In the evening, it was with a sense of great sadness that Lucy placed the dishes of sausages and salad on the table as the rowdy group settled themselves in their places for the final dinner of the mustering round. The only absentee was Ted, who had gone home to his block in the afternoon. Lucy wondered whether anyone else was realising the significance of this farewell meal with the ringers, but they all seemed jolly as ever. Then she met Dennis’s eye and read what was written there. He too had recognised this occasion for what it was. This noisy, messy, commonplace affair, the feeding of hungry workers after a good day with the cattle, no different from countless others eaten here, would be the last of its kind for the West family. The sudden rush of compassion Lucy felt for him must have shown on her face; looking away, he abruptly put down the bottle of tomato sauce he was holding, muttered an excuse, and stalked from the room.
Several minutes later he returned, his spirits apparently restored. He grinned around the table, a bottle of rum in each hand. ‘For dessert!’ he bellowed. ‘On the house!’ The ringers cheered.
Mel frowned. ‘Not on this house,’ she warned. ‘You can have your piss-up over at the quarters. That’s all we need if the agent comes sniffing round tomorrow, smell of flaming chunder!’
The chatter resumed, with a new air of anticipation in the kitchen.
‘I’ll save some for you, honey bunch!’ Dennis called over the din, plonking the bottles down on the table and taking his seat again.
‘It’d be going to waste then, wouldn’t it?’ Mel avoided his eye and glared instead at her meal.
‘Aw, come on, sweetheart, just this once?’ Dennis entreated cheerfully. ‘We’ll drink to our future!’
Ignoring the comment, Mel took a large mouthful of food.
‘You and Lucy can slink across after the bedtime story. What do you reckon, Luce?’ Dennis raised his eyebrows at her expectantly.
‘Can we come too?’ Wade pleaded.
‘Yeah, right, Wade,’ Billie sneered. ‘Good on you. We’ll be stuck in bed as usual, while they’re all over there partying.’
‘I won’t be, Wade,’ Lucy said reassuringly. ‘I’ll be in bed like you.’
Billie groaned and rolled her eyes; then, with unnecessary aggression, she speared another sausage from the platter with her knife and shook it onto her plate.
Lucy awoke at the first hint of grey light and lay in bed listening to the kookaburras welcoming in the dawn. Until the early hours of the morning, on the edges of her dreams, she’d been vaguely aware of the distant sounds of riotous merriment coming from the direction of the ringers’ quarters.
She climbed out of bed in a weary daze. After a strong cup of tea, she stepped out of her cottage into the breezy morning, feeling a little more alert. She glanced over towards the dongas. No signs of life; all was still and silent.
When she entered the house, the sight of Mel’s grim expression, and the ferocity with which she was beating some cake batter, was more than enough warning for Lucy to keep a low profile. Refraining from her customary cheerful greeting, she went directly to the table to rescue the open Milo tin perched precariously on the edge. Molly and Wade were spooning it liberally onto their cornflakes, and not all of it was reaching their bowls.
‘Dad’s not coming to breakfast,’ Molly informed Lucy as she whisked away the Milo tin. ‘He didn’t even sleep in his bed last night.’
‘Yeah, he was too busy getting smashed with the ringers.’ Wade added impressively, ‘All night.’
Lucy glanced at Mel’s rigid back, and decided it was time to change the subject. ‘So, it’s Sunday,’ she began brightly. ‘What’s going on today?’
‘Me and Billie are doing some barrel racing over in the wire rope yard,’ Cooper told her. ‘You wanna be the judge?’
‘We should really be doing schoolwork, considering the days you missed this week,’ Lucy said.
The kids all began to protest at once and Lucy held up her hands. ‘Calm down, we’re still on track—actually, a little ahead. But we’ll be working extra hard next week!’
‘Does that mean you’re coming to watch us ride then?’ Billie asked.
‘I promised Gwen I’d visit her this morning,’ Lucy said.
Billie shrugged, but Wade scowled in annoyance. ‘I wish you’d tell Gran to go and get—’
‘Wade!’ Lucy interrupted. ‘Watch your manners!’
‘Yeah,’ Mel muttered, ‘what with Gran being such an angel and all.’
