The Sky over Brigadier Station Read online

  The Sky over Brigadier Station

  Sarah Williams

  Copyright © 2018 by Sarah Williams

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior written permission.

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  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

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  Cover design: Lana Pecherczyk.

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  The Sky Over Brigadier Station / Sarah Williams. – 2nd ed. AUS English.

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  Serenade Publishing

  www.serenadepublishing.com

  Contents

  Also by Sarah Williams

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Epilogue

  Also by Sarah Williams

  Also by Sarah Williams

  Also by Sarah Williams

  Also by Sarah Williams

  Also by Sarah Williams

  Also by Sarah Williams

  About the Author

  Acknowledgments

  Also by Sarah Williams

  Brigadier Station Series:

  The Brothers of Brigadier Station

  The Sky over Brigadier Station

  The Legacies of Brigadier Station

  The Outback Governess (A Sweet Outback Novella)

  Christmas at Brigadier Station (An Outback Christmas)

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  Heart of the Hinterland Series:

  The Dairy Farmer’s Daughter

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  For more information visit:

  www.sarahwilliamsauthor.com

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  To my husband,

  For keeping me grounded and inspired.

  Chapter 1

  “You can't blackmail me into coming back.” Noah McGuire ran his hand through his hair in frustration. His mother still had the power to make him feel like a naughty child; he hated her for it, among other things.

  “It's been ten years, Noah. He's dead—has been for a long time.” Harriet's voice resonated shakily down the phone line. “It's time you came home.”

  “It's not my home anymore.” He had turned his back on Brigadier Station and the whole of Australia many years ago, and had never looked back. There was nothing but bad blood and awful memories left for him there.

  “It'll be different now. Lachie's grown up and Darcy's getting married.”

  Lachie wasn’t his favourite brother at the best of times—they’d never been close, not even as children. Lachie was the main reason Noah didn't want to return to the family station. And he suspected his brother wouldn’t be too keen on the idea either. Lachie had always been spoilt and had seemed to enjoy bullying his youngest brother.

  While Darcy, the middle son, was friendly and caring. He always had Noah's back. Darcy had been his protector against the bullying. Against the pain.

  Then both his brothers had gone away to boarding school and Noah had been left to fend for himself. His mother had been in no state to protect him from his father.

  “I understand you've made a life for yourself in New Zealand, and I'm so proud of all you have achieved.” Harriet's voice turned pleading. “Please, just come for the wedding and look after Darcy’s station while they're on their honeymoon. Four weeks. That's all. Then you can have the money.” She fell silent as if holding her breath.

  Four weeks. It felt like a lifetime—but was staying here really any better? Jade had moved on from him and it was becoming almost unbearable to see her so happy, so in love with Kahu.

  After their separation, Noah had so easily been shifted from boyfriend to employee on the farm. After almost a decade of family dinners and summer holidays at the beach with Jade's parents, he was suddenly sleeping in the shearers’ quarters and eating cold baked beans at every meal.

  He should have seen their break-up coming. Looking back, it had been months or even years since he had made her laugh. Since they had talked about their dreams for the future, rather than just their everyday routines. They weren’t teenagers anymore. Jade had wanted more, deserved more than just the hesitant, unambitious man he had become.

  Now she had her big, burly Maori warrior. The retired All Black had money and land, and was a genuinely nice bloke. Noah couldn't help but begrudgingly like his replacement. Besides, Kahu made Jade deliriously happy. And after all these years, that was what Noah wanted most for his first love.

  It was hard to watch though. Plus, with the farm coming into the quiet wintertime, Noah wasn't essential to the running of the Otago property. Until spring lambing started, he was sitting here twiddling his thumbs and watching his bank account diminish.

  The advance of his inheritance his mother was offering would certainly settle the debt on his credit card, and maybe even help him put a deposit on his own place.

  “Four weeks?”

  “Four weeks. I'll pay for your flights and at the end of the month I'll give you everything you’re owed,” Harriet said.

  “Then that’s it? You promise you won’t ask anymore of me?”

  “I promise.” Her voice lifted with the hint of a smile.

  “Fine.” He sighed into the phone. “I better go find my passport.”

  The flies were really starting to piss Riley off. She swatted at them and flicked her long braid over her shoulder. With all the horses and animals congregated on Arabella Plains preparing for today's muster, it was no surprise the flies were swarming. Riley had almost forgotten just how annoying they were, made worse by this never-ending drought.

  She waved one persistent fly away from the mare's doleful brown eyes, before lifting the horse's chestnut-coloured leg up and drawing it gently towards her, stretching and smoothing the skin beneath the saddle’s girth. After repeating the same exercise with the mare’s nearside leg, Riley gave her one last pat, put her foot in the stirrup, and vaulted lightly into the saddle.

