Gwennie tugged at his hand, and Ned was lost for words when she pulled him over to the woman.
"Our new mummy's here."
Before Ned could speak, Paul strode past him and held out his hand to the woman. "Well, let me be the first to congratulate you, Jemima." Paul turned to Ned as he shook her hand. "You old son of a gun, if you'd mentioned that you were marrying Jemima, there would have been no problem with the loan approval."
Luckily for Ned's sanity, Ryan dropped the new car that Ned had bought at the supermarket this morning and began to bellow. "Now it's broked. Kelsey, you broked it. You broked it, you broked it. I want a new one."
The bank teller was staring at them with her mouth open. Jemima held Ned's eye as he crossed to the chair and lifted Ryan off Kelsey's lap. As he stared back at her, she shook her head slightly in an almost imperceptible movement, and he swallowed down the denial that hovered.
"Ned, I've got another appointment now, but give me a call later. The loan won't be a problem. Don't worry about coming into town until I call you to sign the papers." Paul patted his shoulder as Ned's hands were busy trying to stop Ryan from crawling down his body to the floor.
Ned nodded and waited until the door to the bank manager's office closed.
"What was that all about?" he said in a cracked voice. He cleared his throat and put Ryan down onto the floor.
"Hello again, Ned." She nodded, and a sweet smile crossed her face. She lowered her voice to a whisper as Gwennie sat down on the floor next to Ryan. "I need to have a quick word to you about Gwennie. Have you got time to come and have a coffee?"
"And maybe you can tell me why Paul Crowe instantly approved a loan when he thought you were my-um-fiancée." He scratched his head as she nodded. "Come on, kids. Milkshake time." Ned took Ryan's hand and followed Jemima out of the bank.
At the back of the milk bar, there were a couple of old pinball machines-Ned was sure they were the same ones that had been there when he'd been in high school. He watched as Kelsey and Gwennie each held one of Ryan's hands and led him to the games.
He shook his head and leaned back in his chair.
"Country banks. It's a bit more informal than I'm used to."
Jemima was sitting opposite him at the table. They'd ordered coffee and were waiting for the kids' milkshakes.
Ned ran his hand through his hair.
"What a day. I guess there's some sort of apology in order, too. What did Gwennie do?"
Jemima shook her head. "Don't worry about it. No harm done. I just wanted to make sure she got back safely. You've got your hands full, Ned."
He sighed and ran his hand over the stubble on his chin. He must look like a derro. He and Ryan had ended up in the hay shed after he'd got home with the groceries, and he'd not left enough time to shave or get changed before he'd rushed back into town. No wonder Paul had knocked back his loan application.
Until he thought he was engaged to Jemima.
Bloody hell. What is going on?
"No, tell me. I need to know what she's been up to. She's a sweet kid, but she can be a loose cannon sometimes. I could tell you some stories."
"She was putting an ad up on the library notice board for a new mummy."
"Oh God." Ned put a hand over his eyes for a moment. He dropped it and shook his head again. "So tell me how you applied and were selected so quickly." He tried to smile to lighten the moment, but he was sure it came out as a grimace. "I'm sorry. A very serious talk with young Miss Gwennie will be first priority when we get home."
"Please, there's no need to apologise." Jemima put her hand out and touched his, and he looked down at her long fingers as they lightly brushed his hand. Her nails were short and square, coloured with some sort of pale pink stuff. "I'm sorry for your loss, Ned."
"Thanks, Jemmy. Do you still answer to that?"
Her smile was wide, and again Ned was taken aback by her beauty. Jemima's skin was flawless, her blue eyes wide and clear and surrounded by thick, dark lashes and brows that contrasted with her blond hair. She'd changed from the gangly little girl with braids that he remembered teasing when he'd been at their house all those years ago.
"Recently, I have been. Since I came home. I'm with Liam at Gran and Pop's place, across the road from your gate."
