Contents ( 71)
- THE
- DAUGHTER
- MICHELLE FRANCES
- PROLOGUE
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- 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
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- EPILOGUE
- AUTHOR’S NOTE
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
‘But I thought he fobbed you off?’
‘He did.’
Iris was puzzled. ‘Go on.’
‘He thinks I’m a patient. I phoned up for a medical appointment. Gave the receptionist another name so he didn’t refuse to see me. Pretended I was on holiday there but have unfortunately contracted a virus that needs professional attention.’
Iris laughed. ‘Sneaky!’
‘There, that’s done now,’ said Kate, patting the handrail. ‘Why don’t you give it a whirl?’
Iris eyed it with a mixture of suspicion and disdain. ‘Oh, all right.’ She grabbed the rail and pulled herself up.
‘Ta da!’ said Kate. ‘You will be all right while I’m away, won’t you? I was going to ask Tim to look in on you.’
‘I’ll be as right as rain.’ Iris looked at the rail. Sighed. ‘I suppose I could always hang a towel on it. Disguise it. Right, time for some Rooibos tea. Stops the signs of aging apparently.’ She made her way towards the kitchen. ‘Just make sure you don’t come back until he’s made a statement. Signed!’
TWENTY-SIX
Her first trip overseas. She was actually in Bordeaux! In France! Kate was slightly amazed that she’d made it as she gazed across the river at a stunning bridge, lit up in the gathering dusk. Flying had not been without its challenges. It had never occurred to her that she might not know what to do. The check-in man had looked at her in puzzlement when she’d asked what happened after she’d handed over her new passport. After being directed through security, there were yet more Krypton Factor-like challenges to navigate. Where did she go next? She couldn’t call Tim as he was navigating a 196 bus through the rush-hour traffic. She was about to ask a friendly-looking fellow passenger when Greg had rung her to double-check the shortlist of CVs for the bursary. She’d kept him on the line a minute longer.
‘Could I ask a favour?’
‘Sure.’
‘It’s a bit embarrassing but . . . I’m at an airport. Where do I find the plane?’
He’d been stunned into silence and then burst out laughing. She indulged him. Yes, yes, very funny. Whenever you’re ready.
The laughter died. ‘You’re not joking, are you?’
‘That’s why I asked.’
‘Have you never flown before?’ He sounded amazed.
‘Now, let me think. Yes, there was that time I flew first-class to the Bahamas and lay on a beach for two weeks having someone massage my toes and spray me with mists of pure mineral water.’
He laughed again.
‘I could really use a hand here – I kind of need to not miss this.’
‘Sorry. You go to the gate.’
‘Gate? What gate?’
‘You see a bank of screens?’
Kate looked around. Saw some a few metres away and headed over. ‘Yes?’
‘Your flight will be listed. And when they’re ready, they’ll put the gate number up. As soon as they do, you follow the signs and go sit in a small holding pen until the airline crew direct you onto the plane.’