Carrie sank into a plush, leather-upholstered armchair, sighing gently. “I’d love it. No one drinks coffee at home anymore,” she added after James put through his request. “Glenda has convinced Dad it’s bad for him. Bad for everyone. She doesn’t like my buying it, either. I’ll have to move out. It was always going to happen. Now I’m not going to New York, the sooner the better. Dad won’t be happy but he’s not around much to know just how things are between us.”
“It’s the greatest pity you and Melissa aren’t close,” James mourned.
“Isn’t it? Glenda’s fault, I’m sure. Mel would never have felt the way she does if Glenda hadn’t stirred up such feelings of jealousy.”
“I know your stepmother has made life difficult for you.” James confined himself to a single remark when he wanted to say lots more.
“She never wanted me, Jamie. She didn’t want a ready-made child who just happened to be the image of her husband’s first wife. I swear to this day she’s jealous of my mother.”
James nodded his agreement. He’d seen too many upsetting signs of it. “She can’t help it. It’s her nature. We both know, too, she’s deeply resented your talent. All the attention you got because of it, prizes and awards. It singled you out.”
“And not Mel. Still, she doesn’t have to worry now,” Carrie said wryly.
“You’re still a highly accomplished pianist,” her uncle reminded her, himself devastated by the crushing results of her accident.
“It doesn’t seem like much of a compensation. To think I had to be involved in a car crash the very day I got news I’d been accepted into the Julliard. Fate taking a nasty turn.”
“It was a tragedy, sweetheart, but you can’t let it ruin your life,” James warned. “You need time to recover, then you have to pick up the pieces. It could have been very much worse than broken ribs and a crushed little finger.”
“That won’t stand up to the rigours of a career. I know. I’m trying, Jamie. Really I am, but it’s hard. The funny part is, Dad is sad for me but he’s relieved, too. He didn’t want me going off overseas. He wants me at home. Safely married. He wants grandchildren in time.”
He wants. He wants, James thought. He’d wanted my beautiful sister but never made her happy. Trying to confine her fine spirit as he had never succeeded with his daughter.
“Your father has many good qualities but he isn’t musical.”
“You mean he hasn’t got a musical bone in his body.” Carrie gave a broken laugh. “Dad has always been proud of me but he can’t come close to the music I play. Played. I haven’t touched the piano since the accident.”
“Nearly a year ago.”
“No time at all.”
“I agree.” James couldn’t meet her glistening topaz eyes. “Not for your heartache and bitter disappointment, to heal.”
“I don’t enjoy teaching, Jamie. I suppose I was too much of a performer.”
“And you’re so young,” James returned. “Twenty-two is no age at all.”
“Old enough to move out,” Carrie retorted. “I’d have done it before today only I didn’t want to hurt Dad. Glenda is never going to like me. We can’t be friends.”
James snorted in disgust. “I don’t want to be unkind but Melissa is very much like her mother or she’s rapidly becoming that way. I think a shift might be best for all. Where would you like to go? You know you can come to Liz and me. We’d love to have you. Not blessed with children of our own, you’ve been everything to us.”
“And you’ve been wonderful to me. Liz has been far more of a mother figure than Glenda could ever have hoped to be, but it’s time I struck out on my own, Jamie. You know I’m right.”
“Your father would buy you an apartment, surely? He’s a wealthy man.”
“I’m not going to ask him, Jamie. Glenda would bitterly resent that. I bought my own car. I’ll rent my own flat.”
Protective James didn’t like the sound of that at all. “What about if I bought you one? I can afford it. Of course I wouldn’t like to go against your father. Add to the…” He almost said, chip on his shoulder.
“List of resentments,” Carrie supplied. “Bless you for everything, Jamie, but I’m ready and able to stand on my own two feet. Lord knows I spent long enough as a student. I suppose I should undertake a doctorate. I may not be able to make the grade as a concert artist but music has been my life. I worked so hard. All those years of practice! I guess I’m stuck with a teaching career so I’ll need all the qualifications I can get.”
“Agreed. But how can you support yourself if you won’t allow help?” There was worry in Jamie’s voice. “Part-time work won’t be enough. Lessons here and there.”
“I still have Grandma’s money.” Carrie referred to her inheritance from her maternal grandmother who had pined away from grief at the loss of Carrie’s mother, her only daughter. “It’ll see me through. The thing is, Jamie, I want to get away. I need to find a bolthole. At least for a while. I have to get away from the whole music scene until I can come to terms with what has happened to me.”
There was deep feeling in her uncle’s answering tone. “I can understand that, darling. The funny thing is I have a client, our most valuable client I should add, who’s looking for a governess for his little daughter. Not that you’re governess material,” he quickly considered.
“Who said?”
“Sweetheart.” James gave a fond laugh. “You’re not. Take it from me. You’re so gifted. So beautiful. A young woman to show off not hide in the wilds.”
“The wilds?” Carrie’s arched brows shot up. “Tell me more.” She fought down a very sharp ache inside.
“I’m sorry I started this,” James paused as a tap came on his door. A young female office worker entered wheeling a trolley set with what looked like a mini-banquet. James Halliday had a sweet tooth but showed not an extra ounce for it.
“Over there, thanks, Ann.” He gave the girl his charming smile. “Looks good.”
“All lovely and fresh, Mr. Halliday,” Ann smiled, turning her pretty face to Carrie who returned her pleasant greeting.
“How you don’t get fat!” Carrie wondered affectionately, after Ann had departed. “Just as well you have your sailing.” She got up from her chair to pour.
“I’m going out on the bay this weekend. Want to come?”
“Yes, please!” Carrie’s golden-brown eyes brightened. She loved boats. Loved the water. She had sailed with her uncle since she was a child right up to the Whitsundays in the glorious Great Barrier Reef.
When they were both seated, coffee in hand, three delicious little pastries to James’ left, Carrie picked up where he had left off. “I take it the governess job is on an Outback property.”
“Property doesn’t say it, love.” James stirred his coffee with vigour. “More like a private kingdom. The family are big operators. They control over four million hectares spread across ten stations around the state. My client is one of the nation’s largest private land barons. Queensland remains home to the country’s biggest cattle kings, as you know.”
“So we’re talking the Channel Country in the far southwest,” Carrie concluded. “Couldn’t get farther away.” Well over a thousand miles.
“No.” James shook his thickly thatched head. “The chain does extend to the Cattle Country but the family base is in North Queensland. It’s the linchpin in the whole operation.