suggested we went to look at Alice Springs or the Barrier Reef, both Uncle Martin and Aunt Marjorie nearly had a fit. While Uncle Martin saw his business connections, Aunt and I like most visitors toured the cities. Very beautiful, I grant you, but a city’s a city if you see what I mean. I’d have liked to see further afield. I’d always been told the outback is pretty inspiring. Maybe one day I’ll get the opportunity to see, if not the whole of Australia, at least more than just two of its main cities.’
Rex gave a sort of grunt by the way of reply, then silence fell again as he put his foot down and drove as fast as was permitted along the six-lane motorway northwards. Davina was aware of feeling increasingly cold as the drizzle became a proper downpour and began to wish there’d been time to have more than a slice of bread and butter before setting out.
As she stirred restlessly, Rex glanced at his watch, then asked, ‘Would you like to stop for something to eat? It’s a bit early for lunch, but we could have sandwiches and coffee.’
‘You must be a mind-reader. I’m simply ravenous!’ Davina smiled, but it died out of her eyes as Rex cut her down to size. ‘Nothing of the sort. I know women, though. Complete idiots when there isn’t a man around to cook for,’ he said briefly as he turned into the slip road leading to the transport cafe.
As she climbed out Davina shivered, as much from the intolerance of his remark as from the rain beating relentlessly on to her bare head. ‘Well, go on, get in out of the rain. What are you waiting for?’ Rex asked, and coming round the bonnet he took her arm and ran her into the shelter of the building.
There was an empty table beside the window, and with a terse, ‘Sit here,’ Rex went over to collect a tray and walk along the serve-yourself counter, stopping several times to add another item to his tray. When he returned Davina gave a gasp and looked up to say, ‘We’ll never eat all that. There’s enough food there to feed an army.’
A smile just touched Rex’s firm lips. ‘What’s left is for later on. Just eat what you can, the rest we’ll take with us. You’ll see drinks too. Those are for the journey. The coffee’s for now. Sugar?’
Davina shook her head and in silence opened one of the packets of sandwiches. The bread tasted as if it was made of a composition of felt and cardboard, but she was too oblivious to care. All her thoughts were taken up by Rex’s uncompromising manner. Where were the beautiful manners now? Had they simply been put on for the purpose of impressing her family?
It was not until she was getting back into the passenger seat of the Land Rover that, turning to watch Rex stow the food and cans of Coke and beer, Davina noticed the portable Calor gas stove and the two camp beds. When Rex climbed in and put his key in the dashboard she asked, ‘We are going to get there today, aren’t we?’
Rex looked surprised. ‘Of course. Why do you ask?’
Davina jerked a thumb over her shoulder. ‘Why the camping gear, then?’
‘Oh, that!’ Rex smiled, though it wasn’t a particularly reassuring smile. ‘I don’t intend to bed down on the roadside, if that’s what you’re wondering. Now I was a Boy Scout,’ he turned his head and smiled ironically down into Davina’s bewildered face. ‘The farmhouse hasn’t been lived in since the late owner died and I understand he wouldn’t let anyone over the threshold to clean. As far as I can make out all the trustees of the estate have done is clear out the old man’s papers and clothing, so it’s possible the beds aren’t fit to sleep in. I didn’t want to be caught napping, hence the camp beds.'
As he drove out of the car park Davina digested this latest piece of information. It all sounded vaguely sinister—and come to that, wasn’t Rex himself behaving in a very strange manner? He was treating her with what could be described as the minimum of courtesy and was
Rex gave a sort of grunt by the way of reply, then silence fell again as he put his foot down and drove as fast as was permitted along the six-lane motorway northwards. Davina was aware of feeling increasingly cold as the drizzle became a proper downpour and began to wish there’d been time to have more than a slice of bread and butter before setting out.
As she stirred restlessly, Rex glanced at his watch, then asked, ‘Would you like to stop for something to eat? It’s a bit early for lunch, but we could have sandwiches and coffee.’
‘You must be a mind-reader. I’m simply ravenous!’ Davina smiled, but it died out of her eyes as Rex cut her down to size. ‘Nothing of the sort. I know women, though. Complete idiots when there isn’t a man around to cook for,’ he said briefly as he turned into the slip road leading to the transport cafe.
As she climbed out Davina shivered, as much from the intolerance of his remark as from the rain beating relentlessly on to her bare head. ‘Well, go on, get in out of the rain. What are you waiting for?’ Rex asked, and coming round the bonnet he took her arm and ran her into the shelter of the building.
There was an empty table beside the window, and with a terse, ‘Sit here,’ Rex went over to collect a tray and walk along the serve-yourself counter, stopping several times to add another item to his tray. When he returned Davina gave a gasp and looked up to say, ‘We’ll never eat all that. There’s enough food there to feed an army.’
A smile just touched Rex’s firm lips. ‘What’s left is for later on. Just eat what you can, the rest we’ll take with us. You’ll see drinks too. Those are for the journey. The coffee’s for now. Sugar?’
Davina shook her head and in silence opened one of the packets of sandwiches. The bread tasted as if it was made of a composition of felt and cardboard, but she was too oblivious to care. All her thoughts were taken up by Rex’s uncompromising manner. Where were the beautiful manners now? Had they simply been put on for the purpose of impressing her family?
It was not until she was getting back into the passenger seat of the Land Rover that, turning to watch Rex stow the food and cans of Coke and beer, Davina noticed the portable Calor gas stove and the two camp beds. When Rex climbed in and put his key in the dashboard she asked, ‘We are going to get there today, aren’t we?’
Rex looked surprised. ‘Of course. Why do you ask?’
Davina jerked a thumb over her shoulder. ‘Why the camping gear, then?’
‘Oh, that!’ Rex smiled, though it wasn’t a particularly reassuring smile. ‘I don’t intend to bed down on the roadside, if that’s what you’re wondering. Now I was a Boy Scout,’ he turned his head and smiled ironically down into Davina’s bewildered face. ‘The farmhouse hasn’t been lived in since the late owner died and I understand he wouldn’t let anyone over the threshold to clean. As far as I can make out all the trustees of the estate have done is clear out the old man’s papers and clothing, so it’s possible the beds aren’t fit to sleep in. I didn’t want to be caught napping, hence the camp beds.'
As he drove out of the car park Davina digested this latest piece of information. It all sounded vaguely sinister—and come to that, wasn’t Rex himself behaving in a very strange manner? He was treating her with what could be described as the minimum of courtesy and was
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