Moonstone Promise Read Online Free PDF Page A

helping with the tie as an excuse to stay away from him, Luke was sure. He wasn’t normally the attentive type. If Ryan and Lawson got through the wake without a punch-up, it would be a small miracle.
    â€˜Want Annie to take the rug, or are you going to carry it on the horse?’ Lawson asked as he folded the tie into a knot and handed it back to Luke.
    â€˜I’ll carry it on the horse,’ said Luke, noosing it up under his collar and tucking his white shirt into his moleskins.
    It was Annie’s idea for everyone to put something special on the casket. Luke was going to put Legsy’s prize rug over it. Without Harry, they never would have won it. He took a deep breath and felt as though he was going to his own funeral.
    Lawson looked him over and nodded. ‘You look pretty snappy.’
    Luke looked at himself next to Lawson. Neither of them got dressed up very often. With the same moleskins, shirt and tie, they could almost pass for real brothers. ‘Wish we were going to a B and S instead.’
    Lawson smiled. ‘Yeah.’
    Annie emerged from her bedroom, wearing black. She looked shaky and pale. ‘It’s time to go,’ she said quietly.

    The showgrounds were full of people; there were hundreds of them. Luke sprang onto Biyanga’s back and joined Ryan and Lawson, who were already mounted and waiting by the main gates. As he took his position at the front, the stallion pulled and snatched at the bit, agitated by all the commotion. It took some strength for Luke to hold him steady while he looked back along the long lines of horses and people, searching for Jess.
    She was riding her good horse, Dodger, who had a special boot buckled over his bad hoof. Shara, Grace and Grace’s older sister, Rosie, rode next to her. Luke waved to try to get Jess’s attention. Grace saw him, he was sure, but she turned away. She’d be jealous that he was riding the stallion.
    â€˜Hey, buddy.’ Tom rode up beside him on Nosey.
    â€˜Hey,’ said Luke. ‘You made it!’
    â€˜Wouldn’t miss it,’ said Tom. He looked sharp, as always, in black moleskins and a cobalt-blue shirt. Tom always looked sharp. His parents had way too much money. It was the root of all his supposed problems. Luke had met him at Harry’s horse-gentling program, and despite their different backgrounds they had clicked. Tom was a shit-stirrer, but he was also generous. Luke had been the benefactor of all his excesses: clothes, saddles, technogadgets. He was wearing one of Tom’s shirts today. Sometimes it was embarrassing how much stuff Tom gave him.
    Before they had a chance to catch up, the hearse rolled slowly around the corner. The sight of the casket covered in flowers in the back of the vehicle tore at Luke’s heart. Biyanga screamed, shuddering violently, and broke from under him, rearing, tearing the reins from his hands and nearly knocking him from the saddle.
    â€˜You okay?’ Tom reached out to grab the stallion’s reins.
    Luke shook his head.
    â€˜You can let go, I got him,’ Tom said quietly.
    Luke heaved in a few raspy breaths and wiped angrily at his eyes.
    â€˜I’m okay,’ he said, taking back the reins. ‘All right, Biyanga,’ he soothed.
    He saw Lawson and Ryan ride towards the hearse and take their positions. Lawson waved him over. ‘I better go. I’m s’posed to ride up the front,’ he said to Tom.
    â€˜Catch up later, ay?’
    â€˜You bet.’
    He rode up to Ryan and Lawson and took his position between them. This was how Harry wanted it: Luke, on Biyanga, flanked by his two sons. It struck him that Harry’s request had more purpose than just giving him the honour of riding the stallion. He hadn’t wanted any fights on this day. Luke eyed his two foster brothers. They were both big blokes and he wouldn’t want to get stuck in the middle of them, that was for sure. But so far, Lawson seemed