Read Online Coming Home by Ann B Harrison - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ann B Harrison
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When it did, she stepped under the spray
and thought of how far she’d come in the last few years because of her own
determination and hard work.
Initially the other
stock hands had relished a female amongst them and she was the brunt of
constant boy jokes and ribbing about cooking and cleaning for them. It seemed
they didn't get the point about her being there to work the same as them, not
as someone for them to chat up. Essie had taken pity on her and cooked her
dinner once or twice a week to give her a break from attention of the men.
The soothing water ran
down her face and Kate scrubbed the dust from her pores. The worst thing about
her job was the constant dirt and exposure to the elements. She worried what it
would eventually do to her fair skin. She lathered sun block on constantly but
it didn't seem to keep the freckles away. Kate turned off the shower and
reached for a fluffy towel.
Once dry and dressed in
slim fitting capri pants and a loose blouse, Kate brushed her hair before
pulling it up in a messy knot on top of her head. She smeared pale lip gloss
over her lips and sprayed a little perfume on her throat and behind her ears.
Satisfied she would
pass muster, Kate stroked her hand over Wally who was now washing himself on
her bed and walked out of her cottage toward the big house. Coming face to face
with Cade after giving him orders earlier was going to be interesting. Just let
him try and tell her what to do. She was running the show now and it was about
time he realised that.
Chapter Nine
Russ looked up as the
back door opened and Kate walked into the room. She headed for Essie and gave
her a quick peck on the cheek before turning to him.
"Russ, sorry about
the welcome before. I had on other things my mind." She walked over and
leaned in to give him a brotherly hug. "I'm pleased to see you. Sorry
about the divorce and all, it must have been rough." She perched her butt
on a stool at the counter and kept her gaze on his face.
"I guess it was,
but that's life I suppose." He shuffled his feet and sat beside her.
"It's funny but I'm glad it happened in a way. We weren't right for each
other. It took me a few years to figure that out." He sighed. "Paula
wanted more from me than I could give. Things I had no interest in, so it's
probably for the best all round." He reached over and ran his hand down
her arm. "Enough about me. Tell me what's been happening with you. Farm
manager, that's really great news, Kate."
She looked down at her
fingers and Russ wondered what was going through her mind. "Yeah, I like
it here and it suits me."
"So tell me how it
came about that you decided you wanted to be a farmer." He looked up when
Essie put a bottle of chilled wine on the counter in front of him.
"Thanks, Essie." He poured two glasses, handed one to Kate and sat
back waiting for her to talk.
"Well, you know my
folks were killed just after your mother died? I didn't know what I was going
to do. I mean, seriously there isn't much a seventeen-year-old can do with no
money and no family." She took a sip of the wine and Russ noticed how her
hand trembled as she gripped the stem of the glass.
"Your father took
me in and gave me a permanent job. Funny thing was, I'd already approached him
about it and was working holidays anyway. No fuss or anything, said I would
have to prove myself if I wanted to keep the roof over my head. He didn't have
time to worry over me or anything like that."
"Sounds just like
the old man." Russ smiled to soften the words.
"Yeah well, it was
the best thing he could have done for me. It gave me a purpose to keep going. I
think if I'd had someone molly-coddle me, I would have broken inside. He watched
me working and taught me what he could. I took to it like a duck to water. When
Thomas the old manager retired, he gave me the job."
"Sounds like you
deserved it to according to Tory. I'm glad it worked out for you, Kate. The
place is in good hands."
"Thanks. You can
tell me to mind my
and thought of how far she’d come in the last few years because of her own
determination and hard work.
Initially the other
stock hands had relished a female amongst them and she was the brunt of
constant boy jokes and ribbing about cooking and cleaning for them. It seemed
they didn't get the point about her being there to work the same as them, not
as someone for them to chat up. Essie had taken pity on her and cooked her
dinner once or twice a week to give her a break from attention of the men.
The soothing water ran
down her face and Kate scrubbed the dust from her pores. The worst thing about
her job was the constant dirt and exposure to the elements. She worried what it
would eventually do to her fair skin. She lathered sun block on constantly but
it didn't seem to keep the freckles away. Kate turned off the shower and
reached for a fluffy towel.
Once dry and dressed in
slim fitting capri pants and a loose blouse, Kate brushed her hair before
pulling it up in a messy knot on top of her head. She smeared pale lip gloss
over her lips and sprayed a little perfume on her throat and behind her ears.
Satisfied she would
pass muster, Kate stroked her hand over Wally who was now washing himself on
her bed and walked out of her cottage toward the big house. Coming face to face
with Cade after giving him orders earlier was going to be interesting. Just let
him try and tell her what to do. She was running the show now and it was about
time he realised that.
Chapter Nine
Russ looked up as the
back door opened and Kate walked into the room. She headed for Essie and gave
her a quick peck on the cheek before turning to him.
"Russ, sorry about
the welcome before. I had on other things my mind." She walked over and
leaned in to give him a brotherly hug. "I'm pleased to see you. Sorry
about the divorce and all, it must have been rough." She perched her butt
on a stool at the counter and kept her gaze on his face.
"I guess it was,
but that's life I suppose." He shuffled his feet and sat beside her.
"It's funny but I'm glad it happened in a way. We weren't right for each
other. It took me a few years to figure that out." He sighed. "Paula
wanted more from me than I could give. Things I had no interest in, so it's
probably for the best all round." He reached over and ran his hand down
her arm. "Enough about me. Tell me what's been happening with you. Farm
manager, that's really great news, Kate."
She looked down at her
fingers and Russ wondered what was going through her mind. "Yeah, I like
it here and it suits me."
"So tell me how it
came about that you decided you wanted to be a farmer." He looked up when
Essie put a bottle of chilled wine on the counter in front of him.
"Thanks, Essie." He poured two glasses, handed one to Kate and sat
back waiting for her to talk.
"Well, you know my
folks were killed just after your mother died? I didn't know what I was going
to do. I mean, seriously there isn't much a seventeen-year-old can do with no
money and no family." She took a sip of the wine and Russ noticed how her
hand trembled as she gripped the stem of the glass.
"Your father took
me in and gave me a permanent job. Funny thing was, I'd already approached him
about it and was working holidays anyway. No fuss or anything, said I would
have to prove myself if I wanted to keep the roof over my head. He didn't have
time to worry over me or anything like that."
"Sounds just like
the old man." Russ smiled to soften the words.
"Yeah well, it was
the best thing he could have done for me. It gave me a purpose to keep going. I
think if I'd had someone molly-coddle me, I would have broken inside. He watched
me working and taught me what he could. I took to it like a duck to water. When
Thomas the old manager retired, he gave me the job."
"Sounds like you
deserved it to according to Tory. I'm glad it worked out for you, Kate. The
place is in good hands."
"Thanks. You can
tell me to mind my
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