Over the next week Sam’s cold worsened and went to his chest, so he was again confined to bed despite his protests that there was some urgent late branding to be done. Alice and Jeremy spent a few days tordoning tree suckers to thin out the overgrown area of Summerlea paddock. In recent years many of the Redstone paddocks were becoming less productive as thick stands of saplings and woody shrubs began to monopolise large areas of former grazing land. Mustering in these overgrown paddocks was also becoming increasingly difficult.
Alice was thinning out the clumps of smaller weedy trees so that only the larger timber remained. It was a physically taxing job that required continuous walking over rough ground and plenty of axe work, and her grandfather had been putting it off for some years. But Alice and Jeremy were knocking a hole in it, and she knew that while he was laid up, her grandfather would be relieved to think that there were two young and energetic bodies on the place.
Sam had scheduled the branding for the Tuesday. Their last round of mustering had been done just before Christmas, when Alice had arrived home for good. At the time, a mob of more than thirty calves had been overlooked; they’d been hiding with their mothers in the suckers at the western end of Top Cedar Tree paddock. Since then, Sam had been watching these cleanskins grow bigger by the week, and the prospect of branding the monsters was daunting for the tired old man.
On Tuesday morning, Alice went to his bedroom with his breakfast on a tray. She sat at the foot of the bed and smiled encouragingly at him.
‘I’m sorry, Alice,’ he said irritably. ‘Been worse than useless this last fortnight. Have to put off those bloody calves again.’
‘Actually, Pa, I was going to suggest that we still do the branding. I think Jeremy and I might manage, now that the dogs are working so well.’
He shook his head. ‘Recipe for disaster, Ali. Those Top Cedar Tree cows are sly old snakes. That’s why we missed ’em, even with the three old fellas helping.’
But Alice wasn’t put off. ‘Jeremy’s keen. I’ve just spoken to him. It’ll be good to get it done so you can rest up without worrying about it anymore.’
He still looked dubious. ‘I reckon you’ll just blow it and reinforce their bad habits. There’s a few rogues in there that have escaped one too many times already.’
Alice’s face fell in disappointment. Her grandfather softened his tone a little and went on, ‘It’s your call, Alice. You make the decisions around here now – you don’t need my permission.’
‘Don’t be silly, Pa. Of course we won’t do it if you’re worried. There’s always the endless amount of tordoning to do instead.’
Just then Alice heard Jeremy’s cheerful voice in the kitchen. He was baiting her grandmother with some kind of nonsense and she was biting back. She looked at her grandfather and his eyes twinkled with amusement.
‘Others having a secret meeting?’ she heard Jeremy ask after a while. ‘Hey, Alice, I’ve loaded the ute and saddled the horses,’ he called. ‘What’s keeping ya? I’m keen for a bit of galloping.’
Alice looked apologetically at her grandfather. He winked at her. ‘Looks like you’re going mustering.’
Alice drove the truck with the horses on board to Cedar Tree stockyards, and Jeremy followed in the ute with the branding gear. The air was already hot on their faces as they rode out into the paddock with the dogs trotting along behind.
‘We’ll split up here, Jeremy,’ said Alice, reining in Bingley. They had reached a thick stand of tall poplar box trees, the closest cattle camp to the yards. ‘I’ll go towards the dam – that’s where most of the cattle should be at this time of day and I’ll have the dogs.’
‘I’ll have Ace, but!’ Jeremy exclaimed. ‘Don’t underestimate my stumpy offsider.’ He glanced fondly at his tubby blue dog, who was busily sniffing Lydia’s bottom.
Alice looked too, unconvinced. ‘First, could you ride around to the southern corner? There are often a few head sheltering there in the creek. Come along through the suckers near the back fence line, and make a bit of noise so any cows hiding there will run this way. Then work your way back towards the dam where I should be holding the main mob.’
‘Righto, boss. Sounds like a plan.’ Jeremy saluted and cantered off.
