Country Wives (17 page)

After a morning filled with calls, Dan went back to the practice with a shop-bought lunch, intending to sit on the outside bench to eat it and think. Think about Rose, mainly, and however he was going to overcome his loss. Beautiful, beautiful Rose. Why had she chosen him, with nothing to recommend him compared with the men she could have had? Was he a whim? Someone to satisfy an idle summer? An amusing incident? No, that was unworthy of him. The passion she gave him was real love, that could never be in doubt. He certainly loved her, or he would not have asked her to marry him. Involuntarily he reached out to take hold of her. He gazed down at his empty hand and longed for her, not only for her bodily presence beside him but for her companionship, her friendship and her humor. Dan remembered how often they’d laughed together, how … His thoughts were interrupted by Perkins bounding out of the door on his way out for his afternoon walk.

Miriam shut the door behind her, pulled her coat collar closer and then realized someone was on the seat. “Dan! What on earth are you doing sitting out here on a day like this? Why don’t you go inside?”

He smiled up at her, saying, “Needed to think.”

Miriam perched on the end of the bench while Perkins did his big greeting scene, small teeth exposed in a grin, tail wagging
madly, ears pricked, front feet on the bench, taking the admiration like a regular pro.

Dan rubbed his hand on Perkins’s head. “Now, Perkins, what are you doing interrupting a fella’s quiet lunch? Eh?”

Perkins heaved himself up and settled upright beside Dan, shuffling along the bench until he was resting his shoulder against his. Dan removed the remains of his sandwich away from Perkins’s temptation. “They can be a great comfort, can’t they, dogs?”

“They can. In times of need.”

“Very understanding.”

Perkins felt tempted to lick Dan’s face in appreciation of his approval, but just in time remembered the good manners he’d been taught and snuffled in his ear instead.

“Exactly.” Miriam didn’t look at Dan’s face, that private look he had warranted her discretion. “Good friends, especially Airedales.”

“Indeed.”

“I’ll leave you to finish your lunch. Come, Perkins.” She stood up, facing the icy wind swirling down from the slopes. “We’ll be off.” Without looking at him she squeezed Dan’s shoulder, gave it a pat and set off, with Perkins leaping around her legs in excitement. Her back to Dan, she raised both arms in the air and waved goodbye.

He called out to her. “Thanks for taking on the ordering.”

“My pleasure!” came back to him on the wind.

What a joy, thought Dan, to come home after a hard day to someone like Miriam—warm and welcoming and sympathetic. Yet she wasn’t sloppy and sentimental, honey-tongued or over-sweet, simply a loving, sensitive woman. It would be worth another try to gain that world for himself, for at the moment he was living only half a life.

The back door opened and it was Kate. “Oh, there you are, Dan. I’ve looked all over for you. Tad Porter’s been on the phone. Can you go out to see his cow again? She’s worse.”

It was a moment before he answered her, taking a deep breath to ensure he gave nothing away with a shaky voice, to be apologized for, blaming it on a frog in his throat. Kate was no fool. “Thanks. It’s a puzzle. I’ll go there first before Beulah Bank. OK.”

Tad was waiting for him in the yard, still as a statue, head hanging low like a sick animal. With a jerk of his head to Dan he turned to go into the stable. A sickening feeling of disappointment came over Dan as he followed him. The cow was convulsing. Tad spoke first. “Third time i’ two hours. She’s for t’knacker’s yard. T’other’s sick an’ all.” Tad leaned against the doorpost. “Yer ta late.”

“I’m so sorry. This is lead poisoning or I’m a Dutchman. You said they hadn’t been out for weeks.”

“Aye. Well. They’re Connie’s heifers, and she’s ’ad ’em out. ‘For a change,’ she said.” He shook his head in despair at her fanciful ways. “Been out in t’field and wouldn’t come when she called. Taken ’em in there a lot this winter when I’m up top with the sheep. Easier, being nearer than their own. ’Appen that’s it.”

“Old batteries?”

Tad looked away. “Perhaps.”

“That’s it, then. Lead poisoning. Youngsters are notoriously curious, you don’t need me to tell you that. Well, either I leave her to die or we put her out of her agony.”

“Give her a jab; let’s have done with it. Missus’ll be upset.”

“Does she want to be here? Should she make the decision?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“I said no. Get it done.”

