Reflections Read online

  Slowly she stood up and walked back to stare at the faceless head sitting on the board. Picking up a knife, it was as if her hands were being guided as they moved surely over the clay, fashioning the goddess’s features.

  ~~~

  In her speech, after accepting the award, she gave thanks to her art teacher, for his belief in her, and to Tim, for his tolerance for all the late meals and un-ironed shirts, and she finished with, ‘And my heartfelt thanks to Norman Lindsay.’

  There were many surprised faces as she stepped down, amidst a burst of clapping, but there in the front row she saw the old man who had sold her the shed, clapping loudest of all, a knowing smile on his face.

  THE END

  'Buster'

  Susie gazed longingly at the heavy gold chain displayed in the jeweller's window. How she would love to have it, but with a thousand dollar price tag there was no way. Sighing, she continued her walk through the shopping centre. She stopped at the Frosty Boy to buy an ice cream cone. Licking its rich creaminess consoled her somewhat as she went on her way.

  'Excuse me, but I wonder if you could help me? I'm in a spot of bother.'

  She looked carefully at the young man who approached her outside the exit. He had an honest open face with clear blue eyes that held a hint of desperation.

  'What's the matter?' she asked.

  'I promised my wife I'd pick up some fancy dinner rolls. We've got friends coming for dinner and she'll kill me if I don't get them, but I can't take Buster inside with me. Would you be able to mind him for me for a few minutes? He's only a baby and he's quite friendly. He wouldn't cause you any trouble.'

  Susie glanced down at the large dog sitting obediently by his side. A docile Labrador gazing up at her with soulful brown eyes. Well, it wouldn't hurt her to do a good turn and she wasn't in a hurry.

  'Sure, I'll mind him for you.' Susie smiled.

  'Thank you so much, I won't be long.' Handing over the leash, he hurried into the shopping centre. No sooner had he disappeared than Buster abandoned his docile stance and jumped up, paws on Susie's shoulders, knocking her off balance and the ice cream from her hand. Within seconds, the ice cream disappeared down Buster's throat.

  An hour later Susie realised she'd been left with the baby. Leading him to her car, she piled him into the back seat. They were halfway home before he vomited the ice cream over the seat covers.

  If she'd looked around before she opened the door when they arrived home, she'd have spotted next door's cat sauntering about before Buster chased it up the one tall tree in the garden. It took next door's husband an hour up the ladder to coax it down.

  When she came inside Susie found Buster sitting quietly on the sofa, a picture of innocence. It was the piece of ribbon dangling from the corner of his mouth that alerted her to the broken lamp and trashed lampshade in the corner. She shooed him outside.

  'It's unusual for a dog to get its head stuck in the railings of a front fence,' the man from RSPCA told her after he freed Buster's head an hour later.

  After being fed all the rump steak in the fridge, Buster slept the night away. The next morning Susie scanned the lost and found column in the local paper.

  'Oh my baby, I've been so worried about you,' cooed the well-dressed matron who came to collect him. 'I tried to catch the scoundrel who ran off with him at the beach, but he was too quick for me,' she told Susie. 'I wonder why he passed him over to you.'

  Susie shrugged. 'Who knows?'

  'I hope he hasn't been a bother.'

  'Not at all,' Susie beamed as she pocketed the thousand-dollar reward. She couldn't keep the smile from her face as she thought of the gold chain in the jeweller's window. She hoped it was still there. If not, there was bound to be something equally as good to compensate her for the aggravation Buster had caused her.

  THE END

  ’ If you enjoyed reading this book

  please take a moment to Star rate this book

  to guide others in their selection

  ~~~

  Praise for Kate Loveday’s first book, ‘Inheritance’.

  INHERITANCE is a great romantic suspense story, but also a chronicle of Cassie’s life as she grows into a woman. I really liked her characters. I also enjoyed how she incorporated the lore of the Aboriginal people of Australia in the story. Ms. Loveday has created a wonderful setting in Yallandoo. Her characters are wonderfully developed and come alive off the page.

