‘We’ve had too much of everything,’ replied Rebecca as she stubbed out her own cigarette and breathed in the aroma of the coffee. ‘Too many cigarettes, too much worry, too many people needing our help.’ She gave a weary chuckle. ‘But definitely not enough sleep.’

She sipped the hot and fiercely strong coffee, which had lots of sugar in it and very little milk. If this didn’t wake her up, nothing would. She looked out to the street, wondering where on earth Danny and Django were, and how much longer it would be before they came home.

She’d been thinking a lot about Django’s message to Amy, and she was fairly certain now that the Aboriginal elder knew more than he was letting on. Why else was he so certain that Danny was safe with Miller? Did he know him? Was Miller local after all? That reasoning was certainly logical – but even so, the man’s determination to make a mystery out of himself didn’t make sense. She finally gave up speculating. Her brain was sluggish, she was tired to the very bone and nothing made sense any more.

‘Oh, my God, look,’ breathed Sandra.

They turned as one and slowly got to their feet as they stared at the strange sight that was emerging from the track that led to the main road.

Delilah was riding the stock horse, with Millicent Cooper wedged in front of her, her newborn baby wrapped in a cardigan sling over her chest. The horse was pulling a travois, and lashed to the wooden slats was a man.

‘Mum! Mum! Delilah’s back and she’s got Dad.’

Terence and Sandra were already down the steps and racing to help Millicent down from the horse and check on Hugh when Jane hurried on to the veranda.

Her face was ashen as she took in the scene. ‘Oh, God,’ she breathed through trembling fingers. ‘He’s not dead, is he?’ Before Becky could reply or stop her, she’d slammed through the outer screen and was flying across the street.

Rebecca raced after her. Hugh’s colour was as ashen as her mother’s, his breathing laboured. But his eyelids fluttered and he groaned as they quickly untied the vines that lashed him to the travois and gently transferred him to the stretcher Enid Harper had brought.

‘What happened, Millicent?’ Rebecca asked sharply as they hurried up the steps and into the hospital.