Down Outback Roads (12 page)

Kree returned the peas to her sore knee. She’d tempt fate a little longer. Ewan had almost finished his casserole and beer.

‘They’re going really well. The phone call I was waiting on tonight confirmed the coach house is ours and will be available for town use.’

Ewan whistled. ‘You don’t muck around. So your investor came through?’

‘Yes, they did. The coach house is now owned by Montfield Incorporated, my investor’s company, and they’ve appointed their lawyer as our go-to person for things like insurance, repairs etc.’ She kept her expression neutral. The less Ewan
asked about the investor, the better. He’d not approve of how she’d engineered the purchase of the coach house. ‘The Sydney seller can’t rid himself of the building quick enough, so a fast settlement has been reached. We should get the keys next week.’

‘And then what’s your plan?’

‘I’ve spent the past few days talking to people and canvassing local opinion. The town council is on board, Mrs Jessop has been spreading the word and Beth has agreed to be employed as our part-time manager. So, now it will be a matter of cleaning the building and sourcing stock and tourist information.’

Ewan’s grave eyes held hers. ‘Which all takes money.’

‘I know, and that’s where Seth and I can help. To get the venture started, we’ll donate the proceeds Seth received from selling his survival story to the media.’

‘Will that be enough?’

‘Yes. An American paper were interested enough to bid for exclusive story rights. The money was always going to go to the Glenalla community in some way, and depending on the coach house expenses, I’m still hoping we can donate to the emergency services.’

‘Kree, you’ve already more than repaid any debt you believe you owe Glenalla.’ Seriousness slowed Ewan’s words. ‘It’s now us who owe you.’

‘I can never thank everyone enough for saving Seth.’

Ewan smiled a gentle smile. ‘Well, you have, a thousand times over.’ He pushed back his chair, his bowl empty. ‘I’m heading to Queensland for a few days next week, so put me down after then for anything I can do.’ He winked. ‘I’m sure some tools or boys toys will be needed for something.’

‘Thanks.’ Kree returned the frozen peas to the tabletop. ‘Mrs Jessop has already mentioned asking you. It seems her daughter, Cassandra, is coming home from uni on weekends to lend a hand.’

Ewan groaned and stood. ‘Maybe I’ll stay longer in Queensland.’

Kree placed her hands flat on the table and readied herself to stand.

Ewan came to her side, his eyes narrowed. ‘Is your knee still sore?’

‘No, just tender. I’m sure it will be fine in the morning. I want to ride Banjo to Berridale, so it will have to be.’

Ewan offered her his hand. After a brief hesitation, she slipped her fingers into his.

‘Ready?’ he asked.

‘Heave away.’

His fingers closed over hers and he pulled her to her feet.

Kree breathed in the scent of soap and his sun-dried t-shirt and let her hand rest in the warm strength of his hold. The wide width of his shoulders filled her line of vision. The prospect of Ewan working up a sweat wearing a toolbelt would have more than Mrs Jessop’s daughter volunteering to help at the coach house.

‘Any pain?’ he asked.

‘Nothing a good night’s sleep won’t fix.’

Ewan made no effort to release her hand and she made no effort to tug her fingers free. The tick of the kitchen clock marked time.

‘Kree?’ Ewan’s husky words seemed to come from a place deep inside him.

She slowly looked from his collarbones to his face. Tension set his features and rendered his eyes storm-dark.

She’d left leaving too late and now she’d pay the price. Even without Ewan’s mouth touching hers, her self-control hung in tatters. She’d dated Ray for five years, but after only five seconds of her hand in Ewan’s, she felt more stripped and exposed than she’d ever been. It was as though her self-preservation had simply melted away, leaving her defenceless and vulnerable. He made her feel and want things she hadn’t thought mattered. Things she could never control. Her hand trembled.

Shutters descended over Ewan’s eyes. He released her fingers as though the contact with her skin scalded him. He swung away to collect his bowl, the shadows concealing his expression.

‘Okay, if you’re all right,’ he said, voice hoarse, ‘I’ll hit the hay. I’ve an extra-early start tomorrow.’

Tish pummelled the tear-damp pillow that refused to form a comfortable shape. Tension formed a tight band around her head. Kree and Ewan’s doors had long ago closed. The fact they’d finally had some alone time failed to ease her misery. She glanced at her mobile on her bedside table. She needed to call Travis. In the past, he’d always made sense of her ramblings and his calm logic had cleared a path through the haze of her anxiety. But what was keeping her awake had nothing to do with keeping him in the loop about Kree and Ewan. It was early days in the restoration of their friendship and she didn’t want to burden him with other concerns.

She pressed a hand to her mouth. The world she loved was crumbling around her. She needed money. She and Ewan had cut corners, lived frugally and made it through the drought. But now there were no financial reserves to ensure they could continue to survive. The cost of putting in their first crops in five years had depleted their budget. Until the cash crops made it to harvest, and there were no guarantees they would do so, money would remain tight. They
had no stock left, and without sheep or cattle to supplement the cropping enterprises, Marellen wouldn’t be financially viable.

