Silver Clouds (27 page)

A drunken man fell against her as he tried to negotiate the macarena and a line started snaking its way around the shed. Tessa smiled, but for once felt no urge to join it.

She collected a heaped plate, thanked the caterer and manoeuvred her way back over to the wall, where she could eat, hopefully without interruption. Cally would be off with her friends and the bull riding was due to start in half an hour. The crowds in the food hall would start to thin as they made their way over to the arena to watch. Tessa thought she might give it a glance, but she was more intent on finding Brendan.

With the growling of her belly silenced, it was time to find a loo. She'd been putting it off, knowing it would be a port-a-loo. Might be easier to go out into the scrub and find a bush. Still, that could be embarrassing too. As she made her way out the door, she saw Joe again, sitting by himself nursing a beer. He'd been there since she had left him and she'd seen a string of locals come and sit, chat and then move on. Joe was definitely in seventh heaven.

‘Hi, Joe,' she said and walked on.

‘Tessa,' he said. ‘Pleased I seen ya. Come and sit over here.'

‘Got to run to the loo,'

‘Won't take a minute.' He patted the bench next to him. She sat down.

‘Been thinking about your question about Spider. A million years ago, there was a rumour going around. I just can't remember if it involved your aunt's family or another local lot. Course, it happened long before I got here, so it was sorta a folk story.'

‘Sounds interesting.' Tessa smiled encouragingly, hanging onto her bladder.

‘Not many would recollect the story now. Not unless you'd been here a long time.'

‘No,' Tessa agreed, willing him to hurry.

‘You'd know there used to be lots of camel trains?'

‘Yes, I've read about them and seen some photos and paintings.'

‘Now, this ain't gospel, girl. You understand me?' He didn't wait for her to nod. ‘I seem ta think there was a local woman who ran off with one of them camel drivers.'

Tessa sat still.

Okay.

She hadn't expected that. What a scandal it would have caused back then.

She quickly reviewed her scant knowledge of family history but couldn't see how that would apply to the Mathisons. Oh, but what a wonderful tale it would make!

‘That's pretty interesting. Do you know what year it was?'

‘Nah, the rumour mill is the best I can do. Now you run along.'

‘Thanks, Joe.' Tessa kissed his cheek and bolted for the loo.

‘Tessa! There you are, I've been looking everywhere for you.' Cally rushed up to her, breathless. ‘Come on, the DJ is starting the proper music. We've finished everything for the night. Come and dance!'

‘I was going to go to bed!'

‘You can't! Come on!' The girl grabbed her by the hand and pulled her back towards the dance floor, where the music was thumping. Laughter reverberated around the shed and Tessa was surprised at how noisy she found it.

Cally started to move. Tessa did too, but then Cally stopped.

‘Show me how to do that move,' she instructed. Tessa showed her the dance move and a couple of others.

‘Jackie,' Cally called to one of her friends. ‘Come and try this!'

Before she knew it, Tessa was holding a small dance class in the middle of the Nullarbor Muster.

Peggy tapped her on the shoulder. ‘Looks like you've got a following,' she shouted and smiled. Paul spun his wife around and they danced away. Further over, Tessa caught sight of her brother, swaying with Marni.

The hot burn in her eyes took her by surprise as happiness bubbled to the surface. She was here and she was loved. And she felt like she was really, truly at home.

Feeling a tap on her shoulder she turned to see Harrison standing close. Tessa drew in a sharp breath as her stomach and heart reacted of their own accord. What was it about this man?

‘Dance?' he asked, holding out his hand.

‘S-s-sure,' she stammered and cursed silently as the music changed to a slow song.

Harrison slipped his arms around her and they swayed in time to the music. Tessa was sure he would be able to feel her heart beating through her chest or at least her quick, sharp breaths.

Go with it
, her inner voice urged.

She shut her eyes and let the music and Harrison's dancing take her away.

‘Geez, didn't take you long to move on.'

The loud voice cut across her reverie. Brendan! Tessa jerked away from Harrison and tried not to look guilty.
You haven't done anything wrong
, the voice inside told her.

‘I've been looking for you!' she exclaimed and threw her arms around him.

