Dust on the Horizon (57 page)

Joseph leapt to his feet then knelt in front of her taking her hands in his. He looked up into her tear-stained face. “Something good, Millie. We have to hang onto something good.”

She nodded. “I didn't want to tell you because I thought you would be so angry you might do something silly, like go after Jack.”

“We must tell the constable.”

“No.” Millie's tone was sharp and she shook her head. “What would I say? And what could the constable do? It's my word against his and I can't bear any more, Joseph.”

“We can't let him get away with it. He threatened you.”

“Your father sent Jack away. I don't think he'll come back again.”

“But he might hurt someone else.”

Once more Millie shook her head and the tears pooled in her eyes. “I'm sorry Joseph but I can't face it.”

He pulled her into his arms. “All right. Shhh.” He stroked her back and rocked her gently.

His thoughts turned to Jack and it was as if fire ran through his veins. Joseph would say nothing more to Millie but he knew what he had to do. There was only one way to atone for Robert's injuries and for what Jack had done to Millie. Joseph had to kill Jack Aldridge.

In the gloomy light of the room next door William lay on his bed keeping as still as his fury would let him. Like Millie he had been trying to get some rest out of the heat. Outside there was not a breath of air. The sun was hidden behind the thickening clouds. There was no relief from its ferocity and yet William sensed something was building. Like a festering boil there was little to see until it exploded. Not a creature stirred except his father, even the birds had gone quiet as if waiting for something to happen. Inside his room the air was so hot it was like a great weight pressing down on him. He had been just about to get up and help his father with the hammering when Millie had spoken. William had remained silent and through the thin wall he had heard most of what had been said.

He should have told his father about Jack's visit that day he'd almost bailed Millie up and William had fired a shot. Perhaps they would have dealt with their vile neighbour then and there and saved Millie and Robert from their injuries. William didn't blame Millie for the accident. It was Jack Aldridge's fault and he would have to pay for all the grief he'd caused.

Forty-nine

1889

Huge clouds rolled overhead as Henry rode up the hill to Smith's Ridge. There had been no movement of air when he'd left Hawker now the wind whipped at his coat and swirled dust in his face. Something was brewing. A low rumble reverberated behind him. Henry didn't expect anything much would come of it. For three years they'd had little more than showers of rain. A hawk wheeled overhead screeching its lonely cry into the wind.

Henry shuddered as a shiver ran down his back. He had been riding since early morning and his behind ached along with his back. The only reason he'd come by horse was to get here quickly and then be ready for a swift departure.

His anger at Jack Aldridge had deepened with every hour he drew closer to Smith's Ridge. Jack's audacity at coming into Henry's home, playing up to Catherine and then leaving a sign of his presence was beyond endurance. Jack had to go and Henry was going to convince him with the last of the money he'd been able to scrounge and the point of a gun.

With Jack gone he would be able to rid himself of the burden of Smith's Ridge. It would leave him only his shop and business was poor. To top it off he'd been ousted from the council at their last meeting. The council had survived but the number of councillors had been cut from ten to five and Henry had lost his position. He hated the thought of it but his only option would be to sell up and move back to Adelaide. He blew out a breath. At least his mother and Catherine would be pleased.

Henry halted his horse before he reached the clearing around the house. The noise of the wind covered any sounds he might make. He needed to sneak up on Jack and put himself in a position of advantage. The firearm felt comfortable in his hands now. He had stopped along the way to practise. He'd found it easy to imagine the large swirls of bark on a tree were Jack's face. Even so, Henry hoped his threats and the money would be enough to send his half-brother away for good.

The sound of hammering drew his attention towards the shearing shed. Henry smiled. Jack was up a ladder fighting with a piece of loose iron on the roof. How very convenient. Here was a way to rid himself of Jack, permanently. His death would be made to look like an accident. A wayward shot during a fall from a ladder while carrying a firearm was perfect.

