The Man From Ti Kouka Page 9

  ‘I remember my first introduction to the “tyrant”. I was worried sick! There was no need, of course. For Dan’s girl the welcome will be even warmer. I think Mrs. Jay was beginning to think she had a bachelor on her hands, despite all the girls’ efforts. Dave wondered the other day when Dan commented that he’d seen a mermaid in the creek. According to Dave you gave Dan the “get lost” treatment, and I think that must have been the first time anyone’s done that to Dan. And to add insult, it was on Ti .Kouka too!’

  Looking at Dan, Trudi felt her colour rise. His eyes crinkled back at her with a teasing light.

  ‘Was it? I thought the creek would have been council or public land.’

  ‘No. Once you leave the tarseal at the fork you’re on Ti Kouka property. It is a private road.’

  She explained to Anne and Dave that she had been summoned back to the city for her work and they commiserated with her on the abrupt ending of her holiday. Anne told her that she was frequently in Christchurch to see the boys, and Trudi gave her the address and her telephone number and urged her to call.

  Altogether it had been a most enjoyable visit, thought Trudi, as she went down the road. Behind her Dan was driving as he had promised to escort her to the road fork. Smiling that he was no doubt giving time for the dust to settle, she pulled up at the side of the road. It seemed only a short time to wait. She noticed then that someone, no doubt deliberately, had planted some of the cabbage trees by the fork, and absently she studied them. They were familiar to her from babyhood as there had been one in their garden at home, and she looked now at the straight trunk with its tufts of green sitting on top rather like flax bushes. The tree trunk was knobbly and slightly hairy and she rubbed it absently, thinking that until Dan had mentioned it she hadn’t known the Maori name for the New Zealand cordyline been Ti Kouka. It was not one she would be likely to forget now, she thought. All the same, the early name of palm lily had been rather more mellifluous than cabbage tree. Dan had said he would cook her a dish of it some time, warning her that despite its name it was slightly bitter. Apparently many pioneers had been forced into eating it while waiting for their first crops to grow.

  Dan coasted to a stop. ‘You make a pretty picture waiting under the trees,’ he teased.

  ‘I was just thinking that you’d promised to cook me some.’

  ‘Well, there are tastes I’d rather have,’ he grinned. ‘There’s plenty of time, and lots of cabbage trees. There’s so much to show you about Ti Kouka, Trudi. You haven’t even come home with me yet.’

  ‘I’m a bit scared of that, Dan. Can we leave it for a bit?’

  ‘So long as it’s not too long, Trudi. After all, what would frighten you? No sea monsters or taniwhas at Ti Kouka,’ he smiled as he pulled her into his arms.

  ‘I know I’ll never be happy away from you now, but I can’t help thinking that I don’t really know you,’ she confessed. ‘I don’t even know whether you’ve got sisters or brothers.’

  ‘There’s just me,’ he smiled. ‘Stop worrying!’

  His kiss followed immediately, and again the loving firm pressure awoke the pounding of her blood. She nestled against him, content to feel the love wrapping around her. It was Dan who finally broke the embrace and pushed her none too gently to the car.

  ‘You come to stay at Ti Kouka next weekend, Trudi. Once you’ve seen it you’ll understand.’

  ‘Yes, sir,’ she answered with a smile.

  Only as she finally pulled out on to the road did she realise she hadn’t asked Dan about his mother. Going by the last comment she must live at Ti Kouka too. Or didn’t she count in her only child’s estimation? The latter thought was enough to make Trudi frown, as it seemed out of character with the man she loved. Thanks to Anne and Dave she knew a little more about Sheridan High and Mighty Jay. He evidently liked children and they liked him, which gave her some relief. Both Dave Forrest and Dan were not the types to work for a man they disliked. Trudi decided she would probably not have too much to worry about him, which left her with the hard-sounding woman whom evidently all, regardless of consequence, called ‘tyrant’. Dan was right: the sooner she met her for herself the better.

  Dave Forrest had said that for the ‘tyrant’, life at Ti Kouka hadn’t been the same since the Old Man had died. That must have been when she had bought the flat in town where she spent quite a lot of time.

