Поющие в терновнике

           Itwasn’tveryoftenanyonehadthechancetohelpJustinedoanything;wheneverMeggiehadtriedtohelphershehadendedfeelinganutterfool.Butindomesticmattersthesituationwasreversedforonce;shecouldhelptoherheart’scontentwithoutfeelingafool.

           Somehowitgotdone,andJustineandMeggiesetoutinthestationwagonMeggiehaddrivendownfromGilly,boundfortheHotelAustralia,whereMeggiehadasuite.

           "IwishyouDroghedapeoplewouldbuyahouseatPalmBeachorAvalon,"Justinesaid,depositinghercaseinthesuite’ssecondbedroom."Thisisterrible,rightaboveMartinPlace.Justimaginebeingahop,skipandjumpfromthesurf!Wouldn’tthatinduceyoutohustleyourselvesonaplanefromGillymoreoften?"

           "WhyshouldIcometoSydney?I’vebeendowntwiceinthelastsevenyears—toseeDaneoff,andnowtoseeyouoff.Ifwehadahouseitwouldneverbeused."

           "Codswallop."

           "Why?"

           "Why?Becausethere’smoretotheworldthanbloodyDrogheda,dammit!Thatplace,itdrivesmebatty!"

           Meggiesighed."Believeme,Justine,there’llcomeatimewhenyou’llyearntocomehometoDrogheda."

           "DoesthatgoforDane,too?"

           Silence.Withoutlookingatherdaughter,Meggietookherbagfromthetable."We’llbelate.MadameRochersaidtwoo’clock.Ifyouwantyourdressesbeforeyousail,we’dbetterhurry."

           "Iamputinmyplace,"Justinesaid,andgrinned.