So Dan despatched the cow out of her misery, and felt inadequate and angry with himself. “This live one …”

“Going same way. Tha might as well give her a jab too, and ’ave done.”

“There’s a chance here. She isn’t convulsing yet. Once that starts it’s all too late.”

“It’s the money.” He pondered the situation for a while, during which Dan stood patiently waiting.

“It’s worth a try? Isn’t it?”

Tad appeared to make up his mind. “Grand lass is this one. Let’s have a go.”

Dan took blood samples, labeled them and injected the heifer with the appropriate drug for lead poisoning. “Are these the only two young ones you have?”

Tad nodded. “She has two house cows for her cheese making and cream for t’market and that, and these two she was hoping to bring on. We’re sheep really, tha knows.”

“Right. I’ll be back first thing tomorrow. I should have the results when I come, so we’ll know one way or the other.” He left with a cheerful good afternoon and a touch to his cap. When he glanced back before revving up, Tad was still propping up the door frame studying his remaining heifer.

He’d damn well have to save it or the whole day would have been a disastrous write-off. What hadn’t helped his day was encountering Letty in the mall when he’d shopped for his lunch. She’d emerged from the beauty salon right at his feet as he queued outside the sandwich bar. Even to his masculine eye there’d been a complete sea change in Letty’s appearance, and he couldn’t ignore it. Gone was the pale, fading-into-the-background Letty; her cheeks had a soft, warm bloom to them, and her slightly prominent eyes had been effectively made less so by skillful eye makeup. On her lips she had a rose-tinted
lipstick, which softened them and filled them out. Her hair had been highlighted and cut into a smart bob, which flattered her face. He saw she had potential to look attractive. “Why, it’s you, Letty! You look wonderful! What have you been doing to yourself?”

Momentarily Letty had bridled with pleasure, then recollected herself. “Don’t I usually look wonderful?”

With anyone else but Letty that would have been a statement over which the two of them could have laughed, but not with her. “Well, I didn’t mean … it’s just that you look extra specially wonderful today. Been treating yourself?”

“No. It was a complimentary appointment, came through the mail.”

“Well, they’ve certainly done a fantastic job on you. You seem to be getting some surprises of late, first the flowers from an unknown admirer and now this.”

Letty, flustered by his teasing, had blurted out, “I’ve also won a weekend for two from our local travel agent.”

“No-o-o-o! Some people have all the luck. Where to?”

“Our choice in Europe and we’re going to Paris. We’ve never been, you see, Colin and me.”

She was close enough to nudge and Dan had done just that and winked. “Romantic weekend in Paris! Eh?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Romantic! Huh!”

The queue had moved up and Dan had to go inside.

Letty said, “I’ll wait, I want a word.”

Dan had bought his sandwich and a piece of carrot cake, and came out swinging a jaunty carrier bag to find her awaiting him, arms folded, ensconced on a seat. He had stood in front of her like a small schoolboy in the headmistress’s study.

He remembered the expression on Letty’s face when she looked up at him. “What on earth are you thinking of, encouraging this idea of selling things?”

“As you are so keen to maximize the earnings of the practice, I would have thought it would have had your approval.”

“Well, it hasn’t. It is diminishing. Selling
stuff!
As though we have to scratch about in corners looking for income. It is a professional business, not a pet shop!”

“I see your point, but we have to move with the times and, yes, it will bring in money, but also we shall be giving a service to our clients. What’s more, we shan’t be selling junk; Miriam will see to that.”

“Miriam! Huh!”

Affronted by Letty’s disdain for Miriam, Dan sprang to her defense. “I happen to have a high regard for Miriam.”

“Do you indeed? Not surprising considering how much she likes you. You’ve got her round your little finger. If you say jump,’ she’ll say ‘how high?’ ”

Dan had struggled to control the anger he felt rising in his heart. “I wouldn’t dream of putting a lovely person like Miriam in such a position. I value her too much. However, when all is said and done, Mungo is keen; Colin approves; so does Zoe, though somewhat reluctantly; Miriam has volunteered to do all the ordering et cetera; and the girls can’t wait to get started. So I’m afraid you’ve been outmaneuvered.” He’d leaned over confidentially and, speaking softly into her ear, said, “By the way, the angry headmistress look you’ve put on doesn’t suit the new Letty.” Dan held up his lunch bag. “Must go. Busy day. You look great. Colin won’t recognize you.”

