Page 164 of The Sun Sister

Over supper that night, Bill and Bobby discussed all things to do with cattle and Cecily only wished that she and Bill could be alone. She had lots to tell him too.

‘Right, I’m going to turn in for the night. Excuse me, won’t you?’ he said as he yawned and patted Cecily on the shoulder. ‘Goodnight, my dear.’

Cecily followed him to the guest bedroom only ten minutes later, but Bill was already snoring gently in one of the twin beds. Slipping on her nightgown even though she’d recently been sleeping naked because it was more comfortable, Cecily climbed into her own bed, switched out the light, then laid her head on the pillow and did her best to sleep.

When she woke up the next morning, Bill had already left.

‘Where has he gone?’ she asked Katherine, who was always up far earlier than she.

‘Not sure, to be honest. He and Nygasi took off in the pick-up about half an hour ago.’

‘Did he say when he’d be back?’

‘No, I’m afraid he didn’t. Look, I think you’re going to have to accept that Bill has lived by himself for the whole of his adult life. He’s used to coming and going as he pleases, and to not pleasing anyone else for that matter. You must have known that when you married him.’

‘Oh, yes, I did, of course I did. And you’re right,’ Cecily said. ‘I just have to accept it.’

‘It’s no reflection on his feelings for you, I’m sure. He’s simply not used to having a wife yet, that’s all. Plus it’s the rainy season, which is always busy for the farmers.’

‘He was so wonderful to me when we got married. I’d just,’ Cecily sighed, ‘like to have a little more time with him.’

‘Nothing in life is ever perfect, Cecily, and as my father always drummed into me, patience is a virtue. He’s married you, darling, much to the surprise of everyone round here.Anddespite your situation. Given where you were a few weeks ago, I think you should count your blessings and not be too demanding. Now then, I’m off to plant some cabbages in the garden before the heavens open again.’

Katherine left the kitchen and Cecily sat down, chastened by her friend’s words. She was right, of course: Bill was his own man and she had to accept that.

This proved very difficult when Bill didn’t show up until three days later, a dead leopard sprawled across the trunk of his car, the huge paws tied by rope to the undercarriage. Cecily looked away, hating the sight of the majestic creature lying lifeless in front of her.

‘Sorry I’ve been AWOL, Cecily,’ Bill said as he arrived in the living room, driven inside by the pelting rain. ‘I needed to let off a little steam. I’ll go and dry myself off.’

Obviously, letting off steam means shooting wild animals dead,Cecily thought but didn’t dare say.

‘So, how’s the house coming along?’ he asked her over the supper table an hour later.

‘Well, I think. The foreman is a good guy...’

‘He should be, he’s a friend of mine,’ Bobby said. ‘He’ll see you right, so he will. Or he’ll have me to deal with.’

‘Maybe we could go over there tomorrow and take a look for ourselves, Bill?’ suggested Cecily.

‘Yes, I’m sure we can,’ he agreed. ‘I have some things to do in town first thing, but I could go along with you tomorrow afternoon.’

‘Well, the roof has gone on since you last saw it, so at least we don’t have to worry about keeping dry,’ encouraged Cecily.

‘How exciting,’ Katherine said. ‘With all these ideas Cecily’s got, the farmhouse is going to be wonderful.’

‘Let’s hope so, although on the budget I’ve got, it’s hardly going to be The Ritz.’

When Bill said he was retiring to bed, Cecily immediately said she’d come too. The bedroom door closed behind them and Bill proceeded to strip down to his undergarments and climb into his bed.

‘You’re getting bigger, aren’t you?’ Bill said as he surveyed her in her nightgown.

‘I seem to be, yes. Bill...’ she said as he was about to switch off the lamp on his nightstand.

‘Yes?’

‘I just wanted to tell you that my parents have wired some money as a wedding gift. For both of us, that is. So, I can at least contribute to furnishing the house and any extra costs that come along.’

‘You mean they’ve provided you with a dowry?’ Bill smiled at her. ‘How very generous of them. Well, I won’t say it won’t come in helpful, because it will. I sometimes wonder why I run a cattle farm for a living; it gives me continual grief and I earn little from it, given the amount of hours I put in.’