They only stayed two days, helping to finish building the fold and listening to Mel’s plans. Mel sent them on their way with a couple of letters in their possession that she had written. They were to be mailed as soon as anyone came to the station with supplies or left to go back to civilization. She had told them she intended to buy more sheep, cattle, and horses, and she would also be hiring a couple of stockmen. “But not until next year or maybe the year after next,” she insisted, still wanting her peace and quiet.
Mel waved as they left, noting the empty packsaddles on the extra horses. The two women and a couple vaqueros who knew Mel returned the wave. The stockmen nodded, wondering at the odd man who preferred to be all alone in the far Outback with his woman and large flock. They hadn’t been privy to the conversations between the women, knowing their place was not with the station owners.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Several months later, watching as the men industriously sheared the sheep, Carmen worried about her friend far to the north of their station. The two of them were alone, and she wondered if Alinta had given birth to her baby yet. There was just so much that could go wrong. All those sheep, two women, possibly a baby, and no one for miles.
A man and his crew had arrived, and with Fabiola’s reluctant agreement he had started on a house for Carmen and her family that was not in the current home paddock but up on one of the hills. The idea hadn’t been well-received. Carmen had other ideas that had also been met with resistance, but at least Fabiola was willing to listen and to be reasoned with. Harold was too pig-headed to understand that a woman might have ideas of her own and be able to implement them herself.
“The last of our flocks should be in in the next couple of days,” Harold told Carmen, trying to soften her up. He just didn’t understand that she wasn’t interested in his fine self and his repeated attempts to cozy up to her and show her that he was worthy of her consideration. After all, where else was there a man or a station owner who could match her. He was the perfect choice for her. At least, he thought so.
She nodded, her worry increasing as she searched in vain for her friend, constantly looking north for the tell-tale signs of a flock of sheep coming into the station. She also glanced to where men, those not involved in the shearing of sheep, worked to clear the site on the nearby hill. After the rains had come to their area and she realized that the seemingly innocuous creek that ran through their valley became a raging torrent that flooded out a lot of the area, she knew the house she intended to be built could not be on the plains but must be safely above them on the hills. She knew some of her plans might be impractical. In fact, Fabiola and Harold had tried to dissuade her of the plan to build up there, but she wouldn’t be swayed.
“We could use that money to improve–” Harold tried to gripe to Fabiola, who didn’t seem to be helping his suit in convincing Carmen to accept his advances. In fact, the money that Carmen was spending really angered him. He saw other uses for that money, but his purposes were far from her own plans to improve the station they all owned.
“Harold, give up,” Fabiola advised, pleased that their cousin had seen right through his plans to make her his bride and control her and her money. She could also see by the things that Carmen had put in the stockmen’s house just how the American’s taste and style were vastly different from their own. Carmen was well educated but didn’t hold that over the two of them, and while Fabiola had learned a lot from her own father as well as Uncle Jude, she was fascinated by Carmen and her intelligence. She found herself respecting the American, and as a result, she consulted her as an equal on the station, something they hadn’t intended when they first heard that the American would be coming to live there. “She isn’t interested in you.”
“She just hasn’t been here long enough, and we’ve all been so busy…” he began thoughtfully from where he was sitting on the porch of the main house. He was watching Carmen, always watching her.
Fabiola sighed. First, he was hardly ever busy. She was just grateful that the nearest town was many miles away, and he wouldn’t ride for days to go there. She knew if it was closer, he’d be there carousing. The Aborigines’ village was off bounds since the elders had threatened him with their primitive but effective spears. He hadn’t even tried since Carmen had gotten there, but she wondered what his plans were since she’d been trying to discourage his efforts to charm and court Carmen. Even Fabiola, who hadn’t ever been courted, knew that Carmen wasn’t interested.
The arrival of the shearers along with a bandy-legged Irishman and his crew, who had answered one of the letters Carmen had sent, suddenly had some of the men, Carmen’s mostly, working on the building site.
