Home Before Sundown by Barbara Hannay Read Free Book Online

him. Besides, he gave up his holiday in New Zealand last time Dad was rushed to hospital. It’s my turn to chip in.’
    â€˜I agree.’
    Bella’s eyes widened.
    â€˜Darling, if you’re looking for approval you have mine in spades. I’m really pleased that you want to help.’
    â€˜Thanks.’ Bella smiled ruefully. ‘The thing is, I’ve always been jealous of Luke. He was always expected to run Mullinjim, and I . . . well––’ She gave a shrug. ‘I’d really like to put Dad’s mind at rest. And I guess there’s also a part of me that really wants to grab this chance to prove to everyone that I can do it.’
    â€˜Why not?’ Liz agreed. And then, fighting back a flare of raw panic, she said, ‘And I’ll come to Mullinjim with you.’
    â€˜Really?’
    â€˜Of course.’ Despite the motel’s air-conditioning, Liz felt trickles of sweat running down her back. Her insides had turned to mush and she was possibly more nervous than she’d ever felt in her life. ‘I want to come.’ She forced a smile. ‘I wouldn’t be happy with you out there on your own.’
    â€˜I’m pretty sure I could manage.’
    â€˜I’ve no doubt you could, Bella, but you’ll have your hands full just looking after the cattle. Besides, I want to do this. For Peter.’
    Liz’s voice almost broke as she said this. She forced a lopsided smile. ‘I’ve never been much of a cattlewoman. Not much of a housekeeper either, for that matter, but at the very least, I’d be moral support.’
    â€˜What about your concert commitments?’
    â€˜They can be cancelled. I have a very understanding agent and I’ve already warned him.’ It wasn’t quite the truth, but her agent would cope and she wanted to reassure Bella.
    Her ploy worked. Bella was smiling.
    â€˜We can share the weirdness of going back there together,’ she said.
    Yes . . .
    The weirdness . For thirty years she’d played it safe. Now, to Liz’s dismay, her mind flashed to the one place she never wanted it to go. She felt something deep inside her split open, spilling tears. She shivered and it took a supreme effort to force another smile. ‘It’ll be another adventure.’
    â€˜Yes.’
    Was it her imagination or was there a note of panic in Bella’s voice? Liz fancied she heard an echo of the same doubts that screamed inside her at the thought of spending more than a few days in the place they’d both so willingly left.
    â€˜We’ll do a really good job of looking after the place until Dad gets better,’ Bella said with a new decisiveness.
    â€˜And if he doesn’t . . . ?’ The question had to be asked.
    Bella bit her lip. ‘In that case . . . I guess . . . I guess we’ll hang around until Mum works out what she wants to do.’
    â€˜It could take months.’
    â€˜Yes.’
    Across the room the two women shared tremulous smiles.
    Brave smiles.
    â€˜We still have our pact,’ Bella said.
    â€˜Oh, absolutely. We said we’d do whatever it takes for as long as it takes. But we will go back to the northern hemisphere.’
    â€˜Yes, it’s important,’ Bella agreed fervently. ‘We need that escape plan.’ Her smile was wry now as she sat up and lifted her water glass from the bedside table. ‘Here’s to us.’
    â€˜Cattle Queens,’ Liz responded with a laugh.
    The toast was barely acknowledged when Bella’s phone rang suddenly and she snatched it up eagerly. ‘Hello? Oh, hi, Mum.’
    Liz watched as the expression on her niece’s face morphed from happy anticipation to shocked disbelief. Her heart thudded. It wasn’t bad news about Peter, surely? Please, no .
    â€˜But why?’ Bella was demanding, jumping to her feet, clearly upset. ‘He’s just being