Ghost Gum Valley (38 page)

She must have been quite a beauty in her youth. I wonder why she never married when single women in this colony were always at a premium.

Queenie took the offensive. ‘So. Why
did
you agree to marry my boy? I know Garnet arranged the whole thing. I want the truth and nothing but the truth. I'm too old to be fobbed off with polite English evasion.'

Isabel decided she had no choice but to play Queenie at her own game. ‘And I'm too young to bother with lies. I married Marmaduke because
he
asked me.'

That silenced Queenie for a moment. ‘What's most important to you, love or money?'

‘That's easy. I don't believe in love.'

Queenie gave a short. ‘That's what Marmaduke claims. That makes you both fools.'

‘Then we're perfectly suited. Neither of us will disappoint the other.'

‘You're a liar!'

‘I beg your pardon?'

‘So you're a deaf liar too, are you?'

Isabel put her teacup carefully on the table, leant forwards and looked directly into Queenie's eyes. ‘I know Marmaduke trusts you more than anyone on earth. And I have every reason to believe you truly love him. So exactly what is it you want from me, Queenie?'

Is that a faint glimmer of approval in Queenie's eyes?

‘I want your word of honour you will never hurt Marmaduke. All his life he's been betrayed by the people he loved. Or else they've deserted and humiliated him.'

I presume she means betrayal at the hands of his lost bride, his German tutor, his father – even his mother's death must have seemed like desertion. This old servant is nobody's fool, I'd best tread
Isabel
carefully.

‘I made Marmaduke a promise I will never betray him. But how can I hurt him when he's incapable of love?'

‘Good Heavens, girl, can't you see through that big act of his? That he's mastered every page of the
Kama Sutra
? That he enjoys going from woman to woman, from bed to bed? He boasts he'll never be trapped by any woman because he's
clever.
Incapable of falling in love.' Queenie gave a hoot of derision. ‘Can't you see the truth? He's a little boy who's afraid of the dark!'

Isabel was taken aback, as if Marmaduke's distorted image in a mirror suddenly became crystal clear for the first time. She spoke without thinking.

‘But why? Marmaduke's so handsome. He could have any woman he wanted.'
Good God, I don't believe I said that, yet it's true. Why didn't I see it before?

‘Because the boy doesn't believe he's
worth
loving! His parents fought over him like two dogs with a bone. His father humiliated him. Then that bitch! It was bad enough when she left him high and dry at the altar. But when he found her in bed with his father...'

Queenie stopped in mid-sentence, aware that Isabel had sunk back in her chair.

‘Elise?' Isabel asked faintly.

Queenie looked contrite. ‘I thought you knew.'

‘No. I'm the stupid girl everyone in the world chooses to leave in the dark.'

She rose with as much dignity as her trembling knees would allow. ‘Thank you for the fine Indian tea, Queenie.'

Like a little terrier Queenie blocked her path. ‘Wait, there's one important thing you need to know. Miranda left a box in my care and made me promise to hand it to Marmaduke when he had married a woman who would stick by him come Hell or high water.'

Queenie's fingernails dug into her arm. ‘Tell me the truth. Are
you
that woman?'

‘I don't know. But I refuse to live in the same house as the woman my husband is in love with!'

Isabel hurried out the door, picked up her skirts and stumbled blindly down a track behind the house. She hoped it led as far from Bloodwood Hall as the wind would take her.

Chapter 26

‘Saddle up the new bay mare. Forget the lady's side-saddle, it isn't safe! My wife's not used to our rough territory.'

Marmaduke issued his orders so fast he had Davey the ostler on the run. He felt driven by the need to escape this wretched place and Garnet's manipulation but also by an urgent desire to be alone with Isabel. To try to understand her. He had slept badly last night for many reasons – all involving Isabel.

Two of Garnet's best horses were now saddled ready for departure and a packhorse loaded with stores for the bivouac. Marmaduke double-checked each detail, aware that despite her lack of complaint Isabel's pride – had been wounded by her inexperience as a rider.

She's got a lot to learn, that girl. But I must admit she's pretty intrepid. She doesn't whinge or chuck a fit of hysterics at the sight of a spider. The acid test will be her first snake!

It was time to collect Isabel from Queenie's cabin after what his nanny had called ‘women's business'. But first he must brief his father, mindful of the unwritten bush law that travellers must advise their destination in case an accident or bushrangers prevented their return.

In the vestibule he caught sight of a letter on the hall table – from London. It was addressed to him but on reading it Marmaduke's suspicions were aroused by the slight difference between the handwriting of Godfrey de Rolland's letter and that of the envelope.

This envelope is a forgery. Garnet's read my mail!

He tracked down his quarry by following the sound of the lion's roar to the library where Garnet was off-loading his frustration on Rhys Powell.

Marmaduke had hoped to find Garnet alone but he offered the young Welshman his hand and stated his preference for informality.

‘My father is loath to dish out deserving praise, Rhys, but behind your back he speaks highly of your work. He's fortunate to have a man he can trust for a change. Some of your predecessors have lined their pockets at his expense.'

‘Yeah, but they ended up in chains working for the infamous Commandant Patrick Logan at Moreton Bay!' Garnet warned.

Marmaduke managed to keep his anger in check. ‘I received a letter this morning from Godfrey de Rolland in England, which appears to have been mislaid for some weeks. The contents are vitally important. I think we
need to discuss this now
, Garnet.'

Rhys Powell looked anxious but Garnet chose to ignore the implied accusation.

‘You'll dine with us tonight, of course. My friend, Magistrate Summerhayes, is keen to meet our illustrious bride.'

‘The law can wait. I'm taking Isabel on a bivouac. We won't return until Edwin arrives to witness the handover.'

