Cow dung. Had that been the issue, the reason the boy had disliked walking with him? Why hadn’t he said that? Max would have understood. Or would he? Sadly, at that time he would probably have called Zachary silly and mocked as prissy his reaction to the smell that pervaded their barn.

“The view is spectacular, don’t you think, Zachary?”

“Same view as ever. And by the way, Dad, I prefer to be called Zack, and I spell that with a k on the end, not an h.”

“Sure, Zack. I’ll try to remember.” Bella had chosen the name Zachary. He’d wanted to name their son Tom, a good, simple, solid name, his grandfather’s. Max considered that a name like Zachary would be a handicap. Had the boy been teased for the name? he wondered. If he had, he’d never complained to his father; but then he’d hardly spoken to his father once he started into his teens.

“Have you ever considered another use for this land of yours besides cows?” Zack asked.

“No, I haven’t. Why?”

“Just asking. You’re getting older, and I wondered how long you’d go on with the dairy business.”

“I’ll probably die among the cows.” Max laughed. “What did you have in mind for the land, Zack?”

“It crossed my mind that it might be a nice place for homes. As you said, the view is spectacular.”

“I thought you didn’t much care for the view.”

“I don’t especially. Maybe I’ve seen too many gorgeous views, but other people would find it charming,” Zack said.

“Are you suggesting you would like to build houses up here to sell to other people?” Max could feel his anger rising. “Is that what you would do with my land?”

Zachary held up both hands. “Wait up, now. I wasn’t suggesting anything, just commenting.”

But Max could not let it go. “Turn my land into a development? Have you seen Loring Valley and what they’ve done there, with the mud slides and the valley flooding? What used to be a pristine river is muddy now after every little rain. Well, let me tell you. There’ll be no such thing on Cove Road, and if I drop dead tomorrow, Hannah will uphold my wishes.”

“You actually married that woman?”

Max found it impossible now to control his anger. “Hannah is not that woman. She’s a fine, intelligent, capable woman, and I love her.”

Zack rose and started down the hill. “Well, she’s a far cry from my mother,” he tossed over his shoulder.

“Hannah was a good friend of your mother’s. Your mother loved her.” Max was shouting now.

Zack turned, slowed for a moment, and raised his eyebrows. “Really?” He laughed.

“Yes, really.” Why was he even answering his son?