The Midwife and the Millionaire (6 page)

Smiley examined the spot she'd chosen and nodded. ‘At least up here I can get my own water.'

‘It'll be tricky but you could.'

Levi came up to them with a long branch of dead wood he'd picked up on the way. ‘We'll be out of the weather if one of the sudden tropical storms blows up.'

Everyone pitched in and there was a lip of overhang just past the entrance where they'd packed their supplies against the wall.

The afternoon passed as they watched for rescue, without reward, and prepared for the night. Back out in the main canyon they'd erected a signal fire with green leaves on top for smoke as a way to flag down a search plane if one flew over them, but the sky remained blue and clear of aircraft.

Technically they wouldn't be missed at Xanadu until almost nightfall. They'd told Steve they'd be back by late afternoon so they were not technically even missing yet.

Levi began to cut the long grass that Sophie suggested they use for beds for the night along the overhang, while she cleared the ground in front so they could make a fire to keep everyone warm. With the wall behind them the heat would be caught and the flames would keep any animals away.

At four o'clock they sat back and Sophie could see the activity had raised Odette's spirits. ‘I'd say we're a clever bunch. We could make it on one of those television survivor shows.'

‘Except there's no camera man with a satellite phone.' Odette looked at the depleted picnic basket. ‘Who wants to go to the shop for a treat?'

Sophie spread her arms. ‘There's plenty to eat around here.'

Levi dropped the last of the sticks for the night fire. ‘Spare me from Pollyanna with bush tucker,' Levi said. ‘Not witchetty grubs, I hope.'

Sophie refused to be downcast by the lack of enthusiasm. ‘Must admit I've never been a fan of the old grub. Though they say ten grubs a day is enough for survival.' Levi didn't look convinced, so Sophie pushed on. ‘And I did find a Gubinge tree up one of the gullies. I'll show you where, before dark, in case you want some tomorrow, Odette.' She held up the small greenish-yellow fruit which looked more like a pale pecan nut than a fruit. ‘Known also as a Kakadu plum, it's easy to eat.'

Smiley sat quietly amused during her lecture and declined to sample the fruit. She frowned at him for not
offering support but forgave him for the discomfort he was still in. No doubt he still felt sick and sore but he wasn't complaining. He never did. Actually, nobody was, so maybe she should revise her opinion a little about some city people.

She directed her attention to Levi and Odette and bit bravely into the skin. The tanginess twisted on her tongue and she fought to keep her face straight as she chewed and swallowed. ‘Food for indigenous people for thousands of years and apparently has a hundred times more vitamin C than an orange.' She licked her lips and tried to define the taste. ‘The juice crosses between a pear and an apple. There's a zing which I think is from the vitamin C but see what you think.' She tossed one each to Odette and Levi. ‘Either way, it's the perfect refreshment if we're right out of grocery shops.'

‘Bush tucker.' Levi looked at her from under his brows as if to say,
Are you having us on?
When she nodded encouragingly he bit into the fruit, and then finished it off. ‘Not addictive, but not bad.'

Sophie nodded. ‘We'll take some with us when we walk out.'

‘Awesome.' He rubbed his hands together facetiously. So he did have a sense of humour. Now that was something Brad never had, and why she should think of Brad and Levi in the same minute sent a tiny flicker of fear into her belly which she was determined to ignore.

J
UST
before dawn the next morning, when the night birds were settling and the morning budgerigars shared their chatter, Levi and Sophie prepared to leave camp. The gentle breeze lifted the bumps on Sophie's arms and the ground crackled cold and hard beneath her socks. She tucked her chin into her collar as she pulled on her boots.

She glanced across to where Levi wore Smiley's broad Akubra and looked disturbingly like a country man rather than the city slicker she didn't trust. Much more dependable and much more dangerous to her peace of mind.

Sophie could smile at the image of her brother scowling uncomfortably in a baseball cap as he'd handed over his prized possession but not at the image of Levi. What was she doing heading off into the bush with a man she barely knew and didn't even trust?

Then again, there wasn't a lot she could do about it, except be constantly alert for any suspicious behaviour on his part.

Sophie jammed on her own Akubra, and thanked the last fading stars of the night she'd worn sturdy walking shoes, something she needed most places in the Kimberley.

During the night they'd all managed to sleep in snatches after the emotional trauma of the day, and even Odette, apart from the indigestion and backache she normally suffered from, didn't seem any worse for the experiences of the day before.

‘Your baby must be one tough little munchkin, Odette,' Sophie said, as she finished her weak tea from the one shared tea bag discovered at the bottom of her bag and boiled over the campfire.

‘Tougher than his mother,' Odette said with a wobble in her voice. The young mum's eyes were heavily shadowed and her fingers stroked her belly, as if to reassure herself and her baby that everything would be fine.

Sophie tamped down her own misgivings. Odette and her baby were the greatest worry. ‘I think you're holding up amazingly well.' She tipped out the dregs and rinsed the one cup before she slid her bag over her shoulder. ‘We'll be as quick as we can. Your baby needs you to be calm. We've done the hard part and survived the landing. You'll have something to tell the grandchildren about in thirty years.'

