One more hour then her journey would be complete and who would have envisioned that her arrival would be under such fraught conditions? She felt like she had been travelling forever after four weeks at sea and then these last few days, and as they were now on the home stretch Maggie sensed with immense relief that help was just around the corner.
She was still in awe at the vast empty land around her and how mesmerising the horizon was as it seemed to pulsate in the late afternoon sun. Yes, she was used to open spaces but nothing like this. The English open spaces were filled with green fields aplenty in richness of soil and fruit. In comparison was the sparse greenery here and mile upon mile of red earth and desert, not forgetting those damn pesky flies. And the ants? Maggie couldn’t believe the size of the ants, they were giants compared to the ones back home and they looked like they had a nasty bite to them as well.
She silently chastised herself: I must simply stop comparing. This is home now.
Chapter Seven
“FLOOR IT MAGGIE!” screamed Mrs Heppler from the back as Maggie rammed the accelerator to its limit for the last couple of miles. With her foot almost horizontal, she literally flew around the last paddock and into the large Station yard pumping the horn like crazy and then slamming down on the brake with both feet. The truck skidded over the gravel propelling a multitude of loose stones up and under the mud guards. The loud dings sounded like metal popcorn before coming to an abrupt halt within a dust cloud.
The dramatic arrival had the desired effect with people rushing out to see what the commotion was all about. They recognised the truck but not the driver. Maggie was suddenly surrounded by strangers and a pack of excitable barking kelpies as she climbed down from the cab.
“Please someone help Mrs Heppler in the back,” directed Maggie. Introductions would come later.
“IN HERE, QUICK!” shouted Mrs Heppler, as she jumped from the trailer and organised people. Emily was carefully carried inside the homestead. Mrs McKinnley ran down the hallway to a guest bedroom, flung open the door and quickly arranged the pillows as a man as big as a mountain carried Emily into the room.
Mrs Heppler followed Mr McKinnley senior to his office where he radioed the Royal Flying Doctor Service, explaining what had happened. A doctor spoke to Mrs Heppler, telling her what she needed to do, but with pending nightfall and the vastness of the Station, the earliest they could get a plane and a doctor to them would be first light. When Mrs Heppler went to check on Emily, Mrs McKinnley and Elsa, the kitchen hand, had already washed and dressed her in a night gown. Mrs Heppler gave Emily some medication as advised, and Emily had also managed to drink some water and looked a little better for it, relieved that the journey was finally over. Then she lay back, glad to be in a real bed, and drifted back to sleep.
“Elsa will stay with Emily while I’ll make you a cuppa Mrs Heppler,” said Mrs McKinnley as she gently led her back to the kitchen.
“Thank you, that would be grand. Thought it was touch and go for a little while back there and that’s why I asked Maggie to floor it… MAGGIE!” Mrs Heppler put her hand to her mouth in shock, she had completely forgotten about Maggie.
“I’m fine, Mrs Heppler,” said Maggie, as she met them at the kitchen doorway. “And Emily is in good hands from what I hear.”
“Yes, she is. Thank you love.”
By this time everyone assumed correctly that the crazy racing driver was Maggie from England. What an entrance! Maggie shook hands as brief introductions were made and she was grateful for the hot cup of tea. She was also thankful that the truck had stopped when it did and that she hadn’t run over any of those beautiful kelpies. What an awkward start that would have been.
There were so many people in the kitchen that all of a sudden, when the shock of the arrival had worn off, she began to feel slightly uncomfortable. Mrs Heppler sensed this and ushered all those not required to be there out of the kitchen. Mr and Mrs McKinnley embraced Maggie like a long-lost daughter.
“Welcome Maggie,” they both said together.
“Thank you, it’s great to be here. I just wish it happened under better circumstances,” she said, as they both nodded.
Next to be introduced was Sylvia McKinnley, who looked bored and offish as she gave a brief flimsy handshake and a barely audible ‘hello’. Then there was Sylvia’s brother Jack. Maggie was suddenly conscious that she was covered in dust and grime and her hair was completely wild.
“Maggie,” said Jack. They shook hands. His touch made her pulse race and she felt slightly breathless as she looked into his brown eyes, captivated by his long lashes. “It’s so lovely to finally meet you after all these years and I can tell straight away that life won’t be boring with you around.” He smiled, causing a dimple on his right cheek. They both laughed as Maggie felt her heart melt.
“Thank you, Jack, it’s so lovely to meet you too.” He is dreamy, she thought.
“After your tea,” said Mrs Heppler, noticing with interest the obvious spark between the two, “how about a long bath Maggie? We could both use one, you take the bathroom in the homestead and I’ll go across to the quarters.”
“You read my mind Mrs Heppler, a bath sounds perfect.”
Mrs Heppler and Mrs McKinnley led Maggie back down the hallway to the guest room that would be Maggie’s from now on.
“While you’re having a bath,” said Mrs McKinnley, “I’ll get one of the boys to bring in your belongings, so you can change into something more…”
“Clean?” Maggie joked as she looked down at her unkempt and grubby appearance.
“Right,” said Mrs McKinnley as the women laughed.
Later on, Mrs McKinnley knocked on Maggie’s door, as it had been a while since she went off for her bath. When there was no answer she quietly stepped in and found that Maggie was in bed fast asleep. She covered her with a blanket and told the others in the kitchen that it was probably best to leave her until the morning.
Around seven the next morning Maggie stepped through to the kitchen to find Mrs Heppler, Mrs McKinnley and Elsa, as the others had left already for work.
“Sorry about last night,” apologised Maggie. “Thank you Elsa,” as Elsa handed her a cup of tea. “How is Emily this morning?”
“She got through the night alright,” said Mrs Heppler who looked as though she hadn’t slept at all. “The RFDS plane arrived a little while ago and the doctor and nurse are in with her now. We’re not sure at this stage if they will be treating her here or if they will take her with them. I’m just grateful they are here. It’s been a bloody awful few days.”
“Yes, it has,” said Maggie, feeling extremely guilty that she had slept and hadn’t sat with Mrs Heppler. “It’s good they are here.”
The women had some tea and Mrs McKinnley insisted that Mrs Heppler have a good breakfast to keep her strength up while guiding her to sit in the rocking chair. During the time it took Elsa to prepare some eggs, Mrs Heppler dozed off.
“Thought that would do the trick,” Mrs McKinnley said to Maggie smiling. “We’ll wake her when we have some news.”
“Very clever,” said Maggie smiling back and instantly liking Mrs McKinnley. She was petite with brown, greying hair and had a pleasant, kind face. Sylvia looked a lot like her mother, but her face wasn’t as friendly, although Maggie didn’t want to judge her too harshly on one brief meeting. Even so, she knew instinctually that Sylvia would be hard to get to know.
Mrs McKinnley awoke Mrs Heppler when the doctor and nurse returned to the kitchen some time later. The doctor explained the procedure that they performed and stated that Emily had developed a nasty infection, but it was good that her fever was improving. He reassured Mrs Heppler that giving her the aspirin and sleeping tablets had helped, given the desperate circumstances,