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‘What’s up. Serenity?’

‘Don’t give me sympathy, not yet. I’ll cry over you,’ she warned fiercely.

He put his arm about her and gave her a quick hug. ‘I won’t mind. Go ahead.’

She leaned against him for a moment, then she pushed him away. ‘I’ll clear up this mess, then I’ll talk to you.’

Hudson stalked through. 'I'll leave you two on your own while I shoot over to see Tessa and Lee. Remember, Serenity, confession is good for the soul.’

Serenity winced and said to Cam, ‘You can see how it is. And I’ve got to stay here.’

‘I’ll give you a hand to clear up here and you tell me all about it. Nothing is as bad as it seems.’

‘This is.’ Serenity told him everything, not sparing herself. When she had finished she demanded, ‘Do you still believe me? Do you still think I told you the truth last night?’

‘Of course I do. I’m sorry it came out this way but at least it’s out in the open. Don’t be too hard on Hudson, you’re the first girl he’s let get close to him for years and he feels you made a clown out of him. For a man with his sort of pride, that would be hard to take, especially in front of Madeline.’

‘What will I do, Cam? I can’t leave without seeming to be exactly what he called me. I can’t stay with him hitting out at me all the time. Sure I get in a few licks of my own, but I don’t enjoy trading cheap jibes. Not with someone I lo. . . liked so much.’

‘Go on, say it. Someone you love.’

Serenity’s voice was harsh. ‘Someone I loved.’ She gazed at him defiantly for a moment, then with a sob said in a low voice, ‘Someone I love.’

‘That’s a brave girl, face your problem, then deal with it,’ Cam encouraged her.

‘How?’ It was a wail.

‘Come through to the lounge and we’ll talk about it.’ He sat on the sofa and patted the seat beside him.

Serenity slowly followed him and took her place. ‘There’s no way, Cam. He won’t believe me. Even if I got John to come and tell him the truth he said he would know I had . . .’

‘Yes, you told me all that. We’ll forget that part. Remember this, he kept you here. Why do you think he did that?’

‘To hurt me, to pay me back, he said as much.’

‘Rubbish. I’ll admit he’s hurting and might want you to suffer a bit too, but he wouldn’t dare admit the real truth, that he didn’t want to lose touch with you. You’ve made a breakthrough, that’s the first time I’ve seen a chink in his armour-plating. Capitalise on it.’

‘How?’ This time there was a thread of hope in her voice.

‘By loving him. By letting him see that you admire him, by caring for him the best way you know how, by never answering him back, no matter what he says to you.’

‘I couldn’t do that. He’d think he was right all the time, that I was trying to catch him. Anyway, when he’s nasty, I just want to slam into him.’

Cam shrugged his shoulders. ‘You asked me what to do. I don’t mean you’re to fawn over him and flatter him . . . nothing false. When he’s rude keep your mouth shut, when he’s pleasant answer him pleasantly.

‘Now tell me how to do that,’ she scoffed.

Cam grinned, ‘By thinking of something nice and blotting out the hurt. You can think of me. Or think of Milo. Or think of the nicest thing Hudson did for you.’

'I'll never make it,’ she protested.

‘What’s the alternative? Living here, snarling at each other every time you meet. Look, try it just for one day. Just one day at a time. Then come down each evening when I’m working Milo and blow your stack. I can take it.’

'I'll never make it,’ she repeated slowly.

‘Yes, you will, and the atmosphere will change, I promise you.’

‘What have I got to lose? I’ll give it a whirl.’

‘What have you got to gain? Everything . . .’

They talked for a long time then Hudson joined them. ‘Serenity been telling you the story of her life? I wonder which version you got, Cam? She’s got a great imagination.’

Serenity felt Cam nudge her. She bit her lip to keep from shouting at him, then offered pleasantly, ‘Would you like a cup of coffee, Hudson? Thanks for leaving us alone to have a talk. I feel much better.’

Hudson looked at her in surprise. ‘Yes, I’d like coffee, how about you, Cam?’

‘Thanks, Serenity, a good idea.’

She made some sandwiches, and put them with cakes and biscuits on a tray. As the men talked farming talk she steadily reduced the pile of sandwiches. An army marched on its stomach, and if it was going to be a battle, she intended going in well-equipped.

The food made her feel drowsy and she interrupted the men long enough to say goodnight and went to bed and fell asleep within seconds.

Next morning it wasn’t such an effort getting out of bed. She had something to do. It was a Be-Nice-to- Hudson Day. What a challenge!

