THE RIVER 

By Tessa Harvey


    The doctor's eyes twinkled as he saw the youngsters. "Let's have lunch. Anne actually asked me to invite you. Is that possible?" He quirked, his eyebrows comically at Blue and Joe and then looked at Elizabeth, warmly.
    "Fine," she smiled. "We have missed you both and we can all catch up."
    Elizabeth's anger faded. Her resentment against the doctor and his wife had been unreasonable. She knew that, but thoughts circled and twirled endlessly in people's minds until the facts and truth were blurred.
    Soon they were back at the Harpers' place. The circumstances today were so much happier than when she had been trying to think how to rescue Josiah.
    The children were overjoyed to run into the house as though they belonged and to smell delicious cooking smells of frying mushrooms, sausages and vegetables lighly cooking.    
    Anne was a well-built middle aged very welcoming lady. She hugged them all, though Joe acted embarrassed.
    "What's for afters?" called Amy, sitting uninvited at the table. Her aunt frowned. Noticing, Josiah said, "apple crumble - your favourite."
    It was lovely to be happy, but Joe was also wondering about the promised story, not that it affected his appetite!!!


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