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affairs?"
    "Oh, I just heard a couple of men talking."
    "Jack, the old gossip. He has no right discussing my affairs with the likes of you."
    "What makes you think you're so superior to us? I suppose you went to Melbourne or Geelong Grammar," she sneered.
    He stiffened in his chair and his head went back proudly. "Melbourne Grammar, as it happens. I don't like my personal business being bandied around in public."
    Their drinks arrived. She watched as Ross half emptied his glass in a single, angry swallow.
    "She wasn't worthy of you." Instinctively Harry reached out to pat his hand, but stopped herself just in time. "You'll find someone better."
    "With a face like this?" His bitter laugh grated on her nerves. "Not likely."
    "You will," she reassured.
    "I don't want anything to do with treacherous bloody women. They cause a man nothing but heartache."
    "Expensive too," Gil put in suddenly with a sly grin.
    Her attention switched to him. "How do you know?"
    "There's a lot you don't know about me little…"
    She kicked him under the table.
    "Brother."
    Phew. That was close. "Have you had a girl, Gil?"
    "Might have."
    "I read somewhere about those erotic Egyptian girls," she remarked with a cheeky innocence.
    "Filthy whores," Gil shot back.
    "God, yes," Ross agreed. "Even if he was going to war, no sensible man would touch them."
    "Yeah, full of disease. You there at the Wazir riot, boss?"
    "No, I was out on maneuvers at the time, but we heard about it."
    "What happened?" Harry asked.
    "The soldiers burned the brothels down, whole streets of them. They called it the battle of Wazir," Gil explained with a grin.
    The food, when it arrived, chops, bacon, eggs and vegetables slathered with gravy, was well cooked and nicely presented. She hungrily started on the juicy steak.
    "This is good," she said between mouthfuls, aware of Ross watching intently. Had she raised his suspicions by the way she ate? Perhaps she should have wolfed the food down, chewed loudly or even dribbled some on her shirt. She half expected a critical comment from him, but he had only praise for the food.
    "They always put on a decent feed here, nothing fancy mind, but I've always liked well-cooked, simple meals."
    "Harry and I have never had much fancy food. I did have a slap-up meal in some fancy hotel in Cairo though, about eight courses in all."
    Thank goodness Gil had recovered from his bad turn. She flashed Ross a grateful smile.
     
    * * *
     
    Later, as they drove back to Devil's Ridge, Ross' puzzled gaze intermittently swept over her. Did he suspect something? It was like living under a death sentence, never quite knowing when the axe might fall.
    If he ever discovered her true identity the consequences would be dire. Little use deceiving herself on that point. No man liked being made a fool of. But he wouldn't find out if she kept her temper in check and watched how she acted. She inwardly cursed her red hair and volatile nature. Why wasn't she born docile and blonde?
    The heat of the summer sun diminished as they climbed higher towards Devil's Ridge. Wattle scrub lining the track became so dense in places it would be easy to get lost, never to be found.
    "We'll take these supplies with us to the outstation," Ross said. "When the rest arrives from town we can store it at the homestead until we need it."
    "What happens to us after we get the cattle to the rail head?" Gil asked.
    "Don't worry I've got plenty of work for you. Miles of post and rail fencing to repair. Probably a boundary rider's job. Wild horses need to be rounded up and broken in. The army will take as many as I can give them."
    On reaching the stable area, Ross headed towards the homestead, leaving her and Gil to transfer the supplies to the other wagon. Disappointment surged through her because he did not invite them into his home.
    Gil puffed from his exertions, and took several swigs out of the canvas water bottle hanging from the wagon. Under the shade of a huge oak the Clydesdale,