The Call of the High Country

by Tony Parsons

  ‘Not to mention that we now have another good reason to go – a holiday home,’ Anne said.

  ‘I think we should consider employing someone to help out here,’ Andy continued. ‘We can’t keep relying on Kate. What we need is a reliable young person who can milk and do odd jobs as well as help out at shearing and crutching time. Davie, you can’t do it all plus work your dogs and handle young horses. There’s no sense in owning three properties and busting your gut forever.’

  ‘I never thought I would hear you say that, Andy,’ Anne said and winked at David.

  ‘Just commonsense, Anne. I don’t want to see David end up like me. Seriously, I think we ought to look at employing someone – but not just anyone: someone who is interested in stock horses and could learn to handle a few when things are slack. I would prefer to pay the right person a bit more money. What do you think, Anne?’

  ‘I’m all for it. But we’ll have to put it to Kate, since she is a director.’

  ‘I think we ought to have Kate and Jean over for dinner tomorrow, to celebrate,’ David suggested. ‘Let’s keep this news on ice until then. We can ask Kate about Dad’s suggestion. She has to feel she’s involved, too. Where would we have been without her?’

  ‘The first thing Kate will ask is where an employee would live,’ Anne said.

  ‘Maybe we’d have to build a small cottage,’ Andrew suggested.

  ‘Well, Davie, I reckon this softens the blow about not going to Canberra,’ Anne said.

  ‘It does, but I’ll still be going. Tim would have wanted me to go, and to do well.’

  Chapter Twenty-four

  The day after David received the letter from Tristram Jennings, there was a feeling of change in the air. David had ordered a new utility with the expectation that he would be working dogs at that year’s National. He’d had a mesh crate made especially for it, modelled on what he could remember of Bruce McClymont’s cage. The crate had a double roof to cut down heat, and four compartments. He brought the new crate back to High Peaks just before lunch. He was not back long when a thunderstorm passed over the property. There was a second one later in the afternoon, and between them the storms dumped over three inches of rain on the land. The hill country had been very dry and rain was just what was needed before the onset of cooler weather. But the storms did not clear the air. Sunday broke very humid and with the threat of more storms to come.

  Catriona had asked if they could have a picnic in the hills. David had told her that he had discovered a very big cave on Wallaby Rocks and she was eager to see it. It was on the highest point of Poitrel and about the same height as the peak of Yellow Rock. David had breakfast and saddled his Sparkes-bred mare so that he would be ready to leave as soon as Catriona arrived. He tied a billy can onto a saddle and then buckled on a saddlebag.

  ‘Catriona is just coming round the bend, David,’ Anne called from the front verandah.

  ‘Good. I hope she brought her rainskins.’

  ‘Got matches?’ Andrew asked.

  David nodded. ‘I think I’ll leave the billy and some matches up at the cave I found. When things settle down a bit, we should all go up there for a picnic. I mean the lot of us: Kate and Jean, too.’

  ‘That would be nice, dear,’ Anne said. ‘We haven’t had a picnic for a while.’

  David took the food he had prepared and hurried out to his horse where he waited for Catriona to arrive. She was driving a Ford utility and pulling a single-horse trailer. He could see that King was saddled with a stock saddle for the ride into the hills.

  When Catriona pulled up she gave him her usual flashing smile and cheery greeting. ‘Hi, David. We’re sure to get another storm. Do you think we should be going so far?’

  ‘I really want to go to Poitrel. I want to show you that great cave I told you about. If we can get that far, the storm won’t worry us.’

  So they rode up through the foothills below Yellow Rock and then took a new track on the western side of the mountain. This slope offered far easier going than the dangerous eastern slope down which David had ridden Catriona’s grey pony. The track led on to the boundary fence between High Peaks and Poitrel. They went through the mesh gate and then turned towards the east.

  ‘We head up there,’ David said. ‘The highest point on Poitrel is almost as high as the peak of Yellow Rock but not as dangerous. Before we get to the top, we detour down the hill and along the face below the peak. That’s where the cave is and that’s where we’ll have lunch.’

