Blackpeak Station Read Online Free PDF

that nice accountant came back, did he?’
    Charlotte was saved from reply by the clunk of dinner plates hitting the table. The meal, she thought, was a great success. Kath’s roast mutton, as ever, was excellent — as a child, Charlotte had eaten as many meals as she could in the Macdonalds’ kitchen, a calm and
Cuisine
-free zone. And apart from Andrea, everyone else seemed to get along. Jen listened to Rex, laughed with Nick, and even flirted with Matt before showing Charlotte up by helping with the dishes.
    Rex laid a hand on her shoulder — his highest form of approval — as he and Kath headed home for the night, and Charlotte went to bed feeling pretty pleased with herself. It looked like she had got it right.

Chapter
FOUR
    Charlotte leaned back in the saddle, stretching weary shoulders. The string of ewes and their lambs reached on up the spur, their cries smothered by the heat of the afternoon sun.
    It was only the beginning of January, but already spring was a distant memory, the grass of the lambing blocks eaten low. It was easy work driving the mob up to the new grass on the tops. The dogs trotted busily up and down, almost daring the ewes to straggle. Those that did were pounced on quickly, black and white shadows circling to leap from the tussock in front of the sheep and send them flying back to their mates.
    This solitary drove was one of her favourite chores, aday’s ride alone in the empty hills, with the valley stretching below and not even the sound of an engine to break the high country peace. She’d never understood how Nick — or anyone else — could find it boring.
    The heat had died down, dispersed by the cool breeze of evening, when she closed the last gate behind the advancing mob and turned for home. The breeze was drying the sweat on her face and back, and she took off her hat to let it do its best with her plastered-down hair. The dogs fell in behind her ambling horse, panting hard. But the trip down was quicker. The sun was behind them, and the scent of home in their noses.
    Coming down onto the flat, Charlotte could see Jen riding into the home paddock, rider, horse and dogs gilt-edged silhouettes as the sun dipped behind the hills. Her own horse whickered softly, picking up his pace on the easier ground, eager for rest and a feed.
    Outside the tack shed, she eased herself stiffly out of the saddle, feet unsteady on the ground. She tacked down old Archie, gave him a quick rub over and turned him loose in the paddock, where he lost no time in getting his head down to graze. She was looking forward to dinner herself — and bed even more so.
    In the kitchen, Jen was already stretched out in her usual chair by the range, her head back and her legs resting on a stool. She looked up at Charlotte with a groan.
    ‘Not long till dinner, girls,’ promised Kath, busy at the electric stove. ‘Just waiting for Matt.’
    Charlotte took the chair on the other side of the range, knocking Jen’s feet aside so she could share the stool. A chorus of neighing from the paddock outside drifted in through the open windows.
    ‘That’ll be him.’
    ‘Thank God,’ Charlotte sighed. ‘I’m starving.’
    ‘Hey,’ said Jen, when Matt walked in some minutes later. ‘You look like I feel.’
    ‘I think I feel worse than I look.’ Matt collapsed into a dining chair.
    Charlotte and Jen looked at each other. ‘Nah …’
    He managed a grin. ‘Thanks a lot.’
    ‘You have some trouble?’ Charlotte asked, rising with some difficulty as Kath began to serve up the chops. Rex looked up from his newspaper.
    ‘Nothing much,’ Matt assured them. ‘Got a couple stuck up Halfway Creek, but they came out no worries.’
    After Kath had cleaned up and she and Rex had gone home, Matt yawned and said he was off back to his place for a shower.
    ‘Coffee?’ Charlotte asked. Jen nodded. Charlotte put the jug on to boil and Jen slouched back into her armchair.
    Charlotte studied her surreptitiously. She suspected