well, she might not be an expert horsewoman, but at least she would know how to lead children around on Shetland ponies. And as for Blane Lennox being difficult to get along with, she had worked for difficult people in her time. When it came to those who demanded the impossible she felt she had plenty of experience.

She was vaguely aware of Annie Skinner continuing her tirade.

‘
Oh yes, I
’
ve had some experience of Blane Lennox! During the winter months when there were no tourists and he was getting the house renovated, I went up
—
lowered myself—to ask for a job helping in the house. Well, he took me on—on trial, as it were. And though I worked myself to the bone, I couldn
’
t give satisfaction. On the second day I was there I was put to fixing the attics. Well, I set to. Naturally I stopped off now and then for a sly cup of tea—to give myself a buck, as it were. And I must say the housekeeper was very good and made no objection. Well, what do you think, just as I was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup in my hand in he walks and as good as accuses me of loafing. Said he wouldn
’
t have any slackers around his place. Never a word of praise, mind you! Naturally I wouldn
’
t stand for that—and neither would the girls of Abergour. Oh yes, indeed, Blane Lennox w
i
ll have to go far afield to find what he
’
s looking for. And I can tell you this, I pity the misfortunate girl from the bottom of my heart!
’

The girls of Abergour seemed to be rather a
thin-skinned
lot, Briony was thinking. She had known what it was to have her work criticised. One had to measure up to a job or take the consequences, and she suspected that Annie Skinner was over-fond of the sly cup of tea. Anyway, whether Annie was exaggerating or not, there did not seem to be any other job available in the district. All she could do was to apply for the job and if she was accepted put up with it no matter how awful it might be.

So it was that when at last Annie
’
s flow of gossip had come to a halt, Briony turned not along the street in the direction of Amulree Cottage, but in the opposite direction, and soon found herself once more under that huge sign with its pointing hand. But arrived there, she stood for a few moments hesitating. If all she had heard about Blane Lennox was true then he was rather an ogre—not that that mattered any more, she told herself.

Her interview with Jeremy that morning had done more than open her eyes to his character. It had altered her whole attitude towards men. In future they would
add
a certain steeliness in her manner, she told herself. From now on she would stand up for her rights and never again give her heart wholly and unreservedly to any man.

She pushed open the gates and walked along the drive. And as she did so she was rehearsing the coming interview. It would be fatal to reveal how inexperienced she was where horses were concerned. It was clear that where Blane Lennox was concerned it did not do to be apologetic and diffident. With this arrogant man a strong, self-confident line would be necessary. To underrate herself would be a great mistake. She would have to speak up for herself if she wanted to secure this job.

She had just come to this decision as she reached the stables. She stopped a tall thin boy who was crossing the yard with a bucket of water in each hand and asked him where she could find
Mr.
Lennox.

‘
Tack room,
’
he replied shortly, jerking his head in the direction of what had formerly been the big double garage of Birchfields.

Briony went forward and stood just inside the doorway. How changed it was! The walls were whitewashed. On hooks hung bridles and various pieces of harness. On the stove a bucket of mash was heating. A man stood with his back to her speaking to the boy who had directed her to Amulree Cottage.

‘
An improvement, but still not good enough!
’
the man was saying. Swiftly he unfastened the buckles on the girth he was holding in his hand.
‘
Every single piece of leather must be cleaned separately. And in future use more polish on the buckles. You
’
ll have to do better than this, you know, Johnny, if you want to stay on here.
’

Some slight movement on Briony
’
s part, or perhaps the fact that Johnny glanced in her direction, brought to the man
’
s attention the fact that there was someone else present.

He swung around and Briony found herself transfixed by the gaze of a pair of extraordinary blue eyes: they were startlingly bright and penetrating against the deep tan of his skin. And what struck her immediately were the grim and deeply carved lines which marked his face. He was not handsome, she decided. His jaw seemed to jut forward, stiff and arrogant. Of medium height, he was well built, hard and sinewy. He wore a well-worn but beautifully cut hacking jacket. Immediately he gave the impression of a man who would demand instant obedience and who would expect life to conform to his wishes. And it crossed Briony
’
s mind that even if she had not heard so much about him she would have known instantly that this was Blane Lennox.

