Page 64 of Stockman's Sandstorm

At first she thought her ears were playing tricks on her, when she heard the bubbling, gurgling, gushing, rumbling roar of running water.

Behind her was nothing but rock, as she followed Ash’s horse out of a honeycomb pocket. Instantly cooling down the air, a fine spray of sweet fresh water brushed against her skin. Her jaw dropped in awe at the towering waterfall, spilling over the rocky ledge to then flow down to meet the lush collection of palms and cycads, to create a hidden oasis. How could something exist like this, trapped in a rugged world of ancient sandstone walls hundreds of metres tall?

‘We’ll stop here and have a breather. Give the horses a chance to drink some water.’ Charlie swung off his saddle and walked his horse through the powdery soft, white sand.

‘What is this place, Charlie?’ Harper had never seen anything like it. A few small birds whizzed past, skimming over the crystal-clear rock pool, where the water disappeared down a channel of stone.

‘This is Grass Tree Creek.’ He pointed to the exotic tree that had a thick black trunk topped with long-limbed branches that sprouted from the top like grass. ‘We’ll have lunch now, but we’ll be heading for Dinner Camp Tree where we’ll really put on the nosebag.’

‘Here, let me help you down.’ Cap held his hand out to Harper. Ash was up further, getting off the horse with Mason.

‘Thank you, Cap.’ Her legs were like rubber and she struggled to walk straight in her new boots. ‘What did Charlie mean by nosebag?’ She followed Cap as they led the horses to the glistening pool, where the dogs eagerly jumped in for a swim.

‘Tucker. Food.’

‘Oh, right? Charlie has some funny sayings.’

‘They’re Aussie slang terms that are sadly disappearing.’

She stopped for a moment to truly take in the scene. The cattle dogs wore huge grins as they paddled like puppies playing in the water. The Riggs brothers joked with each other, wearing handsome smiles that shone beneath their hat brims, while being gentle with the horses, ensuring they all got a drink.

The coiled stockwhip hung from Charlie’s belt, as his spurs on the back of his riding boots clinked like coins being jiggled in his pocket. He poked back the brim of his sweaty hat with the crocodile band, and helped Bree lead her group of horses to water.

Bree removed her gloves as she approached Harper. ‘So, what did you think?’

‘Terrifying.’ Removing her hat, Harper swiped away the dusty sweat from her forehead.

‘Well, that was the worst of it. The next part has the view.’ Bree pointed to the deep pass ahead that only showed the shadows of the stony trail. ‘We’ll be going downhill.’

‘And you and Charlie did this by yourselves, with all those cows?’

‘Just a walk in the park. Come on …’

‘Where are we going?’

‘To find a nice quiet canyon corner to pee.’ Bree held up a toilet roll.

‘Oh.’ She crossed her legs, in need. ‘I’ve never …’

‘Nothing like a lesson in getting back to nature.’

It was like this trip was one big lesson, and they hadn’t even made it to Wombat Flats. She peeked over her shoulder to check on Mason with Ash.

‘Let his father take the reins, Harper. Ash needs to learn. Like you’ve been learning to ride again.’

‘You’re right.’ She needed to take the reins on her own life, too. She’d made it this far on her own. Even if it was completely unplanned, she’d done it. Today she’d faced a new kind of terror and pushed past it to find paradise.

She gazed up at the stunning waterfall, admiring the rich colours in the rocks, and acknowledging the secrets she felt being whispered by the wind. Here, there was no ugliness in the world, just the sky, the simplicity of stone walls, fresh spring water, and the bubbling sounds of a child’s laughter. It was a hidden treasure that she hadn’t expected to find in the outback—it was pretty close to paradise. ‘Let the next outback lesson begin …’

Twenty-six

‘Are you ladies okay back there?’ Ash peered in the direction Harper and Bree had disappeared. They’d been gone for ages, and in this place of stone canyons, you could easily get lost—especially Harper, who had no sense of direction.

He dropped his head and listened hard for signs. At first, he could only hear the wind whistling and the water roaring over the brink of the falls. But then there was the faint echo of women’s laughter.

He sighed, wiping his hand over his mouth where the smile grew, but the relief of hearing Harper’s laugh was enormous.

Earlier, he’d seen her terror while riding through the Stoneys. It had him so worried that he wanted to pull her off her horse and make her ride with him and Mason.

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