Ch.2, Pt.2: A man was walking toward the stable…
A man was walking toward the stable from the fields, a yellow Lab close to him. When the man looked in her direction at the stable, he stopped, glanced to either side and then came forward. “Hello. I didn’t expect to see anyone here. I was out walking Goldie and thought we’d go home this way. Have you bought the place?” He wore a cloth cap over brown hair, a light brown jacket, checked shirt, dark brown trousers and green hiking boots. He looked like an English country gentleman from a romance novel, and Katherine sighed.
“Yes. Just moved in. Did your dog ever startle me. You live around here?”
“Sorry about that. Goldie wouldn’t hurt anyone. She’s actually very shy. I’m Rick Burman and live one line over, a little north of here.” He reached out his hand.
“Kate Glee,” Katherine said as she did socially, when she didn’t want people to make the connection to her radio show. She brushed the dust from her hand against her jeans before shaking his. “Actually, I love dogs. She just surprised me.” His large hand held hers a moment longer than necessary and he smiled down at her with friendly brown eyes. “So, do the two of you often walk my land?” she said.
He raised his eyebrows slightly and dropped her hand. “I’m sorry for trespassing. I hope you won’t have me arrested.”
“Not today, I don’t think. But how do you like my land? I’ve only walked some of it once. You know it better than I do.” Katherine refused to let herself feel attracted to him. Of course he’s married, she was thinking. That’s a family dog.
“You have a couple of small fields under cultivation, and some bush. Goldie likes to explore there. Used to, anyway. Old Mr. Hilts didn’t mind. Are you and your husband planning to farm?”
Instead of correcting him about her marital status, Katherine spoke vaguely. “No. I think the neighbour wants to continue renting the farmland. That’ll be fine.”
“I guess that would be Weatherall, right over there? Is that his corn?”
“Yes, I believe so,” said Katherine, feeling he was asking too many questions. “Listen, can you tell me when there’s garbage pickup?”
Rick frowned and shook his head. “I’m afraid there isn’t any unless you arrange for private service. We have to haul our own to the dump and pay per bag.”
Katherine stared at him in silence. So that’s why Hilts negotiated like that. I have to pay for his garbage. “That’s just great,” she said slowly, walking back to the stable door. “I have all this to get rid of. How am I supposed to get this to the dump in my car? Plus that rusted equipment over there. Or maybe I have to rent a truck as well!” She frowned, shook her head and her right hand began slapping her thigh.
Rick peered into the stable. “What is it? Is it garbage, or can some of it be used?” While Katherine brooded silently, Rick looked around. “Let’s turn on the light and see what we have here.” He found a string hanging from the ceiling, pulled it, and to Katherine’s surprise, a bare lightbulb came on. Katherine opened her mouth in surprise that he so easily found the light.
“Oh, most of this stuff is good,” Rick was saying as he poked around. “There’s very little you’ll have to dump. The lawn chairs look finished because they’re broken. If the frames were in good shape someone could weave new seats. Someone might be interested in the bike. The paint cans are probably garbage, unless someone is looking for leftovers, but we can recycle the magazines, and the other stuff is fine.”
“Fine? I’ve got crummy furniture here. Of course, it could be burned if someone could break it up.” Katherine rattled the stuck drawer of the green dresser.
Rick came over, tugged the drawer open and inspected the inside. “That’s a good dresser,” he said. “Remove the paint, sand it down, refinish it, and it’ll be beautiful. Same thing with the blanket box.” Turning to look down at her, he said “Put that at the foot of your bed, and it’ll be gorgeous.”
Katherine stepped away from him. “Really? Who does that kind of work?” When Rick pointed at her, she laughed and shook her head. “Not me. I don’t have much spare time, and I don’t want to be doing that in the little free time I have.”
“Your husband doesn’t refinish furniture?”
Katherine felt suddenly vulnerable and uncomfortable telling this stranger that she was unmarried. “No,” she said vaguely.
Rick turned his finger toward himself. “As it happens, I like to refinish furniture.”
“Isn’t that interesting,” Katherine said, smiling despite herself. “You do, do you?”
“Yes, ma’am, I do,” he said with a drawl and a tug of his brim. “If you’d like, I could come by with my pickup and get these pieces and do them for you. If your husband wouldn’t mind.”
“What would you charge?”
“Oh, maybe you’d let me continue walking on your land.”
“I think your wife would expect you to be paid for your work.”
Rick was silent a moment and then looked her straight in the eye. “I’m not married.”
“Oh. I see,” said Katherine in embarrassment, and Rick continued, “How about letting me on your land, and covering the materials for refinishing? How about that?”
“Of course, at least that.” Katherine was feeling flustered.
“Let’s see how they turn out before thinking about any further money.” Rick pulled on the string and darkness covered him. He was a dark shadow against the light from the open window. “And if you and your husband want to take anything to the dump, like the old equipment, you give me a call. I’m in the book. Burman.”
“All right,” agreed Katherine. “Actually, I’m not married either,” she found herself saying.
“I didn’t think you were. You’d have mentioned a husband as soon as you met me.”
Then she felt as if she had lost control of something, and tried to regain her footing. “I’d ask you in for a coffee, but I’m afraid my kitchen is a mess. And actually I have to be getting back to unpacking now. The morning is practically gone.”
“That’s all right. I couldn’t stay anyway. I’ve got to be heading home. Right Goldie?” Goldie looked up hopefully.
“What a lovely dog,” Katherine murmured, bending over. “Are you a good girl having a walk?” Slowly, Goldie approached and sniffed Katherine’s hand and then quickly returned to Rick’s side. He laughed and rubbed her long ear. “You’re a silly old girl, aren’t you? Come on then. Let’s take the road home. Goodbye then, Kate.” He walked away up the driveway past her car.
Ch.2, Pt.3: Katherine tried to forget about Rick… » »