Wildflower Ridge

by Maya Linnell

  She left the keys in the ignition and headed for a faded white post marking the trail to Wildflower Ridge. Weeds and creeping greens had claimed the narrow gravel track as their own. Penny found her way through the grasses guided by memory. The crisp June air burned in her throat as she trekked the steady incline.

  Little birds fled and drop-tail lizards scampered out of her way, unused to company on this side of the mountain. Overgrown branches pushed at her body, trying to keep the mountainside for themselves. Penny slipped defiantly between them, turning her back to the cliff face as she looked out over McIntyre Park. The clouds had disappeared, leaving sapphire expanses and streaks of strong yellow sunshine. The distant rumble of neighbouring farms’ tractors floated across the paddocks; they looked as tiny as the little cast-iron toys Leo, Elliot and Harry played with. Satisfaction buzzed inside her as she recalled the way she had handled the tractor last night. Her hands had known exactly which levers to pull as soon as she’d sat down in the cab, gaining reluctant approval from Tim. It hadn’t taken them long to remove the ute from its boggy confines.

  Penny reached the end of the barely-there path, resting her hand on a final white post that pointed directly upwards. A damp patch rubbed underneath her backpack as she pulled herself up onto the first rock. Dirt and sand slipped between her fingers, coating her jeans with fine dust as she scrambled towards her goal. Several sandstone boulders later, she reached the top of Wildflower Ridge. The freesia stalks were up but not yet blooming, and wildflowers were still another few months from their annual display. Even without the showy blossoms, the view was captivating.

  Penny ran her hand over the smooth surface of her mother’s memorial rock, tracing the simple lettering on the plaque: Annabel McIntyre 1955–2002.

  She spread her jacket across the ground, its purple fabric standing out against the dewy grass. The rock warmed her back as she leaned against it. Birds called around her and eagles soared past on warm air currents.

  If she closed her eyes, Penny could almost go back to the first time she had visited the outcrop as a child. Banished from school with chickenpox, she had been out exploring the walking tracks with her mum. Penny remembered being enamoured with the little goat track that led to the wildflowers, the great rock and the spectacular vista. The way she had stuffed wildflowers into Annabel’s ponytail, her mother giggling as she added more to her buttonhole. Little had she known they would scatter Annabel’s ashes there seven years later, after a car accident stole her from their lives. A familiar weight of guilt settled on Penny’s shoulders as she remembered the argument they’d had just before the accident, the hurtful words thrown between them. Annabel’s insistence she at least consider a university degree, and Penny’s determination to start an on-farm apprenticeship. Would you still be here today, Mum, if we hadn’t argued? Tears had clouded her mother’s vision as she’d backed her car out the driveway.

  Penny had tried to assuage her guilt the best way she knew how, by honouring her mother’s last wishes. And as much as it had hurt to shelve her own dreams and aspirations, she’d gained a strong sense of satisfaction from channelling her grief into high distinctions and top honours at university, then an award-winning career.

  ‘I miss you, Mum,’ said Penny, her words floating to the edge of the bluff and flicking away into the wind. ‘I’m sorry I haven’t visited, but I’m back now. I know it’s not what you wanted, but I think it’s time to set a few things straight.’

  Forty-three

  Penny shuffled uncomfortably, her bum tender from too many hours in the stiff plastic chair. Usually she was up beside Angus, but today she was relegated to the foot of the bed. Pete gave Diana a kiss and squeezed his way out of the narrow room. He hoisted Leo onto his shoulders and gave them all a mock salute.

  ‘Right, I’ll take these munchkins to the playground for an hour.’

  ‘Thanks, Pete. Make sure they wear their jackets. Cameron, help keep an eye on your brothers. You too, Evie.’

  The cousins scattered down the corridor, arguing over the first ride on the flying fox.

  The hospital room was quiet in their wake, each of the McIntyre daughters waiting for their father to start the discussion that had already driven a wedge between them.

  ‘Righto, girls, I’m all ears. What are we gonna do about this farm?’

  Angie toyed with her handbag clasp as if she were expecting a rabbit to jump out at any minute. Lara leaned in for the first word, just as Penny opened her mouth.

