BooksBarbecue
Back The Model Wife Save as PDF
Chapters (48)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. About the Author
  4. Also by Tricia Stringer
  5. Title Page
  6. Dedication
  7. One
  8. Two
  9. Three
  10. Four
  11. Five
  12. Six
  13. Seven
  14. Eight
  15. Nine
  16. Ten
  17. Eleven
  18. Twelve
  19. Thirteen
  20. Fourteen
  21. Fifteen
  22. Sixteen
  23. Seventeen
  24. Eighteen
  25. Nineteen
  26. Twenty
  27. Twenty-One
  28. Twenty-Two
  29. Twenty-Three
  30. Twenty-Four
  31. Twenty-Five
  32. Twenty-Six
  33. Twenty-Seven
  34. Twenty-Eight
  35. Twenty-Nine
  36. Thirty
  37. Thirty-One
  38. Thirty-Two
  39. Thirty-Three
  40. Thirty-Four
  41. Thirty-Five
  42. Thirty-Six
  43. Thirty-Seven
  44. Thirty-Eight
  45. Author’s Note
  46. Acknowledgements
  47. Excerpt
  48. One

“But you obviously care about the kids. Could you use your talents somewhere else?”

Natalie shrugged. “Like you do with your lost boys? I don’t know if I can deal with teenagers.”

Rosie laughed, a rich warm sound that echoed in the night air. “But you’ll find something that makes use of your gifts and perhaps it will be the thing that helps you find the purpose you feel you’ve lost.”

Natalie thought about that. Teaching had been something she’d felt enabled her to make a difference. Travelling and gardening would keep her busy, but if she stopped teaching what could she do that made her life meaningful and of benefit to others? And what was she to do about her marriage? Once more she looked up at the starry night and found no answer forthcoming.

Twenty-Eight

Twenty-Eight

Kate pulled on an extra jumper. Sometime in the night the rain had stopped but the air in her bedroom was cold and damp. There’d been no chance the previous evening to tell her dad about the bank transfers. Laura’s dinner had been a huge success and even though Kate hadn’t eaten a lot, she’d enjoyed a small serve of pork, and the golden syrup dumplings had been melt-in-your-mouth delicious. This morning her stomach was rebelling again. She’d loved to have waited for the cup of tea and toast Laura had been bringing her the last few mornings but Kate had forced herself to get up early in the hope of catching her dad in the kitchen alone.

In the passage she was met by even colder air. At the other end of the long hall the back door was half open and Bree was standing just inside the screen door looking out.

“What’s going on?” Kate asked, coming up behind her sister.

“Dad’s out in the garden.” Bree turned to look at her, her voice low. “He’s weeding. I’ve never seen him do that before.”

Kate peered over Bree’s shoulder. “That’s Mum’s gerbera patch, isn’t it?”

“Yep.”

They watched as their dad added another weed to the bucket beside him and rested back on his heels. He studied his handiwork a moment then lurched to his feet.

Bree pushed Kate back and gently closed the door. They both strode into the kitchen where the door was still off its hinges and busied themselves getting breakfast. Out in the passage the back door opened.

“We should tell him about the accounts,” Kate whispered. “Before Granny gets up.”

Bree nodded. There were sounds of water running from the laundry and then their dad joined them.

“Good morning.” His tone was cheerful.

“Hi, Dad.” Kate faltered at his bright smile. She didn’t want to spoil his good mood.

“Coffee?” Bree asked as she removed her own cup from the machine.

“Thanks.” Milt sat in his usual spot at the head of the table.