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Authors: Robyn Donald
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hardly your
fault,' he stated drily. 'Tell me,’ have you set your heart on becoming a librarian?'
'I want to very much,' she said, half aware, of what he was going to offer.
'If I offered you a position as Sarah's companion would that change your mind at all?'
Incredible how, strongly she reacted! 'No,' she; answered swiftly. 'I'm sorry—I'm very fond of Sarah, but I can't
—I—well------' she finished lamely, 'I do want to be a librarian.'
'And if you don't get the job?'
'I'd look for another,' she replied in a tow voice, aware only of an intense aversion to his idea.
'I see.'
Her attention caught by the note of anger in his voice she looked up and saw the man of that first interview, icy
with contempt because she did not measure up to his standards.
Or was it just that? Somehow Linnet felt that her own swift denial of his offer and the anger it aroused were part
of something much more than his desire to see his daughter happy. It was almost as though he was attacking her
independence, her desire to lead at last a life of her own, to be free. But surely—swiftly she dismissed the idea.
It was too ridiculous. A11 that she had to deal with was a .naturally autocratic man who was prepared to ride
roughshod over anyone—perhaps, she guessed, to ease a conscience which might be a little tender, for if Sarah
had been a happy child she would not have developed this desperate attachment.
The thought of Sarah weakened her resolve far more than the father's anger,' but supported by the deep
instinctive conviction that if she gave in she would be sacrificing far more than any career as a librarian she said
once more, quite clearly, 'No. I wish I could—but you must see that it's unfair to ask.'
'I see a woman who selfishly puts her own desires ahead of a child's,' he returned harshly.
‘That’s not so!' She jumped to her feet, anger roused by the blatant unfairness of his comment. Without
stopping to think she positioned herself in front of him, her face irradiated by her emotions. 'I've seen no
indication that you put your needs or desires in second place to Sarah's,' she stated angrily. 'Why expect me to?'
'You allowed her to become fond of you.'
'Oh, for heaven's sake! The child is desperate for someone to care! Someone who'll listen to her and talk to her
and be interested in her—she couldn't help becoming attached to the first person who showed any interest.'
Something in his very stillness warned her that she had trespassed on an area that was very sensitive, but she
was too angry to care. Pushing her fingers through her hair as though it was his face she would like to rake with
her nails, she continued wearily, 'She's also highly strung and too indulged. She's not too young to learn that she
can't always have her own way, or that emotional blackmail doesn't work. Where on earth did she learn to do
that?'
'It must be born in her,' he said bitterly. 'God knows, her mother was an expert.'
Linnet's eyes flew to meet his, saw in their pale depths a bleak anger that wrung her heart. '
'You tried some of it yourself,' she said, more gently. 'I'm sorry, Justin, but I'm not going to give in to either
Sarah's or yours.'
'You promised her that you'd stay.'
She bit her lip, remembering that impulsive remark.
'Yes. Well, I meant it If I get this job, I'll want board fairly close, so I'll be able to see quite a bit of her.'
'Don't be ridiculous!' At her startled glance he went on impatiently, There's no need for you to go at all.'
'I said that I have no intention of sponging on Bronwyn, and believe me, I meant it.'
The wide shoulders moved in a shrug, dismissing her defiant statement.
'She won't be there for much longer. When she's gone you may have the flat. Anna's quite happy with her
quarters here.'
Linnet felt as though someone had kicked her in the solar plexus. Fixing her eyes on the collar of his shirt, she
sought for words, finally found them. 'I'm sorry that I implied you didn't
fault,' he stated drily. 'Tell me,’ have you set your heart on becoming a librarian?'
'I want to very much,' she said, half aware, of what he was going to offer.
'If I offered you a position as Sarah's companion would that change your mind at all?'
Incredible how, strongly she reacted! 'No,' she; answered swiftly. 'I'm sorry—I'm very fond of Sarah, but I can't
—I—well------' she finished lamely, 'I do want to be a librarian.'
'And if you don't get the job?'
'I'd look for another,' she replied in a tow voice, aware only of an intense aversion to his idea.
'I see.'
Her attention caught by the note of anger in his voice she looked up and saw the man of that first interview, icy
with contempt because she did not measure up to his standards.
Or was it just that? Somehow Linnet felt that her own swift denial of his offer and the anger it aroused were part
of something much more than his desire to see his daughter happy. It was almost as though he was attacking her
independence, her desire to lead at last a life of her own, to be free. But surely—swiftly she dismissed the idea.
It was too ridiculous. A11 that she had to deal with was a .naturally autocratic man who was prepared to ride
roughshod over anyone—perhaps, she guessed, to ease a conscience which might be a little tender, for if Sarah
had been a happy child she would not have developed this desperate attachment.
The thought of Sarah weakened her resolve far more than the father's anger,' but supported by the deep
instinctive conviction that if she gave in she would be sacrificing far more than any career as a librarian she said
once more, quite clearly, 'No. I wish I could—but you must see that it's unfair to ask.'
'I see a woman who selfishly puts her own desires ahead of a child's,' he returned harshly.
‘That’s not so!' She jumped to her feet, anger roused by the blatant unfairness of his comment. Without
stopping to think she positioned herself in front of him, her face irradiated by her emotions. 'I've seen no
indication that you put your needs or desires in second place to Sarah's,' she stated angrily. 'Why expect me to?'
'You allowed her to become fond of you.'
'Oh, for heaven's sake! The child is desperate for someone to care! Someone who'll listen to her and talk to her
and be interested in her—she couldn't help becoming attached to the first person who showed any interest.'
Something in his very stillness warned her that she had trespassed on an area that was very sensitive, but she
was too angry to care. Pushing her fingers through her hair as though it was his face she would like to rake with
her nails, she continued wearily, 'She's also highly strung and too indulged. She's not too young to learn that she
can't always have her own way, or that emotional blackmail doesn't work. Where on earth did she learn to do
that?'
'It must be born in her,' he said bitterly. 'God knows, her mother was an expert.'
Linnet's eyes flew to meet his, saw in their pale depths a bleak anger that wrung her heart. '
'You tried some of it yourself,' she said, more gently. 'I'm sorry, Justin, but I'm not going to give in to either
Sarah's or yours.'
'You promised her that you'd stay.'
She bit her lip, remembering that impulsive remark.
'Yes. Well, I meant it If I get this job, I'll want board fairly close, so I'll be able to see quite a bit of her.'
'Don't be ridiculous!' At her startled glance he went on impatiently, There's no need for you to go at all.'
'I said that I have no intention of sponging on Bronwyn, and believe me, I meant it.'
The wide shoulders moved in a shrug, dismissing her defiant statement.
'She won't be there for much longer. When she's gone you may have the flat. Anna's quite happy with her
quarters here.'
Linnet felt as though someone had kicked her in the solar plexus. Fixing her eyes on the collar of his shirt, she
sought for words, finally found them. 'I'm sorry that I implied you didn't
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