“We don’t need another main house,” Harold had complained.
“You may not, but I do,” Carmen said sweetly as she worked with Shamus O’Grady and his crew, outlining what she wanted. She ignored her male cousin for the most part, seeing that he did little on the station and wondering when she saw Fabiola working so hard why she tolerated his slothfulness. Later, when she had a moment to discuss it with Fabiola, she chose the site where the men got to work clearing the area for the house that Mr. O’Grady would build as well as additional barns, sheds, and stock areas. Some of the current buildings would still be used of course, but there were many in need of repair. He worked quickly and efficiently until Saturday night came. Then, he insisted on his ‘off’ night and that he be allowed to indulge. Unfortunately, so long as he had a little alcohol available to him, he frequently snuck some to the work site, but Carmen wasn’t to know that until later.
“I’m going to go look for Mel,” Carmen said to get away from watching O’Grady’s work. It seemed to slow down after he had his binges. “Watch him,” she requested of Paco, who seemed to frighten and intimidate the Irishman. Her segundo rolled his eyes but grinned, knowing that his appearance and lack of jocularity scared the man.
“I’ll come with you,” Fabiola offered, wondering what they would find. Had something happened to their neighbor to the north? She glanced around the busy sheep folds and saw that the extra men waiting for Mel were chipping in to help with the sheep work. They had come in with the shearers, the supplies, and O’Grady’s men in answer to letters Mel had written to hire workers.
Fabiola, Carmen, two vaqueros, and five pack horses left the home paddock and headed north at a quick pace, but they could only go so fast.
“You won’t get there any faster,” Fabiola warned Carmen, amused and concerned.
Carmen laughed, realizing that she had been leaning forward to urge her horse along but was hampered by the pack horses she was pulling. She acknowledged her cousin’s admonition and slowed down. Whatever they found couldn’t be changed and ruining a good horse by forcing it to run longer than it could wouldn’t help their situation.
As they approached the hills and started to climb the vague path that was forming between the two stations, they saw the large cloud that indicated a flock of sheep. They were relieved to see Mel, Alinta, and a massive flock of Merinos.
“We thought something had happened to you. It’s late!” Carmen explained as she took in the enormous flock. “I see you’ve been busy.”
“More than I could have ever dreamed,” Mel answered, relieved to see her friends. She looked exhausted. The vaqueros nodded and immediately handed off the pack horses to Alinta before heading to help keep the flock in line.
“You didn’t lose any sheep?” Fabiola asked surprised.
“Oh, yes. We lost plenty, but it’s these guys,” she indicated the baby in Alinta’s arms, the puppies visible from the sacks on both sides of Alinta’s saddle, and the anxious bitches following at the feet of her horse, “that really made it all worthwhile,” she teased.
“Oh, your baby,” Carmen’s voice changed, sounding like she was crooning as she spoke to Alinta. “What did you have? What did you name it?”
“Baby is girl, and Mel name her Ainia (sounds like ah-nee-ah) after Greek Amazon and like my na
me,” Alinta told her proudly.
Carmen and Fabiola looked at a blushing Mel in surprise, and Carmen smiled. “That’s lovely,” she told the delighted mother. “I’d like to see her when we stop later. Nothing ever felt as good as holding my babies,” she reminisced. “Your English,” she exclaimed, “has gotten much better!” She complimented the surprised mother, who smiled shyly.
Mel smiled, enjoying the interaction and relieved to see her friends. “Have the shearers left?” she worried as she addressed Fabiola.
“No,” the Australian shook her head. “We told them we were waiting on some of our additional flocks and convinced them to stay on. They had a couple of our flocks to do yet, so we should get this flock to them in time. That one was worried about you though,” she said, nodding towards a now blushing Carmen.
“You said you’d come in time for the shearers?” she accused, attempting to hide her embarrassment over her concern for her friend.
