Jo reached out to hold Fiona’s hand.
‘I can’t believe he used Carly’s car,’ Jo whispered.
‘It was ours. We’d bought it from her, but what else would have he used? It was the only petrol car around here. Diesel won’t do it.’ She swallowed. ‘I wish he’d left me a note—something to say he was sorry, or he just couldn’t cope anymore. I mean, I know now he couldn’t cope. Obviously, or he wouldn’t have done this, but just something to say he was sorry; sorry about leaving me. That’s all I need, for him to be sorry about leaving me. But, Jo,’ she raised her tear-filled eyes and met Jo’s sympathetic gaze, ‘I don’t think he was.’
The fire cracked, throwing sparks up the chimney again, and Meita whined, sensing her mistress’s distress. She tried to get onto Fiona’s lap, but she leaned down and put her arms around the dog, hugging her to her chest.
Then she spoke even more softly. ‘The one thing I never understood about that night was the scotch in the car. He never drank Johnnie Walker Red. Said it was repulsive. He always drank Jameson. You’d think if it was going to be his last drink, he’d drink what he liked, wouldn’t you?’
Chapter 9
Once they’d disengaged the security system—a chair jammed underneath the handle of the front door—Fiona and Jo started their crop and pasture inspection. Jo crawled through the ankle-high clover, searching for the microscopic bugs that could destroy an entire paddock of feed in a matter of days.
‘I think you’re in luck,’ she finally said to Fiona, who was stretched out on the grass, patting Meita. ‘See these?’ She pointed to the telltale white spots on the clover leaf. ‘That’s red-legged earth mite and there are definitely a few of them crawling around on this poor little plant. I can’t see any aphids, which is good news. Still means you have to spray though. Can you get a contractor in?’
Fiona moved over to look at what Jo was pointing at.
‘I’ve spoken to Damien MacKenzie, my neighbour, and he says he can come just so long as I let him know by the end of the weekend how much there is to do. He’s fitting me in as a favour.’
A flock of white corellas soared above them and came to settle in the gum trees that lined the deep creek. She could hear them tearing and stripping the leaves from the trees.
‘Why do they do that?’ she asked out loud.
Jo sat up and looked over at them. ‘It’s to exercise their beaks, and it stops them from being bored.’
‘Really? You’d think with the whole of the sky to explore, they’d never get bored.’
‘Come on, we need to go and check your barley crop. I could see from the road last night that it’s grown heaps.’ Jo stood up and dusted off her knees. ‘The soil tests that Charlie had done last year were pretty good and so is your fertiliser history. It depends on how much rain comes through in the next while as to whether or not I’ll recommend you put on some urea, to keep the pastures pushing along.’ She looked up at the cloudless blue sky. ‘The rain has dried up for the time being, but there should be more here by the weekend and the long-range forecast is still positive.’ Jo took off her jumper and tucked her short-sleeved shirt into her jeans. ‘It’s almost hot.’
‘I know! This is about the second week in a row there hasn’t been a frost. I hate frosts, they just dry everything out so much.’
Fiona’s eyes rested on her friend and then widened.
‘What are they?’ she asked, jumping up from the ground and grabbing hold of Jo’s arm, before pushing up her shirt to expose yellowing bruises on her upper arm. ‘I didn’t notice them last night.’
Jo pulled away. ‘Oh, they’re nothing. You know what it’s like—you bang into things when you’re out and about, crawling along the ground and around machinery. Never even know how you get them half the time. I’ve got a dozen on my legs, too!’
‘They’re not normal bruises, Jo! I can see the finger marks. What the hell is going on?’ Fiona stared at her, hands on her hips.
‘Nothing is going on,’ she answered in a light tone. ‘Come on, we need to look at that barley crop.’
‘No, talk to me about this,’ Fiona demanded.
Jo shrugged. ‘Look, it’s nothing. I was with some guy and he got a bit rough. That’s all. Nothing big.’
‘He got a bit rough?’ Fiona felt as if her eyebrows were going to lift her hat right off her head. ‘What the hell is that supposed to mean? That’s awful, did you report him?’
‘Nothing, it’s what happened, and no, I didn’t.’ She turned and started to walk towards the car. ‘Don’t worry about it.’
