Inheritance (16 page)

‘I haven’t decided yet. It should probably be reasonably close to the house so we can tend the animals easily.’

‘Not too close,’ Lorna warned. ‘We don’t want zoo smells in the house.’

‘That’s true. And it needs to be in the shade. Maybe down by those trees.’ Cassie pointed to a clump of trees about a hundred metres away. ‘What do you think, Lorna?’

‘That might do. You’ll have to have water, though. The men’ll have to run a pipe to it.’

‘Yes, that shouldn’t be too hard. Come on, Rosie, we’ll walk down and have a look around. We’ve got time before Nadia and Gemma arrive for coffee.’

‘Is Mark coming too?’ Rosie asked when they were out of earshot.

‘I don’t think so.’

‘You’re seeing rather a lot of him, aren’t you? Almost every day this week. Yet you keep telling me there’s nothing in it.’

‘Oh, it’s just happened that way.’

‘We never used to have secrets from each other.’ Rosie sounded hurt. ‘We’ve always told each other everything.’

A pang of remorse shot through Cassie. Rosie was right; they’d always been so close, they’d never kept secrets from each other.

‘Oh, Rosie, don’t be upset. Well, yes, it does seem as if he wants to see me, doesn’t it? But I don’t know if he’s interested in me or if it’s just happening that way.’

‘Oh, come on, anyone can see he’s interested in you. But what about you? How do you feel about him?’

Cassie reflected. ‘I have to admit I do find him attractive. But I’d be a fool to get involved with him, wouldn’t I?’

‘Why?’

‘You said yourself he’s had a string of conquests, and he’s obviously having an affair with Stella Hardwick.’

‘I suppose you’re right. But it’d be exciting while it lasted.’

‘Is that what you’d want from a relationship? Just a bit of excitement?’

‘I guess not.’ Rosie sounded as if she wasn’t sure.

‘Anyhow, what about you?’ Cassie asked. ‘How’s your love life? I haven’t seen you with anyone in tow since I’ve been back.’

‘My love life’s non-existent, worse luck.’

‘What about you and Daniel?’

‘What about me and Daniel? Nothing.’

‘You were so close when you were young; he was always the one for you, wasn’t he? What happened?’

Rosie shrugged. ‘It wasn’t the same when he came back from college. No, that’s not quite right. For a while it was good. I really thought he was looking at me differently, and then suddenly, he changed. Overnight, it seemed as if he…I don’t know…changed his mind or something. He looks on me like a kid sister.’ She ran her fingers absently through her hair and sighed. ‘No. There’s no romance in sight for me. Not even a casual fling.’

‘Is that really what you’d want?’

‘It might be better than nothing. I should probably stop saving myself for Daniel, looks like that won’t happen! But, no, I suppose it’s not what I really want. I guess we’re both just old-fashioned girls at heart.’ She quickened her stride. ‘Come on, let’s check out this zoo site!’

As they walked along, she started singing an old ballad.
‘If I give my heart to you, it will be forever.’

***

‘Ooh, he’s lovely. Hoppy. Hoppy.’ Gemma clapped her hands with delight as she called to the joey. She stood by the side of the pen later that morning as the tiny animal gave little hops around, stopping to sniff and investigate the strange scents he could smell. He stopped and stood still, close to her, and raised his head, twitching his nose in the air.

‘See. He knows me! He remembers me! Can I take him out of there and play with him?’

‘I’m afraid he’s too young to play with yet.’ Cassie spoke gently but firmly. ‘But if you like to sit here and just talk to him while we have coffee, then it’ll be time for his next bottle of milk and you can give it to him. Would you like to do that?’

‘Oh, yes, please, Cassie!’

‘Perhaps you’d like to have some cake while you’re waiting. Come over to the table and take a piece.’

Gemma walked across and helped herself to a piece of chocolate cake, then returned to sit by the pen, talking softly to Hoppy while she ate her cake.

Nadia already sat at the table and Cassie joined her as Lorna came out carrying a large pot of coffee. Rosie followed with a tray with cream and sugar. The cups were already set out on the table and Lorna poured the coffee before she and Rosie took their seats. The women settled themselves for a chat as they enjoyed their coffee.

Suddenly there was a sudden rush of feet as Larry came bounding up the steps, a big smile on his face.

‘Hello, Cassie. I’ve come to see the joey. Can I, please?’

‘Yes, of course you can. Gemma’s already over there talking to him. Would you like a piece of cake, Larry?’

‘Yes, please!’

Cassie held out the plate and he selected a piece before walking over to join Gemma by the pen.

