The Brothers of Brigadier Station Read online

  "I try to do a bunch of baking once a week. Bread, biscuits, and cakes. The boys like sweets for smoko."

  "How far away is the supermarket?" Meghan polished off her Weetbix.

  "There are two in Julia Creek, which is forty minutes away. But I only buy essentials from them or have them brought out on the mail run." Harriet adjusted the temperature on the oven in preparation for the next tray of Anzac biscuits. "I go west to Cloncurry once a month and do a big shop there."

  "Cloncurry? Isn't that another couple of hours’ drive?"

  Harriet nodded. "That's why it’s only once a month."

  Meghan thought of Jodie. This was why she had insisted on her friend trying out country living before making such a huge move. They took things for granted in the city. Want a coffee? Go to a café. Want food delivered? No problem. Not out here. If you didn't have something in the fridge you couldn't just run down to the corner shop. Living out here was a whole different lifestyle.

  "Don't you get lonely?"

  Harriet gave her a knowing smile. "No, I'm in the Queensland Country Women's Association, and we meet regularly and fundraise, do art and craft, that sort of thing. Darcy has his camp-drafting. Lachie has his friends at the pub. Or he did before meeting you." Harriet wiped her hands on her apron and surveyed the counter. "We all support and help each other here. It's one of the best things about living in the country. You have friends everywhere. Anyone can fit in as long as they want too."

  Meghan washed up her bowl and put it away. Turning to Harriet her voice was hoarse with emotion. "Thank you. For such a warm welcome."

  The strong, sugary smell of golden syrup enveloped her as Harriet put her arms around her. It held all the comfort of a mother’s tender embrace. Meghan's eyes welled with unshed tears.

  "This is your home now. Your family." The sincerity on Harriet's face was almost Meghan's undoing. She swiped at her eyes as she was released.

  After a deep breath, she turned back to her new friend. "What can I do to help?"

  "Would you mind getting the eggs for me from the chicken coop?"

  "Sure." Meghan was happy to be useful, despite having never retrieved eggs from a coop before. Harriet pointed out the scrap bucket near the sink. "Feed them that too, please. The path is behind the rainwater tank."

  Meghan followed the dirt path toward the large green tank. Last night she had learnt the family stored rainwater for bathing and cleaning.

  Beside it was a pen with two large grunting pigs inside. They didn't look particularly friendly rooting around in the ground, so Meghan kept walking, spotting the henhouse a few feet further ahead.

  The multi-coloured fowl were pecking at the grass inside their large wire enclosure but looked up when they saw her approach. Meghan could feel their beady eyes fixed on her as she unlatched the door and entered, closing it behind her. She emptied the bucket of scraps on the ground, and the chickens flocked to the food clearing a path for her to move through. In the sheltered area, covered with slats of wood, she found individual boxes filled with straw. She collected each warm egg until she came upon a box that was still occupied by a ginger chook. Her feathers fluffed up, sharp curved beak ready to strike as its head twitched. Meghan chewed on her lip wondering if she should try to remove it.

  After a failed attempt at trying to scare the hen, it shrilled angrily back at her in irritation.

  It was just a chicken, after all. Nothing she couldn't handle.

  Slowly she reached out her hand to get under the hen, when, suddenly it flew at her. Distracted by the whirlwind of feathers, Meghan felt a sudden pain in her hand.

  "Ouch!" Meghan jumped back against the wall. The offending chicken looked at her, its head twitching from side to side, daring her to try that again.

  "Okay, you win this round," she conceded. "But I’ll win the war. Just wait and see."

  To her surprise, the chicken casually jumped down from her nest and strutted out to join her friends. Meghan exhaled in relief and collected the warm eggs before the hen changed her mind.

  She fought the impulse to run back to the house after she locked the coop behind her. Looking around she was glad no one had witnessed the event.

  "Well done," Harriet exclaimed when she saw the success. "Did any of them peck you?"

  "Just the one." Meghan absentmindedly rubbed her hand.

  "You’ve gotta show her who’s boss." Harriet squeezed her arm reassuringly.