  Catriona looked up at the rapidly darkening sky and thought that they would be very lucky to make the cave before the storm broke. There were ominous rumblings and the air was so heavy it seemed to be pressing them towards the ground. The clouds were purple-green and away to the east lightning ripped up and down in great jagged streaks.

  ‘Not scared are you, Cat?’ David asked.

  ‘I’m glad I’m not doing this on my own,’ she replied.

  ‘To tell you the truth, I don’t like storms either. Come on, it’s getting close.’

  The first big drops of rain started to fall as they rode off the slope and along the eastern face of Wallaby Rocks. ‘Head for that split tree,’ David shouted above the noise of the thunder. He pointed to the remnants of a big dead box tree that had been shattered by lightning some time in the past. The tree was in amongst an area of massive rocks. Immediately below the tree, the track – which was really a sheep pad – dipped quite sharply, and off to her right Catriona finally spotted the opening of a big cave.

  ‘Get off and follow me,’ David said. He led his horse into the cave and Catriona followed closely behind. The area Catriona found herself in was only an entrance, a kind of anteroom, to a much bigger cave that was reached through an opening several feet across. ‘Hang on to my bridle for a minute, Cat. I want to grab some wood before the rain soaks it.’

  David dashed out of the cave and began picking up kindling and some bigger sticks. By the time he had gathered an armful, the rain had begun in earnest. Catriona watched him as he appeared through the curtain of water. He put the wood down and reached for the bridles. ‘I’ll tie the two neddies to that root,’ he said, and pointed to where a thick tree root had thrust its way between two rocks. Then he unsaddled the horses and brought the saddles and rugs across to where he had dumped the pile of sticks. When he had spread the rugs on the ground near the back wall of the cave, he took from his saddlebag a motley collection of goods. There were two packets of food, a package wrapped in newspaper and two boxes of matches in clear plastic. The package in newspaper yielded a small amount of fine bark kindling, which he laid on the paper and lit. It flared up, and he fed the flame with small sticks from the pile beside him. When the fire was well under way, he took the billy and placed it on the ground at the cave’s entrance. Water was pouring off the roof and the billy filled to overflowing in two or three minutes.

  ‘We’ll have a hot cuppa in no time,’ he said.

  Catriona stood and watched him as he worked. She always marvelled at the smooth way David did everything. ‘Do you never forget anything, David?’ she asked.

  ‘Now and again, Cat. I had a first-rate teacher. Dad got me into the habit of making a mental check of everything I might need for a job. Too far to go back for something from here. I mean, where would we be if I had forgotten the matches? We’d be tea-less.’

  ‘And I suppose you even remembered to bring the tea and sugar?’

  ‘Sure did. They’re in the saddlebag. Condensed milk, too. I never travel without those things. If the worst comes to the worst, you can always sit down and have a mug of tea.’

  ‘Well, I brought fresh milk,’ Catriona said. ‘It’s wrapped in crushed ice. It would go sour quickly in this weather.’

  ‘Wow, what a team,’ he said. He took off his hat and coat and lay down on his saddle blanket, his back propped against the cave’s back wall. ‘By the way, what do you think of my restaurant?’

  Catriona gave what was the closest to a giggle
he had ever heard from her. ‘I guess we could be in worse places during a storm.’

  David laughed outright. ‘Safe as you could be here. Safer than at Inverlochy. Miles from anywhere and anyone. That’s what you want, isn’t it?’

  Catriona paused in the middle of unpacking her saddlebags. Wild thoughts of desire flashed through her brain. Should she encourage him or remain detached? She knew she loved David, but they weren’t married yet.

  ‘What do you mean, David?’ She saw that his eyes were fixed on her face and she forced herself to meet his steady gaze.

  ‘You’ve fancied me for years. You’ve regarded me as your very own personal property,’ he said.

  ‘What if I did? Would you have any objection? I mean, have you got someone better in mind?’

