Pearls (10 page)

The humiliation burned in her throat. As much as he had practised his speech, she had practised hers. She had to do it, for her father, and for her unborn child. She was drowning and he was offering her a lifeline. It didn't matter to her any more who was on the end of it.

'Yes.'

'You accept?'

Kate nodded, not trusting her voice. George swept forward and took her in his arms and kissed her. It was the first time he had ever kissed her on the lips. When he released her, his eyes were shining.

'I always vowed that one day I would make you mine,' he whispered. 'Let's tell your father the good news.'

***

The house looked the same; heavy purple blossoms of bougainvillea draped across the veranda roof, Flynn's hammock strung between two of the posts. But there were odd little things that were out of kilter; the empty bottles of square face gin uncollected by the steps, all the window shutters closed.

He went up the shell grit path, dread settled in his guts like cold fat. There was no answer to his knock. He went to the back of the house. Liddy peered out at him from the servant's quarters at the bottom of the garden.

'I've come to see Miss Flynn,' Cameron said.

Liddy's sulky expression changed when she recognised him. A sly smile formed on her lips. 'Missy not here,' she said.

'I want to see her.'

'Not here,' Liddy repeated.

Cameron tried the back door. It was unlocked. He pushed it open and went inside. 'Kate!'

Liddy followed him inside. 'You can't come along here! Missy not belong here no more!'

'Kate!' Cameron went through the house, Liddy fussing behind him like an old hen trying to protect her eggs.

'Miss Flynn she not belong here!'

'Where is she?'

'I tell you! She not belong here no more! She b'long Missa Nylan now! All same marry 'im!'

'Marry? She married George Niland?'

Liddy appeared triumphant. 'Father Murphy he say it all same sin. But she go longa white dress anyway. She go debil-debil one day!'

Cameron slumped into a cane chair.

'Hey! You can't sit there! That chair b'long Missa Flynn!'

'Damn you,' Cameron muttered. He got up, spilling the chair behind him and stamped out of the door.

Liddy picked up the chair, cursing white man's manners and got on with her work, feeling much better in herself for having seen sinners duly punished. Like Father Murphy said, God worked in mysterious ways.

Chapter 16

Kate was sitting on the veranda of the Niland house with Elizabeth, George's sister. A jug of lemon squash lay on the wicker table between them. They were crocheting a baby's shawl.

Elizabeth saw him first. 'Oh, my goodness,' she murmured and sat bolt upright. He strode up the path in his whites, a Panama hat pulled down over his face.

Kate put a hand on Elizabeth's arm. 'It's all right. I'll talk to him,' she said. She stood up and went down the steps to meet him.

He stopped, and took off the Panama.

'What do you want, Cam?

'Is it true? Is it? Did ye marry George Niland?'

'I don't see what business that is of yours.'

He spread his hands in a helpless gesture. 'Oh, lass. Tell me it's not true. Don't tell me I'm too late?'

'Too late for what?'

'To stop you.'

Kate's lips compressed in a thin, pale line. 'Yes, you are. About four days too late.'

He passed a hand across his face. 'The bairn's mine.'

She put a hand on her belly. 'This was just your revenge on my father, wasn't it?'

'No!'

'Well the whole town thinks it is.

'I told you I'd marry you!'

'Well perhaps I didn't marry you any more, not after what you did. Was it the plan right from the beginning? You humiliated us both in front everyone.'

'That's not how it happened.'

'Well, it's how it came out. You should be pleased. You've cut his heart out with this.'

'Kate ...'

'Why didn't you stay?'

'Would it have made any difference?'

She shrugged her shoulders.

'I thought I'd give you time to cool down. I reckoned that when I came back for stores folk would have something else to gossip about and we could talk it through ... Kate, I'm sorry. How many ways can I say it? I love you, lass.'

Kate felt the rage that had been building inside her boil over. He was sorry. Now. He loved her.

Now.

'Get out of my sight.'

'What can I do?'

'You've done enough. You used me to break my father's spirit, Cam, and I can never forgive you for that. Then you let me marry a man I detest and then you come back here and tell me you love me ... God damn you to hell!'

She turned on her heel and a moment later the screen door slammed behind her.

She watched him trudge away. He threw his Panama on the ground and kicked it all the way up the street. We're too alike, me and him, she thought. All I wanted at the time was to get my own back, but now it's done we both have to live with the consequences. What did the Chinese say about revenge? First dig two graves.

Oh Kate. What have you done?

***

The
China Cloud
was moored alongside the jetty. Cameron was supervising the unloading of the shell when he saw George Niland striding along the boards, the white tails of his jacket flapping behind him. His cheeks were flushed beet red.

'Cam, I want to see you.'

'Here I am.'

'Alone.'

'Anything you have to say, you can say as easily up here as you can in my cabin.'

George took a silk handkerchief from his breast pocket and dabbed at the perspiration on his forehead. 'You've been to see my wife.'

'Aye, I have. It's nae secret.'

'I want your word you'll stay away from her from now on.'

'I'll do as I damned well please.'

'You've harmed that girl enough! Now she belongs to me! So stay away from her!'

Cameron turned away from the packing of the shell and stepped onto the jetty, his thumbs in his belt. 'I dinnae like being told what to do, George.'

'Then get out of Broome.'

