Five
Rijidij Dugout was such a well-hidden spot, you wouldn’t know it was there until you were practically on top of it. Wisps of steam rose from the shimmering surface of the large rock pool, creating a natural spa. The water was so clear you could see bubbles slowly rising between the smooth river rocks, mingling with a soothing mix of sand and the softest mud.
After a long day of chasing cattle, Ryder was looking forward to kicking back in that spa, beer in hand, while taking in the view of Emu Plains. An open valley filled with sun-drenched grasslands that rippled like a sunlit sea, it stretched endlessly to meet the sinking sun on the horizon. As that great ball of orange and red fire bathed the valley in golden light, each blade of grass seemed to reflect that fire. The hazy horizon blurred softly into the distant ridges of the Stoneys that stood like silent soldiers, yet somehow crafted a seamless tapestry of ochre gold and amber, it truly was the land of the big sky.
Still in the saddle, Ryder tried to work out where to set down his swag for the night, which was proving a challenge when the girls had marked out most of the territory with tents!
Ash and Harper had a big tent to help contain little Mason. Meanwhile, the toddler was having a fat time with the stash of yellow rubber ducks Bree had emptied into the rock pool for the kid to play with, while the adults discussed swimming lessons.
As for the other adults, Sophie had Dex so whipped it wasn’t funny, by building Sophie a tent city. They had a tent for sleeping in, a tent for changing in, and a tent to shower in, with no clue what the fourth tent was for. It was an eyesore.
Mia and Cap simply had their swags set up together with their dogs surrounding them, well back from the campfire.
Charlie had his bed-roll near the campfire, the camp cookers were set up, getting ready to give a lesson on camp cooking, while their usual muster cook was nowhere to be seen.
Ryder craned around in his saddle to peer at the wide-open plains. ‘There you are.’
Bree was leading her group of horses towards the rocky escarpment that made up Cattleman’s Keep. What was she up to now?
Bree had been avoiding him all day. First, keeping to the back of their convoy, and then taking no time in riding out to begin the muster. By the time Ryder and his brothers had caught up with Charlie, Bree was bringing in the first lot of stragglers from Scary Forest.
There, plans were made, where Dex and Ryder took Bullock’s Bath and Ash and Cap had Station Dog Cemetery, meeting in the middle to muster their cattle into one large herd of over a thousand head of prime beef cattle. It was so much more than he’d realised.
Once again, they’d practically been gifted another healthy herd, cleverly hidden by Bree, that he knew she checked regularly, as part of her morning horse rides.
But then that clever concept of stock school had the cattle following that redhead like pets who didn’t need coaching, they just followed Bree like she was the Pied Piper, leading them to the promised land.
Charlie was right, with this group of cattle it was like gathering them up with a butterfly net, mustering them closer to the other side of Koala Creek. While on this side, his family had set up their stock camp like an unorganised bunch of squatters.
To escape the rabble, Ryder rode after Bree, where she’d disappeared under the tree line that spread below the verge of the rocky escarpment. The towering red rocks had created a drip line that fed into a creek he followed upstream to catch up to Bree.
‘Go away.’ Bree scowled at him over her shoulder as she led the horses along the creek bed.
‘Where are you going?’
‘To water the horses.’
‘Why not here?’ They were walking through cool fresh water as it was.
‘If you like it so much, cupcake, stay here then.’
He scowled with such a hate for that nickname. He was no bloody cupcake.
But he wasn’t going to stop following her. Bree was up to something.
Bree led her team of horses deep within the cool thicket of trees where the creek wound alongside the rocky walls that hid the sky. The air was damp with the rich smell of wet earth, along with the sharp scent of eucalyptus leaves lingering in the background. He could almost taste it on his tongue, along with gritty dust from a long day mustering on horseback.
With no fear of crocodiles, Bree led the way on her fierce black stallion, as the sturdy stockhorses splashed through the shallow creek to meet the white sandbar that they used to cross over to the far side. Up the riverbank, they plodded along a rich dirt path that muffled the sound of their hooves, where soft ferns brushed against the horses’ lower legs like feathers. The movement stirred up dozens of hidden blue-winged butterflies, rising from among the fronds to flutter gracefully around them. Even Bree paused, holding out her hand and smiling as the curious, soft-winged creatures landed delicately on her fingertips.
All he could do was sigh from the saddle, as she took in the moment of the world around them, that was part of this land he called home.
‘You shouldn’t be here.’ She scowled at him for being in her space.
‘I live here.’
‘Hmph. Why don’t you act like a middle-aged hairline and start disappearing back to the stock camp.’
‘No.’ Even if he felt like he was intruding, he wasn’t going anywhere.
Again, Bree kicked on, pushing her horse uphill, the stockhorse’s hooves clashing against the rocks, only to disappear around a massive boulder.
Ryder spurred his horse on to catch up and was led into a large brightly lit rock cave.
‘No way…’ Ryder ripped off his hat to stare up at the open circular ceiling of blue skies surrounded by high rock walls to create a cave, where fresh water spilled over its smooth rocky ledges to create an indoor waterfall. ‘What is this place?’
‘The Veil.’
