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Автор Hannay Barbara
“Alexandra? What are you doing here?”
Clearly Fletcher regarded her as an intruder. How could this happen? He had come to the city and made exquisite love to her and changed her life forever. “You’re surprised to see me,” Ally whispered.
“Surprise is one word I could choose, I guess,” Fletcher drawled, his deep voice rumbling with sarcasm. His eyes traveled—very deliberately—over her slim frame. ”What are you doing here?” he repeated, his voice less harsh this time, as if he had run out of breath suddenly.
“I have brought your little godson, Connor. You’re his guardian now... . ”
“I know damn well I’m his guardian, but what have you got to do with it?”
“Well, the point is,” resumed Ally, “I’m his nanny. ”
The color in Fletcher’s face deepened while, with the worst sense of timing, a kookaburra broke into raucous laughter in a gum tree overhanging the track. “Ally! You can’t be!”
Barbara Hannay was born in Sydney, educated in Brisbane and has spent most of her adult life living in tropical North Queensland, where she and her husband have raised four children. While she has enjoyed many happy times camping and canoeing in the Australian bush, she also delights in an urban life-style-chamber music, contemporary dance, movies and dining out. An English teacher, she has always loved writing and now, by having her stories published, she is living her most cherished fantasy.
Outback Wife and Mother is Barbara’s outstanding debut title for Harlequin Romance®-we just know you’ll love her heartwarming style, so look out for more from her in the future!
Outback Wife and Mother
Barbara Hannay
For John Dow,
who was my father and my first hero
PROLOGUE
MUMMY was crying again.
Lying in his bed, the boy could hear her muffled sobs and his father’s pleading voice in the next room. ‘But, Vivienne, you mustn’t go. You can’t leave us.
’He could see the friendly silhouette of his teddy bear on the pillow beside him, but not even his favourite toy could help him feel safe or happy. Not when he could hear the desperate sadness in his mother’s voice.
‘I feel so—so stifled here in the outback,’ she sobbed. ‘I think I’ll go mad. ’
Eventually, he pulled the pillow over his head to shut out the frightening voices...
Then with the first creamy fingers of dawn, his mother crept into the room, smelling as fresh as flowers. She sat on the edge of his bed and he buried his head in her lap.
‘Mon petit,’ she whispered, stroking his hair. ‘I will miss you so much. ’
Something started to thump loudly in his chest. ‘You don’t have to miss me, Mummy,’ he cried. ‘I’m going to stay on Wallaroo with you and Daddy for always. ’
With a choked moan, she hugged him close, cradling him with her soft, warm arms. ‘Oh, cheri,’ she whispered and, looking up, he saw her beautiful eyes fill with bright tears. ‘Always remember, I love you very, very much. But you belong here. ’
