Stars in the Southern Sky by Elizabeth Haran

Author:Elizabeth Haran [Haran, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-3-7325-4614-5
Publisher: Bastei Entertainment
Published: 2017-06-23T16:00:00+00:00

Estella gestured for Charlie to follow her over to the quiet end of the bar.

Barney Everett followed them and slapped some coins down in front of Charlie. “Buy the lady a drink on us,” he said to the cheers of the other patrons.

“That isn’t necessary,” Estella protested, but Barney insisted.

“We know you went out to Langana Downs and told Reg and Annie to keep their herd isolated from ours, which at the very least, saved our calves,” he said. “For that we’re grateful. It’s just a pity nothing can save them from the drought.” He returned to his drink.

Estella looked at Charlie. He knew she was relieved to have won over the station owners, but he thought she had something else on her mind. “What’ll you have?” he said.

“A lemonade, please,” Estella replied.

“Stargazer has been good for business,” Charlie added, pouring her drink. “I’m just waiting for Murphy to return from Quilpie.”

“Quilpie?”

“It’s a Queensland town, east of here. He’s flown there to pick up an extra supply of beer, but I’m thinking he might have to make several trips before the race.”

“How many people are you expecting in town?”

“A couple of hundred at least, but probably more. Stargazer’s attracted a lot of interest.” Charlie could see that his niece didn’t look as elated as the rest of the town. “What are you worryin’ about, Estella?”

“This race,” she hissed. “If Stargazer doesn’t win, I’m going to be the most unpopular person in Australia.”

“He’s a sure thing,” he said flippantly.

“There is no ‘sure thing’ in racing, Charlie. You know that.”

“He’d have to fall down and break a leg for him not to win. Trust me.”

Estella groaned. “Don’t say that,” she murmured. “I don’t want to be in the position of having to destroy the town champion. They’d bury me along with him.”

“It won’t happen.”

Estella covered her face with her hands for a moment and then took a deep breath. She didn’t want to think about the race anymore. “I’ve just spoken to Annie Hall, and something she said has got me thinking.”

“What’s that?”

“Apparently the farmers in South Australia’s south-east have an abundance of feed this year ….”

Charlie shook his head incredulously. “Tell them to send some up here,” he said half-heartedly.

“That’s what we should do, but how do we go about it?”

Charlie looked momentarily stunned. He leant over the bar and whispered, “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“Yes. If they’re willing to donate it to the farmers up here, there must be some way to get it here.”

Charlie scratched his head, and, not for the first time, Estella wished he’d comb his hair. He always looked scruffy, and his singlet needed a wash, but obviously Edna didn’t notice.

“It could come on the train to Marree, but that’s a hell of a long way from here,” Charlie said.

“There must be some way to get the feed up to Kangaroo Crossing. How many trucks do the station owners have between them?”

“Trucks? Blimey, not many. Wags has one, of course, and Ferret Osborne has an old Dodge, which he’s taken down The Track more than once.

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