leggings to John. He rolled them up and tied them behind her saddle. “Thank you,” she said. “I’m glad to be rid of them.” Her gaze fell over the mob. “These Merinos seem a bit more gentle than the last ones you brought home.”
“They’re good stock. And with these we’ll have fifty—long as they stay healthy. Quincy said he spotted a couple of dingoes eyeing the flock a few days ago. They could do some damage, especially when the lambs come.”
Hannah’s mind wandered to what she ought to say to John. How could she phrase her confession so that he’d understand?
“Where are you, luv?”
“What do you mean? I’m right here.”
“I’ve been talking to you, but you’ve not heard a word I’ve said.”
“I’m sorry. I was just thinking about something Lydia said when she came to visit.”
“Any sort of trouble going on?”
Now. Tell him now. “No. No trouble. Except that David wants her to be more genteel. And she’s worried that he’s spending time with Deidre.” Hannah’s horse yanked up a mouthful of grass, pulling on the reins. “Do you think she has reason to fret?”
“Can’t say, really. David didn’t mention anything. But Deidre might be a temptation to a single gent like him.”
Hannah suddenly felt angry. “Why?”
“She’s comely.” John looked at her with a puzzled expression.
“Why is it men care only about a woman’s outer beauty?”
“That’s not true. There are a lot of other things that matter to us.”
“There’s so much more to a person than their appearance.”
“I agree.” He took Hannah’s hand. “But beauty is of some consequence. I fell in love with you, but as a man I can’t help but appreciate your beauty.” He smiled devilishly. “And would you want it any other way?”
Hannah’s anger dissolved, but she didn’t answer John’s question. Instead she returned to Lydia and her troubles. “I do hope he doesn’t break Lydia’s heart. She truly loves him.”
“I’m sure he must see what a fine woman she is.” John’s eyes settled on something in the distance.
Hannah’s heart picked up. “What is it? Aborigines?”
“No. A kangaroo. Looks like a fine one too. We could do with a bit of fresh meat.”
“Must you? I’d rather eat rabbit. Or perhaps we could butcher a sheep.”
“You don’t like kangaroo?” John shot her a surprised look. “You’ve never said anything.”
“It’s not that.” Hannah followed her husband’s gaze. “Sometimes they seem almost human. They’re intelligent and . . . well, I find it hard to look into their eyes and then kill them.”
“You don’t have to do any killing. That’s my job. And it makes more sense to take something wild than to butcher one of our ewes. I paid dearly for them and can’t spare a one. When the lambs are born, we’ll slaughter some of the tups, though.”
“Lambs are so dear. Must we kill them?”
“We don’t need a flock of rams. And no sheep remains dear forever. By the time they’re big enough for butchering, they’ll have lost their cuteness.”
His eyes remained on the kangaroo. “You stay here.” John moved to Quincy, spoke to him a moment, and then set off in the direction of the kangaroo. He slipped into a grove of gum trees and moved closer to the unsuspecting animal.
Hannah knew John was doing what he must, yet her stomach ached as she watched him. He disappeared inside the grove. An excellent hunter, Hannah knew he’d manage to get off a good shot.
She heard the blast of the musket and saw the animal fall. She ought to be thankful for the meat, but the sight of the motionless creature only made her feel sick.
This is foolishness. A kangaroo is only an animal and good for our table. I ought to be helping my husband. Tying the horses to a tree alongside the creek, she hurried toward Quincy. “I’m going to give John a hand. Watch over the sheep.”
“Glad to, ma’am.”
She moved toward John. When she was close, she thought he
“They’re good stock. And with these we’ll have fifty—long as they stay healthy. Quincy said he spotted a couple of dingoes eyeing the flock a few days ago. They could do some damage, especially when the lambs come.”
Hannah’s mind wandered to what she ought to say to John. How could she phrase her confession so that he’d understand?
“Where are you, luv?”
“What do you mean? I’m right here.”
“I’ve been talking to you, but you’ve not heard a word I’ve said.”
“I’m sorry. I was just thinking about something Lydia said when she came to visit.”
“Any sort of trouble going on?”
Now. Tell him now. “No. No trouble. Except that David wants her to be more genteel. And she’s worried that he’s spending time with Deidre.” Hannah’s horse yanked up a mouthful of grass, pulling on the reins. “Do you think she has reason to fret?”
“Can’t say, really. David didn’t mention anything. But Deidre might be a temptation to a single gent like him.”
Hannah suddenly felt angry. “Why?”
“She’s comely.” John looked at her with a puzzled expression.
“Why is it men care only about a woman’s outer beauty?”
“That’s not true. There are a lot of other things that matter to us.”
“There’s so much more to a person than their appearance.”
“I agree.” He took Hannah’s hand. “But beauty is of some consequence. I fell in love with you, but as a man I can’t help but appreciate your beauty.” He smiled devilishly. “And would you want it any other way?”
Hannah’s anger dissolved, but she didn’t answer John’s question. Instead she returned to Lydia and her troubles. “I do hope he doesn’t break Lydia’s heart. She truly loves him.”
“I’m sure he must see what a fine woman she is.” John’s eyes settled on something in the distance.
Hannah’s heart picked up. “What is it? Aborigines?”
“No. A kangaroo. Looks like a fine one too. We could do with a bit of fresh meat.”
“Must you? I’d rather eat rabbit. Or perhaps we could butcher a sheep.”
“You don’t like kangaroo?” John shot her a surprised look. “You’ve never said anything.”
“It’s not that.” Hannah followed her husband’s gaze. “Sometimes they seem almost human. They’re intelligent and . . . well, I find it hard to look into their eyes and then kill them.”
“You don’t have to do any killing. That’s my job. And it makes more sense to take something wild than to butcher one of our ewes. I paid dearly for them and can’t spare a one. When the lambs are born, we’ll slaughter some of the tups, though.”
“Lambs are so dear. Must we kill them?”
“We don’t need a flock of rams. And no sheep remains dear forever. By the time they’re big enough for butchering, they’ll have lost their cuteness.”
His eyes remained on the kangaroo. “You stay here.” John moved to Quincy, spoke to him a moment, and then set off in the direction of the kangaroo. He slipped into a grove of gum trees and moved closer to the unsuspecting animal.
Hannah knew John was doing what he must, yet her stomach ached as she watched him. He disappeared inside the grove. An excellent hunter, Hannah knew he’d manage to get off a good shot.
She heard the blast of the musket and saw the animal fall. She ought to be thankful for the meat, but the sight of the motionless creature only made her feel sick.
This is foolishness. A kangaroo is only an animal and good for our table. I ought to be helping my husband. Tying the horses to a tree alongside the creek, she hurried toward Quincy. “I’m going to give John a hand. Watch over the sheep.”
“Glad to, ma’am.”
She moved toward John. When she was close, she thought he
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