Opal Dreaming (12 page)

‘Ouch! I was just gonna test it!' he cried, wringing his hand. ‘See if it's fit for human consumption.'

‘You can wait like the rest of them,' said Mrs Arnold. ‘Why don't you do something useful while you're waiting, and collect some firewood? It's gonna be cold tonight.'

‘Yeah, righto,' Stanley grumbled. ‘Mean old woman.' He winked at Jess as he stalked off.

‘If you find me some good hardwood, I'll knock up some treacle dumplings,' Mrs Arnold called after him.

Stanley's step lightened. ‘Hardwood coming up!'

The sun disappeared over the horizon and the last traces of light faded quickly, until there was only the glow of the fire. With the day's bread already eaten, Mrs Arnold showed Jess how to make up a quick loaf of damper to go with the stew.

Jess was glad they'd had camp ready by nightfall. She was discovering that being a drover's cook was all about being organised. Tonight they were ahead on a few of their tasks and she was hoping to go for a night walk after all the dishes were washed and the dough was kneaded for tomorrow's bread. The moon was three-quarters full and would shed fantastic light. She had been thinking about Bob's words all afternoon.

That horse is from the min mins. She got
debil debil
in her head.

She approached Mrs Arnold, who was bringing the damper out of the ashes. ‘Mrs Arnold?'

‘Hmm? Here, grab a cloth and take hold of this.'

With the cloth full of damper, Jess asked, ‘Can I go for a walk after dinner?'

‘Go for a walk?' From the look on Mrs Arnold's face, Jess might as well have asked to go to Mars.

‘Yes. I've just got some weird idea about looking for min min lights.'

‘S'pose so, if you can get someone to go with you,' Mrs Arnold said doubtfully. ‘Steer clear of the cattle, though.'

‘Thanks, Mrs Arnold. I will.'

‘I mean it, Jessica. Stay clear of the cattle, or they'll up and rush, you hear? If I find you anywhere near 'em, I'll brain you.'

Jess took her bowl of stew and joined the others around the fire. Lawson picked quietly at a guitar while Stanley spent the mealtime telling tall stories. He spun a yarn about a snake crawling into his sleeping bag, obviously designed to give the girls the creeps. Lindy just smiled, shook her head, and mopped up the last of her stew. Beyond them, Jess could see Luke and Bob under the bonnet of the old ute.

‘Where's Dave?' asked Jess, with the vague idea of taking him up on his offer of his horse. A night ride would be even better than a night walk.

‘He's on night watch with Ryan,' said Shara.

‘Oh.' That dashed that idea. Jess got up and rinsed out her bowl. ‘Who's coming for a night walk then?'

‘Can we go tomorrow night?' said Rosie. ‘I'm so tired.'

Jess looked to Grace, sure she would jump at the chance.

‘I'm staying here,' Grace said, looking more than comfortable curled against her father, both their faces glowing warmly in the firelight. Jess turned to Shara with a questioning face.

‘I'm with Rosie,' said Shara. ‘I haven't slept properly for two nights.'

Jess's shoulders slumped. ‘But I'm not allowed to go by myself,' she complained.

‘I'll come,' said Luke, appearing on the other side of the fire, covered in grease. He picked the lid off the stew pot and looked around for a bowl. ‘After a quick feed, anyway. Jeez, that smells all right.'

Jess grinned.

A dark look came over Mrs Arnold's face. ‘Sit yourself down, Luke,' she said. ‘I'm responsible for the girls while they're out here, and I'm not letting 'em go walkabout with some grubby ringer in the middle of the night.' She raised an eyebrow, daring him to challenge her.

Luke found a bowl and a ladle, then turned to Mrs Arnold with one in either hand. He smiled his most charming of smiles. ‘It's okay, Mrs A. She'll be in good hands.'

‘Yeah, that's exactly what I'm worried about,' Mrs Arnold said in a slow, menacing voice. ‘Now get some dinner and sit down.'

A ripple of giggles went through the camp.

14

JESS SQUIRMED
in her swag. She pushed Grace's knee away from her ribs and curled up in a ball to stop her bladder from aching. On the other side of her, Rosie snored loudly. Outside the window, Jess could hear the truck's CD player crackling with country music. She pulled the sleeping bag up over her freezing nose.

In the end, her bladder got the better of her and she wriggled out of her swag. As she lowered herself to the floor of the truck, Mrs Arnold's hand reached out and wrapped around her ankle.

