it to get so much worse. He had to do something soon. He couldn’t stand by while his daughter sank into depression.
His father made a move, taking the white queen with his remaining knight. ‘Well, maybe she needs some female company. Meggie and Terri might sort her out.’
‘Maybe.’ He hoped so. ‘Megan’s been great since we’ve been here.’
His father grunted. ‘Wants to be a nanny. Did she tell you?’
‘No, but she’d be good at it.’ He castled, without much hope of salvaging his position. ‘She got Allie moving, which is more than I can do these days.’
‘Your mother and I have christened her the relentless angel.’ There was a small pause.
Luke looked up to catch the thoughtful narrow-eyed look his father gave him over the top of his glasses.
‘So, how are you finding Terri to work with? I hope you’re cutting her some slack after the way the board treated her.’
‘Terri doesn’t need any slack to be cut from anyone, least of all me. As you well know.’
‘Well, just so long as you’re doing the right thing by her,’ his father said gruffly. ‘I don’t want the hospital to lose her.’
‘Neither do I.’ And his concern wasn’t just for the hospital.
‘She’s been through a lot, that girl.’
‘Yes.’ Luke looked back at the table. ‘Has she told you what happened to her husband?’
‘Just the basics. She’s not much of a talker.’
‘No.’ So it wasn’t just him that she was shutting out, thought Luke grimly.
‘Hell of a tragedy, losing someone that way.’
‘Yes.’
His father grunted then leaned forward to move his queen. ‘Checkmate.’
‘Hey. Got time for a couple of pests?’
‘Always.’ Terri looked up to see Megan walking around the side of the cottage. A moment later, to her surprise, Allie followed. ‘Out for a walk?’
‘As far as your place,’ Megan said with a cheeky smile.
‘I see.’ Terri grinned back. ‘In that case, let me finish planting the last of this punnet then I’ll get us something to drink.’
‘Cool,’ Megan said.
Terri was aware of Allie’s solemn eyes following her every move as she and Luke’s sister chatted. The child was much too quiet, even allowing for natural shyness. Megan’s irrepressible bubbliness wasn’t succeeding in drawing her into the conversation.
‘Do you like gardening, Allie?’ Terri asked when there was a small silence.
Allie shrugged.
‘These are herbs. When they grow bigger, I’ll be able to use them for cooking.’
‘Mummy has some.’ Allie’s toe dug into the dirt as she muttered, ‘Had some.’
‘Did she?’ Terri patted the earth into place around the last seedling as she thought about Allie’s slip and then correction. ‘What did she have?’
Another shrug.
‘You don’t remember?’
Allie shook her head.
‘When these little guys grow up, they might look more familiar.’
‘I won’t be here then.’
‘Well, if you are. They don’t take long to grow. Now, about that drink I promised.’
Terri led the way into the kitchen and went to the sink to wash her hands. When she turned, Allie was standing by the hutch. One tentative finger was stroking her old china soup tureen.
‘Do you like that, Allie?’
The girl snatched her hand back, her cheeks tinting. ‘Mummy’s have the same pattern. I can’t remember what it’s called.’ Her expression was infinitely sad and Terri’s heart ached for her.
‘It’s the willow pattern. My great-great-grandmother brought a whole dinner set over to Australia with her on the ship when she came from England.’
‘Same with Mummy. Not the ship. But it was from her great-, um, grandmother,’ Allie said. ‘I think they’re pretty.’
‘I think you’re right.’ Terri smiled and was rewarded with a tentative smile in return. She was about to ask if Allie’s mother had the full set when an urgent beeping broke the moment.
Megan dug in her pocket for her phone. ‘Uh-oh, it’s my study partner. She wants to go over our English Lit. assignment-we’re presenting it next week.’
The teen’s vivid blue eyes pinned Terri with a speaking look. ‘Is it okay if I leave Allie here with you?’
‘Sure.’
‘Thanks.’ Obviously feeling that she’d delivered whatever message she’d been silently sending, Megan bounced to her feet. ‘See you later, Allie cat.’
In the silence that Megan left behind, Terri and Allie eyed each other.
‘I suppose you want me to go,’ Allie said colourlessly.
‘Stay for a bit longer if you want to.’
‘Can…can I?’
‘Sure. You can help me in the garden for a while. I hate seeing a willing pair of hands go unused…even an unwilling pair,’ Terri teased gently.
She kept up a steady patter of information about different plants and answered Allie’s occasional question. As Terri had hoped, working in the garden helped the girl to relax a little.
‘There.’ She sat back on her heels and looked at the garden bed they’d finished preparing. ‘Haven’t we done a great job?’
Allie looked at it doubtfully. ‘It’s just dirt.’
‘Ah, yes, but it’s happy dirt that’s going to nourish and pamper my next crop of tomatoes which will taste extra-good. Better than anything you’ll buy in a supermarket.’ She smiled then glanced at her watch. ‘Let me clean up and then I’ll walk you home.’
‘I can go by myself.’ Allie sounded belligerent, ready to defend her position.
‘I’m sure you can,’ said Terri mildly. ‘But today’s special because it’s your first visit and I’d like to take you home.’
‘O-okay.’
As they walked across the yard together, Terri had the impression that Allie wanted to say something. After another handful of paces, the girl finally blurted out, ‘So, if this was my first visit…’
‘Yes?’
‘Does that mean it would be okay if I visited again? Please?’
‘I don’t see why not as long as it’s okay with your dad.’
‘It won’t bother him,’ she said flatly. The corners of her mouth pulled down.
‘Why do you say that?’
The slender shoulders twisted into a shrug. ‘Because it wouldn’t.’
‘I’m sure that’s not true, Allie.’
Another shrug. The girl had turned the gesture into a whole new language of subtle nuances. No wonder her father was concerned. Terri felt for both of them. Allie seemed to be stuck in denial about her mother’s death. Which left Luke with the sad task of helping her face the sorrow.
‘Anyway, maybe I can help with your garden some more.’
‘If you’d like to.’ Terri smiled.
‘I-I used to help Mummy sometimes.’
‘Did you? Well, I’d be delighted to have you come and help me sometimes, too.’
Luke was sitting on the patio when he saw Allie and Terri come through the line of bushes. Allie was talking animatedly to Terri, much more like her old self.
And Terri was…well…Terri. Looking gorgeous in shorts cut just above the knee and battered tennis shoes. The
