Page 37

“Brian came to your place?” Violet gasped. “You didn’t tell him where I was, did you?”

Wendy laughed but there was no mirth in it. “How could I tell him when I didn’t know until now where you are? I still don’t have a clue where you are because I’ve never heard of Bundarra.”

“Bindarra Creek. It’s a magical town,” Violet said softly.

“Magic or not, just take care.”

Violet headed off to the stud once she ended the call with Wendy, and was surprised to find a note on the front door from Emma.

Sorry, tried to call. We’ve gone to Tamworth. Jake said could you please have a look at Lady Duo’s teeth, he thinks there’s a problem. Not eating well and bad breath. We’ll be home late so don’t hang around.

Every time Violet passed a car on the way home—and for some reason there seemed to be more today, or perhaps she was just more aware, she looked for Brian.

She turned into Joe’s driveway around four o’clock that afternoon, and stared as she noticed a vehicle near the shed. Her heart started beating hard, and then she realised it was Joe’s; he mustn’t have had to work the shift at the pub.

It wasn’t Brian. She had to get out of that mindset; there was no way he would know where to find her.

Tired and dirty—dealing with an abscess and injecting antibiotics had been a messy business—Violet yawned as she parked Jaclyn’s car next to Joe’s ute.

She sat on the back steps, took her filthy boots off, and washed her hands at the concrete trough beside the old toilet adjacent to the back door. There was no sign of Joe, so she guessed he was avoiding her after his bombshell this morning. She knew he’d been trying to get the fence finished off in the girls’ paddock. He’d told her about the interesting enterprise he was starting. He had been full of anticipation and excitement when he described it to her, talking about growing wool for the home spinners and his plans to market it.

Violet had helped him a couple of afternoons ago; it had been great fun out there in the heat, chasing the flies away and laughing while working together. She hadn’t done much; she’d pretty much just passed tools as he’d asked for them, but Joe said it was good having her company out there.

After a quick shower, Violet brewed a pot of coffee, poured a cup, and browsed the internet on her phone. There were a few more jobs up, including a local ad for an equine vet at a stud called Blue Orchard in Bindarra Creek. She took a screen shot; it didn’t hurt to cover all bases.

Joe had been so pleased when she’d decided to stay local, but he’d obviously missed the point it was only a short-term stay.

“It already feels like you’ve been here for ages. Very handy having you around the house,” his green eyes were mischievous, “and I’m eating much better than I usually do too,” he’d said.

“Well, I’ll have to teach you how to cook in the next few weeks.”

After this morning, she guessed he was going to avoid her. It was time to look for somewhere else to stay, but if she was honest, Violet knew she wanted to stay here.

With Joe.

An hour and a half later, she checked the time on her phone as concern began to trickle through her. It was very late for him to be out working; the sun had been down for almost an hour, and it was almost too dark to see the house paddock now.

Normally, he would check the fences in the afternoon, feed the animals, and come back in. They’d sat on the back porch every afternoon, having a sundowner as they watched the sunset together and talked.

Maybe he was working late because he hadn’t wanted to do that. They had to nut this situation out, or she had to leave. It wasn’t fair if he was staying away from his own home because she was there. But how did you discuss something like that?

Violet looked at the time again and decided to go check if he was okay. She put on a pair of boots and socks, always aware of the snake danger at this time of the year. Heading out to the stables and the dog pen, she noticed Sam grazing in the small paddock behind the stables, but the gate to the dog pen was open, and there was no sign of Molly.

She knew where Joe went every afternoon because two nights ago, she’d walked out with him. Violet hadn’t realised that the creek actually turned this way and wound through his property. There was a lovely little glade at the back of the paddock he’d fenced off for his sheep.

She whistled for Molly as she walked toward the sheep paddock behind a stand of gum trees. Cocking her head, she heard a distant bark coming from the direction of the creek. Well, if Molly was over there, she must be with Joe. When she walked another hundred metres, she started to call him.

“Joe, are you there?” Luckily, she’d thought to grab a torch because it was now pitch dark. There was no moon. She switched the flashlight on, directing it on the ground ahead of her.

“Joe, are you out here?”

Another bark.

Violet picked up her pace, hurrying along the fence line until she reached the intersection where the sheep paddock started. Molly’s barking was getting closer, and she listened.

“Joe, can you hear me?”

“Violet? I’m over here.” His voice was faint.