“I tried, but this was a lot, and I’ll admit we need help.”
“There are a few men at the station who answered an ad you had someone place for you?” Carmen asked inquiringly. “A couple have their wives with them.”
Mel nodded, relieved. She had more letters she wanted to write, and she would do so in the evenings when they finished the drive. She hoped there was mail for her as well as the men who had answered her ads.
They discussed the sheep. Mel was happy to see her friend and her friend’s cousin. She was hoping to make Fabiola a friend too. She felt the potential was there but understood that the woman hadn’t known how to take her before. Now, with nearly a year behind her, she must understand that all that was between Mel and her cousin was friendship and nothing more.
“Who are the carters?” Mel asked innocently. but both Carmen and Alinta knew the question wasn’t as innocent as it sounded.
“Oh, the same ones I use every year. This will probably be the last year that I use them though, as Carmen has found some discrepancies in the books and invoices that they made over the years.”
“Would the name Bradley be among any of the men working for them?” Mel glanced in time to see Alinta flinch slightly and then looked at Carmen, who was shaking her head to the negative.
“No, I don’t recall any of the men being addressed this way. Why? Is there a problem?” Fabiola asked.
“Well, one of the carters we met on our way out here was named Bradley, and I’ll shoot the bugger on sight if he comes anywhere near us again,” Mel said in a no-nonsense tone and then dropped the subject.
Fabiola looked startled, exchanging a look with Carmen and then looking back at the big grazer and glancing at the gun she wore on her hip as well as the double-barreled musket that was readily at hand in her scabbard. Looking back at Carmen, she happened to see the pleased expression on Alinta’s face before she looked down at her baby.
“Well, these sheep aren’t going to get to your home paddock any faster without our help,” Mel stated, walking her horse off in another direction and halting their friendly conversation.
Carmen and Fabiola exchanged another look before they too went to help with the large flock. Alinta glanced at the three women and tightened her hold on the reins of the many packhorses she was now holding, managing to cuddle Ainia closer as she urged her horse on. Mel had been a good teacher, and Alinta was no longer frightened of the strange beast because she realized she was in control of it.
That night near the fire, Mel told of the valley she had found far to the north where she intended to make her home station. She discussed the flock and how she and Alinta had coped with the enormous birthing process of the many sheep.
Carmen and Fabiola could both count sheep and realized there had to be over eight thousand young now. The dogs were hard-worked and exhausted from keeping them all in. After they stretched the rope fold that night, the dogs lay down, exhausted and waiting for their tucker before being sent around the flock once again.
The two owners of Twin Station were pleased to see Alinta, who had been riding a horse with a bag containing the pups on each side of her saddle. The dogs wouldn’t allow the puppies out of their sight and followed the horse constantly, eagerly waiting for the time they would stop, so the puppies could be let down and nursed and the mothers could clean them and alleviate their anxiety over their welfare. Alinta wore a wrap that kept Ainia tightly to her, so she could easily breastfeed the infant as she rode when it was necessary. Behind Alinta were the horses with all their gear piled on them. Poles for making the temporary folds dragged behind them and the pack horses the vaqueros had given her. Mel helped her down, and the other women helped unpack the horses, so they could be hobbled to graze.
Mel explained how she had chosen the baby’s name, naming it after an ancient Amazon woman. She was pleased that Carmen knew the story of the Greek god Achilles and the queen named Penthesiliea in Troy. Together, they explained it to Fabiola, who loved the story. The Amazon woman had been named Ainia, which meant ‘swiftness.’
“It sounds like Alinta,” Alinta said, pointing to herself, wanting to contribute, “but also that great warrior woman, the Amazon.”
Mel looked gaunt. The constant worry of keeping a flock so large intact must have weighed on her. Add the responsibility of Alinta and the baby, and she looked terrible. She had large circles under her brown eyes. That night, in the company of her friends from Twin Station and with the extra men to help keep watch over the sheep, Mel slept like the dead, catching up on badly needed sleep. But she didn’t miss her turn to guard the sheep, getting up early for her shift.
