The Long Paddock, page 18
Cressy finished drying the plate and sat it on top of the others in the cupboard. ‘Well, if you’re ever worried, call me.’
‘I will. I’m sorry to burden you with all of this. It’s always a difficult time before Andy’s birthday.’
Cressy put an arm around Judith’s thin shoulders and hugged her. ‘You know I don’t mind. Our families have always looked out for each other. Now how about I tell Will dinner’s ready?’
Judith nodded. ‘His hearing’s not what it used to be and he refuses to have any testing done. He probably didn’t even hear you drive in.’
Cressy whistled to Tippy and they left the kitchen to walk through the back door to where a workshop sat next to a carefully tended garden. Within a white picket fence, a weeping cherry stood surrounded by colourful flower beds. A wooden bench sat in the far corner shaded by an old cedar tree. Judith and Will had created the special garden in memory of their only child.
Cressy knocked on the workshop door. When she didn’t hear any movement inside, she knocked harder. This time, Will opened the door. Tall and reed thin, his shock of white hair needed a brush and his sunken cheeks a shave. But as he recognised Cressy and Tippy a spark flashed across his faded grey eyes.
He stepped away from the doorway. ‘Come on in. I’ve got something for the two of you.’
Cressy stepped into the workshop and inhaled the timeless scent of leather. Plaited stock whips and belts, all handmade by traditional methods, lined the wall. Across the work benches lay yet to be completed items. Will moved to the closest bench and pushed something soft, woollen and brown beneath a flap of uncut leather. Andy’s room lay untouched and it was no surprise Will kept an item of Andy’s with him.
‘This is for Tippy.’ Will reached for a red dog collar that hung on a nearby hook. ‘I noticed last visit the other one I made her is looking worn.’
‘Thank you. She’ll look so smart.’ Cressy ran her fingers over the stamped and neat letters of Tippy’s name.
‘And this is for you.’ He handed her a stock whip. ‘I know I gave you one a while ago but that was red hide and this one’s kangaroo hide.’
‘It’s a beauty. Thank you. I love it.’ Cressy felt the weight of the well-crafted whip in her hand. She’d add the stock whip to her grandfather’s collection that decorated the back wall of his old study.
‘I also have one for Denham.’
She glanced up. Suddenly Will didn’t appear so disengaged from the world. A shrewd light brightened his eyes.
‘So are you two an item again yet?’ he asked.
‘No and we’re not likely to be,’ she said, carefully.
Will grunted and pointed a gnarled finger to some smaller whips that hung on the wall. ‘Too bad. I need some kids to give these to. I’m not going to be here forever, you know. I want the next generation to at least learn how to crack a whip. All they seem to do nowadays is play games on those things they hold.’ Will’s attention again zeroed in on her. ‘You do want kids, don’t you?’
‘Yes … one day.’
‘Will they ride bulls?’
Cressy blinked. Some days Will hardly said a word but today his rapid-fire questions left little room for silence. ‘I guess, it depends on their father. Who knows, if the drought ever breaks on Glenmore, I might find myself an online computer geek to settle down with. Now we’d better head inside because dinner’s ready.’
Will nodded as if satisfied about something. ‘They’ll ride bulls.’
***
‘Are you sure we shouldn’t text Cressy to let her know we’re coming?’ Denham shot a direct look at his travelling companion. ‘You know she doesn’t like surprises.’
Fliss sat in his passenger seat, not a long, dark hair out of place. Taller than Cressy, her smooth skin possessed a golden glow and her lips were always glossy. Sophisticated and polished, it was no surprise she’d left small town Woodlea for the city lights as soon as she could.
Fliss smiled. The resemblance to Cressy was unmistakable. They shared the same large eyes and full mouth they’d inherited from their mother. But it was only spirited Cressy who made his heart pound faster.
‘I know. But she has an answer for everything and would talk us out of bringing your auction date to her.’
‘True.’
Denham glanced in the rear-view mirror to check the fold-up trestle table and three wrought-iron chairs hadn’t moved from where he’d strapped them. The scent of herbs and lemon filled the cabin from the picnic basket at Fliss’s feet. Meredith had spent all day preparing a gourmet dinner that they could share with Cressy.
