Page 60 - Homestead By Ann Newhouse

My sleep that night was restless. I feared for Josh and Liz’s situation, not to mention my job and relationship with Sofie, if John Tirrell realised that I had encouraged Josh and was present when they met.
Next day John Tirrell came to me as I expected. He told me I was to get Liz to call a halt to any romantic nonsense she felt about Josh. I was to bring her back to town and leave her at the Hotel Rancho’s’ door. He said he would sort Josh out, although he would not speak to him until I returned. He said these words with real anger in his voice. I feared for both Josh and Liz. I believed Bob would probably have acted the same as John Tirrell, if he knew who his stepdaughter was seeing.
Taking Liz home would give me a chance to speak to Shelly. I would not fully update Sofie until I had more information, in case it was all about nothing and John Tirrell was just acting his usual bossy self.
I tooted the horn a couple of times before Liz came to the door of Sofie’s cabin. Looking a little sad and alone, she hopped in the passenger seat managing a smile. “Good morning Ned,” Liz murmured shyly.
“Morning Liz, did you sleep well?” I asked, to make her feel more comfortable.
“Yes, thank you, although I found it so quiet and dark here.” She said, then added, “I had hoped that Josh would drive me home.”
“He had to go off early. You are so used to the bright lights of the town and the passing traffic. It takes a while to get used to the countryside, some people never take to it. I sometimes find it a bit boring. There is so little to do, especially for young ladies like yourself. The lads are happy to go to the bar every night,” I felt bad for painting a dark picture of the Homestead for, although a lot of it was true, the ladies faired out okay. I keyed the engine and left a trail of dust behind us as we headed for town.
John Tirrell’s instructions were nagging at me. He expected me to be so cruel, and I was sure Liz would want some explanation for being warned off Josh, which I wouldn’t be able give her.
The time it took to reach Truth went in quickly as we chatted non-stop. Liz told me her mother moved to Truth about twenty years ago, alone, after her husband, Liz’s father had died. Liz was born in the first year there, and Shelley worked hard to support them. Her mother then met Bob 10 years ago and they married a couple of years after. He had, mainly, been a good stepfather although