The room that had once been John Sullivan’s parlor was now the office from which his young widow ran the estate. Working atthe same desk her husband had been shot over, sitting in the same chair in which he’d bled out, Katherine looked up when Billyentered, and smiled. Framed in sunlight from the window behind her, her dark ringlets tumbling, her eyes dark also, and verybright. She set down her pen in the groove and folded her hands on the desk, her bare forearms tanned golden brown. She waswearing a yellow blouse with blue and white trim, and just the very sight of her caught in Billy’s chest.
“Mr. McBride,” she said playfully, “I’m certainly surprised to see you.”
Billy stepped forward, closed the door. “I just met your new fiancé outside.”
“Oh? And what did you make of him?”
“I’m sure you’ll be very happy the pair of you.”
“I’m glad you approve.”
“I never said I approved.”
“You don’t think he’s suitable?”
“I think he’s suitable for slapping in his smug city mouth.”
She spluttered laughter. “The idea had crossed my mind too.”
“Probably best coming from you then.”
“We haven’t quite got to that stage yet.”
“Well, I’d hurry up about it. Looks like he’s settling in.”
“The man’s only been here a few days.”
“I’d have slapped the bastard the minute he first walked up them steps.”
Amused, she leaned back in her chair. The leather gently creaked. She had redecorated the room since her husband’s days, taken down the wall-mounted trophies, repapered in cool pastel shades. But the two wingback chairs were still there, angled in front of the desk. Billy hovered between them, fidgeting his hands.
“So then,” Katherine said with mock formality, “aside from disparaging my fiancé, was there another reason for this interruption?Anything else I can do for you? Anything on your mind?”
“Aye, there is actually.”
Her eyes flinched at his sincerity, but she continued, “Well, I’m sure it’s very important, since you’re all dressed up forthe occasion. If I’m not mistaken you might even have acquainted your hair with a comb.”
Billy looked at his getup. “I’d been working, so . . .”
“I’m honored. You want to tell me what this is all about?”
“Maybe after?” he said timidly, hopefully; Katherine caught the implication and the tremble in his voice, and she was up andmoving, their little dance over, hurrying around the desk in a rustle of skirts, grabbing him and kissing him, pulling himagainst her openmouthed. Gasping, they parted, such desire in her eyes. Trailing his hand she went to the door, locked it,kissed him again. She gathered her skirts to her waist and leaned back against the desk, and they fucked then, frantically,silently, as had become their way.
It was over quickly, never lasted long, stolen moments all they had. They staggered apart and righted themselves, Billy fasteninghis trousers, Katherine pulling up her underwear, shrugging down her skirts, both suddenly bashful; if anything, Billy wasworse. This thing between them had been at her instigation from the outset; he had never been the one in charge. Katherinelaughed shyly. Billy smiled and looked away. She stepped close and he held her, kissed the top of her head.
“I missed you,” she said into his chest. “Where have you been?”
“Working. Same as always.”
“It’s been weeks, Billy.”
“I come up too often as it is.”
“You don’t come up often enough.”
“The men’ll start suspecting. Probably already do.”
“I don’t care. Do you?”
Billy didn’t answer.
“If I made you head stockman you could come up as often as you liked.”
“Headman? The bloody boy won’t even stable my horse!”
“He’s difficult that one. Young.”
“They’re all difficult.”
“It wouldn’t be the house staff you’d be in charge of.”
“I’ve told you, I don’t want it.”
“You know what the men think of you. You’re the best one for the job.”
“They don’t know nothing about me. Anyhow, Joe’s all right.”
“You’ve never liked him.”
“He’s too soft is his problem. That old cripple Morris has to go.”
“The one with the knee?”
“Mm-hm.”
“I heard he has nowhere else.”
“Nobody has anywhere else.”
“Oh, you’re a coldhearted man, Billy McBride.”
“Is that what you think of me now?”
“Well, it’s some way of courting, asking me to throw a cripple out on his ear.”
“Courting, are we? I thought you was engaged?”
“When anyone bothers to ask my opinion on the matter, they’ll soon find out that I’m not.”
She stepped away, unlocked the door, and Billy sat in one of the leather wingbacks, watching her move around the room. Shefixed them both a whiskey, dropped a slice of lemon in each, a new fashion she’d picked up somewhere that Billy didn’t carefor at all. Besides, he’d had enough whiskey last night.
He took the drink anyway, thanked her; Katherine sat down opposite, smiled, and took a sip. “Seemed like you might reallyhave something to tell me?”
“Aye, there’s something.” Turning the tumbler back and forth in his hands.
“Come on then, let’s have it out.”
He swallowed hard and looked at her. “It’s time I went back to Glendale, made a proper go of the run. The paddocks are up,all it’s waiting on’s a mob, and there’s a sale at the Lawton cattle yards the week after next.”
She was watching him evenly. Another sip of her drink. “And you plan on living down there?”
“It’s not far.”
“No, it’s not. But you’re ready for that? The house?”
“It’s only a house.”
“Seems like you’ve made your mind up.”
“You know it’s just something I have to do.”
“On your own, though?”
“I’ll still get up to see you whenever I can.”
“Whenever you can. So, I’m not to have any part in this venture?”
“Well, that’s what we need to talk about: the
