A spurt of alarm made Tanya's lovely eyes widen. She didn't know these people. What on earth could she talk to them about? Her life had been so different from theirs. There was one subject that she knew that they would be interested in, and she didn't want to talk about that. She looked back at Kade who was now in the act of lighting a cigarette. 'They'd want to know all about Mother, wouldn't they? And I've no intention of
discussing her with them,' she added fervently, as her now pleading eyes met his sardonic ones. 'If you're staying on for my benefit, then I'd far rather we went back,' she tacked on quickly.
'Running away again, are you?' he demanded harshly. 'Well, it's no go. We're staying.' Then he went on in a grim voice: 'Sure they're interested in the past, but they're not unmindful of their manners. These are good folk, and don't you forget it. They've had their lean times in the past the same as the rest of us. You're John Hume's daughter, and as such you'll be welcomed into the fold. Don't go all high and mighty on them, they wouldn't appreciate that.'
Tanya flushed at this bald directive. He was not only telling her to mind her manners, in the way one would tell a child to behave itself, he was also telling her that these people had not had it as easy as she had, and had had to work for their living. In other words, he was accusing her of being a snob. It wasn't like that at all and surely he must know this, she thought bitterly.
As she did not reply, he carried on : 'Just give them a chance to get to know you. You'll find you've more friends than you've ever known in the past—real friends.'
There he goes again, thought Tanya, now he was saying that she hadn't a friend in the world. Her eyes rested on her tea cup, still half full, and she pushed it away; she didn't feel thirsty any more. It hurt to concede that he was right. She hadn't any real friends of her own, they had all been her mother's friends. The only person who could be said to be close to her was Connie, but she had been away from her for a long time, and anyway that was different.
Tanya remained silent although she wanted to shout out to him that she would do exactly what she wanted to do. If she didn't want to go to the social, then she wouldn't go; she would wait in her room until he was ready to take her back to Orchard Farm. She drew in her breath sharply. What was the point? She would go, of course. He had left her no choice in the matter. First he had accused her of being a coward, now he was accusing her of being a snob, and she deserved neither of these charges.
She then recalled her planned tactic of falling in with his wishes, but it didn't seem such a good idea now. The trouble was that it didn't appear to be her show any more. Somewhere along the line this large bullying man had taken over, and there wasn't a thing she could do about it, except pretend that she was still in charge. Her small chin lifted. She was still in charge because it was she who would have the last word, if not the last laugh on this autocratic character, although nothing appeared particularly funny right then.
Kade took full note of the raised chin and the light of battle in her eyes and made his own interpretation. 'Well, I guess you'll want plenty of time to pretty-up, or whatever it is you girls do in preparation for a party. I'll call for you around seven-thirty. Okay?' he asked, favouring her with an amused grin that clearly told her that he was pleased with her.
Tanya did not trust herself to speak, but just nodded and gathered up her handbag and stood up. Kade accompanied her, but was prevented from escorting her out of the dining room by a demand for his presence at one of the tables they passed. Tanya kept going, thank-
ful for the chance of escaping from his overbearing company.
Not for one minute had she envisaged enjoying herself, but to her surprise she did exactly that. As Kade had prophesied, she was inundated with partners for the dances, and although there did not appear to be a vast number of unattached young men, since most of the farmers were elderly and accompanied by their wives, this added to rather than depleted her enjoyment. She did not find herself having to take certain measures of avoidance from boredom as she had had to do in the past. Her mother, as Kade had intimated, had certainly kept a weather eye on her acquaintances, and the young men she had deemed suitable had also been depressingly dull.
It wasn't long before the fact sank through to Tanya that these people were genuinely trying to make her feel welcome, and she couldn't help responding to such kind gestures. The personal questions she had feared did not materialise, and because she knew that they must .have wondered about her mother but had carefully avoided the subject, it made her appreciate their tact and endeared them to her more firmly than any other gesture could have done.
