Free Brumby Mountain by Karen Wood

had remembered to turn the tiny oil heater on. The beds were saggy and covered with purple chenille bedspreads with only one blanket. Kitty didn’t seem to mind when Luke’s two wolf-dogs slunk in after them.
    â€˜Cockroach spray. How thoughtful,’ said Grace after Kitty had left. She picked up a blue can from a small timber dresser and gave it a shake.
    â€˜Here’s the continental breakfast,’ said Jess, opening a big plastic tub full of cups and plates and pulling out a snack pack of cornflakes.
    â€˜Any milk?’ asked Mrs Arnold, peering over her shoulder.
    â€˜Can’t see any.’
    â€˜Hmmm, crunchy.’
    â€˜I bags Fang for the night,’ said Grace, whistling the big black dog up onto her bed. ‘Lie down, boy!’
    Luke appeared at the doorway with his swag.
    â€˜Where do you think you’re going?’ said Mrs Arnold, blocking the entrance.
    â€˜Out of the cold,’ he answered, looking over her shoulder. ‘It’s arctic out here!’
    â€˜You got a whole house down the road – this is the girls’ room!’
    To Jess’s horror, Mrs Arnold closed the door on him. Luke banged angrily on it. ‘The house is full of black snakes and rats. Anyway, I paid for that room!’
    â€˜You’ve got a swag,’ she called back, sounding unconcerned. ‘Or are ya still Little Lukey ?’ She beat him to the window and flicked the catch across the top of the sash.
    â€˜HEYYYY!’ he yelled.
    â€˜Keep your voice down. You’ll wake the other guests.’ Mrs Arnold flung the curtain shut and turned to the girls. ‘Get changed and into bed. Big day tomorrow.’
    â€˜Can I at least have my dogs?’ Luke called from outside.
    â€˜No, they’ll freeze out there!’ Mrs Arnold plonked her overnight bag on the bed that was under the window, effectively blocking any chance of him communicating with Jess. Filth leapt onto the fourth bed and nuzzled into the chenille bedspread gratefully.
    â€˜There you go, little doggy,’ said Mrs Arnold, giving him a pat. ‘You snuggle up there and stay warm.’
    Jess curled into a heat-conserving ball and let the details of Luke’s past churn around in her head. She wondered where he would sleep and hoped he wouldn’t go back to the property. After listening for the engine of the ute to fire up for what seemed like hours, she finally relaxed and gave a low whistle. ‘Filth,’ she whispered softly.
    The bed creaked and she felt it sag. The big shaggy dog settled down next to her and she gratefully wrapped her arms around his warmth. Finally her thoughts led her into sleep.

    Jess rose as soon as she heard the first bird. She wrapped her jacket around herself, slipped her feet into her boots and quietly creaked the door open. Cold air rushed in but Mrs Arnold kept snoring contentedly. Fang opened one eye and closed it again. All Jess could see of Grace was one arm flopped over the dog.
    Outside, the sky was still dim with night and everything was shadowy. She stood next to Luke’s ute and tried to stretch the saggy bed out of her spine. Her back complained bitterly while she spent a minute arching and bending and trying not to wake Mrs Arnold with her groaning. When she felt nearly vertical again, she looked around, wondering where Luke had spent the night.
    Something cold wrapped around her ankle. A hand. Under the ute, she could see the edge of Luke’s swag. ‘I nearly died out here last night,’ he said. He went on to call Mrs Arnold a string of unflattering names. ‘I nearly freeze-branded my bum on that toilet.’
    Jess crouched down. ‘Open up.’
    He lifted the cover of the swag and she crawled in next to him, boots and all. His freezing cold nose nuzzled into her neck and she giggled as he made her skin tingle. ‘I was hoping you’d sneak out,’ he said.
    â€˜I can’t wait to go riding today,’