Rhys Powell jumped in with alacrity. ‘Mr Bentleigh sent a Government report that shows Governor Bourke wants to push through new statutes to abolish land grants and encourage free settlers to immigrate. This will affect the modus operandi of landholders.'

Garnet bellowed, ‘Nonsense, Bentleigh jumps at shadows.'

Marmaduke could restrain himself no longer. ‘Enough of politics. I came here to discuss Godfrey de Rolland's letter, Garnet! There have been major
repercussions
!'

After Garnet dismissed his secretary Marmaduke was free to vent his anger.

‘You manipulative bastard! Reading my mail. I had the right to know about Isabel's illness for her own safety. I only discovered it by accident when I found her sleepwalking in her nightgown in the corridor of your hotel. God alone knows what would have happened if she had wandered down into The Rocks! You ought to be bloody ashamed of yourself. She's
my
wife!
My
responsibility.'

Garnet looked contrite. ‘It was an oversight. I wouldn't hurt that girl for the world.'

‘You won't get the chance, Garnet. We're leaving right now for Ghost Gum Valley.' As he strode from the room he flung his exit line over his shoulder.

‘She'll be safer with me in the wild than she is with you in this damned house!'

It was only when Marmaduke led the three horses up to Queenie's cottage and saw her standing on the doorstep, her arms folded and wearing a dour expression, that he suspected his plans had begun to fall into disarray.

‘Hey, what's wrong, Queenie? Where's Isabel?'

‘You neglected to tell her Elise was your runaway bride. Not surprisingly Isabel's upset. She's run off.'

Marmaduke gave a resigned sigh. ‘Righto. Which way was she headed?'

He sprang into the saddle and rode off down a rough dirt track that would finally peter out miles away beyond the boundary of Mingaletta. No girl could manage to walk that far in flimsy footwear.

Except Isabel. She's so damned stubborn she'd crawl on her hands and knees just to spite me.

He began to rehearse his explanation. Should his line be defensive or offensive, apologetic or a noble, hurt silence? He knew he was in the wrong. It was a delicate balance.

An hour later Marmaduke sighted her distant figure down the track. She was bareheaded, her hat slung across her back swinging from its ties. Her pace suggested she was driven by anger. Her wild gestures indicated she was having a heated debate with herself.

Within a hundred yards of her Marmaduke dismounted and led the horses at a gentle walking pace so as to give Isabel ample time to cool her anger at his approach.

He walked alongside her for a full minute before he said lazily, ‘I reckon we've got good weather for it.'

Isabel turned on him a face flushed with undiluted rage. The force of her hand struck his face so heavily, he laughed in surprise.

‘Whoah! I reckon you learnt the art of self-defence from Daniel Mendoza himself.'

‘I'll teach you to laugh at me!'

Isabel completely lost control. She belted him with both hands and pummelled his chest, infuriated when she kept missing his face by a hair's breadth as he weaved and ducked out of range.

Finally tired of the game, Marmaduke pinioned her arms behind her back in a hold that constrained but did not hurt her. His tone was as patient as if placating a child.

‘All right, that's enough. You have every right to be angry with me. I should have told you.'

‘You lied to me! Why keep Elise a dark secret? You contracted me to be your ally but a soldier can't fight if he doesn't know who the enemy is! I'm not stupid. I knew Elise hated me on sight. But I thought that was because she saw me as a threat to her shaky status as Garnet's mistress. The truth is Elise is the girl who broke your heart. And you love her still. Don't deny it! I can see it written all over your face!'

‘Not true! Garnet's welcome to her. I can't stand the sight of her.'

‘Liar! You brought me here to live under the same roof. An act of revenge. To flaunt your blue-blooded prize, prove what a fool she was to choose Garnet over you!'

Pink in the face, Isabel tried to struggle free. ‘Let go of me!'

Marmaduke answered softly, ‘I will when you've heard me out.'

He sat down on a fallen tree trunk and drew her firmly onto his lap. Much needed to be said and said quickly. ‘You're right and you're also
wrong.
I'm no gentleman, as you never stop reminding me. But there's one thing I never do. Talk about women I've been involved with. So I couldn't identify Elise as the girl who dumped me at the altar.'

‘Everyone knew the truth but me! You envy your father his mistress. Well, don't let me stop you.' She snapped her fingers in his face. ‘I don't give a damn what you do!'

‘No, you don't,' Marmaduke said quietly. ‘But I really wish you
did
.'

The element of surprise silenced her just as Marmaduke intended it would. He waited until her breathing slowed to a normal pattern.

‘I told you the truth, Isabel. I don't believe in love. That's just a camouflage for lust. But when I was nineteen I was as green as they come. My head was filled with dead poets' sonnets and ballads. Elise was an assigned servant, the first woman who ever flirted with me. I was knocked for six. Her history meant nothing to me. I knew she was a transportee. The reason is strictly
her
business. I wrote her poems, poor imitations of the art. I even pressed flowers for her, cut silhouettes of her profile and hung them above my bed. I was obsessed with the
idea
of love. No doubt influenced by my dog-eared copy
The Sorrows of Young
Werther.
You've read it?'

‘Of course I have. A tragic waste of a young life.' Isabel prompted him. ‘But what happened to
you?'

‘I fancied myself cast in the heroic mould, protecting Elise from the fate often suffered by female prisoners – being a concubine. I proposed marriage on the prospect of my future inheritance – Mingaletta. Father was dead against it. But clever manipulator that he is, he granted his permission on one condition. If I married Elise he'd disinherit me. I was so stupidly honourable I agreed. Elise recognised which side her bread was buttered. She believed Garnet was a sure bet for a wealthy marriage. Good luck to her. She's still waiting!'