He’d charged off toward the car park and therefore didn’t see Letty, a moment later, give herself a smile of approval at her reflection in the bookshop window.

But what had made his day even worse was having the misfortune to bump into Lord Askew coming out of the car park. Dan touched his cap and greeted him, intending to pass by without saying more than a pleasant “Good afternoon.”

But Lord Askew would have none of it. “How you doing, Brown? Eh?”

“Fine, my lord. And you?”

Lord Askew had looked beyond Dan’s shoulder and said, “All the better if I had you on board.”

“Roan no better?”

“Trouble is my vet can’t see what you can see. Are you certain?”

“Ninety-nine point five percent certain. Need to examine him, of course.”

Impatiently Lord Askew had replied, “I know that. I know that. Would you come as a second opinion? For me.”

Dan had considered his request and, although it didn’t comply with what he had originally said, he decided someone had to give way if he was ever going to get the equine work. “I’ll phone your vet and make arrangements.”

“Standen-Briggs. Giles. As one gentleman to another, thank you. I make no promises mind.”

“No promises.”

There were people in Barleybridge that afternoon who witnessed the handshake between the two of them and paused to wonder why on earth the new vet and that old basket Lord Askew could be doing such a thing. But they were, because they’d seen them, and Lord Askew had looked well pleased.

Dan, reviewing his day, had not been quite as pleased, but felt he’d made a significant step forward. He was picking up his things prior to leaving for home and a night on call when he heard Kate saying she must get off or she’d miss the next bus. “I’ll give you a lift if you like, Kate. Car off the road?”

“It is. I have a nasty feeling it might be terminal.”

“Well, all cars do reach that stage eventually, not worth the repair.”

“I would be grateful, but won’t it be out of your way?”

“Frankly, yes, it will, but I’ve had such a dreadful day some pleasant company would be welcome.”

“I’m feeling flush tonight. Shall we stop for a drink on the way? My treat.” She looked at him and thought what a pity it was that he lived alone; as Mia would say, he’d make someone a good husband.

“That would be nice.”

They chatted about this and that, finished their drinks and when Dan offered to buy them another, Kate accepted because she was enjoying herself so much, listening to tales of Dan’s exploits in the Middle East. He dug in his wallet for a note, moaned that he’d forgotten to call at the
ATM
and might not actually have enough cash to pay for two drinks, and finally dragged out a crumpled note which looked as though it hadn’t seen the light of day for some considerable time. Dan smoothed it out, saying “I hope you don’t think that’s a sign that I’m mean with my money. I don’t normally have to
pry
notes out of my wallet.”

He headed off to the bar and, as Kate watched him go, she saw he’d dropped a photograph on the floor. She picked it up and thought, “Wowww!”

It was of a girl, a natural beauty, who positively sizzled sex appeal. Her personality came right off the picture and zonked you in the eye. She turned it over and saw the words “Rose. At home.” She had the kind of face Kate would have given the world for. The house behind her, well! If that was “at home,” Kate could have done with being on her way there right now. It was just how she imagined the wealthy lived on the East Coast of the States. Such style. She guessed there’d be a pool the size of a lake, bathrooms galore, a kitchen to die for and … but Dan was coming back so she laid it on the table. He put down the drinks and saw the photo.

“You dropped it on the floor when you pulled out the ten-pound note. I couldn’t help but look. I’m sorry.”

Dan looked at it but didn’t speak. He left it lying there and it made for awkwardness between them—Kate embarrassed; Dan lost in thought. He picked up his orange juice, and the ice beat a tattoo in the glass. Kate sipped her drink, outfaced by his heavy silence—so heavy it was almost palpable. She thought,
If this silence lasts another minute, I shall die. Who the blazes is she to upset him like this? Mind you …

The minute passed, and suddenly Dan picked up the picture and stored it away in his wallet. “Someone I knew in the US of A. Ever been?”

“No. Is it nice?”

He downed his juice in one go and stood up. “Nice isn’t a big enough word to describe it. Go there some time. It’s amazing, larger than life. With your sense of humor you’d have a ball. I’m ready to go. Have you finished?”

Kate gulped down her drink and stood up, glad to be leaving.