Free The Tea Planter’s Wife by Dinah Jefferies Page B

he’s a known troublemaker. The belief is that he injured himself.’
    ‘Why would he do that?’
    ‘To try to force our hand over sickness pay.’
    ‘Well, if people are injured, of course we must help them.’
    ‘Not if it’s self-inflicted.’
    She thought for a moment. ‘I didn’t much like the way McGregor spoke to me.’
    ‘It’s just his manner. Nothing personal.’
    Gwen sighed and, remembering McGregor’s steely eyes and thin lips, she wasn’t sure.
    ‘Just leave the plantation workforce to McGregor. He does resent his authority being challenged, I’m afraid, and especially by a woman. He’s a stalwart of the old-school type.’
    ‘There seem to be rather a lot of those around.’
    He shrugged. ‘There’s so much still to do, but with the different factions at work in Ceylon, we can’t afford to alienate people by rushing through change. We need a consensus to make any sizeable difference to the country as a whole.’
    ‘And if there is no consensus?’
    He looked very serious as he replied. ‘There has to be, Gwen.’
    There was a pause.
    ‘You’re fond of McGregor?’
    ‘I suppose I am. I left him in charge during the war, with just two assistant managers. He couldn’t fight, you see.’
    ‘Oh?’
    ‘You might have noticed his slight limp. But he managed the thousand-strong labour force admirably, and I’d trust him with my life.’
    ‘I shall have to learn to like him.’
    ‘Strictly speaking, it’s more like fifteen hundred now that I’ve taken over another estate. There have been some teething problems with some of the coolie labourers who’ve been transferred. There’s a lot more going on than just the plucking of the leaves.’
    ‘Why is it always women who pick?’
    ‘Nimble fingers. We call it plucking.’
    ‘Verity said. And the men?’
    ‘There are plenty of jobs that need brawn. Digging, planting, fertilizing, drain clearing and, of course, pruning. We have gangs of pruners, and their children run along collecting the trimmings to take home for the fire. Just remember, while you acted out of pure decency, McGregor’s job is to ensure your safety.’
    She nodded.
    ‘You might have noticed that the household staff think themselves a cut above the estate staff. We don’t want to upset them either. How are you getting on? Nobody causing too much trouble?’
    She considered telling him about the accounts, but decided against it. The household was her responsibility and she would find a way to understand what was going wrong.
    As he kissed her on the lips she caught the trace of soap and lemons again. ‘Now come on, my gorgeous wife,’ he said. ‘Isn’t it time we had some fun?’
    The golf club’s Annual Ball was to be held at the Grand Hotel in Nuwara Eliya. Exactly like an Elizabethan manor house, it was surrounded by immaculate gardens with buffalo- and blue-grass lawns covered in daisies. Gwen had been looking forward to this for days. Now she’d have the chance to wear her new flapperdress in pink and silver, and she and Fran would finally dance the Charleston.
    It was a three-hour drive to the town, embracing steep mountain roads, and Gwen felt slightly nauseous. But when they eventually arrived, she climbed out of the car and, in air smelling of mint, she soon revived. The town looked as if it could have been in Gloucestershire, with a clock spire, steps up to an imposing war memorial, and an English-looking church.
    Earlier, as Gwen stepped out of the house, she had been surprised to see that Verity had installed herself in the front passenger seat next to Laurence. There was a flicker of annoyance on his face but he didn’t tell her to get out.
    Verity had twisted round. ‘You don’t mind, do you, Gwen? I haven’t seen him for ages.’
    Gwen’s vanity was a little injured – after all, the front seat should have been hers – but she understood that Verity and Laurence might want to catch up.
    Laurence had already booked them all hotel rooms and when