The Outback Cattleman's Hired Wife (2 page)

‘
Give me your keys,
’
he
commanded, taking a few strides towards her.
‘
I
’
ll get them.
’

Careful not to touch him again, she was surprised that
he seemed to care. She handed her keys over without

a second thought. 
She watched him go out into the rain, collect her suitcases and pocket her
keys.          

With a minimum of fuss, he carried them up the steps
and deposited them on the verandah.

Kirra smiled.
‘
Thank you.
’

Zac, her husband would never have been so obliging. He
would have waited until the rain had stopped and reprimanded her for not
wearing the appropriate clothing in the first place while he waited. But with
the heater on in the car, she had no idea that the temperature had dropped
considerably on the other side of The Great Dividing Range and it definitely
wasn
’
t as cold when she stepped out of the car and the
breeze blew up.

Jared tipped his hat.
‘
Mother must have been fairly impressed with you on the phone if she
asked you to bring your belongings,
’
he said
and met her gaze with genuine interest.

‘
Your mother mentioned it would be better to stay for a
two-week trial,
’
she said without hesitation, but unsure of what the
arrangement would be now.

‘
That
’
s the norm,
’
he said, gathering up her suitcases.
‘
Come in. Make yourself at home.
’

With nerveless fingers, she ran her hand over the back
of her head. She suddenly felt like a fraud.

‘
I
’
ll show you to
your granny flat,
’
he said in a firm tone that told her he was used to
taking the lead.
‘
I
’
ll

conduct the
interview in my study in ten minutes time, if you have no objections.
’

‘
No objections.
’
Her voice
sounded hoarse to her ears.
‘
After all, the
interview is more your concern than your mother
’
s.
’

‘
Yes, I only want what
’
s best for my son,
’
he said with a pensiveness that stirred a curiosity
within her. Then he turned abruptly and walked inside.

Kirra had no option but to follow. She crossed the
threshold into Glengarry Homestead, or so the carved wooden sign said that hung
above the door. Instantly a warmth enveloped her and every cell in her body was
grateful.

Jared stopped just inside the door, put the suitcases
down and hung his hat and coat on a hook.

‘
I don
’
t need my jacket
anymore,
’
she said, closing the doors.
‘
It
’
s lovely and warm
in here.
’

‘
The heat from the pot-belly stove in the kitchen
permeates the whole house,
’
he muttered as he
closed the front doors.

Kirra could smell his masculine scent combined with an
earthy mixture of horse, sweat and oil. In close proximity, it tantalised her
senses and heightened her awareness of him. She spotted some blood on his shirt
sleeve.

‘
Are you hurt?
’ she said, her concern genuine.

‘No.’ He turned around to face her.
‘
Why do you

ask?
’

‘
There
’
s blood on your
shirt.
’

‘
I
’
ve just delivered
a calf. It was a difficult birth.
’

‘
Will it be alright?
’

He grimaced.
‘
Time will
tell.
’

He picked up her suitcases and strode further down the
hallway.

The homestead was inviting. The walls were of light
polished timber. Australian landscape oil paintings which looked like
originals, hung on the walls. The ceilings were high and ornately-decorated.
Painted iron lacework defined where rooms were situated, and large green and
white tiles checked the floor like a giant chessboard. An antique dresser with
a large attached mirror stood just inside the doorway. A white, lace doily and
a vase of fresh brightly-coloured flowers sat on top.

Awestruck by the simple, yet tasteful beauty of the
place, Kirra stopped and smelled the flowers before following him.

‘
The first door on the right is my study,
’
he said.

Jared
’
s deep rich voice
startled her as the country feel of the house drew her in. It was so different
from her apartment in Brisbane.

She looked at him and could see his jaw tense. It was
as if he really didn
’
t want her there.

‘
Have you changed your mind?
’
she asked.

His broad shoulders squared and his eyes narrowed.
‘
To be honest, I
’
m surprised
that a woman of

your age would
want the position. Most of the ladies who have applied in the past have been
considerably younger.
’

Kirra
’
s back
straightened
. How dare he judge her?
She wasn
’
t that old. Her eyes flared with anger and zapped
those scrutinising eyes with indignation.      

‘
Perhaps, they were filled with romantic notions of
their teens,
’
she bit out.
‘
I
’
m twenty-seven, Mr Glengarry. According to your ad, I
am within your age stipulations.
’

‘
Mother places all the ads. She must have acted upon my
comment about the previous ladies being too frivolous and neglecting my son.
’

‘
I assure you that I
’
m far from
frivolous.
’

Dark eyebrows rode up crinkling his high forehead.

