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Serenity pointed to the smaller case, and Hudson flicked the latches open and pulled it closer to her before picking up the other case, together with her purse and dress and headed off through the far door.

She leaned forward, angry at herself for the tears which had fallen so unexpectedly. She scrubbed them away from her eyes, then lifted out her toilet bag, some clean undies, a pair of jeans and sneakers and a pretty blue scooped-necked top. She loved this top with its heavy embossed satin butterflies. She had chosen it to wear on her honeymoon.

‘Got everything?’ Hudson asked cheerfully. ‘The bath is run, and I’ve put out the towels.’

He bent down and lifted her back into his arms, then, balancing her on his knee, piled her things into her arms and strode for the far door.

‘This is unnecessary,’ Serenity cried angrily. ‘Put me down.’

Ignoring her he carried her up a short flight of stairs, elbowed the bathroom door open, and deposited her on a chair beside a hot bath. ‘Do you think you can manage by yourself?’

‘And what do you propose to offer if I can’t?’ Serenity asked in quelling tones.

‘Well, sing out if you feel faint or anything.’

‘I will not faint or anything,’ she informed him firmly.

‘No, I’m sure you won’t. You just don’t look the fainting sort. Pity. I’ll be in the kitchen making a cup of tea. Your bedroom is directly opposite. Take as long as you like then hop into bed and I’ll bring you up a cuppa.’

‘I
won’t
go to bed. I’ll come down for my tea, thank you.’

She heard him whistling again as he went downstairs. She looked about her with appreciation at the well- appointed bathroom. This Hudson Grey didn’t stint himself when it came to comfort. She stripped and eased her stiff achy body into the hot bath, then sniffed inelegantly. He must have added the fragrant bath oil with a liberal hand. She didn’t know what he had used but she would bet it was expensive. It was absolutely divine, and Serenity felt lapped in luxury.

As she soaked in the hot water she relaxed completely, the combination of the heavenly perfume and the glass of brandy brought a sense of euphoria and she idly speculated on Hudson Grey and his life-style. This bathroom, for instance, was definitely feminine. It certainly wasn’t
his
bathroom, no sign of a razor or masculine talc or after-shave. Who used it? His wife. . . no, he said he had a housekeeper, not that having a housekeeper precluded having a wife, but somehow he didn’t seem married. There was something free and untamed in his attitude that did not speak of running in double harness . . . an arrogance, a certain stance.

Still, she felt sure there was a woman in his life ... or women. He was too much at ease with her to be one of those embittered and dedicated bachelor types. Whoever the woman was, Serenity did not envy her. As she had told Barbie, the dominating male had never appealed to her, and Hudson Grey was definitely bossy and absolutely dedicated to having his own way.

However, he had been good to her. It would have been horrible to come out of that crash with no one around and to have waited ages on that lonely road for someone to drive by. Gosh, she was muddled in her thinking. If Hudson Grey and his deer, dogs and sheep had not been in that exact spot she would not have crashed.

She hooked the chain with her toe and as the water drained away she dried herself in a large soft pink towel, then wrapped it about her sarong fashion and washed her hair under the shower before dressing leisurely. She was in no hurry to cross swords with her host. What a ridiculous thought! There was no earthly reason for feeling that they would be antagonists. She merely had to thank him for his hospitality, arrange with some garage to retrieve her car, and arrange transport for herself to the nearest town . . . that would be Greymouth, He said the car was a write-off, so maybe the insurance company might just view it where it was.

She glanced in the mirror at her boy-slim figure and took satisfaction from the neat cut of her jeans and the smooth fit of her top. She ran her comb once more through her wet fair hair. That brilliant sunshine would soon dry it, silky and shining. It would turn under at the ends naturally, a style which suited her pale oval face and wide grey eyes. Bracing herself, she picked up her discarded clothes and crossed to the bedroom to drop them on top of her suitcase. This room, like the rest of the house, was charming, restful and inviting and the view across to the Southern Alps was fabulous.

‘Are you going to be all day?’

Serenity frowned. Hudson must have heard her leave the bathroom . . . what an impatient beast he was. She took her time going down the stairs, and found him crossing the dining room carrying a large tray with cakes, scones and teapot, milk, sugar and cups.

