CHAPTER FIVE.

marsh was the first to spot the charter flight carrying his sisters when it was only a speck in the cobalt sky.

"That's them now. Right on time!" He thrust up from his planter's chair,

his handsome face filled with animation.

"I might as well drive down to the strip. Sure you won't come, Rosa?"

Roslyn felt the familiar nutter of nerves in her stomach but her voice was

perfectly serene.

"No, thank you, Marsh. You go ahead. The girls will like that. We'll wait

for you here." She stood to see him off, going to the wrought-iron railingthat enclosed the veranda and leaning her slight weight against it."Right!" He leaned down and kissed her, the expression in his eyes bringing the heat to her cheeks.

"You're not a bad-looking girl, are you?"

"Glad you've noticed."

"Do you remember a time I didn't?" His fingers moved lightly around her

magnolia throat."Now now, you two!" Olivia called from her comfortable wicker chair.Marsh gave her a mocking salute."All right, I'm off. Ten minutes at the outside." He took the front steps of the homestead two at a time.

"Did you ever see such a graceful man!" Olivia sighed. The Jeep swept downthe drive before she went to join her daughter at the railing."Do I really need to stick around, darling? I'm getting bad vibrations already."

"We have to think positive, Mumma," Roslyn said, trying to sound bracing.

"Easy for you, difficult for me." Olivia gave a little wry laugh.

"With the exception of Marsh and Dame Agatha, all the Faulkners give me

heartburn.""A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a gla.s.s of water. That's the cure.""I've been known to take it occasionally." Olivia smiled."Marsh is so pleased they've come. Say what you like, the family is very close.""Tell me about it!" Roslyn invited dryly."If you're too nervous, Mumma, you don't have to stay.""Then I'd be leaving my little chick on her own." Olivia slipped an arm around her daughter's waist. "Marsh is right. You look lovely.""That's good. I went to a bit of trouble.""You have a natural chic, a natural style," Olivia said, regarding her.Roslyn was dressed simply in a silk knit sleeveless top and fluid wide-legged pants, both in a subtle shade of gold that placed enormous focus on her eyes.Because of the heat, her dark hair was confined in a Grecian knot, theseverity of the hairstyle only serving to draw attention to the purity of herbone structure.

"Of course, it's handy to have a beautiful mother," Olivia said playfully."You can say that again! The most beautiful mother in the world.""Oh, it's lovely being together!" Olivia leaned her head against her daughter's.

"You fill my aching heart."

"It does ache, Mumma?" Roslyn turned her head to stare into her mother's

eyes.

"That sort of slipped out, darling. What did I want from life anyway?"

"A lot more than you got!" Roslyn's topaz eyes flashed."Sometimes when you start off badly, the pattern continues," Olivia said."Even today I dream of my own mother. So many dreams! So many people in them. All dead.""It's time to be happy now, Mumma," Roslyn said, gripping her mother's hand."I want you to enjoy life.""As long as I wasn't part of the bargain, Rosa. I happen to know you'd do anything for me."

Roslyn didn't answer for a moment.

"It's no hardship marrying Marsh."

"It's not going to be easy, either. Why should you have to fight for

approval?""A lot of people have to do it, Mumma. I have to be strong. Prove my worth.""And they have to prove nothing.""That's the way of it! The first hurdle is Di's and Justine's visit.""Then count on a little unpleasantness, darling. I know you never saw it, but the girls were very jealous of you when you were all growing up. Theyweren't dealt much of a hand when it came to their looks and they had tocompete with you for their father's as well as their adored brother's,attention. It doesn't make for easy relationships."

"I felt for them, Mumma. I still do. But they never wanted my friendship.Things will have eased now they're married' " If only I had completeconfidence in that! " Olivia sighed.

"I'm dreading Chris's arrival. He did make such an a.s.s of himself over you." "I never saw him, that's why. Indifference was the big turn-on."

"Well, don't say I didn't warn you."

Beyond the main compound the Cessna was commencing its descent. Under ten minutes later the Jeep swept back up the drive with Marsh at the wheel,Dianne beside him and Justine in the back seat. Both young women werewearing wide-brimmed straw hats to protect their sensitive skin and both hada hand clamped to the crown.

