The first voice was Rowena’s. “Hello, Paula. I’m back from town and have found an outfit. Call over and have a look.” There was a pause. “When you have time, no rush but I would appreciate your thoughts.”

Paula raised her eyebrows. Rowena actually wanted her opinion. The next message was from her mother. “Hello, darling. Just wondering how you got on at the doctor’s today. Everything all right? Have you made a decision about Christmas yet? Give me a call back when you can. Love you.” Her mother’s voice reminded Paula of her visit to the doctor and her apparent high blood pressure.

Dan had scribbled a note on the pad beside the landline. It was a mixture of words not meaning much to her, paddock names and hectares, at the bottom the name Glen caught her attention. Dan had written ‘Ring Glen Barrett before 11am’ and underlined it. She wondered about that as she went back to the kitchen. They were waiting on the final paperwork for Woodcroft Farm. She must remember to ask Dan if he’d heard anything.

She glanced at the mobile she still clutched in her hand. It was too late to ring anyone back and she didn’t have the physical or emotional energy to talk with her mother or Rowena. Paula went back to find her food. Too tired to put on the radio or a CD she sat alone at the kitchen table, slowly chewing her way through the roll that didn’t seem quite as tasty as the thought of it had been. The bread stuck to the roof of her mouth and she suddenly didn’t feel hungry any more.

The events of the day kept replaying in her mind. First there had been the doctor’s visit with the discovery of high blood pressure. She stopped eating altogether, unable to swallow any more of the dry roll. No, she corrected herself and poured a large glass of water. It was raised blood pressure he said, not high. She wondered what her BP would be now, after the events at the Watsons.

Standing under the shower, Paula pictured the despair on Heather’s face and the…how would she describe Ted? She’d always found him such a tedious man but today she’d seen a different side of him. Usually he didn’t even have to speak but Paula could feel herself tensing in his presence, waiting for him to say something irritating. He gave her the impression of caring about very little, but when he sat at the kitchen table today, Paula had seen the emotion he felt and his look of defeat. That was it. The cocky Ted had been replaced by a broken man. Perhaps the prickly facade he presented was to hide his fear and despair. She didn’t imagine she’d ever really like Ted but right now she cared very much for him and Heather.