“Thanks, Dan,” she said. “Would you mind carrying my case from the bedroom?” Rowena retrieved her vanity bag from the hallstand, checked her appearance in the mirror, then strode out to meet her husband.

Chapter 39

CHAPTER

39

“I don’t know, mate. I’ll have to check with Paula.”

Paula put down the bundle of socks she was pairing up and waited. She’d heard Dan’s phone ring as she moved from the laundry to the kitchen where he’d been drinking a second cup of coffee and going through the mail. Now he was watching her with a hesitant look on his face and his hand over the mobile.

“It’s Bruce. He’s going to a clearing sale and needs another driver in case he gets the machinery he’s after.”

“Dan, you go off every day. I think I can manage without you.” Paula put on a bravado she didn’t feel. She was very tired and her body ached. The house was still warm. There had been a big electrical storm last night but it had only brought a small drop in temperature. She’d wanted this moment to come, when she could sit down with Dan and get him to talk about the will, about everything really. They had a lot of talking to do before she felt she could trust him again. But now that the wedding was over, he’d been home all morning and she hadn’t quite known how to start the conversation.

“The sale’s in Victoria. I could be gone two nights. Bruce had Ted lined up but he can’t go now and I don’t like to ask Tom while his dad is sick.”

Paula took a breath, two nights. Maybe it would give her space to feel calmer and plan what she needed to say. “If Bruce needs your help, you go. I’ll be fine.”

Dan kept his hand tightly clenched around the phone. “Are you sure? I know we need to talk and now that Rowena’s gone, I don’t like to leave you by yourself.”

“I’ve got the dogs for company and I’m sure Tom could spare me a minute, if I needed help with anything – or Jane for that matter. I’ll be fine, Dan,” she said again. “We’ll talk when you get home.”

He paused a minute longer, then put the phone back to his mouth.

“Okay, Bruce. What time are we leaving?”

Paula half listened to Dan’s end of the conversation as she folded the rest of the washing. It sounded like he would leave in the late afternoon. They still had food to collect from Rowena’s and they had planned to move her chooks up to their place today. She hoped they still could. It would save her having to drive down to the other house so often.