  Darcy and Lachie arrived home just after one o'clock. Meghan's breath caught as she saw the pair for the first time that day. She couldn't help noticing how good they looked in their faded blue work shirts and worn jeans. It was the first time she had seen Lachie wearing a battered cowboy hat. It was pulled low on his head to protect him from the harsh burning sun. The whole effect of his appearance left her warm and tingling.

  Lachie stopped long enough to kiss her cheek and whisper a good morning in her ear. His attention then focused on food. He was always hungry. She envied his metabolism.

  The conversation over sandwiches was work focused and impersonal. Meghan tried to keep up but quickly lost interest in talk of machinery and fire breaks.

  Lachie's phone rang and, throwing an apologetic smile her way, he answered it and walked off to his office. Harriet cleared up the dishes and disappeared back into the kitchen.

  Meghan found herself alone with Darcy as they finished off their cups of tea. "Did you do anything exciting this morning?"

  Darcy scratched his nose. "We repaired a fence. Thrilling stuff."

  "Well, I collected eggs." She smiled proudly.

  "Impressive. Did you get pecked?"

  "Yes. Only by one."

  "Congratulations. You've earned that ride." He finished off his tea, put his hat back on and headed for the door. "Come on."

  She scrambled out of her chair and followed him outside. Hastily pulling her boots on at the door as Joey watched her, his tail wagging excitedly.

  Shadow, the pregnant mare greeted her with a snort and Meghan quickly patted her as she followed Darcy, jogging to keep up with his long-legged stride. Through the stables there was a paddock where two horses roamed contentedly, their tails swishing at flies. A stocky brown pony trotted over and nudged Darcy’s hand searching for treats.

  "This is Molly." Darcy rubbed the pony’s nose. Her age was evident from the greying hairs around her nostrils. "She’s a softie. Mum brings her apples and spoils her."

  Meghan patted her lovingly and tickled her chin. Molly closed her eyes enjoying the attention.

  "Come on, girls," Darcy said as he led the way to the tack room. Swiftly with dexterous fingers, he saddled and bridled the mare while Meghan watched and befriended the horse. "She's an old girl, but she still loves a gallop. Just hold on if you lose control and I'll help you," he reassured her.

  Meghan placed her foot in the stirrup, grabbed the saddle and hoisted herself up. He watched but refrained from helping. Once settled in her seat he adjusted the straps, his arm brushing her denim-clad calf.

  Darcy handed her the reins and led her back out to the paddock. "Stay here. I'll be back in a minute."

  Alone with the horse, she shuffled in her seat and got used to the feel of the hard saddle beneath her. It smelled freshly oiled. She held the reins. Molly's ears twitched but she stood silently, waiting for her commands. When she felt more confident, Meghan gave Molly a gentle kick and encouraged her to walk forward. The horse readily agreed, her gait smooth and fluid.

  Instinct took over as together they walked around in circles, gradually increasing speed to a trot. Meghan matched the gentle rhythm, rising and falling in time to the horse's gait.

  "You're a natural." Darcy trotted over on a shiny black horse.

  "It feels good to be back in the saddle."

  "This is for you," he handed her an Akubra.

  "Thanks." The fawn felt was smooth and new under her fingers. She put the hat on and pulled it low. It was a perfect fit. "What do you think?"

  "Yo
u look like a cowgirl." His eyes trailed over her jeans, close fitting t-shirt, and brown boots. "Not turning into a Buckle Bunny, are you?"

  "A what?"

  "Buckle Bunny. The girls with sparkly belt buckles and too much makeup."

  "What's the point of makeup out here? It would melt off straight away." She shrugged and readjusted the hat, wondering briefly where he had found it.

  Darcy led his mount out of the paddock, leaning from his seat to open the gate and again to close it after Molly had walked through.

  "You look like you know what you're doing," he said, reclaiming her attention.

  "It's all coming back to me now." She reached down and stroked Molly’s warm neck fondly. "So where are we going?"

  "We need to track the bore lines and make sure water can flow through for the cows."

  "What’s a bore line?"

  "It's over here." He pointed toward a tree line where a shallow trench was filled with murky water. Cows grazed lazily nearby; one skinny cream heifer drank from the water.

