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she’s taking her dinner with the men?’
    â€˜She’ll manage, Mr Malloy, she’ll be sitting right next to her daddy.’
    The foreman laughs — it’s a fair enough answer. Joe Bergman is still a big man and has earned a lot of respect with his fists in the past. There’s not too many in the shed will truck with him even now he’s getting to be an old bastard. Mike Malloy sighs. ‘I’ll speak to the owner, Joe. That’s all I can promise. Fair enough?’
    Joe nods, though he’s not too happy. Jessica knows that he didn’t want to involve George Thomas.
    They are kept waiting outside the tally clerk’s office for two hours before the owner finally appears, Mike Malloy beside him. George Thomas is a smallish barrel of a man with a big gut and a very red face, and even with him wearing a hat you know he must be bald on top. He’s dressed up to the nines, wearing riding boots, jodhpurs, a tweed jacket and tie. Jessica wonders if he’s off to a meeting or the races or something until Joe tells her later that’s how owners dress in the shearing season. ‘This your girl, Joe?’ he asks, pointing a stubby finger at Jessica.
    Joe touches the brim of his hat, too proud to lift it off his head altogether. ‘Afternoon Mr Thomas, sir,’ he says and puts his big hand on Jessica’s shoulder. ‘Jessica, this is Mr Thomas.’
    George Thomas grunts, ignoring the greeting. ‘This isn’t girl’s work, Joe.’ He turns to Jessica. ‘What do you know about sheep, eh?’
    Jessica keeps her eyes on her boots, and answers shyly, ‘A bit, sir.’
    â€˜A bit? A bit isn’t enough, lass. Can you shear?’ It’s a cruel question, Jessica is plainly too small to handle a fully grown ewe. ‘If it’s a lamb, sir,’ she replies, looking up at George Thomas for the first time.
    â€˜Hmm. Can you crutch? Tar? Sweep? Pick up and throw a fleece?’
    â€˜The first three, sir. I reckon I’ll be able to do the other when I’ve grow’d a bit and they’ve learned me.’ Jessica holds George Thomas’s eyes for a moment then looks down at her boots again. ‘She’s a good worker,’ Joe mumbles.
    â€˜She’s a cheeky young bugger,’ the boss of Riverview Station replies. ‘Got all the answers. If you ask me, she’s too clever for her own good.’
    Joe stiffens, not knowing how to take the remark, but Thomas doesn’t seem to notice. ‘Joe Bergman, you’ve been shearing in my shed for fifteen years and I’ve no quarrel with your work. I know you haven’t a boy of your own to help, but .. .’
    Joe cuts in quickly, ‘I wouldn’t take a boy in her place, sir. The girl’s a damn sight better than any lad her age.’
    George Thomas is unimpressed. He’s not the sort to take notice of other folks’ opinions. ‘It’s putting temptation in the way of the men, I don’t like it.’Joe looks surprised — the idea that Jessica might be a temptation to men hasn’t entered his head. ‘I’ll be in the shed meself, Mr Thomas, keeping a sharp eye on her.’ ‘Hummph!’ George Thomas thinks a moment and then seems to make up his mind. ‘We’ll put her in with Jack and young William Simon, it’s their first full season on the shears.’
    Joe smiles. ‘She’ll do you proud, sir.’
    The owner of Riverview now turns to Jessica. ‘You’ll be the tar boy and sweep for the two lads. Jack’s my son and he’ll probably make a mess of things, always does, but young Billy’s a good boy and he’ll teach you or throw you out, one or the other, I don’t much care which. I hope you know what you’re doing, Joe,’ he says, prodding him in the chest with his forefinger. ‘She’ll get no special treatment, mind.’
    â€˜Don’t expect