Mango Hill: A compelling Australian saga of ambition, greed and a family feud by Patricia Shaw

Author:Patricia Shaw [Shaw, Patricia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780755389575
Publisher: Headline
Published: 2011-10-26T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

Georgina was delighted to receive a letter from Edward, but shocked to hear he’d left Montone. While there was no doubt Clem could manage the station, Jasin would be furious that his son had left his post without a word. And obviously soon after they’d departed. She supposed he was lonely. And she wouldn’t blame him. All stations were isolated by their sheer size, but colonial country people were accustomed to that life and made the best of it. Unfortunately Montone had not been reopened long enough to gain social contact with the neighbours. It was hardly a hub of hospitality.

Her travail, as she liked to call it, was finally over. More or less. The operation had been a success. When the plaster was removed, she found the leg was thin and weak, but she could walk again, using a stick. Apart from being rather shaky, she had to learn to walk with a missing big toe, thanks to the gangrene, and she found that dreadfully embarrassing. To make matters worse, Jasin teased her about it, and that made her cross. They seemed to be going through a bad time lately, both of them out of sorts, with little to cheer their way.

They both missed Rosa’s company. Georgina because she hated being deprived of the young woman’s kindness and sense of fun. And talk! They had so much in common, they’d never run out of conversation!

Rosa had loved the elegant Sydney house, but she’d had to return to Brisbane on the first suitable ship so as not to upset her husband. She promised to return with Dr Palliser, for a longer visit, when time permitted.

Unfortunately Jasin missed her too. That was plain to see. He had been at his charming best in Mrs Palliser’s company, and they’d spent a few hours together each day. Now he was quite rude to the special nurse who replaced her, as if the woman were a pest in his house. Georgina had been aware that he was a little too impressed by Mrs Palliser, and she’d deliberately taken a risk asking her to accompany them to Sydney, but she had no regrets. Rosa’s delicacy and patience had been a godsend. Now she was in the hands of a stranger, her own patience strained by spartan treatment.

This was the state of affairs in the Heselwood household when Edward’s news was delivered to them. Georgina considered not mentioning the letter, but she deemed it unfair to their son. When eventually Jasin did hear that Edward had left the station, he could rightly claim he was never advised.

As for the man himself, he’d been socialising quite a bit lately, enjoying the races and dining out whenever he pleased, adding to her loneliness, but she refused to complain, or even comment. She’d trusted Rosa, certain that nothing untoward had happened between them, so now she hoped his infatuation with her would simply up and fade away. Like the fifty magnificent roses he had surprised Rosa with when she’d entered her cabin for the return voyage.

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