‘She knows I’m here.’ Fliss gazed out the window. ‘I spoke to her when I arrived after lunch, so it won’t be such a shock when I turn up. She just doesn’t expect me until tomorrow.’
‘She’ll be thrilled to see you.’
‘And I’ll be glad to see her. I worry about her being alone at Glenmore.’ Fliss turned her hazel eyes on him. Whereas Cressy’s hazel irises were more green than brown, Fliss’s eyes were almost amber. ‘She really should come and live at Claremont until it rains. You have enough spare rooms to house an army. Facing Glenmore’s desolation every single day must be soul destroying.’
He nodded. ‘Unless Cressy makes that decision herself we both know she won’t budge from her home.’
Fliss sighed. ‘At least last night she slept at Judith’s where she wouldn’t have to worry about how much water she used. You know … having such a strong-willed sister isn’t always easy.’
Denham chuckled. ‘Of course, you’re not strong-willed either.’
Her frown changed into a smile. ‘Me, strong-willed … never. I’d rather think of myself as … an independent woman of the world.’
Denham chuckled again and slowed as he glimpsed the white-roofed caravan and the black mass of cattle in a nearby portable pen. Cressy had stopped for the night on a creek bend. The orange glow of a small campfire flickered through the tree trunks.
He left the road and as he approached Cressy stood and waved. When she realised her sister was in the passenger seat, the brilliance of her smile outshone the flames beside her.
He parked on a flat area beyond the fire. The echo of the engine hadn’t died before Fliss was out of her seat. The two sisters embraced and didn’t let go. He looked away, battling the loss that buffeted his self-control. He’d never been as close to Jake as Cressy was to Fliss. In the end he’d also felt like he hadn’t really known his younger brother at all, but he still loved and missed him.
Cressy and Fliss broke apart, their happy laughter causing cows within the holding yard to stir and stare.
He busied himself unloading the table and chairs while Cressy and Fliss chatted. Meredith had made him promise not to forget to put on the white lace tablecloth. Fliss had been generous enough to purchase his date at a premium price and his aunt was determined that their dinner be memorable. He smoothed the tablecloth over the table and placed a silver candelabra in the middle. As he lit the creamy and fragrant white candles, Cressy and Fliss walked over.
Cressy’s radiant expression said that she was okay this once about being surprised. ‘Please thank Meredith. This all looks wonderful.’ She peeked under the foil of an oval platter Fliss sat on the table. ‘And smells good too.’
‘I will.’
He forced himself to move away and to lift the large esky from out of the ute trayback. He could spend all night watching the candlelight flicker over Cressy’s face. The joy at seeing her sister had chased away the strain he’d glimpsed last visit.
He removed the esky lid as Cressy came to his side. The scent of orange blossom surrounded him.
‘Okay, what can I do?’
He passed her a covered round loaf that Meredith had tried to explain was a picnic cob. She’d lost him at the words fetta and prosciutto. ‘Perhaps do something with this? I’m not sure what.’
She nodded but didn’t move to set the bread on the table. A glimmer of seriousness tempered the smile in her eyes. ‘I stayed with Will and Judith last night.’
‘Fliss said you did. How were they?’
‘To be honest, I’m not sure. Judith was unusually quiet but I’ve never heard Will talk so much.’
Denham took out a flat foil-covered circle. If Fliss or Cressy asked he had to remember it was a pumpkin, goat’s cheese and herb tart.
‘He was chatty too yesterday when I called. Maybe it’s a good sign?’
He handed Cressy the tart but she still made no move to place the items on the table that Fliss had now laid with antique silver cutlery.
‘I hope so. But I hope it also isn’t a sign that he’s made the decision to do something … like end his life.’
Denham stiffened. His father had appeared to be in high spirits before he’d taken his last walk to the shed. They’d also had an unusual conversation where his undemonstrative father had clasped his shoulder and told him his mother was a good woman and he was a good son for always being there for her.
‘Is Judith worried he might do something to harm himself?’ He tried and failed to keep emotion from thickening his voice.