  ‘I once told you that there was nobody else.’

  ‘David MacLeod, there is something odd about you today. I think I know you, and I say you are behaving very strangely. You have a different look on your face. If I didn’t know you so well, I would say you are being smug.’

  ‘Cat,’ he roared. ‘Me, smug? I hope I never am. Nothing of the kind.’

  ‘You aren’t a bundle of nerves because we’re together in this cave?’

  ‘I’ve always been very comfortable in your presence. Not like some of the young men who pant after you.’

  ‘You mean you’ve always taken me for granted, just like one of your dogs?’

  ‘Definitely not. Look, let’s talk about this after lunch.’

  Catriona handed him a plate of cold meat and salad which she had assembled from the contents of their saddlebags while he was building the fire. David took it and smiled across at her. Her heart began to beat faster and she turned away to hide her confusion. If only he knew how much she loved him. When he smiled at her like that she felt weak and strong at the same time.

  ‘I’ll make the tea,’ he said, clearly wanting to change the topic.

  They ate their lunch as they watched the rain pour off the lip of the cave and cascade down the mountain. In between watching the rain they covertly watched each other.

  ‘What is it that you wanted to talk about, David?’ Catriona asked at last as she sipped her tea. She couldn’t contain herself any longer.

  ‘I think I’ll have another cuppa,’ David said.

  ‘You’re enjoying this,’ Catriona said.

  ‘What?’ he asked.

  ‘Keeping me in suspense.’

  ‘What do you want first? The good news or the bad?’

  Catriona sighed. ‘The bad.’

  ‘I’m not going to Canberra this year. Clancy smashed his back leg. It’s been pinned and he’s now in plaster. He’ll be out of action for three months.’

  ‘Oh, David, I’m so sorry. Poor Clancy. He looked so very good.’

  ‘So my dream is on hold for another twelve months.’

  ‘David, with all due respect, you may never win that blasted trial. There are too many good handlers with too many good border collies.’

  ‘One man with a kelpie won the National five times,’ David reminded her.

  ‘Maybe he did, but there are so many more handlers now,’ she said.

  ‘Their dogs are no better,’ David said.

  ‘Well, David, how long do you expect me to wait for you? My parents are on at me all the time to marry someone else.’

  ‘I know all that. Look, what would happen if you went home and told your parents that you were going to marry me? What would they do?’

  ‘They couldn’t stop me.’

  ‘But they wouldn’t like it.’

  ‘We both know that already. But I’ve told you, I don’t care.’

  ‘Would having more money make a difference?’ he asked.

  ‘I suppose it might, but there are other things, too. Your father was a shearer.’

  ‘Hell, Cat, there are millionaires who started off life a lot lower down the social scale than that.’

  ‘You don’t have to convince me.’

  ‘Okay, so if I ask you to marry me, where do you stand? With your parents or with me?’

  ‘I take it this is a hypothetical question.’

  ‘You know I have to win that National. Not only for Dad but for Tim Sparkes.’

  ‘David, that’s ridiculous. Tim Sparkes is dead.’

  ‘Tim believed in me and he has made it possible for me to marry you. Not that I wouldn’t have asked you anyway.’

  Catriona’s eyes widened. ‘David, what are you talking about?’

  ‘I am the sole beneficiary of Tim’s estate. He left me his cattle property with over three and a half thousand head of cattle, a house on the coast and a lot of money. He left it all to me.’

  ‘Oh, David, this is wonderful news.’

  ‘Wonderful isn’t the word for it. Do you think it will alter your father’s opinion about my suitability to be his son-in-law?’

  ‘I should think it would be a huge help. David, does this mean you’re asking me to marry you?’

  David sighed. ‘Cat, you have always known I would marry you. In your heart of hearts, you knew. I’m not a fancy fellow who knows fancy things to say. But I do know that if I can’t have you, I don’t want any other woman. I like having you close by me, and, Catriona, I do love you.’

  Catriona felt her whole body melt with David’s words.

  ‘Are you going to kiss me?’ she asked.

