Legacy of Hunters Ridge

by Sarah Barrie

‘So when things like this happen I can get hold of you.’

  ‘Things like what?’

  ‘Seen your cows lately?’

  ‘Cows? No, why?’

  ‘Go to the kitchen window.’

  ‘Yeah and?’

  ‘Look up.’

  ‘Up? I’ve heard of flying pigs but – oh my God!’ Up on the hill, in the immaculate garden that framed Cam’s home, were her cows. They were slowly making their way from one side to the other in a procession. And they left nothing untouched. In front of them was perfection, behind them was something akin to a nuclear disaster. Cam was waving them back with one hand, phone to his ear with the other.

  ‘Yes. Not flying. Trampling, chewing, crapping – everywhere – but not flying.’

  Oh God. ‘I’m coming!’

  Cursing the cows, she locked Luna in the house and, grabbing a bucket of grain, jumped in the car. In less than two minutes she was at the top of Cam’s driveway. He was standing between the cattle and what was left of the garden, keeping them back, but he was fighting a losing battle. His white tee was old, his jeans were filthy and his hair was sticking out untidily. He was hot, sweaty and pissed off. He looked incredible. She shut down the thought and quickly pulled the grain from the backseat.

  ‘Sorry.’

  ‘What do you think that little bucket’s going to do?’

  ‘I discovered they like grain. I used it to bribe them back through the fence I kind of patched up by the shed when they got out the other day. Now every time they see a white bucket they – see?’

  As she spoke the cows began bawling, a few trotting back over the destroyed garden towards her. Others looked up, began to follow. Backpedalling, she spared a nervous glance at Cam. ‘Um … I’m going to have to make a run back down – thank God it’s down – your very long driveway.’

  ‘Wait.’

  ‘Wait? Are you kidding?’ The herd picked up their pace and with that, so did her heart rate. ‘You might not like me much,’ she called out over the chaos, ‘but setting me up to get trampled is just mean!’

  ‘I like you sometimes.’ He ducked around the herd, heading for his ute. ‘Jump in the back. I’ll drive, you keep waving the bucket.’

  It worked. The cows followed the ute and were soon back in their paddock. Ally jumped from the tray and scanned the fence line. ‘I’m not sure where they got out. I’ll have to go find the hole.’

  Cam shut the car door and followed her gaze. ‘You think there’s

  only one?’

  She shook her head. ‘Not helpful.’

  His gaze went from the cows, up to his place, then back to the fence. ‘Fine. I’ll patch the worst part now.’ He headed across to the shed.

  ‘Wait. You don’t have to –’

  ‘Where do you think your fencing tools might be?’ She saw him look around, brow raised. ‘You’ve been busy.’

  ‘Lee’s had a couple of guys out here. I assumed you knew.’

  ‘Yeah, and they did a good job. But I mean, the shed’s spotless.’

  ‘Rubbish is a fire hazard,’ she mumbled.

  Cam collected what he needed for the fence and walked across to see Violet. ‘She looks happier.’

  ‘Thanks to your sister. She gave her some pain killers.’

  ‘And you gave her a rug for the cool nights and some shelter.’

  ‘She needs them. Do you want some hay to keep the cows busy while you fix the fence?’

  ‘Probably a good idea.’ He picked up a heavy bale with apparent ease. ‘But what do you mean “you”? Let’s go.’

  ‘But I don’t know …’ At his challenging expression, she sighed and nodded. ‘Right.’

  The fence that ran along the road was a disaster. Wire was broken and had been twisted back together in some places, while in others strands were lying on the ground. Many of the fence posts were loose, wire often wasn’t attached. There was a large hole where the cows had pushed through.

  Cam just stared and shook his head. ‘I knew this part of the fence was bad but up close it’s just a big, ugly, waste of time. This isn’t keeping anything in.’

  ‘Maybe I can move them into another paddock.’

  Cam’s face twisted into a grin and her heart dropped into her feet. ‘You haven’t noticed yet, have you?’

  ‘Noticed what?’

  ‘Those cattle wander pretty much wherever they please – which is why Mavis calls them up and feeds them every day: to make sure they’re still around. The fence bordering the back of the property is the military range, it’s good; they can’t cross the river on the western end and the other side is Gus’s place – he’s always shooing them back. But holding them in any particular paddock on the place is impossible. This is the most important part of fence to fix. It will keep them off the road at least.’

