The Shearer's Wife by Fleur McDonald

Author:Fleur McDonald [McDonald, Fleur]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Published: 2020-09-07T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

Jack opened up the Farming Telegraph and flicked through the first couple of pages, past stories about seeding rates and fertiliser applications, past the barley price and the planned inquiry for the egg industry. Scanning for stories written by Zara was a habit he’d picked up when they first got together.

Early on in their relationship, Jack had told Zara that he’d never been much of a reader or a writer. ‘Only writing I do is the reports I have to,’ he’d told her over dinner. ‘And I read fishing magazines.’

‘Do you fish?’

‘Nope.’

She’d laughed at him that night and told him he was weird, but in a nice way. He still remembered how she’d leaned forward and kissed him, her long hair tickling his arm.

How had something so good gone so wrong in a matter of days, he wondered. Still, looking back, he was sure Zara had started to change about six months after Will died. Her face had always been open, a smile ready, but as time had gone on her frown became permanent and the laughter stopped. Unless she’d had a bit to drink. And that was the other unusual thing: she was drinking much more than Jack had ever known her to.

Work was really all she focused on. Kim had mentioned something to him about it a few months back, but Jack had dismissed her concerns, because Zara hadn’t said anything. He was sure she would have talked to him if there was something wrong.

Flicking the page over, a shiver of horror ran through his body.

There was Zara’s name under the story about Jesse. Not just her name, but a photo of her and Jesse together. Jesse had his arm around Zara’s shoulders.

Jack wanted to slam the paper shut, but some morbid fascination took over him. He leaned forward.

Zara was smiling up at Jesse as he stood in front of the shearing shed and looked straight at the camera. What was Zara even doing in the photo? She was the journalist, not the subject of the story and, as far as he knew, she’d never worked with a photographer before. Had she asked someone to take a photograph of them together?

The next photo was of Zara and Jesse crouched over a wether, sweat dripping from his forehead and glistening on his arms. The creamy wool was piled on the board and the look on the sheep’s face was one of confusion, while it waited for the haircut to finish.

Jack turned his attention to Zara. Her smile was wide and she was leaning in towards Jesse.

Shaking his head, Jack couldn’t think. What he was seeing didn’t make any sense. Who took the photo? He felt as if an invisible hand was squeezing his heart.

Turning his attention to the story, he read.

Jesse Barnett has travelled the length and breadth of this land since he was sixteen years old. There wouldn’t be many people who have seen as many sights as he has.

He’s breathed the agricultural industry since he was born: life started for Jesse on the wide outback plains of Wilcannia on Palcarinya Station.

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