Serenity showered and dressed and went to the kitchen. She would be nice to him for one whole day even if it killed her, but only because Cam had asked her to do it.

‘Good morning, Hudson,’ she said cheerfully when he came in. ‘Breakfast is ready.’

‘Morning.’ He sat down without a smile.

She sat down and started to eat her breakfast with every show of enjoyment, but his grimly held silence was a bit unnerving.

His breakfast finished, he stood up, ‘You be ready and waiting at ten o’clock. We’re heading for the Police Station, and bring some proof of identity.’ He made it sound like a threat.

‘Certainly.’

He glared, ‘What are you so cheerful for? I’ll be standing right beside you to see that you don’t tell any more lies.’

‘I haven’t told any lies,’ she said carefully. ‘Do you want another cup of tea?’

‘No,’ he snapped. ‘You’re up to something, I can tell, but don’t think you’re going to soft-soap me. If Cam has been feeding you some of his new-fangled psychology, forget it. It won’t work.’

Her grey eyes sparkled. ‘Oh, I don’t think it’s very new. Turn the other cheek and all that . . .’

‘You turn the other cheek . . . very funny. You have to be on the other end of a dirty trick before you can do that, and you're the one who’s been putting in the dirt, not me.’

‘Hudson, please, I didn’t mean to hurt you . . .’

‘Hurt me, a little insignificant cheat like you . . . you’ve got to be joking. I'm only keeping you around to remind me what a fool 1 was to trust you, but you're a pretty expensive luxury. I have to waste a day trotting you into town, my men are going to waste a full day searching for your ring. I’m going to watch that you stay in your place, so I'll give the orders, you carry them out, and keep quiet while you get on with it.’

Serenity just looked at him, trying to think of Cam, of Milo, trying to blot out the pain of his words, but it didn’t help.

His look was contemptuous. ‘You’ve got nothing to say that’s worth listening to, anyway. But while you’re waiting for me, check out the stores and write a list. Tomorrow you’ll have three extras for meals. Carpenters are coming to build a new barn.’

She watched him turn on his heel and make for his office. He knew very well she had no idea of ordering for a place this size. He was just hoping she would mess it up, then he would have further reason to sneer at her.

She did the housework, then dressed for town in a neat skirt and blouse. What did he mean, bring her credentials? She was the one who was robbed. She didn’t have to prove anything.

As she started to check the pantry there was a knock on the door and a voice called, ‘Anyone home?’

A stocky fair-haired man came in with a girl and two children. ‘You'll be Serenity. Nice to meet you. I’m Lee, this is Tessa my wife, and our two youngest George and Gina. I’ve just popped up to talk business with Hudson—he said he’d be in the office. Tessa couldn’t wait to make your acquaintance, so I’ll leave you two to get talking.’

Tessa was slightly built with nut-brown hair and a sweet face. ‘Hi, I hope I'm not in your road. Seeing as we’re neighbours, I just thought I’d introduce myself and ask if you need any help.’

‘Do I ever!’ Serenity sighed thankfully. ‘Hudson said for me to replenish the stores and I haven't a clue what to order or how much. Have you time to show me?’

‘I heard you were friendly,’ Tessa said happily, putting the wee girl down. ‘You kids play outside. Now I’ll check the basics and you write the list, then we’ll brew up.’

The task was soon completed, and they were enjoying a cup of tea and laughing when Hudson came back with Lee.

‘Will I get you two a cup of tea?’ Serenity stood up quickly.

‘I told you to be ready at ten. It is ten o’clock, get out to the car.’

Serenity turned, picked up her purse and the list, colouring slightly at the roughness of his tone to her in front of the others. She saw the surprise on their faces, and her smile was slightly wobbly. 'I'll see you two again,’ she said as she walked out to the garage.

As Hudson joined her Lee called, ‘Okay, Boss, I’ll see to it,’ and bitterly she decided she would never call him Hudson again. She’d call him Boss like the men did. The Be-Nice-to-Hudson Day was a pathetic idea.

Hudson never spoke all the way in to town, except for the one word ‘list’ when they stopped at the Creek. She watched him walk in and chat pleasantly with the Store people then saw his expression change back to hard grim lines as he got in beside her again.