‘She says she isn’t. She’s also always on the alert for warning signs. But she just seems more anxious than usual.’
‘I’ll visit them tomorrow.’ Denham reached for another item from the esky to hide his expression. ‘I want to talk to them about grading their front road. It would be a hard time of year with Andy’s birthday coming up.’
‘That would be great if you could fix their road. Some of those holes would swallow a truck. And yes, that’s what Judith said, it’s a difficult time of year.’ The seriousness left Cressy’s eyes. ‘Will’s behaviour might have been a little odd but he was very kind and gave Tippy a new collar and me a stock whip. He also has one for you.’
Denham passed her a bottle of chilled white wine. ‘He said he was making me one.’
‘A word of warning though.’ Cressy’s lips curved. ‘His gift does come with some loaded questions about kids and future partners. So start preparing your five-year plan now. He caught me flat-footed.’
Denham dug to the bottom of the esky to hide his curiosity about how she may have answered. ‘What did you say?’
But Cressy had turned to head for the table.
***
An hour later darkness had descended and moonlight had cast a soft glow over the stock route. Tippy lay under the table, her side against Denham’s right boot. The wine bottle was half empty and Meredith’s gourmet picnic a success.
Fliss slid the glass jar that contained Cressy’s half-eaten white bean and lemon salad towards her. ‘I’ve eaten in some topnotch London restaurants in the past few weeks but Meredith’s cooking has no equal.’
Denham smiled. ‘I’ll be sure to pass on your praise. Just be thankful you’re not here for longer as Phil and I have had to let both our belts out.’
‘See,’ Fliss said, ‘I told you Phil putting his back out could be a blessing. Meredith’s cooking sure beats what he’d whip up for himself in the farm manager’s cottage.’
Cressy’s wine glass paused at her lips. Her arm then slowly lowered.
‘No way.’ Her brow furrowed as she sat her wine glass on the table and glanced between the two of them. ‘Denham is your source? I never mentioned what happened to Phil or that he’d moved into the main house.’
Denham broke the sudden silence. ‘I’m not sure if source is the best word to describe what I am to Fliss. I never get a word in.’
He wasn’t sure if anger or disbelief narrowed Cressy’s gaze.
He spoke again. ‘When Mum’s cancer returned and she went to Sydney for treatment Fliss would call with updates. We’ve stayed in touch. Trust me, your name didn’t always come up. Your sister enjoyed reliving my every injury and bossing me around until I received the treatment she said I needed.’
Fliss leant over to squeeze Cressy’s hand. ‘When Denham came back I asked him not to let on we’d been in contact. It’s not something I deliberately wanted to keep from you … I just wasn’t sure you wanted to know.’ Fliss shot Denham a guarded look. ‘You’d moved on.’
Cressy nodded, face expressionless.
‘At least I knew the truth of what was happening in your life,’ Fliss continued softly. ‘If I listened to Edna, I’d soon have a wedding to help organise for you and Shaun.’
Denham’s grip tightened on the fine stem of his crystal wine glass at the mention of Shaun’s name coupled with Cressy’s.
‘Was that Denham trying to call when you had to go one London phone call?’
‘Yes. Why, did I sound flustered?’
Cressy’s lips twitched. ‘A little.’
‘Well, now you know why. You also know who to call if he does anything silly, like ride bulls again, as I know his medical history.’
Cressy smiled and lifted her wine glass again. ‘I will. I’ll leave patching him up to the experts.’
Denham barely heard her teasing comment. Instead his attention honed in on the faint but jarring sound of four-stroke bike engines. From over in the holding yard hooves scuffled as cows stood.
‘What is it?’ Cressy asked, following his gaze to his left.
The strong beams of light that pierced through the night answered for him. The harsh noise of accelerating dirt bikes quickly gained in volume as they sped closer. Lights arced through the air and hovered as the bikes went over some sort of jumps. There had to be at least four riders.
An anxious cow bellowed.
‘Why are the bikes so loud?’ Fliss asked, voice raised. ‘Surely they’re not meant to sound like that? The riders will end up with hearing damage.’
