The Little Dale Remedy

The plant pot revealed nothing...why wasn’t he surprised? Well, whoever was in there could get out right now. Anger rippled inside him. This was Meg’s place...and his. No one had any right to be here. He hammered on the door, his fist reverberating with a satisfying thud. The face that peered out at him as the door slowly opened, however, took him totally by surprise. A young woman, probably mid-twenties, stared at him with alarm in her wide eyes. “Can I help you?” she asked.

“What are you doing in my house?” he responded angrily.

They exchanged heated words, but Ross soon understood that this woman wasn’t going to budge, no matter what he said. Blood boiling, he turned on his heel and headed back toward the truck.

Red pushed his nose against his master’s hand as if in understanding. “What am I going to tell Meg, boy?” He sighed as he saw his daughter’s eager little face pressed against the window.

* * *

MADDIE SLEPT FITFULLY despite her medication and woke at dawn with anxiety fluttering inside her. She’d thrived on anxiety once, but it had been offset by the adrenaline that had coursed through her veins as, mounted on a bulging mass of muscle and raw energy, she’d waited for the race to start. Closing her eyes, she allowed her mind to slip back to those giddy days when success had called her at the start of each race, the smell of horses, sweat and fear like a cauldron around her until suddenly the gates opened up and her body took over. And then she’d fly, leaving fear in the stalls, just her and the horse beneath her, battling to win.

A sigh rose in her chest and tears flooded her eyes, making her lids feel heavy. She’d known the risks, the danger. All the jockeys did. And she’d had her fair share of crashing falls from spirited young Thoroughbreds high on life. She’d never expected her career to end in a lonely country lane; that was the worst part. If she’d broken her body on the racetrack, she’d have been a hero, but to lose her hopes and dreams to a cowardly hit-and-run driver as she pedaled to work one morning just felt so wrong.

A sound outside caught her attention, stopping her from dwelling on the past just as her memories were moving on to Alex and his treachery. Some fiancé he’d turned out to be! Maddie crawled out of bed and went to the window. There it was again—a chopping sound accompanied by loud barking.

Her bedroom overlooked the lane, and the window revealed nothing so she went across the landing to the back of the cottage, where the second bedroom looked out into a small copse. She froze, her heart pounding in her ears. A trailer was parked on a patch of grass just beyond the cottage garden, and the man from last night was chopping wood—actually chopping wood—from a fallen tree, top two buttons of his white shirt open and powerful arms raised like some kind of nineteenth century throwback.

He had no right to park there...no right. Then again, she didn’t know who owned the land. Maybe he did. Now what was she supposed to do? He was obviously only waiting for her to go out so that he could take over the cottage. Well, she’d see about that. If she locked it up securely and took the key, then he’d never get inside. If he did, she’d call the police because that wouldn’t be squatting, it would be breaking and entering. She was angry now, all hint of last night’s fear gone. He’d obviously been parked there all night; if he’d wanted to hurt her or break in while she was inside, he would have already done it.

Suddenly, he glanced up at her window as if aware that she was watching him. For an awkward moment their gazes locked, and then he turned away with slow deliberation, swinging his ax with a ferocity that Maddie found disturbing. Well, if he was trying to frighten her out of the cottage, then he had totally underestimated her. If he wanted a fight, then he’d get one.

* * *

AS SOON AS she arrived at Sky View to begin her new job, Maddie felt better. She climbed awkwardly out of the car and was immediately greeted by all three of the family dogs: Bess, Jake’s black, white and tan Welsh collie; Bess’s daughter, Puddle, who belonged to Cass; and Choco, Robbie’s brown-and-white terrier cross.

All three dogs eagerly followed her to the house, making her feel totally welcome and pushing any stray thoughts about her unwanted neighbor firmly from her mind. She took a gulp of fresh air. A horse whinnied from somewhere over to the right; the scent of honeysuckle from the hedge that bordered one side of the garden overpowered the pleasant aromas of the stable yard; a brown chicken appeared, clucking as it happily pecked at the earth.

Sky View felt like a happy place, a place to find herself again. She had thought so yesterday, but now she was sure...and knowing that she was at last in a horsey environment again gave her a huge lift. She might not be dealing with the horses directly for a while, but that time would come...because she would make it. Injury wasn’t going to stand in her way.

