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Fleur nodded. ‘So I hear. I’m sure the gathering will be splendid.’

‘So, Fleur, the Ghan is not terribly reliable but, even so, if it leaves Marree even close to its scheduled timetable, then it will be at Farina station for nine. Frieda should be here shortly, and I’m sure she can give you breakfast and pack up a small picnic for your journey home. I must go and see to the table set up for our guests, and so I will bid you goodbye now.’

‘Yes, of course. Thank you again. And if you’re ever visiting Adelaide and can give me a little warning, I’d be delighted to take you for afternoon tea at the South Australian Hotel.’

‘My, my, how grand. I’d be delighted.’

They embraced briefly and then Mrs Bell was gone to attend to her hostess duties.

‘So you’re going?’ John asked, sounding sympathetic.

She nodded. ‘Yes, no reason to linger.’

‘I’m sorry, Fleur.’

‘Don’t be. No one’s fault. Um, I’m sorry about breaking down and being pathetic yesterday. It’s been—’

‘Nothing to apologise for and, er, we’re all rather upset for you in your . . . condition.’

Fleur smiled softly, imagining that Eva Bell likely couldn’t wait for her, an unmarried pregnant woman, to be out of the house. But that was churlish given the family had looked after her. She really was grateful, but she was also miserable and it was hard to maintain her composure. ‘Thank you for taking me back to the train. Where’s your father? I should thank him too.’

‘He’ll be in the store. Customers would happily have Bell’s open all day and night. My uncle will be there too.’

She looked at her wristwatch. Less than an hour before they left for the station. Her departure couldn’t come quick enough.

They decided to walk to the station.

‘I want to know I didn’t leave without at least seeing the town that Tom was born into.’

‘Not a lot to see,’ John began, but Fleur gasped.

‘Look at that!’ She pointed as a long camel train in the distance moved slowly north. ‘What are they carrying?’

‘Water,’ he explained. ‘Those oblong containers either side of their humps are called shippers. That’s how we move the water around to various places nearby.’

‘Amazing,’ she breathed. She’d only previously seen camels at the zoo and that thought reminded her of being there with Tom. She banished the memory, forbidding herself from getting upset again in front of John. Plenty of time ahead for that.

‘That’s the bush hospital,’ he said, pointing. ‘It’s an old hotel that’s been converted.’

So that was where Moira Catchlove had given birth to Amy, and both had died. That poor family. Everywhere here was a reminder of Tom.

John continued, unaware of her musings. ‘Because you’re travelling in daylight, you’ll see some sights this time. Maybe a long bullock train . . . you’ll certainly see teams of donkeys pulling a load of wool towards the train. And camels, of course; they haul everything from food to ballot boxes and go as far as Cordillo Downs.’ He sounded impressed.

Fleur gave a grin as she shrugged. ‘I have no idea where that is.’

‘Well, let’s just say it’s over three weeks journeying in one direction on a camel train.’

‘And still in South Australia?’ She sounded aghast. ‘That’s hard to imagine.’

‘Yep, it’s a huge cattle station.’

‘And what’s happening there?’ she said, glad to have this interesting walk to take her mind off Tom.

‘Oh, apparently they’re dismantling the Catholic Church and moving it to Murray Town, or so I’m told.’

‘Good grief.’

In the distance, the Ghan signalled its imminent arrival with a loud blast on its horn, and Fleur and John watched great clouds of steam billowing up from far away, dispersing against a cloudless, turquoise morning.