  Anne Forrest had been able to live with the ‘tyrant’ and survive, Trudi consoled herself, but Anne was a farmer’s daughter who was eminently suitable for her role. How would the ‘tyrant’ appreciate a career girl in her home, one who had never even stayed on a farm before? If the ‘tyrant’ did not approve, what effect would it have on her relationship with Dan?

  CHAPTER SIX

  The entrance to Christchurch seemed to come with astonishing speed and Trudi was pleased with the smoothness of her trip. She went straight to the factory, and once there it took her only a few minutes to select the necessary papers, then she went back to her flat. She dialled Maria’s number and heard the good humour in her sister’s voice when she answered.

  ‘Maria, I’m home!’

  ‘Trudi!—I wasn’t expecting you back just yet. I’m so pleased you rang. I’ve been longing to tell you our news. John’s been promoted to Wellington, and we’ll be shifting in five weeks.’

  ‘Really? That’s great! Congratulate John from me.’.

  ‘His firm have even offered me a job too, but I think I’d rather stay in my own line,’ Maria went on.

  ‘I’m sure you’re right.’

  ‘It’s the reason why he went for those two days. He didn’t want to raise my hopes earlier. Haven’t I got the most wonderful man in the world?’

  Trudi smiled at the enthusiasm in her sister’s voice. She felt like telling her that Dan Johnson was the best man, but decided against it. She wanted to tell her sister that news when she saw her face to face.

  ‘John and I have decided we might go to Bell Bay for our holidays next summer,’ Maria continued. ‘Tell me, did you see Dan Johnson again?’

  ‘You might say that,’ Trudi smiled.

  ‘That’s a strange noncommittal answer,’ remarked

  Maria. ‘I think he quite liked you. Did you run away because of him?’

  ‘No mere male would make me run,’ said Trudi indignantly. ‘Though I admit I think Dan Johnson is rather special.’ She spoke quickly to distract her sister, having already said more than she had intended. ‘I came back because we’ve got a chance of pulling off an Australian order. It could be a big deal.’

  ‘I’m sure it will be fine,’ said Maria confidently. ‘What about coming down next weekend?’

  ‘Sorry, if I’m not flat out I’d like to finish my holiday at Bell Bay. Possibly the week after?’

  Maria’s light laugh told her that her sister had guessed that Bell Bay held more attraction than sun, sea and sand. Hastily she finished the conversation and returned thoughtfully to the next task.

  Unloading the car was speedily accomplished and she spread the tent out to dry at the back of the garage; Dan had told her that despite the heat of the summer the tent had absorbed quite a lot of moisture, and she recognised that he was right. By the time she had put everything away, she felt weary, but she made a cup of coffee and began studying the important notes. She was deep in the schedule when the telephone shattered her silence and she answered it mechanically.

  ‘Trudi, I’m missing you already.’

  Dan’s voice spoke quietly, and immediately her papers slipped from her knee.

  ‘Dan!’ she exclaimed.

  ‘You made a great hit with the Forrests,’ he told her. ‘Darling, you know I liked them. Anne’s a lovely warm person and she’d gone to such a lot of trouble. They’ve got a great view from their lounge.’

  ‘Not quite as good as from Ti Kouka,’ Dan laughed.

  ‘You and your cabbage trees!’

  ‘Yours too, now,’ he reminded her.

  ‘Oh, Dan, I forg
ot to give you my present. It’s only a bit of driftwood. I put it by my pile of firewood at the camp and it’s probably still there. I hadn’t finished it.’

  ‘I’ll collect it first thing tomorrow.’

  ‘You’ll recognise it,’ she told him. ‘I guess I’m getting as bad as you.’

  ‘Mystery upon mystery! Darling, did you have a good trip home?’

  ‘Perfect—I hardly noticed the distance. I wish it wasn’t quite so far.’

  ‘Never mind, honey. You are coming back to Ti Kouka this weekend? Official invitation!’

  Trudi studied the comments Mr. Maugh had put beside her papers. ‘I’m not sure yet. Can I let you know?’

