Dramatic Start to a Relationship

Sweaty in the midday sun and nearing the end of the long hike up the steep track through bush, Ritchie Monier breathed in satisfaction as he rounded a bend and saw a truck with trailer loaded with hay travelling along Stuart Road that followed the skyline ridge.

After crossing the road, his route would be all downhill to the sea, four miles away according to his map. Ritchie licked his lips at the thought of only another four miles he'd be in a tavern downing a refreshing cold beer.

As Ritchie neared the road, he heard a loud bang, louder that a gun shot and saw a green SUV pull to a wobbly stop.

Moments later the breeze off the sea brought to him the expressive sound of a woman's angry shout, "Fuck."

He grinned, thinking who could blame her for venting herself in unladylike language when assuming she was alone.

He was close enough to see her looking at the driver's left rear tyre and she screamed, "Fuck, fuck and I don't have a clue how to change a tyre."

Ritchie strode forth to assist a lady in distress.

"May I be of assistance?"

"Jesus, you scared the crap out of me," she said startled and confirming that she was no lady.

Her red face turned even redder and her sizeable bosom began heaving.

"Ma'am, don't be alarmed," Ritchie said, and pointing to his chest and back packs and added he was a recreational hiker.

"You're English," she said almost accusingly but appeared to relax a little.

"Yes, I'm English and come from near Chulmleigh but you won't have a clue where that is?"

"It's a very small market town in North Devon. I used to pass through it when going to Exeter. About one-third of the families in this district where we are now, have forebears who immigrated to New Zealand from the south-west counties of England."

Ritchie's mouth gaped.

Recovering from surprise, he said he was coming up the track when he heard the tyre blow out and saw the vehicle swerving.

"You handled the disabled vehicle very competently for a female."

"Go bite your bum."

"Excuse me?"

"Listen mate, I began driving farm vehicles unaccompanied from when I was eight years old."

He said politely that he believed her.

She smiled, adding attractiveness to her already pretty face.

"Well probably I was 10 but you might accept that the truth can stretch. Replace that wheel with the spare for me while I make us a nice cuppa (tea) with flask hot water and hunt through my groceries for the raspberry jam sponge roll that was sitting in the bakery display cabinet until one hour ago."

Ritchie said enthusiastically, beginning to shed his packs, "Find that jam roll and I'll double-check that the wheel nuts are on as tightly as they should be."

"Good man. Oh, I'm Isabella Ashworth."

Ritchie touched his forehead and said, "Greetings ma'am, I'm Ritchie Monier."

"Hi Ritchie. I must say I have a bored daughter at home who'd be rather interested in meeting a fine-looking guy like you but I supposed you're taken?"

"Not quite, Mrs Ashworth. The older two Hollis sisters, who live near us, compete for my attention and as yet I'm undecided, swinging between them while waiting for my dream babe to appear from somewhere. But anyway, my older brother intends to take over the family farm and I'll be moving on."

The straight-taking country woman said, "Never fear, you look like the type to bounce back."

"I completed my veterinary qualifications last year and spent eight months in an animal research centre to gain experience and with that activity that involve field trials virtually closing down before the onset of winter. I travelled out here to look New Zealand over as the country has strong ties with the UK."

"Oh, how splendid for you," Isabella said, eyeing Ritchie thoughtfully. "Ritchie, please call me Isabella. Where do you plan to sleep tonight?"

"Under a tree or perhaps I'll look for a motel bed when I reach the coast."

"My offer might appeal to you. You kindly assisted me by changing that wheel and now I'm offering you dinner this evening and a bed for the night. What say you?"

Ritchie was hesitant, wondering if this was this a 'come on'; was her husband away and she fancied a romp with a young university graduate who just might be the young stud she always dreamed of snaring.

Um, he mused. Did women really think like that?

She said impatiently, "I assume your mother will have warned you about avoiding tangling with horny rural married women?"

He appeared startled.

"Look at me Ritchie. Just accept the offer. I'll be taking you into a family situation where you'll be comfortably relaxed and enjoying great country hospitality. My husband and I grew up here from our late teens, with me being the fifth generation of ex-Devon immigrants. Archie my husband came here from Holsworthy in Devon when he was nineteen. Your family's farm probably is only about an hour's drive from his parent's former farm."