  Four kangaroos jumped out from the trees and scattered into the fields. "Did you see that?" she asked excitedly.

  "There are heaps of roos out here. They can survive the worst drought no problem. You'll probably see emus and wild pigs along here too."

  "I saw the pigs in the pen this morning." Meghan absently swatted a fly buzzing around her head.

  "Wild sows. I caught them a few months ago. You can't eat wild pigs straight away, though, they have all sorts of worms. We have to feed them scraps for a few months before slaughtering. Mum wants them for Christmas."

  "Do you hunt pigs regularly then?"

  "If I know there’s one around, especially if it’s attacking the cattle, then I'll hunt it. We trap them occasionally for meat."

  Meghan raised her eyebrows. "That's very self-sufficient."

  "We butcher our own beef too. Used to run merino sheep when Noah was here. Dad got rid of them when Noah left, though. Shame really, I do miss lamb chops in spring. They’re too expensive to buy these days."

  Lulled into a dreamy state by the swaying rhythm of Molly’s gait, Meghan kept her eyes on Darcy’s broad back as he rode ahead. His muscles rippled as he rode along the dirt track and over a cattle grid. He turned around in the saddle suddenly, as though he could feel her eyes studying him. She looked away quickly, feeling a warm blush on her cheeks.

  She battled for something to say. "What are the animals eating? Since there’s hardly any grass."

  "Cottonseed. It’s full of enough nutrients to keep them alive, but unfortunately, it doesn't fatten them up." He pointed out a large trailer in the middle of the field. "That’s our cottonseed feeder. We only have to fill it up once a month or so and they eat out of it. Occasionally, we put out some molasses lick too. They have fun eating that sticky stuff," he said with a grin.

  Molly strained against the bridle as they approached a large empty paddock.

  "You can let her run if you want." Darcy gestured ahead.

  Meghan grinned and with a little kick Molly started to trot. With a little more encouragement, she sped up. Meghan revelled in the wind rushing past her. She glanced back to see Darcy’s mount was also galloping and he was catching up. "Come on, girl," she urged Molly along.

  Despite having a faster and younger mount, he stayed a meter or two behind her as they galloped across the flat field. At last, she could sense the horse tire, so she reigned her in. Darcy pulled up beside her, slightly breathless.

  "Enjoy that?" He met her gaze with a smile so warm and engaging that she tingled all over.

  "That was exhilarating!" Meghan flung her head back and her hands wide.

  "Once you know the lay of the land, you'll be able to take her out." Admiration glimmered in his eyes.

  "That would be great. I'd like to help out as much as I can."

  Heat waves shimmered around the vast nothingness before them. It was as though they were the only things foolish enough to brave the afternoon sun.

  While they inspected the land, Darcy told her about the station, about his family and the history. For three generations, the McGuire family had lived and died on Brigadier Station, working through the tough times of floods, droughts and economic hardships.

  "It was my great-grandfather who first settled here. He was a brigadier in World War One, he came here afterwards. People would refer to this place as the Brigadier's station. The name stuck. He became one of the most successful cattlemen of his generation." The fondness and gratitude softened his voice. "Brigadier Station is a testament to his pioneering spirit."

  The long-forgotten methane smell of cattle greeted her at the same time Darcy pointed out a mob of cattle grazing hungrily. "Here are some of our weaners. We've only got about four hundred left here. The rest are on agistment."

  Meghan noted their golden honey colour. "What breed are they?"

  "Droughtmaster. That’s a cross between Brahman and Shorthorn. They're the best suited up here and fetch decent prices when we ship them. We also run a breeding program."

  "How big is Brigadier?"

  "Sixty thousand acres. We’re only going to cover a small portion today."

  Meghan was impressed by the vastness. Lachie had hinted that it was big, but she had no idea of the vast size. She gazed over the flat dry plains. The boundaries of her little world so extended, further than her eyes could see.

  Suddenly Molly shied and reared up, snorting in alarm. Instinctively, Meghan squeezed her thighs and held on tightly. Darcy swung from his horse and quickly caught Molly’s reigns, murmuring softly and stroking her reassuringly.

