At Trails end

by StockAgent

A drover lands in Gungellan, unaware of any connection, soon a history is revealed, old wounds are reopened. Can the pain that tore at the very fabric ever be restored? A young man sets out to right age old wrongs that were never his fault.

2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2.

Heath sat on the verandah, a steaming cup of tea in his calloused hands. Meg stood, unsure of where to start.

"Got something on your mind?" Heath asked, coming straight to the point.

"No! Well, yes actually. It's about your father."

"Okay. He's been dead for a number of years." Heath replied.

"Oh! I'm sorry to hear that, how long?"

"He died when I was about 10."

"Right, well don't worry about it. No sense in dragging up the past."

"Hang on, you knew my father?" Heath asked.

"Yes, well everyone did, Harry Ryan, Jack McLeod, that's Tess & Claire's father." Meg explained.

"Right, so what has that got to do with me?"

"Well, when he left the area, he was found to have been duffing cattle and sheep."

"Oh, so I am the son of a duffer, not good," Heath said. "Please go on."

"Well, it was never proven of course, but he was accused of murder, he then became known as Butcher Beresford." Meg finished. She swallowed nervously.

"Oh, I see." Heath said stunned, sitting back and sipping at his tea. "Makes life a little more difficult doesn't it? Here I was hoping that I was at the end of the trail, now it looks like I'll have to buy another mob and drive them out of here."

"Oh, it's not as bad as all that. Not many people will remember I am sure."

That night at dinner, they all sat in silence and ate. Heath in his dusty and well stained clothes felt very out of step with the simple, yet plush surrounds of the homestead. Finally he spoke.

"Thanks very much for the grub and taking me in and letting me shower and all that. I'll be off now, have a good night."

"What? You're not staying?" Meg asked, stunned.

"Yeah but ill bed down near the gate, appreciate the meal though." He said with a wide expansive smile as he slipped out the front door and into the darkness. They all sat there stunned at the sudden departure, the started to follow but heard the shoes of his horse striking the road surface quickly as he headed for the front gate. Reaching the front gate, he hobbled his horse and unrolled his swag. He was asleep in minutes.