When Alice came over the small rise behind the dam, she was pleased to see a large number of cattle in the vicinity. Some had already come to water and the others were feeding their way towards it. They were still quite spread out so she sent her dogs out wide and descended slowly towards the dam on her horse. It didn’t take long for the cows to notice the dogs skirting them at a distance and they began to mob up at the water’s edge. As soon as Alice saw them begin to move she stopped her dogs where they were, still a fair way from the cows. The dogs knew that their job now was to sit motionless until further notice. Alice, too, stopped her advance and Bingley dropped his head to nibble the grass.
While she waited for Jeremy to come in from the back of the paddock, Alice found her thoughts returning to her grandfather, as they had frequently in recent weeks. On Alice’s return from college, her grandmother had gently informed her that he’d been having chest pains on and off for several months. She wondered whether he was giving up, now that she was home and Jeremy was there to help. It was a terrifying thought. Redstone without her grandfather at the helm would be like a boat without a captain.
Sooner than Alice expected, Jeremy’s approach was heralded by the distant yapping of Ace. She cringed. She hated dogs that barked at the cattle. The sound was coming nearer quickly, suggesting that the cows Jeremy had found were running. If they came thundering into the middle of her nice settled mob at the dam all hell could break loose.
Alice rode a little way back up the rise and soon spotted a fast-approaching cloud of dust. There were about thirty head and she could just see Jeremy behind them, galloping flat out on poor old Rita. He managed to get alongside them, obviously with the intention of overtaking and slowing the mob before they reached the dam. But a few of them broke out on the opposite edge, heading off at a tangent. Alice recognised a brindle cow with one horn leading the deviants away – she had given them trouble last time.
Ace was onto them and succeeded in making them go faster. Alice winced. The rest of the cows and calves were now veering off course to follow the escapees. Jeremy was after them again; by galloping out wide, he managed to get around in front. The animals slowed and spun before taking off in the right direction again. Ace was on their heels, yapping, and they were approaching fast. Alice steeled herself for action but the brindle mono-horn had no intention of playing the game. Off she went again, this time out in the opposite direction. The little mob dispersed and half of them followed her, the rest continuing towards the dam.
Alice signalled to her dogs to stay with the herd at the dam, then she headed off towards Jeremy and the troublesome bovines. This time he went after One Horn and was soon racing alongside her. Once he’d edged in front he suddenly jerked on Rita’s head with the intention of bringing her around to block the brindle beast. But the old mare wasn’t accustomed to such heavy-handedness, and as she spun, her feet slid out from under her. She came down hard on her side, just as Alice arrived on the scene.
One Horn continued without altering her course, and the rest of the cows mobbed up again and followed her. Jeremy was back on his feet before the mare, having rolled free of her as she came down. He was too busy swearing at the unfortunate horse to hear Alice’s concerned enquiry. ‘Jeremy, are you alright?’
Rita clambered to her feet, her sides heaving and her foamy lather of sweat caked in dirt on one side. Jeremy jumped straight back into the saddle, with the clear intent of continuing the pursuit.
‘Wait!’ Alice called. ‘I’ll get them. You go and hold the mob at the dam.’
‘Not bloody likely. I’m not letting that fat brindle—’
Alice interrupted him impatiently. ‘Jeremy, it’s just a cow, don’t take it personally. Rita’s knocked up.’
‘Give me your horse then.’ Jeremy was glaring after the departing cows and calves.
‘Never. Just go to the dam and wait.’
‘You reckon you’ll do better than me?’ He looked at her challengingly.
‘Yes.’ Alice met his eyes frankly.
He clearly hadn’t been expecting such a direct reply. He raised his eyebrows at her and his aggressive posture relaxed. ‘Righto then – in that case, I’d better do what I’m told.’