He really hated her, and her heart ached at the loss of his friendship. It had really been so good, their short time together. And the misunderstanding
was
her fault. She would have to keep remembering that. He had really liked her, and was proving it by the bitterness he was showing. If he had not cared about her he wouldn’t be so angry now. Suddenly the words he had used when he had been quarrelling with Madeline came back to her, ‘I'd stake my reputation on her honesty.’ It had warmed her then, but now it hurt unbearably. Cam was right, there was no point in them slashing at each other. If she could only hold her tongue, something still could happen to clear her, and they could part friends. If she gave back as good as she got the barrier between them would be so high, that when proven wrong, he would be even more angry.

She settled back comfortably in her seat. That was the nicest thing he had ever said, about staking his reputation on her honesty. When he hurt her she would remember that . . .

‘Police Station, out you get.’

She stepped out on the footpath and nervously tucked in her blouse and brushed her hair away from her face.

‘Trying for the wide-eyed innocent look again,’ he jeered. ‘You must have used it a lot to be so proficient.’

She didn’t reply but quietly followed him into the office, and noticed he greeted the sergeant by his Christian name. So he did know them well.

‘So this is the young lady you told me about, Hudson. You said you could vouch for her.’

As the sergeant pulled out a form Hudson said clearly, ‘Oh, things have changed a bit since then, Mike. Miss James is not the girl I thought she was, but she did arrive wearing a ring and she says she lost it . . .’

‘Well, that’s the bit that concerns me. Now, Miss James, tell me how it happened.’

When he had all the details, he said, ‘Well, we have a pretty wide field. Unless you are prepared to name anyone specifically as a suspect, we really can’t do a lot of investigation. Can you give a name?’

‘No.’

‘Okay. Hudson said he’ll take care of the wool bit, and the men are searching the area today. That scanner is a good idea. All we can do is put the details and number of the ring on the Police Computer. If anyone has stolen it and tries to sell it, or if it comes into our hands in the future, we’ll be able to identify it and get it back to you.’

'It’s not hers,’ Hudson said angrily. 'It belongs to the Bellamy family. She wasn’t supposed to have it in her possession. So if you get it, don’t let her get her hands on it again. The engagement was broken off, she was supposed to return it.’

The sergeant shot a questioning look at Serenity.

'It
was
mine. My fiancé rang me before he left the airport and asked me to keep wearing it. He feels sure we can work things out when he gets back, and he was so upset that I agreed. John will verify this when he gets back. But if you do trace it, I would rather you returned it to him, not his family. It wasn’t a family ring. He bought it for me.’

‘And you, Hudson, where did you get your information from?’

‘From an impeccable source. John Bellamy’s mother.’

‘You spoke to her yourself?’

‘No, but Miss Buchanan did. You’ve met her. She is unlikely to get her facts twisted.’

The sergeant looked from one angry face to the other then said simply, 'I prefer to leave this aspect until I talk to the young man himself. I have all the information I need just now. You’ll let me know if you find it at Haupiri. Thank you both for coming in.’

Serenity said goodbye and went to the car with a jubilant spirit. He hadn’t taken Hudson’s word against hers, he hadn’t believed Madeline or Mrs Bellamy, he wanted to hear from John. She was completely satisfied.

‘You think you’re so clever, don’t you? Hudson said furiously as he flung himself into the seat.

‘I don’t, but I think the sergeant was. He’s going to speak to John before he condemns me, but you couldn’t wait that long.’

‘You’re still trying to claim you’re innocent. You amaze me.’

Serenity sat still. There was no use talking to him. He had a closed mind.

He drove to the insurance company. ‘Go in and see if your cheque is ready.’

When she came out she showed it to him. ‘Thank you for bringing me in. I’ll get a car and be back to work as soon as I can.’

‘No, you don’t. I’ll go with you, then you can follow me home. That will make sure you do get there.’

She returned his gaze steadily. ‘You shouldn’t put such ideas in my head. You know I’m a weak character.’ She got into the passenger seat and sat quietly.

He gave her a strange look. 'It’s lunch time. We’ll have something to eat and you can tell me what make of car you want.’

She shrugged her slender shoulders, ‘Whatever you say, Boss.’

Driving home behind him in her new car she felt more cheerful. She had seen his mouth tighten each time she called him Boss, and she knew he was sensitive enough to know why she was doing it. The drive out was lovely and the day hadn’t been too bad. Tessa would be a real friend, and the police had accepted her story, and she really hadn’t been rude to Hudson, so Cam would be pleased with her. When she saw the lake and the valley it felt like coming home, and her spirits soared. Maybe it would work out; just maybe Hudson would make his own enquiries after what the sergeant had said. Hudson was intelligent, when he wasn’t angry. Hudson was wonderful. She started to sing ‘Early one morning . . .'