Summer Lightning, page 21
Jake’s gaze was bleak, his face drained of colour as he sat there, isolated from the family, and she thought she finally understood what it was that haunted him.
When she felt they were in good enough shape to listen, Mim cleared her throat and began to speak. ‘You have all asked about Jake,’ she said. ‘And although I haven’t been totally honest with you, he has fast become a friend.’
She smiled across at him. ‘A good friend who has given me honest advice. I’m just sorry I can’t take it, Jake. But I was never very good at that sort of thing, and I’m too old to learn new tricks.’
She looked around the table. ‘Jake is a lawyer. He’s here because I’ve decided to sue Brendt Dempster and Shamrock Holdings.’
The announcement was greeted with a stunned silence.
‘Mum, you can’t,’ pleaded Chloe finally. ‘You’re ill, and in no fit state to dredge up old family feuds. Let it rest.’
‘Not much of a lawyer if he’s persuaded you to take on that crowd,’ snapped Louise giving Jake a glare of disdain. ‘Don’t listen to him, Mim.’
Miriam held up her hand for silence. ‘Jake advised me not to take things further, but I don’t agree. The Dempsters stole my inheritance – your inheritance – and I need to make sure they don’t get away with it any longer.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ barked Ralph above the ensuing babble.
Miriam turned to him. ‘Why is it ridiculous?’ she demanded.
‘Because you won’t win,’ he snapped.
Miriam cocked her head and eyed him thoughtfully. ‘And why is that?’
‘They have money, position and influence. You wouldn’t stand a chance.’
‘All the more reason to sue them,’ she snapped. ‘It’s time the Dempsters got a taste of their own medicine.’
‘You stupid woman,’ he growled as he flung his napkin across the table and stood up. ‘Why risk everything for some ancient feud that should have been buried years ago along with your father? Don’t you realise this court case could not only ruin you, but me as well?’
Miriam felt the loathing rise in her throat – it had a bitter taste. ‘At least I’ll get my day in court,’ she said with dangerous calm. ‘Win or lose, Dempster will have to face the truth and be exposed as a liar.’
She took a pause. ‘But I’m interested in why my suing the Dempsters should affect you.’ She eyed him with a coldness that stilled him. ‘Unless you’re in league with them?’
The silence was profound as all eyes turned to Ralph.
‘Are you?’ Miriam demanded.
He ran a finger around his collar and needlessly straightened his tie. ‘I’m brokering a business arrangement with Shamrock Holdings,’ he said gruffly. ‘It’s in the very delicate early stages at the moment, and something like this will cause untold trouble to me and to the bank. We’re investing a great deal of money, and it’s high risk enough without your troublemaking.’
He ran a finger around his collar again as Miriam glared at him. She noticed the beads of perspiration on his forehead and the defiance in his eyes. ‘Lie with dogs and you’ll get fleas,’ she said coldly.
‘You must have very firm proof,’ said Fiona, who had remained silent throughout. ‘What made you decide to do this after all these years? And why now? When you’re so ill.’
Every face was turned towards Miriam in the ensuing silence. She swallowed hard. ‘That’s the other thing I need to discuss,’ she said as she firmly avoided their eyes. ‘I might not have as much evidence as I should, but …’
‘For heaven’s sake,’ stormed Ralph. ‘Are you telling us you’re taking Dempster to court with no bloody proof? You’re insane, woman, bordering on the dangerous. Should be locked up.’
‘Don’t talk to my grandmother like that,’ snapped Louise. ‘Sit down and be quiet Rafe. This isn’t helping at all.’
Miriam saw the naked terror that shot into Louise’s eyes after delivering this little speech, and the way Ralph went almost white with fury as glared down at her. The shock of realisation made her feel sick and she wondered if he ever got violent – had ever hit her – or worse. Louise had to be protected, but how? Ralph manipulated her like a puppet – she was no more capable of leaving him than of committing armed robbery.
Miriam took a sip of water. Her nerves were in shreds. It had been hard enough to face them all without the added worry over Louise. She looked at Fiona and tried to smile, but the muscles in her face were stiff with anguish. ‘I was hoping for support,’ she said quietly. ‘But it seems I must do this alone.’