Fiona couldn’t understand what Jo was saying. She walked after her quickly, grabbing her arm to turn her around so she could see Jo’s face. As Jo flinched, Fiona let go. ‘Sorry. But why not? That bloke needs to be taught a lesson. Are you alright everywhere else?’
‘Again, no, he doesn’t. Just relax, Fee. The pool isn’t that big out here and you know it. We’ve all got needs and wants. Sometimes it comes off a different way to what you expect.’
Fiona gaped at her. ‘When you come away with your arms looking like that? I don’t think so. Who’s the bloke? Do I know him?’
Jo held up her hand. ‘No. That bit I’m not telling you yet. I just want to see where it goes. It’s been on and off for a while. At the moment it’s about sex and that’s all. We both like it like that. No commitment. Not sure if it will go any further. If it does, you’ll be the first to know.’
Fiona blinked. ‘What the hell?’ She looked at her friend as if she didn’t know her.
‘Look, don’t worry about it. It happens from time to time.’
‘Do you know this guy or are you on a weird dating site?’
‘I met him through a dating site.’
‘Is he a local?’
‘No.’ Jo grinned coyly and wagged her index finger. ‘Now, you’re not getting anything more out of me. Sorry if you’ve been shocked by uncovering my secret life, but don’t worry about me—it’s how I roll and I like it.’
Fiona got into the ute without a word. Rarely did Jo shock her, but she absolutely had just now. What else didn’t she know about her friend? Feeling like she was thinking underwater, she tried to form a question: ‘Sorry, I’m still not clear. And I’m sorry to get personal.’ She stuttered out the next part of the question. ‘Do you like it to get rough or was it something that happened and you weren’t expecting it?’
‘Wasn’t expecting it. Didn’t matter though.’ The light, flippant tone was back again, but Fiona couldn’t help thinking she was hiding much more.
They drove along the stony road that followed the edge of the creek and led to the next paddock.
‘I just want to check this pump,’ Fiona said, breaking the silence that had filled the car for the past few minutes.
‘Have I really stunned you? Do you think any less of me?’ Jo asked, staring out the window.
Fiona sensed that Jo didn’t want to look at her until she’d heard the answer. Taking her time, she tried to formulate what she was thinking. It was different for her; her relationships had always been based on a mutual liking for each other, not just on sex. But she also knew how lonely Jo had been over the past few years and how badly she wanted someone to love her. Did one lustful night take away that longing, just for a little while? Or did it heighten the loneliness, as it would have for Fiona?
‘I don’t think anything, Jo,’ she responded carefully. ‘I’m sad it has to be that way for you. I wish you could find someone who loves you so you didn’t have to shag some random stranger, but if it works, who am I to judge? I might be asking your advice on how to do that in a few years’ time.’ She didn’t add that just the thought of it made her skin crawl. She stopped the ute. Turning to Jo, she forced her friend to meet her gaze. ‘Just be careful. That’s not just being rough.’ She indicated her friend’s arms. ‘That’s abuse. I don’t suppose a vibrator would do the job?’ she asked hopefully. ‘It would be a lot safer.’
A laugh bubbled out o
f Jo, then died in her throat. She rested her elbow on the windowsill and sighed. ‘You know, I’ve tried so many dating websites and I can’t get anywhere. No one seems to want a thirty-plus woman. Especially one who works in agriculture. I’m sure it’s got something to do with being too independent for a bloke’s liking.’
‘Weird, isn’t it,’ Fiona said thoughtfully. ‘According to the reality TV shows there’re heaps of farmers out there who are desperate for love. Wish we knew where they all were when we’re looking for them.’
Putting the ute into gear, she chugged forward over the creek crossing. There was a crunching noise as the stones flicked up under the chassis. A mob of corellas painted the sky white as they rose in one big flock. The noise was deafening as they flew off down the creek and settled in another lot of gum trees.
‘I’d like to know that, too!’
‘Have you thought about asking for a transfer? Surely your company is big enough to shift you to a different area. Or going down to Adelaide on the weekends, getting in with some singles groups or something?’
‘I’ve tried to transfer a couple of times. Hasn’t worked yet. There’s always been someone higher up more qualified than I am for the jobs I’ve applied for.’ She shrugged. ‘That’s the way it is. Got to keep working at it.’
