When they got back to Prue’s car, they transferred the groceries into the back, and then Nat took the can of fuel he had bought and poured it carefully into the tank. He had brushed aside Prue’s attempts to pay and she watched him, feeling helpless and more than a little disconcerted to discover how easy it was to accept being looked after by someone so competent.
It was difficult to imagine that barely two hours ago she had had trouble remembering his name. Already there was something very familiar about him. How much more familiar would he be after they’d spent almost a month together in London?
The thought was vaguely disconcerting, and Prue frowned. It wasn’t as if they were going to be intimate, she reassured herself. It was just a job like any other. And Nat was hardly likely to show any interest in her, was he?
Even if she hadn’t been in love with Ross, she would have little to appeal to a man like Nat. He was quite a bit older than her, for a start, and to him she probably seemed very young and very silly. Correction, thought Prue, cringing inwardly as she remembered some of the things she had said: she must definitely seem very young and very silly.
Anyway, Nat himself had sounded far from over his broken engagement. Prue couldn’t help wondering what Kathryn was like. What kind of woman could break through that quiet self-containment and unlock his reserve? She must be quite special, Prue decided.
Hidden behind her sunglasses, her gaze rested on Nat as he tipped the can higher to let the last drops of diesel trickle into the tank and she tried to imagine him in love. He wasn’t a demonstrative man, she guessed, but behind closed doors…well, that might be a different matter…
‘OK, that’s it.’ Nat’s voice broke into her thoughts as he dumped the empty can in the back of the ute. ‘Start her up and we’ll see if she goes now.’
Obediently, Prue climbed into the driver’s seat and turned the key. The engine shuddered into life and then settled down to a steady tick.
‘Do you ever get a day off?’ Nat asked, laying a hand on the roof of the car and bending his head slightly so that he could talk to her through the open window.
‘I don’t do much on Sundays. Why?’
‘We still need to sort out a few details about this trip,’ he pointed out. ‘I could fly over and pick you up next Sunday and you could spend the day at Mack Creek. It might not be a bad idea for you to see where the twins are going to grow up anyway, and we could talk about things then. It would give you a chance to think about what’s involved too, and change your mind if you want to. How does that sound?’
‘Fine,’ said Prue. ‘But aren’t you coming to Cowen Creek now? I thought you wanted to see Bill Granger?’
‘It can wait.’ Nat didn’t think he really wanted to go to Cowen Creek now and watch Prue mooning over Ross. ‘I think I’ll get back.’
His face through the window was very close, and his features seemed uncannily clear and detailed. Prue felt as if she could see every crease at the corner of his eyes, every minute line texturing his skin, every hair that grew in the strong brown brows. She wanted to look away, but her gaze seemed to have snagged in his somehow.
‘What shall I tell the Grangers?’ she managed to ask.
‘Just say that you met me in Mathison,’ said Nat. ‘There’s no need to tell them about the fuel. You could say that we got talking and when I found out that you were going to London, I offered you the job. They know about Ed and Laura and the fact that I’m guardian to the twins now, so they probably won’t even be surprised.’
‘Right,’ said Prue, finally succeeding in wrenching her eyes away. She put the car into gear and cleared her throat. ‘I’ll see you on Sunday, then.’
She had the impression that Nat was about to say something else, but in the end he just stepped back, slapping the car roof in a gesture of farewell.
‘See you on Sunday,’ was all he said.
CHAPTER THREE
IN THE event, it was Ross who flew Prue to Mack River the following Sunday.
‘He was going to Mathison anyway,’ Prue found herself explaining to Nat as together they watched Ross’s Cessna speed down the airstrip and lift up into the blue. He dipped his wings in farewell and headed off in the direction of the town, leaving the two of them alone together in the crushing silence of the bush.
‘It seemed silly for you to come all the way over to Cowen Creek when he could give me a lift here just as easily, but if you could fly me back that would be great.’
She could hear herself babbling, but she was unaccountably shy now that she was suddenly face to face with Nat again. She had forgotten how still he was, how quietly assured, how self-conscious he made her feel.
It was stupid to think that she needed to explain anything, anyway. Even if she hadn’t already outlined the situation when she’d phoned to say that Ross would bring her over to Mack River, Nat hadn’t said anything to indicate that he cared one way or another how she got there.
His greeting had been quite impersonal, as if she were no more than a temporary nanny he was employing to look after his small niece and nephew—which was all she was, of course. There had been no reason for Prue’s heart to bump against her ribs when she caught sight of him through the plane window. He had been leaning against the ute in the shade, arms folded and long legs crossed at the ankle, his hat tilted down over his eyes as he waited for Ross to bring the plane to a halt.
He had straightened as she approached, pushing his hat back and smiling that slow smile that she remembered with such unnerving clarity, and for some reason Prue had burst into speech. Now, she made herself shut up.
‘I thought you’d be glad of a chance to spend some time with Ross,’ Nat commented, holding open the door of the ute for her.
‘Yes,’ said Prue, hearing the slight doubt in her voice too late. She had been glad, of course, but her pleasure in the flight had been rather spoiled by her nervousness at seeing Nat again and broaching the idea that had come to her as she had driven back to Cowen Creek that day.
Still, it had been a great flight. She thought about Ross, the magnetism of his presence, the flashing smile as they’d swooped down over the bush, his eyes as blue as the sky around them. Remembering, Prue felt better.
‘It was wonderful,’ she told Nat, as if he had doubted her.
He got in beside her and switched on the engine. ‘How does Ross feel about you coming back?’
‘I think he’s pleased,’ said Prue cautiously.
It was clear Ross had no intention of committing himself to anything, but she was sure that there had been a definite warming in his attitude towards her since she had told him about the job Nat had offered her.
Of course, it might be wishful thinking, Prue reminded herself. It might just be that Ross was relieved to hear that she was really going and was only being so nice because he knew that she wouldn’t be around for much longer.
She wished that she could have said that he was jealous of her spending a month in Nat’s company, but none of the Grangers seemed to think that there was any chance—any danger, Prue corrected herself hastily—of Nat treating her as anything other than a nanny. They were united in believing that Kathryn would marry him in the end and that temporary help with the children was all that Nat would need. It would certainly never occur to any of them that he could ever be interested in any other woman.
‘Nat’s a one-woman man,’ Ross had explained. ‘He’s adored Kathryn ever since they were kids. Everyone knew they would end up together eventually.’
‘What’s she like?’ Prue had been unable to resist asking.
‘Kathryn? She’s great. Beautiful girl.’ Ross narrowed his eyes appreciatively.