It was an evening of gaiety that was not marred by the fact that Kade made certain that he got his full quota of dances. Had Tanya been honest with herself she would have had to admit that her dances with Kade enhanced rather than marred the evening.
She was feminine enough to appreciate his studious attention and quite unable to stifle a little lift of pride when he led her on to the dance floor. Where the women were concerned, there was no shortage of young
partners, and Tanya had noticed that Kade had made a point of dancing with these girls, ensuring that no one was left out. She also noticed that he did not dance twice with the same girl, but many times with her.
It was as if, she mused as she was dancing with him, he was determined to lay a claim to her company. She could dance with his friends, but he was the one who had brought her and the one who was escorting her home. A slight flush came to her cheeks as she acknowledged that his tactics could be misinterpreted by a watchful observer, and she wondered if he had realised this.
When he asked her if she was enjoying herself, she was able to give an affirmative answer and this time mean it. There really hadn't been any need to ask such a question, as her slight flush and sparkling eyes told their own story. 'How does it feel to be the belle of the ball?' he queried teasingly.
Tanya's eyes lost a little of their sparkle as she gave him a searching look, not sure if he was making fun of her or not. You could never tell with Kade, she thought. 'I don't know about that,' she replied quietly. 'I only know I'm enjoying myself. Let's leave it at that, shall we?'
`Guess I spoke out of turn again,' drawled Kade dolefully, but his eyes belied his tone and continued to laugh at her.
The next dance was claimed the moment she and Kade walked off the floor, and although she was tiring now Tanya did not like to refuse the elderly man whom Kade had addressed as Tom, and had introduced to her at the start of the evening. At least it would be a leisurely trot around the floor, and provide her with
the much needed breathing space from the more exuberant partners she had previously danced with.
Kade decided to take a breather himself and watched Tanya dancing with old Tom Watson. 'She's sure a sight for tired eyes,' commented Ted Down, the stout man who had given Tanya a few uncomfortable moments at the start of their acquaintance by calling her Mrs Player. His eyes were on her as he spoke and as both men watched, her elderly partner stepped on the hem of a middle-aged woman's skirt as he attempted to swing his partner round to the tempo of the dance. 'Time old Tom packed in dancing,' grinned Ted, as they watched both couples stop dancing and profuse apologies offered.
They continued to watch, and saw Tanya appealing if anyone had a safety pin. On being supplied with one she knelt down and started to pin up the damaged skirt, whose hem was now exposed, making it impossible for her to carry on dancing. In spite of the woman's mild, 'Oh, it doesn't matter at all. Please don't trouble yourself,' Tanya set herself to the task with a brusque, 'No trouble. If you'll just hold still, I'm sure I can fix it.'
'Got a nice way with her, too,' went on Ted musingly. 'Nothing high and mighty about her, is there? From all accounts she's had a mighty fine education too. But blood will out,' he went on ruminatively, 'She's old John's gal, all right. Tell you what,' he added, turning to the silent Kade. 'She ain't going to be a partner in anyone's business for long, that's for sure. Not with her looks, no sir! When the word gets around you'll have all the young bloods pounding a beat to your doorstep, if I'm any judge of matters.' He nudged the still silent
Kade with his elbow. 'Mrs Saddler's got a certain gleam in her eye. What's the betting she's working out the invitation wording at this very moment? Not,' he added slowly, 'that I'd like to see the lovely lass tied to that Lance of hers. She's too good for the likes of him.'
Kade turned to face him, and for a moment his companion was surprised by the grim look on Kade's face. 'Don't start matchmaking, Ted,' he said warningly. 'There's plenty of time for that sort of caper. She's only a kid yet, and she's here to learn the business.'
It was Ted's turn to be surprised and he stared at Kade. 'She's twenty, ain't she?' he demanded. 'My Essie was just turned seventeen when I put a ring on her finger. I weren't that much older myself, come to think of it, but we made a fine pair, and never regretted it, no sir.'
