An Outback Affair, page 11
She clenched her fists. “We’ve been here for over two weeks now, and I think maybe it would be in all our interests if we left for home tomorrow.”
Standing, he towered over her. “What?”
She swallowed hard, lifted her chin, and boldly met his gaze. “I’m going back to Melbourne as soon as I can.”
An unreadable expression on his face. It scared her. “That would be too hurtful for Queenie … ” he hesitated, “and for me.”
“I’m sure you can explain to your mother. You have such a way with words.”
He touched her hand. She drew back. “Don’t go. Not yet.”
She hesitated. Unsure what to do. Her instincts told her to take Sam and race back to Melbourne, her emotions told her to stay for Queenie’s sake and Sam’s. He wouldn’t understand them leaving Oriole so quickly. He’d be so upset and God only knew what it would do to Queenie’s health to lose Sam before she’d got the chance to know him. “You scare me, Joel, with your talk of keeping Sam.”
Earnest eyes. Lying eyes. “Hey, I was just spouting off.”
“Yet you admit you want Sam permanently on Oriole.”
“Only if you agreed; I’ll be content with visits.”
She didn’t believe him, yet she allowed her emotions to have their way. “Okay.”
Relief shone in his eyes. “Then you’ll stay?”
“For a little while longer.” What was going on in that devious mind of his? Did he have a digit in the dial phoning his lawyer? How could she fight him in court? He had the money, the power. She had to be as devious as him.
“Great.”
“But if you make one reference, make one move toward keeping Sam, I’ll be off this station so fast you’ll feel my draught.”
“I accede. He stays with you.”
Cassie relaxed slightly. “We can work out suitable visits, Joel. This can suit us all.”
“Whatever.”
“Why, when he leaves school he might want to come here permanently,” she conceded.
“Stranger things have happened.”
Every player in this non-cooperative game had a set of possible strategies on the table. Missiles launched. Summit over. For the moment.
“Good night, Cassie. Don’t let the bed bugs bite.” She watched him walk out of the room and away from her.
“I can’t let Sam go,” she whispered to an empty room, and, without warning, burst into tears.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
A few days later, after a light lunch, Cassie and Sam found Queenie in the lounge. It was the first time Queenie had left her bedroom since they had arrived at Oriole. Pure pleasure washed through Cassie that Queenie’s health had improved.
“Queenie.” Cassie walked over to her and kissed her cheek. “How wonderful to see you up.”
The older woman smiled. “Sam has been begging me to come downstairs. So here I am.” Sam moved to cuddle close to her. “I promised that we’ll read some stories in the garden and maybe plant some flowers, and then Sam wants to show me the horses.”
“Please don’t let him wear you out.” Cassie knew too well how difficult it was to keep up with a boisterous four-year-old. “It would be unwise for you to do too much on your first day up and about.”
They all turned as Berta made an appearance. “Joel said he’s got something to show us.”
To their utter surprise, Joel came into the room wearing a black cape and top hat. “Ah ha. Allow me to introduce myself.” He gave a sweeping bow. “Bobo the Magician, and in honor of Sam’s nana making her first public appearance downstairs in such a long time, I’ve come to do my special magic act.”
Everyone clapped and cheered.
He winked at Cassie and turned to his captive audience. “Now for my Out to Lunch magic trick, taught to me by the Wizard of Fairy-tree Hill.” Joel held up small sheets of paper. “I have here four pieces of paper and if you call out four names of fruit, I’ll write them onto the paper.”
“Apple,” called Cassie.
“Pear,” said Queenie.
“Banana,” cried Sam.
“Grapes,” came from Berta.
Joel filled a jar with the four pieces of paper. He approached Sam. “What’s your name, little boy?”
Giggling, Sam got into the act. “Sam.”
“Well, Sam, you are now going to tell us which piece of fruit is in the paper bag over there.”
Sam pointed to his chest. “Me?”
Joel nodded. “You are now the magician’s assistant. All you have to do is to pick a slip of paper and see what’s drawn there. But first you must say the magic words: magic is great.”
“Magic is great,” Sam repeated solemnly, and, digging his hand deep inside the jar, he chose a piece of paper and cried out, “Apple.”
Joel held up a paper bag. “Now, Sam, please remove the piece of fruit.”
Sam removed the fruit from the paper bag, and proudly held up a rosy apple to the gasps of all. Everyone clapped loudly.
Joel took a bow with a flourish of one arm. “Now, ladies and gentleman, for my most remarkable trick of all.” Sam selected a card from a deck of cards, which Joel showed his audience. He tore the card into pieces and placed it in a small metal bowl, the bowl was covered and when the cover was removed, Joel withdrew a string of silk scarves with the restored card on it. He placed the silk scarves back into the bowl. Raising his wand, he called, “abracadabra,” whisked off the cover and the bowl was full of artificial flowers. Everyone roared their delight.
“That was great, Uncle Joel,” Sam enthused. “Wasn’t that good, Nana?”
“Hmm, I knew your Uncle Joel had many talents, but that wonderful act took me by surprise. Well done, Joel.”
