SUITED

CHAPTER 2

Tough Decisions

The tea was daintly laid on a tray; this was set on a table by the open window, and the view was a pretty garden with an immaculate lawn and its small bed of roses, the air was warm and fresh.

"You don't usually mess about so long with your appearance,' aunt's Rose's gaze was a little curious as it rested on Jonnet's face. "What were you doing?"

Jonnet gave a little gesture with her hand as she sat down. "I was lost in thought, darling."

Aunt Rose frowned on hearing this.

"Not from the past? It's time you put the whole unhappy business, Jonnet, and began all over again."

Jonnet looked swiftly at her. The was something strange about her; that tone for instance, as she advised her niece to begin all over again ...

"How does one begin all over again, Auntie?" To Jonnet's surprise her Aunt merely picked up a plate of sandwiches and handed it to her.

But after a while she said, right out of the blue, "How would you like a trip to Australia? I'm thinking of visiting Nicholas."

Silence followed; Jonnet felt the colour leave her face.

"I don't understand," She said presently. "I didn't know you had money to take a trip to Australia?"

"I've had a bit of win with the Powerball." her Aunt calmly responded, pouring herself more tea.

"A win? When was this? You never mentioned it."

"Last month. And I've been wondering what to do with it - Oh, I know I could put it away for a rainy day, but how dull and unimaginative, don't you think? I decided to write Nicholas and see if he'd have us for a little holiday at his farm."

Aunt Rose stopped, and there was no mistaking the frown that had settled on her brow. "He was more than willing to have us."

"You go, by all means, but it's quite impossible for me to accompany you. I have a job to think of, besides, we can't leave this house, and the garden." She shook her heard, acutely aware of the wild beating of her heart.

How could the mention of Nicholas by her Aunt set her heart racing ... after four long years? Whose anger towards her decision not to desert Max in his affliction had been a terrifying to witness.

After that he had adopted an air of arrogant indifference and his parting words had been ..

'Go your own obstinate way! And as for me - I never want to set eyes on you again as long as I live. Thank God there's a few thousand miles to separate us!'

So hurt he had been. Jonnet had been trembling and weeping, but never had she failed to understand that Nicholas too had suffered.

He would be thirty three now, she realized, and wondered if he had changed at all. Perhaps he was even leaner and tougher after a further four years of the demanding outback life.