Once the children had eaten, they rushed off to catch the horses, leaving Lucy alone with Mel. After making a few tentative attempts at conversation, and having her offer to look after Henry rejected, Lucy decided that Mel was best left alone and went to her cottage to fill in time until her nine o’clock appointment with Gwen.
She looked up from her book at the sound of an engine. From the window she could see Dennis on the idling quad bike over at the dog cages. Lucy supposed he must have been too afraid to go home to Mel, and had decided instead to take his collies for a run. His movements were sluggish as he hopped off the bike and unlatched the cage doors one by one. As each door opened, an ecstatic little body sprang forth. The dogs weaved around each other in a tight huddle, their tails like flags, with much sniffing, growling and teeth baring as they leapt and crouched in play, waiting for the bike to rev back into life again.
The joyfully electric movements of the collies provided such a stark contrast to Dennis’s dragging steps and hunched posture that Lucy was once again filled with pity for him. She could only try to imagine how awful he must be feeling with a severe hangover compounding his troubles. He returned unsteadily to his bike and, gripping the handlebars, swung himself on stiffly, then roared away almost before he’d settled in the seat; the dogs darted off after him down the track towards the swamps. Lucy looked back at her book but found that she could no longer concentrate on the words, unable to shake off the image of Dennis’s misery. She was relieved when, half an hour later, it was time to go to Gwen’s.
‘Come in, darling.’ Gwen kissed Lucy fondly and, squeezing her arm, drew her into the coolness of the house and through the sunroom to the kitchen. ‘I’m half expecting Noel to show up any minute for a cuppa—he went off somewhere in the ute nearly two hours ago. So let’s have a chat before he comes back in.’
They seated themselves at the table, and while Lucy marvelled at the brightness of the white checks on the pink and white tablecloth, Gwen poured the tea. Just as she replaced the teapot they heard a commotion of dogs barking outside.
‘That’ll be Dennis getting back,’ Gwen commented disapprovingly.
Lucy supposed his mother must have an idea of the state he was in. She began to sip her tea a little nervously, wondering what Gwen might say next, but to her relief the older woman instead started talking brightly about the CWA’s latest endeavours.
But a few minutes later they were interrupted by a hurried thumping tread on the veranda steps, and then Mel burst into the kitchen with a sleeping Henry in her arms. It was the first time that Mel had set foot in the place in all Lucy’s time at Charlotte’s Creek, and she started in surprise. Gwen appeared far from pleased at the intrusion of her daughter-in-law, but Mel ignored her, looking only at Lucy.
‘The dogs have come home without Den,’ she said, an unmistakable note of fear in her voice. She bent and gently laid the sleeping toddler on the patchwork mat.
The sight of Henry seemed to subdue Gwen, and her tone was almost pleading when she spoke. ‘Oh, Melissa, oh my Lord, he was in no fit state –’
‘I’m going to look for him,’ Mel interrupted, addressing Lucy as though Gwen wasn’t there.
‘He went down the swamp track,’ Lucy said quietly, standing up. ‘I’ll come with you.’
‘No.’ Mel shook her head. ‘The kids are still mucking round on their horses. I told the twins to come and find you here if anyone has a buster. And Henry’ll want you when he wakes.’
Mel turned to go, but Gwen spoke again. �
��Can I help in any way, Melissa?’
Mel turned back, looking at Gwen as though noticing her for the first time. ‘No,’ she said quietly. ‘You’ve done enough already.’
The two women eyed each other, and Lucy shifted uneasily.
‘I hope he’s all right, Mel.’ Lucy’s comment seemed to cut through the icy tension; both women looked at her, the hostility draining from their faces. Suddenly it seemed they were on the same page, a mother and a wife to a missing man.
Mel looked back at Gwen and the venom was gone when she said, ‘Just keep an ear out for the two-way, eh.’
‘Of course!’ Gwen nodded, her face earnest and alert.
Then Mel was gone. Lucy, still standing, watched the paddock ute rattle away, its tray full of Dennis’s jostling dogs.
‘I hope he hasn’t gone and done anything silly,’ Gwen said apprehensively. ‘This whole business has been so hard on us all. And where on earth has Noel got to?’
Lucy sank back down into her chair. ‘If only Ted was here,’ she said.
