‘That was Luke’s intention. One of the rangers – he built it. He told me he caught a big catfish once that had a bush canary in it. He must’ve snapped it down from the surface when it came to drink. We see all sorts on the basin, finches, flycatchers . . . Would you rather tea or coffee, Connor?’

‘Oh, tea please, if it’s no trouble. So Luke’s keen on birds?’

Tilly smiled. ‘Keen on everything that swims or grows or flies. The environment, and protecting it, really matters to him. Well, it does to Matt too, and Sophie of course, but Luke’s still young and his enthusiams tend to bubble over. But I understand botany’s your field?’

‘Yep, field work and research. What about you?’ His gaze, she noticed, had fallen to the wedding ring on her hand. ‘Is the other chap your husband?’

‘Matt? No,’ she said composedly. ‘I’m widowed. I am related to Sophie Barker though – she’s my cousin. I got the job through her.’

‘I’m sorry. You’re very young for that.’ He laid the binoculars aside and drew a chair to the table where Tilly had poured his tea. ‘Thanks. So how do you find it here? Not too quiet for you?’

‘No.’ Sitting down, she offered the cake she’d cut and stirred her own tea. ‘I’m used to it and I love caring for the animals the others find – injured ones and orphans. We have a couple of joeys at present, a possum that Matt found with its foot jammed in the crack of a hollow tree, a brolga and a butcherbird who broke his wing somehow. I expect we’ll never get rid of him.’

‘No, real opportunists, they are,’ Connor agreed. He had a friendly smile and seemed to be enjoying the cake. Tilly took a piece herself to encourage him. ‘Was the brolga a chick?’

She frowned. ‘Full grown but damaged. The poor thing’s lost half his beak. He nearly starved before they found him. Luke thinks it was a dogtrap that did it. I suppose it’s possible – there are any number of dingoes about and I understand that their scalps are worth quite a bit. Poor Harry will be a permanent resident, I think.’

‘Harry?’

‘It’s what I call him.’

‘And he’s doing okay? How long have you had him?’