With the reading the will, Libby came to understand more about her grandmother than she had previously known. She’d bequeathed money and belongings to many of the people Libby had heard Tom talk of. She’d left Nathan a small amount of cash and her husband’s saddle, probably for sentimental reasons. When Libby came to the part which concerned her, she was shocked. Nathan was right. She was wealthy beyond her dreams, and Aaron hadn’t told her. Why? It made no sense, and she would certainly talk to him about it, but at the end of the day, it made no difference why she was here on the farm. This was her life now and that of her family.
The shearers arrived early on Tuesday. Libby had baked up a storm on Monday since Tom had warned her they ate a lot, and she was responsible for feeding them. There were two guys and a girl who did the classing, as Tom explained to her when he introduced them.
Once the kids were on the bus, Libby was out in the yards, helping Tom get the sheep sorted. They’d already separated the ewes from their offspring late yesterday, and the noise from the hungry lambs was deafening. Libby tried to ignore them while she herded the sheep into the pens ready for the shearers to grab while they worked automatically. She’d learned a lot since they’d first arrived at the farm, far more than she would have believed.
Libby followed the process through. When the sheep had been crutched, the wool from around their butts cleaned off, she saw them sent down another chute, which led to the holding pens under the shed, and she ran between the pens keeping them locked away from their screaming lambs. She had cringed when Tom explained to her how to dock the tails and ring the male lambs but with so much happening now, she was immune to their cries and the smell of fear on their short, white wool.
Molly, the wool classer, kept Tom busy as he swept the clippings away from the shearer before he pulled another animal from the pen. He threw it on a large, slatted table for her to sort through and bag into Own bin or Bale, as they were called. Even the small amount of wool they ended up with was money for the station, and it was a job that had to be done to keep the sheep free from fly strike.
Tom worked with the dogs to put the rams into a separate paddock from the ewes that were eventually reunited with their lambs.
When the kids got back from school, they rushed through their homework and came out to help in the shearing shed. Tom called out. “Josh, let Bella go and work with the older dogs for the rest of the afternoon so she can learn from them.”
“She’s too little isn’t she?”
Tom shook his head. “Not at all. Its bred into cattle dogs. You stick around and watch. Then you’ll know how to work her too.”
Libby left them finishing up for the day to grab a quick shower and prepare dinner for everyone. The shearers would stay in the quarters with Tom and Winton, but Libby wanted them to eat in the house. It was easier for her, and she wanted to make them feel welcome.
Three clean shearers and her family all came in a short time later, laughing and joking with each other. Libby sat them around the large kitchen table and passed over plates and cutlery. Next, came the chicken hotpot pie and roast vegetables that’d been slow cooking. Libby added a large pot of coffee and juice to the table and they all dug in.
Everyone was in good spirits even if they were sore and tired. Tom passed the gravy to Libby. “This was a good day. With luck, we should be finished tomorrow.”
“That’s great. It was so interesting watching you all work.”
“Not sure you had much time to watch us, Libby. Never seen anyone run around as much as you did today. She worked well, didn’t she Tom?”
“That she did, Molly. A natural.”
For the next ten minutes the only sound was cutlery against the plates.
“That was superb.” Molly sat back in her chair and rubbed her full belly. “Sorry, Tom but you aren’t cooking for us again.” She laughed. “Not with Libby here.”
“Hey, that doesn’t worry me.” Tom chuckled. “I’m getting spoiled too and loving it.”
“I have chocolate cake for dessert, if anyone is still hungry.” Libby took their dirty plates and stood up.
“Can I have a slice of that, sweetheart?” A voice from outside the kitchen door. Nathan stepped into the room where they could see him. He took his hat from his head and looked at Libby. She hadn’t heard him come up the driveway.
“Nat, my man.” Molly squealed. She jumped from the table and wrapped her arms around him. She clapped him on the back pushed him to the table, and into the chair beside her. “Looking forward to coming over to you next, Nathan.”
“Looking forward to having you too.” He glanced around the table. “Sorry to barge in on you, Libby, but Dan, here, wasn’t answering his phone, and I hoped he was here. I just needed to know if he was coming to my place next.”
“Sorry, Nathan, I thought I had called you back, mate. Really sorry, and yes, we should be finished here tomorrow night, so we can say we will be at your place Wednesday morning. Can’t do ourselves out of one of Libby’s meals.” He grinned up at her. “Is that all right with you, Libby?”
“You guys are more than welcome, I promise you.” She smiled at him.
“What about me?” Nathan looked up at her from his seat at the table. “Do
