Поющие в терновнике

           "Soitlookslikewedon’thavetowaituntiltheendoftheyearforourholiday,Meg.Ican’tgobacktothecaneuntilI’monehundredpercentfit,andthebestwaytomakesureIamistohaveadecentholiday.SoI’llbealonginaweekorsotopickyouup.We’regoingtoLakeEachamontheAthertonTablelandforacoupleofweeks,untilI’mwellenoughtogobacktowork."

           Meggiecouldhardlybelieveit,anddidn’tknowifshewantedtobewithhimornot,nowthattheopportunitypresenteditself.Thoughthepainofhermindhadtakenalotlongertohealthanthepainofherbody,thememoryofherhoneymoonordealintheDunnypubhadbeenpushedfromthoughtsolongithadlostthepowertoterrifyher,andfromherreadingsheunderstoodbetternowthatmuchofithadbeenduetoignorance,herownandLuke’s.Oh,dearLord,praythisholidaywouldmeanachild!Ifshecouldonlyhaveababytoloveitwouldbesomucheasier.Annewouldn’tmindababyaround,she’dloveit.SowouldLuddie.Theyhadtoldhersoahundredtimes,hopingLukewouldcomeonceforlongenoughtorectifyhiswife’sbarrenlovelessexistence.

           Whenshetoldthemwhatthelettersaidtheyweredelighted,butprivatelyskeptical.

           "Sureaseggsiseggsthatwretchwillfindsomeexcusetobeoffwithouther,"saidAnnetoLuddie.

           Lukehadborrowedacarfromsomewhere,andpickedMeggieupearlyinthemorning.Helookedthin,wrinkledandyellow,asifhehadbeenpickled.Shocked,Meggiegavehimhercaseandclimbedinbesidehim.