"Scooter off and have your showers while I put Ryan to bed," Ned instructed the girls when he lifted Ryan out of the car seat. He strode up the steps with the girls following close behind. Jemima went around to the back of the ute and pulled out her two suitcases. Angie had almost stopped her from putting them in the back of the truck with the chaff bags, dog food, and hay bales.
"Jemmy, they're Louis Vuitton, for goodness sake. You can't put them in a farm ute."
Jemima had kept her voice matter-of-fact. She'd seen the strange look on Ned's face when he'd glanced at the labels on the monogrammed canvas bags with the glossy brass corners and clips.
"They're just suitcases, Angie." But the fact that each suitcase had cost a few thousand dollars, and she hadn't given it a thought at the time, brought home the different lifestyle that Ned had been living for the past few months. He needed to sell cattle to put more money back into the farm and grow the business. Jemima had enough funds invested to do it ten times over, and that thought made her uncomfortable. When he'd gone to thank her again, all she'd had to do was hold up her hand and Ned had flashed a sheepish grin. One thing she'd make sure of in the coming year was to help out as much as she could without making it too obvious. The girls needed new clothes, and Ryan seemed to be growing out of his every time she dressed him.
Jemima had never taken her income for granted, and she'd sought financial advice and invested wisely. She could afford to buy the children some new clothes and some toys for the smaller two. She'd already looked at a couple of horses that Jim Ison was selling but would have to broach the subject with Ned before she bought them.
She slid the two bags off the back of the ute and crossed the yard to the house. The living room was empty as she pushed open the screen door, and she stood there for a minute, uncertain about where to put her bags. She could hear the girls chattering in the bathroom down the hall, and she bit her lip.
A door closed, and Ned walked up the hall. His gaze settled on the two bags.
"Um, where should I put them?" Her voice was hesitant.
Ned walked over and picked them both up. "In my … our room, I guess." He lowered his voice. "I meant to talk to you about this on the way home. We'll have to share a bedroom, but I've figured it out. The last thing we need is for Gwennie to pipe up at school about Daddy's room or Jemmy's room."
"True. So what are-?"
Ned cut her off. "Come and I'll show you what I've planned. Gwennie tells the world everything. I've been trying to teach her what privacy means, but she's a little sharer, and no matter how much I tell her what happens at home is private, it doesn't make a difference."
"Oh, that could be a problem. We'll have to take care." She followed Ned across the living room. Jemima hadn't been in the master bedroom before, and surprise filled her when he stood back and let her walk in before him. A massive king-size bed filled the room, and that was it.
There was nothing else in the room. No cupboards, no bedside tables, no clock, no nothing. Zilch.
The bed was made, and she could see white sheets at the top beneath the austere gray blanket that looked like an army surplus blanket.
Ned put her bags over near a door at the back of the room. "There's a wardrobe here that goes through to my bathroom. I don't know if you've seen this section of the house yet?"
Jemima shook her head. "No, just the kids' bedrooms."
"So … I think you should take the bed in here, and I've got a small fold-out bed in the walk-in wardrobe. You can go to bed first every night, and I'll come through and sleep in the wardrobe. If we keep the door locked-"
Ned must have seen the look on her face because he frowned and cut short whatever it was he'd been going to say. "What's wrong? You have a problem with me sleeping so close?"
"No, of course not. It's not that. You can't lock the door. In fact, you can't shut the door. You won't be able to hear the kids through the night if they get sick or upset or have a dream or something."
"But if the door's open, they'll be able to see I'm not in the bed."
Jemima swallowed. Never in a million years did she dream she'd say this to a man she barely knew. "Well then, it's a big bed. You'll have to sleep in it."
Ned's eyes widened. "Are you sure?"
Jemima sighed and put more confidence into her voice than she was feeling. "Look Ned, I'm not suggesting anything else. It's a huge bed. We've made a deal, and you don't want the idle comment of one of your children to get on the Sykes gossip channel, do you?"
"The what?"
Jemima's tension eased as she laughed. "The Sykes. Mrs. Sykes at the school, Mrs. Sykes at the bank, and Mrs. Sykes at the library."
Ned's eyes crinkled as he smiled. "I have no idea what you're talking about, but it looks like you know the town much better than I do."
"I'll tell you about them one day, but in the meantime, we need to get organised. If it makes you feel better, we can put a row of pillows in the middle and say I have a bad back or something."
"Or we could say it was so you can't hear my snoring."
"What?" This time, Jemima put her hands on her hips as she laughed. "You snore? That's it! Deal's off."
"What deal?" came a little quavering voice from the doorway. "You're not leaving us, too, are you, Jemmy?"
Jemima walked across and kneeled down beside Gwennie, whose bottom lip was trembling. "Oh sweetie, don't be upset. I was just teasing Daddy. He told me he snores."
"Not very much," Gwennie said. "Only when he's very tired."
Jemima laughed again as she glanced up at Ned. She thought his eyebrows were going to disappear into his hairline.
"But it's okay, Jemmy," the little girl whispered. "If it gets too loud, you can come into my bed with me."
"Thank you. I'll keep that in mind," Jemima said.
"No, Gwennie, Jemmy will stay in Daddy's bed," Kelsey said with a wise nod. "And you know, now that they're married, we all have to give them privacy."
Ned smiled, and Jemima knew her cheeks were rosy.
"Oh, okay. I get it." Gwennie turned with innocent eyes, and Jemmy's face grew hotter when Ned grinned at Gwennie's next words. "So we might get a new baby."
Kelsey grabbed Gwennie. "Come on, leave Daddy and Jemmy in peace."
Jemima put her head down, but Ned didn't let it go. "I guess there's been some sex education at school. No need to blush." He ran the back of his hand gently across her cheek.
Jemima couldn't help her smile as she looked up at him. "Sure sounds like it."
…
Kelsey was sprawled on the lounge with her iPad in her hand, the light of the screen flickering on her face.
"So does anyone want any dinner?" Jemima tried to remember what was in the kitchen. It was the thing she was most nervous about-cooking for the family.
"We had dinner at Liam and Angie's before you got home," Kelsey said.
"And I'm full from the cake," Gwennie added.
"So it's teeth and bedtime, then."
Jemima jumped as Ned's breath brushed past her ear, and he put his hand on her shoulder. "Once the girls are asleep, I'll light the barbie and we can grill some steaks."
"Oh, there's no need. We had a big lunch, and that cake was filling."
"I've got a big day planned tomorrow, so I'll cook myself a steak. You sure you don't want anything?"
"No. I'm fine." Jemima gestured to the laundry. "I'll put a load of washing on and then get myself unpacked. At least it's the weekend and the kids can help around the house tomorrow."
After the girls went to bed, Jemima kept herself busy. Ned was outside at the grill, and the smell of cooking steak and onions wafted into the house. Her clothes were unpacked-not that she'd brought much with her-the washing was in the basket ready to hang out in the morning, and the living room was tidy. She walked into the kitchen to put the kettle on for a cup of coffee, but Ned already had it on.
"A coffee?" he asked over his shoulder.
"Yes, please."
"Pull up a stool. You've not stopped since we got home."
Jemima waved her hand in the air. "There's a lot to do. I have to keep up my end of the bargain."
She held her breath as Ned walked over and pulled up the stool beside her. "We need to make some ground rules here, Jemmy. I don't expect you to do everything."
"I don't mind. It keeps me busy."
"But you're not the housekeeper, and I'm not paying you anything." He ran a hand through his hair. "I just appreciate so much-"
"Enough. I've agreed. The bank's onboard, and I don't mind helping out around the house. It's a novelty for me. I've not had to look after anyone apart from me for a long time."