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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

‘Good taste. Those are wonderful books. I used to teach literature at school and I loved teaching the romantic classics. These days they mostly teach modern stuff. Such a shame.’ She sighed. ‘I had to give teaching away when I moved here. Not many jobs at the local high school and I don’t like to drive, so I’m doing something easier now, working here … although some days you wonder … especially when the children are screaming and you have difficult people.’ She smiled. ‘The books save me. I read whenever I can.’

Books saved Miki too.

‘What I love about books,’ Geraldine went on, ‘is that they show you about life. You fall in love with the characters and see the world through their eyes. Then you realise parts of their lives are just like yours. Different setting and time, but the problems are the same. You just have to be clever enough to see it. Does it work like that for you too?’

‘Yes,’ Miki said. Hadn’t she been thinking about Jane Eyre just that morning?

Geraldine picked up The Luminaries and slid in a bookmark. ‘I’m sad you have only three books—that’s not many. Fact is I have too many books at home, so next time you come here I’ll lend you one. How about that?’

Miki didn’t know what to say. A new book would be good, but how would she hide it from Kurt?

‘What sort of book would you like?’ Geraldine asked. ‘Where shall we start? Another classic, perhaps?’

Miki nodded. That would be safest with Kurt.

‘Good. I’ll bring something tomorrow … Oh, look—Dale has written back already, and he says he can come in two weeks. What day would be best? You can choose.’

Miki felt paralysed. There was no way Kurt would allow it. And what if he found out about the key? She wouldn’t be able to get out.

‘How about 7 p.m. Monday?’ Geraldine prompted. ‘Does that work?’

‘I don’t know,’ Miki said.

Geraldine’s eyes softened. ‘Is everything all right?’

Miki swallowed. ‘Monday’s okay. But if I’m not here, you’ll have to go without me.’

Geraldine smiled. ‘That sounds like a plan. Dale will bring a car full of traps, and then you can show him the tip.’ Her smile deepened. ‘How about I come too? We’ll have fun. I’d love to see a Tasmanian devil in the wild.’

PART II GERMINATION

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PART II

Germination

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