She wondered if the dogs could sense her ease as they too seemed relaxed. She stopped to pet the puppies that Alinta had taken from the bags, so the bitches could cuddle their broods and feed them. Both bitches wiggled their butts in greeting, simulating wagging tails that weren’t there. She heard Ainia fussing and Alinta trying to calm her.
“May I take the baby for you?” Mel offered and held out her large hands.
Alinta didn’t hesitate. She had fed the baby, but she wouldn’t settle down afterwards. She watched as Mel talked softly to the infant as she walked off into the early morning light to make her rounds. Just the presence of humans and their smell kept some predators away. Alinta rose to go in the brush and do her morning absolutions. She was using water more now as she had learned that Mel liked clean. She had observed while Mel washed the baby several times. While Alinta would have rubbed sheep fat on the baby, Mel washed it off. She did allow Alinta to rub the crushed leaves that warded off the constant flies and mosquitos but then, she used them too. Alinta stoked the fire as the vaqueros sleepily woke and rose.
“Good morning,” Carmen whispered as she came up to the warmth of the fire to help.
“Good morning,” Alinta replied, understanding the greeting now from her months with Mel.
“Where is Ainia?” Carmen asked, having hoped to cuddle some more with the infant like she had before they went to sleep the previous night. Fabiola too had held the baby, if somewhat awkwardly. She’d compared it to a newborn lamb with much resulting hilarity from the women.
“Mel took her to calm baby,” she said inaccurately, almost shyly, as she wasn’t used to communicating with anyone but Mel.
Carmen smiled, knowing Mel had been good with her children on the long trek out here. She wondered if the American had wanted children of her own and if that would ever have been a possibility. Well, if what she suspected between the American and the Australian Aborigine was true, that baby was as much Mel’s as it was Alinta’s anyway. Carmen busied herself with helping the woman prepare breakfast, so they could all get on their way. It was still a long way across Twin Station.
As they approached the home paddock, other riders rode out to help with the large flock, splitting it into different corrals, so the shearers could start in on the sheep.
Mel and Alinta took one of the empty stockmen’s houses, surprised to see a modern house being built on one of the hills beyon
d the home paddock. “What’s that?” Mel asked Carmen as they watched the shearers effortlessly guide their clippers along a sheep. A good shearer was worth their weight in gold as they quickly and efficiently sheared the sheep. Very little blood was spilled, and the maximum amount of wool was taken from the poor beasts, who accepted their lot without any fanfare as they waited patiently to be released. Only occasionally did a sheep fight back, and these feisty ones made it interesting for those helping to keep the sheep processed…from pushing them into the chute to pushing them out back into the corrals. Many of the sheep then had to seek out their lambs, who had been baahing pitifully while waiting impatiently on their dams. It still amazed the women and even some of the men how quickly a sheep could find its lamb among all of those crying out for their mamas.
“Oh, Carmen didn’t like our accommodations,” Fabiola said as she came up, hearing Mel asking about the building going on at the hillside. She sounded almost British in her tones; the Australian accent was nearly eliminated as she informed the American with a twinkle in her eye as she looked at Carmen.
Other men had come all the way from Sydney to do the work Carmen had sent for, riding with the carters, who brought their yearly supplies and planning on staying on for months to do the work she had contracted them for. The tone of Fabiola’s voice didn’t tell Mel whether she was pleased with the building or not.
“I’m going to have to get some buildings built on my place as well,” Mel admitted. “Maybe I should talk to them about coming out to where I want my home built.”
“They’ll be wanting to head back to Sydney when they are done,” Fabiola told her, the disparaging note in her voice as she said it giving her opinion of the large city she had never seen. “A couple of them already have the willies from being out here.” She’d learned that phrase from Carmen and enjoyed using it.
Outback Heritage Page 11