Cass met her at the door with a broad smile. “Right, then,” she said. “Let’s have a coffee, and then we can discuss what happens around here. All I want from you is to be another pair of hands, to make things a bit easier.”

“I get it,” Maddie said. “And I’m happy to do anything.”

“I see you’ve met the dogs.”

“I was briefly introduced when I stopped by yesterday.”

Cass nodded. “Oh, yes, of course. By the way, there’s something else I wanted to touch on... You mentioned you had an accident last year...”

Maddie nodded. She had told Cass a little about her injuries, but fearful of not getting the job, she’d played them down. Her new boss had no idea how much she sometimes struggled to do the simplest task, but the last thing Maddie wanted was for anyone to make allowances for her.

“Well, I just wondered if there was anything else I should know. I don’t mean to pry, but if there are any jobs that you’re not up to, you know, physically, then I’d rather you told me so I don’t ask too much of you.”

Maddie twisted her hands together in her lap, feeling awkward. She didn’t want to lie to Cass, but it was so important to her that she was treated as an equal, not as an invalid. “No,” she said determinedly. “I can do most things...or try at least.”

“Good,” Cass said. “We know where we are, then. Now your first task this morning is to take Robbie to school. I’ll come with you, since it’s your first time. And here he is,” she said as the little boy burst into the room. “Robbie, this is Maddie. She’ll be helping to look after you.”

He grinned at her, grabbing a piece of toast and stuffing it into his mouth. “Are you going to take me to school every day?”

“She’ll pick you up, too,” Cass added.

“Great,” he said as they headed to the car. “Dad is always late when he picks me up.”

All the way to the school in the village, Robbie chattered on about Choco, his dad and granddad and his pony, filling Maddie in on life at the stables. Her confidence soared at being so readily accepted by the little boy, as if she belonged at Sky View already.

When they reached the school gates, he leaped out eagerly, waving his bag as he raced off with a smile and a wave.

“I always wait until I’m sure he’s gone inside,” said Cass. “Or I go in with him.”

Maddie nodded. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure he’s safe before I leave. He’s such a lovely little boy. He’s the image of his dad.”

“He’s the best,” Cass agreed. “And he does look like Jake.”

On the drive back to Sky View, Cass did a little gentle probing about Maddie’s past experience, asking her again about the accident. Maddie answered all her questions as honestly as she could without going into too much detail, explaining that she was knocked down by a driver while out cycling one morning, but making light of her injuries.

She had good reason not to reveal too much about the aftermath of the collision, but she didn’t really know why she was keeping her experience with horses a secret. Was she afraid? Afraid, maybe, that she wouldn’t be able to live up to the person she used to be? She just wanted this to be a new start with no expectations from anyone other than herself.

“I’m not Robbie’s real mum, you know,” Cass said, quite out of the blue. “Now, I love him like my own, but before I came here and fell in love with Jake, I hadn’t really had much to do with children. All I wanted out of life was to be a successful vet. That’s why I didn’t mind that you hadn’t had much experience with kids, either. There’s something about you, though, that reminds me of myself back then, and I felt that maybe you needed a break... I hope my judgment was right.”

“It...it was. Is.” Maddie stuttered, surprised by the rush of emotion that Cass’s honesty brought out in her. “It’s true, I haven’t had much experience with kids, but I love Robbie already and I really want to learn. And...you’re right about the break. I just had to get away.”

Cass rubbed her stomach absentmindedly. “Well, you don’t need to worry—I’m not going to pry about that,” she said, smiling. “And hopefully it won’t be too long before you’ll have to learn about babies, as well.”

Maddie smiled back at her, feeling happier than she had in months. “That’s a bit more daunting, but I’m sure it can’t be that hard.”

“To be honest,” Cass admitted, “I probably don’t know much more than you, but I didn’t want some experienced nanny type making me feel inadequate.”

“You’re safe enough there, then,” Maddie responded, finally feeling confident in her decision to come to Sky View. She liked Cass Munro and felt she was up to the job. All she had to do now was build up her strength and—she hoped—gradually start riding again. No one here knew what she was capable of or had been once, so she really did have a whole new start. And it felt good.

