Right As Rain (6 page)

“I've been looking for some pipe Dad said was in the shed.” He flicked his head towards the small storage shed beside the yards. “He didn't say anything about bringing the rams in.”

“I asked Hugh to come and take a look. They've lost condition.”

Patrick climbed onto the railing and watched Hugh. “What's wrong with them?”

“What have they been eating?” Hugh asked.

“They've been in the top paddock for a while.”

“That was already low-grade pasture,” Mackenna said.

“I've been top-up feeding. I moved them back to the ram paddock yesterday.” Patrick turned to Mackenna. “As per Dad's instructions.”

She was surprised by the way he snapped the words at her.

“No need to get antsy,” she said. “With Dad unwell – ”

Patrick stopped her. “I've been doing as instructed. You've only been home a – ”

“I think they've got barber's pole worm.” This time Hugh cut in and behind him one of the rams stamped its foot in defiance.

“What's that?” Patrick asked.

“A couple of them have swollen necks and their gums are pale.” Hugh strolled back to the railing. “That's a sign of a severe infestation but we won't know for sure until the faeces tests are back. I'll follow them up straight away.”

“I've not seen it before,” Mackenna said.

“Well, be amazed,” Patrick said. “Something Mackenna doesn't know.”

“I've heard of it.” She glared at Patrick then turned back to Hugh. “We've never had it here that I know of. Are they in any danger?”

“A couple of them, maybe.”

“How could this happen?” Mackenna's thoughts were in a whirl. These were Woolly Swamp's prize stud rams they were talking about.

“You've got normally healthy sheep and good management. They've probably been doing some intensive grazing in small patches.” Hugh looked at Patrick. “Any clover in the paddock they've come from?”

“I don't know,” Patrick muttered.

“Yes,” Mackenna said turning to Hugh. “There're a few patches of strawberry clover in that top paddock. They'd go for it more than anything else at this time of year.”

Patrick stuck his hands on his hips. “I suppose this means it's my fault.”

“No need to blame anyone,” Hugh said as he climbed back over the rail. “It's happened. Hopefully we've discovered it in time but it could get nasty if you don't treat it properly. I'll head back and find out exactly what we're dealing with before we make any decisions.”

Mackenna jumped to the ground beside him. “Thanks, Hugh,” she said and they walked back towards his vehicle. She didn't bother to see if Patrick was following them. There was more at stake than his dented ego.

“I'm feeling a lot better today, Lou.”

Louise turned from the quiche mixture she was stirring to look at her husband. Even though she knew he'd tossed and turned half the night again, he had better colour. “That's good,” she said,” but the trick will be not to do too much. Remember what the doctor said.”

“I know, I know.” Lyle held his hands in the air and she could see the frustration on his face. “All I've done this morning is look at the pivot irrigator. Patrick's gone to get some pipe to see if he can fix it.”

“Why don't you go over the stock program with him when he comes back? At least you can do it sitting down and he'll get a better understanding.”

“The pivot needs fixing and I want to know what Hugh says about those rams.”

“What's Hugh doing back here?” Louise let go of the wooden spoon and gave Lyle her full attention.

“There's something wrong with the rams.”

“Patrick didn't mention it.”

“Mackenna called Hugh back again.”

Louise felt a pang of annoyance. “She's only been home five minutes and already she's taking over.”

“What do you expect, Lou? I'm confined to quarters and she knows this place and the animals nearly as well as I do.”

“Well, she shouldn't.” Louise turned back to her mixture and began spooning it into the pastry bases. “I want her to have a better life. She shouldn't be tied to this place.”

“She doesn't have to stay.”

“I told you when we made out the wills. I want her to have the chance to move on, have a life of her own, a husband . . .” Louise sucked in a breath and looked at Lyle. “I want her to have her own babies . . . our grandchildren.”

She spun back to her quiches, not wanting Lyle to see the emotion she knew would be showing on her face.

