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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

Max stared at the footpath, trying to hide his fear. He would have to come up with a plan. There had to be a way.

‘Have you ever nicked anything from that shop?’ Callum asked his brother.

‘Shut your face, Callum. Or you’ll get it instead.’

Max kept his eyes down. ‘I’m going home,’ he said, and walked off without looking back.

22

22

On the morning of the forest festival, Leon collected Grandpa from the old people’s home and helped him into the car. It took a bit of juggling to settle him in the passenger seat, but it was worth it just to see the old man smile. Glenys had decided not to come. ‘She has trouble walking,’ Grandpa explained. ‘She wants us to have a good time. A boys’ day out—that’s what she called it.’

They drove along the water, then through farmlands and orchards, then back to the water, Grandpa leaning this way and that, taking everything in. ‘Why do they have nets on those trees?’

‘Cherries, Grandpa, worth a fortune.’

‘And that ship—why do they need one so big?’

‘Salmon farming. It runs up and down the river all day. They must be supplying the universe.’

‘Salmon’s good fish. Wish I got to eat it more often.’

‘I can’t afford it,’ Leon said.

‘Glenys likes it.’

Leon smiled. Grandpa was like a love-struck schoolboy.

They passed through Leon’s home town, and from there followed the signs to the festival. It was in a big field. The adjacent paddock was being used as a car park and it was packed. Vehicles were also parked in lines along the road. At the gate, a Rotary rep in a fluoro vest jingled a bucket, and Leon wound down his window and dropped in some coins. The rep pointed to the far side of the car park. ‘Can I drop my grandfather somewhere closer?’ Leon asked. ‘He can’t walk very far.’

The rep grumbled, but when he saw Grandpa’s lively face he broke into a grin. ‘Hey, old-timer, looking forward to a fun day?’

‘Sure am. They don’t let me out often, so I’m going to live it up.’

‘You do that,’ the rep said. Then to Leon, ‘Let the old fella out near that big white tent over there, then try your luck for a parking spot.’

Leon deposited Grandpa at the tent. When he came back after parking the car, Grandpa was sitting on the walker, easy to spot in his grey suit, collar and tie, and old trilby hat with a feather in it. ‘Took your time,’ Grandpa said. ‘A man could die waiting.’