Danny looked up as he heard the roaring engine of a car. Alice too looked up from where they were sat having a break on the veranda, both had stethoscopes round their necks and were still covered in the bodily fluids of animals, hay and whatever else they'd messed with this morning.
"Who drives a Mercedes SL out in the bush?" Danny spat, a frown on his face, at the same time Lyndon came running out to see his parents on their break. As he reached them he turned to the car, the very same expression Danny wore slowly began to appear on Lyndon's face.
"Who's that daddy?" Lyndon asked. "No one drives posh brum brums out here."
"I don't know yet son." Danny replied, "Sure we'll find out." Danny told him standing up ready to greet whoever it was. Lyndon raised his arms and gave Danny an expression he'd inherited from his mother. The expression that Danny could never say no to. "You're getting a big boy." Danny told him as he lifted him up and placed him on his hip.
"I'm gonna be even taller than mummy daddy!" Lyndon stated proudly. Alice turned to Danny, her head tilted as they walked down the steps of the veranda.
"It is the truth dear." Danny laughed, "Although I may have taught him that truth..."
"You'll learn..." Alice promised him, she and Danny turned their attention to the man who had just got out the car.
He was a tall man, although not quite Danny's height, with short, grey hair. He wore designer glasses, black rimmed with silver arms, and a designer grey pinstriped suit to match. His obviously diamond encrusted watch glinted in the sun as he made his way towards them.
"Can we help you sir?" Danny asked.
"Help you sir?" Lyndon parroted. Alice shook her head at him and put her finger to her lips. Lyndon piped down immediately.
"Ahh yes, I'm here to see Mr and Mrs Trevanion." The man told them, his accent distinctively American.
"Well you've found us." Alice smiled,
"Ah excellent, Peter Beale, I sent you a letter. I'm the new owner of Mara, thought I'd drive by and see you in the comfort of your own home." He held his hand out to Danny and Alice who shook it in turn.
"Well, I'm Danny and this is Alice." Danny introduced themselves, Lyndon thrust his hand out to Peter.
"I'm Lyndon Daniel Trevanion!" He told the man, his confident nature causing Peter to laugh. He shook the young boys hand gently.
"There pleased to meet you young man." Peter told him, Alice shook her head at Lyndon.
"Sorry, he's over confident sometimes!" Alice chuckled. "Come inside, we'll get you something to drink and something to eat."
Peter accepted her offer graciously, as they made their way into the kitchen.
Matt was driving to Leopards Den, Sam was at day care and Zoe was at Mara, working away. This morning she'd been going about as though last night hadn't happened. He sighed, he'd have a word with Alice. She also got Zoe to see straight in times like this – Alice succeeded where even he failed.
As he pulled the Jeep up he noticed a Jasper Blue Mercedes Benz sports car. He whistled slightly, somebody has some cash! SL65 AMG? He shook his head with a smile before making his way into the house.
"Oh sorry." He mumbled as he walked in on Danny and Alice in what seemed to be a meeting with a very important man. Lyndon was there though, which was weird.
"Uncle Matt!" Lyndon shouted jumping off his chair and forgetting he was a miniature businessman and running up to Matt. Matt gave him a huge hug and picked him up.
"Hey soldier, how about we go see the animals, leave mummy and daddy alone with this man yeh?" Matt asked, but when usually Danny and Alice would appreciate this, both shook their heads.
"Matt, before you go, we'd like to meet Mr Peter Beale." Alice told him
"He's the new owner of Mara." Danny added, finishing Alice's sentence.
"So pleased to meet you!" Peter beamed.
"Shame I can't say the same." Matt declared, his attitude openly hostile.
"Matt!" Alice spat, a warning tone to her voice.
"Sorry, but have we got a problem?" Peter asked walking forward.
Matt thought of Lyndon first, "Hey mate, why don't you go in the study and talk to Dupe, I'll come get you in five yeh?"
Lyndon nodded and ran off excitedly, Matt turned his attention back to Peter.
"Damn right we have a problem!" Matt shouted angrily.
Danny and Alice shot each other a look of confusion, they hadn't heard about Zoe's work life, or Peter's proposals. They assumed he was a sound enough guy, he seemed to be eager to keep the friendship and didn't want to change anything to affect Leopards Den in a bad way.
"Zoe." Matt stated, "Now, she is one of the strongest women I know. She's a hard worker, polite, funny, amazing, credit to your game park... and you threaten her with redundancy if she doesn't work the same hours as David!"
"I think I've been fair enough." Peter argued.
"Oh yeh, so fair! Hello, I'm Peter the new owner, and on my first day and first time meeting you I'm going to give you an ultimatum that's going to turn your life upside down! I don't care that you have a son who needs you or anything else for that matter, I just want more profit!" Matt replied sarcastically. "She works almost full time!"
"Three months to make that kind of decision is generous!" Peter argued.
"Zoe works her arse off at Mara. She comes home absolutely knackered, she does more over time than three workers put together!" Matt argued.
"What's up lover boy, she not giving you a good time!" Peter ribbed. Matt took a step forward.
"ENOUGH!" Danny shouted over their bickering. Alice just stood back, thinking. Zoe... job... Matt... lose it... something was seriously wrong. She'd never seen Matt get so mad over something like this.
"But..." Matt began.
"No buts, go show Lyndon the animals, then take him for his afternoon at school. Then I want your jobs done... and you." He turned to Peter. "You don't speak to anyone in my family like that, got it?"
"He's not your family, he's your employee." Peter pointed out.
"He is family." Alice suddenly piped up, "Zoe, Mr Beale, is my sister, well step-sister. He's her fiancée, and therefore he is family."
"You're not business people! You're fools!" Peter exclaimed.
"Right I've had enough of you. Out." Danny told him standing forward, no one was talking about his family in that way.
"What you gonna do if I don't?" Peter asked cockily.
"You see that tractor down there?" Alice asked signalling to the tractor that had arrived the previous day. It was there as a favour to a friend of Fatani's. He was on holiday and wanted somewhere to put it. It had large prongs on the front for carrying hay. "If you don't get in your car and drive off back to Mara, I will drive that tractor right into your lovely £100,000 car and put the prongs right through the windows, and personally drive it back to Mara for you!"
Peter looked at her, god, those eyes flashed fire. He gulped; he actually believed this woman would do it. Danny too, he appeared to be in agreeance with her. He picked up his car keys and stalked outside, stupid bloody families!
A/N – Peter's not making a good impression!