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The first week simply flew by, with Serenity being so busy she hardly had time to feel actively unhappy. With Hudson and the boys plus the carpenters to cook for she was fully occupied during the day and each evening she drove to the homestead and worked until midnight scanning the wool.

Hudson never missed a chance to whip her with his tongue, but as each day passed she became stronger in her resolve not to retaliate, and it became a battle of wills as he realised she was refusing to fight with him. It seemed to infuriate him, and his biting sarcasm became more cruel and taunting. Each night Cam joined her after he had worked with Milo and recounted how well the horse was progressing, and his praise for her restraint was sweet to her ears.

‘Oh, Cam, if I didn’t have you to encourage me, I’d pulverise him,’ Serenity said as she rested on the edge of a bale of wool on the last night she was to spend on the wool. ‘Today one of the boys asked about my family, and after they left, Hudson said he didn’t believe my mother had died at all, that it was just another play for sympathy. He’s so angry all the time and when the boys or the carpenters tease me or make me laugh he gets explosive. I don’t think it would take a lot for him to really belt me.’

‘He won’t do that, Serenity, he’s not the type. You’re winning hands down, I tell you. He can’t combat what you’re doing, and he’s probably hating himself for what he’s doing. I was watching him the other day and he is tortured by doubts that he might be wrong about you. He said when I asked him that he had no complaints about your work, that you did everything cheerfully and willingly, and that the men thought the world of you. Of course he added that they were in for a shock when they found out what a phoney you were, but I could see he was truly puzzled. That crack about your mother was pretty tough, not like Hudson at all. Still, none of this behaviour is.’

‘He’s not the only one acting out of character. I could have killed him. This sweetness and light doesn’t come naturally to me. I offered to go and get her death certificate and marriage licence for him and then realised I couldn’t.’

‘Why not? Didn’t you have them with you?’

‘Oh, I had them, but it would have given him information that I’m not prepared to share.’ She had actually rushed to get them when she had seen Sarah Tarrant’s name on the marriage licence and had had to come down and say to Hudson that, as he’d only say they were forgeries, she had decided against offering them.

Cam said with a sympathetic smile, 'I'll bet he made a mountain out of your not producing them. Let’s get going and finish this lot.’

When the last bit of wool dropped into the bin, Serenity sagged. ‘I knew it wasn’t here. I hope he’s not going to make me scan all these bales, the loose wool has been hard enough. He never even asked how I’m going, but he’s been over to bale up when I’m not here, and it’s gone for sure now. Thanks for helping me, but it’s all been a waste of time. Oh, what a fool I was to lose it! I’m so tired, and we’ve done everything that’s possible.’

‘Not everything,’ Cam said cheerfully. ‘We’ll pray about it. If we do the possible we can safely trust God to do the impossible.’

‘You really believe that, don’t you? My mother was just like you . . . Okay, I’m desperate enough to try anything. You go ahead.’

When Cam had said a simple prayer, he walked to the car with Serenity. ‘What are you going to do tomorrow? It’s Sunday. Will you come up home?’

‘Thanks, but no thanks. I’m going to sleep all day.’ Serenity stifled a yawn. ‘I’ve never been so tired. Could I make it next weekend?’

‘Sure thing. Don’t go to sleep on the way home. And about the ring. It will turn up, but maybe not the way you expect.’

‘Oh, Cam, I don’t care how it’s returned as long as I can give it back to John.’

The lights were still on when Serenity got home, and she wished she didn’t have to face Hudson. Maybe he wouldn’t speak to her.

‘Did you find the ring?’ he demanded as she walked in.

‘No. And you knew I wouldn’t. It was an exercise in futility, but at least it’s finished.’

‘Your part of it is. The trucks are coming Monday to take it to the auction in Christchurch, and the insurance company is going to meet it and try to find a scanner big enough to check the bales. Maybe the Airport will have one, or the Hospital. I don’t care what they do as long as my wool doesn’t miss the sale.’

'I'm sorry to have given you so much trouble . . .'

'I’m sure trouble is your second name. You’re a real jinx, aren't you? I’ve just had a call from Bill. Naomi is in hospital in Greymouth and he’s staying down there, so I’ve got no one on the other side.’

‘Well, you can’t blame me for that, surely.’

