Barbara Hannay – Her Happy-Ever-After Family: The Cattleman's Ready-Made Family / Miracle in Bellaroo Creek / Patchwork Family in the Outback (страница 21)

‘Don’t you go wasting your sympathy on me, young Tess. Ted and me, we raised three healthy children and sent them out into the world—good strong folk we’re proud of. Into every life there comes some sorrow.’ She might be old but her eyes hadn’t faded and they glanced shrewdly at Tess now. ‘I understand there’s been some recent sorrow in your lives too.’

She nodded. Into every life…She glanced at Ty and Krissie, carefully walking around the graves. ‘I’m thinking, though, that moving out here means we can start focusing on good things again.’

Please, God.

‘I don’t doubt that for a moment.’

She couldn’t help smiling at Edna’s no-nonsense country briskness.

‘But, lovey—’ Edna sighed after a moment ‘—I can’t help wondering who’ll come here and tend my Jack’s grave when Ted and I are gone.’ She shook her head. ‘It’s a silly thing to worry about, I know, but it doesn’t stop me from thinking about it.’

‘I don’t think it’s silly.’

She didn’t think it was the slightest bit silly. She went to say more but suddenly found Ty and Krissie standing in front of her. Holding hands, no less! ‘Everything okay, poppets?’

‘Can we bury Mummy here?’ Krissie asked without preamble.

Whoa!

Okay.

Um…

She glanced at Edna. ‘Is it still possible to arrange a plot here?’

‘I expect so, lovey. Lorraine Pritchard would be the person to ask. She’s the president of the Residents Committee.’

‘That’s Cam’s mum,’ Ty said to Edna. ‘He’s our friend.’

‘He lives right next door,’ Krissie added.

‘He’s a good young man,’ Edna agreed. ‘He helps Ted out every now and again. Means we can still manage to keep a few head of cattle on our land.’

He did? Tess stared at Edna. What would she and Ted do when Cam left?

Cam’s farm ute was parked out the front when they arrived back home. Tess parked beside it and tried to school her wayward heart back into its normal pace and rhythm instead of a ridiculous speeded-up staccato.

‘Can we play on the computer?’

She eyed her nephew and her heart expanded. Two months ago he’d been listless with no enthusiasm for any kind of play. Understandable given the circumstances, but now it seemed the world held a whole list of endless possibilities.

She climbed out of the car and crossed her fingers, prayed the worst was behind them now. ‘As long as you promise to let Krissie have her turn too.’

He nodded.

‘Okay, go on, then.’

He was about to race off, Krissie at his heels, when Cam came around the side of the house. ‘Hey, Cam.’ He waved.

‘Hey, kids.’

Krissie flung her arms around Cam’s middle and hugged him. Tess couldn’t prevent a squirm of envy.

‘We found the bestest cemetery,’ she announced, releasing him. ‘You wanna come play on the computer?’

He blinked. ‘Um…Maybe some other time.’ He ruffled her hair. ‘I have to chat to your aunt about some stuff.’

Krissie ran off and Cam turned to her with a frown. ‘What’s so hot about a cemetery?’

‘They want to inter their mother’s ashes there.’

He pushed the brim of his hat back to stare at her. She nodded. ‘I know. It took me off guard too. It’s all kind of serious, huh?’ She twisted her hands together. Once they interred Sarah’s remains in the Bellaroo Creek cemetery, there’d be no going back. For good or for ill, Bellaroo Creek would become their home. For good.

‘Are you okay with that?’

‘Sure.’ As long as Bellaroo Creek flourished. As long as the primary school remained open. As long…

She kicked herself into action. Standing still for too long allowed doubts to bombard her. And what was the use in those? Striding around the car, she retrieved Fluffy and the cage.

‘So what’s wrong?’

She sent him a swift glance. ‘Who says anything’s wrong?’

‘I do. Your eyes are darker than normal and you have a tiny furrow here.’ He touched a spot on her forehead, before taking the cage from her.

She folded her arms. How could this man be so attuned to her and yet be so far out of reach? She clamped her lips shut. He was out of reach. That was the pertinent fact. Everything else was just…wishful thinking.

‘Tess?’

She turned away, swallowing back a sigh, and led the way down the side of the house. ‘They want to inter their mother’s remains in Bellaroo Creek’s cemetery, but they’ve made no mention of their father.’

She plonked herself down on the garden bench and watched Cam as he placed Fluffy into her mansion of a coop. He was a joy to watch. He might be big, but he didn’t lumber about like a bear. He moved with the grace of a big cat.

She forced her gaze away, only turning back when he took a seat beside her. ‘And that’s a problem?’

She thought about it. ‘I don’t know. Potentially, I guess. We had Sarah and Bruce cremated, but I had no idea what to do with the ashes. A counsellor suggested I let the children be part of the decision-making process, but they were appalled at the thought of scattering the ashes. So…’

‘So you brought them with you.’

‘They were very insistent that their mother should come with us.’

‘But their father?’

‘Not a brass razoo.’ She shook her head. ‘And I couldn’t very well leave him behind, could I?’

‘I guess not.’ He squinted up at the sky. ‘I expect they’ll need closure at some point.’

‘Lord, I hope so.’ She grinned at him. ‘Because I’m not sure I want Bruce living on the top of my wardrobe for the next twenty years.’

He laughed as she’d meant him to, but he leaned towards her, and that suddenly seemed dangerous. ‘And, yet, why do I get the feeling that if that’s how long Krissie and Ty need, then that’s exactly where Bruce will stay?’

He smelled like cut grass, dirt and fresh air. It hit her that he smelled like Bellaroo Creek. When he went to Africa, he’d be taking a little bit of Bellaroo Creek with him. The thought should’ve made her smile.

‘I met Edna Fairfield.’

He leaned back. ‘Keeping Jack company?’

‘Uh-huh.’

She eyed him for a moment. He rolled his shoulders. ‘What?’

‘She has a very high opinion of you.’

‘I have a high opinion of her and Ted.’

‘They’ll miss you if you leave.’

‘When, Tess. When I leave.’

She shook herself. ‘That’s what I meant.’

He had exciting, not to mention important, work to look forward to in Africa. He had the promise of adventure before him, the once-in-a-lifetime experience of immersing himself in another culture and sharing his knowledge, and helping make the world a better place. She couldn’t begrudge him his dream, but…

She pulled in a breath. ‘I liked her a lot. I don’t know much about cattle, but…but could you teach me what to do so I can help them out?’

‘Nope.’

She gaped at him.