Page 47 of Where the Wattles Bloom

As a kid, visiting the pavilions had been low on Lachlan’s list of things to do at the show. He’d rather have cut dags off sheep all day than be dragged through all the boring stuff for an hour. As a man, Lachlan appreciated not only the time and effort people put into their entries, but how things like this built and nurtured community while fostering healthy competition.

Or, in Reggie’s case, not so healthy.

They joined the lines snaking around the tables. Plates and plates of coconut ice, fudge, scones, about a dozen different biscuits and cakes as well as the jams and preserves were eagerly inspected by all and sundry and made his stomach growl.

‘I can’t see any of Reggie’s stuff,’ Rowena murmured as they walked by their second-last table.

‘They’re over there.’ He pointed to the row of tables running in a horizontal line just in front of the poles that formed the aisle at the back of the pavilion. ‘The blue ribbon tables.’

‘Ah.’ She smiled. ‘Of course.’

Once they’d shuffled past the last entries, they headed to the winners’ tables. Reggie’s scones, her fruitcake and her Christmas marmalade were sitting pretty with their fat blue rosettes.

‘Wow, they look impressive,’ Rowena said as she grabbed her phone out of the back pocket of her jeans and snapped off some pics. ‘Here.’ She picked up the marmalade and shoved it in his hand. ‘Smile and say cheese. It’s for Reggie.’

Lachlan did as she asked, chuffed not only by the fact Rowena had taken a keen interest in his grandmother’s cooking endeavours but that she obviously liked Reggie enough to do something so thoughtful.

‘I see all the red ribbons belong to Madge,’ Rowena murmured, a small smile on her mouth as she quickly texted the photo to Reggie, who was surprisingly adept at technology for her age.

‘Yep.’ Lachlan pressed his lips together to keep himself from also smiling. ‘My grandmother is on a high.’

Rowena laughed as she pocketed her phone. ‘Poor Madge.’

‘Oh god, speaking of …’ Lachlan straightened and whispered, ‘Incoming.’

Her eyes went a little large but she plastered a smile on her face as Lachlan greeted his grandmother’s greatest rival. She was a little stooped, had frizzy white hair and walked with a slight limp.

‘Afternoon, Mrs Smyth.’

‘Hello, Lachy, love.

Despite the competition between Madge and Reggie—which was usually only confined to the peak show-cooking season—Lachlan had always had a soft spot for the other woman. She was made from the same mould of tough, resilient outback women from which his grandmother had sprung, but she was more softly spoken and well … ladylike.

She also had a very kind heart.

Madge smiled at Rowena. ‘Is this your girlfriend?’

‘Oh, no,’ he hastened to assure her as Rowena went very still beside him. ‘This is Ro, the new nurse at the hospital. She’s staying at Blairgowrie for a while.’

‘Yes, right. How lovely.’ Madge smiled again, extending her hand to Rowena, who took it and shook. ‘You’re the girl that saved Silvano.’

‘Yes!’ Lachlan jumped on that subject quick as flies on a sheep’s bum to distract from the girlfriend gaffe.

‘Oh, it’s so lovely to see a young woman of your capability and talent moving to the outback and setting up house here. We need more young women, Lachy.’ Her gaze implored him for a few seconds before returning to Rowena. ‘We need more babies.’

Lachlan could see Rowena blinking like an owl on steroids in his peripheral vision. Jesus, there was an entire minefield of gaffes in that sentence. ‘I see you took out first prize in the chocolate muffins this year.’

She gave him a kindly if somewhat aggrieved look, but it had veered the subject into safer territory as Madge took the bait. ‘Only because your grandmother didn’t enter, I suspect.’ And she laughed good-naturedly.

‘Nonsense, you give Reggie a run for her money every year, and that blue for the marmalade was yours last year.’

‘Hers was definitely better this year, though,’ she said, as scrupulously fair as ever. ‘But—’ She leaned in conspiratorially and stage whispered, ‘Don’t tell her I said that.’

Lachlan laughed. ‘My lips are sealed.’

Madge nodded approvingly, her eyes sparkling. ‘Bring this one around to mine for a bite to eat one day.’ Her gaze zeroed in on Rowena. ‘I know Reggie’s lamb is second to none, my dear, but I’m no slouch in that department either, and I’d love to cook you a meal.’

‘I’d be delighted to, Mrs Smyth,’ Rowena confirmed. ‘Thank you for the invitation.’ She smiled then and earned a full ten-watter in return.