Fiona pulled up at a cocky gate and stared through the front windscreen. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I’m sorry I never knew you felt like this. I feel like I’ve been such an awful friend.’
Jo leaned over and gave her a one-armed hug. ‘Not at all. You’re the best friend I’ve got.’ She smiled and got out to open the gate.
They drove around the paddock and Fiona marvelled at how much the feed had grown in the past few weeks. Sometimes it didn’t grow much through winter, even though there was rain. The ground was just too cold.
The warmer days over the past two weeks had made a difference. She wound her way from the creek around the side of the hill to the top, where there was a water tank, and pulled up.
‘Look there,’ she said, pointing to the west. ‘See that shed in the distance—you can just see the roof shining in the sun.’ She got out of the car and motioned for Jo to do the same.
‘That’s Gunner’s Run. Charlie and I tried to buy that place when we first got engaged.’
Jo leaned against the front of the ute and closed her eyes, her face tilted towards the sky. ‘Why didn’t you?’
‘Too much money. Funny looking back, we thought our hearts had been broken. We always wanted to have our own farm—something different and separate to Charlie’s family and we thought Gunner’s Run would be it.’ She pushed her hat back and flicked away a fly. ‘But then his granddad gave Charona to Charlie and the rest is history. If we’d done that and we had this place, there is no way I’d be able to do what I’m doing now.’
‘You know you’re doing fabulously, don’t you?’
‘Well, what else am I going to do?’ Fiona said in a huffy tone. ‘It’s not like there’s a choice, is there? We’re country women, we just get on and keep going because if we don’t, no one else is going to do it for us. Sometimes things seem to happen for the best, even though we don’t know it at the time. We’ve got no idea about the big picture, have we?’
‘No, you’re right there. But there is a choice,’ Jo said softly. ‘Why don’t you sell, Fee? Leigh’s right when he says how much easier it would be for you.’
Fiona’s head whipped around. ‘Not you, too?’
Jo held up her hands as if to ward off a blow. ‘I’m going to support you in whatever decision you make. And I do understand where you’re coming from when you talk about making sure Master Forrest here has the opportunity. I’m just thinking about you. Maybe not selling. Leasing—you’ve always got the land then. You could come back to it. It might be a better option.’
Fiona was quiet as she looked over the land. A gentle breeze ruffled her hair and the smell of eucalyptus brushed by. In the distance she could hear galahs, corellas and magpies.
‘No,’ she answered in a low, certain voice. ‘No. Farm kids learn by osmosis. They know things about the land, the weather, the stock, from such an early age because they learn by watching. Even if I leased it out, he wouldn’t have it ingrained in his soul. Growing up on Charona is what I want for him.’
‘Fair enough. I promise never to mention it again!’
In the next paddock Fiona could see the ewes and lambs hanging right on the fence. She smiled as a few lambs took off, running along the fence, playing chasings. They’d run flat out, then sometimes stop so suddenly the ones behind would accidentally barrel into them. ‘See?’ she pointed. ‘He needs to be able to see this, to love it—if he grows up loving it, he might never leave …’ her voice trailed off as she realised she couldn’t see the old season’s lambs that were supposed to be in this paddock. She swung around and looked carefully. From the top of the hill, she could see every corner and they definitely weren’t there.
‘Where are they?’ Her voice had risen in slight panic.
‘Where are who?’
‘The lambs. There are supposed to be four hundred in here and I can’t see them.’ She quickly walked over to the tank and checked that it was full. The pump next to it was full of fuel and oil, so it was ready to be started when it was needed next. She yanked the rope and the engine roared into life. After making sure it was pumping, she swung around to check the area again. She could see absolutely no sign of the sheep anywhere.
‘Come on, let’s check the fence!’ Jo called to her.
They drove along one fence line and followed it to the gate. There was nothing amiss there.
‘I hope they haven’t got through into the neighbour’s place,’ Fiona groaned. She paused as she glanced along the fence. ‘But look at that.’ There was the telltale sign of wool on the barbed wire and some bent steel posts. She was sure the sheep had been held there until the fence had crumbled under their weight. Just what a wild dog would do, when it was trying to catch its next feed. ‘Looks like they’ve gone over the top. Two guesses what’s happened here and the first one doesn’t count.’
