A Wish and a Wedding (9 page)

“Right you are!” Marcy gave an unkind laugh. “But how could a little street person like Chrissy be at home
here?
As the old saying goes, you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. If she feels bad it's because she recognises that fact. She's totally out of place when you consider what her natural habitat has to be. She could have been doing drugs, for all you know. Or prostitution. Lovely! Her feeling bad has nothing to do with me, Victoria. Actually, I've made attempts to be kind to her.”

The redhead in Tori got the upper hand. “I don't regard barely disguised ridicule as kindness,” she said, very sharply indeed. “And, for the record, Chrissy is totally drug-free and she was never into prostitution. You think you're so superior to the Chrissys of this world, don't you, Marcy?”

Marcy gave a throaty laugh, placing a hand on her curvy hip. “Don't think so, I
know
so, dear.”

“Such is arrogance.” Tori sighed. “Shouldn't you remember it was just an accident of birth? Chrissy, through no fault of her own, was dealt a really bad hand. Don't we, with so much more, have a responsibility to help out? If you spent some time checking out how the less fortunate live, it might make you a better person.”

“Please don't lecture me, dear,” Marcy said, with a curl of her lip.

“And you can quit calling me
dear
in return,” Tori replied sharply. “You consider yourself pretty classy, but a
real
lady would never torment anyone less fortunate than herself. Would you try to remember that for the duration of your stay?”

“Can't promise anything.” Marcy glanced pointedly at her designer watch. “Better get cracking, then. Haddo wants me to join him for the day.”

Tori, who'd been about to turn away, stopped short. “Now, there's a howler if ever I've heard one. Pip is taking morning classes for me while Haddo flies Chrissy and me into Koomera Crossing. We'll be taking the chopper. Chrissy has a dentist appointment. We want to get things started on fixing that tooth. She'll need a porcelain crown.”

“Ugh!” Marcy shuddered, as though Chrissy was in desperate need of a full set of false teeth. “Makes you happy, does it,
dear?
This dispensing largesse to the poor and the needy?”

“Yes, it does, actually,” Tori answered quietly. “I've come to realise that's what makes being an heiress worthwhile.” She turned on her heel before her disgust grew too much for her. “See you this evening, Marcy,” she called over her shoulder. “Kerri is a wonderful horsewoman. Why don't you get her to help you brush up on your many lessons?”

Marcy started with indignation. “Why the hell would I want to ride a
horse?
” she asked haughtily, and strode away in the opposite direction.

 

While Chrissy was bravely coping with her dental appointment—the second of her life, the first having been bad enough to make her think of it ever after as torture—Haddo and Tori took a walk around the prosperous Outback town, which had its own bush hospital, with visiting medical and dental specialists. At the well-stocked pharmacy Tori bought a few toiletries Pip wanted, then they headed towards a good coffee shop.

Once inside, they were shown to a quiet banquette that looked out on the broad sunlit main street. Four-wheel drives and utilities were parked practically bumper to bumper to either side. “How are you going to go about convincing Marcy she's not the love of your life?” Tori asked by way of conversation, after their order for coffee and sandwiches had been taken.

“Why are you so desperate to get me to?” Haddo asked, equally casual. “Are you jealous?”

“Hell! I hate you,” she said flippantly. “Haven't you found that out yet?”

“I'm okay with your hating me.” He shrugged. “It makes you heaven to kiss.”

She flushed. “The kissing has to go! It's not in my best interests. I can't worry about you.”

He gave a half-laugh. “You should. I'm getting on. Damn nearly thirty, and I have a compelling need to marry and have kids.”

“Marcy can't help?”

“Ah, don't be ridiculous,' he said, shaking his crow-black head. “There have been women in my life other than Marcy.”

Her mind immediately darted back to a few. “Yes, that's right. There was Georgina Thomas—and whatever happened to Rosie Armitage? I always liked Rosie. She was very sweet to me when people like Marcy were never nice. Marcy's not good around Chrissy either.”

He nodded, looking directly at her. “It hasn't escaped me. I'll have a word with her.”

