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“Oh,” Albie breathed, the sight of him sending his heart into a rush. “Are you... uh...” He looked around unsure if anyone else was about. He’d been so lost in his thoughts. In fact, he only just realised he was still standing there with a bucket in his hand. Percy walked up and took it from him. “Did you sleep well?”
Percy smiled, his cheeks a pretty pink. “Very. And you?”
“I didn’t want to get out of bed,” he whispered. “But I thought it was best if I did.”
Percy gave a nod, his blush now crawling down his neck. “I don’t think we should talk so openly,” he whispered. “I’ve not seen Des or Robert yet, but I doubt they’ll be far away, and I don’t want us to get complacent.”
Albie understood. “Fair enough.”
Percy held the bucket to his chest. “I’ll milk the cow. You turn the horses out. And the eggs need collecting, and water from the well.”
Albie chuckled. “Yes, boss.”
Percy shot him an amused glare, all fire, no heat. But then he got to work and Albie did the same.
As per usual, Percy was right.
There would be time for personal matters later. Even though Albie could barely think of anything else, he did manage to get the morning chores done, and by the time they all sat at the table for breakfast, Albie had worked up an appetite.
And Elsie’s porridge was a far cry better than Albie’s. He’d expected Robert to make a comment, but he was too busy shovelling it down. Elsie had also made proper bread, not a damper, and they toasted it over the fire with butter and eggs, and even the tea tasted better.
It was the best thing Albie could remember eating.
It made for four happy men, that was for certain.
They set off to get their work done with full bellies and smiles, and the best part was that Albie didn’t have to clean up. Elsie shooed him away when he’d offered, and he didn’t need telling twice.
“Percy and I will go check the rabbit traps,” Albie announced. Given the weather looked clear, Des and Robert were heading to bring the pregnant cows up the paddock closer to the homestead for spring, and they could handle that easily enough.
They set off on foot, not needing their horses, heading to check their traps, walking in silence. Though Albie couldn’t help stealing a few glances at Percy as they made their way from the house.
“I was thinking,” Albie said. “About last night. In fact, I’ve not been able to think of much else. I fear I may never want to do anything other than take you to bed.”
Percy shot him a bewildered look, his face red, then he looked around as if someone might overhear, his hand to his forehead. “Albie! You can’t say such things.”
He laughed, looking back at the homestead. “There’s no one around. Tell me you’ve thought of anything but what we did last night.”
Percy grabbed his arm, trying to put a hand over Albie’s mouth. “I will beg you to not say such things out loud.”
Albie dodged his hand but didn’t miss the opportunity to sling his arm across Percy’s shoulder. Percy quickly shoved him away, then stopped walking. “That’s it. I’m going back to catch up with Des and Robert.”
Albie burst out laughing, but he took Percy’s arm and dragged him forward. “No, please spend the day with me. I promise only my best behaviour from now onward.”
Percy glared at him again. “No more talk of... that.”
“I promise. Until tonight, when we are in bed again. I will be talking of these things and doing so much more.”
Percy stopped walking again, this time letting his head fall back with a groan. “Now I’ll be thinking of that all day long. How am I supposed to get any work done?”
Albie laughed, and this time hooked his arm around Percy’s neck, not letting go as they continued to walk. It felt good to joke and laugh, to be free to act in such a way.
They took their three snared rabbits back to the homestead to a grateful Elsie. Clara was out of her room, sitting by the table and looking a little brighter. She was churning butter, trying to be useful, Elsie had explained with a roll of her eyes and a fond smile.
Percy and Albie turned the hay in the loft and then spent a few hours hunting kangaroo, shooting a decent-sized one that would do for meat, fur, and the remaining carcass for the dogs.
When they came back, carrying the beast between them, they found Elsie tilling soil in the vegetable garden with a long-handled hoe. She stopped, stretched her back, and wiped her brow with the back of her hand. “A good shot, I see,” she said with a smile.
Percy laughed. “He missed the first three. But four bullets isn’t a bad price for a week’s meat.”
