Free The Blue Mountains of Kabuta by Hilary Wilde Page A

laughed. ‘She likes it, Jon?’
    Jon nodded. ‘Very much. She’s dining out tonight and . . .’
    A cloud seemed to descend over Madeleine’s face. ‘Tonight? Oh, is she?’ Madeleine paused and Jon seized the chance to escape to the kitchen, knowing that Madeleine had wanted to ask with whom her mother was dining! Not that she would tell her. Certainly not; it was none of Madeleine’s business.
    Over coffee, they talked of various things such as the heat and the urgent need for rain. Also, of course, they talked of Alex. Of course, Jon thought bitterly, all conversations inevitably ended up with Alex!
    â€˜I can’t understand him,’ Madeleine was saying, ‘wasting his money on his wild life sanctuary. He’s absolutely obsessed about it. He wants to make it bigger, you know.’
    â€˜Yes, I do know,’ Jon said quietly. She waited for Madeleine to say something about selling Jabula—but she didn’t!
    â€˜He works far too hard, of course. He never has a spare moment.’ She looked at Jon and smiled. ‘You’re a nuisance, too, but I expect he’s told you so.’
    Jon’s face burned. ‘A nuisance?’
    Madeleine laughed. ‘Of course you are. Alex is worried stiff about you and your mother being here on your own. Do you know that this house is the one that has been burgled more often than any other in the valley?’
    Jon caught her breath. How thankful she was that her mother wasn’t with them! ‘He didn’t tell me.’
    â€˜Of course he didn’t, or you’d be scared stiff, but every night he sends a boy down to see that all is well here, and every morning, as you know, he’s here at dawn, giving your staff their jobs. It’s like running a farm for no pay at all. That’s typical of Alex. He’s soft-hearted. The fuss he made of your uncle when he was ill! Anyone would have thought the man was a relation.’
    â€˜They were good friends.’
    â€˜Maybe, but there’s a limit to the demands of friendship. I mean, let’s face it, Jon, you haven’t a hope of running this farm alone and you know it. You’re just wasting Alex’s time by your stubbornness.’
    â€˜Stubbornness?’
    Madeleine nodded, her fair hair swinging forward.
    â€˜That’s all it is. You’re the laughing-stock of the neighbourhood. We all know you can’t manage alone. A farm like this needs a man. Besides, you’ve no experience, no training— not a clue. I suppose your idea is to raise the price? Bleed poor generous Alex to death.’
    Jon’s temper was barely under control. ‘I shall never—ever—sell Jabula to Alex, and that’s for sure!’
    Madeleine looked amused. ‘If Alex stopped helping you—and I can assure you that he’s fed to the teeth with doing so—you’d have no option. Alex will give you a better price than any other man. You’d be a fool to turn down his offer.’
    Jon stood up. ‘Fool or not, I mean what I said. I shall never—but never—sell the farm to Alex. I’ve told him so.’
    â€˜Why not?’
    â€˜Because . . .’ Jon drew a deep breath, trying to control her anger. ‘Because I love it here. Uncle Ned left it to me.’
    â€˜And you’ll let it go smash? All his work wasted? It will become a ruin. One day . . .’ she laughed, ‘one day it might be known as Uncle Ned’s Ruin!’
    â€˜I shall never let it go smash,’ Jon’s voice was unsteady. ‘Now, I don’t want to be unsociable, Madeleine, but I’ve got to go in to Qwaleni this morning and . . .’
    â€˜I’m in the way?’ Madeleine laughed. ‘All right, but give me a ring about dinner tomorrow night. The parents want to meet you.’
    I’m sure they do, Jon thought bitterly. She was the laughing-stock of the neighbourhood. They were all watching her,