“That might be helpful. Is Kerri's marriage falling apart? She won't speak to me.”

“She's jealous of you, Elf. Don't you realise that?”

“Oh, come on, Haddo,” she said quietly. “Why would Kerri be jealous of
me?
”

“You actually
know
the answer to that question,” he said bluntly.

Colour flooded into her flawless skin. “So Kerri's resented me right from the beginning? Is that what you're saying? She was your sister—your only sibling. She wanted all your love and attention. Instead you made a little pet out of me.”

His smile was crooked. “I promise you, you were the most enchanting little girl that ever drew breath. You had so much life in you, even after you lost your father and were in so much pain. I couldn't
not
love you, Tori.”

She drew a tortured breath. “So why did you treat me the way you did?”

He groaned and put a tanned, elegantly shaped hand to his temple. “Not again! Because you were a
child,
my little
Elf,
with your cute little pointy ears. I absolutely adored them.”

She swallowed down a rush of emotion at the use of his old nickname for her. It was part of him—and her. The halcyon days. “Let me remind you I've grown into my ears,” she said sharply. She hadn't
really.

He appraised her with indulgent eyes. “Your ears are fit for a faerie princess, Tori,” he consoled her. “As for the myth of my cruel treatment of you. I would have thought I'd made the reason for that abundantly clear. Surely in retrospect you can understand?”

Maybe some part of her did. Only her emotions weren't keeping pace with her head. “I wasn't there for an
orgy,
” she told him heatedly.

“You never thought you might have
got
one?” He pinned her emerald-green gaze.

She blinked at the bluntness of his tone, then drew back. “You would never hurt me, Haddo. Anyway, I wasn't wrong about the way you looked at me. You looked at me in a way no one else ever has, and I've had more than my share of attention. Don't deny it. That look led me astray.”

“So I made a mistake.” He sighed very deeply. “You were just so beautiful. Everything about you cried out,
Haddo, look at me!
”

“So it's still my fault, is it?” she flared.

“It's
always
the woman's fault.” He smiled, his blue eyes so intense they made her feel disorientated. “You don't know your own power.”

“Nor you
yours,
” she said sharply. “If I had to lose my virginity—”

“Have you?” He caught the tips of her fingers, holding them in a tight grip.

“That's none of your business!” She attempted to wrench her fingers away.

He allowed her to, lounging back, intense one moment, nonchalant the next. “Well, we've been friends for so long I thought you might want to tell me. I've already heard about the hundreds and hundreds of kisses.”

She gave a little involuntary shudder. “I couldn't wait to lose it after
you.
” She gave in to the deeply entrenched desire to hurt him as he had once had hurt her.

“So what held you back?”

She fixed him with spirited eyes. “Who said anything did?”

His expression gentled, and that tender smile played about his lips. “You're sort of my girl—aren't you, Tori?”

All the fight went out of her. Just like that. Emotions waxing and waning. “Yes,” she said. “Isn't that too damned odd? Especially since you turned me into a juvenile delinquent. All I wanted was for you to love me. Instead you made me so unhappy.”

“I'm sorry.” His brilliant eyes reflected all the sincerity in the world.

It shook her, yet perversely pricked her into giving a
who-would-care
flick of her hand. “Anyway, I—” She stopped short as she saw the young waitress fast approaching. “Here comes the coffee.”

“Forget that for a moment,” Haddo said in a deep, quiet voice. “I promise I'll do everything in my power never to hurt you again as long as I live.”

She was touched that he should say such a thing. How could she ever distance herself from this man? “So help me God. You
must
say it.”

“So help me God,” he solemnly intoned.

It was such a strangely moving moment her eyes filled with brilliant, unshed tears.

The smiling waitress arrived at their table, then set down their order. Black coffee for Haddo, cappuccino for her, and a
plate of delicious-looking club sandwiches, artfully decorated with a few little salad items to the side, for them to share.

It was Haddo who restored the mood to something like normality. “To answer your question about Kerri—she's having trouble conceiving. It's making her very edgy, and I have to say bitterly sarcastic.”

