Right As Rain Read Online Free PDF Page B

snapped. “I put it in my boot.”
    She turned away from their inquiring eyes and lurched across the kitchen. The smirk she’d seen on Cam’s face only deepened her sour mood. She stopped as another thought came to her. She turned to her brother. “Where’s Alfie?”
    â€œWho’s Alfie?”
    â€œOur alpaca,” she said. “If he’d been with the ewes a fox wouldn’t have killed one in the first place.”
    â€œDad didn’t say anything about an alpaca.” Patrick looked to his mother. “I thought he was dead.”
    â€œDon’t get on your high horse, Mackenna,” Louise said. “We haven’t been home, and Patrick didn’t know about Alfie.”
    â€œWe’ve had him over a year,” Mackenna said. “I’d better go and shift him in. And hold off on that drench until I can find out more.”
    Conscious of three sets of eyes glaring at her, she swept out the door.
    Mackenna lathered her hands a second time with soap and scrubbed them in the warm water. Not many things made her squeamish but the smell of that lamb after a day in the heat had made her gag. It had taken several attempts to remove the foul mess from her boot. Thank goodness she’d put it in the plastic bag. She’d moved her car to the shade of a tree and left the boot and doors open to air it.
    While she’d been busy outside, she’d noticed the truck moving down the track towards the old place. She rubbed her hands dry on a towel and headed back to the kitchen with more confidence. At least Cam would be out of the house. Maybe she’d be able to pin her mother down.
    She was surprised to find her father the only occupant. He was sitting at the table with a bowl of cereal. He looked up from the pile of mail he was reading and smiled.
    â€œMorning, Mack.”
    She moved swiftly to give him a kiss on the cheek. It was a relief to see him looking more like the father she knew. It was only the gaunt face and the small dish of assorted pills beside his glass of juice that was a reminder of his ill health.
    â€œThe eggs are in the oven,” he said. “Your mother’s gone to feed the dogs and the chooks.”
    â€œPatrick should be doing that.”
    â€œHe’s helping Cam unload the roofing iron.”
    Mackenna put her plate of eggs on the table and sat down beside him. “That was all supposed to happen the week after I left.” She spoke casually, wanting to know all that had or apparently hadn’t happened in her absence but not wanting to push him.
    â€œI took sick and didn’t chase them. You know what these tradies are like. They’re juggling several jobs and it’s the squeaky wheel that gets the work done first. At least the bathroom’s finished. We just need the roof back on the rest so we can finish the painting.”
    â€œWell now I’m home they’d better get on with it.” She took a mouthful of egg. It was rubbery and barely warm. She ate the soggy toast instead.
    â€œYou don’t mind staying in your old room?” her dad asked. “The old house will make a perfect working man’s quarters. We’ll leave the kitchen for now. It’s fairly basic but Cam can eat most of his meals with us.”
    Mackenna’s heart sank. “I’ve been working on a plan for the old place while I’ve been away. There’s so much I want to talk over with you.”
    â€œI know.”
    â€œLike why we’ve got lambs a month early.”
    â€œThat was a surprise for me too. I think I’ve . . .” He stopped at the sound of boots dropping outside the back door then leaned in closer and lowered his voice. “Your mother’s taking my heart trouble pretty hard. I took on Cam as much to keep her happy as anything. I’ll be back on my feet soon. Just go with things as they are for the moment.”
    That was rich coming from him. Her father was always