The Good Woman of Renmark by Darry Fraser

Author:Darry Fraser
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mira

Twenty-six

Well, well, well. Robert Boyd hefted himself into the saddle once he and the horse were on dry land. He’d seen her, all right. He’d know her anywhere. There she was, running up the hill and into the town. Another woman had followed.

The O’Rourke woman had seen him and recognised him, that’s for sure. Fancy that. A man comes looking for a decent horse to go hunting and finds the chit who’s assaulted him right here. No need to go hunting much further now.

He kicked the horse into a gallop, ignoring the curses and the yells aimed at him to ‘slow up’ as he charged up past great stacks of hewn timber. Kids—brats—leapt out of his way and women waved their fists at him. No matter to him; he’d even had to shout at the boat captain to hurry up and let him off. He’d waste no time on pleasantries now that he’d seen her scurrying up the riverbank.

‘Don’t think ye’ll be gettin’ back on board, mate,’ the captain had yelled after him as Robert had finally coaxed his spooked horse off the gangway. ‘Don’t want the likes o’ you, ye rude bastard.’

No matter to that, either. After he’d done what he’d set out to do, Robert would just amble on home to Renmark, feeling pretty good with himself.

Despite his impatient yells at the captain at the Lyrup landing, by the time he’d been able to get off the boat, the O’Rourke tart had disappeared. He headed into the village as fast as the sorry horse could take him, only to be slowed up by another group of brats who were running zig-zag across his path.

Boyd slewed to a halt. ‘Boy,’ he barked at one of the them. ‘Did you see a woman running this way?’ He wheeled the horse about as the boys stopped.

Five faces stared up at him. A kid with his hand bandaged brandished a stick. ‘Kelly gang don’t dob on no one,’ he shouted fiercely.

‘I’ll give you bloody Kelly gang, you mongrel kid.’ Boyd reached down and whacked the stick out of the boy’s hand. All at once, three of them squawked and pointed in separate directions. The other two boys pointed back to the boat. Growling, Boyd swiped at thin air as the boys split up and darted off full pelt, each going their own way, and yelling like there was no tomorrow.

Bloody kids. He sat up straight and looked ahead. Looked around. There was no sign of her. He kicked the horse and belted into the open paddock. After galloping past the few timber houses and a few tents on its boundaries, he spotted a track leading off and hurtled onto it and into the scrub beyond.

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