They talked on a for little while, then to Lucy’s relief, Henry woke up and they were occupied with keeping him entertained for the next half an hour. The two-way radio in the corner of the kitchen crackled to life. Gwen rushed over and picked up the mouthpiece. Mel’s voice came from the speaker, and it sounded so normal and matter-of-fact that at first Lucy thought nothing was wrong.
‘I’ve found him. He’s conscious. He’s managed to tip the four-wheeler on himself. Looks like we’re gonna need the rescue chopper from Cairns.’
At her last words, Gwen and Lucy looked at each other in alarm. Lucy hurried to the telephone on the wall and dialled the emergency number, her fingers shaking.
‘We’ve received all that, Melissa.’ Gwen’s voice was strong. ‘Lucy’s calling now.’
‘Righto. We’re up on the northern face of that shaly spur above Coffee Pot Lagoon.’ Mel’s voice gave a tell-tale tremor.
‘Oh . . . right . . .’ Gwen sounded unsure.
‘They’ll have to land down on the flat near the water,’ Mel added.
‘But what about Dennis?’ Gwen was losing her composure. ‘Should we try to find you?’
‘Noel’s here,’ Mel said briefly.
‘Do you need some pillows or something?’ Gwen pressed. ‘Bandages? Is he bleeding?’
Lucy, who was now talking quietly and clearly to the emergency operator while keeping one ear on the women’s conversation, saw that her face had gone white.
‘I’ve got the ute first-aid kit,’ Mel said. ‘But I’m thinking the less we touch him the better.’
Gwen turned and looked at Lucy, waiting while she finished giving the instructions to the emergency operator and then hung up.
‘Oh, Lucy.’ The older woman covered her mouth. ‘Oh my Lord!’
Lucy gently took the handset from her and spoke into it. ‘Mel, the chopper’s on its way.’
‘Thanks, mate,’ Mel radioed back. ‘And Lucy . . .’ She paused. The rest of the sentence, when it came, sounded as though it was spoken through tears. ‘He’s asking to see the kids.’
Staying behind to man the phone and the two-way, Gwen waved distractedly from the veranda as Lucy and the children set off to find the injured man. Lucy soon realised that she needn’t have worried about getting lost. When she repeated Mel’s description of his whereabouts to the wide-eyed children, they knew exactly how to get there. Cooper drove, his face steely with determination as he peered through the steering wheel. Lucy held the restless Henry, who was clearly hungry. The twins were jammed in the middle, and Billie had climbed into the tray. When they saw the tracks left by the traffic of other vehicles, Cooper turned off the lagoon road and bumped the ute between the trees and up onto the more open side of the spur. It wasn’t long before they spotted the trio up ahead through the stands of hickory wattle. Between them, Mel and Noel had somehow managed to shift the heavy quad bike off Dennis. Mel, her back to them, was kneeling beside the injured man, who was lying with his head and shoulders cradled in his father’s arms.
‘Dad!’ Billie yelled. She leapt from the back of the ute before it had rolled to a stop, and pelted up the stony slope towards him. The other kids weren’t far behind. Lucy hurried after them, Henry bouncing uncomfortably on her hip. On sight of Mel, the baby began to grizzle and lean out towards her, but Mel was entirely focused on Dennis, talking softly to him and stroking his forehead. Noel’s face was pale and grave, his cheeks streaked with tears. Lucy felt a lump rise in her throat. Dennis looked pallid and clammy, his mouth half open and his eyes closed. His hand and one side of his face were badly grazed.
The children formed a solemn semicircle around their father, their heads bowed, and silence fell as Mel put the whimpering Henry to her breast. Noel, who hadn’t raised his eyes from his son’s face to look at the children, gave a low sob. Dennis’s eyelids fluttered open. He lifted his head a little but it shuddered uncontrollably on his neck and dropped back against his father’s arm, his eyes closing again.
‘Dad!’ exclaimed Billie again. ‘Are you hurting bad?’
‘Daddy! What’s wrong with your body?’ Molly asked urgently.
‘Shut up, Molly!’ Cooper snapped.
‘G’day, kids,’ said Dennis, his quavering voice barely audible. ‘Bit of a buster, is all.’ This was followed by a small cough, then a gasp.