‘I'm busting for a whiz.'

‘Well, come straight back.'

Jess pulled on a jacket and slipped out the narrow door. In the soft orange light of the campfire, she could make out two people lying T-boned, one with their head on the other's belly. Lawson and Lindy.

No wonder he does what he's told! Wait till I tell the
others!

‘I'm gonna tell them both to finish up,' Lindy was murmuring to Lawson. ‘We've got enough riders now that the girls are here. Gracie's pretty handy on cattle.'

Lawson shrugged. ‘You're the boss.'

Jess stopped in her tracks, unsure if she had heard right. She still couldn't believe that Lawson would bow to anyone. She shook her head and kept creeping, barefoot, towards the riverbank. She squatted under a tree, and looked up to the stars that twinkled through its canopy.

As she stood and made her way back to the camp, a twig cracked behind her. She spun around. ‘Dave!'

‘Hey,' he whispered, stumbling through the bushes towards her.

Jess wrapped her jacket tightly around her. ‘Aren't you watching the cattle?' she said, cautiously.

‘Yep,' he said. ‘They're not doing much, sleeping and farting mostly.' He stepped closer. ‘Saw you trotting across the camp and thought I'd come and offer you a drink.' He held up the crumpled silver remains of Mrs Arnold's not-so-secret stash and gave it a shake. ‘Hmm, I seem to have emptied that, but I do have a couple of cans of rumbo left,' he said, tossing the empty bladder over his shoulder and pulling the cans out of his pockets.

‘No thanks,' Jess said politely, looking around for a way out of there that didn't involve brushing past him.

‘Don'tcha drink?' he said, sounding alarmed.

‘No.'

‘Just have a little one,' he insisted, holding the can out to her.

‘No thanks,' she said, pushing it away.

‘Ah, c'mahhn, don'tcha know how to have fun?'

‘I have to go back to the truck, Dave. Mrs Arnold is sitting up waiting for me.'

But Dave didn't give up. ‘I need a drinking buddy, it's so bloody dry around here!' He took another step towards her, and she noticed he was unsteady on his feet. ‘I only wanna
talk
. I don't bite!'

Jess leaned away from him. ‘Talk about what?

‘What's a young thing like you doing out here?' He held up the cans and pulled a comical face. ‘And not having any fun?'

‘Well, you know what Mrs Arnold's like – the word “fun” doesn't seem to be in her vocabulary. In fact, she'll probably blow a gasket if I'm not back in that trailer soon.' Jess faked a laugh as she pushed past him.

Dave held out an arm and wrapped it around her waist. ‘You didn't answer my question,' he said, suddenly sounding nasty. ‘I asked you what you're doing out here. No bloody place for a bunch of girls, if you ask me.'

‘Hey!' Jess jumped backwards and shoved his hand away. ‘We've got every right to be here. Those were Harry Blake's cattle, and he was family to us.' She tried to dodge past again, but he stepped sideways to block her.

‘Let me past!'

‘Leave her alone, Dave.'

Jess looked past Dave and saw Luke walking into the cover of the trees.

Dave spun around and gave a mocking laugh. ‘You wait your turn, boy.'

Luke put a hand on Dave's shoulder. ‘I said, get away from her.'

Dave took a step forward and put his face close to Luke's. ‘Why don't you find your own drinking buddy?' he growled.

‘Why don't you sober up?' Luke shoved him hard in the chest, and as Dave lurched backwards, Luke shoved him again.

Dave staggered a few drunken steps before finding his feet, then lunged back, swinging a fist at Luke.

Luke ducked easily and hammered a fist straight into the man's face. It connected with a sickening crunch, and Jess gasped as she watched Dave reel backwards and roll about with his hands over his face. He unleashed a tirade of abuse at both Luke and Jess before collapsing in a silent heap.

Luke bent to pick up the cans that Dave had dropped and, one by one, emptied their contents onto the ground. ‘You okay?' he asked.

She nodded and shivered. ‘Are you just gonna leave him there?'

Luke gave a short, scornful laugh. ‘I can give him another one and roll him into the river if you want.'

She shook her head quickly.

They both stepped back as Dave pulled himself off the ground. ‘I'll give
you
another one,' he snarled.

Luke dropped the cans and stepped towards him.

