“Oh!” Paula couldn’t believe the rush of excitement that surged through her. “Do you think so?” Her mother had asked several times if they could go to Sydney but Paula hadn’t liked to broach the subject with Dan. She wasn’t going to go without him.

“Often we’re still reaping over Christmas but I can’t see it happening this year. It’s only November and we’re well under way.” He waved the empty paper towel under her nose. “Any more of these?”

“One.” She turned to get it while a million thoughts swirled around in her head. Christmas with her family. Once again it only reminded her of how much she really missed them all.

“Don’t go booking tickets yet,” Dan said softly. “I’m still not sure how things will pan out.”

“Of course I won’t.” She ducked her head back into the boot trying to compose the excitement she knew was written all over her face. “Do you want something more to eat? I’ve brought sweets.”

Paula barely stopped talking while he finished his pastie and tucked in to the yoghurt and strawberries. She kept off the subject of Christmas but told him all about her pastie-making exploits and the stories she’d heard from Dara about happenings in town.

Eventually Dan stood up and stretched. “I’d rather stay and chat but I’ve got to get back to it. Thanks for lunch. Those pasties were terrific.” He pushed his hat onto his head and strode away.

Paula shut the boot then remembered the pup.

“Dan,” she called after him, “any idea when you’ll be in tonight?”

“Could be late, I want to keep going while the weather’s warm. There’s supposed to be a cool change coming.”

He climbed into the tractor and she waved as he closed the door. Somehow she hoped to keep the pup hidden until the morning. She was a bit nervous about her gift now. In Dan’s current state she was unsure how he would react to her bringing home the young dog without consulting him. The tractor roared to life and she hurried to get into the car, berating herself as she went. The pup was Dan’s birthday present, for goodness sake. Even though he was tired, he couldn’t be grumpy about it. Surely one look at the dear little creature would melt his heart.

* * *

“Hello! Paula, are you there?”

Rowena stuck her head through the door into the enclosed back verandah. Tarzan had greeted her at the gate and no one had responded to her earlier knock but she thought she’d heard a noise, a whining sound coming from inside.

A thud sounded from the laundry. She held Tarzan back with her foot as she let herself in and shut the door. She had heard something.

“Paula?” she called again.