‘How did it get that name? Come on, Bree, every place on this station has some sort of short story to it.’ Finally, this was his chance to hold a conversation with her that lasted more than two minutes.
‘There’s no big story to the name…’ Bree got off her horse and pointed to the waterfall. ‘Because that’s The Veil.’
Ryder climbed off his horse and peered at the fall’s watery curtain, which shimmered like a veil, cleverly shielding a primitive rock painting of a kangaroo that stretched across the entire back wall. ‘Will I have a problem with this Indigenous rock painting?’ Land claims were tricky things.
‘Relax. It’s not a sacred site. That was painted in the seventies, back when the dot painting technique was first taught to them by a white English teacher. Charlie told me the artist who painted that mural was one of her students.’
‘I know all about the history of dot paintings. Remember, I’m from the Territory, too. One of our local Elders told me when I was a kid that the original purpose for dot painting was to paint dots on their bodies for ceremony only. It gave them a shimmering appearance when they danced. So, this…?’ He pointed at the rock art.
‘It’s just a painting by a guy who liked to paint on rock. He was an Aboriginal stockman from lower New South Wales.’ She sighed at their somewhat cosy surrounds, before stretching her neck to greet the skies. For once she seemed at peace.
One of the horses nickered, breaking her trance, and she turned to unsaddle Black Hand, and lead the horses to the watery edge where they eagerly waded into the chest-deep water.
With her saddle resting on an altar-like rock, Bree removed her boots, shirt, and jeans. ‘Staring much.’
How could he not? Her figure was all curves of creamy skin, with plump breasts perfectly cinched by a sports bra that made him want to inhale that cleavage, and the way her smooth-fit matching briefs cupped her arse, she was good enough to eat. ‘What are you doing?’
‘I’m wearing a ball gown for dinner, so I’m searching for a tiara to match my outfit. What do you think?’ Pulling a beer bottle from her saddlebag, she waded into the water and began washing down her horses.
He peeked into her saddlebag to find a sixpack of icy cold beer. ‘That’s my girl.’
‘Hey! That’s mine.’ She paused from washing down a horse to scowl at him.
‘I’ll pay you back later.’ Popping the cap, he took a deep mouthful of beer. ‘Ahh. That hit the spot.’
He then quickly unsaddled his horse, stripped down and waded into the crystal-clear water where soft sand and smooth pebbles made up the floor. ‘This is a good idea.’
‘Who invited you to my private pool party?’ Something had ticked her off so much it made her eyes glow.
‘Is this the part where I tell you I own this land?’ Again.
She scowled at him with such heat, it was a struggle to not grin at her.
Then he realised why she was so angry with him. Dammit. ‘Who told you?’ They were now wearing matching scowls, which was normal these days.
‘Who do you think?’ Her sneer was lethal.
‘Dex.’ The dick!
‘You’ve got over a million acres to choose from. You could have picked another paddock. Why there? Drover’s Rest is Charlie’s. I’m pretty sure it’s still covered under the caretaker’s caveat.’
‘I told Charlie I’m not doing anything with it.’
‘And the caretaker’s cottage?’
‘Charlie told me he’s got a spare room at the cottage.’ Her scowl deepened, making him grin wider.
‘You have the farmhouse.’
‘That’s getting crowded with a toddler and a younger brother determined to break the wall or his bed. That couple need their space.’
‘Get a caravan and park it next to the boardroom where you spend all your time.’
‘How do you know that?’
‘I know nothing.’
‘I don’t believe that, Bree, you know everything.’
‘Do not.’ She swam away from him to the far side of the falls.
He had to follow.
‘This place reminds me of the waterfall at Grass Tree Creek.’ That waterfall was only a shallow rock pool. This place was a massive brightly lit cave with a hole in the roof where the water filtered down into a deep pool, to become part of Koala Creek.
‘Have you ever climbed to see where the water comes from?’ He pointed his beer to the ceiling that was raining sweet, fresh water that sparkled like diamonds under the dying sunlight.
‘It’s part of the run-off from Cattleman’s Keep.’
‘I haven’t been back, not since the day Charlie first showed us this place.’ He leaned back against the rock wall that was surprisingly smooth. The waterfall’s turbulence massaged his legs, as he sipped on his beer. Now this was living.
Bree said nothing, but he could feel her watching him.
‘I never take time out to do things like this.’
‘You get that when you’re busily stealing land to increase your empire.’
Smart-arse. ‘I’m not doing anything with Drover’s Rest. I just said it was mine because my brothers were harping on about which paddock I was going to choose. I’m not running any new experiments, I’ll leave that to my brothers. But I do want the concept of stock school to continue, if Charlie is willing. Maybe he can talk to Cap about using the guardian dogs?’
‘We don’t work for you.’ Her words were very controlled, laced with a heat in her voice that skimmed across the water.
He should have stopped and heeded her warning. But he couldn’t resist. Even if she might be a pretty package of poison—one who should clearly wear a warning label about her outlaw attitude—but she was also an attractive temptress who’d somehow melted this man’s heart of ice.
‘Your grandfather is stoked it’s still allowed to continue. And I will not say no to the old man, and I know you don’t either.’ It was just another reason for respecting her, even if he wanted to be disrespectful with her body.
