Dan forced a smile onto his face. “I’m fine. You know how it is at this time of year. Not enough rain when we needed it. I could be cutting hay soon and there’re still a few mechanical hitches to fix. A lot is riding on this upcoming sale. And now we’re not so sure that the market won’t be flooded with sheep being offloaded because of the dry conditions.” Dan couldn’t bring himself to use the word drought. It was already being bandied about in the media on a daily basis.

Bruce put a hand on his shoulder. “The joys of farming, hey? But where would we be without it?”

Dan was saved from further conversation by the arrival of the women with tea and coffee. He watched Paula handing round plates of Dara’s slices. She was glowing and now his own excitement over their baby was clouded by his father’s bloody will, which he’d thought was straightforward until today. If the truth be known he hadn’t thought about it much at all, he’d simply assumed. Over the years since his father died he’d had his work cut out learning about farming and putting it into practise.

Paula arrived in front of him. Her bright smile swept away his gloomy thoughts. He leaned down to take a piece of slice. She brushed her lips across his cheek. Normally her touch sent a warm tingling through him but tonight it made his heart ache. The evening had been a success and she was so happy. He couldn’t bring himself to share the news Rowena had imparted and he certainly wasn’t going to burden her with the need for their first born to be male. Added to his load was the worry that it wasn’t only his family who would be affected by the possible outcomes of the will. He looked at Ted joking with Chris about huge ram prices. Ted stood to lose as well if things didn’t go in Dan’s favour.

Chapter 3

CHAPTER

3

“I don’t think there’s any need to worry too much about these loans? I know the season isn’t looking good but the value of the property is strong.” Paula put down her pen and looked up from the desk to Rowena, who had just come back into the room. They were in a spare bedroom Dan’s aunt used as an office. Like the rest of Rowena’s house, it was fitted out with good quality furniture, comfortable and perfectly tidy. Only the desk had papers spread and even they were in neat piles. “All things considered, I think the accountant should be okay with these figures.”

“Why wouldn’t he be?” Rowena put a tray laid with afternoon tea on the small coffee table behind Paula.

“Dan always gives me the impression his overheads are vast.”