William had left home before the sun had come up enough to reveal the murky sky. His family would assume he'd gone early to check fences and waterholes as he often did. The light grey clouds of morning had turned to thick dark clouds as he'd ridden towards Smith's Ridge and the wind had grown. In the distance he heard the first low rumbling of thunder. The skin on the back of his neck prickled. He peered up at the sky. The clouds were black and tumbling at speed just above the ridges. He prayed there would be rain in them.

He'd arrived by mid-afternoon and found a vantage point in the trees to the east of the house. His horse was tethered well away out of sight. Jack Aldridge's gun rested on the ground beside him. William had taken it from his grandfather's house while Thomas was sleeping. He thought about how he could use the gun to make Jack's death look like an accidental shooting. For hours he'd watched Jack come and go, feeding horses, working on a broken rail in their yard and then beginning to batten things down as the wind had grown stronger. A piece of the shearing shed roof had started to clang and Jack had made his way up there and was now on a ladder trying to fix it.

William's innards rumbled and churned as if something was clawing its way about inside him. He swallowed the saliva that pooled in his mouth and picked up the gun. The branches over his head tossed harder and somewhere more iron clanged. He took a deep breath. If he was going to do this he had to do it now. A movement caught his eye beyond the shed. He peered out from his tree. It was a man taking careful steps. William couldn't make out who it was but he could see that the man carried a gun.

Joseph had made good time to reach Smith's Ridge by late afternoon. He had followed the ridge top at the back of the sheds. This property had been his and he knew it better than anyone. From his vantage point beyond the shearing shed he had a clear view of everything.

He hadn't been able to leave too early this morning. Not after Millie's outpouring yesterday and then their tender lovemaking last night. She'd been so hesitant to even let him touch her. It had broken his heart that his happy, loving Millie had been so frightened by Jack's attack. He loved her so much he only hoped that love could bring back the woman he knew. It would take some healing but she had accepted his love and gently offered it back. Last night had been the beginning. Now he was here to avenge her and his son's injuries. Jack Aldridge was going to pay.

The weather was getting wilder. The clouds overhead were almost black and he could see lightning in the distance and thunder echoed across the hills. How ironic if they finally got some decent rain. Jack's death would bring new life.

Joseph tethered his horse and settled to watch. The clanging of iron drew his attention, and Aldridge's. Joseph watched as the bastard of a man took a ladder and moved to the shed. He disappeared from Joseph's sight then reappeared on the roof. Joseph raised his firearm. It would be the perfect shot but Jack was too far away.

A clap of thunder sounded closer and a few drops of rain began to fall. Joseph pushed his hat firmly on his head and started down the ridge.

Jack was hammering the last nail into the iron when a loud clap of thunder overhead made him jump and he almost lost his footing. The wind whipped at him and large drops of rain clattered over the iron. The air quivered around him. He'd done enough. It was time to go inside and wait out the storm. The ladder wobbled precariously below him as he moved down a step.

“Stay there.”

Jack looked down in surprise at the figure standing below him. It was Henry and he was pointing a firearm at him. Stupid fool.

Henry shook the ladder and Jack slipped down one rung.

“What are you doing, Henry?” He slid down one more rung as Henry was startled by a flash of lightning.

“You're going to have an accident, Jack.” Henry's face was split in a malicious grin. He wobbled the ladder again.

Jack hung on tighter, assessing the distance between himself and the ground. “What's the matter, Henry,” he called calmly. “Has something upset you?”

“You living and breathing.” Henry shouted over the rumble of thunder. “That's what upsets me, Jack.”

Jack judged he was close enough to jump. The next time Henry shook the ladder Jack sent his weight to one side. The ladder toppled sideways and Jack jumped to the ground, knocking Henry over as he went. Jack spied the iron bar he used to dig holes leaning against the shed, scooped it up and spun to face his brother. Henry was still sprawled on the ground trying to reach his firearm. Jack got to it first. He used the butt of it to hit Henry across the forehead. His brother fell back groaning.

“What were you planning to do with this, Henry?” he yelled into the wind.

“Shoot you, I think.”

Jack spun. William was crossing the yard, the firearm in his hands raised.

