‘Mmm.’ Tilly hesitated. ‘Look, I can’t tell you why now, but maybe don’t say anything to him about Matt until we’ve had a chance to talk? You might want to change your mind.’

Sophie’s brows knitted in puzzlement. ‘Why would I?’

‘Just don’t.’ Tilly could hear steps in the hallway. ‘Trust me. I’ll tell you later. It’s important, Soph.’ Then their visitor entered the room, rubbing his hands together.

‘Something smells good! I could eat a horse – or a good part of one, anyway. The boys tell me you’re a great cook, Tilly.’

She smiled, hoping Sophie would heed her words. ‘I try. And you’ll be happy to know we can do better than horse.’

Her cousin, Tilly thought, had taken her warning seriously, for over dinner Sophie talked about Binboona and her ideas for it if the Sandstone proposal went ahead, asserting that Graeme would see why she was so keen on it when she took him out in the morning. She said nothing, however, about any plans for the afternoon.

He may have been the financial director of the company, but it was obvious that McGuire had spent time in the ranks as well. He had been with the Tasmanian Wilderness Society in the early eighties, working with those protesting the Gordon-below-Franklin Dam. He was knowledgeable about birds and had lived in his share of wild places, curdling Tilly’s blood with an account of once waking up to find that he was sharing his swag with a brown snake. She had closed her eyes in horror, muttering, ‘God! I’d have died of fright regardless of whether it bit me. It didn’t, did it – bite you?’

‘Thankfully no. It was a long way back to town.’

‘Shoulda had a greenhide rope with you,’ Matt said. ‘Old stationhand trick. Lay it down and make a loop around your bed with it, and the snake follows it round but won’t cross it.’

‘Really?’ Tilly was doubtful. ‘Does it work?’

He shrugged, his gaze sliding away to the pepperpot. ‘There’s blokes who believe it.’

‘And if it’s never been tested, they assume it’s true.’ Luke nodded sagely.

When the meal was over, Sophie and Graeme removed themselves to the lounge, while Matt took a torch and went out with a muttered word about the generator and Luke stayed to wipe up for Tilly.

She lifted her brows at him. ‘What’s brought this on?’

‘I’m being tactful, letting the bosses get on with it without the help hanging over their shoulders. Besides, I’m damned if I’m going to bed just to stay out of their hair.’

‘Very diplomatic. How’s Jane these days?’