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Kalbarri is a resort town situated on the Western Australian coast 590 kilometres north of Perth. An ideal tourist destination, the area abounds with natural beauty, not the least being a variety of wondrous inland gorges winding their way almost invisibly through a vast, seemingly uninteresting landscape.
It never has been the kind of place to happen upon, or glimpse in passing, mainly because it is off the beaten track and a long, tedious drive from the main highway. Because of this, those who take the Ajana road do so deliberately out of choice, or necessity.
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The apparent naivety of the old lady was both a tonic and a sham. He knew it, and she knew he knew. The fact that she had deduced what no-one else in the group had seemed to, made their little secret most special. If only there were more discrete, canny old ladies and less criminal husbands, the world would be a better place.
Unconcerned for the world in general, Estelle continued to pace her small part of it and was ready to scream. Much of her exasperation was directed towards a series of particularly drab abstracts hanging along the corridor wall, merely accentuating both the gloom in her thoughts and the austerity of the surroundings. Then a buzz of excitement heralded the departure of the class as it spilled from the lecture room and hurried towards the exits. Hearing her name a couple of times, she flapped a vague hand of farewell while her eyes remained glued to the open door.
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