* * *

THE GOOD FEELING stayed with her right through the day. Doing chores around the house, picking up Robbie in the afternoon and making him some tea—simple everyday tasks that made Maddie feel useful and normal again. Her sense of well-being lasted until she was on her way home.

A curl of wood smoke from behind the cottage brought reality back with a bump. He was still here, then? Well, if he even came near her, then she was calling the cops. Parking as close to the cottage as possible, she jumped out, fumbling with her keys and dropping them before racing down the short pathway to the front door.

The cottage still smelled of burning logs and coffee—comfortable, homey smells that inspired confidence. She’d have some soup for supper, she decided, carrying on the theme.

She was rooting around in the large stack of cans she’d brought with her—cans had seemed like a good idea, but she’d definitely gone over the top, she realized now—when a gentle knock came on the kitchen door. She froze, clutching a can of tomato soup in one hand. It must be him.

But no, men like her unwanted neighbor never knocked gently. Then who could it be? Putting down the can, she headed for the door. Only one way to find out.

The little girl who stood on the doorstep took Maddie totally by surprise. Long chestnut hair curled down her back, a dusting of freckles across the bridge of her snub little nose stood out against her tanned skin, and unexpectedly dark eyelashes outlined huge, honey-brown eyes. The girl looked cross, thought Maddie, standing back to let her step inside. “Can I help you?” she asked.

The child just lifted her chin. “Why have you taken our house? We’ve never had a house before, and it’s not fair to take someone else’s. You should get your own.”

“Taken your house?” Maddie echoed, confusion slowing her thoughts.

“We’ve come a long way to get our house,” the little girl said, stamping her foot and tossing back her mane of curls. “It’s not fair to take it from us.”

Clarity slowly dawned on her. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but I’m guessing you live in the trailer?”

“Yes, with Daddy, Red, Cuckoo and Moneypenny.”

Maddie looked at her vaguely. Red must be the huge dog the man had with him yesterday, but who or what were the other two and how could they all live in such a small space?

“And who are Cuckoo and Moneypenny?” she asked.

“They’re chickens, of course. And I’m Meg. Daddy calls me Nutmeg, though. I’m six. How old are you?”

“Twenty-six,” said Maddie, smiling. “Now why don’t I get you a cookie, and you can tell me all about it.”

The little girl deliberated for a moment, and then she shook her head determinedly. “No, thanks. Daddy says I have to stay away from you. He says you’re mean.”

“Well, you can tell your daddy...” Maddie began, but she stopped herself. This was between her and... “What is your daddy’s name?”

Meg stared up at her. “Ross. He’s called Ross. What’s yours?”

Maddie reached out to shake Meg’s hand. “I’m Maddie, and I’m pleased to meet you.”

Meg pulled her hand away sharply, glancing behind her as if expecting a reprimand. “Well, I don’t think we are very pleased to meet you,” she said, running off across the yard.

Maddie watched her go, noting with surprise how Ross smiled warmly as his daughter approached. He placed a broad hand on her shoulder, leading her toward their makeshift home. Why were they really here, and why would she have been allowed to rent the cottage if it did belong to them? She needed to find out soon. Standing her ground with this Ross guy was one thing—he could obviously stand up to her—but being here in this warm, comfortable cottage when a little girl lived right next door in a small trailer with her dad and three animals just didn’t feel right, especially if they had a right to be here.

Tonight, Maddie decided, hopefully after Meg had gone to bed, she was going to try to find out what this was really all about.

CHAPTER THREE

ROSS SAW MADDIE arrive home, watching with interest as she climbed awkwardly out of her small car and hurried to the front door, dropping her car keys on the way. Was she putting on the slight limp to try to get his sympathy? Well, it wouldn’t work on him. Then again, she hadn’t actually seen him, so it couldn’t be for his benefit. And come to think of it, she didn’t exactly look as if she was blooming with health, either. She was quite thin, her expression was strained and there were dark shadows under her eyes. For all he knew, she’d been lying about having paid three months’ rent. Perhaps she was a squatter after all—on drugs, even. Judging by her put-together appearance and nearly new car, though, he had to admit that did seem to be a bit of a long shot.

