"One of his first competitions he got this rough calf, and his horse was still pretty green. Anyway, it ended up throwing him and he landed hard on his arm."
"Bloody well broke my arm." Darcy's strong country accent seemed more pronounced. "The devil was in that cow, I tell you."
After the meal and a few drinks, the crowd got livelier, and people started dancing. Meghan got pulled up when Darcy was getting another round. He watched her dance animatedly to Lee Kernigan. She glanced back at him every so often and pulled faces. The shy girl was stripped away and replaced by a confident, beautiful woman.
Finally, Darcy and the other guys joined them, and they all danced around singing along to songs by Brooks and Dunn and Alan Jackson at the top of their voices.
The floor emptied as a popular ballad started. With his heart in his throat, Darcy offered her his hand for a slow dance. Without hesitation, she stepped into his arms, placing a hand on his shoulder, the other fitting in his large palm. Their faces were mere centimetres apart as they swayed back and forth. As the song played their bodies moved closer and she rested her head on his chest. He breathed in her floral scent. Damn, it had been a long time since he'd held a woman. And what a woman she was with her petite frame and soft curves. His fingers started lazily stroking the small of her back. She squeezed his hand lightly, and he replied by rubbing his thumb over hers. As the song came to a close they broke apart.
"Feel like a change of scenery?" Darcy asked, slipping his hands in his pockets.
She nodded in reply, her lips tight as though she didn’t trust herself to speak.
Darcy found himself unexpectedly cold after having Meghan’s warm body against him. It had felt so natural and easy. Their bodies fitted together perfectly like they had been created for each other.
He watched her, face tilted up to the night gazing at the bright stars. Did she feel it too?
He was being foolish. She wasn’t available and he wasn’t looking for a woman. He liked his life. He only had to think about himself and his animals. Getting his own station was his goal. A woman would just complicate things, and he liked his life uncomplicated. He should just keep his distance from all women. Especially Meghan.
"Darcy, can I ask you something?" Her sweet voice cut at his heart.
"Sure." His voice trembled, scared of just what she wanted to know. He wouldn’t be able to lie, even if he wanted too.
"What happened to you? I mean, what was the heartbreak that made you scared of women… and love?" She looked at him with eyebrows raised and an innocent look crossed her face.
He held her gaze contemplating, not wanting to talk about Lisa, ever. But her questioning eyes made it impossible to resist anything she wanted.
He took a deep breath, one thing he knew how to do was control his feelings. He had learnt how a long time ago.
"We went to boarding school in Charters Towers for high school. That’s where I met Lisa. We went out for about three years, I thought she was the one. We talked about getting married and working together on a station somewhere." He stared blankly out into the darkness. "Then she came back after holidays, just before our exams and called it quits. She said she had met someone else and they were engaged."
A gasp escaped Meghan’s lips, and he turned to look at her.
"I’m so sorry." Her voice was little more than a whisper but it soothed the deep-seated pain that threatened to bubble over.
"The guy was the only son of a grazier out in Winton. They owned a huge station, and he was going to inherit it all. Lisa wasn’t going to have to struggle at all with him." He gave her a slight smile.
"Did she end up marrying him?"
"I don’t know. We finished our exams, and that was that. I learnt my lesson and I never looked back."
She turned to him. "And you haven’t dated since?"
"I’ve avoided anything serious." He gazed at her lovely face. "I don’t want a complicated life."
She nodded in understanding. "But, sometimes things have to get a little complicated in order to get what you really want."
Chapter 7
Meghan opened her eyes in the early light of the morning. Darcy lay sleeping peacefully in the swag next to her. She took the opportunity to study his handsome face.
His bronzed face was speckled with a line of freckles across his nose. His eyelashes were long and dark. His full lips were parted slightly. He smelled of sweat and horse.
His breathing shallowed, and he stirred. She rolled over and turned her head to Lachie's empty swag. She sat up and looked around but couldn’t see him amidst the other campers. He had been sound asleep when she and Darcy had returned late last night.
"Morning." Darcy's voice was husky with sleep.
"Morning." She patted down her hair. It probably looked frightful. "I wonder where Lachie is?"
"Probably getting food or puking in the bathroom," Darcy arched his brow. "Want me to look?"
"Would you mind?"
"No worries." He grabbed a change of clothes and his toothbrush and headed to the bathroom.
Meghan changed into black shorts and a purple T-shirt. She brushed her teeth and tied her hair in a bun under her hat. The perfect solution for bed hair.
By the time she'd returned, Lachie and Darcy were in the middle of a heated argument.
"You should have been there." Darcy’s voice was low and quiet, but he pointed an accusatory finger at Lachie’s chest.
As Meghan approached, Lachie walked timidly over to her. "I'm sorry, babe. I haven't seen those guys in ages."
Lachie’s behaviour didn’t bother her as much as it should. In the past she had been a clingy girlfriend and always needed reassurance that they wouldn’t break up with her and abandon her. But Darcy had stayed with her all evening and thinking back, she had barely noticed Lachie’s absence.
He lifted her chin up so he could look in her eyes. She saw the apology in his bloodshot eyes.
