Chapter 18

Iftheyappliedthemselvestoit,theDroghedapeoplecouldimaginethatRomeandLondonwerenofartherawaythanSydney,andthatthegrown-upDaneandJustinewerestillchildrengoingtoboardingschool.Admittedlytheycouldn’tcomehomeforalltheshortervacationsofotherdays,butonceayeartheyturnedupforamonthatleast.UsuallyinAugustorSeptember,andlookingmuchasalways.Veryyoung.Diditmatterwhethertheywerefifteenandsixteenortwenty-twoandtwenty-three?AndiftheDroghedapeoplelivedforthatmonthinearlyspring,theymostdefinitelyneverwentroundsayingthingslike,Well,onlyafewweekstogo!or,Dearheaven,it’snotamonthsincetheyleft!ButaroundJulyeveryone’sstepbecamebrisker,andpermanentsmilessettledoneveryface.Fromthecookhousetothepaddockstothedrawingroom,treatsandgiftswereplanned.

Inthemeantimetherewereletters.Mostlythesereflectedthepersonalitiesoftheirauthors,butsometimestheycontradicted.Onewouldhavethought,forinstance,thatDanewouldbeameticulouslyregularcorrespondentandJustineascrappyone.ThatFeewouldneverwriteatall.ThattheClearymenwouldwritetwiceayear.ThatMeggiewouldenrichthepostalservicewithletterseveryday,atleasttoDane.ThatMrs.Smith,MinnieandCatwouldsendbirthdayandChristmascards.ThatAnneMuellerwouldwriteoftentoJustine,nevertoDane.