With a half-laugh, Zara said, ‘I’ve only been here about an hour. And the guys have only just arrived. I’d offer you a cup of coffee but I have no idea where the kettle is, let alone any cups.’

‘There’s a box in the kitchen labelled “kitchen gear”,’ one of the removalists said as he walked by.

‘Ha! There you go. That’s service,’ Lynda said. ‘Let’s get the kitchen unpacked. At least you’ll be able to cook.’

‘I think it’s more important to have somewhere to sleep! Let’s stay in the bedroom, since I’ve already started here. I’ll buy you a coffee to save opening boxes in every room.’ Zara went back to the bed and tucked the sheet in before unfolding her doona.

‘And where do you think you’re going to buy coffee from?’ Lynda asked as she opened a box and pulled out coathangers. Methodically she stacked them in the wardrobe, while Zara placed pillows and cushions on the freshly made bed. ‘Don’t forget you’re in the country now.’

‘Surely someone makes coffee?’

‘I’d invest in a coffee maker, but Kim at the roadhouse always makes a good brew.’

Zara filed that piece of information away before saying, ‘So how did you find Will? Has the blood transfusion made any difference yet?’ She hated asking that question.

‘A bit brighter. It always amazes me how quickly that works. How lucky we are people donate blood. He’ll be home again, resting, soon. I’ll pick him up on the way back. James was happy to let him go home.’ Lynda came over to Zara and took her hands. ‘Thank you for coming back. This is going to be such a horrible time and I really couldn’t do it without having you here.’

‘I wouldn’t have let you go through this by yourself, Mum,’ Zara answered. ‘We’ll muddle through. Just like we did when dad died. I hope this doesn’t sound awful, but at least this time we’ve got warning. We know it’s going to happen.’

‘I know. I haven’t decided if that’s a good or a bad thing. Anyway, just having you here is going to make all the difference. I was thinking about that this morning. Any questions I’ve got about the breeding and wool and things Will handled, I should be asking him now. But I don’t want to. It makes it so—’ her voice tightened as her eyes welled with tears ‘—so final.’

Zara thought her mum wanted to say something else, so she waited, but there was nothing more. In the end Zara patted her shoulder and began unpacking clothes from the suitcases, Lynda working silently alongside her.

An hour or so later, the removalist who’d driven the van stood in the doorway. ‘That’s the last of it, love. The fridge is plugged in and we put the washing machine in the laundry, if you can call it that. It’s a room out in the back garden.’

‘Thanks, guys. Really appreciate everything you’ve done. It’s been smooth sailing with you around.’