flower. You’ll see a lot more tomorrow. I’m taking you out to the Lucy to show you some indications I found that seem quite promising. That’s where you’ll really find the floral wonderland.’
‘Is the Lucy far, sir? I’ve been looking for it.’ Thankfully Georgina left the subject of flowers.
‘Then you’ve been looking in the wrong direction, for it’s only an hour’s run. At the height of the Wet it even lapped that outcrop out here.’ He pointed. ‘Probably you. were looking the other way, it’s very easy to do that out here. Now, how about letting the homestead get to know you better over dinner tonight?’
‘I already know Mrs Willmott,’ she hedged.
‘I’ll be there as well this time,' he pointed out.
‘If you don’t mind, sir, I have a few things to do.'
'I do mind,’ Roper said it sharply.
‘But it wasn’t required, was it?’ said Georgina equally sharply, before she could remember where she was and what—most importantly—what she was supposed to be. ‘It wasn’t down among the requirements to be social,’ she said more mildly.
‘No, but then lots of details aren’t included in a list of requirements—just as lots of things that the applicant has to offer are left out.’ His voice was unemotional. ‘However, please yourself.’
‘Thank you, sir.’
Georgina followed Larry Roper to the door. Curiosity made her say: ‘I didn’t hear you land, sir.’
‘Land?’
‘Mrs Willmott said you would fly up,’ she explained.
‘I landed at the Brydens’, due north of here, and wangled transport down, four-legged variety.’ He nodded to the horse.
‘Brydens' ?'
‘They’ve leased the place from Everson, otherwise I wouldn’t have put down there, at least not if he was around, even though our own fields are all in use until the road train arrives to transport the beasts south.’
So, thought Georgina, Craig has left. If I want to see him, if I need to, it will have to be on his next run, though he has told me that if the worst comes to the worst I can stay at his old home.
‘See you, Brown.’ The big man crossed to the horse, pulled himself on and was lost at once in the cloud of dust which covered the track that led up to the house.
Georgina went back into the hut and wasted no time in changing. It was only as she was drying her hair that she remembered Roper’s conversation .., at least part of his conversation. That ‘lots of things that the applicant has to offer are left out’. Could that mean ... could he suspect...
No, she decided, he had no inkling at all.
She sat down at the table where he had sat, read what he had read. ‘You have a definite understanding of females.’ She heard it again. But he had offered it in praise, she was sure of that.
It was unfortunate that he had arrived so soon, but she decided now she could do nothing about it. She had meant to slip quietly out the day before he came back, but to slip quietly out the day after would present some difficulties. For instance, between here and the road there was the big house to pass, and where before there only had been Mrs Willmott to show a cup of tea, now there was the mighty Roper. Showing authority.
Anyway, she wasn’t finished here yet. She did not wish to leave. Until she did, why not ... yes, why not stay on? In spite of that ‘lots of things are left out’ of Larry Roper’s, Georgina felt sure he hadn’t suspected, had not the smallest suspicion. He was a very self-absorbed man. What notice, what possible notice would he take of an insignificant underling like her?
Yes, I will stay, she resolved. I will stay at least until my first pay, which I will send down to Joanne as an instalment. She looked at the typewriter, looked at her typed findings, her typed manuscript. At least, she thought, he will never know about me through that. He has heard my voice, and not known, he has discussed things with me and not suspected. With ordinary luck I can keep it like that, and
‘Is the Lucy far, sir? I’ve been looking for it.’ Thankfully Georgina left the subject of flowers.
‘Then you’ve been looking in the wrong direction, for it’s only an hour’s run. At the height of the Wet it even lapped that outcrop out here.’ He pointed. ‘Probably you. were looking the other way, it’s very easy to do that out here. Now, how about letting the homestead get to know you better over dinner tonight?’
‘I already know Mrs Willmott,’ she hedged.
‘I’ll be there as well this time,' he pointed out.
‘If you don’t mind, sir, I have a few things to do.'
'I do mind,’ Roper said it sharply.
‘But it wasn’t required, was it?’ said Georgina equally sharply, before she could remember where she was and what—most importantly—what she was supposed to be. ‘It wasn’t down among the requirements to be social,’ she said more mildly.
‘No, but then lots of details aren’t included in a list of requirements—just as lots of things that the applicant has to offer are left out.’ His voice was unemotional. ‘However, please yourself.’
‘Thank you, sir.’
Georgina followed Larry Roper to the door. Curiosity made her say: ‘I didn’t hear you land, sir.’
‘Land?’
‘Mrs Willmott said you would fly up,’ she explained.
‘I landed at the Brydens’, due north of here, and wangled transport down, four-legged variety.’ He nodded to the horse.
‘Brydens' ?'
‘They’ve leased the place from Everson, otherwise I wouldn’t have put down there, at least not if he was around, even though our own fields are all in use until the road train arrives to transport the beasts south.’
So, thought Georgina, Craig has left. If I want to see him, if I need to, it will have to be on his next run, though he has told me that if the worst comes to the worst I can stay at his old home.
‘See you, Brown.’ The big man crossed to the horse, pulled himself on and was lost at once in the cloud of dust which covered the track that led up to the house.
Georgina went back into the hut and wasted no time in changing. It was only as she was drying her hair that she remembered Roper’s conversation .., at least part of his conversation. That ‘lots of things that the applicant has to offer are left out’. Could that mean ... could he suspect...
No, she decided, he had no inkling at all.
She sat down at the table where he had sat, read what he had read. ‘You have a definite understanding of females.’ She heard it again. But he had offered it in praise, she was sure of that.
It was unfortunate that he had arrived so soon, but she decided now she could do nothing about it. She had meant to slip quietly out the day before he came back, but to slip quietly out the day after would present some difficulties. For instance, between here and the road there was the big house to pass, and where before there only had been Mrs Willmott to show a cup of tea, now there was the mighty Roper. Showing authority.
Anyway, she wasn’t finished here yet. She did not wish to leave. Until she did, why not ... yes, why not stay on? In spite of that ‘lots of things are left out’ of Larry Roper’s, Georgina felt sure he hadn’t suspected, had not the smallest suspicion. He was a very self-absorbed man. What notice, what possible notice would he take of an insignificant underling like her?
Yes, I will stay, she resolved. I will stay at least until my first pay, which I will send down to Joanne as an instalment. She looked at the typewriter, looked at her typed findings, her typed manuscript. At least, she thought, he will never know about me through that. He has heard my voice, and not known, he has discussed things with me and not suspected. With ordinary luck I can keep it like that, and
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