Chapter Twenty-Four
D anni wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand and surveyed the newly repaired drainage ditch.
It had taken most of the morning, but at least the sheep wouldn’t be swimming the next time it rained.
She rolled her shoulders, stretching out the stiffness, and then heard the unmistakable growl of Hector’s truck rumbling up the road.
She groaned. Ten-to-one he was looking for her, and fifty-to-one odds this wasn’t going to be a social call.
“Danni?” He called, leaning out of the driver’s side window.
She waved an arm so that he could see her and he pulled into the side of the road, climbing out of the truck and slamming the door shut. “Danni, we need to talk,” he said, as he strode over the field toward her.
“Good morning to you too,” she muttered, treading her spade into the earth so that it stood unaided. “What’s so important that you drove all the way down here looking for me?”
“You weren’t at the house,” he said.
“I’ve got a farm to run.”
“So do I.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s about this investor business. You need to think very seriously about selling.”
Danni snorted. “Seriously? That again? I thought we’d already had this argument.”
“Yeah, I thought so too. But then I started doing some digging.” Hector’s voice was heavy with what Danni assumed was frustration. “Dan, the sooner you take the offer, the sooner you can get your life back. You don’t have to be tied to all this.”
Danni’s hackles rose. “I don’t want to sell. This is my home. My land. I like being tied to it.”
Hector let out a sharp breath. “Be realistic here. What happens when this marriage of yours ends? What happens when the Lady Eleanor moves on? You really think she’s going to stick around here for farm life? And when she goes, the money goes with her.”
“Things are going well with Eleanor,” Danni said, stiffening.
Hector looked at her like she’d grown a second head. “You’re actually serious about her?”
“Yes.” Danni met his gaze, daring him to argue with her.
He ran a hand through his hair, exasperated. “Alright, so you’re serious. But do you think that means anything? Really? You’re from two different worlds, Dan. She’s got money, connections, the whole nine yards. What could you possibly have in common?”
For a second, Danni clenched her jaw, breathing through her nose and reminding herself that this was her brother and she loved him and he loved her. “I know you think you’re looking out for me, but I don’t need your approval, Hec. Eleanor isn’t like that.”
“You’re setting yourself up for heartbreak,” Hector said, shaking his head.
Danni folded her arms. “So what? I should just give up because it’s not easy?”
“Alright,” Hector said with a heavy sigh. “If she means that much to you, why haven’t you brought her up to meet mum?”
Danni felt her stomach drop. “You know why.”
“No, I don’t,” said Hector, his voice rising. “You two haven’t spoken for months now, all because of one stupid argument.”
“It wasn’t just one argument.”
“She’s our mum, Danni,” Hector shot back. “At some point, you need to grow up and realize that she’s all we’ve got now, and she’s not getting any younger.”
Danni said nothing, her jaw tight. She really didn’t want to have this conversation again.
Hector shook his head in frustration. “Fine, do what you want. But before I go…” He pulled a small notepad from his pocket, flipping it open. “I found the name of the investor.” He looked at her. “Stephan Marren.”
The name sent a jolt through Danni’s memory, but she couldn’t quite place it, even though she was sure that she’d heard it before and relatively recently too.
She sighed as she watched Hector climb back into his truck and drive off, brake lights vanishing into the distance. Why couldn’t people just trust her to make her own decisions?
LATER THAT AFTERNOON, Danni drove into town to go to the bank.
The Land Rover was vibrating and making a strange whirring noise.
She’d need to get AA to come and take another look, she thought.
And then she wondered just when she’d gotten so used to having Eleanor’s money around that she’d have thoughts like that.
The name Stephan Marren was still rattling around her brain, gnawing at her. She hated mysteries, especially ones that smelled like trouble.
She dropped off her checks at the bank and was about to hop back into the truck to head home when she spotted a familiar face sitting outside a cafe. She smiled, maybe here was her chance to get to know Eleanor’s circle a little better.
“Danni,” Elizabeth called, waving her over. “Fancy meeting you here.”
“I don’t just wrestle sheep,” Danni said, grinning. “I’m allowed to leave the farm every now and again.”
Elizabeth grinned back. “Join me for a coffee?”
Danni hesitated for only a second, then nodded. “I’ll run in and get one. Can I get you anything?”
“Nothing, I’m perfect,” Elizabeth said .
A couple of minutes later, Danni was back, pulling out a chair to sit in the warm sun.
“So,” Elizabeth said, smiling pleasantly. “How’s married life treating you, then?”
