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Life was busy.
Percy never mentioned the brumbies again, though he did still help Albie with his reading and with the sums in the ledger. Albie was getting so good at it, Percy doubted he’d need his help much longer but he was reluctant to say that.
He enjoyed their time at the table, knees and shoulders pressed together over the books.
Percy had been reluctant the last few nights in bed too. Too afraid to start something that might end up with what he’d wished for. So he’d opted for cuddling and falling asleep in Albie’s strong arms instead.
Well, he hadn’t been so reluctant when Albie had an erection problem that morning when he’d woken up. He sat on the edge of the bed, as if he didn’t want to trouble Percy, and Percy was all too happy to kneel between his feet and take his problem into his mouth.
And for the first time, he hadn’t pulled back when Albie spilled his seed.
Percy drank it instead.
Hot and salty, but oh-so rewarding.
Albie had fallen back onto the bed, groaning out a laugh. But given it was already sunup, he made the promise to return the favour that night.
Percy had to sit through breakfast with tented trousers as he couldn’t seem to think of anything else. It didn’t help that Albie was smiling as he ate his porridge, and he swore he caught Des looking between them.
When they’d barely finished their cups of tea, the dogs began to bark and Robert got to the door first. He opened it to show two men riding toward the house at a gallop.
Something was wrong.
The four men rushed outside to greet them. Elsie stayed inside by the door, hidden from view, and Clara was nowhere to be found. Percy didn’t blame her.
Because the two men who rode up to the veranda, not even getting off their horses, were Williams and McAllister’s foreman, Bill Kelly. They pulled hard on their horses, turning in a tight circle.
It was Kelly who spoke, his Irish accent strong. “McAllister’s youngest, little Christopher, is missing. Was not in his bed this morning. We searched the barn, the stables, the pens. He’s nowhere. Don’t know how long he’s been gone. Early morning, we suspect.”
Albie pointed to the stables. “Robert, saddle the horses.” In a flash, Robert turned and raced to toward the stables.
“He’s a wild one,” Kelly added. “Three years old, not an ounce of fear in him.”
“Did you check the well?” Des asked.
The two men stared at him, Percy felt ill at the thought, and it was Williams who nodded. “Yes. Thank the Lord above, it was covered. But we checked it all the same.”
Albie was already pulling on his coat. “We’ll head adjacent to your boundary.”
Kelly gave a tip of his hat. “Much obliged.”
“Fire a shot in the air if you find him,” Williams said.
Now, Percy had no time for Williams, and he knew no one here missed him now he was gone. He was also responsible for trying to force himself upon Clara, so Percy could only imagine the restraint it took Elsie not to come outside swinging for his head.
But there was a child missing.
McAllister’s child, no less. And no one here was overly fond of McAllister either. But in times such as these, differences were put aside and people banded together to help.
Percy, Albie, Robert, and Des rode out, southward, as Albie had said they would. It was likely that the kid walked out the back of his house and kept on walking, so that was the direction they went.
Albie and Percy went left, closer to McAllister’s property line, while Robert and Des veered slightly right.
“Christopher!” Albie called out, top of his lungs.
Then Percy did too, and after a few seconds, they heard Robert, some distance away, yell the same.
“How far can a three-year-old walk?” Percy wondered out loud. “In this scrub, no less.”