‘Hullo,’ he said through a mouthful of cake. ‘I’m Larry. My dad’s a stockman here and we live in the stockman’s quarters. Where do you live?’

Gemma looked up shyly at him. ‘I live at Binbin Station. I came over with my grandmother to see Hoppy.’

‘Is that his name? He’s fairly young, but he’ll probably live.’ Larry spoke with all the authority of his eight years. ‘His mother got killed on the road.’

‘Oh, poor thing. Was Hoppy with her?’

‘Yes, he was in her pouch, but he didn’t get hurt. A man picked him up and gave him to Cassie.’

‘That was my daddy.’

‘Was it? Where’s Binbin Station?’

‘Next door.’

‘I haven’t seen you before.’

‘I haven’t been here before. Sometimes we live in Sydney. We’re not always at Binbin. I feel sad for Hoppy.’ Gemma reached over and stroked him gently on the head. ‘Poor Hoppy.’ She spoke sadly. ‘Now you can never have a mother.’

‘He’s an orphan.’ Larry was matter-of-fact.

‘What’s an orphan?’

‘That’s what you are if you haven’t got a mother.’

‘I haven’t got a mother. Not at the moment. But I’m not an orphan.’ She shook her head as she spoke decisively.

‘Is your mother dead?’

‘No. She just went away.’

‘Is she coming back?’

Gemma bit her nail. ‘Daddy says she’s not. But she will, I know she will. I don’t like not having a mother.’

‘Perhaps your father will get you another one.’

‘Another mother?’ She wrinkled her nose. ‘How could he?’

‘If he got married again.’ Larry paused, pondering. ‘But of course, then she’d be your stepmother. And stepmothers are always wicked and cruel to children.’

Her eyes opened wide. ‘Really? How do you know?’

‘It’s in all the books.’

Gemma was silent as she digested this information.

Then she turned her attention again to Hoppy. ‘I won’t let anyone ever be cruel to you, Hoppy. Even if you are an orphan.’ She stroked him again. ‘I’m going to give him his bottle soon,’ she told Larry. ‘Cassie said I can.’

‘Yes, that’s a woman’s job. I’ll watch you. I go riding with the men sometimes when they go ’round the fences. And I helped with the drafting and branding. I’m going to be a stockman like my dad.’ He spoke proudly.

‘Do you have a horse?’

‘Yes. Well, Mum and I share it, kind of. But she doesn’t ride it much. It’s mostly mine.’

‘Do you go to school?’

‘I used to do School of the Air, ’cos we’ve been moving round a lot, when Dad goes to different jobs. But we’re going to stay here now. Dad’s permanent. We’re glad about that, and now I go on the school bus to the school at Caroobindi. Where do you go to school?’

‘I’ll be starting school next year but I’m not sure where I’ll be going.’

‘Maybe you could come to Caroobindi with me.’

Gemma’s face lit up. ‘Maybe I could. That’d be fun, wouldn’t it?’

‘It’d be okay.’

‘I’ll ask Grandy.’ Running over to the table, she touched her grandmother on the arm. ‘Grandy! ’Scuse me! Can I go to Caroobindi school with Larry next year?’

Nadia looked startled as she excused herself from the conversation. ‘Good heavens, Gemma! Would you like to do that?’ she asked.

‘Oh, yes please. Can I?’

‘Well, it is a big decision. I will talk to your father and we will go into the matter. Like I said, it is a big decision.’

‘But you will talk to Daddy?’ she insisted.

‘Yes, I will talk to him.’

‘And now it’s time for the joey’s bottle,’ Lorna told her. ‘Would you like to come in with me while I get it ready, Gemma?’

‘Yes, please. Larry’s going to watch while I feed him.’

They walked in to the kitchen together. Gemma watched with interest as Lorna took a baby’s bottle full of milk from the refrigerator and put it into the microwave. When it was warm, she removed it and put a teat on the bottle; then she shook a few drops on to the inside of her forearm.

‘We have to make sure it’s the right temperature,’ she explained to Gemma. ‘If it’s too hot, it’d burn his mouth. This is just like his mother’s milk was.’

They went out to the pen and Lorna handed the bottle to Gemma.

‘Now just hold it out to him. He knows what it is.’

The baby kangaroo hopped to the edge of the pen. Eagerly he grabbed the teat and started to suck.

‘That’s right. Just hold it like that now till he finishes.’ Lorna went back to her seat at the table. From there, she could keep a watchful eye on the feeding.

Gemma bent over the pen, making little soothing sounds as she fed him. ‘He probably thinks I’m his mother,’ she said.

‘Of course he doesn’t,’ replied Larry scornfully.