  ‘But it’s huge! What if we just electrify it? I could get some tape –’

  ‘Tape? That probably works okay with horses, even cattle, maybe, with a better fence, but I doubt it would do much to stop these belties in this situation. You’d need to run the current through a wire.’ Cam leant on a corner post. It broke off with an easy crack. ‘Wood’s rotten. We need something solid to strain off. We’ll sink a post here, brace it. We don’t have much light left. The star posts are probably good enough for tonight, so we’ll strain up a new wire or two, leave the rest for tomorrow. I’ll call Lee tonight, get our fencing contractors out in the morning to finish off this paddock. Then we can set another line of wire off about so high to run a current right round. That should keep them in. Got an energiser?’

  Ally’s head was spinning. How much was all this going to cost? ‘No. And, not to sound ungrateful, but it’s going to be an expensive project for cows that aren’t going to be here much longer.’

  ‘Property improvements reflect in sale price. It wouldn’t hurt to tidy it up.’

  ‘I have an idea.’

  ‘Which is?’

  ‘How about I just agree right now to sell the place to you and Lee for a set figure, on the agreement you let me stay here as long as I need to settle up everything for Mavis? That way, you can start improving it all you want, the way you want. By the time I sort the animals out, you’ll already be well underway, the property won’t have gone up in value because I’ve had to pay for improvements and I won’t have to go through the whole advertising and sale procedure. Win-win, right?’

  He studied her, a thoughtful expression on his face. ‘That’s a tempting offer. Let me think about it, talk to Lee.’

  ‘All right.’

  ‘Take these cutters, start pulling down the remains of that top wire, and the middle one as far as that first reasonable post. I’ll start on the new corner post.’

  As Ally pulled down her section of fence, Cam worked on reconstructing it.

  Just before dark, they had the corner post in and two wires strained.

  ‘Hopefully they won’t test it before morning, because we’re out of light. Feed them really early, keep their minds off wandering, and we’ll finish it tomorrow. Let’s go.’

  They drove back in the ute and Cam stopped in front of the shed to return some tools.

  ‘Thanks for your help,’ Ally said, closing up the shed behind him. ‘I’m sorry about your garden.’

  ‘It’s not the first time, and it’s not your fault. That fence has needed fixing as long as I’ve been here.’

  Luna’s howling and yapping reminded her she’d locked the pup in. ‘Oh, that’s Luna wanting out.’

  ‘Luna?’

  ‘Lunatic, the puppy. Luna for short.’ She opened the laundry door and Luna barrelled out, climbing all over Cam until he gave her a pat.

  He laughed quietly. ‘Apt name.’

  When Luna bounded back to Ally, she picked her up. ‘She’s hyper, but good company.’ She smiled when the pup licked her face.

  Cam’s eyes warmed as a smile touched the corners of his mouth. ‘I thought you didn’t like animals?’

  Having that exp
ression directed at her almost knocked her mute. ‘I like them, I just … haven’t had much to do with them for a while.’

  He hesitated just a moment, then stepped forwards and brushed at what she decided was probably a smear of dirt on her face. Heat radiated across her cheek.

  ‘Ah … thanks.’

  ‘You’re welcome.’ He walked back to the ute and, with a wave, headed off.

  Ally put down Luna and absently touched her cheek where his fingers had just been. ‘Don’t get silly ideas in your head,’ she murmured to herself, even as she looked forward to tomorrow.

  It was just before dawn when the alarm jolted her from the nightmare of David’s ruined face. Sweaty and shaken, she headed straight for the shower. She rolled the stiffness from her shoulders as she dried herself off and quickly threw on some jeans and a tee. She needed to get those cows fed to make sure they didn’t wreck the fence until Cam could get someone out here.

  Miraculously, the cows were where they were supposed to be, and she threw a generous amount of hay over the fence to keep them busy. She was just dusting herself off when a ute came down her drive, the sun still low enough in the sky to hide behind it.

  ‘Morning, Alissa,’ Lee said.

  ‘Hi.’

