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.I suppose it’s natural.’Lorna recalled that she herself had owned that she wouldn’t have liked the idea of an old flame of her fiancé's being his guest.And of course, Olga knew that she was the girl with whom Wade had once been in love.Brock on the other hand was in ignorance of the tenseness of the situation and Lorna said,‘Has Olga said something to you about not liking the idea of my being at Bali Creek?’‘Not in so many words, but it’s not difficult to read her; I’ve been doing it for years, just for amusement.She just hated the idea of his riding with you, and she’s not at all pleased about this trip to town.’ Lorna said nothing and he added rather urgently, ‘You’ll never let this out? I mean, it’s all in confidence.But I just thought I’d mention it to you - don’t really know why.’‘I’ll not say anything,’ she promised, amazed that Brock should divulge his sister’s jealousy like this.‘Where’s Wade now?’‘I don’t know.He was in the garden a few minutes ago.’‘He’s got the barbecue all arranged, I suppose?’‘I think so.Simon was busy fixing lanterns in the trees, and Dinah and the two gins were having a little good-natured grouse about all the extra work.’‘I don’t know why; they’ll have plenty of help, if I know Wade.None of us gives quite as much consideration to our employees as he does.I don’t know how those women’ll go on when they get Olga for a mistress; she does enjoy giving ours a demonstration of her superiority.’Lorna frowned; she disliked intensely these disparaging references to his sister.They seemed to be made without prior thought, but that was no excuse.‘I think I’d better go now, Brock.It must be getting near teatime, and I have to bath and dress.’‘Okay.See you at the barbecue.’Bye, my lovely!’Nerves tingling suddenly, Lorna turned to see Wade standing there, his face set and that firm square jaw flexed and taut.‘What did our Don Juan want to say to you that was so important?’ In Wade’s brusque inquiry there was a hint of sardonic amusement, although no trace of humour was reflected in the look he gave her.‘He merely wanted to have a chat.’ Lorna looked apologetically at him.‘You didn’t mind?’‘Mind?’ with brows upraised.‘Why should I?'‘You - you seem - annoyed?’ Lorna bent her head, because his expression hurt.Her fair hair fell forward on to her face, enchantingly protective.Wade contemplated her for a long while, deep in thought.At last she said, out of the pregnant hush that had grown between them, ‘Are you annoyed with me, Wade?’‘What right have I to be annoyed?’ he queried unexpectedly.‘You must do what you like.but I have warned you about Brock,’ he added, and Lorna knew for sure that these words of caution had been the result of some compulsion within him,‘Brock knows his place,’ she told Wade quietly.‘Why did he want to speak to you - or is it a private matter?’‘As I said, he merely wanted a chat.’ Caution sealed her lips regarding the invitation she had received, but only for a moment.Scanning Wade’s face, she reached the conclusion that he had heard at least part of her conversation with Brock.‘He asked me to go to Brisbane with him.He’s visiting his grandmother,’ she added on seeing Wade’s mouth tighten.Why this keen interest? she asked herself.After treating her with noticeable indifference at first, he was now betraying an inordinate amount of interest in her.‘And are you going?’Lorna shook her head.‘No, I told him I couldn’t leave Auntie—’ She stopped, angry with herself at the lack of presence of mind that had been responsible for this all-revealing statement.Wade looked hard at her, his mouth set.‘He wanted you to go alone?’Lorna moistened her lips.Why this tinge of fear? She had known fear before — fear of Wade — but it was the exquisite kind, with expectations of a tender scene to follow.Now, however, it was real trepidation she experienced, and it caused her heartbeats to quicken almost painfully.He did suggest we go alone, yes,’ she had to admit, noting the darkling expression that crossed Wade’s features.‘I did say I wasn’t going,’ she went on to remind him, and it struck her how very strange it was that she should be endeavouring to mollify him, just as if he had some authority over her.His face relaxed, much to her relief; he appeared to be affected by her urgency to appease and, just as if he would set her mind at rest, he forced a smile to his lips.‘I’m glad, Lorna, that you showed such common sense.Brock should have known better than ask you to go alone with him to Brisbane.’Lorna responded to his smile, her world bright and rosy again.‘I don’t think he gave the matter sufficient thought,’ she said.‘He might have concluded that I wasn’t having much excitement here.’‘You’re not, are you?’She shook her head in agreement, but the smile was still there, in her eyes now as well as hovering on her lips.‘I have so many other things that excitement doesn’t matter.In any case,’ she added without thinking, ‘I’ve never had much excitement, and what one’s never had one never misses.’He seemed to be considering this, his gaze transferred to the scene outside - the garden with its swaying palms and exotic flowers, the creek beyond, its meandering course clearly defined by the coolibah trees thickly clothing its banks.They too, wound about, into the far distance, becoming lost somewhere in the foothills of the dark mass of the folded ranges, among whose heights the river’s source could be located.A fresh breeze sighed into the room from the mountains, imparting a welcome coolness to the air.‘Not much excitement,’ murmured Wade to himself, looking at her.‘Your life’s been very dull, hasn’t it, Lorna?’Was he asking if she had any regrets? Yes.oh, but yes! her heart answered.At twenty-one she had been blinded by a sense of duty and compassion; she had made the sacrifice, heartbreaking though it was.And she had hurt the one she loved most; it was only since coming to Bali Creek that it had been fully borne upon her just what she had done, four years ago, when she sent Wade away.He had been passionately in love with her; he knew his love was returned, so all his future must have looked rosy - settled as far as he was concerned
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