Danni took a sip of her coffee, buying herself a moment, then shrugged. “Can’t complain.”
“That’s a rather vague answer,” Elizabeth said, arching an eyebrow.
“And a rather nosy question,” Danni pointed out.
Elizabeth laughed. “Fair enough. I just wanted to make sure my best friend isn’t being led astray, that’s all.”
“You think I’m some kind of troublemaker?” Danni asked, crossing her legs at the ankles and letting the sun stroke her face.
“I think that Eleanor doesn’t usually take risks,” said Elizabeth, watching her closely. “And you are a risk.”
Letting out a slow breath, Danni nodded. “I get what you’re doing. I’d be doing the same if it was my best friend. You’re protecting Eleanor and I respect that. But you don’t need to worry.” She swallowed and looked at the lawyer. “I, um, care about her.”
“That’s quite a departure from how all this started,” said Elizabeth, still studying her.
“Life’s full of surprises,” shrugged Danni.
“That it is.” Elizabeth was smiling in a way that suggested to Danni that this outcome wasn’t entirely unexpected for her. “And your agreement?”
Danni met her gaze. “Why does that have to change anything?”
Elizabeth nodded. “Alright, understood. And for what it’s worth.” She cleared her throat. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think I’ve seen Eleanor so happy in… well, ever, I suppose.”
“Thank you,” said Danni quietly. She stirred her coffee and decided that a change of subject was probably in order. “Have you ever heard the name Stephan Marren?” she asked.
Elizabeth’s expression shifted immediately, her body going still. “Where did you hear that name?”
“Hector,” Danni said. “He found out that’s who’s been trying to buy up all the property around here. I know I’ve heard the name, I just can’t remember where.”
Elizabeth let out a breath. “Stephan Marren is Eleanor’s great-uncle.”
Danni blinked. “What? Her uncle? That makes no sense at all. Why would her own family want to buy out the house that’s already in the family? And what would they want with my farm?”
Elizabeth shook her head, face stormy. “Not a clue. But I’m going to find out.”
Danni sat back, head spinning, not really understanding what was happening.
“Leave it with me,” said Elizabeth, patting her leg. “I’ll take a look into all this and get some answers.”
But Danni wasn’t so sure that she shouldn’t start protecting herself rather than relying on someone else to do it. And protecting Eleanor too, of course.
DRIVING HOME, DANNI kept one hand on the wheel, the other drumming against her thigh as she thought.
Something wasn’t adding up here. Why would Eleanor’s great-uncle be making secretive deals behind her back?
It was obvious that Eleanor had no idea who the investor was, otherwise she’d have mentioned it, wouldn’t she?
Unless this was all part of a huge scam to make her sell her farm. But that didn’t add up either.
No, she was almost certain that Eleanor knew nothing about this.
She thought about the house, how much it meant to Eleanor, how much she’d sacrificed to keep it. And now someone in her own family was trying to take it from her?
She knew now where she’d heard the name before. Stephan Marren had been pointed out to her at the country club party. The wanker in the kilt. What had Eleanor said about him? Something about her grandmother’s sister having bad taste in younger men. And she’d mentioned bankruptcy, too.
Danni’s hand tightened on the wheel. Whatever it was that was going on, Eleanor needed to know about it. And Danni would be damned if she was going to keep anything from her, especially when it came to something as important as Eleanor’s home.
By the time she pulled into the farm, the evening was starting to turn the light faded and orange. She climbed out of the Land Rover, stretched her back, and made her way inside, feeling an unexpected rush of comfort at the sight of Eleanor setting the kitchen table.
“Long day?” Eleanor asked, glancing up and smiling as Danni came in.
“You have no idea,” Danni muttered, bending over to pull off her boots.
The scent of roasted chicken and rosemary filled the air, making Danni’s mouth water. “Dinner won’t be long, if you’re ready for it?” Eleanor asked.
A slow smile crept across Danni’s face. “You know, sometimes you’re almost as convincing as a real wife.”
For a moment, Eleanor smiled at her across the table. “You know, sometimes I feel like a real wife.”
“And is that such a big thing?” asked Danni, pulling out a chair.
“Do you know, it just might not be,” said Eleanor. “Now, are you ready to eat?”
“Famished,” said Danni. She picked up her knife and fork as though ready to carve into the table.
But the weight of what she had to tell Eleanor had settled heavy in her chest. After dinner, she told herself.
She’d tell her after dinner. Because something told her that, after tonight, everything might change.