  ‘Of course. I’d better let you get back to your papers!’

  ‘Goodnight, Dan. I love you.’

  ‘Goodnight, Trudi. I love you too.’

  As she replaced the receiver she felt reluctant to renew her struggles with the papers, but determinedly set them in order before going to bed.

  By the time the factory hooter started for work the following morning she had been at her desk for nearly an hour. She stopped briefly to say hello to Rita, but promised to catch up with the news later.

  Briefly her thoughts went to Dan and she had a quick flash of him riding round the stock, perhaps gazing down at the campsite. Bell Bay would always be important to them, she knew. The page in front of her became a blur and she pulled herself back to the business in hand. When the buzzer calling her into Mr. Maugh’s office sounded, she felt quite ready to answer any of the questions the Australian might ask.

  The meeting went well. The buyer set out a list of conditions and supply details. After he had left they were able to study them in greater depth. Both Mr. Maugh and Trudi were surprised at the size of the possible order. She knew they could not cope with it. The profits were considerable. Trudi was glad the decision was not hers.

  ‘Trudi, what have you dreamt up?’ Mr. Maugh wanted to know.

  ‘I’m not sure yet. We could supply approximately three fifths by beginning two part-time shifts, or if we dropped a couple of smaller lines, or sub-contracted them.’

  ‘Will you do some estimates now?’

  ‘Yes—immediately.’

  ‘Trudi, by the time you’re forty, you’ll be either a millionaire or a beggar!’ grinned Mr. Maugh.

  Trudi smiled, suddenly thinking of Dan. ‘Most probably the latter!’ she acknowledged wryly.

  After the boss had left she immersed herself in alternative schemes. All of them required detailed study and she was conscious of the clock striking eleven before she hastily put away her files and locked the office. When she arrived home she felt quite excited with the preliminary results of her efforts. The ringing of the phone made her think instantly of Dan.

  ‘Sorry, darling, I’ve been working,’ she apologised.

  ‘Pull the other leg, Trudi. I’ve been sitting here going through agonies of jealousy imagining some smooth Aussie taking you out to dinner!’

  ‘Nothing was farther from my mind or his. I’ve been flat out doing estimates,’ Trudi assured him.

  ‘I believe you, love. And you’ll be tired, so I mustn’t keep you. I just wanted to tell you I found the little cabbage tree, and it looks beaut. I’ll give it to you in the weekend as I’d like you to finish it.’

  ‘I’m glad you like it. Oh, Dan, I wish you were here!’ Suddenly Trudi felt a pain of almost severe proportions as she wished Dan could be holding her and she realised how much she loved him.

  ‘What time will you be up here in the weekend?’ he asked.

  ‘Dan, I’m sorry, I don’t think I’ll have enough time. We’ll have to give some pretty firm figures and the deal we’ve been offered is so much larger that a complete analysis has to be done—and guess whose job that is?’

  ‘Sweetheart, I guess I have to accept that.’

  When she finally whispered, ‘Goodnight,’ Trudi replaced the receiver happily. Suddenly the world seemed full of wonderful enchantment. Even the figures she had been studying with such fascination a short time before seemed prosaic. She schooled herself to begin again and suddenly she noticed the work seemed easier as she could be more objective about the result. It shocked her to realise she would not be at the factory to see it.

  She began her calculations, but found herself coming back to the same stumbling blocks. No matter which way she analysed it she knew they could not hope to meet the demand from their present site. She thought regretfully of the large building located next door.

  On mulling it over she thought it was perfectly possible that the tenant, a signwriter, didn’t need all the space he had been forced to take and would be willing to consider sub-leasing part of it. In the morning she decided to make the building next door her first call.

  The young signwriter was already busy spraying a surface when Trudi walked in, and the odour of paint caused doubts. However, the man was waiting for her to speak.

  Quickly she outlined her ideas.

  ‘Miss Carr, you must be the latest in special messengers! Come in and look round—I’m wanting to leave as I’ve been offered a partnership in my first firm back in the North Island. I was committed to the lease here for five years and was thinking of approaching you folk.’

