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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

When Leon put it this way, the sanctuary seemed necessary. But Miki still felt trapped. How would the devils cope with being closed in? She wouldn’t wish it on anyone. ‘When can Dale move them?’

‘I don’t know. I’ll ask him. You should come along and help catch them. Are Mondays still good?’

She hesitated. Could she pull off a second trapping trip without Kurt finding out? ‘Yes, Mondays.’

‘How about I slip you a note over the counter?’

She couldn’t think of any other way. ‘Okay. Just make sure Kurt doesn’t see …’

Leon shot her a look that showed he wasn’t fond of her brother. Miki was used to it—no one liked Kurt except her. They didn’t know him, she told herself. But a small niggle reminded her that he was hard to like, even for a sister.

‘It might not be soon,’ Leon said. ‘Dale’s trapping over in the Tarkine for a few weeks. I’ll let you know when I hear from him.’ A car whizzed by and he glanced at the Toyota, parked precariously on the roadside. ‘I’d better go.’

Miki had been focused on the devils, but now she thought of the trees. ‘Hang on,’ she said, ‘I want to ask you something.’

Leon turned back, eyebrows raised.

‘Kurt and I were up in the forest today and we came across some loggers cutting old trees. I don’t think they should be there. There’s a wedge-tailed eagle nest too.’

‘I’m pretty sure they’re allowed to cut old trees,’ Leon said. ‘But that nest would make a difference. Wedgies are a protected species. Where were they logging?’ Miki gave directions while Leon wrote them on a notepad. ‘It would help me to see it. Can you take me there now?’

This sounded logical, but Kurt would be furious if someone saw her with Leon. ‘The loggers are working up there,’ she said. ‘I don’t want them to see.’

Leon nodded. ‘It wouldn’t be good if they saw me up there either. Things are hard enough as it is.’ He paused. ‘How about we go this evening, after knock-off? Six-thirty?’

‘It’ll be dark,’ Miki pointed out.

‘I have a spotlight.’

She hesitated. ‘Kurt wouldn’t like it.’ Now that she’d put it out there, Leon should understand.

‘Of course,’ he said. ‘I could ask Geraldine to come too. She seems to enjoy an adventure.’

‘Maybe.’ Miki felt her options shrinking.

‘If you can’t do tonight, could we go tomorrow?’

‘No. Mondays are best.’

‘Let’s do it then. I’ll whizz back to town and line it up with Geraldine. How about I pick you up behind the visitor centre? Like last time. It’ll be okay. See you then.’ Leon smiled.

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