Kade's lips thinned as his eyes rested on the kneeling Tanya still busy with her task. He saw the way her white-blonde hair had fallen beside her cheeks almost obscuring her intent features. 'Essie's different, Ted,' he said slowly. 'She's a country-bred girl. Tanya's had a different upbringing—and a sheltered one at that.'
His companion gave him a searching look, then his weatherbeaten face broke out in a wide grin. 'If you say so,' he replied, with an air of someone who had just made a momentous discovery and wanting to savour the knowledge.
'I do say so !
' bit out Kade harshly. 'And you can take that know-all grin off your face,' he added furiously, then gave a half-shake of his head, and grinned back at Ted. 'You always were one to rush your fences, Ted, but this time you've fallen over the first hurdle. Come on, they'll be calling for the last drinks soon.'
Ted patted Kade on the back in the manner reminiscent of an elder brother sympathising with a younger one, and followed him to the bar.
Tanya was a little surprised when Kade told her that it was time they started on the return journey home. The last dance had not yet been announced and she couldn't understand his sudden rush to make tracks, as he had put it. However, she was not complaining, she was very tired in the pleasant utterly relaxed state of being that follows an exhilarating evening.
If Kade had hoped for a swift leave
taking he was disappointed. As soon as they made for the door there seemed to be a general exit of the rest of the company, and Tanya found herself shaking hands on her way out. There were calls of 'Have to have another get-together soon,' and she felt a lump in her throat at the thought that she would not be attending next year's annual conference, or indeed be able to accept any of the hinted invitations that had come from the farmers' wives for future parties.
They had almost made the door when a tall gaunt-looking woman thrust her way through the gathering around them and held out a thin heavily veined hand to Tanya. 'I shall be sending you an invitation for the twentieth,' she announced regally, 'and I won't take a refusal,' she went on, showing a set of horsy-looking teeth to soften the dictatorial order.
'Afraid you're going to be disappointed, Mrs Saddler,' drawled Kade. 'We're off to Sydney for a few days on the nineteenth for a loaders' conference. Some other time, maybe?' he added casually, and met the annoyed woman's eyes firmly.
'Very well,' Mrs Saddler muttered ungraciously.
'Some other time, then.' This was said with a certain amount of determination in her voice.
As Tanya collected her case from her room and went down to join Kade waiting in the car park for her, she thought about the strange encounter with the woman Kade had addressed as Mrs Saddler. She didn't know whether it had been her imagination or not, but she had sensed that Kade had not liked the woman, and wondered if they really were going to Sydney, or whether it was just an excuse given by Kade to get her out of the invitation, and if so, she wondered why.
When the car door was slammed behind her and Kade had got into the driving seat, she was glad that she had not bothered to change out of her evening dress and had slipped her jacket coat over her shoulders, for the evening air was chilly and she was grateful for the long folds of the dress now tucked round her legs.
Her thoughts were still hovering around Mrs Saddler, and her what now appeared to be mysterious invitation. Kade was silent, but not morose, even so, she hesitated to seek enlightenment from that quarter. A thought then struck her that made her glad that she had not asked for an explanation. The woman had probably known her mother and now sought information from Tanya. On recalling the woman's small snapping eyes and sharp pointed features, this solution seemed more than probable, and she felt a spurt of gratitude towards the still silent Kade for his intervention.
Certain that she had now solved the mystery, Tanya relaxed into a state of happy drowsiness. She wouldn't let thoughts of the future spoil her wonderful evening, and hadn't she been too hard on Kade? He had only wanted to watch out for her, after all. As for her de-
luding herself that she was in love with him—well, she was just one of many, and that was perhaps the trouble. It was the fashion to fall for men like Kade, but like Linda, they all had to come to their senses some time or other and settle for reality. Linda loved her Bill, she thought drowsily, and there was no reason why she too shouldn't one fine day meet the man who was destined to stand beside her during the years to come.