‘If I have grandchildren.'

Sophie frowned. ‘You've water and some food and a safe place.' She paused. ‘No matter what happens, don't leave this spot,' Sophie reminded her. ‘Sighting
of the crash site is still the most probable way for rescue, and lost in the bush is the easiest way to die.'

Odette scrubbed her eyes again and the mascara from yesterday was giving her a sad-and-sorry panda look. ‘I'm not going anywhere but I wish I'd never left home.'

Sophie felt the loss of the woman who'd touched up her lipstick at the clinic only a few short days ago. ‘I know. It's natural to worry about your baby. You're the one with most to fear. But hey, I'd like to think I'd do as well as you are.'

Odette sniffed. ‘You wouldn't cry like I do.'

Sophie hugged her and whispered, ‘Didn't you see me yesterday after setting William's shoulder? I was a mess.'

Odette scrubbed her eyes with the back of her hand and peered at Sophie, who nodded. ‘Really? I didn't see that.'

‘Good,' Sophie said and looked around to make sure none of the men had heard. ‘But I felt better afterwards.'

‘I'll never be as strong as you but thanks for telling me. It helps to know I'm not the only one who can't help it sometimes.'

‘I know. And I'm not that strong. Just on the outside.' Sophie glanced at her brother, who was probably giving Levi some pointers as well. ‘Look,' she said. ‘This isn't going to happen, but if you do go into labour, stay cuddled up to William. He'll look after you. Rest
and remember you're designed to do it. Be calm and let it happen. Babies only need to be next to their mother. And remember, first babies take a long time and we'll be back. Don't give up on us.'

Odette shook her head and her eyes filled again with tears. ‘You shouldn't go. Levi shouldn't leave me.' She clutched at Sophie's arm. ‘Don't leave!'

Sophie drew the younger woman into her arms and hugged her. ‘You'll be fine. We'll be back as quick as we can, but we need to walk out before it gets too hot.'

Odette started to cry and Sophie chewed her lip and glanced at Levi. She'd made everything worse.

Levi crossed to his sister and drew her into the circle of his arms. ‘Shh, honey. One day away. That's all it'll take. You and William have a day on the land, relax and enjoy the scenery.'

Odette hiccoughed, ‘Relax?' Her lip quivered as Levi handed her over to William to comfort. ‘Please be careful,' Odette said to her brother.

He nodded. ‘We'll be back for you in another chopper.'

‘He'll fly back for you,' Sophie said drily. ‘I'll be cheering from home.'

Odette's lips tugged in an almost smile. ‘Chicken.'

‘We won't be long.' Levi sighed. Such a dilemma. He hated to leave Odette, and the thought of her going into labour out here without him made him break into a cold sweat. Please God, don't let that happen. He'd spent his life trying to keep her safe and he'd failed dismally.

But he couldn't send Sophie off on her own, even though he suspected she'd be tougher in the outback than him.

He did have faith in William though—not quite sure how that happened—and they'd be as quick as they could, but there was no use waiting for a rescue that might never happen before they tried to walk out.

They left without looking back and he felt like a deserter as he followed Sophie down a natural trail. Initially he tried to choose the direction but his feet seemed to find the ground more uneven than Sophie did, and eventually he fell in behind her because it was easier going. It felt strange to let another person lead, let alone a woman.

The rocks shifted under his feet as his ankles threatened to twist on the uneven path. It made sense if the whole place was the result of erosion but it made walking fraught for injury.

When he thought about it they'd taken a lot for granted to head off into the hills. He caught up with Sophie and walked beside her. ‘I've just had a nasty thought. Actually, we're relying on William's memory of a nomad's camp, from a muster that happened over a year ago?'

She glanced across at him. ‘That's what we all decided on.'

He pushed aside a branch that reached across their path. ‘What if the camp moved on, which I imagine is likely.'

She raised her eyebrows. ‘We can hope the camp moved closer, then, and not further away.'

That was simple, he thought wryly. ‘I love the way your mind works.' He bent down and picked up a walking-stick-size branch, tested it and then used it to part the grass in front.

She grinned at him and he found himself grinning back. ‘Optimism is the code of the Kimberley.'

Was this woman for real? ‘Spare me, Pollyanna. You just made that up.'

‘Yep. But you can't change what you can't change.' She glanced around as the first rays of light warned of sunrise. ‘More likely a hunter will find us than we'll find them anyway.'

He hadn't thought of that. ‘Do they do that? I thought it was all in movies and fiction.'

‘The medicine man knows if someone who shouldn't be there is around. I'm just hoping they find us sooner rather than later.'

The growing light allowed them to see the ground in front of them more clearly as the sun crept closer to rising. He'd be interested to see the pace she'd keep up when she could see properly. ‘Can we do this? Walk out safely?'

She stopped and looked at him. ‘We can be sensible, yes, and cut down the risks, but it's a big land under a bigger sun.' She glanced at the imminent sunrise. ‘We should move faster while we can.'

