The Reluctant Guest Read Online Free Page A

own. You can ride mine.” She hesitated in the doorway. “Look here, forget most of what I’ve told you this morning. It’s only half true, anyway.” And she walked out .
    A puzzling woman, thought Ann, as she quickly changed her clothes. Had she meant that it was only half true that she loved Storr Peterson? Ann didn’t think so. Elva Borland was an unhappy, frustrated person — and yet she had the essential ingredients of a really beautiful woman. A softer hair style, make-up, tailored frocks and good shoes, and Elva would draw admiration from any man. Why hadn’t she bothered? Why had she stayed on here with her brother, vegetating a long way from the sort of life that would have suited her? How had she slipped into this careless half life?
    Ann was ready, a slim figure in dark brown slacks and a cream shirt, the riding boots laced and gleaming. From habit, she glanced at her reflection, and something new in her face gave her pause. She leaned closer. It was nothing new, after all, only that her mouth had gone firmer and her eyes brighter. Must be this exhilarating climate.
    But she remained there a moment, looking at the straight nose and high cheekbones, the faint slant to her eyes which made them look a little fey, in spite of their golden-green coloring. She pushed her hair back behind her ears and deliberately crumpled the points of the shirt collar. That was better !
    She joined Elva in the sunshine, saw that both mounts were in the hack class and was thankful. Elva swung easily into the saddle of the grey, and Ann seated herself on the roan. Together, they made for the orchard, but turned left down a rutted lane which, Ann gathered, was the boundary and drive of the Borland acreage.
    Ann learned that in the off-season Theo employed only two boys on the land, and at the moment one of them was sick. The other mended the fences and did some clearing, milked the few cows, fed the fowls and kept the sluits clear. Not that it often rained. Elva rode ahead towards the road, dismounted to open a drunken gate and take a look into some sheltered urns which stood on a log bench. She made a sound of disgust. “That boy always manages to float twigs and grass on the milk. One of these days the Creamery will tell us not to send any more.”
    “Couldn’t you inspect them before he trundles them down here?” asked Ann.
    “Lord, one can’t do everything. I’ve been meaning for months to get the gate fixed, and there are potholes in the lane deep enough to wreck a car or lame a horse in the dark. You wouldn’t think there were two of us working full time on this place, would you?”
    “You don’t bother to get organized.”
    Elva turned a hard grin towards Ann. “Maybe now that you’re here we’ll mend our ways. Are you looking forward to seeing Theo tonight?”
    “Yes, of course.” It was true. The very thought of Theo, nonchalant and carefree compared with his sister, sent a wave of relief and excitement through Ann. “What time do you think he’ll come?”
    “In time for dinner, if I know Theo. We’ll put on a good spread, pretend you arrived this evening instead of this morning.”
    “Shall we dress up?”
    “Why not? It’s a special occasion.” Elva reached for the rein, said casually, “You’ll be nice to Theo, won’t you? Remember that he’s only known you were coming since last night . ”
    “I’ll remember. He was grand in Cape Town.”
    They had jogged along for some minutes when Elva said, without expression, “It make a difference, you see. You got to know Theo at his best and if he falls a little short of it now you’ll be disappointed, but you will kn o w how he could be. I’ve never been at my best in my life.”
    After which she tapped her horse with the rein and moved ahead.
    On the whole, it was an interesting if rather unsettling day. Ann discovered a great deal about the Borland ménage , but not enough to understand it really well. Aaron, apparent l y, did all the cooking