The light drizzle that settled in during the evening couldn’t dampen Louise’s spirits. Thrilled at Ben’s success in the race, she busied around the horses, topping up water buckets and shaking out meadow hay. Due to the cloud cover the evening darkened early. Simon already had a campfire lit.
Graeme wrapped potatoes in foil and threw them in the coals to go with the steaks for dinner.
Ben came across to the portable yards with an armful of rugs. “I think Brandy’ll need more warmth tonight. He worked hard today.”
Louise helped remove the stallion’s light waterproof rug. “He doesn’t even look tired. Magnet is eating heaps too.”
With the chores done the friends sat down with the men. Despite Magnet vetting out he had quickly recovered and looked in good condition. Pouring hot water into her mug Louise made herself a hot chocolate. “I thought you had sold Magnet, Simon?”
The wrangler sprawled in a camp chair, nursing a beer. “I did, but I insisted on keeping him overnight so I can make sure he’s sound. We’ll trot him out in the morning before we complete the deal. There’re a lot of buyers here. I’m surprised. Far more than any events up my way. I’ve made a lot of new contacts.”
Ben’s uncle agreed that his friend had received a good offer for the gelding. “You should think again about that offer for Brandy, Ben. I know you don’t want to sell him, but that’s a lot of money. You can always catch another brumby colt.”
Louise could see that Ben felt awkward about refusing the sale, especially as he knew his dad would agree with Graeme.
She decided he needed her support. “I think he did the right thing. Brandy is more than a horse, he’s become as much a part of the family as Snifter. There’s no saying how someone else would treat him.”
Graeme continued to press. “It would be different if you had a job, Ben. I could take Brandy if he couldn’t go with you, but an offer like that doesn’t come often. I’d be jumping at the chance.”
Ben shook his head. “If I do get a job offer I want to take him with me. And Snip. I’d need two horses as a minimum. Your guys have their own horses, don’t they?”
“Some of them, though I don’t expect them to. I always have enough stock for all the men. That’s expensive when the work is seasonal, especially during this drought. I’ve had to truck feed in as there’s not enough grazing to keep them in working condition.”
Louise asked more about working in the outback, hoping that Graeme or Simon might remember somebody that would be interested in hiring Ben. Neither of them knew of any work out west. She questioned Ben. “Didn’t anyone mention any prospects of work at the social gathering following the prize presentation? I thought that might have been a good time for someone to approach you. You seemed to be talking to a lot of people.”
“Only more offers to buy Brandy. I asked a few guys, but with the cattle market being poor at the moment no-one is taking on new hands.” Ben shrugged and kept his eyes to the ground.
Seeing the topic was upsetting Ben, Louise encouraged him to talk more about the race. His eyes lit up as he told them about the route. As Simon interjected, the two of them compared stories about different parts they’d enjoyed. A new camaraderie developed between them as they shared their experiences. Louise could tell that Ben was no longer a boy. With taking responsibility for the farm and now competing in one of the toughest horse events around, he had joined the ranks of men.
She wished she had been able to compete and participate in their discussions as an equal. Maybe in a few years she’d be able to take Honey. She decided there definitely needed to be more women in the race and could see no reason why there shouldn’t be. Louise knew Honey was strong and sure-footed, even though the mare wasn’t as fast as Brandy. However, she also knew it would take time to get her fit again after being away in Africa for a few years. The thought made her sad. “I’m going to bed. It’s been a long day.”
By morning the drizzle had turned to rain. The horses squelched in muddy yards as they picked at sodden hay. Louise warmed the billy to make them a mash and rubbed their legs with a towel. Under their rugs they felt warm and dry.
Ben came over and handed her a mug of tea. “If you take Brandy for a walk I’ll get the yards down. Graeme wants to leave as soon as possible.”
Clipping a lead rope onto Magnet’s headcollar Simon asked Ben to watch him trot the horse out. “He hasn’t stiffened up so he should be fine.”
Finding a drier section of the paddock Simon ran his horse away from Ben, Graeme and Louise. The gelding shot off, dragging Simon along. Louise couldn’t believe he looked so fresh. “It looks as if he could do the race again today.”
Graeme agreed. “Forty kilometres isn’t far even at that pace over tough country. If he was doing a full endurance ride he’d be doing eighty kilometres, or even a hundred and sixty, in a single day. For the marathons they do eighty kilometres several days in a row.”
“Wow. I bet the riders have to be fit.” Louise thought that sounded like the sort of riding she’d love.
Simon turned Magnet and trotted back to them. They all gave him the thumbs-up. “I’ll take him over to his new owner. I’ll be back to help pack up.”
