Tasmanian Tangle Page 8

  Her heartbeats increased rapidly at the thought of dancing with him and beat a positive tattoo as she recalled his threatened reminder that one day she would regret her open invitation to him to teach her the wiles of love. It looked as though that 'day' had arrived!

  In an effort to stem the rising panic she felt hovering at the back of her senses she made herself go over that all-too-revealing scene again in her mind. The more she thought about it, the worse it looked for her. Only the thought that Kade must have known that she had no idea of just what she was suggesting somewhat calmed her. He had also known that she was completely inexperienced, and most certainly not in his sophisticated grade, in spite of her pathetic attempt to mislead him.

  It would be amusing for him to try her out, she thought miserably, and that was all it would be for him. An interesting study into the mind of one Tanya Hume, a little girl cosseted all her life from the big bad world. The worst of it, was that it was the truth. She had never had to fend for herself; she had never been given the opportunity—even now, when she might have made a start, this hard man was making a take-over bid before she had time to find her feet.

  The fact that this same hard man filled her dreams

  and set her longing for something that was completely unattainable, made the situation even more complicated. It did, however, serve to strengthen her resolve to leave Orchard Farm as soon as the opportunity presented itself. Dreams or no dreams, Tanya was basically a sensible girl, and the thought of a future filled with hopeless longings was not to be contemplated. With Kade constantly near her, and the sound of his deep autocratic voice that could raise her to the heavens, or cast her into the deepest dungeons, there would be little chance of happiness for her.

  When Kade called for her the following morning, Tanya was waiting for him. Her overnight case, that held what she hoped would be a suitable dress for the evening's entertainment, stood outside on the verandah to be collected as she left the house.

  Her heart gave a little leap as she took in his tall lean figure, dressed now in town wear and looking as well turned out as the moneyed set of people she had spent most of her earlier life with. Not that he ever looked anything but what he was—boss—and master of all he surveyed. He was now surveying her, she noticed, and knew an anxious moment as to whether her finely tailored suit of lime green came up to standard. She still wasn't sure that it did after his curt nod and abrupt, `Ready?' because of the way his eyes lingered on the frothy bow of her white blouse, and she wondered miserably if she oughtn't to have chosen a more business-looking blouse to go with the suit.

  `We'll be late, Connie,' he called out, as he picked up her case and strode towards the car leaving an uncertain Tanya to follow him. She couldn't win whatever she did, she told herself, as she obediently took the

  front seat that he stood impatiently waiting for her to take and ready to slam the car door after her.

  She had made some attempt to make herself look a little older by twisting up her hair and fixing it in a little knot on the top of her head, but the car windows were wide open and fine tendrils of the white-blonde hair kept escaping from the loosely fixed bun, whipping across her face and causing her much irritation.

  From time to time she would reach up an impatient hand to remove the offending tendril, and make some effort to secure it back into position. She was just making another futile attempt to catch another wisp that had settled across her left eye when Kade growled; 'For heaven's sake ! Either fix it properly, or let it loose!'

  Tanya glared at him. What business was it of his how she wore her hair? If it offended him that much, then she would sit in the back seat!

  She was about to say as much when he added, still on a note of asperity, 'It doesn't suit you, anyway. You've plenty of time to look your age without trying to hurry up matters. It's not a question of looks, either,' he went on, heedless of Tanya's outraged gasp. 'It's personality that counts. Just be yourself and stop trying to convince everybody that you know it all.'

  By everybody, he meant himself, thought Tanya, fuming, and how on earth could he accuse her of trying to impress him? So she had tried to make herself look older, but it hadn't been for his benefit—well, she conceded honestly—only in a roundabout way she had tried to look the part. It was a business trip after all was said and done. She took refuge in sarcasm. 'Not in a very good mood, are we?' she queried sweetly. 'What

  happened? Did one of your lady friends let you down?' she added acidly, determined to show him that she had no illusions where he was concerned, and the sooner he realised this the sooner he would stop slating her on the personal front.

  She knew a spurt of alarm when he glided the big car to a stop in a layby they were about to pass, and switched off the engine with a snap of his strong fingers, then sat back and with narrowed eyes raked the inwardly cringing Tanya who was determined not to show him that she was afraid of him. 'Let's get one thing straight, shall we?' he bit out at her. 'We'll keep personal issues out of this. What I do in my spare time is no concern of yours—and never will be. If you've any sense at all, then you'd do well to remember that.'

  'That's fine by me!' retorted Tanya, too furious now to be afraid of him. 'I'll go along with the personal issues as well, just as long as you stick to the rules, too. In future, I want no more personal remarks from you on how, or how not, to style my hair. I'll have it crew cut if the idea takes me!' she declared vehemently. 'As for being myself, that's what I've tried to be, and that's what I'm going on being—and I'm a little tired of your insinuations,' she added heatedly. 'It seems I always have to have an ulterior motive for whatever I do—in your eyes anyhow. As far as I can see,' she concluded bitterly, 'there's one set of rules for you, and an entirely different set for me.'

