I’m pretty sure Macklin would come take a look at things for you and help you get everything sorted. You can’t ask for better advice than he’d give you.”
“I know,” Jeremy said. “And I appreciate it, but Devlin had his own way of doing things. I didn’t do a lot right as far as he was concerned, but I’d like to try to do right by his legacy.”
Sam frowned. “You were always complaining about how badly he ran things. Are you sure you want to keep doing things the way he did them?”
“I don’t want to make mistakes, but I need to understand what he was doing and why before I just go changing things left and right. Devlin ran Taylor Peak for a long time, and he learnt from our father who learnt from his father. There must be some wisdom in the choices he made, even if I can’t see it from where I’m sitting now. It’s all I have left of him. I have to try.”
“Whatever you need,” Neil said. “Even if that’s for us to leave you alone to do it. We’re here to support you, not to make your life more difficult.”
Eight
J ASON LOOKED up when Caine walked to the front of the canteen and whistled to get everyone’s attention.
“I spoke with Jeremy this morning,” he said. “The funeral will be on Tuesday at Taylor Peak, and Devlin will be interred in the family plot immediately after. I’ve made adjustments to the shift rosters in order to allow those closest to Jeremy to attend. I realize this means some of you will sacrifice your day off this week, but we will add an extra day’s pay to this week’s payroll to make up for it if you’re in that situation. We appreciate everyone’s hard work in keeping things running despite the uncertainty of the past few days.”
He posted the new shift rosters on the bulletin board and then returned to his seat. Some of the seasonal jackaroos rose to look at it, but none of the year-rounders bothered. Caine would have arranged for them to be free to support Jeremy. Jason would check on his way out, not sure if he counted as a year-rounder as far as this was concerned. He’d spent enough time with Sam and Jeremy to want to go to the funeral, but he also understood the reality of running a station, and he hadn’t been here for the past seven years. If Caine needed him to stay, he would, and he’d find another time to go down to Taylor Peak to speak with Jeremy and Sam.
“I’d better get started tonight, then,” Ian said, bringing Jason out of his thoughts.
“Started on what?”
“On the casket,” Ian said. “Sam texted to ask if I’d make it, but they didn’t know when the funeral would be. It’s the least I can do for Jeremy after everything he’s done for us. I just wish it weren’t necessary.”
“Don’t we all,” Chris said from next to Jason. “I wish I had something that concrete I could do for him. I’ll have to settle for offering to help them move whatever they want to take with them.”
“Are they really going to move to Taylor Peak?” Seth asked.
Jason could sympathize. Sure, he’d gone away to uni, but the idea of leaving Lang Downs for good didn’t sit well with him.
“They haven’t said,” Chris replied, “but how else is Jeremy supposed to run the station? It’s an hour and a half in ideal conditions to get to the main house at Taylor Peak. If the weather’s bad, some days you can’t get there at all. I don’t see how they can live here and work there. It’s just not feasible.”
“I can’t imagine them not being here,” Jesse said. “Who will ruffle Neil’s feathers if Sam isn’t around to tease him?”
“I’m sure we can take up the slack,” Ian replied, “but you’re right. They’re as much a part of the station now as any of us. Bloody hell, why did Taylor have to get himself killed? Bad enough when Michael died, but at least he was old and had lived a full life. We’re losing two year-rounders in one blow because Taylor was careless.”
“We’re not losing them,” Linda,
“I know,” Jeremy said. “And I appreciate it, but Devlin had his own way of doing things. I didn’t do a lot right as far as he was concerned, but I’d like to try to do right by his legacy.”
Sam frowned. “You were always complaining about how badly he ran things. Are you sure you want to keep doing things the way he did them?”
“I don’t want to make mistakes, but I need to understand what he was doing and why before I just go changing things left and right. Devlin ran Taylor Peak for a long time, and he learnt from our father who learnt from his father. There must be some wisdom in the choices he made, even if I can’t see it from where I’m sitting now. It’s all I have left of him. I have to try.”
“Whatever you need,” Neil said. “Even if that’s for us to leave you alone to do it. We’re here to support you, not to make your life more difficult.”
Eight
J ASON LOOKED up when Caine walked to the front of the canteen and whistled to get everyone’s attention.
“I spoke with Jeremy this morning,” he said. “The funeral will be on Tuesday at Taylor Peak, and Devlin will be interred in the family plot immediately after. I’ve made adjustments to the shift rosters in order to allow those closest to Jeremy to attend. I realize this means some of you will sacrifice your day off this week, but we will add an extra day’s pay to this week’s payroll to make up for it if you’re in that situation. We appreciate everyone’s hard work in keeping things running despite the uncertainty of the past few days.”
He posted the new shift rosters on the bulletin board and then returned to his seat. Some of the seasonal jackaroos rose to look at it, but none of the year-rounders bothered. Caine would have arranged for them to be free to support Jeremy. Jason would check on his way out, not sure if he counted as a year-rounder as far as this was concerned. He’d spent enough time with Sam and Jeremy to want to go to the funeral, but he also understood the reality of running a station, and he hadn’t been here for the past seven years. If Caine needed him to stay, he would, and he’d find another time to go down to Taylor Peak to speak with Jeremy and Sam.
“I’d better get started tonight, then,” Ian said, bringing Jason out of his thoughts.
“Started on what?”
“On the casket,” Ian said. “Sam texted to ask if I’d make it, but they didn’t know when the funeral would be. It’s the least I can do for Jeremy after everything he’s done for us. I just wish it weren’t necessary.”
“Don’t we all,” Chris said from next to Jason. “I wish I had something that concrete I could do for him. I’ll have to settle for offering to help them move whatever they want to take with them.”
“Are they really going to move to Taylor Peak?” Seth asked.
Jason could sympathize. Sure, he’d gone away to uni, but the idea of leaving Lang Downs for good didn’t sit well with him.
“They haven’t said,” Chris replied, “but how else is Jeremy supposed to run the station? It’s an hour and a half in ideal conditions to get to the main house at Taylor Peak. If the weather’s bad, some days you can’t get there at all. I don’t see how they can live here and work there. It’s just not feasible.”
“I can’t imagine them not being here,” Jesse said. “Who will ruffle Neil’s feathers if Sam isn’t around to tease him?”
“I’m sure we can take up the slack,” Ian replied, “but you’re right. They’re as much a part of the station now as any of us. Bloody hell, why did Taylor have to get himself killed? Bad enough when Michael died, but at least he was old and had lived a full life. We’re losing two year-rounders in one blow because Taylor was careless.”
“We’re not losing them,” Linda,
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