moment.
Instinctively she swung the car away from the river road, up the slope of the valley.
To a place where she could see the massive force of water bursting down the valley as the dam upstream gave way.
To a place where she could see the bridge disappear in a maelstrom of rushing water, and the shallow slopes of the valley disappear within it.
CHAPTER SIX
‘T HE heifers...’
Blake was still in bed. He’d heard the bridge go. One part of him thought he should go and investigate the noise. The other part thought this farm was high and safe, he’d just got Ruby to sleep, the kids were settled, and there wasn’t a lot he could do about a collapsing bridge.
Until Maggie burst in.
‘The dam’s burst upstream,’ she said. She sounded exhausted, as though she’d run. She was soaking, her shirt was almost transparent, her curls were dripping round her shoulders, and the drips were making a puddle around her. ‘Your heifers are trapped.’
‘ My heifers?’ He didn’t get it.
‘Your calves,’ she snapped. ‘Your dad’s yearlings. The water’s come up too fast. I thought the bridge might go but not the dam. They’re in the paddock on the far side of the road from the river, but the road’s now under water. So’s most of their paddock. There’s a rise in the middle but it only holds half a dozen and the rest are already being forced to swim. If I can get them away from the rise, I can drive them to higher ground, but all they can see is the stupid island that’s only going to let six or so survive. Liselle can’t swim. She’s scared of deep water and no one else is close enough to help. I know you’re recovering but I don’t have a choice. We can’t let them drown. I need your help and I need it now.’
* * *
With Liselle left in charge of Christopher and Ruby—there was no choice but to depend on her—they drove the tractor to the calves’ paddock.
Actually, Maggie drove the tractor. Blake stood on the footplate and hung on, feeling like a city kid, totally out of his depth.
He hadn’t been on a tractor since he’d been six. He was riding as sidekick to save his cattle. He was Maggie’s sidekick. He felt ludicrous.
Then he saw the calves and any temptation he had to laugh died right there.
They were in deathly trouble.
‘The water’s still rising,’ Maggie whispered as she cut the engine. ‘Oh, dear God, they’ll drown.’
He stared out at the mass of water, at the terrified calves, at the impossibility of what lay before them. The calves could swim—most of them were swimming now—but they were all focussed on one thing and one thing only—the tiny island that was growing smaller while they watched.
‘It’s too late,’ Maggie moaned. ‘I thought I might be able to wade out there and drive them off. We could hack a hole in the fence higher up and you could guide them through. Once they see any of their mates on dry land they’ll follow. But neither of us can swim out there and herd cows at the same time.’
They couldn’t. Even if they were incredible swimmers, to swim and make cows follow directions would be impossible. Blackie was with them but a dog was useless as well.
There was a deathly silence while man, woman and dog watched the heifers struggle.
Then...
‘The canoe,’ Blake said, almost as an extension of his thoughts. All his focus was on the heifers. These calves were strong but how long until the first slipped under?
‘Canoe?’ Maggie’s voice was a desolate whisper, but Blake’s thoughts were firming.
‘There’s a two-man canoe under the house, or there was last time I was here. It’s ancient. I’ve done some kayaking. I can handle it. But, Maggie, I can’t do this alone. My stitches need protecting, plus I know zip about herding cows. But I don’t think I’ll pull my stitches paddling. Not if I don’t push myself.’
‘What are you talking about?’
‘I need to get the canoe up on the tractor. That’ll require both of us lifting,
Instinctively she swung the car away from the river road, up the slope of the valley.
To a place where she could see the massive force of water bursting down the valley as the dam upstream gave way.
To a place where she could see the bridge disappear in a maelstrom of rushing water, and the shallow slopes of the valley disappear within it.
CHAPTER SIX
‘T HE heifers...’
Blake was still in bed. He’d heard the bridge go. One part of him thought he should go and investigate the noise. The other part thought this farm was high and safe, he’d just got Ruby to sleep, the kids were settled, and there wasn’t a lot he could do about a collapsing bridge.
Until Maggie burst in.
‘The dam’s burst upstream,’ she said. She sounded exhausted, as though she’d run. She was soaking, her shirt was almost transparent, her curls were dripping round her shoulders, and the drips were making a puddle around her. ‘Your heifers are trapped.’
‘ My heifers?’ He didn’t get it.
‘Your calves,’ she snapped. ‘Your dad’s yearlings. The water’s come up too fast. I thought the bridge might go but not the dam. They’re in the paddock on the far side of the road from the river, but the road’s now under water. So’s most of their paddock. There’s a rise in the middle but it only holds half a dozen and the rest are already being forced to swim. If I can get them away from the rise, I can drive them to higher ground, but all they can see is the stupid island that’s only going to let six or so survive. Liselle can’t swim. She’s scared of deep water and no one else is close enough to help. I know you’re recovering but I don’t have a choice. We can’t let them drown. I need your help and I need it now.’
* * *
With Liselle left in charge of Christopher and Ruby—there was no choice but to depend on her—they drove the tractor to the calves’ paddock.
Actually, Maggie drove the tractor. Blake stood on the footplate and hung on, feeling like a city kid, totally out of his depth.
He hadn’t been on a tractor since he’d been six. He was riding as sidekick to save his cattle. He was Maggie’s sidekick. He felt ludicrous.
Then he saw the calves and any temptation he had to laugh died right there.
They were in deathly trouble.
‘The water’s still rising,’ Maggie whispered as she cut the engine. ‘Oh, dear God, they’ll drown.’
He stared out at the mass of water, at the terrified calves, at the impossibility of what lay before them. The calves could swim—most of them were swimming now—but they were all focussed on one thing and one thing only—the tiny island that was growing smaller while they watched.
‘It’s too late,’ Maggie moaned. ‘I thought I might be able to wade out there and drive them off. We could hack a hole in the fence higher up and you could guide them through. Once they see any of their mates on dry land they’ll follow. But neither of us can swim out there and herd cows at the same time.’
They couldn’t. Even if they were incredible swimmers, to swim and make cows follow directions would be impossible. Blackie was with them but a dog was useless as well.
There was a deathly silence while man, woman and dog watched the heifers struggle.
Then...
‘The canoe,’ Blake said, almost as an extension of his thoughts. All his focus was on the heifers. These calves were strong but how long until the first slipped under?
‘Canoe?’ Maggie’s voice was a desolate whisper, but Blake’s thoughts were firming.
‘There’s a two-man canoe under the house, or there was last time I was here. It’s ancient. I’ve done some kayaking. I can handle it. But, Maggie, I can’t do this alone. My stitches need protecting, plus I know zip about herding cows. But I don’t think I’ll pull my stitches paddling. Not if I don’t push myself.’
‘What are you talking about?’
‘I need to get the canoe up on the tractor. That’ll require both of us lifting,
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