Поющие в терновнике

           "Mum,doyouknowwhatJustinejusttoldme?"

           Fee’seyeswerenolongeruptoanythingbeyondtheuttermosteffortofkeepingthebooks,butthemindatbackofthosesmudgedpupilswasasacuteasever.

           "HowcouldIpossiblyknowwhatJustinejusttoldyou?"sheinquiredmildly,regardingthegreencookieswithaslightshudder.

           "BecausesometimesitstrikesmethatyouandJussyhavelittlesecretsfromme,andnow,themomentmydaughterfinishestellingmehernews,inyouwalkwhenyouneverdo."

           "Mmmmmm,atleasttheytastebetterthantheylook,"commentedFee,nibbling."Iassureyou,Meggie,Idon’tencourageyourdaughtertoconspirewithmebehindyourback.Whathaveyoudonetoupsettheapplecartnow,Justine?"sheasked,turningtowhereJustinewaspouringherspongemixtureintogreasedandflouredtins.

           "ItoldMumIwasgoingtobeanactress,Nanna,that’sall."

           "That’sall,eh?Isittrue,oronlyoneofyourdubiousjokes?"

           "Oh,it’strue.I’mstartingattheCulloden."

           "Well,well,well!"saidFee,leaningagainstthetableandsurveyingherowndaughterironically."Isn’titamazinghowchidrenhavemindsoftheirown,Meggie?"

           Meggiedidn’tanswer.

           "Doyoudisapprove,Nanna?"Justinegrowled,readytodobattle.

           "I?Disapprove?It’snoneofmybusinesswhatyoudowithyourlife,Justine.Besides,Ithinkyou’llmakeagoodactress."

           "Youdo?"gaspedMeggie.

           "Ofcourseshewill,"saidFee."Justine’snotthesorttochooseunwisely,areyou,mygirl?"

           "No."