She shrugged. "Darcy and I had a great night. You missed out on all the fun."
"Yeah, I know." He admitted. "I saw some of the guys this morning. They said you made some new friends."
He leaned in to kiss her, but she pulled back, gagging on his smoky beer breath. "You need to brush your teeth before you try to kiss me again."
He grinned and swatted her ass gently.
From the corner of her eye she saw Darcy walking away.
Meghan smiled as they approached the now familiar sign signalling the entrance to Brigadier Station. She was back in familiar surroundings. Home.
Harriet immediately busied herself with laundry and unpacking. Lachie retreated to the office to catch up on work and Darcy was busy unloading Jasper. After unpacking her bag and tidying up Lachie's room, Meghan decided to start on lunch. On her way down the hall, Lachie called to her.
"I just got off the phone with our adjistment property down south. They're pretty concerned our mob may have worms. I need to get down there and sort it out."
She walked around his desk and stood behind him. Her fingers smoothed the tense knots in his neck and shoulders. He needed a shower, he still smelt of sweat and smoke.
"When do you have to go?"
"Pretty much now." Sighing, he leaned back into her hands.
"Do you want me to come?"
"No. You'd be bored and I'll be busy."
She nodded, secretly pleased to not have to leave again just yet. He took her hand and pulled her onto his lap, kissing her briefly. "I'll probably be gone a week or so. I know you only have a few more days before you have to get back to work."
"You won't be able to drive me home then." She was stuck in the outback, without her fiancé. To make matters worse, she was due to start work again in a few days.
"I'm sorry." He hugged her briefly. "Ask Darcy when you see him. He'll be able to get you back to Townsville."
Meghan followed a dirt path to a shallow gully surrounded by large gums and coolabah trees. Cockatoos and galahs chirped above her as she followed t
he gentle running stream. Joey trotted up from a path ahead and wagged his tail in hello.
"What are you doing here?" Meghan stopped to pat the dog’s head. Darcy's tall figure appeared from the bush and he nodded as he approached her. "Looking for something?"
"Just wandering." Meghan gestured around to the bush. "It's so pretty."
"It's a bugger in a flood. I'm checking the drains for blockages."
"Mind if I join you?"
He shook his head, and they walked side by side in the cool shade of the trees, talking about their childhoods.
"Us boys used to chase each other down here after lessons." He said. "Dad would find us hours later when it was almost dark. Because we hadn't finished our chores he would be really angry and threaten to spank us if we didn't get back to the house and do them before dinner."
"What was your Dad like?"
Darcy threw her a sharp look. "I'd rather not talk about him."
There was a story there, but she couldn't figure it out. Why didn’t they speak about Daniel?
Darcy found a pipe peeking out and went to work making sure they were clear and the water was flowing. Meghan removed her boots and paddled in the shallow, cool water. She watched as a gangly kangaroo hopped lightly between some trees nearby. A small joey followed closely behind. Colourful parrots crooned to each other from their branches of the coolabah trees. She raised her face and closed her eyes, breathing the fresh air deep into her lungs until it filled her soul. The loneliness she had always carried with her was now replaced by an absolute sense of belonging to this beautiful, wild place.
A kookaburra trilled and she looked up to find it.
"Over there." Darcy pointed out the tree where the brown and white bird was perched. Meghan carefully sloshed through the water, closer to Darcy so she could get a better view. She followed where Darcy pointed and saw the bird with the large beak. Darcy closed his hands around his mouth and mimicked its sound. In reply, the kookaburra called back.
"We used to do that all the time as kids," Darcy smiled. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yep, I'll just get my boots." Meghan trudged back to the edge and sat down on a rock. After putting on her socks, she slid her foot into the boot only to feel her toes press against something before a fierce stinging started in her middle toe.
"Ouch." She shrieked, pulling the boot off and grabbing at her foot.
Darcy was by her side in an instant, whipping her sock off and gently holding her swelling foot between his large, calloused hands.
From the corner of her eye, Meghan saw a large spider scuttling away. The deep red stripe on its torso made her shiver.
"Redback." She pointed to Darcy who turned his head to inspect.
"Okay. You'll be alright. I'll call an ambulance and they'll bring anti-venom."
"It hurts so much." Her voice was a ragged whisper. Tears stung her eyes as a wave of pain rolled over her.
Darcy lifted her up in his arms and cradled her gently like a fragile doll. Her head snuggled into his warm neck, his pulse beating against her lips. She focused on that feeling until the pain was only a distant throb.
A surge of protectiveness filled Darcy. Holding Meghan close, he hurried to the ringers’ quarters and the closest first aid kit. Her soft whimpers and warm breath against his neck was almost too much to bear. Her floral shampoo surrounded him and she was soft, limp and vulnerable in his arms.
Gently, he placed her on a bed where she instinctively curled into a ball on her side. He made the call to the local paramedics who promised to bring anti-venom out straight-away. The sooner she got the shot, the sooner the pain would cease. In the kitchen, he hunted for pain killers and a bottle of water.
When he returned, she was still in the same foetal position. Her eyes squeezed tight, her hands clenched together against her forehead.
“Sit up, Meghan. Take some pain-killer. I promise it will help.”