  Settling in, she surveyed the rugged beauty of the land, feeling a twinge of jealousy at her friend's good fortune. Darcy McGuire and his fiancée, Meghan, had bought a mismanaged property and turned it into a thriving cattle station and horse stud. It was regularly featured in Outback magazine and on ABC Rural. It hadn't been easy, especially with the drought pushing prices up. But after two years, the couple were finally ready to concentrate on other matters: namely their long-awaited wedding.

  Friends since they had met at the local aero club several years ago, Darcy and Riley always made the effort to meet up whenever in the same town, which wasn't often, given Riley's nomadic career. Riley’s world was a solitary one of outdoor work and adventures. She never stayed anywhere too long and was constantly meeting new people.

  Riley walked the well-behaved mare around the other cowboys and cowgirls who were also tending their horses and preparing for a long day in the saddle. She nodded at the few she recognised from past jobs. She had travelled extensively throughout Western Australia, New South Wales, and the Northern Territory for w
ork over the years, but always enjoyed her time in Queensland. It was her home state and she loved the stoic nature and down-to-earth sense of humour of the locals.

  She directed her horse to the tent where the vet nurse was waiting for her.

  Bride-to-be Meghan smiled broadly, hands on her hips as Riley approached, her Kelpie dog at her feet. “This isn't your usual mode of transport.”

  Riley dismounted and patted the mare’s neck. “Not a bad way to travel though. She's a beauty.”

  “This is Shadow.” Meghan tickled the horse's hairy nostrils and Shadow blew softly. “She's our best mother but is also great on a muster. Thanks for getting her ready for me.”

  “No problem.” Riley stood aside as Meghan ran her hands over the horse. As the community’s vet nurse, it was Meghan's job to ensure all the horses were healthy enough to muster. If an animal became lame on the job it could cost valuable time and manpower.

  “She's good to go. I'll keep her here until I'm done.”

  Riley nodded and bent to pat the dog. “You ready for the muster too, Banjo?”

  The dog yipped in reply, his tail sweeping in wide arcs across the dirt floor. Riley missed having a canine companion of her own, and Banjo reminded her of the pup she had been given as a child. Named after her favourite country singer, Cash had died after eating poisonous bait meant for wild, feral dogs. He had only been two years old. Riley hadn’t owned another one since. Her career made pet ownership impossible anyway.

  She finished patting the dog and checked to make sure no one was waiting to see Meghan. “Everything set for the wedding then?”

  Meghan's whole face lit up with her smile. “Yeah I think everything’s finally organised. I can't believe it's only a week away. We've been waiting so long for this.”

  Riley raised an eyebrow. “And is Lachie onboard?”

  “He is, thankfully. He's still raw about it. I mean, two years ago I was supposed to marry him and here I am about to marry his brother.” Meghan rubbed her neck. “But we both know it wouldn't have worked out. Once I met Darcy, there was never going to be anyone else.”

  Riley smiled. Darcy had told her the whole sorry saga and how the morning of her wedding to Lachie, Meghan had fled home to Townsville. She had fallen in love with Darcy while engaged to his brother.

  Riley only knew Lachie by reputation but doubted he would be much of a match for Darcy with his loyalty and gentle soul. He was the type of man who would have your back no matter what. Riley had never felt anything romantic for him herself, but she could see why Meghan had fallen for him.

  “Isn't there another brother too?” Riley vaguely remembered Darcy mentioning him. “Is he coming to the wedding?”

  “Noah. He's the youngest.” Meghan's eyes brightened. “He's here actually. Just arrived yesterday and surprised us all. We weren't expecting him until the wedding. Anyway, he's been working with horses all his life, so he's joining the muster today. I'll try to introduce you this evening.”

  Riley smiled. She couldn’t help but be a little bit curious about the elusive third McGuire brother. No one ever spoke about Noah—not even Darcy.

  A group of riders approached the tent and Riley moved out of their way. “I'll let you get to it. See you tonight.”

  “Be safe out there,” Meghan said.

  Riley threw a wave back at Meghan, but her mind was already on the job—head east and drive out the cattle. Western Queensland was mostly flat scrub, but cattle liked to find shade and cover under the old gums and coolabah trees. It would be a relatively easy day if all went to plan, although she was the only chopper pilot in the sky today. It wasn't like in the Pilbara where she and Grant had worked for weeks on a muster, getting into canyons and crevasses no man had ever set foot in.

  A smile spread across her face as she approached her dark blue Robinson R22, the blades tied down just as she'd left them last night. She ran her hand lovingly over the smooth nose. This was her best friend, her baby. All her savings had gone into flying lessons, then this chopper, and she'd paid for it all herself.

  After opening the door, Riley climbed inside, retrieved her clipboard, and started her pre-flight checklist. Safety first. Grant's familiar mantra was uppermost in her mind. This job was dangerous enough without taking any unnecessary risks.

