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Tay walked ahead of them up the path with his bucket of barley to feed the geese and wildfowl, and Katriona waited with Tania to latch the gate. ‘Peebles will get in and eat the garden if we don’t shut it.’

Katriona looked at the big Hereford calf butting halfheartedly at the gate and went back to scratch his head. ‘Poor Peebles, no flowers for your dinner. Have you had him long?’

‘He’s Eden’s. I think he’s about five or six months old. Daddy found the mother dying in the swamp and they went and got him in the truck. Eden will tell you where, bush camp I think.’ Tania’s slim little hand twined around Katriona’s arm and her sweet face with its flowerlike beauty and trusting intelligent eyes smiled right into Katriona’s eyes and heart. They lingered by the gate together watching the sunset change the clouds to apricot, pink and gold, and the mountains to a mysterious purple. This garden was different from the homestead garden but just as appealing with its shrubs and flowers, mignonette and honesty, marigolds and nasturtiums and cactus plants, and the rowan tree gay with huge clusters of brilliant red berries.

‘We’d better go in,’ Tania suggested. ‘Dinner will be ready.’

Tay, freshly showered and wearing shorts and a leisure shirt, was helping Amber serve the meal, and listening to Eden talk of his school day, while Jordan and the budgie competed for the remaining air space in between. Amber was angry, her green eyes bright and fierce.

‘Katriona, I thought you had more brains! ’

So Tay had told her. Katriona brushed back her hair. ‘Than what?’

‘Than Carla. Why did you let her get away with that lie?’

‘Whew! I thought you were going to take off the same way as Morgan did.’

‘Me! Morgan! Me, think like that idiot man? I should hope not! I would have got the truth out of her if I’d had to beat her brains out, and I’d have enjoyed every minute of it.’

Tay grabbed his wife, silencing her with a kiss. ‘It’s great to be married to a quiet, gentle, loving woman, Katriona. So soothing to come home to. Tania’s finished her wash, Katriona. If you like to whip in and have a quick shower, I’ll send Eden out to the truck for an overnight bag of your things I picked up from Nivvy.’

‘You think of everything,’ Katriona said gratefully. ‘This dress has pear juice stains on it and I feel I’ve been wearing it for a thousand years. I won’t take long.’

‘Don’t thank me. It was all Nivvy’s idea.’

Katriona enjoyed changing into an artist’s smock in raw blue silk which Nivvy had chosen for her. Feeling fresh and clean still did not bring back her appetite even though Amber had prepared a good meal and a beautiful pavlova for dessert. After the children had finished and been excused to watch T.V. she sat on with Tay and Amber talking about the station but carefully avoiding any mention of the car incident. She could not bear to think of it, let alone discuss it.

‘Anyone home?’ Morgan called as he came up the path.

At the sound of his voice Katriona was on her feet, her back braced against the wall, her hands outstretched to Tay. 'Please don’t let him in here! ’

One look at her chalk-white face and her blue eyes large and dark with fright made Tay reach the door in one stride, to bar Morgan’s entrance.

‘Good day, Morgan. Can I help you?’ Tay sounded casual.

‘Yes. I want to see Katriona. May I come in? I don’t usually have to ask.’

Katriona was flattened against the wall, behind the open door, out of sight of Morgan.

‘Sorry, Morgan, Katriona isn’t up to seeing anyone right now. We’ll talk outside.’ His large frame blocked the doorway.

‘We’ll talk inside. I want to talk to her. Get out of my way, Tay.’ Morgan spoke softly, but there was a threat in his voice.

Amber whipped around and ducked under Tay’s arm. ‘Don’t you think you’ve said enough to Katriona already today?’

‘Keep out of my business, Amber,’ Morgan snapped.

‘You keep out of my house, Morgan Grant. And don’t yell at me! Katriona isn’t well, and she doesn’t want to see you, and neither do I. You’re a mean man, Morgan Grant.’

‘Is she hurt?’ Morgan’s voice sounded concerned.

'I
s
she hurt?
Oh, you mean physically—blood, bruises, broken bones kind of hurt. That’s the only hurt a man like you would understand. No, she’s not hurt that way, just inside, she bleeds inside, but you wouldn’t understand that, would you, Morgan Grant? You get to hell out of here. Katriona is staying here tonight. In fact she’ll probably stay here till Ross comes back to sort you out.’

‘That will do, Amber. I’ll talk to Morgan. You’re too fierce darling.’ Tay stepped outside, closing the door behind him.