'You're nae threatening me?'

George was trembling. 'Now let me tell you something, Cam. My father owns this town, he's on every committee. No one stays in this town without our blessing.'

'You and your father dinnae scare me. I'm going to get her back. I'll nae rest until I've made up for what I've done!'

George Niland smiled, as cold an expression as Cameron had ever seen. 'That will never happen, Cam,' he said. He turned to go, hesitated. When he turned back, his voice was no more than a whisper. 'I hated you when I found out about you and Kate. But I'll have the last laugh. The baby will be a boy, I know it. If you stay here in Broome you can watch your son grow up to be a Niland. And he'll hate your guts! I promise you that.' He spoke the last words like a benediction. 'He'll-hate-your-guts!'

Chapter 17

The price of shell was at record highs and the fleets were bringing in good harvests. Just the year before the Governor Broome and Continental hotels had run out of champagne when the fleets came in for the lay-up. But this year celebrations were on hold. Rumours of war from Europe had left a pall of unease over the town.

The cable superintendent out at Cable Beach kept the town informed by telephone of each new communiqué; small groups started to gather outside the Post Office to discuss the latest developments. The assassination of a little known dictator in Sarajevo passed with little comment, but a few days later came the news they had all dreaded. Britain had delivered an ultimatum to Germany.

It was war. And overnight the price of shell plummeted.

***

Cameron made his way from the foreshore to the
Pearler's Rest
in the Continental Hotel. Frank the barman was leaning on the bar.

Cameron reached into his pocket and slipped some change onto the counter. 'I cannae pay my chits, Frank. I'm cleaned out. I do nae think I'll even be able to cover my costs.'

Frank held up the chitty jar. It was full of ash. 'Everyone's in the same boat, Cam. You just missed the ceremony. I burned everyone's chits at the same time.'

'It's the end of the town, Frank.'

'Maybe, maybe not. Those that have some money behind them will see it through.' He nodded towards the far end of the bar. Patrick Flynn was reeling towards them, dead drunk. He stopped, swaying, in front of Cameron.

'Well, well. Cam, my boy! You're looking very glum. Can I buy you a drink now?

'I'd nae drink with you if I were dying of thirst.'

Flynn threw back his head and guffawed. 'Well, I'll have one anyway. And you can put it on my chitty, Frank, you'll not have to burn mine.'

'Stole another pearl, Flynn?'

Flynn grinned. 'I'll thank you to watch your mouth. I'm a director of Niland and Company and people don't take kindly to itinerants like yourself insulting one of the town's leading dignitaries.' Flynn downed his gin and slammed his glass on the bar. 'No war lasts forever and when this one's done Niland and Company will still be here, when you and all the other pirates will be long gone. Get out of Broome, McKenzie. Get out with your tail between your legs and leave the
China Cloud
to rot at the pilings! You're finished here now! '

Cameron spat on the floor and left.

***

Cameron McKenzie stood on the deck of the
Koolinda
and watched the white roofs and rust-red hills merge into the blue horizon and drop out of sight. Perhaps things had worked out for the best. Even if he had married Kate, he could not have stayed in Broome while his country was at war. This way, at least, she would have a husband by her side when the child was born. She would have a secure future for herself and the baby.

No, that was a lie. The truth was he had made the biggest mistake of his life. He had come to Broome with nothing; he was sailing away with much less.

If only he could take back that afternoon on Bitter Moon Lane.

He didn't know if he would ever see Broome and Kate Flynn again. But as he stared at the white foam under the bows he vowed again that if it ever fell within his power he would win her back and erase the terrible wrong he had done her.

Chapter 18

BROOME, 1920

Simeon Espada wanted the girl more than he had ever wanted anything in his whole life. Her name was Anna, she was fair-skinned and blue eyed and she walked around the camp like she was a princess instead of the daughter of a poor lugger boss. She had blazing red hair and a soft, rounded figure and the muslin dresses she wore clung to her like wet sailcloth. Whenever he saw her his mouth went dry and he felt a terrible cold ache in the pit of his belly. She was as irresistible, and she was unattainable.

Her father owned the two luggers sitting there in the mud of the bay. He had not yet found enough shell to afford a house in the town so he and his wife and two daughters had to live on the stinking, muddy beach with his Manilamen and Malays and Koepangers. But he was still a white man, and he wasn't going to allow any coolie near his daughters.

Unless ...

***

The beach was empty, the sky still grey, like oyster flesh. Simeon sat down on a rock, picked up his guitar and strummed softly. It was a pre-arranged signal. A few minutes later Anna appeared at the doorway of the corrugated iron shack, her hair still tousled from sleep, carrying a basin of water. When she saw him she turned up the edges of her mouth in the secret smile she saved just for him.

She put the basin of water on a wooden crate, turned her back towards him and started to wash her face.

Simeon Espada almost groaned aloud. He had always had his pick of girls in Manila; but he did not want just any brown girl. He wanted what was impossible. He wanted to touch the white and freckled skin of Anna Lacey.

All the girls he had had were dark and small and slender, with hard little breasts and taut behinds like a boy's. He dismissed them now in his memory with a sort of casual contempt. Now a white girl like that would be a real prize. She was so pale, it made him think of the moon. Her breasts were swollen and stretched the muslin of her dress when she walked.