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.It was the last thing she hadanticipated.`Well, that remains to be seen, I guess, doesn't it?' she countered.file:///E|/My%20Library/books/ROMANCE/kerry%20al.0time%20to%20forget%20TXT/TIME%20TO%20FORGET.txt (23 of 84)05/05/2010 14:45:44 file:///E|/My%20Library/books/ROMANCE/kerry%20allyne/1984%20%20time%20to%20forget%20TXT/TIME%20TO%20FORGET.txt`Maybe,' he allowed, though without any sign of conviction.`Nonetheless, in the meantime I'll have youknow there's no way you'll be attending that Ball on your own with him!' he continued in a resolutevoice.`Your grandmother and I will be there as well to ensure it's only a novel experience, not aregrettable one.Even if you're misguided enough to want to chance your reputation with that one.I'mnot!'Sheri blinked incredulously, unable to believe she'd heard right.`Grandpa, I'm twenty-three years old! Idon't need chaperoning!' she partly expostulated, partly laughed in her disbelief.`Good lord, we're onlygoing to a glorified dance, not an orgy! What on earth do you think is likely to happen?'`Who knows? Anything seems acceptable these days!' he alleged curtly.`And there's still the journey toand from the homestead to consider.'`So?' She cast him an amused glance.`So on second thoughts, your grandmother and I will drive you in and bring you home too.If you'redetermined to go with him, you can meet him there.' His decision was arbitrarily made.Although the arrangement would have suited Sheri just fine, there were other reasons why she felt theneed to protest.For one thing, it would be as good as telling Roman she was expecting him to make aplay for her, when she actually wanted nothing of the kind.`Grandpa, that's taking it a little too far!' she exclaimed.`It would be unbearably humiliating having totell him that, and besides, I-I want to go with him.' Well, she would if she really was as interested in himas she was supposed to be, wouldn't she?Colin exhaled irritably.`I don't like it,' he grunted.'Mmm, I sort of got the feeling you didn't,' she half smiled drily.`But he's not the first man I've everbeen out with, you know.'`He's the first one while you're under my protection,' he promptly retorted in gruff tones.`So let's haveno more talk about it, hmm? Just because Chris was thoughtless enough to arrange it, neither of youneed think I'm going to be as accommodating.Someone has to keep a discerning head on their shoulders.'Sheri sighed ruefully.This was going to be harder than Chris had envisaged.She tried another angle.`But Roman was instrumental in getting Chris to hospital,' she reminded him persuasively.`And youdefinitely didn't appear to have any reservations about him collecting me from the airport.In fact, as Irecall, at the time you said you were grateful for his help.'`That was different!' he maintained in a slightly uncomfortable, blustering manner.`I also said I didn'twant to discuss it any more, didn't I?'A wish Sheri would probably have respected if it hadn't been for her brother.If she was to help him atall-as well as put her own plan into action-she had to at least partially overcome her grandparent'sobjections.Meanwhile, there was another avenue she hadn't yet tried.`What about Mother, though?' she put forward in a more hopeful vein.`Well, what about her?' Her grandfather's iron grey brows rose steeply.`Since she hasn't even seen fit toreturn to the country as yet, you're surely not suggesting I should ring her to seek her thoughts on thematter, are you?'Actually, nothing had been further from Sheri's mind.In fact, considering how her mother felt about herrelationship with Todd, it was also the last thing she wanted mentioned to her parent!`No, of course not,' she denied hastily.`I simply meant that as Mother's due to return to Sydney onSaturday, it's more than likely she'll phone that evening, and if you and Grandma also go to the Ball shecould be worried if there's no one at the homestead to receive her call.'file:///E|/My%20Library/books/ROMANCE/kerry%20al.0time%20to%20forget%20TXT/TIME%20TO%20FORGET.txt (24 of 84)05/05/2010 14:45:44 file:///E|/My%20Library/books/ROMANCE/kerry%20allyne/1984%20%20time%20to%20forget%20TXT/TIME%20TO%20FORGET.txt`Then seeing Goonagulla's a manual exchange she can have it put through to Chris at the hospital, can'tshe!' It was an exasperated statement rather than a question.`Somehow I doubt Mother would think of that.' Sheri's lips curved ruefully.Heather Taylor alwaysexpected people to be waiting on her calls, not to have to search them out.`Then that's her problem!' he contended on a terse note.Ever since those first days when his daughter-inlaw had shown herself to be totally uncaring of anyone's wishes but her own a state of barelysuppressed antipathy had existed between the two of them.