  'Now who's not in a good mood?' countered Kade with a wicked gleam of amusement in his blue eyes. 'Okay, kitten; you can sheath those claws of yours now. It looks as if we're quits. Whatever else this partner-

  ship brings, it won't be dull,' he commented in mock solemnity.

  Tanya chose to ignore his last comment since she had no intention of going into full partnership with such an autocratic character. 'Don't call me kitten!' she ground out. 'If you're going to call me anything, I'd far rather you called me Miss Hume; that way no one gets any wrong ideas.'

  Kade swung the car out of the layby and on to the main road again before flashing her a grim look. 'Very well, your highness,' he said tauntingly. 'If that's the way you want to play it. Just remember that I'm your adviser, and not your knight in shining armour! '

  The rest of the journey was continued in a forbidding silence. Tanya, still smarting at his parting shot, wondered why she had ever attempted to fool him over her true feelings for him. It hadn't worked and those last words had proved that beyond doubt. She sighed inwardly. It all went back such a long time; she had loved him before she had even known what the word love meant. Recalling her homecoming six months ago, and the way her eyes had pleaded with him to be kind to her, she could well understand his attitude. One could fall out of love as well as in love, she thought hopefully. She didn't want to go on loving him—it hurt too much, and it hurt her pride. She had four months in which to get him out of her hair, and as her future happiness depended upon it, she had no intention of failing.

  She cast a quick surreptitious glance at Kade's grim profile as he turned the car into a spacious car park in the forecourt of a large hotel on the outskirts of Hobart. He was good and mad now and she hoped he stayed

  that way. You couldn't go on loving someone who marched over your sensitivity with hobnailed boots. It was even worse when that same person was well aware of what he was doing.

  'I've booked a day room for us,' Kade said curtly, as they walked towards the hotel entrance. 'The conference is being held here. You've fifteen minutes to freshen up. The meeting starts at ten. I'll meet you in the lobby at five to.'

  Tanya's acknowledgement of this terse directive was just as curt as Kade's had been. 'Very
well,' she answered stiffly, and accepted the key he had procured for her from the desk and walked to the elevator without giving him a backward glance. As he had not accompanied her she presumed he had other matters to attend to before the meeting started. In all probability he would make for the bar where most of the conference members would have gathered for a talk among themselves.

  There had been two keys, she had noticed, and had felt a surge of relief that Kade would not be sharing her room for the rest of the day—as things were, it would have been highly embarrassing for both of them, although she very much doubted if Kade knew what the word meant, much less his having experienced such an emotion.

  As soon as she had entered her room, she unpacked her evening dress and hung it up in the large wardrobe provided. She had no worry over the dress being creased as it was of a crease-proof material. Her eyes went over. the soft peach folds. It was long-sleeved, with a scalloped neckline, and cunningly designed to suit any occasion. It; was not too fussy—nor too plain, and like

  all very expensive clothes lent an air of correctness to the wearer, thus giving a nervous new young participant in the party a confident boost.

  Tanya possessed several such dresses, chosen for her by her mother, who had had an instinctive eye for fashion matched with suitability. Whatever else Tanya might lack in the material sense, it was not clothes. Her wardrobe was well stocked and would see her through to what looked like being a very lean future.

  Having hung up the dress, she then turned her attention to her appearance, and gave a slight moue at her untidy hair. She could put it up again, and without the steady breeze that had flowed through the car windows, it should stay in position. However, after she had combed it out, she decided to leave it lying loose in the style she had always worn. It was nothing to do with Kade's remarks, she told herself stoutly; she felt more comfortable like this. If she had really thought about having the style changed she could have had it cut, she mused, as she saw the way it lay curled on her shoulders, And didn't look at all businesslike. Be yourself, had been Kade's sardonic advice, she thought, as she contemplated pulling it back from her face in a ponytail. Well, that was exactly what she would have to do, she thought with exasperation, when she found that it was not long enough to adopt that style either, and impatiently shook it free again and let the soft tendrils once again frame her heart-shaped face.

  A glance at her watch told her that it was time that she left the room and went down to the lobby to meet Kade. She wasn't unduly worried about the conference. She hoped that it took up most of the day, but she was worried about the ensuing social activities in which she

  envisaged being abandoned by Kade at the first opportunity that presented itself, and wondered what she was going to do with herself after that. The thought that she had a room in the hotel gave her much comfort. She could slip away from the festivities as and when she liked. On this cheerful thought she lifted her chin a fraction higher and went down to meet Kade.

  CHAPTER SIX

  THE conference ended at four, and although Tanya would never have admitted it to Kade, she found it very interesting.

  The rising prices of costs and the inevitable follow-through of higher retail prices for the fruit took up most of the business on the agenda. A small section of the fruit farmers were in favour of passing on the extra loading costs direct to the retailer, without a passing thought of the ensuing consequences to the consumers. This would, as Kade had pointed out with reasonable but forceful argument, only serve to put the whole industry in a state of flux that would result in a free-for-all in the price war that was sure to follow.

  It soon became obvious that he had the majority of members on his side, if the nods and grunts of approval were anything to go by, let alone the spontaneous round of applause he received after his speech.