‘I thought I'd been replaced,' he said, sounding churlish.

‘Not on your life,' she responded. ‘Come on, let's go outside.' She turned around to apologise to Harrison, only to find he'd disappeared. Then she spotted him leaning against the wall, looking unhappy.

Feeling a small amount of regret, she linked arms with Brendan and they walked out into the night.

‘Haven't got much time,' he said as he backed her up against the outside wall of the shed and kissed her. ‘Gotta unload some fresh bulls for tomorrow.'

‘I'm just glad to know you're here,' Tessa answered, looking up into his face and smiling, trying to placate him. ‘I've missed you.'

‘I've missed
you
.' His charm was back and he kissed her again.

‘So can I catch up with you later?' she asked, when she pulled away.

‘Yeah. Not sure when I'll be finished, but I'll come and find you. Look, I better go. I just needed to clap eyes on you after all this time.'

‘It's okay. I know everyone's got their jobs to do.'

He leaned forward and kissed her again then disappeared into the glare of the spotlights.

She stood there a moment, savouring the sensation of his arms around her. Then, turning, she looked inside the shed. Tessa threw her head back and laughed loudly. But no one heard because that blasted macarena line had started up again.

‘Night all.' Tessa waved and stepped out into darkness. Except it wasn't dark. Spotlight towers lit the way back to the camp and the glow of fires made her feel safe.

Grabbing a torch from the glove box of Ryan's ute, she headed off in search of a small piece of quietness and stars. She had to walk a fair way to find it, but she did, and with a happy sigh she sank to the ground. Sitting cross-legged she thought about the evening. It had been so much fun, but the best bit was that she had got through it without even thinking about a drink. Knowing that, the stars appeared to shine a little brighter. She nodded. Yes, that was cause for celebration.

And it had been so good to see Brendan. Now, surely, she could lay aside those thoughts about Harrison.

She turned her head slightly, thinking she could hear something. Faint shouts were coming from the toilet area. She shrugged. Probably a few drunken blokes having a bit of a punch-up.

Then she heard running.

And puffing.

Tessa jumped to her feet and flashed her torch around, but she couldn't see anything. She frowned and walked towards the toilet blocks. The yelling was still going on. Then she saw Brendan.

She opened her mouth to call out to him, but then stopped. There was something wrong here. Then she realised there was someone else with him, on the ground. As she came closer, she realised it was Joe.

Brendan must have been yelling for assistance. ‘What's wrong? Do you need help?' she called as she started to run.

Brendan turned at the sound of her voice, a worried look on his face. It cleared the moment he saw her.

‘Babe.' His grin was as wide as the sky, then he dropped to his knees alongside Joe. ‘Yep, you'd better get someone. I found him like this.'

‘I've got a first-aid certificate. Let me look. You want to get the ambos?'

Bustling in, she squatted down and looked into Joe's face, before taking his wrist and feeling for a pulse. He had blood seeping from his nose and a bruise starting on his cheek already. ‘Joe! Joe, it's Tessa. Can you hear me?'

His eyelids flickered, then his eyes opened and he groaned. ‘What happened?'

Brendan loomed over them and Tessa saw an emotion she couldn't read enter Joe's eyes.

‘It's okay, Joe, I'm here,' she said quickly. ‘What happened?'

‘Yeah, mate, what happened? I came for a slash and found you here. You have a turn or something?' Brendan sounded concerned.

‘Get away from me!' Joe struggled to his feet. ‘I'm fine,' he muttered. ‘Fine, I tell you.' He tried to walk away but staggered. Tessa moved to catch him.

‘You're not going anywhere,' she said. ‘Brendan, can you get the ambos?'

‘Yeah, sure, babe.' Tessa heard him run.

‘You look to me like you've been punched,' Tessa said quietly. ‘You've got blood coming from your nose. You didn't have a turn, did you?'

The expression on Joe's face was one of complete defeat. ‘Wrong choices,' was all he said. ‘Made some wrong choices.'

She didn't push it any further. Instead, she made sure he was comfortable and sat with him until help arrived.

