Chapters (52)
- Cover
- Margaret Dickinson
- Dedication page
- Contents
- Part One
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Part Two
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Sow the Seed
- Note
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
- Copyright page
Then Kate felt her heart go out to Danny’s mother for suddenly Beth Eland covered her face with her hands and sagged against the door-frame for support. With a shock, Kate noticed that her mother made no move to help Beth, did not even put out her hand to steady her, but appeared only to bend towards her to press home her point even more forcefully.
Kate wanted to run forward, wanted to shout to Danny, wanted to stop whatever it was that was happening.
For all of a sudden, the most dreadful feeling of foreboding flooded through her.
She waited for what seemed an age and yet it could only have been minutes in reality until her mother turned away abruptly, leaving Beth still standing in the doorway, clutching at the door-jamb for support. And although she could not see the woman’s face clearly from this distance, Kate knew instinctively that Beth Eland was weeping.
Danny and his father were at the headland, standing side by side, close, yet not touching now. They stood outlined against the sky, just staring out to sea. They did not seem to be speaking now.
Esther was coming towards Kate, her stride swift and purposeful, anger in every movement. Her head was bent and it was not until she began to climb the Hump that Kate saw her glance up and notice her daughter.
They stared at each other for a long moment until Kate burst out, ‘You won’t stop us, Mam. We love each other, and . . .’
‘I warned you, Kate. For years I’ve been trying to keep you apart. I even tried to get you away from here.’
Kate gasped. ‘You mean – you mean – that was why you sent me away to that school? Because of Danny?’
Esther nodded. She was quieter now, and strangely there was sadness in her tone as she said, ‘I’m sorry, Kate, but you can never marry Danny Eland.’
Tears sprang to Kate’s eyes. ‘Why, Mam? Please tell me why.’
Kate saw her mother take a deep, unsteady breath. ‘Because – he’s your half-brother!’
Sixteen
The world revolved. The scene before her danced and blurred. It was like a knife being thrust in just below her ribs. Her heart seemed to stop and then begin to thud painfully. Fear prickled her scalp. She gasped for breath, clutching a hand to her chest, while with trembling fingers she reached out. ‘Mam . . .?’
But her mother was walking away, striding down the Hump back towards Brumbys’ Farm.
Kate cast a despairing glance towards Danny, still standing on the very point of the land, motionless, just staring out to sea. Matching his stillness, Robert Eland stood silently by his side.
Kate gave a sob, drew in a shuddering breath and ran down the Hump. ‘Mam – Mam . . .’ She caught up with Esther and grasped her arm roughly, pulling her mother round to face her. ‘What do you mean – he’s my half-brother? I don’t understand.’