‘They’ve removed the baffles from their exhausts,’ Denham spoke above the noise as he stood. ‘Somehow I don’t think their future hearing is high on their thrill-seeking priority list.’
He exchanged glances with Cressy. All the cattle had come to their feet and now pushed against each other, the sound of their bellows increasing.
Cressy frowned in the direction of the bikes. ‘Tanner said some dirt bike riders had made an illegal track around here somewhere.’
‘I think we’ve found where.’ He slipped his ute keys from his pocket. ‘I’ll tell them it’s time to head home.’
‘I’ll come too,’ Fliss said, moving away from the table, ‘and educate them about the risks of noisy motorbike riding.’
‘Tippy and I’ll keep Bessie and the girls calm,’ Cressy said.
But as Denham glanced at Tippy who’d sunk low to the ground, her attention on the cattle, Denham knew it was too late. The holding yard only had the one sturdy wire fence at the back, leaving three vulnerable sides of thin electrical tape.
‘Cressy,’ he said, voice low. ‘Get ready, they’re going to r—’
The explosive sound of a dirt bike backfiring cut through the air like a shot. The cattle surged. A steel post toppled and then another, the once taut white tape becoming trampled and tangled. A main group of cattle bolted along the fence line in the opposite direction to the bikes. A smaller group broke away and headed for the caravan.
Denham sprinted for his ute while Cressy ran to her ag bike. Fliss’s pale dress gleamed as she raced to the damaged holding yard. As much as she’d become a city girl, Fliss understood that the holding yard had to be rebuilt to contain the cattle he and Cressy would try and round up.
He swung the ute around. Cressy and Tippy had gone after the main mob. In the thin moonlight he could just make out the white panels on Cressy’s bike as she attempted to turn the stampeding cattle.
The smaller group thundered past the caravan towards where Denham, Cressy and Fliss had enjoyed Meredith’s picnic dinner. The trestle table toppled, chairs fell to the ground and campfire sparks shot upwards as the cattle fled. He drove after them and managed to head them off and turn them to the right before they reached the tar road. In the distance shone the headlights of an oncoming car.
He steered the cattle back towards the holding yard. By now the dirt bike noises had faded and lights no longer cut through the gloom.
Fliss had reassembled the yard and stood near the caravan so she wouldn’t spook the cattle when they returned. The bellows to his right indicated that the main herd also were headed back to camp. To his left, the shadows of kangaroos hopped between the trees. It wasn’t just Cressy’s cattle the dirt bike riders had disturbed.
He herded his small group over to the rectangular holding yard. They hesitated and then walked through the gateway. Too late he saw a large male kangaroo loom out of the shadows. The sudden movement startled the skittish cows. They rushed towards the back of the pen. Two heifers had the good sense to stop at the barbed wire fence but an adult cow sailed over the top. Two others quickly followed.
Denham silenced a curse. Reggie wasn’t Cressy’s only cow who jumped like a show horse. He turned on the ute’s high-powered spotlights but the cattle had disappeared into the vast darkness of a farmer’s paddock.
CHAPTER
13
‘So what’s our Plan A,’ Fliss asked as Cressy, Denham and Tippy all stood in the pool of light from Denham’s ute and stared into the paddock.
Nothing moved. Not even a rabbit. Cressy could only hope her three cows had slowed and stopped once they’d felt safe in the darkness. Now that the loud noises and bright lights no longer threatened them, the rest of the herd appeared content in their yard. Some cattle already lay on the ground, their heads tucked into their side, sleeping.
Beside her, Fliss stifled a yawn. Fine lines of exhaustion framed her sister’s mouth and earlier Cressy had glimpsed a deep weariness in her eyes.
‘Plan A,’ Cressy said, ‘is for Denham to take you home so you can sleep. I’ll wait until morning to look for the cows.’
Fliss shook her head. ‘I don’t need to go home. I’m only a little jetlagged. Besides, you can’t look for the missing cows plus watch your main herd.’
Cressy looked across at Denham who’d remained silent while scrolling through his phone. The angle of his jaw said he too wouldn’t leave until her cattle had been found.