Alice started off after the departing cows at an easy canter, slowing to a trot, then a walk. She was in no hurry. The Bennet sisters saw her moving off and silently deserted their posts to go after her. Alice knew the cows would be heading for the shady camp that she and Jeremy had stopped at earlier that morning. The little mob was a long way off now, strung out in a line and still going at a decent pace. The last thing they needed was more pressure from behind. As she’d expected, once they reached the clump of trees they pulled up in the shade, blowing heavily. Alice turned off to the side, her plan to go in a wide semicircle rather than approaching them directly.
As she rode slowly towards them the cattle lifted their heads to watch her warily. She stopped where she was and cast her dogs to skirt wide around behind the little mob. When they were still a long way out from the cattle, she made them drop. Girl, horse, dogs and cows remained stationary for several minutes. The cows eyed the stealthy dogs in the grass and shifted nervously before turning their attention back to Alice. Once she could see that all eyes were back on her, Alice turned and began to ride back towards the dam.
Jeremy had shaken his head in disgust as he watched Alice’s time-wasting tactics. After all his hard work the silly sheila was going to lose them. Eventually she’d disappeared from sight. He’d obviously have to go and bail her out shortly. He walked Rita back towards the dam and the waiting mob.
A short while later, he turned and stared in amazement. Alice was in the lead with the cattle a short distance behind her. The dogs were bringing up the rear. There was no noise and all of them were walking in an orderly fashion. But what Jeremy found most astounding was that the leading cow was none other than the brindled she-devil One Horn. Alice led the cows over the rise and then veered off to one side. The little mob began to trot as they descended to join the bigger herd, causing only a minor ripple as they were absorbed into it.
Alice signalled to Jeremy to wait while the cows settled again. He didn’t think much of all this waiting, but as he watched the small, self-assured figure on horseback on the other side of the mob he wondered whether perhaps there was something in it after all. At last, she nodded across at him and set off in front of the cows towards the yards. There was nothing for Jeremy to do but follow along at the tail with Ace, and with the busy Bennet sisters skirting around him, he almost felt as though he was in the way.
With the cows safely yarded, Jeremy and Alice sat in the shade for a cup of tea and some of Olive’s chewy chocolate walnut slice. Jeremy examined Alice with a new respect as she sat stroking Kitty’s head, an absent-minded frown on her face.
‘What’re you stewing over?’ he asked.
She looked up quickly. ‘Oh, I’m just thinking about Pa. I hadn’t realised until just lately that he’s an old man.’
‘It’s a bugger, eh, old age.’ Jeremy sipped his tea then continued, ‘Here I was thinking you were wondering how much you’d impressed me this morning with your cow-charming act. You made me look like a right duffer.’ He couldn’t keep the admiration out of his voice.
‘Oh.’ Alice looked slightly surprised. ‘I wasn’t trying to impress you,’ she said simply. ‘They were going to get away.’ She went back to stroking her dog.
Jeremy regarded her closely and saw that what she said was true. Unlike all the other girls he knew, Alice had little concern for what he thought. She didn’t want or need his good opinion. She was amazingly self-contained for a chick. He found her strong-headedness both fascinating and unsettling. It seemed she was largely immune to the power of approval or disapproval from anyone but her grandparents.
Looking at her balanced so lightly on the log, with such quiet authority over her dogs, Jeremy was intrigued. He was visited by a sudden ridiculous vision of one of the bikie gangs that occasionally roared into town for lunch at the pub. They sported matching black jackets with the slogan Free Spirits emblazoned across their backs. The bold white script was bordered by feathery angel’s wings. Jeremy looked sideways at Alice again. Free spirit.
Then she spoke, jerking Jeremy back to reality. ‘Never mind about the cows, Jeremy. I had the advantage of knowing where the camp was. And I had the dogs. Branding’s next and you can have the pleasure of outdoing me there – by a long way.’ She looked at him, her pensive expression replaced suddenly by her unpredictable smile, and he felt his face redden. Blimey, he thought in dismay, it’d been years since he’d blushed.