They were both silent for a moment.

Finally he spoke and she could hear the teasing in his tone. “You know, Lou, sometimes I wonder if we haven't raised two children that bat for the other side.”

“That's nonsense!”

“We shouldn't presume opposites attract. There's a lot more of that same-sex stuff these days.”

“Don't be ridiculous, Lyle, Mackenna has had numerous boyfriends . . .”

“None that have lasted.”

“And Patrick's just a bit shy with women. There've been several girls he's been keen on over the years. Anyway, what's that got to do with anything?” Louise slid the quiches into the oven and shut the door firmly. She wasn't going to be distracted by Lyle's attempt to change the subject.

“I'm just saying we mustn't pigeonhole them, Lou. Whatever they do, they must do it because it's what they want, not what we want for them.”

“You've changed your tune. You were the one who didn't want Mackenna to be a chef. You were the one who tried to get Patrick to take an ag course at uni rather than management and marketing.”

“And I was wrong to do it. They have to make their own way.”

The screen door banged and Louise could tell by the footfall it was Patrick. She lowered her voice.

“We've been over this already. We can't tie our daughter to this place, Lyle. It's not fair.”

“Is it fair to Patrick?”

“Shush!” She started cleaning down the bench as Patrick stomped into the kitchen.

“Is what fair to Patrick?” he said.

Louise thought fast. “Another trip into town,” she said. “I've got some food to deliver for the church trading table.”

“I may as well. I'm only the errand boy,” he snapped and moved to the sink. He filled a glass with water, drank it down and thumped the glass back on the bench.

“What's up, Patch?” Louise said. Underneath the spiked thatch of died black hair his face was mottled red. He had a bee in his bonnet about something.

“Did you find the pipe?” Lyle asked.

Louise glanced from Patrick to her husband. Lyle had no idea something was bothering his son.

“I found all sorts of things,” Patrick said.

Louise focused back on him. “What things?”

“We need to fix that pivot,” Lyle said. “Where's Mackenna?”

“Smooching up to Hugh.”

“What?” Louise gasped. Hugh McDonald had been a close childhood friend who happened to be male. Mackenna had always made that clear. Had something changed?

“The two of them are sorting out the rams,” Patrick said as he slumped into a chair. “Hugh thinks they may have barber's pole worm, whatever that is.”

“How could that happen?” Lyle stood up. “Is it bad?”

“He thinks it may have been caught early. Reckons he needs to check the test results.”

“Damn!” Lyle punched the flat of one hand with the fist of the other. “We can't afford to lose those rams.”

“Hugh also said those early crossbreed lambs are probably the result of Mackenna not shifting last year's lambs out soon enough. The little buggers bonked their mothers.”

“Patrick!” Louise found that kind of talk distasteful.

“I thought we must have left them too long,” Lyle said and sat down again. “It's the only explanation.”

More footsteps at the back door announced Mackenna's arrival. Patrick stood up as she entered the kitchen.

“I'll go and fix the pivot,” he said.

“Do you want help?” Mackenna turned to follow him.

“I can manage a bit of pipe.”

“I know, but I want to check where it broke. There might be an underlying problem.”

“I reckon there must be a bow in it somewhere,” Lyle said. “Perhaps I should take a look.”

“Lyle.” The exasperation in Louise's voice made them all stop and look at her. She spoke more gently. “You've done quite a bit outside already today. Let Patrick handle it.”

“I'll take a look, Dad,” Mackenna said.

Patrick shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

Louise listened to the sound of her two children making their way out of the house. When they were little, Patrick had followed his big sister everywhere hanging on her every word. He was a grown-up now but Mackenna still treated him the same.

“Patrick should head back to the city soon.”

Lyle's voice brought her back to the present.

“Why?”

“I don't think he wants to be here.”

“He and Mackenna are just testing each other. They'll settle down.”

Lyle sighed. “It doesn't come naturally to him.”

“You can't blame him for that worm infestation.”

