The Socialite and the Cattle King by Lindsay Armstrong Page B

they set off, he said, ‘We’re putting in a new dam; I want to see the progress. It’s a pleasant ride.’
    ‘You’re not going to gallop or do anything that’ll contribute to me falling off?’ she queried as she clutched her reins and tried to adjust herself to the motion as they broke into a trot.
    ‘Nope. Just relax. Are you always this nervous when you’re on a job?’
    ‘Often with good cause, believe me,’ she said a shade tartly. ‘I’ve even been known to get off and walk, but I do always get there in the end.’
    Brett Wyndham grimaced.
    ‘What?’ she asked with conspicuous hauteur.
    He laughed softly. ‘I believe you. You’re a stubborn one, Holly Golightly; that I don’t doubt. OK. Let’s see if we can enjoy this ride.’
    An hour later they reached the dam sight, and to Holly’s surprise she had enjoyed the ride. They’d stopped a couple of times, once on a rocky crest that had afforded them a sweeping view of the countryside, and once beside a salt lick.
    Both times she’d dismounted and asked a lot of questions. By the time they reached the dam, she was confident enough of her horse not to need the leading rein, and she was genuinely charmed when Brett lit a small fire and boiled the billy he had in his saddle bag.She reached into hers as instructed and withdrew some damper Sarah had baked to go with their tea.
    ‘A real bush picnic,’ she enthused as she sat on a rock and fanned herself with her hat. ‘Oh—I can see a bulldozer over there. And a camp—but not a soul in sight!’
    ‘Yes.’ Brett squatted beside the fire and put a few more sticks on it. ‘They usually work two weeks on, one week off. I wanted to check it all out on their off-week. Ready for your tea?’ He poured boiling water onto a teabag in an enamel mug and handed it to her.
    ‘Mmm…I’m looking forward to this. Thank you. But I don’t see any cattle.’
    ‘We rotate paddocks; this one’s resting.’
    ‘I see. How long…?’
    But he interrupted her to give her all the information she was about to ask for about the paddocks, and more besides.
    Holly had to laugh, although a little self-consciously, when he’d finished. ‘Sorry, I’m asking too many questions, but it is interesting.’
    He sent her a thoughtful look. She seemed to be completely unfazed by the heat and the flies; she seemed quite unaware that she had a dirty smudge on her face, or that her hands were grimy, that her hair was plastered to her head or that her shirt was streaked with sweat.
    ‘You’d make a good countrywoman,’ he said at last.
    Holly tried the damper and pronounced it delicious. ‘I’m insatiably curious,’ she said. ‘That’s my problem.’
    He looked thoughtful, but he didn’t comment. Whenthey’d finished their tea, he put the fire out carefully, they mounted again and went to explore the dam workings.
    Two hours later they cantered back into the holding paddock and Brett suggested a swim in the pool.
    ‘Sounds heavenly,’ Holly said in a heartfelt way, and went to change into her togs. She was on her way to the pool when it occurred to her that Sarah wasn’t around, and that she hadn’t been quite her cheerful self at breakfast. She hesitated then went to knock on her cabin door.
    Sarah opened it eventually and was full of apologies. ‘I’m sorry, I’ll get stuck into lunch—I’ve just got a touch of sinus, but I’ve taken something. Makes me feel a bit sleepy, though.’
    Holly studied the other girl’s pale face and the dark rings under her eyes. ‘Oh, no,’ she said. ‘You go back to bed. I can handle lunch!’
    ‘I wouldn’t dream of it,’ Sarah replied, but her gaze fastened on something over Holly’s shoulder. Holly turned round to see that Brett was standing behind her. Before Sarah got a chance to say anything, she explained the situation to him and finished by saying, ‘I could make lunch easily.’
    ‘Done,’ Brett said with authority. ‘You do as you’re told, Sarah.’
    ‘I