The morning blurred into a fast-paced bushwalk.
Sophie pointed out another Gubinge tree and he began to see others now that he recognised them.

She showed him the low-growing, wide-leafed bush tomatoes, which looked more like brown raisins. ‘But you have to eat the ripe ones. The green ones are toxic like green potatoes.'

She picked a few and offered him one. When he didn't look inspired she ate one herself and grimaced. ‘They're talking about growing these commercially for a savoury spice. They're pretty pungent but you never know when you'll need them.'

He was over bush tucker. It was pretty hard to be the protective male when she held all the cards. A very novel experience for a man who'd always been the one people came to for help. ‘Have you ever been to Sydney?' he said.

She didn't even look at him. ‘No.'

‘Maybe one day I'll show you my favourite restaurant. The chef is one of the top three in Australia.' He'd actually quite like that.

She looked at him as if he'd offered a space shuttle to the moon. ‘You think?'

Apparently it wasn't on her wish list. She had to be good for his conceited soul. He laughed and followed her along another ridge that boarded a treeless plain he hoped they didn't have to cross, but she was heading in that direction. Assuming she knew where she was going.

Almost as if she heard his thoughts she paused. ‘If
we keep the sun on our right shoulder we should be heading north. There's a dry creek bed through the middle of the plain and maybe even a few of the pools will have water in them. We'll conserve what we have and try to make it to the next gorge, and I'm expecting more water by midday. Then we'll rest.'

Unobtrusively he pulled his compass from his pocket and checked what she said. She was right! What did he expect? It was pretty different taking orders from a woman and actually not minding it.

Though he hadn't minded his first-grade teacher either. Miss Tee was a honey and the first woman he'd ever fallen in love with. Probably because she liked to take them outside for games when they got bored with English, but he did remember her long, long legs, like Sophie's. Though he conceded Sophie's legs were even better.

She walked with a loose-limbed gait, sure-footedly in her lace-up leather boots and her knee-length shorts that it seemed women wore here. And despite her determination to appear always in command, she couldn't hide her femininity. Her bottom still jiggled.

He realised how few women he'd seen since he'd been here, and they'd all been wearing those knee-length shorts. Maybe that was why she looked so good. Lack of competition. But he didn't think so. He had a feeling she'd look good on a rue in Paris. He caught her glancing at him and it made him smile more.

‘What are you smiling at?'

He straightened his face. ‘I've only seen four women since I arrived a week ago. And one of them is my sister.'

She flicked her brows up and down. ‘Bet that's different to your usual day.' Was that sarcasm?

She had no idea what his life was like. The hours he worked. The impact of having to tell a patient he couldn't save their sight or the sight of their child—the main reason he'd been unable to get here sooner as he'd tried to clear a backlog of people who needed him desperately. How he'd started to think he'd never be able to make a dent in the need out there. ‘Yeah, well, it's hard running a playboy mansion.'

She stopped and faced him. ‘You run a playboy mansion?'

That actually hurt. Did she really think him that shallow? Nothing like his surgery full of people with visual nightmares. ‘It was a joke.'

She brushed his comment away. ‘Good. Don't worry. We get women here. When the tourist season properly starts the Gibb River Road really moves. Campers and off-road vehicles everywhere and the resorts fill up. You'll see plenty of ladies then, if you're still here.' She started walking again and he nearly missed her final comment. ‘Which you shouldn't be for someone just passing through.'

She'd brought it up again. Wait till she found out about the other, but he didn't have the energy to go into why he didn't want to talk about work. ‘Are you ever going to forgive me for a throwaway comment?'

She looked at him innocently. ‘Sure. Nothing to forgive. I just don't trust you.'

Be warned, he told himself. To her, he said, ‘Nice.'

She ignored his comment and went back to their original conversation. ‘The tourist season is only for a few months from April until the humidity comes back again in October-November. Most people leave then because a person sweats like a horse as soon as they step outside.'

He thought about what she said, wondered about the implications on the health resources from the influx of older travellers for such small amounts of health personnel, but if he commented he might end up embroiled in more lies. Better to leave well enough alone, which was a shame, because he'd begun to value her opinion on a lot of things.

They walked on for an hour without talking and surprisingly it was quite companionable. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been with a woman without feeling he had to make the running or listen to a one-way conversation.

He looked to the scenery ahead and there was more of the same to come. ‘So tell me about the camp we're heading to.'

She jolted out of her reverie. ‘The family tribe we're looking for is semi-nomadic most of the year. They've returned to the old ways and move with the food, so that means berries available, fattest kangaroos, and they rely on guessing the weather.'

He glanced at the bare plains. ‘Do they come into town much?'

‘The young men muster when needed and that's how Smiley knows about them. I haven't actually met this family but they'd have met other nurses from other towns. I'd like to see if they want the kids immunised and all's well, so it's a bonus.'

He bit back another laugh. A bonus helicopter crash. So pleased he could accommodate her. He'd never understand her.

They walked until the sun was directly overhead and with relief they entered the foothills of the next range and what little shade that offered.