‘I have no doubt that as long as you stay here unfortunate happenings are going to be the order of the day.’ His hazel eyes were cold and unforgiving.

Serenity shrugged her shoulders. ‘What do you want me to do? Stay over the other side?’

His lips curved in a smile that held no humour. ‘Only for one day. You see, my father met up with a group of farmers in Canada. They are coming out here on a tour and he has offered them some fine West Coast hospitality. About six of them will be arriving to be entertained. He suggests a barbecue, nothing but the best, Bar 2 beef steaks, hogget chops, venison, mushroom, wine, silver goblets—all the trimmings. Horse riding, sheep-dog displays, with all the neighbours brought in to make them feel welcome. As Naomi is out I’m nominating you hostess, which I’m sure you’ll carry out with your usual flair.’

Serenity stared at him appalled. ‘I haven’t the foggiest idea how to run something as big as that. You get your tame lawyer over here, she’ll do you proud.’

‘I’ve given you the job. There’ll be about a hundred neighbours and friends that he’ll want invited. I’ll give you a list, and when I’m certain of the date you can have that, too. It will be the week after next probably. This week we’ll be doing the hay. Goodnight.’

Serenity sank into a chair. He was being ridiculous. He was only trying to scare her. He was only waiting until she made a huge mess of it and then he would sneer and call in Madeline. Oh Lord, help me out of this one, too. She grinned weakly. She must be catching something from Cam, asking for the impossible. But the thought of Cam cheered her. He would know how these things were done, and his parents would help her organise it. She climbed the stairs still smiling, her thoughts going to Madeline. If she wasn’t invited to play hostess she would be livid, and Serenity felt that Hudson would be on the receiving end of a flow of invective that would make anything she had to say pale in comparison.

Another week passed and it was even more hectic than the first two. The carpenters were still putting the roof on the new barn as the first bales were being loaded in. Serenity managed to feed an ever-increasing army of men, answer a never silent phone, rush on frantic trips to the garage twenty miles away to get a tyre repaired for the tedder, then to get another part welded for the baler. But her great triumph of the week was a batch of scones she baked successfully under Tessa’s careful tuition. And she had found time to make friends with Milo, now mouthed and ready for the saddle.

On Friday night all activity ceased, the hay was stored, the boys left for the weekend and she and Hudson were seated across the table for dinner, alone for the first time in a week.

‘That was a fine meal, Serenity, thank you. And thanks also for a magnificent job this week.’

Serenity stared at him in amazement. A compliment! He must be sickening for something. Come to think of it, he had been acting a bit strangely all week, not friendly exactly, but dropping the aggressive rudeness, and treating her more or less like the rest of the staff. She had put it down to the fact that he had been too busy to concentrate on her.

‘Well, the hay’s in, so we can relax for a bit. We’ll spend the weekend planning this barbecue, if that’s okay with you.’

‘I’ve accepted an invitation to stay with the Blairs,’ Serenity replied and waited for a torrent of abuse.

‘Yes, I suppose you’re due for a bit of free time. I’ll work on it myself then we’ll go over it together when you get back.’

Stunned, Serenity watched him leave the room. A bubble of excitement welled up inside her and spread like a warm glow right through her whole being. He
had
changed. It wasn’t just the excess of work. She tried to focus her mind on the past week, trying to pinpoint the last time he had let rip at her, and realised he hadn’t been nasty since he had spoken about the barbecue. And he was going to plan it with her. They would be working
together
on the old footing. She felt as Cinderella must have done when the glass slipper had been fitted on her foot, weak with delight and feeling butterflies using her spine for a stepladder.

‘Anybody home?’

Serenity froze. She would know those dulcet tones anywhere. Madeline was back.

‘Oh, you’re still here. Still sitting in the same old mess. Make me some coffee, please. Where’s Hudson?’

'I
n his office. And I’m afraid you’ll have to make your own coffee. I’m off duty for the weekend.’ Serenity smiled wickedly. Cam had not said one word about not being nasty to Madeline.

The intelligent brown eyes glittered. ‘How thoughtful of Hudson to get rid of you so that we can enjoy the weekend together.’

‘I don’t think he even knew you were coming,’ Serenity replied smartly. 'I do hope it is a
pleasant
surprise.’

‘Why, you little . . .’

