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Midsummer's Eve

"It is not for him to accept. It is my affair.”

"He always gets his way.'' "This is one instance when he won't.”

"He'll find a way.”

I shook my head.

"He was ready to wait for Rosa...until you came.”

"He can go on waiting for Rosa. When did you propose the marriage should take place?”

"She is only fifteen. I have been thinking of when she is sixteen but that is a little young. Rosa is young for her age. I had been thinking of her seventeenth birthday but when you came I thought it was a long time to wait. Anything can happen in a few weeks.”

"Don't worry, Maud. Oh dear, this has been a frank conversation.”

"I didn't mean it to be. I just wanted to know ...”

"Whether I was going to accept him. Have no fear. I assure you again and again the answer is most definitely No.”

"But he won't take No for an answer. He never has done. He won't let anything stand in the way of what he wants.”

"You'll see," I said.

She stood up. "Thank you for letting me talk to you and thank you for being so understanding-”

"I'm glad I know exactly how you feel. Don't worry any more. In a short time I shall be gon^-”

"He'll never let you go.”

"That, Maud, is a matter for me to decide.”

She left me, still worrying, I was sure, unable to accept that this god-like creature could ever be thwarted.

Once again I had forgotten my grief for a brief spell. I was certainly stimulated by this battle with Gregory Donnelly; and I wondered how a loving mother could actually wish her daughter married to a man whom she knew as well as I did.

I received a letter from a lawyer in Sydney in which he informed me that my father had been considering selling the Australian property to the manager, Mr. Gregory Donnelly, and he thought I might think it a good idea to put the sale into negotiation.

He had written to my father's solicitors in England who were in agreement with him, and in view of the tragedy, the sale seemed desirable. It was unwise to have property so far from home, the place had been excellently managed over the years and it seemed only right to sell it to the man who had done so much to make it prosperous.

I read the letter through several times. It was what Gregory wanted. Only he would prefer to marry me and not have to buy it. It seemed to me that I could make my feelings clear by agreeing to the sale and accepting the offer he had made.

That day, for the first time after my illness, I went out riding. I felt very feeble and could not stay long in the saddle. I thought of the long journey back to Sydney and then there would be the exhausting business of getting on the ship which would take me home. It seemed that they were right when they said I must get stronger.

I had suffered from a virulent fever and goodness knows what else. Being in a debilitated state during those weeks I had been conscious of a death wish and had cursed the fates which had prevented my joining my parents and brother in their watery grave.

I wanted to go on mourning but I had to accept the fact that I had grown a little apart from the tragedy. I began to think with a faint pleasure of seeing Cador again.

I knew memories would be very nearly unbearable, but I wanted to go home. In a week or so I should feel less tired and then I would set about making arrangements to leave. I supposed we should need Gregory's help in getting to Sydney. I remembered that night when I had lain in my sleeping bag and had awakened to find him standing beside me. He had said something about defending me from prowling dingoes. I imagined myself on such a journey with him ... with Helena and the baby. Jonnie was not really old enough for such travel.

There were so many problems to be considered.

I had not ridden far. I was too tired; moreover I had had my lesson about going too far from the house. When I came back to the stables Gregory was there.

He smiled at the sight of me and hastened to me.

"Ah, riding. That's a good sign ... provided you keep close to the house. First time, isn't it?”

"Yes.”

"Bit tiring, eh?" He attempted to lift me out of the saddle.

"Thank you. I can manage.”

"You look like a medieval page with your hair like that. It's unusual. I like it.”

I stood beside him. I said: "By the way. I have written to the solicitors in Sydney.

I've told them to go ahead with the sale.”

He raised his eyebrows but otherwise betrayed nothing.

"So," he said slowly, "the property is to be mine.”

"When the sale is completed ... yes.”

"That's very gratifying.”