Tara watched him go before she opened the envelope with hands that were
shaking slightly. It held three items: a bill of sale for a new
tractor, an authorization form for Geordie to take the Academy entrance
examinations, and a smaller envelope with a handwritten note: "You
gave a crashed pilot hospitality, and a grieving woman sympathy. I
would like to return at least the hospitality; will you all be my
guests for Coronation Week?" It was initialed S.M.L.
As Tara started to go back into the house, she heard shouted questions,
and stopped to wait for Donal and Geordie, who were approaching at a
run. She didn't bother saying anything; the papers she held out spoke
for themselves.
Both men looked them over with the same mixture of amazement and
pleasure Tara was sure she'd had. It was Donal who finally spoke,
looking south toward the Antarctic palace none of them had ever thought
to see. "Aye, lass," he said softly. "Aye, we'll accept your
hospitality."
END
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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