'…. insignificant cheat?’ Serenity suggested, laughing. ‘That’s one of Hudson’s. I’m sure you can do better.’

Madeline relaxed visibly. ‘I won’t descend to name-calling, but I am glad to hear Hudson is not letting you forget what you are. If he’s making it all that unpleasant for you, why do you stay?’

Serenity said impudently, ‘Because you forced me to. I had thought you would be more astute than that.’

Madeline glared. 'In what way?’

‘Well, you put me on a spot. By dredging up that load of old rubbish with Mrs Bellamy, you undermined Hudson’s opinion of me. I
had
to stay here and prove I was trustworthy, that I could complete a deal when I made it. I was planning to leave the very afternoon you floored me with your great denouncement.’

‘And have you proved your, excuse me for laughing, trustworthiness?’ The brown eyes shone dangerously.

'I'm working on it,’ Serenity informed her cheerfully. ‘You know, in olden times, the saints used to whip themselves, and mortify themselves by walking miles with hard peas in their shoes to humble themselves and show God they loved him. I haven’t quite taken it to that length, but I’ve been close.’

Madeline pounced, ‘So you do love Hudson. I was right.’

‘Yes, you were right, Madeline. So if you’d been really as clever as you’re credited to be, you would have been working to prove that I was telling the truth. That way Hudson would have been so sorry that he “had done me wrong” that he’d have called the deal off, and, honour satisfied, I could have left the field clear for you.’

‘A likely story. If you had been proved in the right, you’d have stuck like glue and tried to manipulate him to the altar. Your sort never give up . . .’

‘And neither do yours,’ Serenity cried scornfully. ‘But as for me dragging a reluctant Hudson to face the preacher man, he’s the last person I’d marry.’

'Why do you say that? Not that I believe you, of course.’

'It is a matter of small concern to me whether you believe me or not. You seem to have remarkable difficulty in discerning the truth. I hope you never make it to the judge’s bench, or justice in this country would suffer a severe set-back. However, seeing as you're part of Hudson’s future, I feel it’s only fair to tell you I have no intention of upsetting your plans. I didn’t come here to cause trouble.’

‘You haven’t answered me. Why wouldn’t you marry Hudson? Not that you’d ever get the chance, but I am curious.’

‘Because when I marry a man, I'm going to love him forever, and I would expect to be loved, cherished and protected by him. Hudson doesn’t want anything as sentimental as love in his marriage, so you’ll suit him fine. Another thing he told me in the first few days was that no woman would ever be indispensable in his life. Well, I’m going to be indispensable to my husband, I’m going to come first in his life, I’m going to make him so comfortable, so happy, that when I’m not with him, life won’t even feel real to him. I’m not like you, I have no intention of settling for second-best. He’s only half a man. I don’t want a man who is incapable of love. I’ve got a lot to offer some man, but not Hudson Grey. Lady, he’s all yours.’

Hudson’s voice from the foot of the stairs made them both jump, 'I'd like to see you in the office before you leave, Serenity. Hullo, Madeline, come through to the lounge and have a drink before you unpack.’

Serenity was hardly aware of the two of them moving away, and even though she could hear the murmuring of their voices in the next room she tried to concentrate on clearing the table. She must have been out of her mind to speak out so baldly to Madeline, not that she would take one word back. She had just not wanted Hudson and Madeline spoiling their weekend squabbling about her. She wouldn’t have minded spoiling Madeline’s weekend but Hudson didn’t need any more strife.

She went upstairs and collected her bag. Praise the Lord for the Blairs’ invitation. Imagine if she had been locked up here with those two for forty-eight hours. She tapped on the office door. Strange how calm she felt, even knowing that she had admitted loving Hudson and that there was a distinct possibility that he had overheard her. Well, if he had heard that he would have also heard that as husband material she rated him less than adequate.

‘Come along in. Serenity.’

Her chin lifted defiantly as she heard the old touch of amusement in his voice. ‘I hope you’ll keep it short, I want to get up the valley before dark.’

‘Oh, Serenity, welcome back. To hear you chew Madeline out was a real tonic. I thought you’d forgotten how to keep your end of an argument up. You were really sparking on all cylinders. I thought that meek mild turn-the-other-cheek was going to be permanent. A terrifying thought.’