‘About thirty years ago,’ Tilly agreed. ‘But the roads had nothing to do with the property owners. Some mining company made them for mineral exploration. They stop and start and run in all directions. What makes it confusing is that the station incorporated bits of them into their own roads – which we use – so you can be driving along and there’s a sudden choice of tracks. Luke,’ she added bitterly, ‘says you ignore the ones that aren’t headed east or north or wherever you’re going. Huh! All very fine if you happen to know which direction that is.’

‘I see.’ Jane nodded. ‘That’s like my dad – he always knows which way to unscrew nuts and jar lids and I never do. It must be a male thing. Never mind, Luke thinks you’re great anyhow.’

‘He’s not bad himself,’ Tilly said and was rewarded with a brilliant smile.

Jane was only staying for a week, so Tilly spent most of her time with her and Luke, except when it was her turn in the kitchen. Wearing gloves, their visitor gamely collected wood, helped roll up long strings of rusted wire, filled and lumped away buckets of ash from the donkey heater at the camp, and learnt to feed the youngest joey.

‘You all work really hard. I had no idea,’ she said one evening, trimming split and ragged nails. ‘I feel like I’ve run a marathon today.’

‘Oh, you toughen up after a while,’ Tilly answered. ‘I’m just coming good now myself. You should clip your nails really short – even the gloves won’t stop them breaking. So, just one more day. When will you two lovebirds meet again?’

‘Christmas, I guess.’ Her pretty mouth drooped. ‘It’s a long time to wait.’

‘But it’ll pass,’ Tilly encouraged. ‘It’s only six months. You do know Luke is absolutely crazy about you?’

‘He’s wonderful,’ she said, sighing. Tilly, eyeing her wide brown eyes and the delicate flush on her cheeks, felt a pang for her youth and ignorance of what life could do to dreams as the girl continued. ‘We’re getting engaged at Christmas. He said we’ll marry when I finish my degree. I’d chuck it tomorrow, but he said no, it’s important and I have to finish.’

‘It’s good that he’s prepared to wait,’ Tilly agreed. ‘Patience is one of his strengths.’

Jane giggled. ‘Like silence is Matt’s? Does that man ever manage more than a sentence at a time?’