Ewan had said he had the purchase of the UltraBlack cattle covered and she’d thought his words had meant that the bank had agreed to finance the total amount. But when she’d taken the bank’s letter of offer down to the paddock for Ewan to sign at his lunch break, she’d seen the loan figure, and even she could tell it wasn’t enough. When she’d questioned Ewan, he’d reassured her everything would be fine.

Tish had then come home, only to take a call from Fred Webb about buying Ewan’s ute. She now knew everything would only be fine because Ewan was going to sell his ute to keep Marellen going for her and his nephews. Ewan’s ute was his pride and joy. He’d bought it before the drought and together, he and Fergus had spent months in the machinery shed doing it up. She couldn’t let him sell the last thing connecting him to his brother.

Which left only one option for finding the money … her parents. She pressed her fingers harder against her lips. The decision she’d made tonight would irrevocably change life for her and the boys.

Tomorrow she’d call her mother – and make a deal with the devil.

The sound of glass shattering in the kitchen caused Kree to turn right at the hallway instead of left. Despite the ache in her knee, she was still planning to ride Banjo to Berridale. She twisted the brass door handle and pushed. The boys were in the sandpit and Ewan on the tractor. Tish was the only
other person in the homestead. The kitchen door swung open and she saw Tish standing with her head bowed. Around her booted feet lay the remains of a glass jar.

‘Tish, is everything okay?’

Tish’s head lifted but she didn’t meet Kree’s eyes. ‘Everything’s fine. I’m sterilising jars for tomato chutney and my butter-fingers dropped one.’

Kree walked into the kitchen. Her ride could wait. Tish’s lack-lustre words indicated things were far from fine. Kree flicked on the electric kettle.

‘Like a cuppa?’ she asked.

‘Thanks, yes. I would.’ Tish smiled a small smile and bent to carefully collect the largest piece of glass from near her left foot. ‘You know, you’re becoming quite the Aussie.’

Kree collected the dustpan from the kitchen cupboard. ‘Ewan said the same thing, but no matter how many of your sayings I learn, Darby sometimes still looks at me as though I’m speaking a completely different language.’

Tish moved her feet for Kree to sweep around them. ‘I don’t think it’s your accent; Darby can have trouble hearing. He had a lot of ear infections when he was younger and even though we’ve done hearing tests that say he hears perfectly, I don’t think he really does.’

Kree swept the last of the fine shards of glass into the dustpan and stood. ‘Tish, I’m not sure if you know this, but in another life I was actually an audiologist, and sometimes ears might work perfectly but the brain has trouble processing the information that the ears send through. Maybe it could be worth having his hearing tested again, but this time using more specific testing?’

‘That’s a good idea. Ewan’s worried Darby doesn’t talk because of something he did.’ She paused. ‘Has … er … Ewan talked to you about … his brother?’

‘He did.’ The starkness of his hoarse words when he’d done so continued to keep Kree awake at night. ‘He explained what happened. I’m so sorry, Tish, for your loss.’

‘Thanks.’ Tish took the dustpan from Kree’s grasp, emptied the glass into the garbage bin and replaced the pan and brush to the cupboard. ‘Ewan still blames himself and I can’t do or say anything to convince him otherwise.’

‘I know. Tell me about it.’

Kree collected two mugs from off the kitchen hutch and set about making their tea.

‘He also feels guilty,’ Tish continued as she passed Kree the milk from the fridge, ‘that the emotional upheaval of what happened has affected Darby, and is sure that’s why he doesn’t talk much.’

Kree set their two full mugs onto the two round chicken coasters on the kitchen table. Tish returned the milk to the fridge, sat opposite Kree and drew the hot mug towards her.

‘Darby’s quietness,’ Kree said, ‘could have everything to do with his childhood ear infections and nothing to do with losing his father.’

‘I hope so, for Ewan’s sake.’ Tish stared into her tea, which she’d made no effort to drink. ‘I’ll make sure I get Darby’s hearing tested when I’m settled in the city.’

Kree couldn’t hide the instant lift of her brows. ‘City?’

Tish didn’t reply using words. The tears filling her green eyes provided all the answers Kree needed. ‘Tish, what’s going on? I hope I’m not out of line saying this, but I overheard your
conversation with your mother the other night. You were adamant you weren’t leaving.’

‘I know. I am … well, was. And I don’t mind that you heard my conversation. The only person who I don’t want overhearing anything said between myself and my mother is Ewan. It’ll break his heart, and mine, to move the boys away.’

‘Surely it won’t come to such a thing?’

‘It already has.’

‘Why, what’s happened?’

Tish swiped her hand across her eyes. ‘I don’t want to burden you with my family dramas, you’ve had enough of your own.’

‘I hope I’m not only a guest, but a friend by now. It’s okay to tell me what’s bothering you.’

A smile briefly chased away the unhappiness tensing Tish’s face. ‘Yes, we are friends. I’ve enjoyed having you here and will certainly miss you when you go.’ Tish sighed, a shuddering sound. ‘The thing is, Ewan needs money. We struggled our way through the drought but now don’t have the financial resources to get back on our feet. There’s no guarantee the crops will thrive and Marellen has always run as a mixed farm. We need stock to generate an income. The bank will cover half the cost of buying new cattle, but Ewan will need to sell his ute and then somehow raise the difference.’