CHAPTER THREE

‘
Yes?
And who might you be?
’
he enquired, the blue eyes raking her.

Instantly Briony gave up all hope of impressing him by pretending to a greater knowledge of horses than she possessed; she knew instinctively that such a course would prove fatal. Her carefully rehearsed speech fled
from her mind.
‘
I
’
ve come about
—
I
mean, I heard in
the village I
’
ve been told
—’
To her annoyance
she heard herself make stammering attempts to open the conversation.

With determination she threw her head back, drew a deep breath and began again.
‘
If you
’
re looking for someone to assist in teaching children to ride I
’
d like to apply for the job.
’

Well, at least, she thought, it was short and to the point—even if he did throw her out.

She heard Johnny draw in a little hissing breath as he glanced at her wa
rn
ingly, and for the first time she became aware that her manner was extraordinarily aggressive and defiant.

At the sound Blane Lennox had swung around.
‘
Very well, Johnny, that will do. Off with you,
’
he said.

With a look of relief Johnny scuttled away.

Blane Lennox brushed aside a tin of saddle soap and various brushes and leaned against the rough table.
‘
So that
’
s the latest rumour, is it?
’
he remarked dryly.
‘
I must admit it
’
s more innocuous than most of them. Perhaps if you
’
d heard some of the more lurid gossip you wouldn
’
t have had the nerve enough to venture here.
’

Briony stared at him blankly. The interview was not being conducted at all upon the lines she had expected, and she felt at a complete disadvantage. There was something extraordinarily penetrating about the blue gaze, as if he could read her very mind, she thought uneasily.
‘
I—I heard some talk about it in the village. Of course, if they
’
ve got it wrong
‘

He ignored this.

‘
And what have you been doing until now?
’
The raking glance went to her fingers, white and manicured. They must be a complete giveaway, she thought, and instinctively she put them behind her back.

‘
Those are not the hands of someone used to working outdoors,
’
he stated flatly.

No, there was no chance that she could possibly deceive this man, she told herself hopelessly.

‘
I worked in a firm of accountants,
’
she told him resignedly.

He raised his thick brows.
‘
Ideal qualifications for a riding school!
’

Her first impulse was to turn away, make a dignified retreat, but she swallowed her pride as she remembered that hideo
u
s interview with Jeremy. Anything was better than having to return home ignominiously.
‘
I had a Shetland pony when I was a child,
’
she began desperately,
‘
and later on my father gave me a
—’

‘
So you can ride a Shetland pony—or could ride one when you were a child. But did you muck out, clean harness? What about grooming?
I
expect you did nothing but ride this animal while someone else did the dirty work!
’

He had an extraordinarily brusque way of throwing out his questions that made her hackles rise. How right Hettie had been in everything she had said about him! The man had insufferable manners.

‘
I took complete charge of
“
the animal
”
,
’
she told him.
‘
My father saw to that. He would let me have Pixie only on condition that I took good care of him, besides
‘

‘
That
’
s all very well and good,
’
he broke in.
‘
And although this job is mostly about teaching young children to ride, there
’
s no division of labour here, you know. Everyone has to pitch in just as they
’
re needed. I do it myself and I expect everyone else to do the same.
’

‘
Just a moment,
’
Briony said, nettled,
‘
perhaps you
’
d be good enough to let me know if this job is still open. Perhaps you
’
ve already chosen someone?
’

‘
The job is still open
for the right
person
,
’
he replied.
‘
Can you take care of a spirited horse, exercise it, groom it, feed it—by yourself that is—without expecting Johnny or one of the other boys to come running to your assistance every time it as much as rears?
’

Briony hesitated. There was such a temptation to pretend that she could. She wanted the job so badly. And it flashed across her mind that Johnny seemed friendly and would probably help her in the first few days. Perhaps she would be able to get by.

But her hesitation had been fatal. Those strange brilliant blue eyes were fixed upon her with a look of such discernment that she knew instantly that this was just a test question. Already he knew she was incapable of doing this.

