Поющие в терновнике

           "Listen!Thereheis,that’sDane!DoyouknowathisagehecansitahorseaswellasIcan?"Sheleanedforward."Dane!Whatareyouupto?Comeoutoftherethisinstant!"

           Hecrawledoutfromundertheclosestbottlebrush,hishandsfullofblackearth,suspiciousblacksmearsallaroundhismouth."Mum!Didyouknowsoiltastesgood?Itreallydoes,Mum,honestly!"

           Hecametostandinfrontofher;atsevenhewastall,slender,gracefullystrong,andhadafaceofdelicateporcelainbeauty.Justineappeared,cametostandbesidehim.Shetoowastall,butskinnyratherthanslender,andatrociouslyfreckled.Itwashardtoseewhatherfeatureswerelikebeneaththebrownspots,butthoseunnervingeyeswereaspaleastheyhadbeenininfancy,andthesandybrowsandlashesweretoofairtoemergefromthefreckles.Paddy’sfiercelyredtressesriotedinamassofcurlsaroundherratherpixyishface.Noonecouldhavecalledheraprettychild,butnooneeverforgother,notmerelyonaccountoftheeyesbutalsobecauseshehadremarkablestrengthofcharacter.Astringent,forth-rightanduncompromisinglyintelligent,Justineateightcaredaslittlewhatanyonethoughtofherasshehadwhenababy.Onlyonepersonwasveryclosetoher:Dane.Shestilladoredhim,andstillregardedhimasherownproperty.

           Whichhadledtomanyatussleofwillsbetweenherandhermother.IthadbeenarudeshocktoJustinewhenMeggiehunguphersaddleandgotbacktobeingamother.