She turned her dazed face to him, her eyes moist. He helped her up.
After swallowing the pills, she curled up against him. Her head rested against his chest as Darcy placed his arm around her shoulder.
"The pain will be gone soon." He stroked her arm lightly. He would rather endure the pain of ten Redback bites himself than watch her endure this one.
Meghan surfaced from her pain-induced sleep to find herself in Darcy's strong embrace. She savoured the feeling of security it offered and was tempted to close her eyes and sleep some more so she wouldn't have to leave her safe cocoon.
Darcy brushed the loose hair from her face with his large, warm hand and instinctively she moved her cheek into his palm.
"How long have I been out?" She moved off him and stretched. She vaguely remembered the paramedic's visit and the injection they had given her. The pain of the bite had been so intense she had tried to block everything out.
"About two hours. How's the pain?" He asked climbing off the bed and straightening his shirt.
"Mostly gone." Meghan stood and gingerly put weight on her swollen foot. "Still a little tender."
"I'll carry you up to the homestead. Mum's making you soup." He picked her up as though she weighed nothing at all.
Darcy was quiet on the short walk up to the house. Harriet was at the door when they arrived, opening it for him to step through.
"How do you feel, love?" she asked, concern etched on her face.
"Getting better. Sorry for the drama."
Darcy carried her into the living room and laid her on the large couch.
Harriet followed behind closely. "I called Lachie. He said he'd give you a call tonight and see how you're doing."
"Thanks." Meghan accepted the blanket Darcy lay over her.
"I'll get you a glass of water." Harriet hurried out.
"Will you be okay here?" Darcy checked her forehead for fever with his hand.
Meghan nodded and watched as he turned to leave. "Darcy!"
He turned back to her expectantly.
"Thank you." She smiled up at him. She remembered him being next to her the whole time. She had sensed his presence and felt his touch.
He smiled back at her. No words were needed. He had promised to look after her and true to his word, he had.
The paramedics had suggested Meghan visit the medical centre the next day for a check-up. As Darcy already had some things to do in town he offered to take her.
Meghan noticed that Darcy's ute was an older model than his brothers, but it was cleaner and better cared for. While Lachie's seats were ripped and the faint stench of cigarette smoke clung to the upholstery, Darcy's had new seat covers and a pine scented air freshener hanging from the rear-view mirror.
Meghan settled herself in for the long drive to town as Darcy turned the volume up on the local radio station. Country music singers sang about heartbreak and loss.
She must have drifted off to sleep, waking as they pulled into a carpark. The old building which housed the medical clinic was quiet so she was seen quickly by the locum nurse.
"No allergic reaction. Swelling may take a few days to go down. Take painkillers every four hours and watch out for infection," she explained and turned to Darcy. "It's lucky you knew what to do."
"See. I told Harriet we didn't need to come." Meghan hopped down the steps. It hurt when she put too much pressure on her foot.
"Maybe we should get you crutches." Darcy took her weight as he wrapped an arm around her back and helped her into the car.
"No way. I'll be fine."
They drove around the corner to the hardware store. Darcy left the engine running. "Stay here, I won't be long."
He entered the shop, the entrance displayed a wheelbarrow and various tools and advertisements. On the ground was a large, worn, cardboard box, with the word FREE written across the front. As she wondered what was in it a black snout popped out of a hole.
Frowning, she clambered out of the ute and hobbled over to the box. She knelt down and opened the box to find a small black and white puppy peering up a
t her.
"Well, hello." She picked up the puppy and inspected it for lice and worms. It was newly weaned and seemed clean and healthy. Its colouring and features looked as though it was a border collie cross. Probably meant to be a working dog. She cuddled and played with the pup until Darcy came back. His hands were full of machinery parts.
"What have you got there?"
"He was in this box."
Darcy put his purchases in the tray of the ute, then walked over and gave the dog a scratch. "Frank. There's a dog in a box out here." He called into the shop.
The bald shop keeper, Frank, came outside and nodded.
"It's the runt from a litter at Kalbarri Station. I said they could leave it here and try their luck getting rid of it."
Alarm trickled through Meghan's veins. "What happens if no one wants him?"
Darcy crouched beside her and patted the puppy. "It's a working dog. Needs a lot of training and room to run around. Lots of work and costly too."
She cuddled it closer. "I can take him to Townsville. Maybe someone will take him there."
"He looks pretty happy with you," said Frank. "Why don't you keep him?"
The thought hadn't occurred to her before, but as soon as he said it, she knew she wanted to keep the little puppy. "Do you think Lachie would mind?"
Darcy shrugged. "I doubt it. We have the space, but I don't know if Lachie knows much about dog training. But, I could help you if you need it."
She kissed the dog's wiry hair. "Come on, little fella. You can come live with us."
They walked up the road a little way to the tourist information centre, where Darcy filled up an aluminium bowl Frank had given them with water. Meghan watched the puppy dart around the water fountain and idly read the inscription around it.
* * *
“Now the stock have started dying, for the lord has sent a drought;
But we’re sick of prayers and Providence – we’re going to do without;
The Brothers of Brigadier Station Page 6