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Authors: Margaret Tanner
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poured tea and filled plates up with bacon, eggs and beans for Jack and Archie. "Are you going to water them now?"
"No." Jack took a spoonful of beans. "Plenty of water along here. That's why Ross chose this route. It's longer but an easier drive. Doesn't want the cattle to lose any condition. The army pays top money, but only for prime beasts."
Gil rode in and slowly dismounted. Though pale and sweating, he flashed her a grin.
"How do you feel?" She handed him a mug.
"Oh. Not bad."
The cold hand of fear clawed at her throat with cruel fingers as she noticed the glazed vacancy in his eyes. She shivered in the heat. Gil might be here with them physically in the Australian bush, but mentally he was back on Gallipoli with his fallen comrades.
He gazed at, but obviously did not see the creek or the bush. She sensed that the water he stared at was the Aegean Sea. The landscape belonged to the scrubby cliffs of Gallipoli. He did not hear the squabbling of the water birds, only heard the sounds of gunfire and the cries of wounded or dying men.
She gave him a plate of food, worriedly watching as he picked at it before putting it down.
"You haven't eaten much."
"I'm not hungry."
He had lost weight over the last week or so, his face sharpened by thinness, his movements nervous and agitated.
"Eat a little more," she pleaded.
He picked up the plate and listlessly shoveled in a few more mouthfuls.
Jack shook his head behind Gil's back, telling her not to force him to do anything he didn't want to.
"You stay here, Gilbert. Give Harry a hand for when the others come in. Catch up with you later."
"Thanks." Harry smiled at the old man, who touched the brim of his hat in acknowledgement.
"Yeah, thanks, mate, see you in a while," Gil said.
"Why don't you have a lie down until the others come," Harry suggested.
"No, I'll sit here in the shade for a while."
He sat under a tree with his knees drawn up under his chin, nibbling absently on a blade of grass, as she prepared food for the other men.
The sun's rays burned fiercely from the deep blue sky. How she would have loved to take the waistcoat off. She dared not. Perspiration ran between her breasts, the damp shirt clinging to her skin would have clearly outlined her female form.
Ross strode up followed by a couple of men "Food ready yet?"
"Yes."
His gaze drifted over to Gil.
"Jack told him to wait here and give me a hand to pack up when you've finished."
"All right." He took the plate and mug of tea.
"I collected some water in a kerosene tin if the men want to fill their canteens. I thought if the cattle come down to drink they would muddy the water."
"I'm not going to water them now. I want to keep them moving. Why don't you take off that bloody waistcoat?"
"I like it." She shrugged. "It's comfortable."
"You're a dirty little bugger. I've got a good mind to strip your clothes off and throw you in the creek."
"Try it," she said, flaring up and forgetting her vow to control her temper in front of him.
"I've never met anyone as grubby or smelly as you. Didn't your mother teach you cleanliness is next to Godliness?" he asked harshly.
"No," she lied.
Smelly? Harry inwardly cringed. It had been hard enough trying to strip off and wash at the outstation, but here in the open it would be virtually impossible. The smelly taunt really hurt, but she did not show it.
"I wash my hands before touching the food. I'm very particular about it."
"I know," he surprised her by saying. "I've watched you."
She swallowed down on a sudden lump of fear. What else did he notice?
I have to be really careful now.
Ross was as sharp as a tack, and would be furious if he ever found out how he had been duped. Probably put the law on to them.
"Harry." He snapped his fingers near her face. "I'd like some more tea."
"Oh, sorry. You other men want anything else?"
They shook their heads and wandered over to sit with Gil.
"Your brother isn't pulling his weight, you know."
"He's doing his
"No." Jack took a spoonful of beans. "Plenty of water along here. That's why Ross chose this route. It's longer but an easier drive. Doesn't want the cattle to lose any condition. The army pays top money, but only for prime beasts."
Gil rode in and slowly dismounted. Though pale and sweating, he flashed her a grin.
"How do you feel?" She handed him a mug.
"Oh. Not bad."
The cold hand of fear clawed at her throat with cruel fingers as she noticed the glazed vacancy in his eyes. She shivered in the heat. Gil might be here with them physically in the Australian bush, but mentally he was back on Gallipoli with his fallen comrades.
He gazed at, but obviously did not see the creek or the bush. She sensed that the water he stared at was the Aegean Sea. The landscape belonged to the scrubby cliffs of Gallipoli. He did not hear the squabbling of the water birds, only heard the sounds of gunfire and the cries of wounded or dying men.
She gave him a plate of food, worriedly watching as he picked at it before putting it down.
"You haven't eaten much."
"I'm not hungry."
He had lost weight over the last week or so, his face sharpened by thinness, his movements nervous and agitated.
"Eat a little more," she pleaded.
He picked up the plate and listlessly shoveled in a few more mouthfuls.
Jack shook his head behind Gil's back, telling her not to force him to do anything he didn't want to.
"You stay here, Gilbert. Give Harry a hand for when the others come in. Catch up with you later."
"Thanks." Harry smiled at the old man, who touched the brim of his hat in acknowledgement.
"Yeah, thanks, mate, see you in a while," Gil said.
"Why don't you have a lie down until the others come," Harry suggested.
"No, I'll sit here in the shade for a while."
He sat under a tree with his knees drawn up under his chin, nibbling absently on a blade of grass, as she prepared food for the other men.
The sun's rays burned fiercely from the deep blue sky. How she would have loved to take the waistcoat off. She dared not. Perspiration ran between her breasts, the damp shirt clinging to her skin would have clearly outlined her female form.
Ross strode up followed by a couple of men "Food ready yet?"
"Yes."
His gaze drifted over to Gil.
"Jack told him to wait here and give me a hand to pack up when you've finished."
"All right." He took the plate and mug of tea.
"I collected some water in a kerosene tin if the men want to fill their canteens. I thought if the cattle come down to drink they would muddy the water."
"I'm not going to water them now. I want to keep them moving. Why don't you take off that bloody waistcoat?"
"I like it." She shrugged. "It's comfortable."
"You're a dirty little bugger. I've got a good mind to strip your clothes off and throw you in the creek."
"Try it," she said, flaring up and forgetting her vow to control her temper in front of him.
"I've never met anyone as grubby or smelly as you. Didn't your mother teach you cleanliness is next to Godliness?" he asked harshly.
"No," she lied.
Smelly? Harry inwardly cringed. It had been hard enough trying to strip off and wash at the outstation, but here in the open it would be virtually impossible. The smelly taunt really hurt, but she did not show it.
"I wash my hands before touching the food. I'm very particular about it."
"I know," he surprised her by saying. "I've watched you."
She swallowed down on a sudden lump of fear. What else did he notice?
I have to be really careful now.
Ross was as sharp as a tack, and would be furious if he ever found out how he had been duped. Probably put the law on to them.
"Harry." He snapped his fingers near her face. "I'd like some more tea."
"Oh, sorry. You other men want anything else?"
They shook their heads and wandered over to sit with Gil.
"Your brother isn't pulling his weight, you know."
"He's doing his
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