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A terrible thought suddenly came to me, and Ryan’s face fell, seeing I finally realised his point.
“What?” Stacey asked, leaning forward. “What is it?”
“There was a hole in the boundary fence where the sheep had escaped. A very large hole.”
“And no sheep were to be found in that paddock,” Ryan finished with a sigh. “You need a flock to sell, Tom, and they are missing. So right now, banking on the Whites is like the Emperor’s new clothes!”
Ryan threw down his napkin with a noisy splat on his plate.
I looked up to the ceiling as dread hit my stomach as a heavy lump.
“I’m sure you can get an exceptional price for the Whites,” Rosie said in a quiet but firm voice. “There’s much interest in the breed and they are fetching thousands upon thousands more than merinos and other breeds. I heard interstate buyers were coming to the Stanmore sales this year for locally bred stock.”
All eyes were now on Rosie.
I could only stare. I hadn’t expected her to jump to my rescue.
“It’s not my business, and I know wombats and grapes … but there’s been a lot of talk of the potential of Aussie Whites, and you have an opportunity to do well at the livestock sales.” Rosie coughed. “If that helps.”
For a second time during dinner, my mouth hung open. Rosie had backed me up again.
“Where’d you hear that?” Ryan asked gruffly. He had the grace to look chastened.
“One of the researchers had been working with graziers down south who were raising Aussie Whites, and they were saying at a symposium they showed a lot of promise.” Rosie’s eyes darted my way. “Sorry, I don’t have more to share. I was busy preparing for my symposium talk about wombats on the day.”
“Okay, then,” Ryan said. “We need to find the bloody animals before we shear.”
I growled. Why hadn’t I had the presence of mind to say something like Rosie had? I’d done my research too but trying to defend myself in front of my family? My mind had gone blank in an instant.
“So, Rosie says it’s okay, but when I say I think the new breed will do well, you write me off?”
“I’m not happy you bought the sheep without discussing it with me.”
“Us,” Stacey corrected.
“That’s what I meant. Us. The family.” Ryan waved dismissively to the table.
“We’re a team,” Stacey added. “We should talk about major purchases.”
“Your siblings have a point, Tom. If you’re not communicating with your family, there’s no trust.”
Mum had a point, but I wasn’t giving in that easily.
My cheeks were hot. Humiliation in front of my friends was the icing on the cake. “I had to decide right there and then, or someone else would have snapped up those Whites. All I’m asking is to back me when the situation calls for it. And this time, it did.”
Stacey gave me a single nod, her face neutral.
Ryan grimaced. “Yeah, well. Fences are down against the park. You’ve got at least fifty-three sheep, most possibly pregnant, on government land near the wombats. When was the last time you checked that boundary?”
“I’m not sure off the top of my head. Uni has been hectic with assessments lately.”
Everyone’s heads were swivelling between us like they were watching a tennis rally. Until finally, their eyes rested on me.
“From the old snow gum up to the national park needs to be checked.” Ryan slapped his hand down on the table. The clatter of metal on fine China brought a definitive end to the conversation.
But Stacey wasn’t deterred by Ryan. “I don’t have to be at the building site tomorrow, so I can help check the boundary. I haven’t been to the old snow gum in years.”
Rosie spoke up, turning to Amanda. “We used to hang out at that snow gum all the time.”