  ‘Let’s sell.’

  ‘Don’t sell.’

  Angus fixed Lara with a wistful gaze, then Penny.

  ‘It would have to be you two on opposite sides of the coin. What about you, Angie? Diana?’

  Diana stepped in, her voice measured.

  ‘I thought we could offer to buy part of the farm and share-farm the rest, but Pete’s got our nest egg invested elsewhere. I think he’s more interested in managing the stock agency than managing a farm,’ she said, her lips pursed with disappointment.

  ‘Don’t worry yourself, love. We all know Pete’s a great bloke and a top stocky. But he’s never been much of a farmer. Plus, you’ve got your hands full with all those kids. Angie?’

  Angie looked up from her lap, unwrapping a chocolate bar. Penny noticed the absence of enthusiasm that usually oozed from Angie’s every pore.

  ‘I don’t know. It would be terrible to see a random share-farmer run it into the ground. Then again, it’s too big an asset to leave in limbo. I can see sense in selling.’

  Angie’s ambivalence hit Penny like a punch in the stomach. She gaped at her little sister, not sure she knew the woman she was sitting next to. How has Lara poisoned her so quickly? Where’s her backbone, where’s her fight?

  Lara stepped in, her voice animated. ‘There’s nothing to gain by leasing it, Dad, considering your injuries. It wouldn’t be the same living in the farmhouse while someone else worked your land, bred from your sheep. If you sold, you’d have a fresh start. I think Tim can get a deposit together and I certainly wouldn’t say no to an early inheritance. If not for me, do it for Evie.’

  Penny reeled around at Lara.

  ‘That’s a low blow, Lara. Sam’s tight-arse tendencies have really rubbed off on you, haven’t they? Keep the children out of this; they love it as much as we do. Well, as much as some of us do.’

  Lara bristled. Penny looked out the window, ashamed at her jibe.

  ‘It’s a win-win for everyone, Penny. Dad can buy a smaller, low-maintenance house, go on a cruise every year for the rest of his life, get an automatic ute to better suit his arm. And if he decided to give us an early inheritance, which would be a very generous and helpful option, we’d all benefit,’ said Lara.

  Penny met Angus’s eye, his resigned expression softening as she shook her head resolutely. Vince could wait. Work would manage. Her apartment would still be there in six or twelve months, however long it took Angus to get back on his feet.

  She took a deep breath.

  ‘No. McIntyre Park doesn’t need to be sold, not if I can help it. I’ll run the farm until we find a better solution.’

  Penny ignored the snort of laughter from Lara’s side of the room. A flicker of hope flashed across Angus’s face as he held her gaze.

  ‘What about the city? Your fancy job won’t keep while you mop up after my mess. And from what Angie’s told me, that boyfriend of yours is already a liability. You sure you want to leave him unchaperoned for any longer?’

  Penny glared at Angie again, the knife of betrayal wrenching deeper in her stomach.

  ‘Let me worry about Vince. Georgie has agreed to a trial job-share arrangement, so I can work from home and still apply for the promotion. I’ll make it work, trust me. Have I failed at any of the goals I’ve set for myself yet?’ The thrill of her announcement gained momentum and an unintended edge of cockiness wiped the smirk from Lara’s face.

  She held her breath as Angus digested her decision.

  ‘Ok
ay,’ he said, rubbing a hand along his jaw. ‘That could work. I’ll give you a shot at managing the farm on two conditions. One, you have to make sure the on-farm ram sale goes smoothly in September—it’s our bread and butter and we’re renowned for running a top-notch event. And two, you have to keep Tim on as leading farmhand.’

  Penny’s elation faltered at the second clause. Years of event management, marketing launches and client functions meant the ram sale was a no-brainer, but the idea of working day in, day out with Tim was unthinkable.

  ‘Can’t we hire someone else? One of the Guthrie boys from down the road? Tim isn’t exactly my cup of tea.’

  ‘Be practical, Penny. Tim knows the place almost as well as me, and he’s a hard worker. He won’t let us down.’

  Penny looked around the room at each of her sisters. Diana nodded her support, Angie looked out the window as she devoured another chocolate bar and Lara watched in amusement.

