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.`You just tell me what you'd like for breakfast andI'll see that it's ready for you by the time you're dressed.'.`Thank you,' Rebel smiled her own response mechanically, even as her brows drew together in a frown.`Where am I?' she puzzled.The older woman's brown eyes widened expressively.`Why, at Mount Cavanagh, of course! Where didyou think you were?' she went on with a half laugh.`Oh, I knew it was the property,' Rebel hastened to explain selfconsciously.`It's just that I didn't expect Iwondered.is this Dan and Thelma's house?'`Good gracious, no, child.This is the homestead.''But.but I thought.''Ah, of course!' Doris nodded her realisation, her fiawr becoming wreathed in a smile.`I was forgettingyou were fast asleep when Chayne carried you in last night and we put you to bed.You were under theimpression you'd be staying with Dan and Thelma, is that it?'`Well, yes,' concurred Rebel stiltedly, uncomfortable at the thought of what that `we put you to bed'might entail.`I certainly didn't expect to be staying in the homestead, and.and I'm sorry you had to go tothe trouble of putting me to bed.You should have woken me.'file:///E|/My%20Library/books/ROMANCE/kerry%20a.%20pitereeka%20TXT/REUNION%20AT%20PITEREEKA.txt (73 of 100)05/05/2010 14:39:23file:///E|/My%20Library/books/ROMANCE/kerry%20allyne/1980%20%20reunion%20at%20pitereeka%20TXT/REUNION%20AT%20PITEREEKA.txt`It was no trouble, dear, and it would have been a shame to wake you from such a deep sleep,' herapology was dismissed lightly.`As for your being here, well, I believe Chayne was of the opinion itmight be a little too crowded at Thelma's place once their other children start arriving later in the weekalong with their respective husbands.wives, and children.''I see,' Rebel smiled faintly.`Well, I hope it won't cause you any inconvenience my being here.'`Heavens, no.' exclaimed Doris sincerely.`One extra isn't going to make any difference, and it willmake such a nice change to have a pretty girl in the house besides all those strapping young men.' Hereyes twinkled irrepressibly.`I must admit, I do sometimes wish for some feminine support when I'msurrounded by six of them at the table each evening.'`Six?' With what she had learnt about the family Rebel couldn't quite make the figures tally.'Mmm, C.K., Chayne, Scott, and the three jackaroos.Now, with Randall home too, it will be seven,'Doris chuckled.An understandably disconcerting situation to be sure.conceded Rebel drily.The thought that she wasabout te share it wasn't exactly encouraging either.`There's no Mrs Cavanagh, then?'`No, Venetia's been dead for almost twenty years now,' Doris recalled sadly.`She was riding up to theLookout one afternoon she often used to go there just for the view but the track wasn't nearly as good inthose days as it is now, and her mount lost its footing and they both went over the edge.' She sighedheavily.`Oh, it was a tragic day, that one.'`You must have been here a longtime yourself,' put in Rebel hastily, hoping to divert the older woman'sattention away from the distressing subject.`Twenty-nine years, in actual fact.I came as a hardheaded or at least I thought I was young woman oftwenty-two to be governess and mother's help to four, as there were then, of the most unruly butendearing scamps you havee ever seen,' she revealed with a laugh of remembrance.'Chayne was five atthe time and just starting lessons with the School of the Air, but with Harland and Eaton still toddlers,and Linden a babe in arms, Venetia just couldn't manage all of them and supervise Chayne's schoolworkas well.As the years passed they became my family too, and when Venetia died I was able to managethe housekeeping and the schoolwork because we only had the three younger ones at home then, theother four were at school in Adelaide for most of the time.These days I can devote all my energiestowards the housekeeping,' she concluded humorously.`Except when thoughtless visitors prevent you,' Rebel referred to herself ruefully.`I'm sorry for holdingyou up with all my questions.'`There's no worry,' Doris waved the suggestion aside, smiling.`Believe me, after helping to raise afamily of seven boys, I'm quite capable of telling someone they're interrupting me, if the need arises.'As much as she would have liked to have delved further into the.Cavanaghs past or the past of oneparticular member, she admitted to herself with wry honesty Rebel, thought it best to bring theconversation to an end anyway [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]