‘Well, he knows I’m his friend, anyway.’ She tossed her head. ‘He likes me! When I came, he remembered me from the other day. So there!’ She pulled a face at Larry.

‘He’ll get to know me, too. We can both be his friends.’ Larry tried to make amends. ‘We’ll make sure he’s always okay.’

Gemma smiled happily. ‘Yes. We can both help look after him.’

Larry watched as Gemma held the bottle for the greedy little animal. When it was finally empty, she took it from his mouth.

‘He’s finished,’ she called out.

Lorna came over and took the bottle from her. ‘Time for his nap now,’ she said firmly. Reluctantly, the children moved away from the pen.

‘Good heavens, just look at the time,’ exclaimed Nadia, rising from the table. ‘It is time to go. Thank you so much, Cassie my dear. It has been such a pleasant morning. I hope you will come and have coffee with me soon.’

Picking up her bag she moved towards the steps. ‘Please come to visit me, too,’ she added, to Lorna. ‘Perhaps you and Cassie will come next week?’

‘Can I come back to see Hoppy again soon?’ interjected Gemma.

‘Yes, whenever you like. Just ask Grandy to ring me, or Lorna,’ Cassie replied with a smile. ‘And I’ll always be happy to have coffee with you, Nadia. I’ve enjoyed it so much.’

Cassie turned to Larry when they had left. ‘Well, you and Gemma seemed to get on all right together. Do you like her?’

‘Aw, she’s all right. For a girl.’

The telephone rang inside the house. ‘I’ll get it.’ Cassie hurried inside.

When she returned a few minutes later, she took a deep breath and swallowed to ease the tightness in her chest before speaking.

‘That was the solicitor to say that probate is finally through,’ she told Rosie and Lorna. ‘I am now the official owner of Yallandoo Station. Rather bittersweet, really. I’ve gained Yallandoo but I had to lose two of my best friends to do so.’

The next week Cassie received a summons to the bank to sign the official mortgage documents for Yallandoo. When all was complete, she left the bank with one thought. I wonder how long it’ll take me to repay this. And will it ever happen?

Gary arrived in his battered old utility truck with another man, who looked to be about his own age. Once they were seated at the table on the verandah, he introduced him.

‘This is my off-sider, Ben Drake.’

‘Howdy, ladies,’ Ben said with a big grin.

The two young men were very different, in looks and demeanour. Gary, serious and businesslike, was short and stocky. He had close cropped, fair curly hair and his frank, open face gave him a wholesome, boy-next-door look. He wore King Gee work shorts and a sleeveless denim shirt.

Ben, on the other hand, looked totally different, a bit of a larrikin in fact. He wore a dark blue and white striped shirt, open at the neck and with the sleeves carelessly rolled up, and khaki cargo shorts. He caught Rosie’s eye on him and winked at her. Hastily she averted her gaze and brought it back to the table.

‘You understand these are just sketches of a couple of different ideas I have. We can change them any way you like,’ Gary told them as he spread three plan drawings on the table.

‘Of course,’ Cassie replied. ‘Perhaps you’ll explain them to us.’

‘Right. They’re all basic cabin style, except this larger one, which is more a cottage, really. This first one’s a studio. It has a deck at the front, as they all have, with glass doors for access from inside. It has a double bed here,’ he pointed with a pencil. ‘This is a curtain on a track from the ceiling that you can pull across for privacy at night. Out here,’ he indicated the other side of the room, ‘is the kitchen and eating area with a table and chairs. Cooking facilities on the side here. Down this end’s a sofa that pulls out to become another bed. There’s a small bathroom here; no bath, just a shower, that’s all you need.’

‘Yes.’ Cassie nodded her agreement.

‘And next to it, where the wall forms a bit of a space, I’ve put an alcove which has double bunks. Also with pull across curtains. Great for kids. So in this fairly small area you can sleep up to six people, good for a family. Or it’d be great for just a couple.’

‘Excellent,’ said Cassie. ‘Now what about this one?’ She looked at the next plan.

‘Well, this one has the living area, similar to this,’ nodding at the first plan, ‘but a bit more space. It’s a bit more luxurious with two separate bedrooms in case you have two couples travelling together, and still the sofa bed and the alcove here. So it sleeps up to eight people.

‘And lastly we have the cottage, which has three bedrooms upstairs and a larger bathroom, perhaps with a spa. Downstairs is a large living and kitchen area. It still has the bunk beds and the sofa bed and that gives you a capacity of ten people. You could charge a high rate for something like that. If you’re planning on six altogether, you might decide to include one cottage, for large groups.’