They went out into the dusky evening. The warmth was pleasant after a winter in the city. Dot got supplies out of her car and bagged the gun and keys, writing details on the bags with a confident hand. “I’m going to run these into town now,” she said.
“The ’roos will be out.”
She laughed. “I can handle them. I need to secure these and update my contact in Perth. Tell Amy I’ll be out early in the morning to help with set up.”
Ed hugged her. “Thanks, Dot. I don’t know what the family would do without you.”
She stepped back, a furrow on her brow. “It’s fine, Ed. It’s my job.” She drove away.
The sun sat on the horizon as he returned to the kitchen. Darcy drained a steaming bowl of pasta in the sink, and Amy placed a bowl of bolognaise on the table. Ed inhaled, and the scent of garlic butter hit his nose as Matt took three loaves of bread from the oven.
“Just in time,” Brandon said. “Where’s Dot?”
“She had to go back to town. She said to tell you she’ll be out early tomorrow to help.”
Amy frowned. “I’ll call her later. Everything’s set up, so she just needs to arrive for the ceremony at nine.”
Lara ran up and hugged him. “Dad told me what happened. I’m glad you weren’t shot.”
He laughed, hugging his niece back. “Me too, La La.” When she let him go, Ed moved further into the room, but before he could reach Tess, Brandon interceded.
“A word.” He nodded towards the hallway.
What now? Ed followed Brandon into the lounge room. “What’s wrong?”
Brandon raised his eyebrows. “You bring a potential Stonefish spy to my wedding and you ask me what’s wrong?”
Ed stiffened. “We don’t know she’s working for them.”
“We don’t know she’s not,” he countered. “What are you going to do to make sure she doesn’t cause trouble?”
The inferiority he’d always felt around Brandon at the Ridge came back with a vengeance, so he went on the defence. “I did what any decent person would do for a woman in trouble. I helped her, and I’ll continue to help her. Until Dot can prove Tess is lying, I’ll treat Tess as if she’s telling the truth, because I believe she is.”
“Don’t be naïve, Ed. This is Stonefish’s MO.”
All of Ed’s insecurities rose up in the face of his brother’s disdain. He’d never been good enough, had never done the right thing. “Don’t question my judgement, Bran. You don’t know me.” He strode out of the room, his heart racing and all his fears battering to get out. He entered the kitchen and went over to the sink to pour a glass of water and give himself a moment to calm down.
He met Tess’s gaze, saw the worry in them. Was she really a plant? Taking another breath, he sat next to her. “You OK?”
She nodded. “Your family is very kind.”
“They’re the best.” Mostly. He ignored Brandon when he came in. He reached for the jug of water in the centre of the table. “Do you want some water?”
“Please.”
Around them people helped themselves to the food, and then Brandon tapped his fork on his beer bottle to get everyone’s attention. “I wanted to thank you all for your help today. Amy’s put together this wedding in record time, and we appreciate you could all make it.”
“We appreciate you getting us a few days’ leave before we ship out,” one of his army buddies said.
“Hey, that was all me,” the other guy, shorter and with large ears, said.
Brandon grinned. “Thank you, Dobby.” He raised his beer bottle. “The last couple of months have been hard—” He cleared his throat. “Tomorrow I get to marry the woman I love,” he kissed Amy’s hand, “on the land I love, and I never dreamed any of this would be possible.”
Ed pressed his lips together as resentment settled in his gut. His parents hadn’t been here to see Brandon come home. Everyone had welcomed Brandon back without questioning why he hadn’t returned sooner, why he’d abandoned all of them. And he’d inherited the station, rather than Darcy, who had never left. But Darcy didn’t seem to care. No one did.
“To Brandon and Amy,” Darcy called.
Ed echoed the words and clinked his glass against Tess’s, who looked a little uncomfortable. The dishes were passed around and Ed caught the soldiers’ attention who sat across from him. He smiled. “We haven’t met yet. I’m Ed and this is Tess.”