Ritchie said in surprise, "Well fancy that. I take it he'll be home tonight?"

"Yes of course. You surely I don't think I would have invited you to stay the night if he wasn't home?"

"No of course not," he said hastily, hoping not to sound like he was lying.

"Good, I do try most of the time to sound and behave like a couth wife."

He said, "And you dress well and besides, if I may say so, you keep yourself in attractive mode."

"Oh Ritchie," she smiled and said she now liked him even more.

He smiled and went off to grab his backpacks.

"I'd offer to wash your back when you shower but Sophie would accuse me or attempting to push in."

"Who is Sophie?" he asked, forgetting about the earlier mention of a bored daughter.

"Our youngest daughter Sophie, who still lives at home."

"I wouldn't allow a minor in a bathroom alone with me."

"And rightly so Ritchie, but Sophie is 23, a young adult. She's allowed to do whatever she wishes at home, within reason. She has a double bachelor degree in Education and Computer Science and at present travels each week day to complete year-long studies for her post-graduate diploma to begin teaching at secondary school senior level next year."

"Ah, so she's intelligent and articulate and has got it all together?"

"Not really. While she has been successful scholastically, she's boisterous, unpredictable and a sport-mad youngster whose biggest problem is she's without a regular date."

Ah, he theorised, pulling at his left ear. This Sophie was bright but probably looked like a ploughman's daughter and entered early adulthood with unbalanced sexuality because so far only non-discriminatory females had been attracted to her charms and pussy.

Realizing Isabella would be expecting a response to her disclosure he said, "Ah, after the active university life with males everywhere, she probably does feel neglected right now?"

Isabella proceeded passionately.

"Actually, Sophie discovered she had a sexual preference when she was seventeen, Ritchie. However, for the final fifteen months at university she began tentatively to admit males into her life but has found it hard going. Christ, how were you able to work that one out?"

"I detected a hint of desperation in your tone. You sounded just like my mother when my year-younger sister turned girl-crazy and then went through the difficult times of changing her sexual preference back to males and her in emotional disarray became a big pain for her family as well."

"Ritchie, for fuck sake don't indicate to Sophie you know about this problem of hers. Oops, I apologise for using the f-word."

"Oh really? I'm surprised you even knew it existed?"

"Oh, you sweet guy. You know how to charm a woman and sound sincere," said his hostess, rapidly blinking her blue eyes highlighted with eye-liner and shadow colouring at him.

He thought what an understanding and compassionate mother.

"Ritchie, I now speak to you confidentially. If you get the opportunity to try to nobble Sophie then go for it with my blessing but be damn sure it's consensual sex."

"Um, how could I be double sure if such a thing were to loom?"

"Oh, that's easy. If you two get to the stage of being practically lathered up, just invite her to sit down on it."

"Okay, but if I end up missing out could I come to you?"

Isabella eyed him and licked her lips but she said firmly, "I've always honoured my marriage vows sweetie and intend maintaining my faithfulness. But thanks for the delicious proposal because you are such a desirable package; I shall always remember this moment."

Ritchie smiled warmly and said, "I haven't had a great deal of involvement with older females, apart from family in family situations Isabella, but you impress me. You obviously worry about your youngest daughter's confidence and sexuality but we both know things have a habit of turning out okay."

She smiled at her roadside saviour sweetly.

* * *

Isabella drove up to the sprawling single-level farmhouse that Ritchie speculated it had the look of being constructed by farm labourers (partly true) over several generations (true).

"The original Europeans to settle on this particular piece of land in the mid-1860s and begin clearing the bush (trees and scrub) and built a part-cabin-part tent on this site. That structure is long gone and the first substantial dwelling built around 1900 has been added to by successive land-owners."

A broad-shoulder guy with a bushy beard and beer-belly, about Isabella's age, emerged from the house and greeted them, looking at Ritchie with a warm smile.

"Hi, Isabella has a habit of picking up hikers and bringing them home for a meal and bed for the night. I find most of them interesting."

"Hi Mr Ashworth. Those 2-tooth ewes I noticed in the boundary paddock look in great nick."

"How do you know; Isabella wouldn't know what age they were?"

"I was raised on a mixed farm just out of Chulmleigh in North Devon and we ran sheep, pigs, a few cattle and grew cereal crops."

"You don't say. What's your name?"