`Perhaps she should have made arrangementsto fly home earlier-I don't doubt she could have if she'd really made an effort to-but as it is, she'll justhave to ring again on Sunday, won't she? Because there's no "if" about it.your grandmother and I willdefinitely be going to the Ball.'Which seemed to settle that! `Although you're not going to insist I drive in with you, are you?' Sheritried for at least one concession.`It would save him time,' Colin parried.`After all, we're further from town than he is.'`Not by much if he comes via the back road.There are gates there, remember?'`So there are,' he nodded.`Well?' she quizzed when it became obvious he wasn't about to add anything further.With a long-sufferingg look for her persistence, he finally relented, albeit not with particularly goodgrace.`Oh, all right, if that's what you want.But he'd better bring you straight home afterwards!'`Will he have any choice, since you'll no doubt ensure you tail him the whole way?' She eyed himsardonically.He didn't deny it.He just smiled, complacently.`At least it will remind him just whose granddaughterhe's escorting!'To Sheri's relief her grandmother had no such misgivings about her intended partner for the Ball, andalthough Colin seemed somewhat disgruntled by his wife's obvious support for the idea, he said nothingfurther on the subject and by the time lunch was concluded appeared to have become resigned to thesituation.`So how about we go for a ride this afternoon?' he suggested to Sheri in his more customary placidmanner as she completed the last of the drying up and draped the tea towel she'd been using over a rackbeside the sink.`I'd like to check the fencing in Beefwood Paddock.We've had a few roos in there oflate, and it was due to their having brought some of the fence down that Chris was out there that day.'`So he said,' Sheri relayed with a nod, and cast him a drily hopeful glance.`By ride, I take it you domean on a bike?' As it had been nine years since she'd last been on a horse, she had strongly suspectedthat if she attempted that kind of riding she would more than likely spend a good deal of her vacationfeeling extremely sore and sorry for herself, so to date she had made certain that on those occasionswhenn she had accompanied her grandfather out on the property it had been by the less punishing modeof travel of trail bike [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.It was the last thing she hadanticipated.`Well, that remains to be seen, I guess, doesn't it?' she countered.file:///E|/My%20Library/books/ROMANCE/kerry%20al.0time%20to%20forget%20TXT/TIME%20TO%20FORGET.txt (23 of 84)05/05/2010 14:45:44 file:///E|/My%20Library/books/ROMANCE/kerry%20allyne/1984%20%20time%20to%20forget%20TXT/TIME%20TO%20FORGET.txt`Maybe,' he allowed, though without any sign of conviction.`Nonetheless, in the meantime I'll have youknow there's no way you'll be attending that Ball on your own with him!' he continued in a resolutevoice.`Your grandmother and I will be there as well to ensure it's only a novel experience, not aregrettable one.Even if you're misguided enough to want to chance your reputation with that one.I'mnot!'Sheri blinked incredulously, unable to believe she'd heard right.`Grandpa, I'm twenty-three years old! Idon't need chaperoning!' she partly expostulated, partly laughed in her disbelief.`Good lord, we're onlygoing to a glorified dance, not an orgy! What on earth do you think is likely to happen?'`Who knows? Anything seems acceptable these days!' he alleged curtly.`And there's still the journey toand from the homestead to consider.'`So?' She cast him an amused glance.`So on second thoughts, your grandmother and I will drive you in and bring you home too.If you'redetermined to go with him, you can meet him there.' His decision was arbitrarily made.Although the arrangement would have suited Sheri just fine, there were other reasons why she felt theneed to protest.For one thing, it would be as good as telling Roman she was expecting him to make aplay for her, when she actually wanted nothing of the kind.`Grandpa, that's taking it a little too far!' she exclaimed.`It would be unbearably humiliating having totell him that, and besides, I-I want to go with him.' Well, she would if she really was as interested in himas she was supposed to be, wouldn't she?Colin exhaled irritably.`I don't like it,' he grunted.'Mmm, I sort of got the feeling you didn't,' she half smiled drily.`But he's not the first man I've everbeen out with, you know.'`He's the first one while you're under my protection,' he promptly retorted in gruff tones.`So let's haveno more talk about it, hmm? Just because Chris was thoughtless enough to arrange it, neither of youneed think I'm going to be as accommodating.Someone has to keep a discerning head on their shoulders.'Sheri sighed ruefully.This was going to be harder than Chris had envisaged.She tried another angle.