Lucan brought the axe down onto the slab of timber. It split into two. He reached forward, knocked one half from the chopping block with the back of his hand and stood the other on its end. He lifted the axe once more. As he was about to bring it down he heard an unfamiliar voice behind him.

"Mister Hayes?"

Lucan turned to see a young woman. Her dusty red hair was tied back in a tight bun. Some wisps had escaped.

She pulled them away from her face as she spoke again, "I'm looking for Mister Lucan Hayes."

Lucan nodded and returned to his task. "You've found him," he said as he split the timber in two. "If ya after money I ain't got any and I don't go ta church." He glanced at her as he bent down to retrieve the second half of the block of wood.

She stood silent and watched as he hit the block once more. "My name is Miss Rowles. Miss Lillian Rowles."

Glancing at her as he reached for another piece of wood, Lucan shrugged. "So...Miss Lillian Rowles is it? Like I said, I ain't got money and I ain't interested in church."

Stiffening, Lillian said, "Yes you've made that clear, Mister Hayes." She waited until he had split the timber and walked around the block so she could face him.

This time Lucan stood the axe on its head, leant on the handle and looked at her.

She said, "You don't know who I am, Mister Hayes?"

Lucan raised his eyebrows. "Am I supposed to?" He bent and reached for one of the timber halves. He positioned it on the chopping block while he waited for her to answer.

"I'm Covey's school teacher," she said as she brushed loose hair from her face.

Lucan frowned and studied her fully. "Covey's teacher?"

Blushing, Lillian said, "Perhaps if your wife is at home, I might speak to her." She took a breath and added, "It's about Covey's attendance at school."

Lucan lifted the axe above his head. Lillian stared as his chest expanded under the dirty white shirt he wore. She let her eyes wander to the muscles in his arms and watched as the hatchet came down hard onto the piece of timber. "I've written you both numerous letters about this." She tilted her head at Lucan's lack of response.

He continued to work. "Me wife's dead, Miss Rowles."

Lillian gasped, embarrassed by her foolishness in not finding out more about the family before she had come. "I am sorry. I wasn't informed of this." She waited but Lucan didn't answer. He continued to position and cut the timber so she stumbled on. "Covey's enrolment form has only your name and his. I had to ask around to find out where you lived."

Still Lucan worked.

"You haven't answered my letters. Covey did give them to you I trust."

Lucan frowned at her. He stood the axe on its head once more. "If you say he did."

"So may I ask, Mister Hayes, why you haven't sent a reply?"

Lucan drawled, "Well...I coulda done if I could read and write, Miss Rowles." He lifted the tool over his shoulder and headed towards the house.

Lillian deflated. Heat flushed her face. How could she be so foolish to just assume he could read and write? She was learning all too quickly how very different the people of Irvinebank were compared to the cultured societies who had surrounded her most of her life.

She straightened her back. Having come this far she wasn't going to give in now. Lillian trotted after him. When she rounded the corner of the house, he had hung his axe on the wall and stripped himself of his shirt. She jerked to a halt, taken aback by the fact he hadn't had the courtesy to undress in a more private place.

Not noticing, Lucan washed his face and arms with water from a barrel beside the backdoor.

Though feeling affronted, Lillian could not stop her eyes from wandering over his muscled back and sides.

He rubbed his bare chest with his wet hands and reached for the grubby towel hanging on a hook on the wall above the barrel. As Lucan wiped his body dry he turned to face her.

She blushed and spun away, ashamed of her curiosity, hoping he hadn't noticed. "I am very sorry, Mister Hayes. I seem to be making quite a fool of myself. I'm new to Irvinebank and have taken over teaching the junior school. I'm trying to get to know everybody and sort out the attendance problems, among others, and...well...it does not seem I am doing the greatest job, does it?" She glanced over her shoulder and seeing he had donned a cleaner shirt turned to face him.

Lucan raised his eyebrows and cocked his head. He grinned and couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her. "Yeah, I reckon you haven't made a good start, that is, if I'm the first."

Before Lillian could answer, Covey and Riley came running around the corner of the house with Thaiter not far behind them. Covey stopped and hid behind Lucan's leg. He frowned up at Lillian.

She smiled awkwardly down at him and pushed the loose hair away from her face. "Hello, Covey."

He buried his face in Lucan's trouser leg.

Lillian looked from him and at Riley. It was expected, she thought, that he'd have no concept of what was good or bad manners. She must get used to the fact her work was somewhat trying in this area but she wasn't about to give up. If she could introduce a little culture to the people of this isolated town, she'd know she had achieved something worthwhile when she left. She pointed at Riley and smiled. "Is this your little brother?"

