Miriam Macgregor - A Most Determined Bachelor

Kate Coster came forward to meet Judy. She was a tall, gaunt woman, with straight grey hair and a small tight mouth. Her pale grey eyes blinked in surprise as they took in Judy’s youthful appearance, missing nothing—not the depth of blue in her large eyes, the slight wave in her blonde hair, nor the golden lights that made it shine.

Ryan said, ‘This is not Mrs Fulton, as we expected, Kate. This is Miss Judith Arledge.’

Judy smiled and held out her hand. Determined to be pleasant, she said, ‘Most people call me Judy.’

Kate Coster ignored her outstretched hand and spoke bluntly. ‘Well, I must say you’re not what I expected. You look as though you’re still in the sixth form, or maybe just out of it.’

A cool smile touching his lips, Ryan explained, ‘Kate was a school teacher before she reached the retiring age.’

Kate nodded. ‘Yes, indeed. I know exactly how to handle children, especially the naughty ones.’ She bent a cool gaze upon Robin, who had been staring at her with apprehension written all over his face. ‘So he’s to be here for the remainder of the school holidays. I hope he’s a good boy.’

‘Yes, of course he is,’ Judy said faintly, while becoming conscious of Robin’s tenseness as he gripped her hand

‘Come and talk to me, Robin,’ Kate commanded, in the tone of one who would stand no nonsense.

‘No-I don’t want to,’ Robin gasped, then slipped behind Judy and flung his arms around her while burying his face against her skirt.

Ryan became impatient. ‘Just ignore him until he knows you better,’ he advised Kate. The point is that I have a problem. I didn’t think before, but it’s obvious I need a woman to care for Robin while he’s here. Someone with more maturity than Miss Arledge—who, as you’ve noticed, appears to be just out of the schoolroom.’

His words had an effect upon Judy. Her chin rose, her cheeks became flushed and her eyes flashed blue sparks as she faced him furiously. ‘Mr Elliso—I’ll have you know I’m more than capable of caring for Robin,’ she flung at him.

‘I didn’t say you weren’t,’ he snapped.

‘Then what are you saying?’ Her breatbing had become agitated as all her recent frustrations began to spill over. ‘Please be frank so that I can understand the situation.’

‘I’ve already told you,’ he snarled. ‘However, I’ll spell it out again. The situation is this—I have no wish for a girl such as yourself to be living in my house. Is that clear enough?’

‘Perfectly clear... although it’s beyond me to know exactly what it is about me you’re so afraid of,’ she said with cold dignity. She took a long, deep breath. ‘So, what will you do about Robin?’

‘I’ll appeal to Miss Coster for help,’ Ryan informed her smoothly. ‘I shall make it worth her while to take care of the boy.’ He turned to the older woman. ‘Will you agree to do so, Kate? You can either stay here or take him to your cottage.’

Kate Coster looked so startled by the suggestion she could only gape at him. Nor did she appear to be particularly pleased by it. She frowned, and although her thin lips opened, no sound came from them.

‘It’ll be worth your while, Kate.’ Ryan pursued softly.

‘You know I can be generous when the mood takes me.’

‘Oh, yes, I do indeed,’ Kate admitted. ‘Oh...well...I...I suppose I’ll do it,’ she said with reluctance. ‘But he’ll have to be a very good boy and do everything I say at once. I shall not tolerate the slightest disobedience. Do you understand, Robin?’ She glared at the boy menacingly.

Judy was appalled by Kate’s manner and attitude. The woman’s a fool, she thought. She might have been a school teacher, but this was not the way to deal with children—especially Robin—and not for one moment would she consider leaving him in Kate’s care. But the boy had been sent to Ryan. She herself had delivered him. And because Ryan had no wish for her to be in his home the situation had become problematic.

Robin’s voice rose on the air. ‘I don’t want to be left with her,’ he wailed tearfully.

The boy’s loud protests were ignored by Ryan. ‘Well, that’s settled, then,’ he said with easy satisfaction. ‘Kate will take over. I’m sure everything will work out well. OK, Kate—he’s all yours.’

‘No...no...no...’ Robin shouted, while clinging even more tightly to Judy, at the same time beginning to stamp his feet.

‘Stop this nonsense at once,’ Kate snapped at him.

‘Don’t leave me, Judy,’ he pleaded between gasps of weeping. ‘Please, Judy...don’t leave me with her—’

Judy began to feel desperate, her frustrations almost bursting within her as she put her arms about Robin in an effort to comfort him. She was assailed by a feeling of helplessness, and then Robin’s pleadings gave rise to another question, which she flung at Ryan above the noise of the boy’s weeping. Glaring at him above Robin’s head, she demanded wrathfully, ‘Mr Ellison—would it be too much to ask what plans you have in mind for me? As you intend throwing me out of your house, shall I be left on the road or tossed into the sea?’ Agitation caused her voice to shake.

‘Nothing so drastic, Miss Arledge,’ he retorted coldly. ‘If you’ll come over to the window I’ll show you where you’ll be sleeping this evening. It’s not far away.’ He strode across the room and stood waiting for her to join him.

Judy had already noticed that most of the windows faced the ocean, and now curiosity caused her to comply with his request. Keeping her arm about Robin, she drew him with her as she went to stand beside Ryan.

He pointed towards the left, where two wide buildings were situated near the waterfront. They were surrounded by lawns and gardens. ‘The first building is a motel,’ he explained. ‘The second is its restaurant. If the motel hasn’t a vacancy I’ll find you one elsewhere, and tomorrow I’ll arrange for your return flight to Christchurch. There’s no need for you to worry about anything. Robin will be quite all right with Kate. He’ll get over his upset.’

But Ryan’s words set Robin off again. Sobs shook his body as he said between gasps, ‘I want to be with Judy. I don’t want to be with...with that other one. I don’t like her. She’s crabby and cross.’ The wails grew louder.

Kate’s stern tones rose above the din Robin was creating. ‘Didn’t I tell you to stop this nonsense at once?’ she scolded. ‘You will come with me and have your face and hands washed.’ She crossed the room and grabbed his arm, making an effort to drag him away from Judy.

But the action had dire results. Robin threw himself into one of his famous tantrums, which was something Judy had been secretly fearing. His sobs switched to loud yells as he wrenched his arm from Kate’s grasp. His small fists flayed at her, then his leg swung as he kicked her on the shin with his heavy winter shoe.

Kate sprang back with a horrified shriek. ‘You little brat—’ she ranted furiously. ‘This is a tantrum if ever I’ve seen one.’

‘That’s right,’ Judy informed her calmly. ‘Robin’s very good at tantrums. I’ve seen quite a few of them.’

‘Hell’s teeth—can’t you shut him up?’ Ryan barked at her.

His tone brought Judy’s own temper seething to the top. ‘Now you listen to me, Ryan Ellison,’ she raged at him above the noise of the boy’s gasping sobs. ‘Robin is my responsibility and I won’t desert him if he’s not happy. If I go to that motel he comes with me. Is that understood? And you can explain the reason for it to his grandmother.’ Her face flushed as she held Robin in her protective embrace.

As if by magic her words silenced the boy, who had grasped their meaning without any trouble. His oear-filled eyes gazed up at Judy imploringly as he pleaded, ‘Promise, Judy... Promise you won’t leave me? Promise... promise... promise...’