‘The baits aren’t working, obviously. It’s too clever to take them,’ Jo commented.
‘Other than when I heard it howl the other night, I hadn’t realised it was still around. It’s a lot quieter than it was. There’s the occasional loss of a ewe or lamb. Geoff mentioned he thought it must be doing its killing away from here, because there’s a problem only once in a blue moon. Not like before.’ She stopped the ute next to the fence and got out. ‘But like you, I wish it’d take the baits.’ Grabbing a pair of pliers from her ute, she gave Meita a quick pat, before trying to stand the fence up. The stony ground made it hard for her and by the time Jo was by her side to help, she was puffing.
‘Bugger, that means a heap more drafting, then getting them all back across the paddocks to here. Just makes more work for me.’ she grumbled, trying to catch her breath.
Jo put her hand on her arm. ‘I’m not going to harp on about this, but this is why it would be so much easier to sell.’
‘You promised!’ Fiona turned on her.
Giving a cheeky grin, Jo skipped out of the way. ‘I know, but I couldn’t resist. Hey, who’s that coming in the driveway?’
Fiona turned and saw a muddy-coloured dual cab slowly making its way down her drive.
‘I bet that’s Rob come to put the locks in. Nana Carly will be pleased. Come on, let’s go and meet him.’
‘Around here,’ Fiona waved Rob towards the back of the house, where an old rainwater tank lay tipped on its side. A row of wood was stacked up, but it was clear that the supply was running low.
Following her directions, Rob reversed up to the tank, then got out of the car. Jo nudged Fiona. ‘Now there’s something to look at. Hot or what? How come I haven’t noticed him before?’
As she looked at Rob, dressed in tight Wrangler jeans, Rossi boots and a navy shirt, which set off his blond hair, Fiona had to
agree—he looked very nice. She’d never noticed how good-looking he was. Maybe she could set him up with Jo. She knew Rob was kind and was pretty sure he wouldn’t cause the types of bruises she’d seen on Jo’s arms today.
Fiona rolled her eyes at Jo before saying: ‘Shh,’ hoping Rob hadn’t noticed. ‘Hi, Rob!’
‘Hi, Fee, how are you? Jo, good to see you again.’ He smiled at them both. ‘Isn’t it an awesome day? Nice to see the sunshine for a while. In here?’ He indicated the tank.
‘Yes, please,’ she managed to get out before Jo broke in over the top of her.
‘Oh, it is!’ Jo gushed. ‘Need it to get some of the pastures growing. Too many around with cold, wet feet.’
‘Thanks so much for bringing all this out. I’m running really low and can’t use the chainsaw.’ Fiona interrupted before Jo made a fool of herself. She indicated her growing belly with a wry smile. ‘Junior tends to hold me up a little these days.’
‘I’m glad I’m able to help you, Fee.’ Rob pulled on some leather work gloves and started to unload a trailer full of logs.
Jo elbowed Fiona again and nodded at the muscles rippling up his arms as he handled the heavy logs. Fiona threw her an incredulous look and tried not to giggle as she leaned over to help unload the trailer.
‘You’re right, Jo.’ Rob said. ‘The animals need a bit of sunshine too. Quite a few ewes getting around with sore feet because of the water lying in the paddocks.’
That made Fiona prick up her ears. She’d noticed some ewes standing away from the mob and when she’d tried to shift them, they’d been very lame. That must be what’s causing it.
‘Oh, I’ve seen a few sheep like that here,’ she told him.
Jo’s mobile phone rang and she answered it as she walked away.
‘Are you busy at the surgery?’ Fiona asked above the noise of the wood thudding into the aluminium tank.
‘There’s a lot of small animal work at the moment,’ Rob answered. ‘You wouldn’t believe the amount of cats I’m desexing, and I’ve two cases of dogs who’ve eaten chocolate. Not good for their health! Lots of antibiotics for the sheep with sore feet, like I said, but other than that, the big animal work is a bit quiet. It’ll fire up again when preg-testing time starts.’ He flashed her a grin. ‘Do you remember …’
Sapphire Falls Page 9
