Eye of the Wind by Jane Jackson Read Free Book Online Page B

dark-haired man with a pain-scored face. ‘I saw at least two big trees down. There are bound to be more.’
    Men were starting to arrive, coming in through the gates in twos and threes. As they saw Melissa, all raised a finger to their foreheads and nodded in greeting, growling, ‘Morning, miss.’ She smiled, nodding in return.
    Indicating the small stone building to which Samson was tethered, Tom lowered his voice. ‘You’d best step inside a moment.’
    Bending her head to avoid the thick oak lintel as she crossed the threshold into the room that served as the foreman’s office, Melissa felt a tightening in her stomach that had nothing to do with hunger. She didn’t wait for him to speak. ‘Tom, you don’t have to tell me: I know we should be using those trees.’
    ‘Look, I’ll speak blunt, miss. If mister don’t do something soon, we’re going to be in trouble. Not the packet,’ he added quickly, ‘we got enough wood to see she finished. But in all the years I been here, I never seen the store so low. This time of year he should be stacked high, ready for next summer. Even when we get all they trees boarded and planked, they still got to season, and that do take –’
    ‘A year per inch of thickness. I know.’ Melissa nodded. ‘That was one of the reasons I came down through the woods, to see the storm damage for myself. There’s some useful timber there, Tom. I’ll see my father at breakfast. And I really will do my best to impress upon him the urgency of the situation.’ But will he listen? Even more important, will he act?
    ‘Much obliged, miss. But see, ’tisn’t as if that’s the only problem.’ Tom rubbed his grey-stubbled chin with gnarled fingers.
    Apprehension slid like melting ice down Melissa’s spine. ‘No?’
    Tom shook his head, his expression deeply troubled. ‘What else?’ She searched his blue-grey eyes.
    He shifted uncomfortably. ‘Look, you know ’tisn’t that I don’t trust you. But by rights I shouldn’t say aught to anyone but mister.’
    Melissa folded her hands, gripping one tightly with the other. ‘I understand, and I respect your desire to do things the proper way. But truly, Tom, I have no idea when my father will be free to come down to the yard. He has been riding to Truro almost every other day. So unless you will come up to the house and speak to him yourself –’
    ‘I can’t do that, miss!’ The foreman’s weathered face registered shock. ‘Have people thinking there’s something wrong, or I can’t do me job? No. Wouldn’t be right nor proper, me coming up there. Not at all, it wouldn’t.’
    ‘Then you must tell me, and I’ll tell him.’
    Frowning, he shook his head. ‘I can’t say I like it.’ He glanced up. ‘No offence, miss. It’s not that I think you’d say it wrong, or nothing like that. Truth is you’re more like to put it better than I can. I haven’t got no gift for words.’
    ‘I’ll be as diplomatic as possible,’ Melissa promised. ‘But I do think it’s wiser that my father is fully informed. Whatever the problems are, the longer they are left the worse they’ll get.’ Despite the brave words, her disquiet was rapidly evolving into anxiety.
    ‘Dear life –’ he rolled his eyes ‘– don’t you say such things. ’Tis bad enough already and that’s no lie.’ He sniffed. Then, walking round to the far side of the cluttered table that served as a desk, he moved things aimlessly from one place to another.
    ‘Please tell me,’ she urged quietly.
    ‘’Tis the suppliers,’ he blurted, flicking a glance at her from beneath bushy grey brows.
    Melissa didn’t understand. ‘What about them?’
    Tom turned away to glare at the small, grimy window, clearly embarrassed. ‘They don’t want to let us have no more stuff, not till something’s been paid off the account.’
    As the implications began to sink in, Melissa felt heat climb her throat and burn her cheeks. She swallowed hard, fighting to keep her