Jules looked excitedly at Matt. “I definitely liked that first pinot, so I’ll get some of that.” She leant in close to him, “Although, it’s not as good as yours,” she whispered conspiratorially.

He grinned at her. “Told ya, but it is good to mix it up from time to time.”

*

They were back on the trail, heading to winery number two, when Jules heard a call from the rear of the group—Andie. “Matt, keep calm, but there’s a tiger snake just off the trail to the left there.” Jules’s head spun, and she caught sight of Matt’s terrified expression, his eyes locking onto hers across the thirty feet between their horses. “Just keep calm,” continued Andie, “and slowly lead Oreo off trail to the right. If she sees it, she’ll shy.”

Jules saw Matt nod sharply and pull gently on the right rein. Oreo resisted and flicked her head back; she must have caught sight of the snake. One moment she had all four hooves on the ground and a moment later, her front legs pawed the air and Jules watched, horrified, as Matt was flung off Oreo and into the scrub next to the trail.

“Matt!” Hers wasn’t the only voice calling him, but everything and everyone else receded into the background. She swung a leg over Gingernut, both feet landing on the ground at the same time, then broke into a sprint to get to him.

Fortunately, Oreo had thrown him off on the right side of the trail, away from the snake. But when Jules arrived at his feet, he was grimacing and holding his right wrist. She knelt next to Matt. “Are you okay?” she asked breathlessly.

Jase appeared beside her. “Mate, how’s your wrist. Show me.” Matt winced as he let go of his wrist and Jase took hold of it gently, turning it slowly, seeming to look for signs of a break. Andie knelt next to them and opened a plastic first aid kit.

“It doesn’t look broken, mate,” said Jase, “but we’ll get a splint on it just in case, okay.”

Andie went to work on Matt’s wrist, while Jules looked on helplessly. All she could do was hold his left hand, taking the brunt each time Matt squeezed it tightly in reaction to the pain.

“Ah, yeah, Jonno. We’re gonna need you to come out in the Land Rover.” Jase, on his mobile, looked around. “Uh, we’re about a click north of Red Ridge. You know where Jackson’s property backs onto the fire break. Yeah, that’s right.” Addressing Matt, he asked, “Hey, Matty, you reckon you can walk up to that gate with me? Jonno’s gonna come get ya.”

Matt nodded. “Yeah, that’s doable.”

“Can I go with Matt?” Jules asked, looking up at Jase.

“Yeah, course. Andie, when you’re done there, can you take Gingernut, and I’ll grab Oreo and follow you lot once Jonno’s here.”

“No worries,” Andie replied. She secured the end of the bandage with a silver clip, then gathered up the cellophane wrappings and put them into the first aid kit, clipping it shut. “You should be fine Matty. I don’t think there’s a break, but you’ll want to get it X-rayed, okay?”