  Kade's quiet but assertive argument eventually won the day for the moderates among the farming fraternity. If Tanya hadn't still been smarting from his previous comments on her appearance, she would have felt very proud of him.

  There had been no time for introductions before the meeting, and she had felt many curious glances directed her way during the meeting. Now that it was over and business was out of the way, Kade's popularity was evident by the way the farmers grouped themselves

  around them and congratulated him on his successful contribution to the conference.

  Tanya's thoughts at this time were on lines of refreshment, and she was wondering whether the hotel would provide tea for them when she suddenly found herself the centre of attention with Kade's drawled, 'Meet my partner, boys.'

  That was all he said, and Tanya's indignant glance at him was met with a wicked grin that widened as one of the men, a stout man who had been most effusive in his congratulations to Kade, held out a horny hand to Tanya, but directed his remarks to Kade. 'Well, you're a sly one, I must say! Not that I blame you for keeping her out of circulation until you'd nailed her. Pleased to meet you, Mrs Player, you've got yourself a fine man there.'

  Tanya's blazing eyes met Kade's amused ones accusingly. He'd done that on purpose, she thought furiously. He must have done, particularly as she had requested him to introduce her as Miss Hume.

  'Spare the lady's blushes, Ted,' replied Kade, resting his blue eyes on Tanya's bright cheeks. 'Miss Hume is my working partner. Tanya, this is Ted Down, a good friend of mine.'

  It was a great pity Kade didn't take his own advice, thought Tanya, fuming, certain now that his lapse had been a deliberate move to take a rise out of her.

  'Beg pardon, I'm sure,' muttered the man confusedly, then gave her a hard stare from out of his protuberant brown eyes. 'Why, you must be John Hume's daughter!' he exclaimed, and gave her hand another hearty pump. 'Nice to know you're back in the fold again,' he assured her sincerely.

  Things were decidedly easier after this, but no thanks to Kade, Tanya thought seethingly, and her thoughts were echoed in her eyes and glacier expression each time they rested on him. As for the social evening ahead of them, she devoutly hoped he had his own plans for entertainment and it was too bad if he hadn't. She had no intention of spending the evening in his company, even if it meant developing a sick headache soon after the start of the proceedings!

  Feeling as she did, Tanya was tempted to deny herself the refreshment she had looked forward to after the close of the meeting, particularly as she learned that a table had been reserved for her and Kade in the hotel's dining room. Only the fact that she was very thirsty and knew that she would get no other refreshment until the evening made her reluctantly follow Kade's tall straight back as he led the way into the dining room after the rest of the impromptu introductions had been carried out.

  Kade's arrival in the dining room was hailed by another round of greetings, this time from the feminine front, who were the wives and daughters of the farmers attending the meeting, and now waited for their menfolk to join them. The interest her arrival with Kade had aroused at the meeting was nothing to the interest Tanya was now receiving from the women who eyed her with open curiosity and made her feel very self-conscious as she took the chair that Kade held out for her when they reached their table.

  'You look scared to death,' commented Kade, as he handed her a plate of fresh-looking ham sandwiches. 'I should have thought you would have got used to meeting folk,' he added casually, as he took a sandwich for

  himself and demolished half of it in one bite.

  Of course she was used to meeting people, Tanya thought bitterly, but the circumstances had been somewhat different then, although he wouldn't have understood. His next words, however, disproved this theory.

  `You weren't the centre of attention then, though, were you?' he went on casually, helping himself to another sandwich and looking pointedly at the pot of tea and the still empty cups on the tray beside it.

  Tanya took the hint and poured out their tea before she answered his latest taunt at her mother. 'If you mean my mother,' she said slowly, her eyes on the cup and saucer she w
as holding out to him, 'she didn't relish attention either.'

  'I didn't say she did,' he replied curtly, 'but she got it, all the same, didn't she?' he stated baldly.

  `I suppose she did,' replied Tanya slowly, 'almost as much attention as you're getting,' she added with a glint in her eye. 'It's you they're interested in, not me.'

  `Want to bet on it?' he said with a wicked grin, as lie took a sip of his tea.

  Tanya stared back at him coldly. 'If you mean they're interested in me because I'm with you, yes,' she answered. 'I'll accept that. If I were on my own I wouldn't have got a second glance from anyone.'

  Kade sat looking at her with slightly raised brows, then his blue eyes narrowed. 'You underrate yourself, Tanya,' he said quietly. There was an inflection in his voice that made her look away swiftly. 'I said you were like your mother, remember?' he added softly.

  Tanya wondered if he was trying to make amends for his earlier baiting tactics. She could think of no other reason for this compliment, if it was a compliment. Her

  eyes remained fixed on the tea table and she made no attempt to answer.

  A plate of rich-looking pastries was thrust in front of her. 'Try one of these,' said Kade with a humorous note in his voice. 'You could do with some fattening up.'

  'I'm not a prize calf ! ' she replied indignantly, glad to have something to complain about and bring the conversation back to normal. 'And I thought we'd agreed to leave personalities out of it?' she added acidly.