‘
That remains to be seen. Living under the same roof
for a couple of weeks will reveal your true character,
’
he said from experience.
‘
It intrigues me why you would want to live out here in
the country. You strike me as a woman who could use her intelligence for a
high-paying city job. I
’
m afraid the Nanny Position only pays a basic wage.
Unless, -
’

‘
Nanny Position?
’
Kirra cut
in.
‘
You must be mistaken. I
’
ve answered the ad for a wife and mother to your son.
’

‘
Pardon me?
’
His rugged
features stilled on his

tanned face.

Kirra took a step back.
’
I see you don
’
t believe me? I brought the ad with me.
’

She rummaged through her shoulder bag.
‘
It
’
s in here
somewhere.
’

Embarrassed, she could feel her neck and cheeks flush
with heat, as she frantically searched for the scrap of paper.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she spotted it and
pulled it out to show him.

Jared put down her suitcases and took the clipping
from her hand. He accidentally brushed her fingers and that same jolting heat
coursed up his arm when he
’
d shaken hands
with her outside. He ignored it and read the ad, then looked at her - really
looked at her. He
’
d had too much on his mind before.

What kind of woman would answer an ad like this? This
woman was intelligent and beautiful. His eyes roamed over her - soft,
full-length, honey-blonde hair; incredible almond-shaped eyes, brown with
flecks of green and gold; a full kissable mouth under a long, straight nose and
pale skin - too pale for his liking. Did she spend all her time indoors?
She
was a good head shorter than him, but was tall enough to fit nicely under his
arm and she had good ankles. She
’
d do - What
was he thinking?

Kirra bristled under his overt scrutiny.
‘
I admit the ad sparked my curiosity. I take it that
you
’
re the

Capricorn
gentleman?
’

Jared
’
s eyes scanned the
clipping. He laughed.
‘
This is ridiculous. Mother placed an ad for a nanny
for my son. I don
’
t know where this one came from.
’
He eyed her with suspicion.

Kirra
’
s small chin rose
in defiance.
‘
I assure you, Mr Glengarry, it was in yesterday
’
s
Brisbane Bulletin
newspaper. The description
fits you. Is that your telephone number?
’
She
reached over and pointed to the bottom of the clipping.

‘
Yes, it is.
’
Flummoxed,
he raked his fingers through thick, dark hair.

‘
Could your mother be playing matchmaker, perhaps?
’

‘
I doubt that very much, Miss Whitely.
’
His tone was frank and controlled.
‘
I
’
ll put a call
through to the newspaper. There must be some kind of mix-up.
’

‘
When I spoke to your mother,
’
she said, then stopped when she recalled that when
she
’
d enquired about the ad, she hadn
’
t specified that it was for a wife and mother.
‘
So I
’
ve come all the
way from Brisbane for nothing?
’

Jared
’
s nostrils flared,
air rushing out like a frustrated steed.
Had he met his match?
The
wayward thought entered his mind. There was something about her. Her chin was
high and she was standing her ground. She was strong and determined. He liked
that.

‘
Well, I
’
m afraid
unless you want the Nanny

Position, you
’
ve wasted your time coming out here.
’

‘
The Nanny Position wouldn
’
t suit me.
’

‘
But marrying a complete stranger would?
’
he asked.

Kirra grimaced.
‘
Well, no.
Your mother did ask me to stay for two weeks so we could see if we were
compatible. This is the address she gave me.
’
She
flipped over the clipping in his hand and pointed to where the address was handwritten.

‘
That
’
s absurd. Mother
wouldn
’
t give you this unless she thought you were applying
for the Nanny Position.
’
He handed the clipping back to her.
‘
Someone is playing a cruel joke on me, but I can
’
t imagine who? I have no enemies.
’
He paused as if mentally scrolling through his list
of friends and acquaintances.
‘
I assure you, Miss
Whitely, I am quite capable of finding a suitable marriage partner if I so
desired one.
’

‘
I
’
m sure you are.
But the fact still remains that I
’
m here
because I have answered your ad in good faith.
’

And I feel this intense chemistry between us!

It took her by surprise that she found herself wanting
to get to know him for real.

‘
You have no right to be angry with me,
’
she said in defence, wrapping her arms around her
belly.