  A significant number of helicopter mustering pilots in Australia died on the job. In her six years in the business, she had been to more funerals than she cared to remember. But it was a job that called to her and she did it well. Sure, she had scars to show for it, and she’d had a hell of a lot of close calls. But being up in the sky with only a thin shell of metal, a small motor, and two blades keeping you from falling to the hard earth below was a feeling like no other. That was her office, her home, and she couldn't wish for anything better.

  After a thorough walk around, testing blades, rudders, fluid, and oil, then releasing the blades, she was good to go. She glanced at her watch. Right on time.

  Riley climbed into the small two-seater machine and put her paperwork away before strapping on her seat belt. She depressed the engine-starter button until it fired, and then reached over to push the fuel cut-off. Riley did a final look around and she was ready to fly.

  With one hand on the stick, she rolled on the throttle and felt the familiar lift. Excitement and adrenaline flowed through her.

  Just another day on the job.

  Chapter 2

  The deep whop-whop-whop of a helicopter echoed over the paddocks. Noah's horse shook her head and whinnied from where it stood, waiting for the go ahead for the muster to start.

  “Shh, it’s okay,” he murmured, reaching to stroke her dark brown mane. He twisted in the saddle to watch the dark blue chopper lift off, kicking up dust in its wake. Mustering with helicopters certainly made the job faster. From their aerial vantage, the pilot could spot then move beasts from their tricky hiding spots.

  Noah had participated in heli-mustering regularly both at Brigadier Station and also in Otago. The terrain there had been mountainous, and the light-coloured sheep were easily camouflaged in the dense bush. Today they would be mustering Darcy’s Droughtmaster beef cattle. And from what Noah had seen, this herd seemed to be in good condition, despite the decade-long drought.

  “Ready there, cowboy?”

  Noah turned at the familiar voice; Darcy trotted over on his sleek black horse.

  “Who are you calling cowboy?” Noah raised his brows. His brother was practically Queensland’s version of The Man from Snowy River. If anyone was going to ride a horse at full gallop down a steep mountain, it would be Darcy McGuire. Not because he was brave, but because he was skilled and could ride better than anyone else Noah knew.

  He had no desire to compete with his brother. Noah had nothing but respect and love for him. Darcy was the reason he had come back. His brother had saved his life more than once when they were kids.

  Noah lifted his eyes to the sky. “See you got a helicopter. That must be costing a bit.”

  Darcy readjusted his Akubra. “That'll save us about two days’ work. Worth every penny.”

  After getting Meghan's tick of approval, the mounted musterers and their cattle dogs took off in various directions, following Darcy's instructions on where the cattle would be found.

  “You're with me, mate.” Darcy waved Noah over. “We're helping the chopper.”

  Noah nodded and steered his horse next to his brother and the two Kelpie dogs.

  They galloped for a long time over the parched countryside, the sound of the chopper's motor getting louder above them.

  Darcy slowed his horse and gestured to Noah to pull up beside him. Noah watched as he tugged out a radio and spoke into it, his words whipped away by the wind. Before Noah could comment, the familiar blue bird rose up from the bush and circled around them. He briefly glimpsed the pilot's khaki shirt before it banked and spun a one-eighty. Both men watched in silent awe as the pilot overshot the clearing and banked the chopper to come back around to the sma
ll sandy patch by the river. The tiny machine manoeuvred between scrub, pushing cattle from their shady hiding spots. It hovered mere metres from the dirt before lifting its tail in the air, bringing the blades at an angle that was almost vertical. Noah's heart thudded fast, adrenaline flooding his system at the dangerous stunt.

  The chopper moved forward slowly, and Noah held his breath.

  The pilot had better know what he was doing.

  The manoeuvre worked, and four cattle were pushed out of their hiding place by the noisy machine and into the clearing. Darcy rounded behind them and motioned for Noah to take the left side.

  Swallowing, Noah moved into position. He threw the blue machine a final glance. It angled back and lifted off, then dipped and flew away behind them. Noah’s heart rate slowly returned to normal as he trotted his horse alongside the cattle, pushing them to the yards.

  He couldn’t help but replay in his mind the moves the helicopter had made. That pilot was either crazy or very capable to pull off such a dangerous manoeuvre. A hidden power line or stray branch could be the difference between flying and crashing.

  The mob was strung out but moving in the right direction. From his position on the wing, he squinted ahead through the heat haze and flies. A group of cattle were working their way to the front. If they managed to bust out of the mob, they would head for the thick band of scrub at the eastern end of the paddock and become nearly impossible to find without calling the chopper to help. He whistled for the closest Kelpie and was impressed when his brother’s faithful dog needed little instruction. It found the animals and stalked them into submission.