“Hey, Sam,” Berta called, “Want to lick the bowl? I’ve made lamingtons and there’s chocolate icing and coconut.”
“Yippee,” he cried, leaving his grandmother’s side and hastening to take Berta’s hand. He turned back. “Do you want me to bring you some chocolate icing, Nana?”
“No, dear, you eat it all, and when you’re finished come back and tell me how great it was.”
“Do you want a lamington, then?”
“That sounds delicious.”
He gave a wave, and skipped out of the room with Berta. Queenie laughed.
Joel had moved to the other side of the room placing all his magic equipment into a cupboard. He turned pulling off his top hat as Cassie approached him. The blond curls tumbled down across his forehead. She reached over and brushed the curls back. “I can’t believe this. You never told me you were a magician.”
“What! And ruin my macho image.”
“I want to know how you did the Out to Lunch trick.”
He drew back, a horrified expression on his face. “Hey, no way. It’s sacrilege for a magician to reveal his secrets. I took the Houdini oath.”
“The Houdini oath?”
“Yeah, if I tell the secret of the Out to Lunch trick, I’ll be kicked out of the magician club.”
“Please tell me,” she wheedled. “Just this one inconsequential trick.”
He pursed his lips. “You’re not an easy woman to say no to. Okay, but first you have to take the Houdini oath. Place your hand over your heart and swear, ‘I’ll never reveal the Out to Lunch trick for fear of never going out to lunch again.’”
Laughing, she did as he directed. “Satisfied?”
“Hmm. Can’t be too careful with this lunch trick secret. Okay. The apple is in the bag from the start as I’m sure you realized. When you were all calling out the different fruit, I simply drew an apple on each piece of paper. Sam’s prediction was a walk in the park from the inception.”
Joel wanted nothing else but to make a little boy and a very sick lady smile.
“There’s no end to my talents. See you both later,” he said and left.
Laughing, Cassie approached Queenie. “I can’t believe that Joel did such a wonderful thing. Your son is amazing.”
“I’m forced to agree. Joel’s giving Sam a horse. It will be good for him. Something of his own to care for, and also to teach him how to respect and care for animals.”
Cassie sank back on to the armchair beside Queenie’s chair. “He can’t have a dog or cat in Melbourne, as we only have a tiny back garden and our apartment is quite small.”
“I look at Sam and I feel such wonder that he has come into our lives. Such a little boy, and yet he’s turned Oriole upside-down, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.” Queenie raised her hand to her chest. “Sam has stolen everyone’s heart and especially mine.”
Cassie understood exactly what she meant. “He has a way of doing that.”
Both women stopped talking as Sam returned carefully balancing a plate holding the cake. His tongue popped out at the side of his mouth as he concentrated on carrying the plate to his grandmother. “Here’s your lamington, Nana.”
She took the plate, placing it on the small table at the side of her chair. She held out her arms, and Sam scrambled onto her lap. Queenie kissed his cheek. “Oh, Sam, I’m so much better since you’ve come to be with me. I hope you’re going to stay here for a long, long time.”
“I’m going to stay here for this much,” he declared stretching out his arms. He glanced at Cassie. “Aren’t we, Aunty C? We’re going to stay forever and ever.”
“I don’t know about forever.” At the deep frown on his face, she added, “But we’ll stay for a while yet. Okay, Sam?”
Sam’s welfare and happiness was the major priority in Cassie’s life. When they returned to Melbourne, until school began at least, he could spend more time on Oriole. She knew how lonely she would become the times Sam left her, and even now, before the separation began, a stab of pain pricked at her heart.
Joel had to understand and accept that this was how it would be. There would be no debate. It would be better when she left Oriole; she’d most probably never see Joel again. Oh, there’d be telephone calls to discuss Sam’s future and a general inquiry about her health but that would be the extent of her relationship with Joel.
Why did that make her feel so forlorn? As if she was losing her best friend? How deep were her feelings for Joel? Wasn’t it all about sex and sex alone?
The walls were closing in on her. She had to get out of this house.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Cassie moved under the archway into the stable yards, glancing around as she did so. Everything as far as she could see was in tight order. The boxes were polished, the grass had been raked, and there was a silence around the place that seemed to glow with an atmosphere of tranquility.
A man in his late forties approached her. “Can I help you, miss?”
After she had explained to him what it was she wanted, he led a pure white mare from the stalls and saddled the horse.
Cassie ran an affectionate hand down the mare’s neck, and breathed close to the horse’s snout so it could familiarize itself with her. “She’s beautiful. What’s her name?”
“Moonlight. She’s not as young as she used to be, but a smart lady and gentle as a lamb. She’ll give you no trouble.”
“Hi, Moonlight.”
“I can come with you, if you want. Point out some of our highlights.”
“Thanks, but no.”
His face took on a concerned look. “The boss’ll do me like a roast dinner if I let you go off ridin’ on your own. He’s given strict orders to keep an eye on you.”
“I promise I won’t go far. And I’ll be back before Joel knows I’m gone.” She raised three fingers of her right-hand. “Girl Scout’s honor.”