The first thing he’d done that morning was call the solicitor, but that had been a waste of time. As far as they knew, the cottage was empty; probate had been granted and now it was just a matter of waiting for the regulatory period of time before he was actually handed the deeds. When he explained about the woman who appeared to be living there and had insisted that she’d paid rent, they promised to look into it and let him know in due course.

So now it seemed all Ross could do was wait. But he would do whatever was necessary to get his daughter what she was entitled to, that was for sure. And if he found out the woman was lying, then he’d kick her out right away, within the law or not.

Reluctantly, he went back to fixing up the chicken run. “Won’t be long now, chucks,” he told the tawny brown chicken and her brightly colored cockerel companion. They watched him from their small coop with bright, beady eyes.

It wasn’t until later, as he gently placed the chickens into their new enclosure, watching with a satisfied smile as they eagerly pecked at the grass, that he realized he hadn’t seen Meg for a while. She appeared suddenly from the direction of the cottage. “She’s called Maddie and she’s twenty-six,” she announced.

“You stay away from her.”

Ross’s voice sounded loud in his ears, and he placed a hand on Meg’s shoulder, surprised at his own reaction. “Sorry, Nutmeg, but we don’t know her and you should stay away from strangers.”

Totally unperturbed by her dad’s outburst, Meg just smiled. “I told her she had to give us our house back.”

“Well...good for you,” Ross said. “But in the future, stay well away from her. Hopefully she’ll be gone soon.”

Meg stared at him with her huge, honey-colored eyes... Jenny’s eyes. It made his heart hurt.

“She offered me a cookie, but I didn’t take it.”

Ross ruffled her curly hair. “Good for you, love. Now go and get washed—your supper will be ready soon.”

* * *

AS THE ORANGE sun slipped behind the dark mass of the trees at the edge of the property, Ross sat by Meg’s bed, relating his usual bedtime story about elves in the forest that helped injured creatures. Tonight, it was a hedgehog that had become trapped when some silly teenagers had started a campfire. All his stories were aimed at encouraging his daughter to care for animals and learn how to behave in the countryside. As her eyes began to droop, he lowered his tone, eventually leaning down to kiss her forehead before tucking the plaid blanket around her shoulders. She’d had the slightly threadbare blanket since she was a baby, and she wouldn’t sleep without it.

Suddenly feeling weary himself, he decided to have a shower and then go through some job leads. He’d saved up enough money to bring Meg back home, but he needed to get work soon or they would be forced to move on. There would always be work for him in Scotland, but moving back there was the last thing he wanted...for Meg, at least.

The small knock on the door came just as he emerged from the shower. “Coming,” he called, quickly rubbing himself dry and pulling on jeans and a blue check shirt. He was still rubbing his dark hair with a towel as he opened the door. When he saw the woman from the cottage standing outside, he dropped the towel to his side. “Oh,” was all he could manage. “What do you want?”

* * *

MADDIE PUSHED PAST HIM, stepping determinedly into the surprisingly tidy trailer. It was small, of course, but it did seem cozy and cared for. There were even flowers on the table.

“Meg’s touch,” Ross said, following her gaze.

“It seems very...” She looked at him, feeling awkward as she noted his open shirt, revealing a hard, tanned, muscular torso. She cleared her throat. “Comfortable.”

He stared down at her, his expression revealing nothing. “What did you expect?”

“Nothing,” she said quickly. “I had no expectations.”

“Be honest,” he urged, his voice deep and slightly harsh. “You expected us to be living in squalor alongside the chickens and the dog. Well, yeah, Red lives here—he deserves to—but as you can see, the chickens have their own place.”

At the sound of his name, the huge dog padded into view. Ross dropped a hand to caress his ears. “He likes to sleep near Meg...he adores her.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you had a daughter?”

Ross shrugged. “Why would I? It has nothing to do with you.”

Suddenly, Maddie found it difficult to breathe. She’d built herself up to this moment, wanting to discuss the situation like two mature adults. But his hostile demeanor was making that seem impossible. It wasn’t just about his attitude, though; it was also the raw masculinity he exuded. Was Ross aware how awkward he made her feel? she wondered. She had never met anyone so comfortable in his own skin, so...sure of himself.

