Gwyneth had told the rest of her family to go on ahead while she had a few minutes with Sal. She tucked her hand into the crook of the girl’s arm so they could cross the rough ground of the graveyard to the wooden bench that stood beneath a drooping pepper tree. Once they were seated, they sat for a while in silent contemplation of the newly dug mounds of earth.

‘I didn’t realise you were going to open the pub so soon,’ said Gwyneth.

‘It’s not out of lack of respect,’ she replied, ‘but I needed something to do to take my mind off things. Bert tried his best to ruin me, but knowing Max has given me the strength to fight back. He’ll never beat me again.’

‘You’ve said that before,’ Gwyneth reminded her.

‘It’s different this time. Bert has gone, and I doubt any of us will see him again.’ She stroked Brandy’s head as he rested his soft muzzle on her knee. ‘I’m going away for a while,’ she said, ‘and I’ve asked Annie and Sean to take over until I come back.’

‘You’re going back to Max’s cabin, aren’t you?’

Sal nodded. ‘If it hasn’t burnt to the ground I’ll stay there until I’ve come to terms with things. You see, I need to decide what to do next. Max’s agent seems to think I have a real talent and it would be a sin to waste it. But I’m not ready yet to commit myself to anything.’

Gwyneth took her hand. ‘Then take my old utility, go back to Warratah Forest and take your time to heal,’ she advised. ‘The answers will come eventually – and when you’re ready, you’ll feel stronger and more confident to walk a new path.’

Sal’s smile was tremulous as she helped Gwyneth to her feet and they began to stroll away from the cemetery and down the street. ‘Thanks for everything,’ she said. ‘You’ve been such a dear, wise friend.’

‘I’m much older than you, so of course I’m wiser,’ she retorted. ‘There’s no need for all this soft talk, Sal. We know each other too well.’

Sal helped her up the steps and Gwyneth plumped down in her favourite veranda chair. ‘I’ll sit here awhile and keep an eye on things,’ she said. ‘The ponies will be looked after, and the keys to the ute are on the kitchen dresser. Go and find your future, Sal, and when you’re ready, you can come back and tell me all about it.’

*