CHAPTER 39

“George says he shan’t be joining yer for dinner tonight, Mr Strahan. He’s outta sorts,” says Cook, choking on her words and waving her hand at them.

Grandpa and Evie eat their shepherd’s pie in silence.

“I’m so used to seeing George sit in that chair, Grandpa. It’s as if he’s always been with us,” says Evie, stroking Albine’s tail feathers under the table.

“I agree. George is tremendous company. I shall miss him,” says Grandpa.

“I’ll miss George too, Grandpa, but not as much as I’ll miss Rhino.”

“I know, my dear girl. I know.”

“Will he be all right?”

Grandpa puts his knife and fork down. “They’ll both be fine, Evie. It’s complicated for George. He’s going through a great deal of inner turmoil. I feel for him, I really do, but he’ll work his way through it. Whatever happened to him down the paddock has got him into gear,” says Grandpa, raising an eyebrow at Evie. “George is not his father. He needs to believe in this himself. He can resolve this situation.”

“He had a close encounter with Rhino,” says Evie.

“I thought as much. He saw the light, eh?” says Grandpa.

He certainly saw something, thinks Evie.

Grandpa reaches out and touches Evie’s cheek.

“Evie, you need to keep Rhino in the stables tomorrow morning until the bullock dray arrives. Don’t worry about Simon and Mini, Cook will keep them out of sight. And dear girl, you need to say your goodbyes to Rhino.”

Evie nods and swallows something aching and black inside of her.

As she goes upstairs to bed, it’s not possible for Evie to believe it. To believe this day is here. She stands in the middle of her bedroom, telling herself to get ready for bed. Albine fusses around her, sensing something isn’t right. She finds herself taking a blanket and making her way downstairs and out to the stables.

Rhino hears her footfalls and opens an eye. Evie touches his nose in greeting and he snuffles her face and her hair, inhaling her scent. He has a dreamy look in his eye and she snuggles close to him, one arm around his head, stroking his nose.

She pulls the blanket over her and curls in against his shoulder. She can hear his heart beating. Thud. Thud. Thud. Steady and sure and strong. She inhales and exhales until her heart beats the same as his.

Rhino awakes in gray semi-darkness. Clouds are shrouding the moon and the wind plays music through the gaps in the walls. It’s late and something has happened. The golden-haired child appears before him. She’s as quiet as the night itself, and she’s shaking and shivering. She burrows into his side like a newborn calf. What is it? What is wrong? He huffles her hair, but he can’t tell what it is.

He’s aware not all is right in the universe tonight. He senses something deep inside of her, aching and black. He knows this feeling too. He thought he’d forgotten about it, but he hasn’t at all. He still remembers it. It’s the burden of loss and he will carry it with him always.

But the smell of spices and tea of his homeland have been replaced by that of a honey-milk-scented golden child.

Rhino sighs. He wants to protect her as if she were his calf. If he could stop whatever it is that is causing the darkness to grow inside her, he would. He huffs. If he knew, he would charge at it, trample it or gore it with his horn. He could eat it? Or maybe he could sit on it? That would fix it. But he doesn’t know what it is. So, he wraps himself around her and lowers his head, cradling her little body against his.

He feels her letting go. Her breathing softens and, little by little, she relaxes and finally drifts off to sleep. He feels the tiny blip of her heartbeat slowing and his own heart lightens as they beat the same tune.

Evie’s sleep may be deep and dreamless but Rhino’s is unsound and broken, with images of Evie calling him weaving in and out of his nightmare.

At the darkest hour of the darkest night, when all the world is quiet and everyone is asleep, something arouses Evie. Through sleepy eyelids she’s sure she sees Grandpa. He’s standing in front of her in his pyjamas and slippers and his shoulders are quaking as he sobs into his hands. Evie feels Rhino stir against her and it’s only then she knows she isn’t dreaming.

Grandpa touches Rhino’s nose, before shuffling back to bed.