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James was sound asleep, still clutching the teddy that he always slept with.

Note to self, pack Teddy.

Verity was on her tummy with her bottom stuck up in the air, the way she always slept when she was sound asleep.

Best of all Matilda’s hands were curled into little fists, each thumb tucked inside her curled fingers. Ellie knew that meant her baby girl would sleep for at least another hour.

She filled the kettle in the kitchen and slid open the door to the side veranda. As she stepped outside the first shards of gold tinted the clouds to the east, and the sky was a soft apricot. Kane always called it a mango blush colour. Dawn on the farm had always been her favourite time.

The shed was in darkness, so it looked like Cy wasn’t up and about yet. Ellie stood there and breathed in the fresh cool air. There was a chill of late autumn there now, and she pulled her robe around her a little bit more tightly.

Even though they had demolished the original farmhouse that she, Emma and Dru had grown up in, the land was still the same. As she looked out, she could picture Dad out there, pruning the trees, his battered old hat sitting on the back of his head and his work pants held up with his favourite leather belt.

If she closed her eyes, she could imagine Mum walking down to the trees with Dad’s cuppa. It had been the first thing she’d done every morning. Like Ellie, Dad had loved the dawn and in the early days that was when he’d started work.

‘Best time of the day, Ellie,’ he’d told her, and she’d always followed the same routine. Even after a rugged night with all of the kids when they were babies, she was still up before sunrise.

Even though Dad had passed, there was still a sense of him on the farm, and Ellie knew how hard it was for Mum to come out here. When she was with Graysen she still had the memories of those happy years.

A door closed quietly in the house and she went back into the kitchen; there was too much to do, and she couldn’t stand outside daydreaming all day. Jeremy was coming down from Darwin to collect them around ten a.m., leaving his car here and taking them up in their Land Cruiser to the airport. Excitement bubbled up, and Ellie smiled as the jug boiled and she poured the hot water onto a teabag in her favourite teacup.

Chapter 7

McLaren Mango Farm - Monday morning

Ellie

Kane ran up the steps where Ellie was waiting on the veranda with the children. She shaded her eyes with one hand as she juggled Matilda on her hip. There was no sign of a car coming down the driveway. The only sound was the soft purr of the Land Cruiser’s motor as Jeremy waited, and James’ constant questions as he ran up and down the steps.

‘How long will it take to get to the airport, Mum? Dad, how does a plane stay up in the air? It doesn’t have blades to do the gravity thing like Mum does in her helicopter. Will Uncle Jeremy bring our car home?’

Kane brushed his fingers over Verity’s hair as he passed her on the top step where she was playing with her Adora. ‘At least we have one quiet child.’

‘Should we keep waiting for her, or should we leave?’ Ellie asked.

Kane shook his head. ‘We’re going to have to leave now. If we don’t, we’re going to be late.’

‘I wonder where she is.’ Ellie turned. ‘James. Go and get into the car. In one of the dickie seats in the back. Have you got your book?’

‘Woo hoo. I have!’ He shot past his parents and took the stairs two at a time.

Kane held his hand out to Verity. ‘Come on, sweetie. Time to go. Tarni’s probably been held up on the highway. There’s a lot of smoke on the horizon. I’d say they’re burning off down on the highway on the other side of the Mary River National Park. She might have got away late too.’

Ellie followed Kane and Verity down the stairs. ‘As long as she hasn’t had an accident or something.’

‘I’ve tried to call, but it’s going to voicemail. The service drops out around the park. I spoke to her last night and she was at Makowa Resort, so at least we know she’s close by. I’ve texted and told her Cy will show her around.’

‘Maybe she had a leisurely breakfast,’ Ellie said as Kane opened the back door behind the driver’s seat for her.

‘Whatever it is, everything will be fine. Our focus is getting to the airport.’ Kane lifted Verity into the middle seat and secured her seatbelt.

‘Did you and Jeremy load all the suitcases in the back, and the stroller?’

‘We did. Jump in, Ellie. Hang on, here comes Cy. I’ll just quickly let him know that Tarni’s late.’

‘Morning, Jeremy. Thanks for driving us.’

‘We’re going on an aeroplane, Uncle Jem,’ James interrupted from the back of the wagon.