*

Brendan slipped his arm around her shoulders as they watched Joe being loaded into the back of the ambulance. Tessa did her best not to pull away. She wasn't sure what she had seen, but something didn't feel quite right about Brendan's account.

Joe'd be fine, they'd been told, just a few scratches and a horribly bruised cheek. He was an old man, he'd had a few too many, he could have fallen.

‘Never many fights at the Muster,' said Lizzie, one of the medics. ‘Probably bashed his head on the ground.'

Joe remained silent as he was settled in.

Tessa watched him, feeling whatever fight he had left in him was gone.

‘Poor bugger,' Brendan said with feeling. ‘Geez, I'm pleased I came along.'

‘Yeah, that was lucky,' Tessa agreed.

‘You coming for a drink?'

‘Oh Lordy, I don't think so!' Tessa pressed her fingers to her forehead, trying to ward off a headache. ‘I was just on my way back to camp when I saw you. I know we organised to catch up, but I'm wrecked. Can I catch you in the morning?' She was unsettled after everything that had happened.

‘Going to find Harrison?' Brendan snapped, a look of jealousy crossing his face.

‘What? No.' Tessa was stunned at the venom in his voice. ‘I really just need to have a sleep.' And I'm not sure about you, she thought.

She turned her back on him but felt his hand on her shoulder. ‘Sorry, babe. I just wanted to spend a night with you.'

Tessa stared up at him. ‘And you can, just not tonight.' Not wanting to start a fight, she reached up and kissed him, before starting back to the camp. She resisted the urge to glance over her shoulder as she got further away. She knew Brendan was watching her.

Once she was comfortable in her swag, she lay on her back, staring at the stars. There was something wrong with what she had just seen, but what was it? Tossing and turning, she relived the moment, trying to work out what it was.

Then she got it. Brendan had his fist clenched. Had he hit Joe? But why?

A voice whispered in her memory.
I'm a bad boy.

Surely not so bad as to hit an old man? What cause would he have? And with that thought, she drifted off to sleep.

‘Tessa, wake up!'

She opened her eyes. Paul was standing over her. Behind him, the sun was high in the sky.

She struggled to sit up under the weight of the tarp.

‘Come on, we need you to come and help us clean up,' Paul said seriously. ‘We're shutting down early this year.'

‘Why? What's happened?'

‘Old Joe died last night. Had a stroke in the ambulance.'

‘No!' The word sprang from her lips without thought. ‘He was only hurt. Roughed up a bit from a fall or punch.'

‘Probably brought on by that,' Paul confirmed. ‘Anyway, let's get packed up and help Harrison. He'll have a bit on his hands today, being Joe's boss and all. We don't think Joe had any other family, so everything will fall on Harrison's shoulders.'

Tessa wriggled out of her swag and found some water to splash on her face. The place was strangely quiet. People were speaking in low voices as they rolled their swags and packed their cars.

Most people had known and liked Joe, even the tourists who came year after year. He'd been around for so long. To close early was a sign of respect.

Tessa blinked back tears, reliving her last conversation with him, seeing the beaten look on the old man's face and the funny expression that had flickered in his eyes when he saw Brendan. Was it fear? She couldn't be sure.

She didn't really know what had happened last night and it would be wrong to make assumptions, she decided. But she did remember Peggy's comments about the McKenzies at Spider's funeral.

And the angry jealousy that had radiated momentarily from Brendan last night made her feel he wasn't the person she thought he might have been.

Chapter 27

As the news sank in, Tessa's heart began to thud like a drum.

Dead! Poor Joe was dead
.

Her only thought was to find Brendan. She
had
to know what happened last night.

She ran a brush through her hair and cleaned her teeth. Then she quickly helped Marni pack the car.

‘I'll go and find Harrison, see what I can do for him,' she said when they were done.

The atmosphere had changed since the night before. The blow-ins, those who hadn't known Joe, were still drinking and partying, but the locals were grim-faced and quiet.

An announcement from the MC came over the PA. With only a half-day left of the Muster, the bar would close early and the last race cancelled out of respect for Joe. There would be a minute's silence to remember the old horse breaker at three p.m.