  ‘This is Oscar and Steve.’

  She said hello to the two other men, looked curiously at Lee. ‘And?’

  ‘And Cam halted work on another property to get the boys out here. Something about a boundary fence.’

  ‘Oh. I thought Cam was coming.’

  ‘He is, he just needs to get a few things organised.’ Lee jumped out and turned to the men. ‘You may as well get started. Through that gate there – the front fence.’

  ‘Do you want a coffee?’ she offered.

  ‘More than oxygen.’

  ‘Come in.’

  She made the coffee, handed him one. ‘I only just beat you outside. Do you always start this early?’

  ‘Cam said this was an emergency.’

  She sat herself at the table, wrapping her hands around her mug.

  ‘I don’t know why, the damage is already done.’

  ‘They’re cows, the damage is never all the way done. Not when your fences aren’t up to scratch.’

  ‘It will be good to have a safe front fence. Did Cameron mention if he wants to go ahead with buying the place?’

  ‘We’re buying? News to me. Good news.’

  ‘Right, well, I don’t know for sure if he wants it.’

  ‘I can pretty much guarantee he does. I’ll talk to him.’

  ‘I also wanted to ask if you knew where to get the plants he had in his front garden. I’d like to replace them.’

  ‘Yeah, we have a wholesale nursery we get most of our stock from. I can organise it, but I don’t think it’s necessary. He won’t expect it.’

  ‘My cows did the damage. I’d feel better if I did something about fixing it.’

  He nodded slowly, shrugged. ‘They’re Mavis’s cows, and they’ve been getting out as long as Cam’s been here. But I’ll figure out what was up there and add the stock to next week’s order.’

  ‘That would be great.’

  ‘And I promised I’d ask – are you still selling the animals off?’

  ‘Eventually.’

  ‘You got any piglets left?’

  ‘All of them. I have to keep Poppy for the time being but Mavis gave me permission to rehome the young animals.’

  ‘My sister asked me to find out. Apparently her oldest, Lisa, is desperate for one and when it was mentioned, the other kids piped up too.’

  ‘Come with me. Bring your coffee.’ Ally marched him outside to see Poppy and her family before he could change his mind. ‘There.’

  The large sow dragged herself to her feet and approached the fence, snorting happily. Her squealing piglets came running after her.

  Lee grinned widely, scratched his head, nodded. ‘How much would you want for three?’

  ‘Oh no. No way. This is a package deal.’

  He looked genuinely perplexed. ‘You want us to buy them all?’

  ‘Buy them? Hell, no. Take them, please.’

  ‘I can’t just take them, they’re worth something. Linda will probably farm at least a few out, I can’t see her needing nine of them.’

  ‘Think of it as doing me a favour.’

  He grinned. ‘How about a load of plants?’

  ‘Deal.’

  ‘I’ll have to borrow Mavis’s trailer to move them with the sow till these guys are old enough to wean.’

  ‘Even better. Don’t wean them too early. When can you take them?’

  He gave Poppy a friendly pat. ‘Can you give me a few days? Linda will want to get everything set up.’

  ‘No worries. I don’t suppose those wonderful children would like anything else? I’ve got a lovely batch of baby chickens …’

  Rather than let her walk him over to the chicken coop, Lee chuckled and threw a friendly arm over her shoulder to divert her back towards the house. ‘Don’t even suggest it. Oh, hi, Cam.’

  Cam was standing by the veranda watching their approach with folded arms and a slight frown. Ally’s smile of greeting became

  immediately guarded. The last time she’d seen that look on his face, her cows had been destroying his plants. She stepped away from Lee.

  ‘What now?’

  Cam’s brow lifted. ‘Charming.’

  ‘Well?’ She fiddled with her shirt, unable to meet his eye. ‘Is it the cows again? Has Chester got out? Something else? Which one has done what and what do you need me to do about it?’

  ‘I came to help with the fence. I can’t keep the contractors off project for too long.’

  ‘Sorry. I knew you were coming but …’ She sighed. ‘It’s just you had that look on your face …’

  ‘Yes, yes he did,’ Lee agreed, as though he’d just worked out something very interesting.

  Cam’s eyes narrowed on Lee. ‘What’s happening?’