Covey peeked at her and glanced at Riley.

She was amazed at how much they resembled each other. Lillian looked back at Lucan and now saw he too had the same deep blue eyes as his sons and though she hated to admit it, she realised he was a handsome man. "You are all so much alike, Mister Hayes."

His curt nod made Lillian nervous. She looked at the other man.

He grinned at her. "Well not all we, Hayes's look like dat lot," he said as he took off his hat and jerked his head toward Lucan, Covey and Riley. "Thaiter Hayes at your service."

Lillian grimaced at the dirt stained hand he held toward her. She extended hers limply. "Miss Rowles. I'm Covey's school teacher."

"Well nice ta meet ya, Miss Rowles." Thaiter stepped forward, grasped her hand firmly and shook.

Covey giggled.

Lillian felt a tug on her skirt. She looked down to see Riley holding on to it with his grubby hands burying his filthy face in its folds. She stepped backwards hoping he would release it, stumbled on a small wooden toy almost falling except Lucan lunged forward and seized her by the arm. Lillian gasped, dropped her register and clutched his shirtfront. She jerked away. "I'm terribly sorry, how clumsy of me."

She bent to pick up her register, collided heads with Thaiter who was trying to help her out.

Lillian stumbled. Lucan righted her and once again she pulled away. "Thank you. I'm fine. Thank you."

Thaiter passed her the register. She nodded her thanks, straightened her hair and dress, and then took a breath to compose herself. Lucan had taken hold of his young son's hand. She realized he was trying very hard not to laugh. Lillian sighed and wondered how she would get rid of the stain on her skirt.

"Sorry about all that, Miss Rowles. Geats, huh?" He grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "I expect you bein' a teacher you would be used to this sought of thing."

Lillian blushed, knowing full well she wasn't. She swept her loose hair from her face and lifted her chin proudly. "If I could get back to the subject of Covey's attendance at school, or rather lack of, Mister Hayes," she said curtly.

Lucan nodded. "Yes school."

Lillian saw a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. It irritated her. "Covey is entitled to an education and it is my duty to see he gets it." She swept the hair away once more and waited for Lucan to answer. He didn't so she turned to face Thaiter.

He raised his eyebrows, glanced at Lucan and made a hurried excuse to leave. He lifted Riley, took Covey by the hand and shot inside the house.

Fronting Lucan again she said, "He needs an education, Mister Hayes. Don't you want him to be able to read and write?"

Lucan frowned. "Well to be honest, Miss Rowles I've never given it much thought."

"You must have. You enrolled him in school so..."

Lucan held up his hand to silence her. "No, I didn't, Miss Rowles."

"His name is here alongside yours." She opened the register and pointed to where the two names were written.

"Ain't any point showing me that? As far as I'd know it could say anything."

She closed the book and sighed. "Is that what you want for Covey and his brother?" Lillian paused for a moment wondering if she should say what was in her mind. With the decision made she continued, "Do you, Mister Hayes? Do you want your sons to be like you, unable to read and write? We live in a modern country, sir, a country who want its people to have the same opportunities."

Lucan grinned. "Perhaps it's politics you should work at, Miss Rowles, not teaching."

She pursed her lips together. "I'm glad to see you have a sense of humour, Mister Hayes. I guess it makes up for being illiterate."

Lucan's face darkened. The blue of his eyes changed from azure to storm grey.

Lillian's chest swelled with a surge of fear. Perhaps she'd said too much. She hung her head, took a breath and looked up at him. She could see pain in his face. "I'm sorry, Mister Hayes, I didn't mean to offend you, but you seem to want to make fun of me." She shuffled uneasily. His face softened so she added, "You don't have to remain illiterate. Education is not only for children." He frowned so she continued, "I would be willing to teach you, if you would like to learn." She bit down on her tongue. What was she doing making such an offer to this man whom she could only describe as a heathen?

"Missus Scott probably enrolled him. Probably sent him with her lot."

Lillian stared at him. What was he talking about?

"Covey." Lucan tilted his head toward the house. "I remember Missus Scott sayin' she was going to. She takes care of the lads when I'm on days."

"Oh." Lillian smiled in wonderment at how he jumped from one thing to the next. "So will you allow him to continue?" She held her breath and waited for him to answer.

Lucan folded his arms across his chest and nodded.

"He must come regular."

"How many days?"

"Five, Mister Hayes. Monday to Friday. He'll have a wonderful time and learn so much." She paused. "You must send along something for him to eat."

Lucan nodded and moved off dismissing her without a word.

"Mister Hayes!"

He turned back to face her.

"You won't be disappointed."

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