Brandy ripped up mouthfuls of grass as soon as Louise let him lower his head along the fenceline. Feeling guilty that the others had all the packing to do, she brushed the stallion’s mane with her fingers as he grazed. Yesterday’s plaits had tangled into ringlets with the rain.
By the time Simon returned most of the gear was packed away. They loaded Brandy on the truck and reconnected Simon’s ute to the float. Setting off in convoy they headed over the mountains on their way home. The journey seemed to go quicker than on the way to the race despite a long slow climb up to Wagon Wheel Pass. Looking back to Mt Danger, Louise tried to imagine what it had been like for Ben to ride Brandy around the craggy tops. She determined that, Africa or not, she would compete in the race on Honey one year.
As the truck grumbled up a steep incline Louise searched the black sallees for signs of brumbies. Piles of stallion dung marked territory along the verge. Among a tangle of twisted timber Louise spotted a red roan. “Look! Isn’t that the young stallion we saw in spring? He’s a long way from home.”
Ben peered through the smudged window. “Could be. He’s put on weight if that’s him. Maybe the shooting has driven him further south. I hope he doesn’t encounter any dominant herds down this way.”
As the truck rounded a bend the brumby disappeared from sight. Thinking about the brumbies and her future Louise lost any sense of time. As they arrived back at Tumbleford Farm she was surprised see Patti’s ute parked in the yard. After helping unload Brandy she followed Ben into the house to eat before unpacking.
Mrs Naylor sat at the kitchen table with Patti, Simon, and Graeme. Mr Naylor sprawled in the big armchair, his feet propped up on a log. After greeting everyone and making coffee, Ben’s mum handed round plates of chocolate cake. “No-one will tell us how Brandy went, Ben, other than he went well. Tell us all about it.”
Louise listened to her friend recount his tale of the race. He talked about Simon finishing first and Robert Smythe-Water’s horse being eliminated. He didn’t seem to want to mention his own placing. She couldn’t help herself from bursting out the news. “That means that Ben won! Brandy was fantastic.”
“That’s wonderful news!” Mrs Naylor hugged her son and beamed with pleasure.
Mr Naylor straightened up from where he lounged. “The prize money will come in handy. I bet you had a few good offers for him. Simon says he did well selling Magnet. What did you get for Brandy?”
“Yeh, there were offers. I didn’t sell him though.” Ben mumbled through a mouthful of cake and kept his head down.
Louise tensed as she saw fury storm across Mr Naylor’s brow.
Before speaking, the injured farmer took a deep breath and leant back in his chair with a groan. “I assume that means you got a job. When do I lose you?”
Graeme butted in before Ben had a chance to answer. “Don’t hassle the lad, Alan. He’s just ridden a tough race that any man would be proud to finish, let alone win. And what’s this I hear about you selling the farm? I think it’s more important we talk about that than Ben’s horse.”
Gathering from Mrs Naylor’s look that it would be a good time to quit the kitchen, Louise touched Ben’s arm. “We’d better get our gear unpacked.”
Patti followed them out and caught up with Louise. “Talking of jobs, your mother rang me earlier today for a long chat. It seems that your father’s job is different to what he expected.”
Curious, Louise stopped, leaving Ben to start carting the wet rugs out of the truck. “What do you mean?”
“He has to live out at the location of the dam. It’s a long way from the city.”
Louise didn’t see that made any difference to her future. Of course the hydro plant would be in a remote location. “Has he found a house for us to rent?”
Patti looked serious. “The company has organised one for him, apparently. But as it’s so far out, you’d have to board in Lilongwe.”
This news was too much for Louise. “No! If I have to go to Africa, I at least want to be with Mum and Dad. What’s the point in boarding there? I may as well stay here.”
Struggling to keep a straight face, Patti grinned. “Exactly. That’s what your mother rang to say. Under the circumstance, she’s agreed you can stay with me if you want to.”
This sudden news made Louise feel like leaping into the air. “Want to? Of course I want to! That’s awesome. I’ll be able to see Honey foal and still ride out in the mountains. Are you sure Mum said that was okay?”
“As long as you visit them in the school holidays. She’ll discuss it more with you when you get home, but I wanted to be the one to tell you. At least this way you’ll get to see the safari parks. It sounds like the best of both worlds to me.”
“Cool!” Louise had a sudden thought. “But what about working for you, for Honey’s keep? If I’m away all holidays, I won’t be there to help you.”
Patti shook her head. “That’s not important. You’ll be able to ride in the week and help me at weekends.”
Ben must have heard the news as he hung the rugs over the fence to dry. He wandered back by the women. “Now we have two good bits of news to tell Harry. Let’s go and find him tomorrow. Meanwhile, come and help me with all this stuff.”