  This is a great book! ……………...By Romance Junkies Reviewer: Lisa

  ~~~

  Overall I found INHERITANCE compelling. Kate Loveday has a wonderful talent for getting into each and every character’s head and telling the story from their point of view. The different twists and turns in the story retain the reader’s interest.

  A very believable story; one that draws the reader in and leaves them feeling as though they have not only met these people but have really managed to get to know them all, very well.

  With her first novel ‘Inheritance’ Kate Loveday has created a fantastic read. I for one, applaud her wonderful talent. Great work! Can’t wait for her next book!

  I give this book a five star rating…………………. Sarah Cook , Author of Australian Fiction

  ~~~

  INHERITANCE is a mystery with lots of twists and turns, set against the backdrop of a scenic land. The overall tale was entertaining and I very much enjoyed getting a bird's-eye view of life on an Australian station. I took great pleasure in reading it………………..Kay James, RRAH

  ~~~

  Look for.... An Independent Woman

  By Kate Loveday

  It is often a spur-of-the-moment decision that can become a turning point in life.

  So it is for Kitty Morland, a young woman in London in 1878.

  When she yields to temptation one fateful day the consequences of her action force her to flee to the other side of the world, to the small timber town of Bulahdelah in the mid-north coast of New South Wales, home of the giant cedar trees.

  On board the ship carrying her to the other side of the world Kitty meets three men who will influence her future.

  Beautiful and spirited, Kitty needs all her courage and determination to survive the ordeal of marriage to a bullying husband, but when she has a chance for love and happiness she must make a difficult decision.

  An Independent Woman is the first book in the Redwood Series *

  The printed version of this book is available from my web site

  https://www.kateloveday.com

  ~~~

  A LIBERATED WOMAN

  by

  Kate Loveday

  A different time, a different place, but you will live this story as if it were your own

  Married Woman’s Property

  Act of 1893

  New South Wales

  Henceforth when a woman marries her property shall remain her own

  With the passing of the Married Woman’s Property Act, Kitty Barron no longer needs to fear losing Redwoods, her property at Bulahdelah, should she choose to marry again. But she is content with her safe and settled life – until a chance meeting with Rufe Cavanagh changes her mind.

  Meanwhile, her daughter Joy is emerging into young womanhood, and longs to explore the world beyond her childhood home. In spite of Kitty’s misgivings, Joy and her friend Lily go to England to enjoy a London Season, where the experiences they encounter force the girls to grow up in a hurry, and raise new challenges for both Kitty and Joy, changes her mind.

  Her daughter Joy is emerging into young womanhood, and longs to explore the world beyond her childhood home. In spite of Kitty’s misgivings, Joy and her friend Lily go to England to enjoy a London Season, where the experiences they encounter force the girls to grow up in a hurry, and raise new challenges for both Kitty and Joy.

  ‘A Liberated Woman’ is the second book in the ‘Redwoods’ Series.

  The printed version of this book is available from my web site

  http
s://www.kateloveday.com

  ~~~

  About Kate Loveday

  Kate Loveday grew up in the seaside suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia with a love of books, and always wanted to write. She received a Diploma of Media Studies from the Australian College of Journalism in 2002.Her career has included publication of travel articles and short stories, as well as popular fiction. She previously worked in real estate and building, as an office manager, and finally as a natural beauty therapist, running her own natural therapy business with husband Peter for many years.

  In 1988 Kate and Peter moved to Sydney for business reasons, and after thirteen years in that city they spent three years caravanning around Australia. It was while spending time in far north Queensland that she conceived the idea for her first novel, ‘Inheritance’, a romance/mystery/ adventure set in the beautiful tropical rainforests of the area and the Great Barrier Reef.

  When they finished travelling, they settled in the mid-north coast of NSW. A love of history prompted her to research the past of the rural area to which she moved, and the conditions for women in the nineteenth century, when women had few rights and were dominated by the men of the time. This provoked her to write An Independent Woman, the first novel in the Redwoods series, which chronicles the life and passions of Kitty Morland, a woman of the era. The second book in the series is ‘A Liberated Woman’ which continues her story.

  After years of being separated from her family, the pull of blood ties became too strong to resist. Kate and Peter returned to Adelaide, with Kate leaving behind a piece of her heart that will always remain in the beautiful Manning Valley in NSW.

  When not writing, she enjoys reading, listening to music, good food and wine, and ‘hanging out’ with family and friends. She takes part in writing groups, as well as being the financial manager of a Community Association.

  Kate says, “I just want to write good stories, stories you can lose yourself in, with real characters you can love – or hate – that will keep you engrossed to the end. And if I can manage to touch your heart along the way, I’m happy.”

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