“I don't. Just like I don't blame Mackenna for not shifting the lambs early enough. Things happen.”

“What then?” she asked.

“He's done his best but this isn't where he wants to be. We really shouldn't hold him here now that Mackenna's back and we've employed Cam.”

“There's plenty of work to do.”

Lyle sniffed the air. “Is something burning?”

“Damnation!” Louise whipped around and pulled open the oven door.

“I won't have that language in the house,” Lyle said.

She raised an eyebrow in his direction.

“Think I'll retire to the lounge and read the
Stock Journal,”
he said.

“If you can't stand the heat . . .” she called to his back as he left the room.

She turned her attention back to the quiches. One was dark on top but the rest were simply well done. They could eat the dark one for lunch and the rest would still be fine for the trading table. She was rostered to go on the stall at two o'clock for an hour or so. Hopefully Patrick would forget she'd mentioned taking in the food.

Louise busied herself cleaning up the kitchen and pondered his earlier moodiness. Mackenna had probably said something to upset him. She still saw him as her baby brother instead of the man he'd become. The mention of Mackenna and Hugh was interesting. When they were teenagers Louise had always thought they'd make the perfect couple, but there was also Carol. The three of them had started school together and they were inseparable. After school they'd all left for Adelaide at the same time to take on their respective courses: Mackenna as an apprentice chef with a big hotel in the city, Carol to study nursing and Hugh science. They were all doing so well and it had become apparent that Hugh and Carol had feelings for each other. Then just as they were finishing their respective courses, Carol had been tragically killed. Her vehicle had hit a tree as she returned home to the South East late one night.

Along with Carol's family, the community had been devastated and for a while Louise felt that a part of Mackenna had also died. Something had gone on between Carol's father and Hugh as well. There were rumours that he blamed Hugh for not being with Carol that night. Whatever had happened, her death had impacted them all and Hugh had hardly returned to his home since.

Not long after the accident, Mackenna took up a job in Victoria but only lasted at it a few months before she returned, wanting to spend some time on the property. Louise had thought it would be temporary. Mackenna needed time to grieve and being home on the farm seemed the right place to do it.

Now, life had moved on and somehow Mackenna had become an integral part of the farm. Lyle's sudden heart attack was a timely reminder for Louise that her daughter needed to get on with her life. Being tied to a farm that she may one day have to manage alone was not the future Louise wanted for her. The will would make legally sure it couldn't happen, but Louise knew there was a lot more to be done to get Mackenna to change her views.

Hugh McDonald might be the catalyst that was needed. When they'd hired Cam, Louise had thought it hadn't hurt that he was charming and good-looking. There was a chance he might have been right for Mackenna, but Hugh was much more suitable as a potential husband. Louise decided she could suss out the lay of the land by inviting him over for a meal. See for herself if there was any spark between her daughter and the eligible bachelor. She flicked on the radio and began to sing along. For the first time since Lyle's heart attack she felt the weight lift a little from her shoulders.

Hugh pulled up outside his family home. It was nearly time for dinner but instead of going inside he turned off the ignition, laid back his head and closed his eyes. There was no sound bar the ticking of the engine as it cooled and the last birds singing in the diminishing light. He took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. After he'd left the Birches' property he hadn't had a moment to himself, which was probably just as well. He wanted to keep his head clear of the past and work was good for that.

Now he was home and in no rush to go inside, where his mother would fuss and his father would offer up only the barest of greetings. He thought over his visit to Woolly Swamp and meeting Mackenna after so long. It had been a while since he'd had a panic attack but when she'd thrown her arms around him, his chest had tightened and his heart had begun to race. It had been all he could do to stop himself pulling away from her and jumping back in his vehicle to drive off. He'd made it look like he was rummaging for something in the cab and taken some slow steadying breaths. The attack had faded but the suddenness of it had left him shaken. He hadn't expected the sight of Mackenna to have such an impact on him.