‘I do, too.’
‘No, you don’t. But you sure as hell tell me and my brothers no all the time.’ How could he ever get her to say yes ?
Unexpectedly, her upper lip curled and a twinkle appeared in her eye.
‘Why do you always defy me? When I’m trying to be the good guy here.’
And didn’t the sweet little outlaw arch her eyebrows at him. ‘You called me a cattle thief.’
‘I’m sorry.’
‘Is that why you gave my shotgun a makeover?’
He couldn’t say the real reason why.
‘Fine…’ She rolled her eyes dramatically. ‘Thank you, again, for cleaning my shotgun. And I liked the blanket.’
‘I’m sorry, what?’ He blinked at her.
‘It’s a nice blanket.’
‘It’s old.’
‘So? It’s wool. Do you know how rare it is to find a hundred per cent woollen blanket in a part of the country that has no sheep. Where did you get it?’
‘You’ll think I’m dumb.’
She faced him fully, completely, with her green eyes locking on his. ‘No. You are not dumb. Maybe a bossy workaholic who’s put his emotions and empathy on ice, but dumb you are not.’
‘Is there a compliment in there?’
‘What’s with the blanket?’ Her eyes narrowed at him.
‘You tell me the story of Drover’s Rest first.’
‘I’m surprised Charlie hasn’t told you already.’
‘Me too. But it means a lot to you guys.’
‘It’s our backyard, of course it does.’
‘But…’
She huffed. ‘Drover’s Rest was where the drovers would return first with the cattle in the early days of the station. Of course, it was hand-seeded by Granny Darcie back in the day. Ask Charlie to give you the tour.’
‘No, you can.’
‘Why me?’ She shrugged her creamy shoulders above the water line, causing ripples to spread across the surface. ‘Charlie is happy to show you guys everything.’
‘Why aren’t you?’
She glared at him. ‘What do you want from me, Ryder? I don’t work for you. Is that it? You hate that you can’t control me? Like you’re the boss of everyone else around here?’
‘Hell, no. If you were my employee, I would have sacked you on day one for your smart mouth and outlaw attitude.’
Swimming away from him, her laughter tinkled around the cave.
‘I want to know—what does Drover’s Rest mean to you?’
‘I already told you, it’s my backyard.’ She leaned back against the rock wall, allowing her tiny toes to float to the surface.
‘Go on, Bree, there has to be more to the story. There always is.’ Bree saw things from many different angles and Ryder appreciated her opinion, when she did share.
‘None of the ringers were allowed near Drover’s Rest. It was the first rule Charlie made when he became head stockman.’
‘How come?’
‘Because he had a little girl—my mother—who he wanted to protect from the men.’
Damn. He wished he hadn’t pried, stirring up thoughts of her deceased mother. But underneath he had this need to know everything about Bree, and it was rare to have one-on-one time with her like this in an open conversation.
Bree wove her slender fingers through the crisp water that rippled softly, reflecting the golden hues of the late afternoon sun, and for a moment, it seemed as though time stood still, her connection to the earth quiet and unspoken, but deep. ‘Back then, Charlie would sack anyone if they dared come near our sanctuary without permission. Drover’s Rest is where the girls got to play. I flew kites, learned to ride my pushbikes and motorbikes, made cubby houses, played chasey with the calves and the stockhorses out there. You know, kid stuff.’
‘I wouldn’t know about that kind of stuff.’ He sighed heavily before taking a deep pull of his beer, feeling the responsibilities weighing heavily across his shoulders.
‘So you were an instant adult straight out of the womb, hmm?’
‘Pretty much.’ He rubbed the bridge of his nose, the falling water the only other noise in the cave, yet it felt like the silence was deafening if he didn’t answer her. ‘As the oldest of seven, I didn’t have much of a childhood. I was busy washing bottles or babysitting, always stuck carrying a kid on my back or on my hip like some ape.’
Bree didn’t laugh as he’d expected her to. She just watched him with a look that could crack open his bones to peer deep into the marrow, to go beyond the shadows hidden within his skeleton, to the places that hid his deepest, darkest secrets. It was a place where he’d tucked away his nightmares.
‘You never played games?’
Why did that feel like there was some hidden meaning to her question? ‘Monopoly.’
‘Figures.’
‘Cards occasionally, with my father and grandfather, if I wasn’t washing the dishes or putting the younger ones to bed as chief babysitter.’
‘So you’re still babysitting your brothers. Buying this property for them, in your role as the big brother who doesn’t like to play.’ She swam closer to where the water’s reflection highlighted the colours in her eyes. With her hair wet and slicked back, knowing she was just in her underwear had his mouth watering.
‘I didn’t say I don’t like to play, I just…’ He shrugged, sipping on his beer.
‘Are you saying you don’t know how to play? When you live on one of the biggest adult playgrounds?’
‘I know you do.’
She laughed, and it was as light as her smile that echoed around the cavern as she swam away from him like a water sprite playing games with his soul.
Finally, he was alone with her, and he wasn’t going to let this opportunity get away from him—even if it copped him another stinging slap in the face, he was prepared to take his shot.