Read Online Opal Dreaming by Karen Wood - Free Book Online Page B

with no parents to tell him what he could and couldn’t do.
    Over pauses in the music, she heard the persistent ring of the phone and a muffled conversation. Seconds later, her door opened and her mother stood there mouthing something.
    â€˜What?’
    Caroline leaned over the bed and plucked out Jess’s earplugs. ‘Come to the kitchen and have a talk with us for a minute.’
    In the kitchen, her parents sat at the table looking grave. ‘Come and sit down, honey,’ said Caroline. ‘Judy Arnold just rang.’
    Jess felt her breathing slow. ‘What for?’ Grace and Rosie’s crazy mum never rang this house. ‘What’s wrong?’
    Craig exhaled thoughtfully and looked at his wife, as if to clarify that they were in consensus.
    â€˜What?’ Jess became increasingly worried. ‘Is it Rosie or Grace? What? What’s happened?’
    â€˜She’s going out to Blakely Downs with the girls to join Lawson and Ryan,’ said Craig.
    Jess’s jaw dropped. ‘Grace and Rosie too? You’re kidding me!’ She groaned, then quickly geared up for a rant. ‘ Everyone gets to go but me! My filly is thrown out in the middle of nowhere with no one to look after her, and everyone is just going off chasing cows!’
    â€˜Well, they’ve invited you to go too,’ said Caroline.
    Jess swallowed her rant, unsure if she’d heard right.
    Her mother nodded.
    Jess folded her arms. ‘And let me guess – I’m not allowed to go. I have to go and do karmic yoga sessions under the full moon for six months until I can nurture my anger with love!’
    â€˜It’s only for ten days over the holidays. I’m sure we can postpone the yoga until you get back,’ Caroline said dryly.
    â€˜You’re letting me go?’
    â€˜Well, as we said earlier,’ said Craig, ‘if there wasn’t just a bunch of men out there, we’d be more likely to consider it. With a responsible woman to chaperone you, then maybe . . .’
    â€˜You’ll be away for your birthday,’ said Caroline.
    â€˜I’m going? ’
    Caroline smiled and nodded.
    Jess screamed and threw her arms around her mother. Then she leapt from the chair and did a dance around the kitchen. ‘I’m going to Blakely Downs! I can find Opal and bring her back.’ She paused and looked at her mum. ‘How will I get Dodger out there?’
    â€˜He’s not going.’
    â€˜Why not? Who will I ride?’
    â€˜You’re not riding.’
    â€˜Not riding?’
    â€˜You’ll be cooking and helping Mrs Arnold to pack up and move camp,’ said Craig.
    Jess gave a sardonic laugh. ‘Of course.’
    â€˜That is the only way we’ll allow you to go, Jessica,’ said her father. ‘You will be under her strict supervision.’
    â€˜This trip is not about Opal,’ said Caroline. ‘You’ll be on the road with the cattle. She’ll be turned out on the station somewhere. I doubt you’ll even see her.’
    Jess let her mother’s words float in one ear, waft around and then sail out the other. She would find a way to bring Opal home. ‘Grace was so right,’ she said, changing the subject. ‘Boys get to do all the fun stuff.’
    â€˜You’re not going out there for a holiday, Jess. Droving is hard work and long hours. Lawson is expecting you to work. His horses will be working hard too, moving cattle all day, so I doubt you’ll be riding much,’ her father repeated. ‘Even if you stay in one spot for a few days, there’ll still be meals to cook and jobs to do.’
    â€˜I know, I know, I’ll work really hard,’ said Jess, her mind already plotting.
    â€˜Oh, and there’s one more thing,’ said Caroline.
    â€˜What?’ Jess broke from her scheming. ‘Is there a catch?’
    â€˜Shara is going too.’
    â€˜ Yesss! ’ Jess couldn’t