TellersQuest: 6. Bush Dance

1. So much for a welcoming nature. Misgiving mined Lyra at the sight of his anxious face. Let him speak 1st. Out with it Rafter! Your play!

2. He remained silent, brooding. Hadn't he called for her? It wasn't fair. She sat across from him and waited. She could be stubborn too.

OFF: Wondering what happened to episode 5? Me too! Maybe it was the shockwave of the girl's parting that shoved the story abruptly forward.

3. A battle of eyes. For once he capitulated. A flash of triumph crossed her mind. Softly she pronounced his name as to an ailing child.

4. What a strange role for her to play. What had sparked off such odd behaviour? Pretending to be Rafter's mother was quite alien to her.

5. Startled, he shook himself and spoke. "I heard Sally's friend was ill." Matter-of-factly. "She'll survive." And Lyra revealed the story.

6. Inexplicable relief filled his face. "I don't understand," Lyra pursued. What'd he been expecting of her strange tale? "Neither do I."

7. Stalemate! "The surprising thing was the resemblance between the girl and Sally," Lyra thrust. Rafter shielded. "Strange indeed!"

8. What a waste of time! She stood to go. "What did the girl steal?" Rafter searched for the right approach. "An engraved gold pendant."

9. Rafter coughed violently, concealing his discomfort. Timely as usual, Mae brought cough medicine. Lyra could have made her escape.

10. But she stayed, winking at Mae as she left. The professor's behaviour was quite out of character: he was always so resourceful.

11. "You are under the weather," she asserted, hoping she hadn't made a mistake remaining. Try the healer gambit: "Can I be of any help?"

12. "Unfortunately I am unable to talk about it," he insisted. He'd been sworn to secrecy, he revealed. "Don't worry. It'll all work out."

13. "What was that about?" Mae asked in a hushed voice once Lyra was in her office. "Something to do with the girl at Sally's place.

14. The phone rang. It was Rafter. He wanted an appointment with Sally. Urgently. Things were heating up. But what things? Lyra mused.

Go back to Episode 4