The Outback Cattleman's Hired Wife Read Free

Glengarry Homestead, or so the carved wooden sign said that hung
above the door. Instantly a warmth enveloped her and every cell in her body was
grateful.
    Jared stopped just inside the door, put the suitcases
down and hung his hat and coat on a hook.
    ‘ I don ’ t need my jacket
anymore, ’ she said, closing the doors. ‘ It ’ s lovely and warm
in here. ’
    ‘ The heat from the pot-belly stove in the kitchen
permeates the whole house, ’ he muttered as he
closed the front doors.
    Kirra could smell his masculine scent combined with an
earthy mixture of horse, sweat and oil. In close proximity, it tantalised her
senses and heightened her awareness of him. She spotted some blood on his shirt
sleeve.
    ‘ Are you hurt? ’ she said, her concern genuine.
    ‘No.’ He turned around to face her. ‘ Why do you
    ask? ’
    ‘ There ’ s blood on your
shirt. ’
    ‘ I ’ ve just delivered
a calf. It was a difficult birth. ’
    ‘ Will it be alright? ’
    He grimaced. ‘ Time will
tell. ’
    He picked up her suitcases and strode further down the
hallway.
    The homestead was inviting. The walls were of light
polished timber. Australian landscape oil paintings which looked like
originals, hung on the walls. The ceilings were high and ornately-decorated.
Painted iron lacework defined where rooms were situated, and large green and
white tiles checked the floor like a giant chessboard. An antique dresser with
a large attached mirror stood just inside the doorway. A white, lace doily and
a vase of fresh brightly-coloured flowers sat on top.
    Awestruck by the simple, yet tasteful beauty of the
place, Kirra stopped and smelled the flowers before following him.
    ‘ The first door on the right is my study, ’ he said.
    Jared ’ s deep rich voice
startled her as the country feel of the house drew her in. It was so different
from her apartment in Brisbane.
    She looked at him and could see his jaw tense. It was
as if he really didn ’ t want her there.
    ‘ Have you changed your mind? ’ she asked.
    His broad shoulders squared and his eyes narrowed. ‘ To be honest, I ’ m surprised
that a woman of
    your age would
want the position. Most of the ladies who have applied in the past have been
considerably younger. ’
    Kirra ’ s back
straightened . How dare he judge her? She wasn ’ t that old. Her eyes flared with anger and zapped
those scrutinising eyes with indignation.      
    ‘ Perhaps, they were filled with romantic notions of
their teens, ’ she bit out. ‘ I ’ m twenty-seven, Mr Glengarry. According to your ad, I
am within your age stipulations. ’
    ‘ Mother places all the ads. She must have acted upon my
comment about the previous ladies being too frivolous and neglecting my son. ’
    ‘ I assure you that I ’ m far from
frivolous. ’
    Dark eyebrows rode up crinkling his high forehead.
    ‘ That remains to be seen. Living under the same roof
for a couple of weeks will reveal your true character, ’ he said from experience. ‘ It intrigues me why you would want to live out here in
the country. You strike me as a woman who could use her intelligence for a
high-paying city job. I ’ m afraid the Nanny Position only pays a basic wage.
Unless, - ’
    ‘ Nanny Position? ’ Kirra cut
in. ‘ You must be mistaken. I ’ ve answered the ad for a wife and mother to your son. ’
    ‘ Pardon me? ’ His rugged
features stilled on his
    tanned face.
    Kirra took a step back. ’ I see you don ’ t believe me? I brought the ad with me. ’
    She rummaged through her shoulder bag. ‘ It ’ s in here
somewhere. ’
    Embarrassed, she could feel her neck and cheeks flush
with heat, as she frantically searched for the scrap of paper.
    She breathed a sigh of relief when she spotted it and
pulled it out to show him.
    Jared put down her suitcases and took the clipping
from her hand. He accidentally brushed her fingers and that same jolting heat
coursed up his arm when he ’ d shaken hands
with her outside. He ignored