  ‘She’s delusional, Dad. Look how quickly she ran away to the city after school. She’s pulling your leg.’

  Penny stood up, indignant.

  ‘If I say I’m going to do something, Lara, I do it. Last thing I want to see is McIntyre Park sold. Not to any Tim, Dick or Harry. I’m running this farm, even if it means working alongside Tim Bloody Patterson.’

  Forty-four

  Penny skipped up the farmhouse steps and shook the rain off her jacket as she walked along the verandah. Butterflies inside her stomach nipped and tickled at the same time, excitement intertwined with fear.

  A vase of crimson gerberas waited on the doorstep, bright in the overcast afternoon. Their presence threw a new set of butterflies into the mix, ambivalent ones that ducked and weaved, asking if she was doing the right thing. She opened the card.

  Hey babe, hurry home soon. I’ve got something waiting for you. xx V

  The colourful petals waved like little red flags, reminding her she still had to break the news to Vince. And for a tiny moment, an image of Charlotte opening the white-ribboned ring box whipped into her brain. She took a deep breath, hoping her decision to stay on the farm wouldn’t compromise all of her other dreams, and went inside to call Vince. His voicemail clicked in. She hung up.

  The wind rushed past Penny’s bare arms as she thundered down the driveway, exhilarated by the speed. It was just what she needed to blow out the cobwebs and chase away the fog from another restless sleep.

  ‘It’s got more go than the old quad,’ she yelled to the salesman, as she rolled to a halt and switched off the UTV ignition. ‘The rollover protection looks sturdy and we could fit a sick sheep on the back, or at least the kelpies and a few square bales of hay,’ she continued, climbing off and circling the vehicle for another look.

  A hard top and three seats were sandwiched between a short bonnet and small tray; the whole thing perched on four chunky wheels and an exposed suspension. It looks like something the Special Forces would use on covert operations through the jungle. Penny smiled at the thought as she removed her helmet, deliberately ignoring the fact that her jauntiest mission on the vehicle was likely to be collecting fly-blown sheep and spraying out insecticide.

  Brian unclipped his seatbelt, his neatly pressed shirt and jeans now covered with mud spatters from Penny testing out the traction through a shallow, boggy drain. His bushy moustache burst free of its confines as he removed his helmet and wiped the muck off his helmet visor.

  ‘Probably not a good day to wear my white shirt, was it?’ He laughed, looking down at his splotched clothes. ‘Not to worry, it was worth it to see the views from your top paddocks, Penny. Those panoramas are priceless,’ he said, wiping the dirt off his arms.

  ‘Yep, they’re hard to beat, Brian. Though you should see them from the top of the ridge—even more spectacular. The Ranger ate those rocky creek beds for breakfast, didn’t even falter on the steep inclines.’

  ‘You’d be making a good choice. A Polaris UTV is an investment in your farm’s safety. At least you’ll get a government rebate. They’re throwing millions at this quad bike scheme, and a Ranger side-by-side should earn you about a thousand dollars back.’

  She did the sums in her head as Brian rode the vehicle up the ramps onto his trailer. The final bill would be close to $20,000, and she was still wary about spending so much of her father’s money without his express approval.

  Should I head to the hospital, ask Dad’s opinion, or just go ahead and wear the consequences? He did give me the chequebook, she told herself, and safety should be a priority.

  ‘It handles well, better than I expected. I think you’ve almost sold me on it, Brian,’ she said begrudgingly, trying to get her conscience over the line.

  ‘I’m sure Angus would love the opportunity to check the sheep with you. He couldn’t do that comfortably on a four-wheeler, but he could with the type of legroom you have here. We could have one to you by the end of this week, or if you wanted this display model, we could knock a grand off it, plus the promotional discount. I can have it cleaned up, fully serviced and back here by 10 a.m. tomorrow.’

  She rocked back on the heels of her boots, weighing up the risk. Who’s running this farm? Me. Who’s making the decisions? Me. Who’s going to wear the blame if this financial year sends us bust? Me. Well then, make a call, she told herself.