"Come on, Mumma, enough of this idle chitchat. Let's get this show on theroad." Roslyn stood to attention and, smiling wryly, Olivia did the same.

"What do you bet they've got enough luggage for six months?"

"Try ten cents. Ernie will have a big job getting it all into the house.There he is now." Roslyn looked to where their aboriginal houseman wasrounding the west wing.

"Ernie's definitely got eyes in the back of his head," Olivia said.

Marsh parked the vehicle and his sisters stepped out. Dianne was the first to look towards the veranda and as she did so she appeared to give a start.

"It doesn't look as though Marsh told them you were here," Olivia remarked inan ironic voice.

"I wanted it to be a surprise."

"A surprise it is, my darling. You saw that with your own eyes.

Justine was always the nicer girl. Go down now. I'll wait here like a goodhousekeeper, hands folded quietly in my nonexistent ap.r.o.n. " : " You've been getting very cheeky lately, Mumma. " With a smile fixed on her face, Roslynwalked down the stairs and out onto the circular driveway where Marsh and hissisters stood in a tightly knit group.

"Why, Roslyn, this is a surprise!" Justine, the perfect lady, held out her hand.

"How nice to see you, Justine." Roslyn took it, her smile including the younger sister who stood almost scowling.

"Di, how are you? I hope you both had a pleasant trip?""Hi, Roslyn!" Dianne said in her clipped voice."No, not really. I can't understand how anyone could call Jock Bannister a good pilot. I thought I was going to be sick at least three times." In fact she didn't look well. Her strong-featured face showed strain. She was wearing a smart, tobacco linen dress that should have suited her but somehowdidn't. Her one beauty, her thick, curling tawny hair, was cropped to withinan inch of its life.

"A cup of tea will soon put you right," Marsh said soothingly."Go up out of the sun. I'll give Ernie a hand here.""Anything / can take?" Roslyn couldn't keep her eyes from straying around the amazing amount of luggage."Ernie will take care of it," Dianne informed her none too politely.Justine sought to make up for it. She took Roslyn's arm."Spending the holidays with your mother, Roslyn?" she asked as the three young women walked towards the house.

"Marsh didn't think to tell us you were here."

"Mostly it was a surprise."

"It was a bit!" Justine admitted with a faint smile. "I must say you look

marvelous. You get more beautiful every time I see you.""Yes, and isn't it a bore!" Dianne cracked out in her arrogant voice."Behave yourself, Di," her sister urged.

"No such thing ever happened to us, did it?" Dianne said almost angrily.

"Marsh is the most gorgeous man you ever saw and we turned out two scraggly ugly ducks."

"Which is why you had your hair chopped off," Jus- tine retaliated.

"Good hair, too. Don't you think, Ros?"

"Yes, I do!" Roslyn looked at her, her expression both serious and helpful.

"That particular tawny shade is quite rare. Both of you have the height and

the features to carry off a mane. Men always go for long hair anyway."

"Well, you'd know!" Dianne said with a short laugh. "It must be years sinceyou've visited us. It's a wonder you could live without seeing Marsh.""I don't think he found it easy not seeing me, either," Roslyn replied gently. She kept her expression un fl.u.s.tered while she fought down the little

spurt of anger.

"So put that in your pipe and smoke it, Di!" Justine looked at Roslyn almost admiringly.

"Don't take too much notice of Di's ill humour.

She's been like that for weeks. "

"What she means is, I'm preggers," Di announced.

"Why that's wonderful!" Roslyn turned to Dianne with pleasure.

"It might be if I could stop feeling sick."

"Oh, you will!"

"You'd know, would you?" Dianne answered rudely.

"It's generally accepted the first three months are the worst. When is the

baby due?" Roslyn asked.

"If I can believe anything my obstetrician tells me, August."

"Chris must be thrilled?"

"He is," Dianne confirmed with triumph.

"As far as I'm concerned, it's a bit early in the marriage for me. I

wanted a little bit more time alone, but he must have his son and heir."