The mouth of the old mine looked dark and gloomy against the hillside despite the bright day. Only when a shape moved did Louise realise that Ben had arrived before her. “I see you’ve brought Snip today. I wondered who you’d ride.”
The black gelding lifted his head at Honey’s approach and whickered. Ben led him out of the shade. “He’s put on a lot of weight while I’ve been focusing on Brandy. I thought I’d better get him back in condition. I don’t want to risk Ginger and Lady up here as the stock agent is keen to take them. Dad is already furious at me for not selling Brandy. I hate to think what he’d do if I jeopardised the sale of the mares.”
The thought of Ben having to break up his breeding stock dulled the day for Louise. “I wish there was a way you could keep them all. When do they go?”
“The agent is organising an auction for autumn. He says there’s no point doing one when everyone’s working hard through summer. Between seasons is the best time to sell the farm and machinery. Some of the stock will go to market soon. Dad’s best stud bulls will wait until the sale. The whole thing stinks. Dad goes around cursing everything and even Mum doesn’t say much these days.” Ben swigged on his water bottle and offered Louise a homemade oatmeal biscuit.
After finishing their break the friends mounted up and headed back towards the Dalrymple River. Trotting side by side, Louise thought back over the years since she had first started riding with Ben. She knew her ability had improved. She had also learnt more about the terrain, plants, and animals around her. Seeing a fallen log ahead she urged Honey into a canter, clearing the obstacle in a smooth jump.
Ben followed, whooping with glee. “Honey has really come on. She cleared that like a real showjumper. I think Snip thought it was going to eat him. Maybe I should get jumping lessons from you.”
Even though Ben was only joking Louise warmed to the praise. She suggested a race along the riverbank. At Ben’s agreement she gave Honey her head. Although Snip’s long legs made him faster over flat ground, Honey was more agile on the twisting track between the rocks. Louise pulled up, panting for breath. “I think that was a tie.”
“You always say that.” Ben rode Snip into the water and let him drink. The horse stretched his head down and splashed his muzzle in the cool stream.
Louise watched as the gelding swallowed with big gulps. “Honey doesn’t seem interested even though Snip seems really thirsty. I’m surprised he’s so relaxed. Isn’t this near where that snake spooked him ages ago?”
Ben looked around. “Yeh, we’re almost at Wombat Rock. Let’s find the way in to Harry’s hut.”
After turning up the track near the message tree where they left notes for the old hermit, Ben zigzagged his horse at the walk, peering into the shrubs. “Here’s a track. It’s not hidden at all. That’s unusual.”
Riding up next to Ben, Louise could clearly see the path through the trees. “I wonder if Harry forgot to cover his way? I don’t remember ever seeing this track before.”
“I hope he’s okay. He didn’t seem well when he visited Eve.”
Louise raised her eyebrows. “That was ages ago. Surely he’d be over the flu or whatever by now, especially with his knowledge of herbal medicines?”
“I’m sure the track’s going in the right direction. Let’s follow it.” Ben urged Snip into a trot, ducking branches as they wove between the trees.
The path remained clear as it rose over the ridge. Descending to the next valley Louise admired the view through the branches, glimpsing the highway in the far distance. A flock of crows flew overhead, cawing to each other as they skimmed the treetops.
Ben pivoted in the saddle to talk to Louise. “This is definitely the right track. I remember Harry leading me here after the pig gouged my leg. Snip knows it too from the way he’s walking. I can’t believe we’ve never seen such an obvious trail before.”
As they entered the deserted clearing where Harry had built his home, Louise thought he must be away foraging. There was never any telling where or when he could be found. “Maybe that’s why the trail was open. He’ll be back soon. Shall we wait or leave him a note?”
A huge mound of earth had been piled up on the other side of the clearing. As Ben walked across to inspect it a cloud of flies rose in a buzz. “Louise! Come and help!”
Wondering what had happened, Louise jumped off Honey and ran over to where Ben had dropped Snip’s reins and descended into the hole. Before she reached the diggings Ben’s head appeared and he waved her away. “Tie the horses up over at Jenny’s rail.”
Confused, Louise continued walking. “What’s up?”
Ben shielded Louise from looking into the hole. “Jenny’s dead. Harry’s collapsed. Get some water, quick.”
“What?” Not understanding what Ben was saying Louise couldn’t help peering into the pit. Jenny lay at the base of an enormous trench, her legs stiff and neck twisted at an odd angle. Her rump had been partially covered with soil. Harry’s body slumped over her, a shovel lying beneath him.
Ben descended back into the hole and rolled Harry over. After feeling his neck for a pulse Ben choked back a sob. “We’re too late. He must have died trying to bury Jenny.”