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Back The Orchardist's Daughter Save as PDF
Chapters (57)
  1. COVER PAGE
  2. PRAISE
  3. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  4. DEDICATION
  5. PROLOGUE
  6. PART I SEEDS
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. PART II GERMINATION
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. PART III GROWTH
  29. 21
  30. 22
  31. 23
  32. 24
  33. 25
  34. 26
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. 32
  41. PART IV UNDERSTOREY
  42. 33
  43. 34
  44. 35
  45. 36
  46. 37
  47. 38
  48. 39
  49. 40
  50. 41
  51. 42
  52. 43
  53. 44
  54. 45
  55. 46
  56. EPILOGUE
  57. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

But Max wasn’t going to let go of his pup. He slid under Dad’s reaching arm and ran as fast as he could down the driveway, through the gate and into the street in the dark. Down the footpath he raced, sobbing. He didn’t know where to go, but his legs took him to Robbo’s front door, and he banged on it with his head because he couldn’t use his hands, which were full of struggling pup.

The outside light came on and Trudi opened the door, eyes wide with alarm. ‘What’s happening?’

‘Dad’s trying to take the pups.’ Max’s words came out in scratchy sobs. He thrust the pup at Trudi. ‘Can you look after this one while I go get the others?’

She took the whimpering pup, and Max didn’t wait to hear her say yes. He sprinted back out into the street and fast up the footpath.

But it must have taken longer than he’d thought to run down to Robbo’s because Dad was coming out of the shed carrying a big cardboard box, and little puppy heads were looking over the top. ‘No, Dad, no,’ Max cried, reaching for the box.

Dad held it high and pushed Max away with his hip.

Rosie was following too, leaping at the box. ‘Piss off, dog,’ Dad said, kicking at her. ‘And you too, Max. Get back inside.’

‘Where are you taking them?’

‘Where I should have taken them right at the beginning,’ Dad said, eyes icy cold. ‘Where’s that other pup, Max?’

‘I don’t know.’ Max sobbed.

‘Go and get it.’

‘I don’t know where she is.’

Mum was on the front doorstep with her pink cardigan wrapped around her shoulders, arms clutched tight across her chest. ‘If you take those pups, Shane, then I don’t want you back here tonight.’ Her voice shook with anger and tears.

Dad wasn’t listening. He tossed the box in the back of the ute, and Max saw the pups lurch and heard them yelp with fright. They couldn’t know why Dad was taking them away or where he was taking them. Max didn’t know either. He tried to scramble onto the back of the ute, but Dad shoved him down to the ground.

Then Dad was in the ute, backing into the street.

Sobbing, Max raced after him. Maybe he could grab the box while Dad was turning around. The terrified pups were crying over the roar of the engine. Rosie was barking.

Max reached for the tailgate, but Dad jerked the ute round so fast Max had to let go or he might get run over. Then Dad revved the motor and took off, accelerating down the street in the dark.

Max sank onto the road. He huddled there till Mum came out, slid her arm around his shoulders, helped him up and silently led him inside.

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