sure you’ll make a wonderful brother-in-law.” Toni couldn’t keep the irony from her tone.
“That help applies to you, too.”
“I’m not asking for it, Byrne,” she said with edgy defiance.
“No, you’re not, but it’s there all the same.”
CHAPTER TWO
THE farther west they flew the more emotional she became. She was home. Really home. She loved Paris with all its wonderful buildings, its bridges, the trees, the restaurants, galleries, museums, the fashion houses, the effortlessly chic women, the charming men, the whole atmosphere that made Paris the most beautiful and evocative city on earth, but this was something else again. Unique.
This was Australia, the great island continent of eight million square kilometres with vast areas of precious wilderness changed little in thousands of years. Here in a land separated for so long from the rest of a war-torn world, peace, freedom and a wonderful sense of the wide-open spaces were inherent in the landscape, in the people. They had passed over sheep country. Now they were heading into the southwest, the fabled home of the cattle kings, descendants of the pioneering fathers, hugely brave and enterprising men who had left their safe, settled homes in the British Isles to make their own fortunes and found their own dynasties.
Like the Beresfords.
It wasn’t until after the first World War, in which he had served, that her own great-grandfather took up his huge section. The Beresfords had arrived some sixty years before, every last one of them, despite family tragedies, with the Midas touch. It was the Beresfords who had diversified early, shoring up wealth against the hard times on the land. Where others had gone under despite the fact Australia was the biggest beef exporter in the world, the Beresfords had managed to ride out the storms. Toni knew their portfolio of interests was large. They also did a lucrative trade in polo ponies as the sport gained huge popularity.
Byrne’s voice brought her out of her reverie. “How’s it going?” he asked, aware of the intensity of her feelings.
She turned her head toward him, her eyes a deep hyacinth. “I love it all so much, the wilderness.”
“It’s where you were born. It’s where you come from. Didn’t you ever find even Paris just that bit claustrophobic?”
“On occasions, yes,” she admitted. “The noise used to get to me. But the thing I really missed was the smell of the bush, that characteristic scent from all the oils in the leaves and the stems of the eucalypts. I even burned a pile of eucalypt leaves once so I could inhale the fragrance of home.”
He glanced at her. “Hard to believe then you’re going back to Europe.”
“Zoe is expecting me. She relies on me for lots of things.” She looked at her linked hands.
“What is she, a child?”
The answer to that was yes. “What is there for me here?” she countered. “I may have a half share in Nowra, but I can’t live there. Cate will be mistress of Nowra.”
“Which puts you in an unfair position,” he commented. “The station wouldn’t be returning all that much at this time. You’ve never approached Kerry for your share?”
“Good-Lord, no. Nowra is Kerry’s life. He loves it with a passion. How could I possibly ask him to sell out our heritage?”
“He couldn’t do it now,” Byrne warned. “But it could be done.”
“Despite your earlier offer, I can’t accept any help from you, Byrne,” she said swiftly.
“You could have softened that a little.”
“You don’t pull any punches.”
“Perhaps not. But what I meant was, and this could be discussed with Kerry, he could take out a loan.”
“And you’d be guarantor?”
“It’s an idea.”
“Certainly. It’s also quite possible you want me out of Nowra altogether.”
He swung his handsome head. “Hang on, now,” he said crisply. “I was thinking of you.”
She thought about it a moment, reasoned it could be true. “Then I apologise. But the issue has to be faced. Nowra will be Kerry’s and Cate’s home. They’ll have an heir who will want to continue the family tradition. The fact I own half of Nowra complicates matters.”
“It does a little,” he conceded.
“So it’s just as I thought.”
“Have it your own way, Toni. You will. I can see it in your eyes.”
There was a brisk crosswind blowing when they touched down at Nowra. Despite that, they made a textbook landing. Kerry was waiting for them outside the silver hangar, waving at them, looking so utterly dear, Toni burst into tears.
“So you’ve missed him more than you think?” Byrne murmured, touched by her lovely tear-tracked face.
“Of course I have.” Her voice was shaky as she fought to level it. “This is my brother. My dearest friend.”
He saw it in her eyes.
As soon as her feet touched the ground Kerry was there, throwing out his arms, swinging her off her feet and hugging her tight. “Toni, Toni, it’s so good to see you.” He held her away from him. “You’ve grown even more beautiful.”
“So have you,” she said, and laughed shakily. “You’re so much like Dad. It’s wonderful to be home. To see you at long last. I’ve missed you terribly.”
“Then that makes two of us, poppet.” He used his childhood name for her, holding her around the waist while he turned to Byrne. “Thanks so much, Byrne, for bringing Toni home. I’m very grateful.”
Byrne shrugged it off. “It’s been a pleasure. I enjoyed it.”
Toni turned a radiant face to him, catching a long windblown skein of hair. “You’ll stay and have a cup of coffee, won’t you, Byrne?”
“I’d like to,” he said lightly, surprising himself by gently brushing the skein from her damp cheeks, “but I have a client flying in this afternoon. He wants to pick out a couple of polo ponies.”
“Well, he’s dealing with the best,” Kerry affirmed. “Everything set for the weekend?” He glanced from one to the other.
“Sure.” Byrne was relaxed. “I’ve spoken to Toni. There should be about twenty people in all, excluding family, which means you two. Nothing Toni can’t handle. She’s amazingly poised and chic.”
“She looks like one of those super models. The blonde,” Kerry said with a grin, his eyes moving over his sister’s slender figure. She was wearing a summery pink shirt and hipster pink jeans with a very fancy belt, and she looked terrific. “And she’s gone and got herself an accent. I don’t know how that’s