Fiona reached over the table and clasped her hand. ‘Without proof you don’t have a case,’ she said gently. ‘Jake’s right, Mim. You can’t do this.’
Miriam looked at the faces surrounding her. She patted Fiona’s hand and resumed her straight-backed posture. ‘I have some proof,’ she announced. ‘But I know I will need more if I’m to succeed in bringing the Dempsters down.’
She waited for the protests to die, noting they were not quite as vociferous as before. Curiosity had obviously got the better of them. ‘We need to find the deeds,’ she said into the silence. ‘Once we have those the case is won.’
‘Deeds? What deeds?’ Ralph had lost all colour and his eyes were steely.
‘The deeds to the mine. They will prove beyond doubt that my father and Patrick were partners, and that Patrick cheated this family of their rightful claim.’
Fiona clapped her hands. ‘A quest,’ she laughed. ‘How exciting. When do we start?’
‘Wait on, Fiona.’ Chloe took off her hat and shook out her hair. ‘Mum’s dying. This is no time to go looking for something that was probably lost or destroyed years ago. She should be taking it easy, resting, making the most of the time we’ve got left with her.’
‘Fair go, Mum. This is just the sort of thing to keep Mim going. And if we do find them, think about how great she’ll feel getting her own back at last.’
‘I think you’re all on a fool’s errand,’ muttered Ralph. ‘Chloe’s right. The deeds probably don’t exist any more and the whole thing will just be a waste of time.’ He turned to Miriam. ‘If you want my opinion …’ he began.
‘That’s the last thing we need,’ Fiona snapped. ‘Go back to your bank, Ralph. We can manage without you.’
Ralph stood, his back stiff, a nerve jumping in his throat. ‘Louise, say your goodbyes. I’ll wait for you in the car.’
‘I’m not going,’ Louise said quietly. She looked for support from the others and Chloe leaned forward to rest her hand on her shoulder. ‘I want to stay here with Mim.’ She cast her eyes to her hands that were twisting in her lap.
‘Too right,’ said Miriam quickly before Ralph could open his mouth. ‘I’ll need Louise here to help me in the search, so you run along, Ralph.’
He stood there, his hat in his hand, the fury clear in his eyes. ‘You’ll regret today, Miriam,’ he warned softly.
Chapter Eleven
The family sat beneath the trees in silence. They heard the roar of the car engine and the screech of the power steering as Ralph turned the rented four-by-four and sped away. Chloe kept a tight grasp on Louise’s hand, murmuring encouragement and attempting to allay her terror of what Ralph might do. Leo returned from the homestead with a bottle of brandy and each of them welcomed the fire it brought as they tried to digest the events of the last hour.
Frank was, surprisingly, first to break the silence. ‘Reckon you’re one stubborn old sheila, Mim. But if it means that much to you, I’m willing to help.’
Miriam smiled at him. ‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘I knew I could count on you, my old friend.’
‘You can count on me and Leo, as well,’ said Chloe. ‘There’s no rush to get back to Brisbane, and I can always cancel the exhibition. But I don’t want all this fuss to wear you out, Mum. You should be resting, not taking people to court.’ She leaned across the table and took Mim’s hands. ‘Please reconsider,’ she begged. ‘The feud between grandfather and Paddy is long over – let sleeping dogs lie.’
‘I can’t do that,’ she replied. ‘Having discovered the first piece of evidence I would be failing my father if I didn’t pursue this to the end. He deserved justice, and I’m damned if I’m going to let him down.’
‘What is this evidence?’ Louise was sitting white-faced between her parents, her thin features sharpened by a slash of sunlight coming through the trees. ‘Must be pretty conclusive for you to go this far.’
‘On its own, it’s merely circumstantial,’ she admitted thoughtfully. ‘But tied in with the deeds it would be dynamite. That’s why it’s so important to find them.’
‘And what if they no longer exist?’ Louise was persistent.
‘Then I’ll use what I have,’ Mim said firmly.
‘It isn’t enough,’ muttered Jake. ‘A court would throw the case out before it began.’
Fiona turned to Jake and eyed him thoughtfully. ‘You seem to know more about this than any of us,’ she said. ‘What exactly is this evidence?’
‘None of your business,’ snapped Mim who was sick and tired of the whole thing. The lovely day had been ruined, and although she was the cause of all the trouble she was aware of the pain returning and the need to rest. ‘And don’t try pumping Jake, he’s given me his solemn promise not to say anything.’
‘But why?’ Fiona’s frustration was clear in her voice.
Miriam hesitated. She really wasn’t sure of the answer herself, but instinct and experience warned her not to trust any of them with her secret. Not that they were dishonest – just likely to talk – and one never knew who might be listening. Ralph had already shown his true colours and Louise was cowed enough to tell him everything she knew. This meant she could tell no one, for it wouldn’t be fair to leave Louise out of the secret. And if Dempster got to hear of her find, there was no telling what would happen.
She looked around the table. ‘Find the deeds and I’ll tell you,’ she said finally. ‘There’s a lot of boxes and cases in the attic. I have no idea what’s in them, but suggest you try there first. Most of it belonged to Kate.’
*
Kate married George Armitage on a summer afternoon in 1909. She wore a white skirt and blouse made of the finest lawn and carried a posy of Cooktown orchids. The delicate pink blossoms had also been threaded through her dark hair. Miriam had no doubts this was a love match and attended her wearing a pale lemon dress. A corsage of hibiscus was pinned at the waist and another in her hair. The groom, handsome in a new suit, his moustache and hair gleaming with pomade looked clearly nervous.
George was a man of few words, with an endearing shyness so endemic amongst the outlanders who lived on their isolated properties. Tall and lean, with brown eyes and a drooping moustache, he was toughened by the elements, and tanned from the hours he spent in the saddle attending his cattle. His slow, Queensland drawl disguised a quick mind, and he had pursued Kate with a strength of purpose that surprised them both.
As they left the church and climbed into the buggy, he confided his astonishment to Miriam. For he’d never thought someone as beautiful and lively as Kate would ever accept his proposal. Miriam had liked him from the start. In a way he reminded her of her father, for both men shared the same stillness, the same quiet contemplative manner and stubborn determination.
Content to be leaving the city, Miriam and Kate thankfully shed the restrictive finery and donned clothes more suitable for the outback. It would take several weeks of travelling before they caught their first glimpse of George’s property.
The buggy stopped as they crested the final hill and George tipped back his hat. ‘Welcome to Bellbird,’ he drawled. ‘It ain’t much compared with that fancy house in Sydney, but it’s home.’
Kate tucked her hand in his and kissed his cheek. ‘Home is where the heart is,’ she murmured. ‘And it’s here, with you and Mim.’
Miriam was embarrassed by Kate’s rather clichéd romanticism, but understood the emotion behind it. For Kate had finally found love – had finally put the past behind her and was beginning a new life.
Miriam sat on the seat beside them, awed by the beauty before her. It was late afternoon and the sky was streaked with vermilion, the dying sun casting an ethereal glow over the valley below. Bellbird homestead nestled beneath sheltering trees, the weather-beaten timber walls softened by the translucence. Outbuildings sprawled around the flattened earth of home yard and a wisp of smoke feathered from a chimney. Cattle grazed on the slopes of the surrounding pastures, hock deep in the long, green grass. A stillness pervaded the scene, a sense that nothing had changed since the first settler arrived in this isolated corner of New South Wales, and at long last Miriam felt she was coming home.
George slapped the reins and the horse began the gentle descent into the valley. On closer inspection the homestead was tumbling down and the roof wasn’t the only thing that needed repairing. As he handed Kate down and led her up the termite-chewed steps, Miriam could see she was already planning how to put things in order.
The kitchen, which had seen no woman’s hand since the death of his wife ten years before, was a shambles. The cooking range was filthy and smoke had blackened the wall behind it as well as the beam above. Chairs and tables were covered in farming manuals, old boots and horse blankets and the stone sink hadn’t been scrubbed for a decade.
