“You turn thirty in a few months, which is the vesting date for you to inherit and any claims must be made before then. Your father made it quite clear if there was any dispute that preference should be given to the person with the oldest male Woodcroft child. Jacinta’s baby will be that. She may be married but Beryl made it clear Jacinta has kept the Woodcroft name and so will her son.” Rowena lowered herself back into her chair. “Don’t you see, Dan? We need to know if the baby Paula is carrying is a boy. If it is, she’ll have to have it early. They do that kind of thing all the time these—”

“No.”

“Dan, your future…your baby’s future could depend on this.”

“No!” He had rarely before raised his voice to his aunt. “I am not putting my wife and our baby through that. I don’t want Paula to worry about anything but having a healthy baby.”

“But, Dan.” Rowena reached across and placed her hand on his arm. “If Paula’s having a boy it’s important that it’s born before Jacinta’s or you could lose everything.”

“That’s ridiculous, Rowena. I’m here farming as Dad wanted. Jacinta can’t take over just because she wants to. You’re the executor. You can stop it from happening.”

“I can’t stop her from making a claim. Even if she doesn’t get Wood Dell, she could cause a lot of problems for us financially.”

“No more.” Dan pushed back his chair. “I won’t add to Paula’s concerns. She’s worried enough about the baby. Boy or girl, it will be born when it’s due. You’re not to mention this.”

“But, Dan, she’s got to know.”

“No, Rowena. Promise me you won’t mention this to Paula.”

“But, Dan…”

“Promise me,” he snapped.

They glared at each other across the table.

“All right,” Rowena muttered, “but I…”

“Woodie Two, calling Woodie.”

Dan jumped as he heard Paula’s voice crackle from the two-way radio. She didn’t like the radio and rarely used it. He followed his aunt’s gaze to the shelf above the cupboard where the radio sat.

“Woodie Two, calling Woodie. Dan, are you on channel?”

In spite of the distortion he thought he could hear agitation in Paula’s voice. In two steps he was at the radio.

“Yes, Paula. I’m at Rowena’s. Where are you?”

“Just at the end of our driveway.” There was a brief pause. “Dan, I need help.”

“I’m coming.”

He threw the handpiece onto the shelf and without another look at Rowena he ran for his boots.

Chapter 2

CHAPTER

2