Determined not to let him get to her, she tried to ignore her discomfort. “Why did you tell me it was your cottage?” she asked bluntly.

For a second, he stared at her as if she was stupid. “Because it is.” He hesitated. “Well, to be honest, technically it belongs to Meg.”

“Then how come I’ve been able to rent it, and you didn’t even know?”

He moved toward her, and she forced herself to stand her ground, refusing to take the backward step that would have given her space to breathe. He held her gaze, his dark eyes narrowed. “Perhaps you haven’t paid any rent. Perhaps it’s just a con.”

Anger lent Maddie the strength she was losing. “I already told you—I’ve paid fifteen hundred pounds up front, and if you call the leasing agent, she’ll back me up. I think you’re the con man. You just want somewhere to live for free, and you thought the cottage was empty.”

She could tell by his face that she’d gotten through to him. “I think you’d better leave,” he said, his voice rising. “And stay away from my daughter.”

“Dad?” The tiny voice came from behind them. “What’s going on?”

They swung around simultaneously to see Meg standing outside her room, eyes bleary and hair tousled with sleep. One arm was draped across Red’s huge back, his head the same height as hers. At the sound of her voice, he gently lapped his tongue across her cheek.

Ross’s attitude changed at once. “It’s okay, Nutmeg. You go back to bed. This lady has just come to talk to me about the cottage.”

“She’s called Maddie,” Meg said. “And she has cookies. Have you asked her why she’s got our house?”

“It’s a mistake,” Maddie said gently. “Just a silly mix-up. Go back to bed like your daddy said, and we’ll try to sort it out.”

The little girl did as she was told, putting her hand across her mouth to smother a huge yawn. The big red dog padded along behind her, settling himself down in her bedroom doorway as if keeping guard.

“I’ll just make sure she’s settled,” Ross said, disappearing into her room.

Maddie was just about to leave when he reappeared. “If you pay me back the money I’ve paid out, then I’ll leave,” she told him.

Ross’s dark eyes glinted. “I’d rather make sure you’ve actually paid it first.”

“I am not a liar, but go ahead,” she said coldly. Desperate to get away from him, she pushed open the door and glanced over her shoulder as she stepped outside. “Anyway, as I already said, if it really is your cottage, you should know that.”

The door banged shut behind her, and Maddie breathed in the cold night air, suddenly aware of how hot her cheeks were and grateful for the breeze’s cooling touch. Well, she’d tried, and if that wasn’t enough, then too bad. There was no reasoning with the guy. If it wasn’t for Meg, she’d have gone out of her way to make sure she’d never have to speak to him again. She should have realized yesterday that trying to have a civilized conversation would be a waste of time. He’d even let his daughter believe she was a bad person, and that wasn’t fair when he didn’t know her. She’d had her say, and now the ball was in his court.

It was only much later, in the moments between waking and sleeping, that Maddie remembered the gentleness in Ross’s voice when he’d spoken to Meg... The softness he’d shown then had certainly belied the bitterness in his dark eyes and the hard outline of his muscular physique. It was his gentleness that stayed with her, however, as her heavy eyelids finally drooped shut.

CHAPTER FOUR

THAT NIGHT, AS USUAL, Maddie slept restlessly. She always woke up several times if she hadn’t taken painkillers, but she hated to depend on them. Some nights, though, the constant ache in her left leg and back was unbearable. The doctors had told her to take things slowly, and she was still supposed to be doing physiotherapy, but to her it was all useless. As far as she was concerned, there was only one thing that would make her whole again, and that was getting her life back.

Going carefully down the stairs in the darkness, she dug around in her bag for her medication, washing down the pills with a glass of water. Through the window she could see a glow in the trailer. She stood for a moment, taking in the scene as the silver moon slid from behind a dark cloud, casting an eerie light that made the trees look like sentinels.

She felt a surge of irritation. Things were tough enough right now without having to put up with Ross’s harassment. And what if he was telling the truth—what if the cottage really had been left to Meg? She didn’t care where Ross lived, but Meg deserved better. If she saw him around, she’d put her offer to him again, but she certainly wasn’t going to seek him out. Hopefully, he’d soon find out she was in the right and go back where he’d come from until the three months were up.