SUITED

CHAPTER 21

"When your neighbors wall is on fire, it is your business. "

"Brock!" Jonnet greeted him enthusiastically, lowering her book on the bed cover. "How very nice of you to come see me, were you doing business with Nicholas?"

He came forward and sat on the chair by the bed

"No, I came over especially for you."

She stared unbelievably. "All that way, you drove here just to see me?"

He leant back in his chair, his eyes searching her beautiful face.

"Why so surprised?' He paused and said with a sigh, 'Nicholas must have surely gave you a warning? We ussually warn visitors who might be ignorant of hazards which the bush presents."

"He did warn me, yes. But I forgot the warning -'

"You forgot!' He echoed. 'How in the name of all things holy could you forget?"

She shook her head.

"It's hard to explain, Brock. Please don't question me.' She spoke with a certain finality, but gave him time to speak again. He refrained and she went on, 'how did you know about me getting lost? Did Nicholas contact you?"

"He asked for our help."

"He asked for your help?' Her hand went to her cheek as she imagined all the stockmen searching for her. 'You mean all your father's stockmens were out searching, as well as Nicholas's?"

"Nicholas didn't alert father until yesterday morning. By that time he decided he required every single man he could get hold of - it seems that, at first, he has no doubts at all about finding you long before dawn, because he estimated you couldn't have gone far. However, by dawn he decided to ask for our men, and they were sent, naturally."

"All of them?"

"Most of them."

"How awful of me to cause all that trouble!' Guilt pressed her down again. 'How did they all come?"

"How did they travel, you mean? By cars ofcourse. Every vehicle was brought into operation - Land Rovers.
Some of the men also own their own cars and Range Rovers ... ' mercifully he stopped on noticing her discomfort. 'Donf worry too much about it, Jonnet. You're not the first person who's been lost out there."

"Buy I should've thought about all the trouble and inconvenience I would cause - oh, I won't be able to forget this, never."

"You will, it's all over and done with.' He paused a moment. 'How are you feeling?"

"There's nothing wrong with me except that I'm burned, ofcourse."

He nodded understandably.
"Sunburn can be he'll. But the thirst - that must have been he'll too?"

She shuddered at the memory, although her mind was still occupied with the trouble she caused to everyone.

"It was,' she answered briefly, and Brock changed the subject.

""I had to come and see you, Jonnet. Nicholas doesn't know I'm here, but I'll call him before I leave, ofcourse."

"It was king of you,' she murmured, and then, before he could speak. 'Your people - were they annoyed at having to send out their men to look for me?"

She was thinking about Julia, and wondering if or rather when they meet again how more rude she would be to her.

"Annoyed? -certainly not. It isn't the first time that we were called out. Last year a party of tourists were lost. They'd left their car after it broke down and one of our men saw it as he was going into town. He turned back, naturally, and both our men, and Nicholas's went off to find them. Stupid lot! They were told that the best chance of survival was to stay with your vehicle, had they done that they wouldn't have suffered at all. As it was, it took is two full days to find them. And they've been walking around in circles before they were in bad condition, they were brought to the hospital here and had to stay for about four days, I think. "

"People don't realize the dangers. Suppose that if your car breaks down you naturally begin looking for water -'

Brock nodded.
"Thats what happened in this case. They thought they might find a stream - ' Brock turned as the nurse entered.

"Are you having tea with, Jonnet, Mr Norman?"

"Just a drink, please." He was not one for afternoon tea, he went on to tell Jonnet when the nurse had gone.

He stayed for another half and hour and then left. "I'll see you at Nicholas's barbeque,' he said, turning at the door.

Jonnet smiled and nodded, the her eyes lit up. Aunt Rose was there in the doorway, beaming at Brock, who had steeped aside to allow her to pass infront of him.

"Brock ... We'll, how thoughtful of you to come and see Jonnet. Does nichol8know you're here?"

The sudden change from greeting to inquiry was abrupt and brought a tiny gasp to Jonnet's lips. Brock had driven over a hundred miles in the heat of the day and all that interested her ain't was whether or not Nicholas knee pc his presence at the hospital.

"Not yet -'

"You must call at the homestead then."

Brock looked oddly at her, and then exchanged glances with Jonnet.

"I was about to say that I intended going over there - now."

Aunt Rose went red all over her face.

"Sorry I interrupted you,' she muttered, coming towards the bed. 'I should have known you would naturally be calling Nicholas before you left."

"You appear to be anxious for me to call him, Mrs Hendricks. " Brock sounded as though he couldn't help uttering those words. He was puzzled by the urgency of the interruption, as was Jonnet.

Aunt Rose merely shrugged with indifference.

"Me - anxious? But why should I be anxious for you to call Nicholas? No - I merely spoke unthinkingly, as one does, you know, when one's mind is on other tjings."

"What things are on your mind?"
Jonnet asked, watching her face closely.

"Why, you, ofcourse! I can't stop thinking of the dreadful ordeal you went through. It makes me tremble."

Jonnet eyed her suspiciously, recalling how casually her aunt had brushed off the 24 hours she spent in the bush. However she made no comment, merely bidding Brock goodbye as he lifted a hand before leaving the room.

"Come sit Auntie, how did you get here, did the driver bring you?"

"Yes, I wanted to take a walk here but Nicholas insisted on the driver bringing me, saying I might be too tired yo walk all the way back again. He's such a caring man, that one."

"Yes, Auntie, he is." Jonnet said softly.

"And you, honey, how are you feeling today? You seem comfortable in those soft pillows."

"I am comfortable, and the burns have no after effects, so I'm feeling okay."

After asking how she's doing, her aunt seemed miles away not the least interested in her reply.

"I wonder how Nicholas would react, with Brock having driven all the way here, just to see you." Her aunt spoke lowly to herself and Jonnet decided to leave her to her thoughts.

But however soon her aunt went on and chatted about other things till it was time for her to leave.

"Goodbye, darling.' She bent and kissed Jonnet's forehead. 'In glad you haven't suffered much after your ordeal, get some rest."

But Jonnet was convinced it was added as an afterthought.

And just wondered why her aunt cared so much about how Brock's visit should have an effect on Nicholas.

It was most unlikely that Nicholas would even show any reaction at all, but that was where Jonnet was wrong.

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