‘Hurry up. We’ll have it on the patio. You look as if a bit of good West Coast sunshine would not go amiss.’

Resentfully, Serenity followed him. No girl appreciated being told she was pale and wan. It was mainly tiredness and stress anyway. ‘What’s the great rush? You told me to take my time.’

He answered with a cheerful grin, ‘I’ve just taken these hot scones from the oven and wanted you to enjoy them. Hot buttered scones and raspberry jam are irresistible. Milk? Sugar?’

Serenity eased into a wrought-iron chair and narrowed her eyes.
‘You
cooked them?’

‘Such cynicism in one so young. It’s painful. Milk? Sugar?’

‘Milk, no sugar, thank you.’ She noted he had removed his red tartan shirt, and his athletic frame looked even more vital in jeans and loose-knit short-sleeved shirt. ‘You don’t look the sort to be messing around in the kitchen.’

His tanned face creased into an even deeper smile as he passed her a cup of piping hot tea. ‘I didn’t say I’d cooked them, I said I’d just taken them from the oven. My housekeeper, who spoils me utterly, knew my weakness and baked a raft full of them before she left. She put them in the deep freeze, and I just had to heat them. You do jump to conclusions, I must remember that ... try one.’

She took a scone and bit into it thoughtfully. Yes, he was just the kind of man a housekeeper would spoil, or any woman actually, and he had meant her to misunderstand. She felt annoyed, then felt annoyed that she was annoyed. She didn’t usually let people irritate her.

‘Feeling better? Are you sure you shouldn’t have a lie down?’

‘Positive, and I’m fine, thank you,’ Serenity answered calmly. He wouldn’t be above picking her up and flinging her into bed if he thought she needed it.

‘Good. As soon as you finish this, you must go and ring your fiancé, then your insurance company. I’m sure there’s one locally, as they have branches throughout New Zealand. But John must be told first, he’s first on the agenda. I bet he’ll be a bit shaken to know he nearly lost you.’

‘I can’t reach him, he’s overseas.’

‘For how long? When’s the wedding?’

Serenity drew a deep breath. It felt like a third degree; that blasted wedding dress, she should have snipped it to pieces, then she wouldn’t feel such a fool. ‘He’ll be back in six to eight weeks.’

‘So why are you carrying your wedding dress with you?’ He took another scone and bit into it with relish, his hazel eyes watching her with bright curiosity.

‘Mind your own damned business!’ Serenity was appalled to hear herself shout. She rarely swore, it showed a certain lack of vocabulary, but he infuriated her. Still, he
had
been kind. ‘I was to have been married last week, then John had to leave unexpectedly. I had already given my notice, so I just threw everything in the car and here I am. Sorry to bite your head off. I’m just a bit touchy on the subject.’

‘That’s understandable. Have another scone. You haven’t quarrelled or anything? He still wants to marry you, does he?’

‘Oh yes, he still wants to marry me,’ Serenity told him gravely, glad he had not worded the question towards her attitude about the wedding.

‘That’s okay then. Why didn’t he take you with him? He’s a bit of a fool in my opinion, leaving a pretty girl like you hanging about.’

Serenity felt her colour rise at the compliment. ‘We
did
consider it, but the firm wasn’t at all keen.’

‘So you’re at a loose end for a month or so; that’s very interesting. What are you doing in this part of the world?’

Carefully avoiding the last part of his question, she demanded, ‘What’s interesting about me having nothing to do for two months?’

‘Well, as I told you, my housekeeper has left, and I need someone to take over. I prefer not to employ someone long term. I might be getting married myself ... so it would suit me to have an interim arrangement until I make up my mind.’

‘And you’re offering me the job?’ Serenity’s grey eyes opened wide in surprise. ‘You don’t even know that I can cook. I can positively assure you that I would
not
spoil you.’

He threw back his head and laughed. ‘I wouldn’t expect you to, my dear girl. Just cooking and cleaning, and if you care for it, a bit of outside work. Do you like riding?’

‘Oh,’ she drew a deep breath, ‘that would be wonderful. I love riding.’ Then added quickly. ‘That doesn’t mean I’m accepting the position.’

‘Of course not, but it helps. Are you a good rider?’