Dave took a moment to get steady on his feet, then sized Luke up, who stood as solid as a rock, looking down at him. ‘You'll keep,' Dave muttered, and to Jess's relief, he stumbled away, wiping his face with his sleeve and spitting on the ground.

Luke turned to her. ‘You sure you're okay?'

She nodded. ‘How'd you know I was down here?'

‘The dogs whined when you walked past, then I saw him follow. I can spot a drunk a mile off.'

Jess watched Dave disappear along the river. ‘I thought he was a nice guy,' she said, willing herself not to cry.

‘Probably is when he's sober,' said Luke. His voice changed. ‘Need a hug?'

She looked at him and nodded, and he came closer and wrapped both arms around her. Jess put her face into his chest and could hear his heart thumping. He held her stiffly for a while, with his chin on her head, and then she heard him begin to breathe more easily. ‘You're not used to seeing stuff like that, are you?' he asked quietly.

She looked up at him. ‘No, that freaked me out a bit.'

‘Sorry,' he whispered.

‘No,
I'm
sorry,' she said, ‘for being such a cow to you at Harry's place. I was horrible.'

He gave her a squeeze. ‘No biggy.'

She squeezed him back and put her freezing nose into the warmth of his neck. She drank in his smell – no soap or washing powder, just him: clean, fresh, but mixed with the muskiness of horse and woodsmoke. Then she startled. ‘Oh no! Mrs Arnold! She'll come looking for me,' she whispered urgently, pulling away. ‘She'll kill us both!'

‘Wait,' said Luke, grabbing her hand. ‘Aren't you going to tell her what happened?'

Jess groaned. ‘I'll get sent home. And what if Dave tries to have you up for assault?' She looked at Luke pleadingly. ‘Please don't tell anyone.'

‘Are you nuts?' said Luke. ‘He was
drunk
!'

‘I think Lindy is going to sack them anyway. I overheard her talking to Lawson.'

‘Dave was harassing you.'

‘He didn't hurt me. I'll be fine. I'd better hurry before Mrs Arnold comes looking for me.' Jess began to pull away. ‘If she finds me down here with you, I really will get sent home.'

But Luke kept hold of her hand. He pulled her back into his arms. ‘Are you sure you're okay?'

‘Yes.'

He swept her hair off her face and looked down at her with a calm intensity. ‘You tell me if he comes anywhere near you again.'

‘Okay,' she said, feeling suddenly self-conscious.

‘If he even looks at you.'

She nodded. ‘Um, I have to go.' She pulled herself away from him and felt her hand slip from his, then tiptoed hurriedly across the camp to the trailer.

Later, lying in her swag, Jess couldn't sleep, unable to stop reliving the sense of Luke's warm arms wrapped around her and the way he had looked at her. Maybe Rosie was right?

She pulled the curtain back and looked out the window. Only a flat pile of embers remained of the campfire, where Lawson and Lindy sat quietly. The generator hummed and music still crackled softly from the cabin of the truck. After what seemed like hours, she drifted into a fitful sleep.

15

SHE WOKE TO
her foot being violently shaken.

‘Time to get up,' said Mrs Arnold.

Jess groaned, stretched and looked out the window at the pink and orange sunrise. The campfire had died and there were two empty cups, upended, where Lawson and Lindy had been.

Suddenly, Bob ran into the camp waving and gesturing madly. Jess noticed he held Mrs Arnold's empty wine bladder in one hand.

‘Something's happened to Bob!' said Jess, loud enough to wake the others up.

Shara, with her hair sticking up and eyes half-open, grunted and shuffled up next to her. ‘What's going on?'

Outside, Lindy appeared from the cabin of the truck, hopping about and pulling on her boots. She listened briefly to Bob before sticking two fingers in her mouth and issuing a sharp whistle.

Grace instantly sat up and crawled to the tiny window. ‘Let me see,' she said, squeezing between Jess and Shara.

The entire camp erupted into chaos.

Lawson emerged shirtless from somewhere and was bellowing at Ryan within seconds. ‘I told you to keep an eye on those drinking buddies of yours,' he roared. ‘There was to be no alcohol on this trip!'

Ryan, looking drowsy and wearing only a pair of shorts, held up his hands in puzzlement. ‘I didn't know there was any!'

‘Uh-oh,' Jess heard Mrs Arnold mumble.

Lawson clenched his fists and raised them at Ryan, as though he wanted to punch him from one end of the camp to another.