"Liam's back in the Pilliga, too? Fantastic. I haven't caught up with anyone much since I've been back. I've been too busy. Last I heard, he was a reporter in London."
"He came back last year. We all did. Or almost all. Sebastian will be back soon, too … Do you remember Lucy and Seb? Our cousins? Maybe you won't remember Seb; he's younger than I am."
"A vague memory. And you're working at the local school now?" Ned glanced to the back of the shop. Con, the milk bar owner, had delivered the milkshakes to the kids, and they were sitting quietly drinking them.
"No, I was just there for an interview. But it didn't work out."
"Sorry to hear that. You know, I remember being envious of Liam and his extended family. I only had one sister, and Jenny's a lot older than me. She'd already married and left the farm before I'd even started high school."
"You have a beautiful little family of your own now," Jemmy said, looking at the children.
Ned's heart swelled with pride. "I do."
Jemmy leaned forward and touched his hand again. "Ned, I don't want to pry, but I think I can help you out. Please tell me if I'm overstepping the mark."
He held her steady gaze and nodded. "What do you mean?"
"I guess you were going for a loan and got knocked back?"
"I did. I need to hire a farmhand or two on the property. It's mine now." He gave a mirthless laugh as he looked at her. Jemima's wide eyes were fixed on his, and Ned found it hard to look away. Her expression was full of understanding. "I never wanted to work on the farm. When Dad retired to the coast, he took on a few managers, but they never worked out. So when I was looking for a way to be able to look after the kids, and still have an income, the farm was the answer. I bought out my sister's share."
He spread his hands open on the table. "So now, I'm home in Spring Downs. The last place I ever thought I'd come back to. And I'm already wondering if I've made a mistake."
"A mistake?"
"Yes. I'm finding it impossible to balance the farm work with looking after the kids. Thus the visit to the bank today to get some help." Ned frowned. "But why did Paul change his mind when he heard what Gwennie said? I don't want to sound rude, but how does you being their ‘new mummy' make such a difference in getting a loan?"
"Ned?" Jemima reached out and took his hand, and her fingers tightened on his. "I have a suggestion for you."
Her lips were set in a straight line, and there was no sign of a smile anymore. Her beautiful, high-arched eyebrows lowered in a frown, and two cute wrinkles appeared between them. "Listen carefully, and don't answer until you hear me out. Maybe this suggestion can help both of us. I'm looking for a job-but not because I need the money."
He frowned and opened his mouth, but she put her other hand up.
"Hear me out. Like I said, I had an interview for a teaching position. I'm a qualified teacher, but I didn't get the job." She leaned forward in the chair, and he caught a whiff of a subtle but sweet floral perfume. "You need someone to help you with the children, right? So you can work on the farm?"
He nodded.
"If you had more time, would you still need the loan to hire some more workers?"
He looked down at her hand grasping his fingers, and a long-forgotten quiver tingled up his arm. "Yes. I need more than one set of hands to get the property up and running."
"If I help you out, I'll be accepted as a local, and I know that will help me get a teaching job here. When they're at school"-she looked over at Ryan-"I guess the little one is still home?"
"Yes."
Someone to mind the children while he worked in the farm. That would make such a difference, but Ned lifted his hand away and shook his head.
"I'm sorry, Jemima. I can't afford a nanny, too. I'd love to help you out but-"
"No. Listen to me. I don't want to get paid. I don't need to get paid. And if it helps you get the loan, if I pretend to be your fiancée"-her voice wasn't as confident now, and Ned had to lean forward to hear what she had to say-"it helps us both out."
…
Jemima sat back and took a deep breath. Ned was looking at her, and she couldn't read his expression. Her heart was thudding, and she was wondering what the heck she'd just suggested.
"You've lost me. Why would being your … fiancé guarantee me a loan on the spot? And why would you want to come and work for someone with three kids for no pay? Especially if you're looking for a paid teaching job." He scratched his head.