Pearls (35 page)

This was the first year she had noticed a change, not in the catering or the entertainments but in the attitude of the guests to herself and to her husband. People who had fawned to her before were suddenly either aloof or overly familiar.

George's chief accountant approached with his wife and George made desultory conversation with him. She watched Jamie fidgeting beside her while several young girls eyed him speculatively. Mrs Rathbone finished her rendition from La Bohème and left the stage to a smattering of polite applause. The orchestra returned to their seats and began a waltz.

Kate saw Cameron moving in her direction. 'Good evening Mrs Niland, Jamie.' He held his arm out to her. 'Would you care to dance?'

'Certainly, Mister McKenzie,' she said.

He escorted her onto the dance floor. 'You look beautiful,' he whispered.

'Thank you.'

'Good to see you up and walking again.'

'I dance with a limp now. You may have to lead.'

'Did you give the matron a boot up the backside for me?'

His teeth flashed white in the shadows. 'Aye, that I did. Then I ran, in fear of my life.'

'Kate!' George broke away from his accountant and stormed over. 'Kate, what are you doing?' He turned to Cameron. 'I told you to stay away from her.'

'Aye, you did that. You ken though, I can't do that.'

George turned to Kate. 'We're going home,' he said.

'Good. I've never enjoyed these things. Good night, Cam.' She let him kiss her cheek, in front of everyone. 'Take care.'

'Goodbye, Kate. If you need anything, just whistle.'

Chapter 60

George paced the veranda, smoking a cigarette. The Wet had broken and the thunderstorms that had been gathering over the ocean broke with violent force. The garden steamed under the assault, while sheet lightning flashed across the horizon.

Kate came out, still in her ball gown. He thought she had gone to bed.

'You defied me,' he said.

'Did I, George?'

'I told you to stay away from McKenzie. What in God's name do you think you were doing?'

'I'm leaving you, George.' At first she thought he had not heard her over the drumming of the rain on the roof. 'George, I said-'

'Shut up!' He stared at her, eyes wide. 'God Almighty!'

'I only stayed for Jamie-'

George turned away, his shoulders heaving. When he turned back to her, his face was wet with tears. 'How dare you, you filthy bitch.'

She took a step towards him. 'Call me that again and I'll slap you down.'

He just stared at her, his fists hanging limply at his sides. His mouth worked, but no sound would come.

'I only ever stayed for Jamie. We've been sleeping apart for years. Surely you knew.'

George covered his ears. 'Stop it. Stop it!' He slammed his fist on the veranda rail. 'I saved you!'

'I should never have let you.'

'Easy to say that now!'

'Yes, I suppose you're right. But I can't keep living with that mistake forever.'

He raised his hand to strike her. 'Shut up!'

Kate did not flinch. 'If it makes you feel better to hit me, then do it. But I cannot stay in this marriage any longer.'

'You won't get a penny, you know. You'll be left destitute. It's adultery so I don't have to give you a penny!'

'I don't want anything of yours. