During the ride back to the hacienda, Scott found himself quite content to sit back, steer the wagon, and listen to Kinsey entertain them with tales of her travels on the steamer from Melbourne to San Francisco. He observed as his cousin started to relax a touch of her Aussie accent began to surface along with a few words he wasn’t familiar with.
“…the gentleman, in fact, was quite a bogan…”
“…she whinged during the entire meal…”
“…it was a ripper for certain…”
“…chockers, not another bite…”
Scott also noticed Johnny watching Kinsey intently and smiling a smile that could only mean one thing. Johnny was in the process of formulating a nickname for the little cousin. Johnny loved handing out nicknames. Scott was blessed with his soon after the two brothers first met. “Boston” had stuck ever since. Please Johnny. Don’t start calling her dingo.
Without warning Kinsey let out a “STOP!” and clambered down before Scott could register what was wrong. As he watched Kinsey head for a rocky ridge and begin to climb, he panicked. She’s going to go right over the edge! Murdoch would never believe it was an accident this early into the visit!
Scott hit the ground running with Johnny on his heels. As the boys arrived at the top of the ridge they found Kinsey standing at the very edge of the cliff. With one hand Scott signaled his brother to freeze and then, taking a few steps forward, he gently took Kinsey by the arm to guide her backwards from her precarious position.
“Oh Scott! Doesn’t it just take your breath away?”
Before them stretched the beauty of the San Joaquin Valley.
Relieved Scott finally exhaled. The stern lecture he had planned for the young lady could wait.
“Yes. It certainly took my breath away.”