George shooed out a couple of chooks that had laid their eggs in the wood box and knelt to stroke his ancient dog which was slumbering in front of the range. ‘Sorry about the mess,’ he said shyly as he caressed the silken head of the Queensland Blue. ‘I asked one of the lubras to tidy up, but she obviously didn’t bother.’
Kate took the pins out of her hat and rolled up her sleeves. ‘I’ll not be cooking in this until it’s clean,’ she said firmly. ‘Get me water, a scrubbing brush and a bucket,’ she ordered.
‘Don’t you want to see the rest of the house?’ George looked chastened, and a little afraid. When Kate was in this mood anything could happen.
‘One shock is enough,’ she muttered. ‘I’ve no doubt the whole place needs fumigating.’ She turned to Miriam. ‘Don’t unpack a thing,’ she ordered. ‘We’ll be sleeping in the tent for now.’
It took weeks to turn the shambolic house into a home. Kate and Miriam scrubbed and brushed until the cobwebs were banished, the floors gleamed with polish and the range sparkled in a new coat of blacking. George, with the help of a couple of native jackaroos, fixed the roof and the verandah railings and repaired the steps and the screens. New curtains were put up at the windows, pictures hung on walls and Kate’s fine rugs lay on the floor.
The carter’s arrival some months later was greeted with shrieks of joy. For now Kate could display her fine china in the glass cabinet and dress the parlour with comfortable chairs and the long velvet drapes she’d brought from Sydney. Her crystal was placed carefully on the dresser and the few ornaments she’d kept after selling the Sydney house were displayed on little tables. The grand piano was given pride of place beneath the window and Kate’s Indian silk shawl was draped over it.
The final touch was hanging Henry’s painting above the new stone fireplace and toasting their achievements with champagne. Now she and Miriam could call it home.
*
Miriam watched as the others began their search of the attic. Leo was directing operations and holding the ladder whilst Fiona and Louise rummaged about with a torch and handed down boxes and cases. Jake had taken himself off somewhere, and Chloe was drifting about in the kitchen attempting to do the washing up. Her family were working together, just as they always had, she thought. Their strength in one another would carry them through what was to come.
Miriam was exhausted, the core of pain growing ever more demanding as she left them to it and went to her bedroom. After taking another two pills, she stripped off her clothes and sank into bed. It had been a long day – and a traumatic one – yet it had been right for her to tell them about the cancer, right to warn them of the coming trial. For they were the people she loved most – and secrets had a way of hurting far more than any truth.
She pulled the sheet over her shoulders and lay there in the gathering gloom. Night fell swiftly out here, and behind the shuttered windows she could hear the jingle of harness and the soft clip-clop of the horses’ hoofs as they crossed home yard. A man’s voice drifted with the breeze and the sound echoed a reminder of another time – and brought a resonance and colour to her memories of the early days, and of a man called Edward.
*
Miriam celebrated her sixteenth birthday at Bellbird Station in 1910. She could now ride as well as any man on the property, and had earned a reputation for being a tomboy. Yet she was aware of the changes within herself, aware of the side-long glances of the drovers and the young men she danced with at the country gatherings. Yet, despite devouring every romantic novel she could lay her hands on, she had yet to feel the rush of emotion and longing portrayed in these heated tales, and wondered if she ever would.
Edward Strong was twenty-two when he arrived at Bellbird Station. Miriam stood in the doorway of the barn and watched the stranger ride into homestead yard. He had an easy way with him as he swung from the saddle and led his horse to the water-trough, and she noticed how his brown hair glinted amber fire in the sun as he took off his strange looking hat and wiped the sweat from his face.
She leaned against the doorpost and studied him. He wasn’t a tall man, she realised as George emerged from the tool shed and greeted him, but he was well proportioned and looked good in the travel-stained trousers and checked shirt. He walked with the slow, easy gait of a man who’d spent most of his life on a horse, his boot heels lifting the dust, the silver spurs and the buckle on his belt glinting in the sun.
She stood there in the shadows as the two men discussed the work ahead, and was intrigued, not only by the stranger’s clothing, but by his accent. For although she’d never met one, she was certain he was American.
