Read Online The Sound of Thunder by Wilbur Smith - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Wilbur Smith
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they looked upon. But mostly it was the indefinable aura of goodness about her-looking at her, he sensed again that behind those eyes no destructive thought could live for long.
Sean lit a cheroot and spoke while the smoke masked his face.
“Yes, Ma. I must go.”
And Ada, whose husband had ridden to war also, and not ridden home, could not prevent the sadness showing for an instant in her eyes.
“Yes, I suppose you must. Garry has gone already-and Michael has been agitating to follow him.
“Michael?” Sean fired the question.
“Garry’s son-he was born a short while after-after you left Ladyburg. He will be eighteen this winter.”
“What’s he look like?” Sean’s voice was too eager. Michael-so that is what my son is named. My firstborn. By God, my firstborn, and I didn’t even know his name until he was almost grown. Ada was looking at him with her own question unasked in her eyes.
“Mary, take Dirk through to the bathroom please. Try and get a little of that food from around his mouth. ” When they had gone she answered Sean’s question.
“He’s a tall boy, tall and lean. Dark like his mother, but a serious lad. He doesn’t laugh much. Always top of his class. I like him very much. He comes here often.” She was silent for a moment, then,
“Sean… ” Quickly Sean cut in. “And how is Garry?” He sensed what she was going to ask.
“Garry has not changed very much. He has had a run of bad luck Poor Garry, things have been bad on the farm. The rinderpest ravaged his herds, he had to borrow money from the bank. She hesitated an instant. “And he is drinking a lot these days. I can’t be sure of it-he never visits the hotel and I have never seen him take a drink.
But it must be that.
“I’ll find out where he is when I go up to Colenso.
“You’ll have no difficulty finding him. Garry is a lieutenant-colonel on the General’s staff. He was given promotion from major last week, and he has been awarded the Distinguished Service Order to go with his Victoria Cross. He is in charge of liaison between the Imperial and the Colonial troops.
“Good God!” Sean was stunned. “Garry a colonel!”
“General Buller ads very highly of him. “The General is also a holder of the Victoria Cross.
“But,” Sean protested. “You know how Garry got that decoration.
It was a mistake. If Garry is on the General’s staff then Lord have mercy on the British Army! ” “Sean, you mustn’t talk about your brother that way.
“Colonel Garrick Courtney. ” Sean laughed out loud.
“I don’t know what there is between you and Garry. But it’s something very nasty-and I don’t want any of it in this house.
Ada’s tone was fierce and Sean stopped laughing.
“I’M sorry.”
“Before we close the subject, I want to warn you. Please be very careful how you handle Garry. Whatever happened between you two-and I don’t want to know what it is-Garry still hates you. Once or twice he started talking about you but I stopped him. Yet I know it from Michael,-the boy has picked it up from his father. It’s almost an obsession with him. Be careful of Garry.
Ada stood up. “And now about Dirk. What a lovely child he is, Sean. But I’m afraid you’ve spoiled him a little.
“He’s a tiger,” Sean admitted.
“What schooling has he been given?”
“Well, he can read a little-” “You’ll leave him here with me.
I’ll enrol him when the school term begins.”
“I was going to ask. I’ll leave money with you.
“Ten years ago there was a very large and mysterious deposit to my bank account. It wasn’t mine-so I placed it out at interest. ” She smiled at him and Sean looked guilty. “We can use that. ” “No,” he said.
“Yes,” she contradicted. “And now tell me when you are leaving.
“Soon.”
“How soon?”
“Tomorrow.
Since climbing the World’s View road out of Pietermaritzburg, Sean and Mbejane had travelled in sunshine and in companionship. The feelings
Sean lit a cheroot and spoke while the smoke masked his face.
“Yes, Ma. I must go.”
And Ada, whose husband had ridden to war also, and not ridden home, could not prevent the sadness showing for an instant in her eyes.
“Yes, I suppose you must. Garry has gone already-and Michael has been agitating to follow him.
“Michael?” Sean fired the question.
“Garry’s son-he was born a short while after-after you left Ladyburg. He will be eighteen this winter.”
“What’s he look like?” Sean’s voice was too eager. Michael-so that is what my son is named. My firstborn. By God, my firstborn, and I didn’t even know his name until he was almost grown. Ada was looking at him with her own question unasked in her eyes.
“Mary, take Dirk through to the bathroom please. Try and get a little of that food from around his mouth. ” When they had gone she answered Sean’s question.
“He’s a tall boy, tall and lean. Dark like his mother, but a serious lad. He doesn’t laugh much. Always top of his class. I like him very much. He comes here often.” She was silent for a moment, then,
“Sean… ” Quickly Sean cut in. “And how is Garry?” He sensed what she was going to ask.
“Garry has not changed very much. He has had a run of bad luck Poor Garry, things have been bad on the farm. The rinderpest ravaged his herds, he had to borrow money from the bank. She hesitated an instant. “And he is drinking a lot these days. I can’t be sure of it-he never visits the hotel and I have never seen him take a drink.
But it must be that.
“I’ll find out where he is when I go up to Colenso.
“You’ll have no difficulty finding him. Garry is a lieutenant-colonel on the General’s staff. He was given promotion from major last week, and he has been awarded the Distinguished Service Order to go with his Victoria Cross. He is in charge of liaison between the Imperial and the Colonial troops.
“Good God!” Sean was stunned. “Garry a colonel!”
“General Buller ads very highly of him. “The General is also a holder of the Victoria Cross.
“But,” Sean protested. “You know how Garry got that decoration.
It was a mistake. If Garry is on the General’s staff then Lord have mercy on the British Army! ” “Sean, you mustn’t talk about your brother that way.
“Colonel Garrick Courtney. ” Sean laughed out loud.
“I don’t know what there is between you and Garry. But it’s something very nasty-and I don’t want any of it in this house.
Ada’s tone was fierce and Sean stopped laughing.
“I’M sorry.”
“Before we close the subject, I want to warn you. Please be very careful how you handle Garry. Whatever happened between you two-and I don’t want to know what it is-Garry still hates you. Once or twice he started talking about you but I stopped him. Yet I know it from Michael,-the boy has picked it up from his father. It’s almost an obsession with him. Be careful of Garry.
Ada stood up. “And now about Dirk. What a lovely child he is, Sean. But I’m afraid you’ve spoiled him a little.
“He’s a tiger,” Sean admitted.
“What schooling has he been given?”
“Well, he can read a little-” “You’ll leave him here with me.
I’ll enrol him when the school term begins.”
“I was going to ask. I’ll leave money with you.
“Ten years ago there was a very large and mysterious deposit to my bank account. It wasn’t mine-so I placed it out at interest. ” She smiled at him and Sean looked guilty. “We can use that. ” “No,” he said.
“Yes,” she contradicted. “And now tell me when you are leaving.
“Soon.”
“How soon?”
“Tomorrow.
Since climbing the World’s View road out of Pietermaritzburg, Sean and Mbejane had travelled in sunshine and in companionship. The feelings
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