CHAPTER 14

The next morning, Evie and Rhino venture into the bush early to see what’s happened to their food offerings.

Where are they?! wonders Evie with delight.

The apple pie is gone, except for a few pastry crumbs scattered about the ground. The milk has been consumed with little spillage and there are a few stringy bits of the rhubarb stalks and a sprinkling of oats remaining.

Evie and Rhino stand completely still, looking and listening. The bush sparkles with shafts of sunlight and the smell of melaleuca oil is strong. All is quiet, but Evie feels the hairs at the back of her neck prickle. She scans the trees and the strangest feeling washes all over her. She’s almost certain someone or something is watching them.

Rhino moves closer to Evie until they’re touching; she knows he senses it too. After wandering through the bush for about a mile, Evie stops to place another offering of food on the ground. She couldn’t bear to steal another one of Cook’s apple pies, so she took six apples, a bunch of carrots, and some sunflower seeds instead.

By leaving a trail of food for the baby elephant, the monkeys, and the birds, Evie hopes to bring the animals closer to her. Closer to Lunar House. This is as far as her planning has gone though, and she’ll work out what to do next when the time arrives.

When Evie and Rhino arrive back at the stables, they pass Cook. She’s grumbling and complaining as she struggles to hang bed sheets up on the clothesline.

“My shoulders are killing me,” says Cook.

Rhino saunters into the garden and Evie ducks into the kitchen. She’s been avoiding Cook ever since the theft of the apple pie. From the window, she watches Rhino wander up to the clothesline.

Evie perches on the window seat in the kitchen to watch. As Rhino seems to be everywhere, Cook has forced herself to accept his presence, purely so she can get on with her chores. But she’s seen how kindly he is with Evie and she’s now brave enough to be in the garden with him. Although, she does carry a broom with her at all times.

As Cook turns to her washing basket to hoist up the next sheet, she jumps in fright at seeing Rhino standing there.

“Argh!” Cook trembles as she takes in the full size of him.

Enormous and magnificent, Evie sighs as she gazes out the window.

Cook’s face pales and she squeezes her eyes shut, as if she’s hoping Rhino might go away. Of course, he doesn’t, and after a few moments she slowly opens one eye before seeing him and snapping it shut again.

Rhino is towering over Cook. He begins to sniffle and snuffle her neck and hair. Cook is quivering as Rhino knocks her bonnet off.

Just as Evie is about to go and rescue her, Cook’s eyes flash open and they’re full of fire. She puffs her chest out and points her finger at Rhino, wagging it at him, like she does to Evie when she’s cross with her.

“I’ve never bin scared of anythin’ in me life, an I’m certainly not going ter start now, no matter how big and ugly you are. So, go on with yer. Shoo!”

Rhino stares at Cook dreamy eyed, chewing on his pink gums. He doesn’t move, continuing to stand close by.

Cook huffs and shakes her head, deciding she’s just going to get on with the job of hanging the washing out.

Rhino watches her heave up another huge white sheet. He shuffles forward and nudges her hand. Leaning in with his horn, he hooks it into the corner of the sheet and raises his head, holding the sheet up for Cook to peg.

Cook gasps and pegs it onto the line.

As Cook reaches for the other end of the sheet, again struggling to lift it, Rhino steps in and holds it up for her while she pegs the other corner. They hang the washing out in no time.

“How did yer know how to do that?” Cook asks Rhino. She shakes her head and hoots with laughter. “Who would’ve thought I’d be talkin’ to a rhinoceros? A bleedin’ rhinoceros!”

Cook and Rhino gaze at one another for the longest moment. Then Rhino leans in and smacks a kiss on her cheek.

Cook gapes at him and touches her face where his warm rubbery, whiskery lips kissed her. She reaches up and strokes Rhino’s nose. He snuffles her fingers and tenderly licks her hand.

She wanders back to the kitchen in a daze, turning every few steps to stare at Rhino and the sheets flapping on the clothesline.

Evie’s heart sings inside of her. She’s still gazing lovingly at Rhino through the window when Paddy Tait waltzes into the yard with his postal satchel slung over his shoulder. He glances around, looking to see who he might be able to deliver the post to.

Nearly toppling off the window seat, Evie knows this can only mean one thing – another telegram has arrived.

Evie trudges into the study.

“Well, dear girl. We know this has been coming. The floodwaters are receding, but the roads are still muddy and rutted. It’ll be a challenge for them to get that heavy bullock dray through. I’d say we’ll have a few more weeks before they get here.”

Evie feels unwell. For the past week-and-a-half she and Rhino have spent every day together exploring the beach and playing down at the wallow. They’ve been searching for the baby elephant, the monkeys, and the birds. They’ve been so busy, she’d almost forgotten the zoo people were coming.

“It’ll be a long and arduous journey,” says Grandpa.

Evie holds her palms up at him in question.

“How many weeks? Who’s to know, Evie?”

She wraps her arms around Grandpa and gives a long sigh. “All right, Evie. If I was a betting man, I’d say we’ve got a month until they arrive.”