  ‘I guess it is tax deductible, right? And I’d be silly to miss out on your only sale of the year.’ She reached out her hand to seal the deal.

  Brian’s smile widened as he pumped her hand and clapped her on the shoulder. ‘Absolutely, Penny. I knew you were a smart woman.’

  Tim and Eddie unloaded the final boxes of drench from the back of the ute and closed the machinery shed door. Squinting in the low sunlight, Tim did a double take as he watched Penny walk over, her frame swamped by Angus’s Driza-Bone. Rusty bounded over to greet her and she was soon surrounded by all the working dogs. She ruffled their heads as they sniffed at her mud-spattered jeans.

  Eddie leaned in for a hug as if it had been months since he’d last seen her, instead of a week.

  ‘Penny, Penny, Penny. More cakes, Penny?’

  ‘Farm work to do today, mate. Meet your new manager—ta-da.’

  Mac, managing the farm? You’ve got to be kidding me. Tim ran a hand through his hair incredulously, watching her pirouette in a pair of elastic-sided boots.

  ‘What? Since when?’ Tim couldn’t hide the surprise in his voice. Kylie Minogue running for prime minister would have been less of a shock than this news. He wished Angus had at least called to give him the heads-up.

  ‘Since last night. Don’t look so worried. I’m a fast learner. It should all come flooding back quickly.’

  ‘But …’ Tim’s brain whirred on overdrive as he tried to comprehend the new working dynamics, the minefields that lay in wait.

  ‘For how long? A week, a month?’ Until the bright lights beckon, or Vince crooks his little finger? A surge of frustration pulsed through his body. The thought of someone playing farmer on a property he would have loved to buy was a tough pill to swallow. His jaw clenched as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

  ‘Until we can sort out a better arrangement that doesn’t involve selling McIntyre Park. I want to make this work, Tim. And Dad says you’re a non-negotiable. Can you teach me the ropes?’ Penny stuck out her hand.

  He looked at her flushed face, her sparkling eyes, the speckles of mud that blended in with her freckles. So she already tried to negotiate me out of the arrangement? Bloody hell. Working at McIntyre Park was a far cry from owning it, but not many local landowners offered above-average wages, treated their farmhands with the respect and gratitude that Angus offered, or extended the same courtesy to Eddie. Tim reached out a hand, ignoring the sparks that came from her touch, and nodded silently. At least I’ll be here to pick up the pieces when she comes to her senses and runs back to the city.

  He turned and walked over to the machinery shed, following the urge to fix something or pull something apart.

>   ‘Oh, and keep your eye out for Brian tomorrow—he’s collecting the old quad bike and dropping off a replacement.’

  Tim stopped abruptly, remembering the ute he’d passed on the way from town.

  ‘Don’t tell me you’ve been talked into one of those UTVs?’

  Penny dusted her hands on the front of her jeans, nodding.

  ‘My first executive decision. You can’t put a price on safety. I manage multi-million-dollar marketing campaigns for a living, surely I can make a reasonable decision about a farm vehicle we urgently need.’

  Tim pressed his lips together. Less than twenty-four hours in the manager’s chair and she’s already making rash decisions. Maybe job hunting wouldn’t be such a bad idea after all.

  The phone display illuminated the dark bedroom as it rang loudly through the dark house, still set to the volume Angus preferred so he could hear it when he was out in the yard. Penny rolled over to answer it, rubbing grains of sleep out of her eyes.

  ‘McIntyre Park, Penny speaking.’

  A soft laugh came from the other end.

  ‘Vince, do you know what time it is?’

  ‘You weren’t sleeping, were you, babe? Sorry.’

  She pulled the blanket up higher on her chest, wishing she’d put another log of red gum on the fire before bed. They were only a few weeks into winter, but the cold snap that had failed to bring rain and instead left a layer of ice on the stock trough indicated they were in for a chilly winter.

  ‘Between trips to the Horsham hospital and working through Dad’s to-do list, I’m in bed early these days.’

  ‘To-do list? The apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree, I can tell. Surely your old man doesn’t expect you to do all his dirty work? What about that lackey who answers the phone like he owns the joint? He slacking off already?’