AllFreeNovel
Share Us
And one of the most expensive, Angie thought, but kept her mouth shut. Bud didn’t say a word either, thank heavens, though his dark eyebrows arched in a way which suggested that he knew what a stay on Orpheus Island would cost.
‘Mother’s always wanted a holiday on one of those islands,’ Morris mused.
‘Then she shall have one,’ Lance pronounced firmly. ‘Angie, if I give you the money will you organise it? I think around May next year would be best. Your mum will be feeling up to it by then, and the weather up there is great at that time of the year.’
Angie heard the first-hand experience in his voice and was reminded once again of the difference between their lifestyles. Lance had always been able to indulge whatever whim or fancy came his way— which included jetting off to all the exclusive romantic hideaways in the world. Who knew? Maybe she was just his latest whim or fancy?
‘May would be good,’ Morris agreed. ‘I’ll have picked the summer crops by then. And the neighbours would look after the animals for us.’
‘That’s settled, then,’ Lance said, sounding pleased.
Morris scraped back his chair and stood up. ‘If you young ‘uns don’t mind, I think I’ll go for a walk down to the river. I have a damned awful headache and that usually clears it. I won’t be too long.’
Angie watched her father’s dejected stoop as he pushed open the screen door and stepped out on to the side veranda. She hoped her mother was genuinely on the way to a full recovery because Morris Brown just wouldn’t be the same without her. They shared that kind of love.
‘It must be nice to be able to buy whatever you want,’ Bud said nastily, his small dark eyes gleaming at Lance with a bitter enmity. ‘Friendship. Approval. My Sister! God, Angie, haven’t you got any pride? Don’t you know that you’re only one of hundreds? When he grows bored with screwing you he’ll toss you aside like a used tissue. You’re nothing to him but a challenge, because you’re the only female he didn’t sleep with at the time of first fancying you. And now you’re no longer a challenge. You’re just another silly little fool who couldn’t wait to get her pants off for the great Lance Sterling!’
‘That’s enough!’ Lance snapped, spreading his hands out on either side of his plate and levering himself to his feet.
Suddenly Angie was afraid. She’d never seen Lance look so threatening, or so furious. She dimly recalled Bud telling her that Lance had dabbled in many sports back in his uni days, including the martial arts. With his naturally athletic physique he wouldn’t need to recall too many of those skills to make mincemeat out of Bud if he chose to.
‘Outside, Bud,’ he bit out.
‘Lance, no!’ Her cry sent those blazing blue eyes flashing to her. ‘Please don’t,’ she pleaded.
‘I’m not challenging your brother to a duel, Angie. I simply want to straighten out some things.’
‘Are... are you sure?’
‘For Pete’s sake, Angie!’ Bud exploded irritably. ‘We’re adult men, not children. Besides, I can bloody well look after myself. I don’t need my kid sister to come to my aid. If Lance wants to shove my teeth down my throat, then let him try. A lot of water’s gone under the bridge since he was the super athlete of Sydney Uni. I can hold my own these days, in more ways than one. I’m certainly no longer the easily impressed country yokel who was only too happy to lick Lance’s boots in the old days.’
Angie shook her head at her brother but said nothing. If he didn’t watch it, his teeth would get shoved down his throat. Fear filled her heart as she watched her brother and her lover stalk out into the yard, then over into the barn, shutting the doors behind them. She rather expected to see the walls shaking and dust flying out from under them, as one saw in cartoons, but all remained ominously silent for a good twenty minutes, then the doors slowly opened.
They emerged together, Bud looking a little stunned but none the worse for wear. He wandered off in the direction of the river while Lance whirled and strode back towards the house. Angie raced out to meet him on the front veranda.