“So you took my gun.” Jack laughed. “You've come a long way to shoot wild dogs, boy.”

William raised the firearm to his eye and looked down the barrel. “I have one in my sights right now.”

Jack stopped laughing. The stupid boy was probably a good shot. He'd better be careful. He dropped the gun but not the bar. He flicked a look from William to Henry who was still moaning on the ground, then another movement caught his eye. Joseph Baker was coming from beside the shearing shed, only feet away. Jack saw surprise on William's face. He swung the iron bar and connected with the boy's shoulder. William let out a yell and fell to the ground clutching his arm.

“William!”

Jack spun, swinging wildly with the bar, as Joseph called out. He missed the man but knocked the firearm from his hands. Joseph reeled back but Jack brought the bar around knocking his feet from under him.

“Stupid fools.” Jack bellowed.

“Why didn't you shoot him, Baker?” Henry was struggling to sit up.

Jack kept an eye on Joseph and shoved out his boot to push Henry back.

“Now, now, brother. None of you are a match for Jack Aldridge. It's about time you realised that.”

Joseph shook his head and dragged himself to his feet. “This bastard is your brother?”

Jack sneered at him through the rain that was falling more heavily now. “You got that right. I'm not only his bastard brother but a black one.” He looked back at Henry. “That's what you hate more than anything else, isn't it Henry? Not that you're supporting me to live here and that the lease is to be mine. It's the colour of my skin that matters most.”

“You're nothing but a black bastard, Jack.” Henry shouted the words. “Nothing will change that.”

“I don't know. With you out of the way that delightful wife of yours would need a good man to warm her bed.”

Henry flailed his arm weakly in the air. Jack bellowed with laughter.

Joseph came at him again, but Jack swung the bar, knocking him back to the ground. Joseph lay back, clutching at his chest, gasping for breath. Jack had had enough of this. He'd have to kill the lot of them or they'd do him in. Self-defence it would be. He stood over Joseph and raised the iron bar.

“Your pretty wife tell you how much I enjoyed her?”

Joseph kicked out with his legs but Jack jumped out of reach.

“Father!”

Jack cast a sideways glance at William. Somehow the boy had managed to get on to his feet and the gun was back in his hands. One of his shoulders was lower than the other but he was aiming the gun at Jack again. This time he was too far away for Jack to disarm.

“Don't do it, William.” Joseph's voice was firm.

Jack grinned back at the boy. “Better listen to your father.”

The weather was wild around them, drowning out the sound of their voices. Lightening flashed and crackled with thunderclaps so loud they hurt Joseph's ears. He took small breaths and managed to get some air into his lungs. The blow from the bar had winded him and his chest was agony. He looked frantically from Jack to William. He saw the hesitation on his son's face and knew Jack had seen it too. Joseph struggled to his feet but Jack kicked out before he could reach William and knocked the gun from the boy's hands. Jack let out a rage-filled roar. The air crackled and fizzed. Joseph's skin prickled and the hairs on his arms stood up. Jack spun, raising the iron bar as he went to swing at Joseph.

A huge bang shook the ground around them accompanied by a flash of light so bright it illuminated the yard, forcing Joseph to put up his arm to shield his eyes. There was a scream. Joseph dropped his arm. William and Henry were staring down in horror at the lifeless form of Jack Aldridge. William cried out and put a hand to his mouth. Jack's hands and arms were blackened, his hair smouldering and one boot had been flung from his foot. The terrible smell of burned flesh reached them.

Another clap of thunder and crash of lightening broke their stupor. Thomas was the first to inspect Jack. He bent down and looked closer at the body sprawled on the ground.

“He's dead.”

The words spurred Henry into action. “We should get inside out of this storm before anyone else gets hurt.”

Joseph glanced at Henry. His face was grotesque, covered in blood and mingled with the rain it was turning his white collar pink.

“Are you all right?” Joseph reached out a hand.

Henry nodded and let Joseph help him up. Joseph drew the silent William under his other arm and together the three of them stumbled down the slope to the house, with the wind roaring in their ears and whipping at their clothes.