Page 42 of Stockman's Stowaway

‘Are you going to help Bree?’ Charlie asked.

Ryder nodded. ‘The rest of you get some sleep and meet us out there at daybreak. If I know Bree, and if the cattle are that jumpy, she’ll start mustering under moonlight, which will put us ahead of our plans to start the drafting.’ He pointed to the large moon that hung like a massive light globe in the sky.

‘How can they see the cattle to move them in the dark? Mia asked Cap.

‘The brahman’s white coats will be easy enough to see in the moonlight.’

‘I taught my granddaughter well, that herd will follow her.’ Charlie gave a proud nod. ‘I’ll pinch some of the coffee Ash was making for the thermos to take to Bree. I’ll lend you one, too. And some smoko.’

Ryder nodded, keeping his eyes on the road, steering them back to the homestead.

Charlie spun around in his seat. ‘How are you at making sandwiches, girlie?’

‘I’m okay. Nothing flash.’ Mia shrugged, once again holding the spotlight. ‘Why?’

‘If Bree’s gonna be out mustering she won’t have time to make lunches like she’d planned. She’s already made roast whatnots, cupcakes, and everything else. All we need to do is whack ‘em together. We’ll make a few for Ryder to take with him to meet Bree.’

‘Now I’m hungry,’ said Dex.

Mia nodded, suddenly famished as well.

‘You did good, Mia, well done.’ Dex patted her shoulder like a mate. ‘You can sit down now.’

Her inner pride had her smiling, more at the realisation that Gavin hadn’t beaten her, not after this little adventure.

She sat beside Cap as Dex stripped the spotlight’s tripod apart. ‘Are you okay?’

Cap nodded. ‘I should ask you that.’

Now away from the spotlight’s heat, the wind blasted her with icy cold air. She huddled closer, using Cap as a windbreak as her grin grew on its own. ‘Therush. I know I’m supposed to be all about the environment, but…’ Her teeth chattered, unsure if it was the cold air or the adrenaline passing.

‘I get it.’ He winked at her. ‘Want my jacket?’

‘No, you’ll need it. Just block the wind.’

‘We can share.’ He slung an arm around her shoulders, bringing her close to his side. The fresh outback air blended beautifully with his earthy aroma of mixed spicy sandalwood, making her inhale deeper. She was deliciously warm here, sliding her arm around his waist, dropping her cheek against his strong shoulder as they swayed to the bumps and dips of the rocky road. And when his arm tightened around her it became the safest place on the planet. Her ex was exactly that—her ex, gone and buried in the outback’s dusty dark behind her. Now looking forward to tomorrow’s muster.

Sixteen

Red dust stained the sun, to fall like fire from the sky. It was in her hair, layered on her skin like sandpaper, and rubbed inside her clothes, but Mia couldn’t wipe the smile off her dust-covered face as she steered the quad bike alongside Charlie, with Harper driving the Razorback where little Mason waved from his baby’s seat.

Before dawn, they’d left the sheds in their small convoy of vehicles. It hadn’t taken long to spot the dust cloud’s long trail of red smoke you’d expect from a bushfire that signified the herd was on the move.

As the sky shifted from a mushroom pink, to slithers of soft blue, with the escarpment behind them, the large herd of cattle walked behind Bree on horseback.

Bree, with her thick red braid running down her back, resembled a fierce warrior on her mighty black stallion, with two shotguns in her saddle, effortlessly commanding an entire herd of over a thousand head of moving boulders of beef with sharp wide horns. And the Brahman were massive.

Mia was grateful to be placed at the rear of the slow-moving herd, with Charlie giving her pointers as they rode on either side of the Razorback. Even covered in dust, it was the best view of how they mustered the herd.

Cap was stunning to watch as he effortlessly rode his horse as if born in the saddle. From there, he whistled and gave curt commands to the dozen cattle dogs that circled the herd, keeping them contained.

The muster dogs moved as a team, each taking a post, backing each other up as they barked at a cheeky bull to move along, or they’d just circle the slow-moving, dust-stirring herd without a sound, to keep the cattlecalm and moving.

It was pure poetry to watch the muster dogs in action, and how effortlessly Cap controlled them all. It only made her admiration for the man deepen.

Commanding the air, Ryder piloted the helicopter. It swooped in an impressive aerial display that had Mia spellbound. Over the radio, Ryder coordinated the ground crews while using the swift moving chopper to channel the strays towards either Ash on a motorbike, or Dex on his fast horse, to bring the stray cattle in to join the main herd.

That’s where the muster dogs took over to keep them contained, while Bree led them closer to the fencing channel that grew narrower like a funnel collects liquids to fill a bottle.

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