The Distant Hills: An Australian Outback Romance by Lucy Walker

Author:Lucy Walker [Walker, Lucy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: small town and rural, outback romance, clean romance, clean and wholesome, australian romance, autstralian rural romance, australian author, australian rural novels
Publisher: Wyndham Books (Small Town & Rural Romance)
Published: 2021-11-27T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

In the end the whole town was invited to the wedding of Angela Burns to Gilbert Lawrence.

On the Saturday preceding his wedding Gilbert hadn’t been in Red Gorge very long when he knew that many people expected to be invited.

Stella Winton was the first to discover this. She was having a drink in the lounge after Gilbert had gone to his room to bath and change and Mrs. Smith came towards her.

‘Where’s that man?’ Mrs. Smith said rather testily. ‘He really must tell me what he’s going to do about this wedding. I’ve half the ladies in Red Gorge telling me young Nellie Burns is issuing invitations right and left. There’s going to be both muddle and heart-burning unless we straighten it out.’

Stella Winton, her knees crossed and one elegantly-shod foot waving in the air, laughed.

‘Oh, Mrs. Smith,’ she said, ‘you mustn’t begrudge those two pretty youngsters their bit of fun. What’s a wedding without a crowd?’

‘Wait till Mr. Lawrence hears you calling his bride a “pretty youngster”, Miss Winton. He won’t like that.’

Stella laughed again.

‘I’ve already told him,’ she said. ‘Several times. Well? She is pretty, isn’t she?’

‘Yes. And a very nice girl into the bargain.’

‘Of course she is. I’m all on her side for having a big wedding. I shall tell Gilly so.’

‘So long as he tells me so … I’ll be happy. I’ve got to know how many to feed.’

Mrs. Smith walked away in the direction of her office, grumbling. Stella Winton looked amused as her light-blue eyes followed Mrs. Smith’s irate figure.

When Gilbert came into the lounge she called him over.

‘I know you’re off to call on Angela,’ she said. ‘But before you go I’d better warn you. The pair of them, Angela and her sister, have asked half the town to the wedding. I’m wondering how you’re going to sort out the weeds from the tares, Gilly. Those girls wouldn’t have any idea who is who, and who is not who, in Red Gorge.’ Her laugh was a little mocking. ‘I’m beginning to be sorry I won’t be here for it. I think there might be some fun.’

Gilbert stood by her chair, silent, his eyes unamused. He signalled the steward to bring him across his usual drink. The steward was already carrying it in anticipation and Gilbert drank it standing up.

‘The solution is more simple than you think, Stella. The weeds and the tares will both be there.’

Stella watched him through curious eyes as he took out a cigarette. He did not have to offer her one as she was already smoking.

‘You made up your mind on that in a flash,’ she said.

‘I do sometimes, you know.’

She leaned forward and stubbed out her cigarette in the tray on the table. She looked up and there was no laugh in her eyes. They were suddenly a little hard, a little calculating.

‘Then why do we have to drag out this other business? Gilly, it’s time you and I came to terms.’

He looked at his watch.

‘If you don’t mind, I have a call to make.

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