The Rancher's Adopted Family Read Online Free PDF

wooden steps.
    She was familiar with pictures in magazines of homesteads on Outback cattle stations—ageing timber houses with corrugated iron roofs and wrap-around verandas, sitting in the middle of grassy paddocks.
    It was too dark to see much tonight, but if she guessed correctly they’d arrived at the back of this house. Rain drummed loudly on the iron roof, and theveranda was in darkness but a light came on as they got out of the vehicle.
    They hung their damp coats on pegs near the back door and Seth turned to Amy. ‘I’ll show you straight to your room,’ he said, watching her with a thoughtful frown.
    ‘Thanks.’
    He walked ahead of them, carrying their bags, and Amy followed, hugging Bella close, reassured by the familiar warmth and softness of her baby skin. She wondered where Seth’s uncle was. Wondered if she should tell Seth tonight, while they were alone, that this little girl was his daughter.
    Surely it was better to get the truth out in the open sooner rather than later?
    Fear rippled through her as she pictured the moment of revelation. She had no idea how Seth would react, whether he would be angry, or shocked, or disbelieving. Or suspicious of her motives.
    Or all of the above.
    Perhaps it would be prudent to wait till the morning. It had been a long, unsettling day. Her tiredness made her fragile and susceptible to tears and she wanted to be strong like a mother lion when she broached Bella’s future with this man.
    ‘I thought this room should suit you,’ Seth said, pushing open a door.
    ‘Oh.’ Amy couldn’t hold back an exclamation of surprise as she entered the room and he set their bags down. ‘This is lovely.’
    It was the prettiest room possible, with soft, pale green carpet and matching green and cream wallpaper. Romantic mosquito nets hung over twin beds and French doors opened onto the veranda.
    ‘There’s an en-suite bathroom through there.’ He pointed to a door.
    ‘Thank you, Seth. That’s wonderful.’
    Setting Bella down, Amy peeped around the doorway. The bathroom was sparkling clean and as lovely as the bedroom. Thick, soft towels hung on the rails and there was even a purple orchid in a cut-glass vase on the washbasin. It was amazing, really, to find such comfort all the way out here, like coming across a mirage in the middle of a desert.
    Perhaps Seth and his uncle were used to having guests. Amy wondered if he wasn’t nearly as antisocial as she’d believed. This wonder was compounded when she turned back into the bedroom, and found Bella and the antisocial man in question trying to touch the ends of their noses with their tongues.
    As she watched them Amy’s throat tightened and her mouth wobbled dangerously. They looked so alike, giggling together and having such incredible fun being silly. Without warning, her guilty conscience got the better of her and she very nearly blurted out the truth. Right there and then, accompanied by tears.
    I mustn’t. Not now. It would be too cruel to walk into Seth’s house and immediately dump the news on him like an emotional thunderstorm .
    She pretended to be terribly busy, opening Bella’s suitcase, struggling to feel calmer.
    As if he hadn’t noticed anything amiss, Seth said, ‘I told Ming we’d be happy with something light for supper. How do scrambled eggs with tea and toast sound?’
    ‘That sounds fine.’ She was dazed with surprise. ‘Who’s Ming?’
    Seth smiled. ‘My cook.’
    His cook?
    Amy blinked. This was another surprise. From the way Rachel had spoken, she’d always imagined that life on this cattle station was pretty rough.
    ‘So are scrambled eggs OK?’ Seth asked.
    ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘They’d be perfect. Bella would love some, too.’
    ‘No problem. I’ll let Ming know. Come along to the kitchen when you’re ready. It’s just down the hall.’
     
    ‘One, two, five, six!’ Bella chanted proudly as she counted the buttered fingers of toast on her plate, then beamed happy smiles at