‘
Of course I couldn
’
t,
’
she replied, her manner as abrupt as his own.

‘
Well, you
’
re honest at least,
’
he told her.

‘
Why shouldn
’
t I be?
’
she flashed.

‘
I must say I admire your nerve,
’
he said.
‘
To come here applying for a job handling horses when your total experience amounts to caring for a Shetland!
’

‘
Later on I had a New Forest pony,
’
she informed him.
‘
But if I don
’
t suit, that
’
s all you have to say. There
’
s no need to be so horribly rude.
’

She turned away and was about to leave when he said,
‘
Just a moment!
I
’
ll
make the decisions here, if you don
’
t mind. It
’
s true you
’
re not suitable. On the other hand, no one who completely fits the bill has turned up. But I may as well warn you here and now that the Lennox Riding School carries no passengers. You
’
d better pull your weight or I
’
ll know the reason why.
’

‘
You don
’
t think I expect to be paid for nothing?
’
she retorted.
‘
I shall certainly give full satisfaction, you may be sure of that!
’

But this proud speech did not impress him.
‘
That
’
s no more than I should expect.
’

Briony swallowed, restraining her temper with an effort.
‘
I take it then that I
’
m hired?
’
she asked icily.
‘
And may I add that I consider
—’

But before she could get any further he interrupted,
‘
Yes, I know what you
’
re going to say—that you consider me abominably rude. Well, I can
’
t say your opinion interests me a lot. But you must understand this clearly, if you
’
re going to work for me I
’
ve no intention of altering my manners to suit your refined sensibilities! By the way, where are you staying? We start the day early here. That means you
’
ll have to find lodgings near at hand. One thing I won
’
t tolerate is people straggling in at all hours of the day.
’

Briony drew a deep breath. How she would have loved to give him the answer
she felt this remark deserved.

‘
I
’
m staying at Amulree Cottage in the village,
’
she told him,
‘
so I should be able to be here in good time in the mornings.
’

And now she saw his expression change.
‘
So you
’
re staying with
Mrs.
Gillies. You
’
re lodging with her, I take it?
’

She was silent for a moment, her heart sinking.

By this time, of course, Hettie
’
s attitude towards him must have come to his ears. If he disliked Hettie as much as she disliked him, then the information that Hettie was her godmother might put paid to her chances.

She plucked up her courage, tilted her chin and said clearly,
‘
I
’
m staying as her guest. She
’
s my godmother.
’

‘
And does she know you
’
re applying for this job?
’

‘
No,
’
she replied shortly.

He gave a bark of laughter that held no amusement.
‘
I
’
d be interested to see her face when she discovers I
’
ve hired you! That woman has a vendetta against me because I was fool enough to buy her broken-down old house. Not to speak of the grounds, if you could call them that—full of odds and ends of broken old glasshouses and bedraggled shrubs and stumps of apple trees! It
’
s taken me a fortune to level it out and get it into some semblance of order. But then there
’
s no dealing with people like your godmother! What do they call it? Paranoia, I think is the word. They
’
re convinced everyone is doing them down.
’

‘
How dare you speak of Hettie in that fashion!
’
Briony snapped, her eyes blazing.
‘
I agree, she doesn
’
t approve of you. And before I met you, I must say I thought she was exaggerating a bit. But now—well, now I
’
ve met you I know that every single thing she said is true.
’

With an effort she drew to a halt. This, of course, would be the end of everything! But to her amazement he said calmly,
‘
Well, I must say you get full marks for honesty at any rate. And that
’
s something new in these interviews, I can tell you. I
’
ve been handed so much hogwash by so many applicants, both male and female, but you
’
re the first who
’
s spoken the truth—both about your qualifications and about your attitude towards myself.
’

But Briony was not placated.
‘
I don
’
t see that Hettie
’
s attitude towards you should have anything to do with my application!
’
she snapped.
‘
This is between you and me.
’

‘
Very well!
’
Blane Lennox said curtly.

He turned away and began to examine the harness, and she realised she was being dismissed. Fuming with annoyance, she swung around and marched off down the drive.