New Boss at Birchfields (9 page)

Senga
’
s mouth, that was just a little too wide for
beauty, curved into a smile that tilted those exotic, slightly Oriental eyes.

Yes, Senga was definitely very attractive, Briony thought grudgingly, and she was well aware of the effect that generous mouth could have on a man.

‘
But of course,
’
she replied airily, as she slid behind the wheel.
‘
And what
’
s more, I
’
ll probably turn up in eighteenth-century riding clothes—all flowing velvet skirts and natty tricorn hat with feathers sweeping on to my velvet collar. I imagine I
’
ll look quite devastating and give Johnny and Andy a thrill.
’

‘
Don
’
t you dare!
’
Blane told her.
‘
They
’
re troublesome enough as it is, and I am particularly susceptible.
’

Briony could hear Senga
’
s laughter and saw how, as the car drove off, Blane stood looking after it for a moment or two. What was his expression? she wondered, but his head was turned away from her and it struck her that she would never know.

A moment later and he had crossed the yard with a few strides, and as she met the full impact of those startlingly blue eyes she knew she was in for a stormy session.
‘
Well, and what have you to say for yourself?
’
he demanded.

‘
Say? About—about what?
’
She despised herself for the quiver in her voice.

‘
About this mishap to Sandra, of course,
’
he replied brusquely.
‘
It wouldn
’
t have happened if you had used your own judgment and kept control of this situation. You
’
re not here to take your instructions from a child like Sandra. You can
’
t teach children properly if you don
’
t let them know who
’
s boss. If you
’
re going to be all soft and sloppy you
’
re not going to be much use here when you have a number of children to control at once.
’

Briony bit her lip. This was totally unfair. Quickly she turned her head away, fearing he would see the tears that had sprung to her eyes.

But nothing escaped those penetrating eyes of his.
‘
Now don
’
t dissolve into floods of tears the first time you
’
re spoken to in a straightforward manner. I speak out straight from the shoulder. That
’
s my way and I
’
ve no intention of altering it. If you consider me rude,
then I
’
m rude, and you can put up with it or leave. Take your choice!
’

It flashed through Briony
’
s mind that being spoken to in this way would, at one time, have reduced her to the tears he so much despised. But now they aroused all her fighting spirit. Steel had entered her spirit at that moment when Jeremy had flung her off so contemptuously.

She squared her shoulders, swung around and faced him, her voice resolute and clear.
‘
You may be sure there
’
ll be no floods of tears. Anything you care to dish out, I shall be able to take—yes, and more!
’

But she did not dare to say anything more. She flung down the pitchfork she had been using and marched out of the stable.

Lunchtime came and she found that this meal was taken in the big kitchen of the house—a kitchen she hardly recognised. It was completely different from the days when Hettie had presided there. Now the flowerpots on the windowsills had disappeared, and the gaily patterned curtains. The room was strictly functional with plenty of clear space and white enamelled cupboards and a big plastic-topped table with a sturdy work-surface.

Blane lunched with them. He sat at the top of the table, contributing hardly anything to the conversation, as though in an abstracted mood. But she had the feeling that the atmosphere would have been less restrained without his presence.

The meal was served by his housekeeper,
Mrs.
McPhee. She went about her duties silently and gave
the impression of being a woman who would hate to indulge in idle gossip.

The boys
’
subdued conversation formed a background to Briony
’
s thoughts as she reviewed the disastrous ending to Sandra
’
s lesson. Perhaps a donkey would be the answer to the child
’
s problems, she thought with growing enthusiasm. Then, by easy stages, she could be
in
duced to ride a pony with confidence. But how to get a donkey for the child? Under her lowered lashes she studied Blane Lennox covertly. He showed no signs of being in a receptive mood should she approach him about investing in a donkey. He would hardly sympathise with Sandra
’
s dilemma, or understand it.

During the afternoon she was kept busy, but when at last everything was shipshape she decided to take the bull by the horns.

Instead of returning to Amulree Cottage immediately, she paused to run a comb through her hair and to apply a touch of lipstick. Somehow she felt that it was important that she should present a tidy appearance if she was to hope for any success when she explained to him how necessary it was that Sandra should be treated like a special case, and how her aversion to riding could be overcome by a sympathetic and tactful approach.

The boys had disappeared, their day
’
s labours over. Blane had disappeared into the house. Now Birchfields had a deserted and lonely look and as she approached the house her enthusiasm began to wane, and trepidation set in. But, squaring her shoulders, she marched up to the door.

Mrs.
McPhee showed her into a room which she called
‘
the study
’
—a room which was changed beyond recognition from the days when Hettie had been mistress at Birchfields! Then the small low-ceilinged room had been considered her own special sitting-room. Now there was no sign of the embroidered cushions and the cretonne loose covers on the sagging old furniture.

Instead there
was a totally masculine atmosphere. The walls were panelled in wood which had a rich dark red glow. Two sides of the room were lined with bookshelves and topped by ranks of silver trophies. The floor was no longer covered by Hettie
’
s patterned carpet. Instead gleamed dark polished wood on which lay sheepskin rugs.