"Ritchie Monier."

"Monier, eh. That's a pretty rare name. Do you know Douglas Monier, we called him Dougie at school?"

"Douglas Wilbur Monier?"

"Yeah, Ritchie."

"He's my dad."

"You don't say, Mr Monier said, almost pulling Ritchie off his feet when grabbing his arm and shaking it excitedly.

"Call me Archie son. Dougie and I were cricket fanatics and both went on to pair as opening batsmen for Devon at minor country cricket for a couple of seasons. Come in and stay with us a few days, I take it you're walking through much of Southland?"

"Aye. It's fascinating country. I entered Southland from Queenstown four days ago after deciding to stop touring on buses, thinking I was missing the real country."

"Mum, you haven't brought a guest for dinner, have you?" shouted a curvy young brunette standing in the doorway, hands in hips. "I told you this morning I was making three mushroom and mince tartlets from lamb roast leftovers that had been soaking 48 hours in stout..."

She froze, catching sight of the stranger and gasped, "Omigod.

Her mother and father turned to look at Ritchie as if thinking he must have lustfully exposed his dick.

But no, he was standing normally and looking perplexed.

"What's up with her?" Ritchie asked and before Isabella had time to open her mouth, Sophie yelled, "Shut up mum" and turned and darted back into the house.

"You probably look like her dream man," Archie chuckled.

"Shut up, dear. Give the girl a chance."

Archie said, "A chance at what?"

No explanation was forthcoming and both men looked at one another, shrugging.

Isabella came right up to them and said firmly, "Ritchie looks very much like that painting she did earlier this year and titled, the Perfect Bachelor."

Archie laughed, "Oh yeah, now that you mention it. It sold for an astonishing eighty bucks at Friday morning Farm Produce Market Day."

"Dear, don't mess Sophie up over this. She'll be thinking has destiny arrived for her?"

"Okay Isabella, I understand," Ritchie said and eyeing her husband firmly. "We'll say nothing, pretending nothing happened to dismay or excited her to send her into a wobble. It appears to me that your daughter needs to get out and socialize more."

"Exactly," Isabella nodded.

Archie scratched his tummy and sighed, let's go in and have a beer.

Their daughter was nowhere to be seen.

They were drinking dark ale at the kitchen table when they heard a car start up and roar off.

"She's scampered," Archie said sourly, taking another gulp of beer.

Ritchie said, "She's left a note on the oven door."

He grabbed the note and handed it to Isabella who said, "It reads, 'Enjoy. I'll eat at the pub'."

"She's really has been unsettled by your arrival here," Archie said.

Ritchie's head dropped a little and lifted when Isabella said, "Grab the keys of the SUV on the hook at the front door and go and find her if you wish."

"Thanks," Ritchie said, standing.

"Turn right at the gate and the small town, well a village to you, is 4 km down the road. There are two pubs. She'll be at The Black Knight. Younger people rarely go to 'The Settlers', finding the people there rather boring."

Ritchie left the house with cries of 'Good luck' and 'Tread with care'."

The big room was virtually deserted and he went over to the bar and sat beside Sophie who was chatting to the female barmaid.

Sophie eyed Ritchie in the mirror stretching behind the barmaid and said, "Give him what he wants, Daisy."

"A dry Riesling, please."

Sophie said defensively, "I'm not going home for dinner."

"Nor I. I'm having dinner here with you. I'm sorry that my arrival at the farmhouse upset you so much."

"Did mum put you up to this?"

"I appeared embarrassed, I guess. She said grab the keys for the SUV and go and find her and your dad told me which pub you would be cooling down in."

"Why did you want to find me?"

"Because I upset your well-laid dinner plans and you took off in disarray. And they mentioned how I look a little similar to the chap you painted for sale earlier this year."

Sophie frowned and said. "And they told you I'd painted my dream man?"

"Not quite, I was only told the title of the painting. Look, you're not the first woman I've confused. I get my looks from my Italian mother who was a film starlet.

Sophie said oh yeah and rattled off a tourist phrase in Italian.

Ritchie unleashed a burst of flawless Italian, saying that it was not his fault that her inherited his mother's look or that his mum was a former Italian beauty.

"Omigod," Sophie said. "I'm a little ashamed that I doubted you."

"Only a little ashamed?" he mocked gently and she blushed heavily and said at times she could be a bitch.