  He took her in his arms and kissed her softly on the lips, hesitantly at first, then with all the passion in his heart.

  Catriona felt his strength and closeness and sighed contentedly. ‘I seem to have waited forever for this,’ she said.

  ‘I know you have, and I’m so lucky that you did.’ They sat together with the fire’s warmth soaking through them. Between kisses, Catriona asked, ‘Where shall we live?’

  ‘We can have a new home on High Peaks,’ he said.

  ‘Can you afford that?’

  ‘I can afford a very nice new home wherever you want it.’

  ‘What on earth will my parents say?’

  ‘Cat, you’re not to mention a word of this. Do not tell them we’re engaged and do not tell them a thing about Tim’s estate. Your father will take some handling, and I want to do it in my own way.’

  Catriona sighed and leant back into David’s arms. ‘You know there has never been anyone else,’ she said.

  ‘I never doubted for a minute. Come on, let’s have another cuppa and then we’ll head for home.’

  ‘Can’t we stay a little longer? It’s still raining, and I don’t want to break the spell of this magic place.’

  ‘The rain has almost stopped and we’ll be late home as it is. Would you like to stay for dinner? Kate and Jean will be there, too. It’s to celebrate our good fortune.’

  ‘Now you tell me. How can I stay to dinner in these clothes? I smell all horsy.’

  ‘I suppose you’ll have time to go home and change,’ he said.

  ‘Come on then, quick. Let’s pack up and go. I’ll look after these things while you saddle the horses.’

  The sun came out as they picked their way down the mountain. Grass, trees and rocks were transformed by the sun shining on the rain-soaked countryside. The air seemed fresh and brilliantly clean. Catriona thought it was a very good omen for their future.

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Sworn to secrecy about her engagement to David, and about his wonderful legacy from Tim Sparkes, Catriona went back to Inverlochy with her mind clear at last about the future direction of her life. If all went according to plan, she and David would be married the following year, after the National Trial, and they would live in a new house on High Peaks – after an unholy row with her family, of course.

  Three days later David and Andrew left for Queensland. They were away about a week. Before leaving they had employed a young local man by the name of Greg Robertson as full-time station hand. He was a likeable fellow from a small farm close to town, and he considered himself very lucky to be working for
the MacLeods. Greg was horse-mad, and he reckoned that David and Andrew would have to be as good a pair of horsemen as anyone in the country. Greg was put up in the house for the time being, and David and Andrew left High Peaks secure in the knowledge that their new employee could handle, under Anne’s supervision, almost anything that came up.

  After arriving in Rockhampton they made their way to the office of the solicitors who handled Tim’s affairs. There, after half an hour’s discussion, David was handed an envelope with his name scrawled across it. It was the last note Tim had written before taking his life. He had left instructions that it was to be given to David MacLeod when he presented himself at the solicitor’s office. David put the note in his pocket and he and Andy walked out of the office into brilliant Queensland sunshine.

  Later, on the road up to the cattle property that was now his, David stopped the utility and took out the envelope. It contained a single sheet of paper and the writing was very bad.

  Dear David,

  Your old mate is done for. I can’t take any more of this lying in bed with nurses night and day. I reckon what I am going to do is the only sensible way to go.

  I want you to know that I reckon you’re a bonzer young bloke and one day you’ll be a legend, like Lance Skuthorpe and Jackie Howe. I reckon the best way I can help you is to leave you all I’ve got, which my old uncle left me. There’s enough income and money in the bank to straighten up the old place in the way I reckon you and Andy would want to.

  Davie, your dad and mum are great people, and so is Kate. I wish I had met a good woman when I was younger. I would have liked a son just like you. Maybe we’ll meet again in the next world, if there is such a place, but I’m sure pleased I met you MacLeods in this one.

  I know I am leaving everything I own in good hands. I wish there could be another way out, but there isn’t, not for me. If I can’t ride horses, I don’t want to live.

  So long, Davie.

  Your old mate,

  Tim Sparkes