As
Mrs.
McPhee showed Briony in Blane was seated at a broad table engrossed in a pile of forms.
‘
Oh, it
’
s you,
’
he remarked. He went to a pipe-rack, gesturing as he did so towards one of the buttoned leather armchairs which stood before the flaming wood fire.
‘
And what can I do for you?
’

Briony gulped and felt her courage oozing away as he filled his pipe and took the chair opposite her.
‘
It
’
s about Sandra,
’
she began.

‘
Do you mind?
’
he indicated his filled pipe.
‘
I think I
’
ve heard just about enough of that child for the day,
’
he frowned as he lit up.
‘
Frankly, I
’
ve given her up as a bad job. In fact she
’
s becoming an infernal nuisance.
’

‘
That
’
s just what I want to speak to you about!
’
She leaned forward eagerly.
‘
She was telling me today that she
’
s begun to ride only lately. She
’
s terrified of horses, it seems, yet her father insists that she learn to ride. She
’
s never really had a chance to build up confidence, and easily loses courage.
’

‘
Just as I thought! She
’
s a cowardly little thing in spite of all her bragging and showing off.
’

‘
Oh no, she
’
s not cowardly,
’
she interrupted impulsively.
‘
Sandra has lots of grit. But she didn
’
t begin learning when she was tiny. I
’
ve been thinking that if she could begin again—on a donkey this time—as I did myself, then she would gain confidence.
’

He locked at her in astonishment.
‘
My dear girl, what are you talking about? Why, only a few days ago she was asking me when she could learn to jump.
’

‘
That
’
s because she wants to please her father
—
although she
’
s scared stiff most of the time.
’

Blane sighed and looked at her in exasperation.
‘
And what is all this leading up to?
’

‘
Just what
I
said! Sandra needs to begin again
—
perhaps on a donkey. I
’
m sure she would come on wonderfully.
’

‘
And you, of course, would be the wonder worker! In no time at all Sandra would be jumping in the Olympics, and you
’
d get all the credit!
’

Briony clenched her fists tightly. How insufferable the man was! she thought indignantly. But at the same time she could feel herself redden. Had she really been hoping that if she made a success of teaching Sandra she would be able to establish herself in his good books?

Then came the familiar wave of exasperation that she always seemed to feel in his presence. How she longed to march out of Birchfields, and out of his life for ever!

He paused for a moment, regarding her.
‘
So it boils down to this, what you
’
re really asking is that I should buy a donkey. Do you really think I
’
m going to have a moke wandering about Birchfields, just because you want to prove a point? Well, let me tell you, my dear girl, as far as Sandra
’
s concerned, it
’
s too late to turn the clock back. The wretched child
’
s never going to be any good and the sooner she removes herself the better I
’
m going to like it. No, I
’
m afraid you can put the whole idea out of your head. The Lennox Riding School can supply almost any type of horse, but we do not stock donkeys, I
’
m afraid.
’

‘
Well, it
’
s time you did,
’
she blurted out, completely forgetting the tactful little speech she had prepared.

She had the satisfaction of seeing that this remark had riveted his attention.

‘
It amazes me you were ever able to hold a job down if you spoke to your employer in that fashion.
’

‘
But you
’
re not being
reasona
ble
,
’
she protested.

‘
Whether I
’
m being reasonable or not is none of your business!
’
His voice had an edge to it.
‘
If Sandra is having difficulties because her father is pushing her beyond her capabilities, then that
’
s her problem—and his. Let her go to her father and talk it over with him. Perhaps he
’
ll get her a donkey,
’
he added dryly.

‘
But she can
’
t do that!
’
she protested.
‘
She wants him to be proud of her. How can she possibly admit to him that after all the lessons she has had she
’
s only fit to begin again at the beginning. I must say I gathered from the way she spoke of him that he
’
s a bit of a dragon.
’

‘
Like me, in other words! Is that what you
’
re saying?
’
His blue eyes gazed at her steadily.

She glanced away, embarrassed.
‘
I didn
’
t say you were,
’
she replied rather weakly.

‘
Come now, don
’
t give me that stuff! The villagers have been letting off steam about me, haven
’
t they? I
’
m not exactly a favourite around these parts, as no doubt you
’
ve heard. And I must say it seems to me your attitude agrees pretty closely with theirs. Not that it matters to me—as long as you do your job properly it doesn
’
t concern me whether you approve of me or not!
’
He glanced at his watch.
‘
We
’
ve both had a pretty busy day and I suggest we drop the subject. I
’
m sure you
’
d like to get home, and I admit I
’
d like to knock off for a bit.
’
Briony felt the colour rise to her face. So she was being summarily dismissed! Her importunities on Sandra
’
s behalf had only bored and exasperated him. If only she had departed as soon as she had seen her mission was a failure! She might have known that once Blane Lennox had made up his mind he was immovable.

‘
I
’
m sorry to have wasted your time,
’
she told him stiffly, as she walked swiftly towards the door.

‘
Just a minute!
’
he detained her.
‘
I haven
’
t finished, you know.
’

She turned, waiting resentfully.

‘
There
’
s just one thing more, Briony. I have the notion
—
I may be wrong, of course
—
that you have the fee
l
ing that if you work long enough on me you
’
ll get me to reverse my decision. If I ever do change my mind it won
’
t be because of the wiles of a woman, so don
’
t ever bring up this donkey business again. And now, if you
’
ve got that straight, off you go.
’