`But Roman was instrumental in getting Chris to hospital,' she reminded him persuasively.`And youdefinitely didn't appear to have any reservations about him collecting me from the airport.In fact, as Irecall, at the time you said you were grateful for his help.'`That was different!' he maintained in a slightly uncomfortable, blustering manner.`I also said I didn'twant to discuss it any more, didn't I?'A wish Sheri would probably have respected if it hadn't been for her brother.If she was to help him atall-as well as put her own plan into action-she had to at least partially overcome her grandparent'sobjections.Meanwhile, there was another avenue she hadn't yet tried.`What about Mother, though?' she put forward in a more hopeful vein.`Well, what about her?' Her grandfather's iron grey brows rose steeply.`Since she hasn't even seen fit toreturn to the country as yet, you're surely not suggesting I should ring her to seek her thoughts on thematter, are you?'Actually, nothing had been further from Sheri's mind.In fact, considering how her mother felt about herrelationship with Todd, it was also the last thing she wanted mentioned to her parent!`No, of course not,' she denied hastily.`I simply meant that as Mother's due to return to Sydney onSaturday, it's more than likely she'll phone that evening, and if you and Grandma also go to the Ball shecould be worried if there's no one at the homestead to receive her call.'file:///E|/My%20Library/books/ROMANCE/kerry%20al.0time%20to%20forget%20TXT/TIME%20TO%20FORGET.txt (24 of 84)05/05/2010 14:45:44 file:///E|/My%20Library/books/ROMANCE/kerry%20allyne/1984%20%20time%20to%20forget%20TXT/TIME%20TO%20FORGET.txt`Then seeing Goonagulla's a manual exchange she can have it put through to Chris at the hospital, can'tshe!' It was an exasperated statement rather than a question.`Somehow I doubt Mother would think of that.' Sheri's lips curved ruefully.Heather Taylor alwaysexpected people to be waiting on her calls, not to have to search them out.`Then that's her problem!' he contended on a terse note.Ever since those first days when his daughter-inlaw had shown herself to be totally uncaring of anyone's wishes but her own a state of barelysuppressed antipathy had existed between the two of them.`Perhaps she should have made arrangementsto fly home earlier-I don't doubt she could have if she'd really made an effort to-but as it is, she'll justhave to ring again on Sunday, won't she? Because there's no "if" about it.your grandmother and I willdefinitely be going to the Ball.'Which seemed to settle that! `Although you're not going to insist I drive in with you, are you?' Sheritried for at least one concession.`It would save him time,' Colin parried.`After all, we're further from town than he is.'`Not by much if he comes via the back road.There are gates there, remember?'`So there are,' he nodded.`Well?' she quizzed when it became obvious he wasn't about to add anything further.With a long-sufferingg look for her persistence, he finally relented, albeit not with particularly goodgrace.`Oh, all right, if that's what you want.But he'd better bring you straight home afterwards!'`Will he have any choice, since you'll no doubt ensure you tail him the whole way?' She eyed himsardonically.He didn't deny it.He just smiled, complacently.`At least it will remind him just whose granddaughterhe's escorting!'To Sheri's relief her grandmother had no such misgivings about her intended partner for the Ball, andalthough Colin seemed somewhat disgruntled by his wife's obvious support for the idea, he said nothingfurther on the subject and by the time lunch was concluded appeared to have become resigned to thesituation.`So how about we go for a ride this afternoon?' he suggested to Sheri in his more customary placidmanner as she completed the last of the drying up and draped the tea towel she'd been using over a rackbeside the sink.`I'd like to check the fencing in Beefwood Paddock.We've had a few roos in there oflate, and it was due to their having brought some of the fence down that Chris was out there that day.'`So he said,' Sheri relayed with a nod, and cast him a drily hopeful glance.`By ride, I take it you domean on a bike?' As it had been nine years since she'd last been on a horse, she had strongly suspectedthat if she attempted that kind of riding she would more than likely spend a good deal of her vacationfeeling extremely sore and sorry for herself, so to date she had made certain that on those occasionswhenn she had accompanied her grandfather out on the property it had been by the less punishing modeof travel of trail bike [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]