‘You’re not stuffed, are you, Dad?’ asked Wade, wiping away tears with grimy fists.
‘Don’t be bloody stupid, Wade!’ Cooper snarled. ‘He’s just got a bit of bark off him, that’s all.’ He looked at his father desperately. ‘Isn’t that right, Dad?’
But Dennis’s eyes had closed again. Noel gave a deep sigh and two fresh tears rolled down his cheeks.
‘He just needs to rest now,’ Lucy said gently, putting her arm around Cooper.
‘Mum?’ Cooper challenged, shaking off Lucy’s arm.
Mel looked up, her eyes full of sorrow. ‘Just come in here beside Dad, Coop, nice and quiet, eh?’
Cooper flopped down beside his father. His face was still full of anger, but now tears were coursing down his cheeks too. The other children sat as well. Billie’s face was hard and cold, but she was wringing her hands in her lap, and the twins pressed close to Lucy.
It was Lucy and Billie who returned to the house shortly afterwards to meet the chopper.
‘You sure you can find us from the air?’ Mel asked as they left.
‘I’m sure Billie can,’ Lucy replied. ‘She’s amazing . . . you all are.’
The rescue helicopter alighted next to the home stockyards just long enough to pick them up, and they flew to Coffee Pot Lagoon, where they landed on a dried mud flat. The two crew members carried the stretcher up the tree-covered slope and came out onto the shale-strewn hillside. The paramedic gave Dennis something to inhale and immobilised his body and neck with a brace, then a sombre procession wound its way down the hillside with the stretcher-bearers. With the large stretcher, pilot, the crew and the doctor, there was no room for Mel in the helicopter for the long flight. As the aircraft receded into the distant blue, Noel put his arm around Mel’s shoulders.
Chapter 42
The morning after the accident, Lucy went across to the house earlier than usual to find that Mel had been out of bed for some time and was frantically packing up the house while the kids hovered nearby in stunned silence. Shortly afterwards, Ted arrived in his ute, unaware of the events of the weekend. Mel filled him in with one sentence, then asked him to dig a pit behind the house with the backhoe. He silently complied. Into this she began hurling inessential belongings, old furniture and other household items. She rang the storage warehouse in Ingham and ordered some large cardboard cartons to be sent out on the mail run the following day. By evening, the living room was a patchwork of piles ready to be packed into boxes. The West family was leaving Charlotte’s Creek.
Dennis had been flown by aerial ambulance to Brisbane with a suspected spinal injury. Lucy
’s father had arranged for him to be seen at short notice by the best orthopaedic and neurological specialists in the city. In addition to a broken shoulder, fractured sternum, several cracked ribs and a damaged spleen, Dennis had sustained a broken neck. The doctors informed him how lucky he was to have escaped quadriplegia, but when Dennis discovered he would spend months recovering in hospital, and for the first part completely immobilised, he felt far from fortunate.
Gwen and Noel also flew to Brisbane, effectively escaping the mess for a time, Lucy thought uncharitably. She took care of Henry for the two days it took Mel to pack. She also helped the children organise their most precious belongings and clothes, and dealt with the schoolroom herself.
‘They’ll be going to townie school from now on,’ Mel told her, ‘so you might as well dump the lot.’
But Lucy, unable to discard everything on which they’d worked so hard, packed her car with as much of it as would fit alongside her own meagre possessions. Shep stood by dejectedly as she loaded it all in, one-handed, with Henry on her hip. The old kelpie seemed to know what was afoot; Lucy, afraid to look at him lest he make her stop and think, kept herself busy and bustling.
Knowing instinctively to stay away from Mel, the twins tried to ‘help’ Lucy. At one stage, they disappeared for a while and returned to her car with their little battered saddles and bridles. ‘Can you stuff these in somewhere?’ Wade asked gruffly. ‘Mum says to leave them, and that we won’t be needing them in town, but we reckon we might, just.’
Billie stayed close to her mother. Her face was sullen, but she followed Mel’s instructions with unusual alacrity. Cooper, however, was nowhere to be seen. Lucy supposed he was off with Ted somewhere. But the thought of Ted she carefully avoided, devoting all her energy to the family instead, during the passing of the unreal, grim two days.
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