She edged the mare toward the fence boundaries, turning Moonlight on to the track that led away from the homestead. The wind was hot and bit into her face like a blast from an open furnace.
Reaching the more open terrain, Cassie dug her heels into the horse’s flanks gently urging her on, and finally they left the smoother area and entered rougher ground.
She was always a good rider but never a particularly daring one. This was her first time riding on uncultivated ground, but the mare was sure-footed. Cassie felt vitally alive and free.
She rode for about an hour, and then, almost exhausted, she dismounted and led the mare to a small creek. The horse lowered her massive head and drank the cool water. Rubbing her hand down the mare’s flank, Cassie murmured, “Take it easy, girl. We’ll rest for awhile.”
She flung off her hat and knelt by the creek, splashing her burning face with water. She dipped her handkerchief into the creek, wrung it out, and tied it, bandanna-style, around her neck. The coolness of the cloth was soothing.
She sat beneath a tree. The next thing she knew, she awoke to the darkening sky. She must have slept for hours. Agitated, she sprang to her feet and raced to the mare. Alighting into the saddle, she patted the mare’s neck. “Time to go back, Moonlight.” She turned the horse in a half circle. In a gentle canter they headed back the way they had come.
It didn’t take more than fifteen minutes for Cassie to realize she was hopelessly and completely lost. “I don’t know where we are,” she whispered and at the gentle whinny of the horse, said, “Don’t worry, girl. I know you’ll get us home.”
She glanced around her at the ever-darkening bush. She shivered. “Somehow.”
Cassie searched for anything that was familiar. The trees swayed as if in some macabre dance. The wind whistled a mournful tune through the branches and leaves.
It would only be a matter of time before she was found.
The horse stumbled. Cassie lurched precariously in the saddle. With one hand, she tightly gripped the saddle pommel, her heart thumping wildly in her breast.
She had no water. In the morrow’s heat, she wouldn’t last more than a day. She should have stayed by the creek.
The rush of terror almost overcame her. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t hold back her labored breathing.
“Okay, I have a right to be frightened, because this is scary.”
She drew the mare to a halt, searching the darkness for a cave, some place of shelter.
A sudden flash of lightning illuminated a horse and rider on the crest of a hill ahead of her. Cassie choked back a gasp of relief, too afraid to allow herself to hope they were real.
The horse reared its front legs high into the air at his rider’s command to halt.
A black silhouette of man and beast set against a background of silver lightning.
Apart from the wind tossing the stallion’s mane and lifting the tail of his mountain man’s coat, man and beast could have been carved from the very earth upon which they stood.
And they were as real as she. She gave a harsh sob as she allowed an overpowering sense of relief to flood her. She edged the mare forward, halting a few feet away from him.
Joel, astride a black stallion, with his Akubra tugged low over his eyes, looked magnificent. She likened him to a vindicating archangel who had been sent to earth to proclaim it his. She whispered his name and it flew like an eagle with the wind into the endless night.
“Thank God, I’ve found you,” he yelled above the roar of thunder. He edged his stallion until their horses’ flanks touched. “I was out of my mind with worry.”
“Oh, Joel, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to cause such concern. I didn’t think about getting lost. I thought I knew exactly how to get back.”
He scooped his arm around her waist and dragged her against him. He kissed her as if it were their first kiss, as if it were their last. She parted her lips for him, sliding forward in her saddle. The rain beating upon her face tasted as sweet as his mouth.
He whipped a coat from his saddlebag and tossed it over her shoulders. “Here, put this on before you catch your death.”
She struggled into the coat. “I thought you’d never find me. I was so scared.”
He leaned forward in his saddle. “The main thing is that you’re safe. Don’t go against me again, Cassie. I warned you not to go alone in the bush. My God, even experienced men become disorientated and lost before they know it.”
“It won’t happen again.”
“Too damn right it won’t happen again. I’ll make sure of that. I specifically warned you about the dangers of the outback, and bloody hell, you went straight ahead and disobeyed me.”
“I’m sorry, Joel. Truly, I am.”
He seemed a little appeased. “You didn’t give a thought about Sam or Queenie or … or any of us.”
He took the lead, and, like a lamb to slaughter, Cassie followed meekly behind.
• • •
Through the mud and slime being kicked into the air by the horse’s hooves, Cassie could see the homestead. Joel halted and swung from the saddle. He lifted Cassie down but instead of placing her on her feet swung her over one shoulder like a sack of potatoes. One big hand slipped under her coat, he clutched her backside and carried her through the relentless rain toward the house.
A stockman approached him. “Everything okay, boss?”
“Fine, Bert. Look after the horses, will you?”
Joel kicked open the front door with his boot, then proceeded up the stairs and into his bedroom. He sat her on the edge of the bed and removed her raincoat.
“I want to see Sam.”
“Later.”
“No, now, Joel. I want to see him and your mother. They must be worried about me.”
He gave a grim laugh. “You could say that.” He went to the chest of drawers and rummaging through came out with an oversized sweater. “Hold up your arms.” She obeyed without question, relishing the warmth of the wool as it slid over her shivering shoulders. “Thanks.”