  "Hey, are you alright?"

  Her cheeks warmed as his gaze did a quick but thorough inspection. Worry lingered in his eyes.

  "I’m fine. How’s Molly?" She leaned forward in the saddle and stroked Molly's neck.

  "She’s okay. Must have smelt a snake." He looked to a clump of stubborn brush. "That's their likely hiding spot."

  Fear shimmied down her back. "Snakes?"

  "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you."

  Darcy caught her gaze and, mesmerized by those piercing blue eyes, the fear was replaced by a warm heat. Her heart beat faster. Surely it was adrenalin from the snake incident.

  He was first to break the connection. "You’d better get used to it if you're going to live here. We have our fair share of danger."

  The horses carefully picked their way across uneven terrain, sheltered by huge coolabah trees. Occasionally, Darcy pointed out birds or other things he thought might be of interest to Meghan.

  Beneath her hat, her thick ponytail swung across her shoulders. She looked fragile, like a porcelain doll he had seen in a shop once. But, out here she became another part of the environment, as at home on these plains as the rabbits and kangaroos.

  He stared at the view and lost himself in the desolation that stretched ahead of him. It was so damn hot. Too hot for this time of year. It had to cool down. It had to rain. Sometime.

  "You were surprised when Lachie announced our engagement." Meghan's voice was etched with worry.

  Darcy thought for a moment, careful not to say anything offensive, but wanting to be honest. "I'm surprised any woman could get Lachie to commit."

  She laughed. "You're kidding? It wasn't really that hard."

  He recalled all-nighters at the pub, watching out for his intoxicated brother who was usually found slobbering over the latest backpacker turned waitress.

  "Lachie's always been a player. Or at least, he was. You've changed him. It's been so gradual I barely noticed."

  "He was never like that around me. He's always been very committed."

  Darcy arched his eyebrows in surprise. "How long have you two been together?"

  "Eight months."

  "That's a pretty quick engagement then. Especially since this is your first time here. Unless he’s planning on moving to Townsville?" He couldn't imagine Lachie giving up his birthright.

  "No, we'll live her
e on the station."

  "How do you know you'll like it?"

  "I just do." She shrugged. "I don't mind cities and Townsville only has 170,000 people so it's not really that big. Just large enough for good shopping, pubs, and live entertainment, but small enough to find a quiet space when the crowds get too much."

  She turned her attention to the never-ending horizon. "But, when I see these dusty fields and gum trees it's like I’m coming home. I guess that doesn't make sense. But it's true."

  Darcy knew that feeling well. Whenever he returned from a trip, he felt relieved, like he could breathe again. The dust was his oxygen; he needed it to survive.

  "Country life is tough. We all work hard, even Mum. A tree change doesn't mean life slows down."

  "I can see that."

  He pushed back his hat and scowled at the land. "Some fellas get sick of looking at the same view every day. Being isolated on a station in the thick of a blazing summer can drive people crazy. It's not an easy life if you're not used to it."

  The wistful expression on her face made him realise how long it had been since he'd had a conversation with a woman who wasn't related to him or someone else's wife. He really needed to get out more.

  "I don't think I could ever get sick of this place." Her words were soft. He wondered if she realised she'd spoken aloud. For a smart woman, she seemed caught up in the romance of the outback. He hoped, for her sake and Lachie's, she was prepared for a hard slog. Especially if the drought went on much longer.

  Darcy knew of city girls who moved to the area hoping to meet a wealthy, handsome station heir. Mostly they returned home disheartened. Sometimes leaving broken marriages in their wake. But Meghan seemed honest in her intentions.

  Cockatoos squawked above them as he took the lead as the path narrowed and the homestead came into sight. He contemplated the future and what having Meghan living with them would mean. He would have a sister-in-law. Another person to help out around the house and the station. A reminder that he would never have a wife and a family of his own unless he put himself back out there. He sighed. He couldn't risk another heartbreak. Meghan might think she was tough enough. He hoped she proved that to be true. But she would be one in a million. He wasn't as lucky as his brother.