"I think you have a strong character, inherited from your mum. I came out of the hiking track on to the summit of Stuart Road mid-afternoon and came across your mother unable to replace a blown-out rear tyre on the SUV. I changed the wheel, we chatted intently..."

"With my mother doing most of the talking?"

"With your mother doing most of the talking. Her openness impressed me and she was impressed that I was born and raised in Devon near a village she and her family used to drive through to get to Exeter before the family migrated to New Zealand when she was in her teens."

"And she invited you to dinner and stay the night and said she had a daughter looking for dates and possible chance of marriage?"

"Wrong, your mother invited my home for dinner and to stay the night but I hesitated and she skilfully guessed I was thinking her husband might be away and said he would welcome me as he also was from Devon. She added that their youngest daughter had recently completed her teaching degree and was living back at home attempting to find a new-start teaching job vacancy while completing entry requirement qualifications and may have to look further north to find a position."

He added, "That could explain your stress that I witnessed at the farmhouse."

Sophie ignored that and asked, "Did my mother also mention I currently don't have a boyfriend because I can't find one?"

"No, absolutely not."

The barmaid said, "At times you do appear rather sensitive about your situation, Sophie."

"Yeah," Sophie said. "I'm hungry now, thanks to you settling me. Let's take out drinks into the dinning room and dinner is my treat."

"Thanks."

"What, you at least are not going to attempt to over-rule me as the payer?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I figured you wished to make amends for misjudging me and I thought that I should not attempt to take that opportunity from you?"

"Omigod, Sophie," smiled the barmaid, revealing a missing tooth. "We're in the company of a handsome and right-thinking young man with a touch of chivalry."

Sophie grabbed her drink and scuttled off, calling "Follow me, Mister."

Surprised, Ritchie asked Daisy, "Why did she call me Minister?"

The barmaid said, "Simply because she doesn't know your name yet. She told me she appeared at the doorway of the farmhouse and there you were, and the astonishment almost knocked her tits off."

"Sophie actually used that phrase?"

"Yes, she rather takes after her mother who is not known to sticking to genteel English when chatting."

"Thanks, and nice meeting you ma'am."

"My pleasure. Go out the door, turn left into the passageway and take the second door on the right and you'll be in the dining room."

Sophie watched Ritchie approach, and smiled.

Ritchie took her right hand, held it up and kissed it, no resistance being offered.

"Sophie, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Ritchie Monier."

"Hi Ritchie, great name."

"Thanks, I convinced me mother when I was born to name me Ritchie instead of Richard but she couldn't interpret my crying. I was almost ten before she finally agreed to begin calling me Ritchie, the last of our family to do so."

Sophie giggled and said he was like an inventive embellishment story-teller, much like her father.

Still standing in front of Sophie, Ritchie leaned forward and they kissed.

Two hours later, on the short drive to the farmhouse, Sophie said, lying against his shoulder, "Would you like to share my bed tonight?"

"Yes, but I decline with thanks in the hope that our relationship will develop."

"Is that possible?" Sophie asked doubtfully.

"Yes, if we both decided to make it happen."

She said that was impossible, as she lived at the bottom of New Zealand while he..."

"Lives near the bottom of England," Ritchie smiled. "Okay, here's the deal. You return to England with me and I'll share your bed tonight. I reckon your mother would approve of us having sex but your father wouldn't. However, you two females probably usually ignore him over matters of personal management."

"Meanwhile, your parents will be used to you and your wackiness and would accept you going to England to further qualify to teach there because that would have you settled and give them a reason to return to England each year or two."

Sophie was looking at Ritchie wide-eyed, when he added: "Don't argue your case for going and you probably have sufficient money left in your student loan to pay for the 11,500-mile flight with one stop ticket and my family will provide accommodation. My mother will really latch on to you when she sees your dark beauty and finds out that like her you paint as a hobby. She's also scared shitless that I'll latch on to another hoity-toity English girl from London or nearby."

"Christ, you should be a salesman, Ritchie. Are you convincing or what?"

"I'm all talk. I came away from England for their winter with three job offers, starting in the spring. The truth if we develop a true romance, I could settle virtually anywhere you find work that's close to a farming district, and in such a district would be preferable because farm veterinary work becomes very gruelling at times."