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Chapter 16

Dangerfrombeeshadledtomuchadultoppositiontothissite,butthechildrenwereprovenright.Thebeesdwelledwiththemamicably.For,saidthechildren,peppertreeswerethenicestofalltrees,veryprivate.Theyhadsuchadry,fragrantsmell,andthegrapelikeclustersoftinypinkglobulestheyborecrumbledintocrisp,pungentpinkflakeswhencrushedinthehand.

"They’resodifferentfromeachother,DaneandJustine,yettheygetalongsowelltogether,"saidMeggie."Itneverceasestoamazeme.Idon’tthinkI’veeverseenthemquarrel,thoughhowDaneavoidsquarrelingwithsomeoneasdeterminedandstubbornasJustine,Idon’tunderstand."

ButFeehadsomethingelseonhermind."Lord,he’sthelivingimageofhisfather,"shesaid,watchingDaneduckunderthelowestfrondsofthepeppertreeanddisappearfromsight.

Meggiefeltherselfgocold,areflexresponsewhichyearsofhearingpeoplesaythishadnotscotched.Itwasjustherownguilt,ofcourse.PeoplealwaysmeantLuke.Whynot?TherewerebasicsimilaritiesbetweenLukeO’NeillandRalphdeBricassart.Buttryasshewould,shecouldneverbequitenaturalwhenDane’slikenesstohisfatherwascommentedupon.

Shedrewacarefullycasualbreath."Doyouthinkso,Mum?"sheasked,nonchalantlyswingingherfoot."Icanneverseeitmyself.DaneisnothinglikeLukeinnatureorattitudetolife."