  At lunchtime she contacted another friend, who was production manager at a rival company, and put out tentative feelers for machines. The grapevine had told her that the firm was switching the whole of its machining division to the North Island, so she was not surprised when her friend suggested they meet to discuss the proposition. After her meeting Trudi was pleased. She had been promised first refusal on the eight machines available, as well as additional equipment.

  Just before work finished she presented her results to Mr. Maugh. They began studying the details immediately, and on Mr. Maugh’s suggestion, sent out for a meal. It was almost eleven before they left the factory and Trudi wondered if Dan would still ring her. She hadn’t meant to be so late, but the chance to finish the work uninterrupted had been a familiar compulsion.

  Disappointingly, the phone did not ring and she found herself at one o’clock still waiting for it to peal. At three she had begun to feel sleepy.

  To her horror it was almost ten o’clock when she woke.

  Apart from a quick question about the benefits of sleep Mr. Maugh astonished her by saying she must be in love. The telltale colour inking her cheeks had told their own story. Mr. Maugh patted her hand and told her he hoped to meet the young man soon.

  ‘Don’t go rushing to get married, will you, lass? If I do decide on the new wing, I want you to promise to organise it and run it for at least a month so that the teething problems can be sorted out.’

  ‘Mr. Maugh, I wouldn’t dream of running out in the middle of setting up,’ she assured him.

  ‘I know you wouldn’t, Trudi. You’ve always been loyal and capable. Seriously, if you did leave I couldn’t replace you. Rita’s not accounts-orientated. We should give it some thought.’ He put his cup down. ‘I’m busy with the new sketches for Australia this weekend, Trudi, and I haven’t had a chance to check the latest machine room figures. Could you go over them? There’s the analysis of the output from the material too.’

  Trudi hid her disappointment. There would be no chance to go to Ti Kouka. That night she explained to Dan, and his own disappointment made her feel a little guilty. When he suggested instead that he might call on Sunday, she was delighted.

  Despite her doubts she dressed in her prettiest on Sunday just in case. The peal of the bell had sounded as she forlornly prepared a lonely salad for lunch. Trudi flew to the door and gazed unbelievingly at the large man who stood there. Her joyous cry of welcome was echoed by Dan’s own greeting as he picked her up and held her close, before his lips met hers.

  ‘I couldn’t let another day go past without seeing you, darling,’ Dan whispered. ‘It’s been the longest few days of my life. Every time I went to the camp I found myself thinking of you.’

&
nbsp; ‘Especially when you were throwing the rubbish around?’ teased Trudi.

  ‘Especially then,’ Dan nodded solemnly, only the sparkle in his eyes giving him away.

  He moved round the flat looking like a caged bear, dwarfing the proportions of the room, but his face turned down at her lack of outlook.

  ‘A tin fence,’ he smiled, and traced round the corner of her eyes.

  ‘I know, Ti Kouka can show me a view for miles!’ Trudi agreed.

  ‘The faster I can get you to Ti Kouka the better. Trudi, you’ll love it.’

  ‘I love you, I don’t care about Ti Kouka!’ muttered Trudi.

  ‘That’s coming close to being a dangerous statement. Come up next weekend and you’ll change your mind.’

  ‘About loving you?’ she teased, her hand on his chest.

  She received the answer she deserved as Dan’s mouth touched hers and their bodies met. The room seemed to explode into a dozen parts as she felt the lean hard muscles against her own softness. Her hands slipped around him as she felt his touch, very sure and gentle, she knew his own need matched her own.

  ‘Trudi, when are we getting married? Let’s surprise everyone and make it in a few days!’ He kissed her again and Trudi felt her mind sway to his, then remembered her promise to Mr. Maugh.

  ‘Dan, we hardly know each other! We must be sensible. Besides, I promised Mr. Maugh.’

  ‘What on earth has your boss got to do with it?’ Dan’s eyes looked at her suddenly. Trudi reached up and curled her fingers through his hair and lay back in his arms, and the chill disappeared from his eyes.