by Darry Fraser
‘I thought to take myself away from all the gormless softheads for a while.’
Joe snorted a laugh.
‘Is Mac ready?’ Her hands ran down the horse’s neck and slid across the muscled chest. How she loved that sleek, hard body and its power. Mac was a dream to ride, obedient to her lightest command. They would tear through the paddocks together, whatever the weather, and end up exhausted and exhilarated.
‘Mr Dane’s coming home and Mr Tom wants the horse ready for him. Sorry, miss. Not MacNamara today.’ Joe kept his gaze on the horse. ‘Mr Dane comes straight to the stables when he comes home. Wouldn’t be too good if Mac were gone with you.’
‘That would be your opinion, Joseph O’Grady.’
Joe inclined his head. ‘It would be that.’
Georgie inhaled with a low hiss. That blasted Dane MacHenry again. ‘Comes straight to the stables, does he? Since when, in the last four years?’
Joe studied her. ‘Believe me, Miss Georgie, it wouldn’t be worth the trouble.’ He returned to his brush work. ‘Besides, miss, I doubt you’d want to see Mrs Jemimah out of sorts over it.’
Georgie shot a glance at Joe. ‘No, of course I wouldn’t. I know Aunt Jem is looking forward to his return.’ She tapped her foot. ‘Then it looks like I’ll have to take Brandy.’
Joe dipped his head and kicked the dirt with his boot. ‘Miss Elspeth wants to ride Brandy today.’ Georgie lovingly looked after Brandy, Elspeth’s mount, too.
Georgie’s eyes widened. ‘Elspeth? How extraordinary. That poor horse.’ She paused. ‘Do you think the donkey would be available, Joe, or is he also engaged to ride with the rest of his kin?’
‘If we had a donkey.’ Joe gave her a smile. ‘Douglas here is rarin’ for a good run, miss. He’s in good form and no one to ride him. Take Douglas. He’s a good boy.’ Joe tethered MacNamara and unlatched the next stall door. He stepped inside and ran his hand over the muzzle of the roan. ‘He’s a good boy,’ he repeated to the horse.
‘He is at that.’ She loved Douglas too, he just wasn’t MacNamara. But her mood lifted. ‘All right. I’ll saddle him up, but not with one of those stupid women’s things.’
Joe threw a blanket over Douglas’s back. He knew better than to assist further, so he watched Georgie heft the saddle onto Douglas. As she tightened the girth, she muttered.
He cupped a hand to his ear. ‘What’s that? Did I miss some of your colourful language?’
She stepped into the stirrup and threw herself astride the horse, then beamed at him. ‘I said, let the blasted devil come for his horse. But not a word of that to anyone, Joseph O’Grady.’
‘’Pon my Celtic soul, as usual, miss.’
She gee-upped Douglas into the yard, stooped gracefully to unlatch the gate and swung it open. Joe would latch it behind her.
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ISBN: 9781489250933
TITLE: WHERE THE MURRAY RIVER RUNS
First Australian Publication 2017
Copyright © 2017 Darry Fraser
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