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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

‘Can you switch off the spotlight?’ Miki asked. ‘I love just listening to the forest at night.’

Leon complied, and as his eyes adjusted he could make out the faint outline of stumpy branches high up. Everything seemed amplified in the gloom. The hum of mosquitoes. Creatures rustling in the undergrowth. Frogs and tree crickets chirruping.

Something snapped in the canopy, so he turned the spotlight on again and directed the beam towards the sound. There, sitting on a stubby branch, was a fluffy grey possum with pointy ears and a brushtail. It stared down, inspecting them closely, tail hanging like a hook, eyes flashing red in the spotlight. Then it started to move. Digging sharp claws into the bark, feet stretched wide, it scratched its way down the trunk then sprang into the understorey and scuttled off, using trees and shrubs like a trapeze artist.

Miki’s face was luminous. ‘Aren’t possums wonderful?’

She was obviously crazy about all forest creatures. Leon thought it was great to see someone so passionate about animals. Geraldine laughed. ‘I hate possums at home because they eat my roses and vegie garden. But, up here, they’re amazing. Do you come here often?’ she asked Miki.

‘Every week. I sit under this tree while Kurt goes bush. It’s peaceful.’

‘What does Kurt do out here?’ Leon asked, curious.

‘He goes shooting.’

‘Every week?’ Leon couldn’t conceal his surprise; Kurt couldn’t be much of a hunter if he kept coming back to the same place.

‘He doesn’t shoot things every time,’ Miki said, frowning.

Leon was astounded that she was sticking up for her brother. Surely it was clear the guy was indefensible. But there had been times when Leon had defended his father even though it wasn’t deserved. Blood was thicker than water.

Miki was looking at him expectantly. ‘It’s a beautiful tree, isn’t it?’ she said. ‘Do you think we can save this one as well as the eagles’ tree when we stop the logging?’

Leon sighed. He was just a lowly ranger. But he promised to see what he could do.

15

15

At school on Thursday, Callum came running up to Max at lunchtime and told him Jaden wanted to see him behind the toilets after school. Max didn’t want to. After Jaden had thrown Bruiser in the air, Max hated him even more. A kid could run away from Jaden’s bullying, but the pups couldn’t protect themselves.