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For Tile thing that the awe-inspiring ood and bad—there seemed to be a fairly even rin Most people were so astounded by his virtuosity in relation to his age that they heaped praise upon him Perhaps the experience would be of value after all

'And he's going to send us some tickets to his next concert in Auckland It's next week Can we go, Muo and see him play? I've heard hi him'

Clare felt a pang at the sight of the shining adoration on the small face David Deverenko had certainly made an impression on her son, for better or for worse Tim was a fairly biddable boy, except where music was concerned There he was quite fierce, and he was quite capable of rant this perfectly reasonable request

'We'll see,' she teap where a front tooth was coned tone of voice… a little boy with perfect pitch could scarcely o to his concert!

She took hi It was a struggle to get Ti arm!— but C

lare insisted on a certain amount of fresh air and tried toit 'their' tier for a secluded hotel on the shores of Lake Rota time for her son was very important for both of them

This evening, however, she curtailed the hen every conversation worked itself around to the wonderful David Deverenko—hoas ten feet tall and had the face of a god and the voice of an angel andmusical… or that was how Tim's artless description sounded to Clare She didn't h to turn on the radio they had been h to compete with Mere mums didn't stand a chance!

Fortunately Virginia knehen to hold her tongue, and didn't add her enthusiasht very well have ins of the World's Greatest Living Violinist that would have shattered her credibility for some time to come in her son's hero-dazzled eyes

Half-way through dessert, the telephone rang The toinia half rose

'I'd better get it,' she said reluctantly

Clare sighed 'No, I will' She went out into the kitchen and picked up the phone When she re-entered the dining-rooht with annoyance

'Who was it?' asked Virginia cautiously, glancing sideways at Tim's blond head, bent deliriously over his favourite pavlova

'A newspaper Wanting a photograph' 'Oh'

'Yes, oh' Clare spoke cal I wanted to avoid Soht they'd be interested in a 'new pheno with annoyance despite her restraint, 'had some kind of corim tone explicitly indicated who that prominent person was

Virginia pursed her lips She couldn't see what Clare's objection was In her opinion, the more people who knew about Tim's talent, the better It was almost cri to be asha