‘Sit down, Katriona. Tay won’t let him come inside.’ Amber pushed her into a chair. ‘Would you like to join the kids in die lounge?’

Katriona hid her head in her hands and mutely shook her head.

‘Sit where you are. I’ll make some coffee,’ Amber plugged in the electric kettle and cleared the table. Just as she poured the coffee they heard the men’s voices raised in anger. It was dark now except for the moon. Amber pointed to the open bedroom door indicating that the conversation was drifting in through the window and put her finger to her lips, cautioning Katriona not to speak.

‘She is not staying here with you. You see you bring her back to the homestead. Do you hear me?’ Morgan shouted.

‘I’m not deaf. They can probably hear you in Hanmer. And Katriona is welcome here tonight and any night she wants to stay. Taken on new responsibilities with the manager’s position, have you, mate? Vetting the guests who stay on the station. Big job that, Morgan—think you’re up to it? You don’t own the show yet.’

There was a deep silence and Katriona tried to visualise what was happening out there in the dark. She felt guilty that these two were at each other’s throats because of her, guilty also that she was eavesdropping.

‘Okay. So what’s your game, Tay? You decided to stir as soon as you set eyes on Katriona this morning. I could tell.’

‘I’ve always preferred to be on the side of the underdog, and even though she’s as cute as a button, and I’d guess a real gutsy little redhead, she’ll need the odd friend. Well, she’s got Amber and me. You said show her the station, help her learn about it, so I took her with me. It was a real pleasure. So why belly-ache about it now?’

‘You want it on the line, I’ll give it to you. If she stays here tonight, you’re fired ... finished! ’

‘Katriona will spend the night with us, Morgan. Amber and I will start packing at first light. I’d rather be out of work for a year than work one more day for a bloke like you. You’re wanting to visit the sins of the fathers on to the heads of the children, or in this case, you’re wanting to make that poor kid suffer for the death of your parents, because you can’t make her mother pay. Great stuff, Morgan. Did you ever pause to think how a mother like hers could snarl up a little kid’s life? Is all the pain yours? And you’d rather believe Carla’s lie than find out the truth.’

‘Did Katriona say that Carla lied?’

‘You don’t want to know the truth, Morgan. Katriona knows that, she doesn’t know why, but she knew enough not to talk to you. You can’t see the wood for the trees, or I should say for the luscious bosom and buttocks.’

There was a sound of fighting, and Katriona jumped to her feet. ‘Stop them, Amber, please stop them! ’

‘Why should I? I hope Tay belts him good and hard. He deserves it. It might make him see sense.’

‘But Tay might get hurt, and it’s all my fault.’

'If Tay gets hurt, so will Morgan. They’re evenly matched, let them get on with it.’

Appalled, Katriona stared at her. ‘You’re enjoying it!’

‘Every minute of it. And if Tay doesn’t win, I’ll beat him up myself.’

‘But think, Amber, you love this place, so does Tay. Why jeopardise your position for a perfect stranger? It doesn’t make sense. I’ll leave right now, tonight. Morgan’s right, my mother came here and caused trouble and now I’ve done the same. I wish I’d never come to New Zealand.’

Amber lifted her head. Her green eyes, deep and intense, met Katriona’s desperate gaze. ‘Don’t say that, Katriona. You’ve been here such a short while. How can you make a judgment as to whether your visit is a good thing or a bad thing for this place? I’ve been here years, and I say, quite adamantly, that your coming here is the best damn thing that’s happened to Evangeline for a long time. Sure, you’ll stir up hidden pain and hurts which your mother left behind. But you’re dead straight and honest. There’s nothing false about you, both Tay and I feel that, and we’re never wrong about people. You stay this month, Katriona. Believe me, this place needs honesty, large lumps of it, and you’ve got guts, if you’ll pardon the unladylike expression. Don’t you dare go high-tailin’ it back to Scotland, leaving everything to Carla. Your father needs you, Morgan needs you ..

‘Oh, Amber, nobody needs me. I’m nothing but trouble.’ She gave a bitter laugh.

‘They
need
you,’ Amber said fiercely. ‘Sure they don’t know how much, but that doesn’t make their need any less. And Carla ... you’re just what the doctor ordered to fix Carla. You think your mother brought trouble to Evangeline, you stick around and see what Carla does to create trouble and you’ll see that your mother was a pathetic amateur.’

