Novels 01 Blue Skies Read Online Free PDF Page A

he slurred, looking at her with bloodshot eyes.
    ‘I need to talk to you,’ said Amanda tremulously. ‘Why didn’t you tell me that Kyleena was in financial trouble?’
    Brian’s face clouded over. ‘How did you find out?’
    ‘Does it matter? I know now. And I know that you’re going to have it valued, which means you intend to sell. When did you plan to tell me? When you expected me to help pack the farm up, load the trucks and send the stock to the sale yards? How could you do that? Why was it all such a secret?’ Amanda knew her voice was rising but she couldn’t stay calm.
    ‘You don’t understand. Wouldn’t know what your mother and I have been through.’
    ‘Dad, please, why are you shutting me out? I could help you, we could work together. We could save Kyleena together if you wanted to involve me. Isn’t that what Mum would have wanted? For goodness’ sake, you can’t completely drop your bundle the way you have. I know you miss her – I do too – but we’ve got to move on together, otherwise we’ll fall apart.’ But Amanda’s impassioned plea fell on deaf ears.
    ‘Don’t bring your mother into this,’ Brian shouted. ‘It’s my farm and I’ll do what I want with it.Your mother would do the same thing.’
    ‘No,’ said Amanda,struggling to control her emotions. ‘She would’ve talked to me. She would’ve talked about her grief and sadness if you’d died instead of her. She would’ve included me in the decision making and not treated me like a labourer for the past seven months the way you have.
    ‘Do you really think I’m going to let you sell what you, Mum and your parents worked so hard for?’
    ‘Who the hell do you think you are, comin’ in here and talkin’ to me like that? Get out!’ he roared, pointing a finger at the door.‘Get out of my office and get out of my house!’
    ‘You can’t sell Kyleena without my permission and you know it.’ Amanda called over her shoulder as she fled the office, slamming the door behind her. Running to her mother’s study she dropped onto the couch and began to sob.
    Amanda had no idea how long she lay there crying but when she finally stopped, her mind was made up. She went to her room and collected her clothes and photos, then returned to the study for her computer and books.
    As she drove away, she promised herself she would only come back into this house as the owner. She would save Kyleena for her mother, for Michael and Grace Greenfield, and for herself.

Chapter 6
    Amanda nervously smoothed her skirt as she walked into the bank for her ten o’clock appointment. She introduced herself to the receptionist and then paced the room’s perimeter until she heard a voice call out: ‘Hi, Amanda, good to see you.’
    She swung around at the sound of Malcolm Mackay’s voice. ‘Thank you – and thank you for seeing me on such short notice,’ she said.
    ‘No problem, come through.’ Malcolm ushered her in front of him and signalled for the secretary to bring coffee. When they were seated in the office Amanda watched as Malcolm’s kindly eyes studied her closely. She knew what he would see as she had seen it herself in the mirror that morning. Her face was drawn tight with grief and tiredness, while her brown, wavy hair hung listlessly below her shoulders. Her eyes were red and she seemed older than her twenty-two years.
    ‘So how can I help?’ Malcolm asked.
    ‘I’m worried that Dad wants to sell Kyleena. But I’m sure he can’t do it without my permission. I’ve had a letter from the solicitor telling me Mum willed her half of the farm to me,’ Amanda blurted out.
    ‘Yes, I knew she was going to do that. And you’re right; your father can’t do much without your permission. But like I said to you the other day, selling is only one option.’
    ‘I just can’t believe that Dad would consider it,’ said Amanda. ‘After he and Pop worked so hard to build it up, it’s just wrong. But if he’s not prepared to run the