‘That sounds like something Ewan would do. I know how much he enjoys his ute, but he would definitely put providing for you and the boys first.’

‘I know, but his ute is the last thing linking him to Fergus, so I can’t let him sell it. He’s given up so much to help me raise the boys and doesn’t ask for anything in return.’ Tish’s fingers twisted together. ‘When I stop shaking and dropping jars, I’m
calling my mother. She will say yes to giving me the money, but only if I agree to come … home.’

Distress cracked through Tish’s husky tone.

Kree shared her heartache. Not only would Tish and the boys miss Marellen and Ewan, but Tish would miss Travis. Kree’s thoughts whirled.

‘You mightn’t have to call your mother. There could be another way.’

‘Another way? I don’t know how there could be. I spent all night trying to think of alternatives.’

‘How about I loan you the money?’

‘That’s so kind, but I couldn’t accept. It’s a sizable sum we’re talking about.’ Tish hesitated. ‘I’m also sure you’re a talented artist, but the artists I know don’t make a lot of money.’

Kree touched her hand. ‘Thanks for your concern, but I do fine. I could have the money for you tomorrow.’

Tish blinked. ‘Tomorrow?’

‘Yes.’

Tish tilted her head to the side, hope softening the anxious line of her mouth. ‘Can you really have it by tomorrow?

‘Absolutely.’

‘And it’s no problem?’

‘No problem, at all. The money’s there. After all of Ewan’s help finding Seth, please let me help you. The boys are so happy here and I’d hate to think of them moving somewhere they could be unsettled. To be honest, I’m not sure how free-spirited Braye and your mother will get on. I just know how much Seth hates having constraints imposed upon him.’

Tish left her chair and came around the table to Kree. ‘The thought of Braye clashing with my mother makes me sick. She likes things a certain way and her only experience with
raising a child has been me. And, as you can probably guess, I was quiet, compliant and very tidy.’ Tish gave Kree a tight hug. ‘
Thank you
.’

Kree hugged her back. ‘You’re very welcome.’

Tish returned to her seat and took a drink of her tea. ‘But we’ll have to think about how we do this. Ewan believes Marellen is his responsibility and will resist anyone’s efforts to help.’

‘So what do you suggest?’

‘Ewan knows I don’t have that sort of money, and even if I did, he’d assume it had come from my mother and had strings attached. My mother’s quite vocal of her disapproval of Ewan. She blames him for what she calls my “gardening obsession”. She thinks he should have kept me busy inside, planning dinner parties.’

‘I guess the money can’t come from me?

‘Definitely not. His Mackenzie pride simply wouldn’t let him accept. There’s only one person he’d be comfortable receiving any help from, let alone financial – Travis. And even then, Travis would have to work hard to convince him.’

Kree sipped at her tea and gazed at Tish from over the top of her mug. ‘Do you think Travis will come on board? It’s a big ask having him conceal the truth from his best friend.’

‘I know … but I think he would. Well, I hope he would.’ She blushed. ‘He does have a soft spot for the twins and I’d like to think he wouldn’t want them to leave.’

After an early lunch and a long phone call to Travis, Tish had given Kree a thumbs-up sign along with a relieved smile. Travis had agreed to help. Kree looped the horse lead rope
over her arm and entered the horse paddock, her steps light. Tish and the boys would stay at Marellen and Ewan could purchase the stock he needed to make the historic property viable. He said he believed the farm didn’t want his family there, but even though he’d never know it, something positive had happened here for both him and his loved ones.

At the top of the paddock beneath a spreading gum tree, she could make out the shape of two horses.

‘Banjo,’ Kree called. The shapes didn’t move.

‘Banjo,’ she called again. Tish had assured her the big bay would hear and come down to the stables.

She turned to her mini-audience. Darby and Braye stood behind the steel gate, Fudge beside them. Midget and Freckle had grown impatient and, noses to the ground, were weaving through the garden on the scent of a rabbit’s trail.

‘Maybe Banjo doesn’t understand American?’ she said with a smile.

Braye dragged in a lungful of air and bellowed, ‘Ban … jo.’

Kree squinted. She was sure the two brown shapes beneath the tree had moved. Then, as hard hooves hit solid ground, she had no doubt Braye’s Aussie bellow had carried to the far end of the paddock.

The stock horses galloped into view, black manes and tails flowing. Fudge bleated and took off after the dogs. Heads tossing, Banjo and Rocket snorted to a stop a short distance away and then picked their way towards her.

‘Hello, boy,’ she said as Banjo’s velvet nose investigated the new Akubra Braye and Darby had helped her choose. Rocket, realising Kree held a lead rope and no food, trotted over to the twins.

Kree turned on her boot heels to check on the boys, but their identical wide grins reassured her they weren’t intimidated by the 15-hand-high horse as he hung his head over the gate and snorted into their faces.