  ‘Doing Ally a favour, ended up with pigs as payment. Possibly some chickens,’ he added.

  ‘Really?’ Ally said enthusiastically.

  ‘Interesting. You didn’t want any of these animals before,’ Cam said.

  Lee’s grin widened mischievously. ‘The woman’s persuasive. You don’t exactly know what you’re in for until you’re committed.’

  If possible, Cam appeared even less impressed. ‘No kidding?’

  A look passed between the men that Ally couldn’t quite read, then Lee was handing Ally his cup with a wink and a barely contained grin.

  ‘Right, well, I’d better go see how the guys are getting on.’

  ‘Thanks, Lee.’ Ally turned her attention to Cam, who was still scowling. ‘What? Mavis said I could sell the offspring. They’re for his sister’s kids.’

  ‘Fine. You busy?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Then you can help.’

  It was hard work, and after the first couple of hours, her back was aching from the unfamiliar exertion. The men worked fast, with an efficiency born of long practice. When she slowed down, she held them up, so she threw herself into it, ignored the twinges and the scratches, and did her best.

  And when they finished, when they stood back to check their work, it was a pretty damn good-looking piece of fence.

  ‘Right, we’re off!’ Lee announced, helping the men pack up the last of the equipment. ‘I’ll see you at Kendo’s at eight.’

  ‘Seven,’ Cam amended with a wave.

  ‘See you tomorrow night, Ally!’

  Ally was examining her callused hands with a small grimace. ‘Huh?’

  ‘Friday night. Cam’s. You’re coming aren’t you? I’m bringing pizza.’

  ‘Oh, right. Bye.’

  Cam swiped an arm along his brow and tossed his pliers into a crate of tools then locked it up. His shirt strained as his muscles moved, pulling taut as he stretched his back. Ally caught herself staring. She couldn’t remember ever staring quite so mu
ch at a man before. She gave herself a hard mental kick when her gaze lifted to find his eyes on her, a hint of a smile on his lips.

  ‘You know,’ she said, pretending to be examining the fence rather than the man, ‘you just made the rest of the place look like even more of a mess.’

  ‘I’ll take that as a thank you.’

  ‘It is a thank you.’

  ‘See, I can be more useful than a tractor.’

  She thought back to the comments she’d hurled at him in the rain, feeling the heat creep into her face.

  He laughed. ‘You want a lift up to get your car? It’s still at my place.’

  ‘Yeah, well, I don’t get out much.’

  ‘I don’t know about that. Sometimes you seem to be everywhere. Let’s go.’

  She opened her mouth, but, lacking a comeback, closed it, and climbed in.

  At the top of the hill, she looked around. Without the pressure of a herd of destructive cows bearing down on her, she could appreciate the place. It looked so inviting in the fading light: sandstone brickwork, green Colorbond roof, wide verandas and large shuttered windows. The landscaping was maples and elms, some native gums and shrubs, and a jasmine with an intoxicating scent that climbed along the veranda. The whole effect was pulled straight out of Country Style magazine.

  ‘Ally?’

  ‘This makes Mavis’s place look like a hovel.’

  He shrugged. ‘So yours is a project. Everyone likes a project.’

  ‘Oh yes,’ she said, as she looked around, ‘I can imagine you’ve had extensive issues with this palace.’

  ‘Actually I built it.’

  ‘Ebony told me that, I can’t believe it.’

  ‘Thanks. Why don’t you tell me what you really think?’

  She grinned back unapologetically. ‘You’re supposed to be Mavis’s solicitor, not a builder.’ She stared at it some more. ‘It’s sandstone.’

  ‘Okay, I didn’t quarry and chisel the blocks myself.’

  ‘And it’s magnificent. It looks like it’s been here a hundred years –

  new but old.’

  ‘That’s what I was going for.’

  ‘Did you do the interiors as well?’

  ‘Yeah.’ He studied her face, then asked, ‘Do you want to see?’

  ‘Sure.’

  He led her up the wide sandstone steps and onto the veranda. Sensor lights sprang to life. ‘Come in.’ He kicked off his boots, she followed his lead, and was gestured through beautiful twin oak doors bordered with stained glass into a large living room. Everything was polished wood and cosy furniture.