The job interviews for the position of Chief (and only) Librarian at Hey were held today. I was convinced that James was a 'shoo-in' for the job, but it turned out that after doing the right thing and advertising in the local and Brisbane newspapers, there was another applicant for the position. As a member of the board of the library, I was made aware of the application, which came from a woman called Anne Prior who was Assistant Librarian at one of the larger Brisbane libraries. What wasn't in her application or CV, but had been found out by discreet enquiries was that she was a woman in her mid-thirties, recently divorced, had two small children and it seemed was intent on making a fresh start well away from Brisbane. I was still a little surprised that she had chosen Hey, which to most city people is so far 'beyond the black stump' as to make it in the middle of nowhere.

Of course as a member of the board and related to one of the applicants, I had to stay at arms length from the selection process. I was now concerned that in the panel's attempts to be scrupulously fair, my relationship with James might actually act against him getting the position.

James was not as concerned as I was, and headed off early to call into the library for some final words of advice from Miss Marks who really wanted him to get the position. I felt I couldn't hang around at home waiting for news, so I went into Hey myself to do some shopping and try to take my mind off things until I heard from James.

I walked around for a couple of hours, checking out a few stores, and finally, feeling a little peckish, called into a small café 'The Rumbling Tum' which as its name suggests, provides some simple fare to keep the pangs of hunger at bay. After ordering a cup of tea and a sandwich, I looked around for somewhere to sit. There are only four tables, and three of them were fully occupied by people I know either by name or at least by sight. At the fourth table a pretty woman in her mid-thirties was sitting alone. She wore a very stylish plum-coloured knee-length dress with stockings and high heels. I couldn't recall ever seeing her before. I hesitated and then walked over to the table. She looked up and we exchanged the sort of smiles strangers give each other.

“Do you mind?” I asked “All the other tables are taken.”

“Of course not,” she replied, removing her handbag from the table.

I sat down and by way of a conversation starter said “I'm Lesley Brodie. That's a very pretty dress you're wearing.”

“I'm Anne Prior,” she responded. “I feel a bit over-dressed actually, but I'm going for a job interview this afternoon. You don't think it's too much do you?” she added anxiously.

It's no use me pretending, my face will give me away every time, so I responded “Oh yes, you are applying for the librarian position.”

She looked surprised, obviously not a country girl or she would have realised that very few things remain a secret out in the bush. “Yes I am. I understand the other applicant is called James Taylor. Have you met him?”

“Actually, he's my fiancé,” I replied.

“Oh!,” she said “I understood he is.....” With that she came to an abrupt halt and turned bright red.

I knew exactly what she had nearly said and decided to supply the missing part.

“Yes, he is some years younger than me, but I don't think that is a problem nowadays.”

“I'm sorry, that was very tactless of me,” Anne said, her colour in no way diminishing.

“It's alright,” I replied. “It's funny how an older man with a younger woman is admired for securing a 'trophy wife', but reverse the sexes and people look at it very differently. I don't know why that is. I guess I am fortunate that James prefers older women.”

I laid a slight emphasis on the word 'older', and I guess that final remark of mine was almost an oblique 'Hands off!' statement. I don't know why I said it, but I guess there is something in a woman's mind that senses a threat even when one is not overtly visible.

Anne still looked uncomfortable and looked at her watch.

“I guess I had better head down to the library as I'm the first interviewee in forty minutes.”

I smiled pleasantly, well I hope it was pleasantly and said “Well it was nice to have met you.”

I could hardly have wished her 'good luck' when I obviously did not mean it.

“You too, Mrs Brodie,” she replied.

With that she stood up and left the café. Marg the waitress appeared with my tea and sandwich. I suddenly realised she had been waiting until our verbal exchange was over before bringing my meal. My heart was still beating quicker than normal and I couldn't help wondering if I had been less than friendly to Mrs Prior. What a pity I had chosen to enter that particular café at that time. I was put in mind of that famous line from 'Casablanca' where Rick says 'of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, and she walks into mine.' Sometimes these things just happen.

I seemed to have lost my appetite, but having ordered the meal I felt obliged to eat it, and anyway I didn't want my exchange with Anne Prior to ruin my day or be cause for comment.

I did try looking at a few more shops after I left the café, but my heart wasn't in it and I soon drove back to the Station.

On reaching home, I didn't have anything particular to do, so I took a book out of the library and sat down to read. I actually nodded off and was woken by the sound of the car tyres on the gravel outside and knew that James was back. I listened to his footsteps on the wide verandah steps and they didn't sound like the footsteps of a happy man. This was confirmed when he appeared in the doorway with a solemn face.

“Oh James, I so sorry,” I started to say, and then his face broke into a smile.

“I got the position!” he exclaimed.

I squealed, more like a teenager than a mature woman, and jumped up and rushed to him.

You wicked wicked man!” I exclaimed “You had me totally fooled.”

James laughed as he took me in his arms and kissed me. “Did you ever doubt for a moment that I would get the job?”

“Well I was a bit worried,” I replied. “I met the other applicant Anne Prior in a café in Hey at lunchtime.”

“I know, She told me when we were waiting for the board to make their decision. I think you might have scared her a bit. She told me you are a very formidable lady.”

“Formidable? Well I've been called many things before, but I think that's a first.”

“I think she meant it as a compliment. Anyway I have to agree with her, you can be quite formidable at times.”

“Well I don't feel formidable right at the moment – quite the reverse.” I murmured as I snuggled against James. He kissed me again, softly at first but with growing intensity and it was not long before we were heading to our bedroom.

Later, as we lay side by side on the bed regaining our breath, James said casually “By the way, I didn't get around to telling you that the selection committee decided that with the growing amount of work at the library we could do with two people to run it, so they offered Anne the position of Assistant Librarian.”

My heart skipped a beat. “Did she take it?” I asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.

“She asked for a day to consider the offer,” said James “But I think she would be quite good in that position.”

“You don't think it would be awkward, and she'd resent the fact that you got the top job?” I said carefully.

“Not at all,” replied James. Ah men! They just don't see the world the way we women see it. She'll take the position – I have no doubt about it. I'm going to have to handle this very carefully. I'm not jealous of her, there's no reason to be - yet, but she and James will spent a lot of time together and as I previously noted, she is a very pretty woman, and quite a bit younger than me.

To be continued

Image credit: Australian cattle station by Harris Walker reproduced under Creative Commons license with attribution.