“I bet her husband's copping it,” Tori remarked ruefully. “I wouldn't wish Kerri being bitterly sarcastic on my worst enemy. Why doesn't she get off that strict diet she's on? She's so thin, and you must have noticed she doesn't eat! Perhaps if she were eating properly, and took a course in meditation or something, they might have more luck?”

“I sort of suggested that.” Haddo's expression was wry. “And maybe a long, relaxing trip together. She needs to unwind.”

“If there's one thing I've learned about Kerri, it's that she finds it very difficult to relax.” Tori shrugged. “I truly hope she follows your advice. Heck, she could make you an uncle. That's fabulous!” Her face lit up.

“Here's hoping!” He took a test mouthful of the coffee and found it very good. “I wonder how Chrissy is going on? No gain without pain, I guess.” He pushed the plate of sandwiches nearer her. “Who's paying? You or me?”

“I'm paying for the porcelain crown. You're paying for this. Another thing. I have an idea Chrissy is falling for your jackeroo, Shane.”

Haddo's expression turned deeply sardonic. “She's only known him for about two weeks.”

“Maybe it was love at first sight?”

“So what are you suggesting? I have them followed on those early-morning rides?” he asked dryly, picking up a sandwich and casually examining the filling.

“What do you think?” She wanted his opinion.

“They do seem to be attracted to one another,” he conceded. “But seriously. Chrissy from all accounts has had a chaotic
life. She needs to give herself time before she can chart the right course.”

“We've got her on the right course,” Tori exclaimed, judging it the right moment to approach him. “What Chrissy really needs is a job.”

“I was wondering when you were going to get around to that,” he returned smartly.

“Jillaroo?” She tried out Chrissy's number-one ambition, not at all sure Haddo could be persuaded. Chrissy had a natural affinity with horses and animals, and she had experience of farm life—but that bore little resemblance to the rigours and isolation of Outback life.

His handsome mouth tightened. “Tori, you know as well as I do it's a tough life. Generally speaking women aren't mentally strong enough, let alone physically, to handle the hard work involved or the lonely environment. A woman wouldn't have any problem on Mallarinka because I wouldn't tolerate it. But men leading a man's life tend to become very macho. They like to keep the women out.”

“But our guys are just great!' she protested.

“That's because you're Victoria Rushford,” he told her dryly. “Chrissy could expect to come in for a lot of ribbing.”

“It'll be a piece of cake after what Chrissy's lived through,” Tori said. “She's been through hell. She desperately needs a safe place, security, a helping hand.”

“I thought we were giving her that?” Haddo commented mildly, blue eyes resting on her highly animated face. “Okay, we can start her off doing some time in the store. Then she can graduate to a few minor chores. We'll see how she handles herself and whether she's accepted. She's a nice woman. I like her. But she's not altogether in her comfort zone at the house, is she?” Haddo met her eyes directly.

Tori couldn't deny it. Chrissy remained intimidated by her surroundings. “Especially since Kerri and Marcy arrived,” she
said. “She's lost all confidence around them.” She could have said a lot more, but didn't.

“I suppose if Chrissy genuinely wants a job—”

“Oh, she does!” Her heart bucked up. “She loves being here. She really does.”

Haddo held up his hand. “Listen, I really approve of your efforts to help Chrissy, and others like her, but we'll take it a step at a time, if you don't mind. I'd have to think about providing suitable accommodation. We rarely take on jillaroos—for the reasons I stated. Women are trouble just by virtue of the fact they're women. Obviously Chrissy can't bunk in with the men.”

“What about the teacher's bungalow behind the schoolhouse?” Tori suggested eagerly, having thought it all through. The bungalow hadn't been in use since Tracey and Jim had married and been allotted more spacious married quarters. “It's set up. All it needs is a lick of paint and a bit of sprucing up. I think she might like that. It would make her feel independent.
Please,
Haddo.” She stretched out a hand to him, emerald eyes imploring, the colour in her cheeks emphasising her gleaming white skin.