page_87

< previous page | page_87 | next page >

Page 87

| And it had almost proven fatal. |

| Sasha patted Lightning one last time, then went and stood beside Ashton, her eyes assessing the damage around her. "Ashton, what are you going to do now?" she asked, smoothing a wet lock of hair back from her eyes. |

| "It seems we've no choice but to stay here for a while," he said, angrily kicking a rock into the river. "We've got to spread out and dry all of the bedding and clothes." Disgruntled, he looked at the bullocks and dray. "Some of our men will have to return to Melbourne for fresh supplies to cover what was lost in the storm." |

| "How long will our journey be delayed?" she asked, knowing how anxious he had been not to be delayed at all. |

| "Only today," Ashton said bluntly. "We'll move on early tomorrow morning. That should give the bedrolls and clothes the full day to get dry and us a full night to get rested up after today's ordeal. The men should not take more than a full day and night to get to Melbourne and back." He kneaded his chin contemplatingly. "As I see it, we won't have lost all that much time after all." |

| Sasha swung away from him. "I'll start collecting the bedrolls and spread them out on the sand beneath the sun," she said, Lightning at her heels. "Surely they will be dry by evening." |

| She was glad that the rest of the men were busy doing their own chores, for she could feel her shirt getting tighter and tighter as it dried, leaving nothing to the imagination. |

| <><><><><><><><><><><><> |

< previous page | page_87 | next page >