‘No. But I love horses. I had my own pony when I was a kid, and I ride whenever I get the chance. I belonged to a pony club for a while, but Ebony hated going over the jumps, and I wasn’t competition minded. I just like riding for my own pleasure.’

‘Well, we’ve got plenty of horses here, and if none of them suits you, I might take you out on the riverbed and you can choose your own. My father loves horses too. He put some Arab mares out there, and we’ve still got about ten or fifteen careering up and down the river. You can take your pick. I’ve a friend who is breaking them in and selling them in his spare time. He’ll train it for you.’

Serenity closed her eyes, and as if in a dream saw a mob of wild horses galloping through the bush, and plunging in and out of the river, the spray flying and their manes and tails streaming in the wind. And she could have any one she chose.

‘You didn’t say what you’re doing in this part of the world?’

Talk about single-minded! But she determined she was not going to let him worry at her like a dog with a bone. ‘That’s private business.’ She kept her eyes shut so that he could not read the expression in her eyes.

‘How long have you lived in this area, Hudson?’ She was searching for clues and if he was just a new-comer she would not waste her time on him.

‘All my life. Born here, well almost. My mother said with Dad’s careless regard for time it was lucky they made it to the Maternity Hospital in time. But it was different in those days. For instance, there were no roads in, just tracks across the paddocks, fords instead of bridges and culverts, real pioneering stuff.’

Keeping her eyes closed she ran her fingers through her hair, feeling the tiny curls about her face already springing back into place. She could
feel
him staring at her intently.

‘Want another cup of tea?’

‘No, thanks.’

‘Well, I do,’ he said cheerfully, then as if sensing her interest he continued, ‘When I say I was born here, I don’t mean on this side of the river. We only bought this about five years ago, so we own the whole valley now, something my father always dreamed about, when he came here as a young man.’

Serenity opened her eyes and gazed at the lush green pastures and well fenced paddocks, the silver ribbon of river which flashed between the native bush and to her left the perfection of the lake, and feasted her eyes on the great purple-green forest-clad hills which encircled the valley and beyond them the Southern Alps in all their glory.

‘Beautiful, just beautiful. . . any man would dream of owning this.’

‘Yes, you’re right. We’ve been very fortunate, but dreams don’t just happen, they have to be worked at. When he came here there were no roads, no power, no telephone, no fences; it was really wild country, just a run.’

‘It’s still wild and rugged looking, lonely and lovely.’

‘You’d get on with my father. He just loves the Haupiri as much today as when he first discovered it; it’s part of him and he’s part of it ... my mother, too, of course. She was a city girl, and it must have been tough on her adapting to the isolation and the hardships, in the beginning. The Bar 2 would never have been the success it is today if she had not been the woman she is . . . you need a strong and intelligent mate beside you to subdue this kind of country.’

The love and admiration for his parents was deep and Serenity was oddly affected by his openness in speaking of it. To cover the emotion she felt, she asked quickly, ‘Why do you call it the Bar 2?’

‘That’s the brand, a bar with a 2 under it. It’s the name of the Station. The cattle and horses and saddles were all branded with the 2 when my father came here, and he liked the idea and so registered it—but today only the wool goes out that way.’

It was obvious that he enjoyed talking about the Station, and she watched him as she listened to his deep attractive voice describing the early days and the trials and triumphs. She hardly noticed the time passing as he spoke of his own childhood and his years at boarding school, and at Lincoln Agricultural College, his year in Canada and a further year in Europe and Scandinavia.

Abruptly he stopped. ‘I must have bored you stupid. Why didn’t you stop me?’

‘No,’ she protested. 'I’ve loved listening. It’s just so unexpected, away out here in the backblocks. After travelling all those miles through bush and swamps I didn’t expect to find a wide fertile valley hidden in the hills, and you . . . sitting there at ease talking of painting, literature, European history and architecture. It’s a surprise, that’s all.’ in what way?’

He sounded faintly amused.

‘Well, I would have expected to find people living a fairly uncouth, hill-billy style of life here in this isolation.’ As soon as she said it she coloured with embarrassment—it sounded so appallingly rude. She had been thinking it but should never have spoken it out so baldly.