Katriona stared at Amber in blank amazement, too dumbfounded to speak. What Amber was saying was utterly ridiculous, yet there was no doubting her sincerity.

‘Any coffee left?’

Amber was on her feet in an instant, facing Tay. She examined him critically, her eyes narrowed. ‘You’re going to have a black eye. That was careless.’

Tay roared with laughing. ‘Fine welcome for a returning warrior! Nothing but carping criticism. Yes, I’ll wear a black eye, but Morgan may have to visit his dentist. Does that satisfy your blood-lust, wench?’

‘Oh, Tay, I do love you so much,’ Amber’s voice was soft and so gentle.

‘I do know.’ Tay smiled down at her glowing face and brushed her cheek with his lips. ‘Pour my coffee, slave, while I wash up.’

Katriona watched, bewildered yet fascinated. They could be losing their job because of her, yet they were treating it like a joke. They might understand what was happening, but Katriona could not. One question burned inside her and she knew that she must have an answer to it.

As Tay returned from the bathroom to sit by Katriona, Amber placed his coffee in front of him, then slipped on to his knee, nestling into position with ease of long practice, her head against his shoulder. ‘Did you really beat him? Did you really knock his tooth out?’

Tay sipped his coffee appreciatively. ‘Good coffee, this. No, I did not beat him. I think it could better be described as a draw. Actually, it was not high drama. He hit me, I hit him, and it was all over. We realised we could both get hurt, so we called it off. He had a cut lip and said I’d loosened one of his back teeth. So you’ll have to be content with that.’

Amber giggled. ‘Oh, Tay, you’re both so silly, you and Morgan.’

‘Yes, I know ... but then we always have been. That’s why we’re friends.’

Katriona gasped. ‘You’re
still
friends?’

Tay smiled at her, ‘Poor Katriona, no wonder you’re all mixed up. Yes, Morgan and I are still friends. One good fight doesn’t ruin a friendship. In fact it often helps one. Same as a fight doesn’t break up a marriage, it clears the air and you come closer together, eh, Amber?’

‘And it’s such fun making up,’ Amber agreed, her eyes bright.

Katriona’s blue eyes reflected her troubled thoughts. ‘Do you and Morgan often fight?’

‘No, you couldn’t say often. Once every ten years could hardly be described as a frequent occurrence ...’

Katriona stood up. ‘I’m not stupid. I’m a reasonably intelligent person, yet I can’t understand what went on here tonight. I’m right out of my depth, but one thing I have to know ... no, two answers I must have. Will you give me honest answers, Tay?’

‘Always, Katriona. Trust me.’ He became serious. Katriona fought back the tears that threatened to overflow at the kindness in his tone. ‘I heard you arguing with Morgan. He said that if I stayed here tonight, you and Amber and the children would have to leave Evangeline. Does that still stand?’

‘Yes,’ Tay replied.

‘Even though you’re still friends?’

‘Because we’re friends, Katriona.’ Tay rubbed his chin. ‘Morgan is the manager here. He laid it on the line and I accept it. You’re welcome to stay here the night, more than welcome.’

‘You would give up your job here, for me? You’d leave the place you love, pack up Amber and the children and all your household belongings and move out for me? You only met me today!’ Katriona felt her heart was hurting too much for her to keep breathing.

Amber slipped off Tay’s knee and walked over to kiss her. ‘Friendship isn’t something which can be measured in weight or height or length of time. It’s just there. It just happens. Tay and I feel the same way. You stay here tonight. I’ll leave you with Tay till I put the kids to bed.’ Katriona gripped the back of the chair with her hands, glad of its support. She felt the tears course down her cheeks. The enormity of the gift of these two people’s friendship was too much for her.

She felt Tay’s hands on her shoulders. ‘I think you’d better sit down, Katriona. I can’t have you flaking out again—I don’t think we’ve got enough whisky left for an encore.’

‘Don’t laugh about it, Tay.’ Katriona’s voice was harsh with emotion. ‘I can’t carry it. It’s too heavy.’

‘Poor little kid, you haven’t had much love in your life, if a small offer of friendship throws you like that. Have a good cry. You’ve been through a lot today, and it will make you feel better.’

Katriona felt his arms go round her, holding her firmly and comfortingly/ and the tears flowed in a flood, soaking his shirt. She heard Amber and the children talking and moving about the room as she slowly regained control of herself, and pushed herself away from him, wiping her eyes with a large handkerchief which Amber had thrust into her hand. ‘Sorry about that.’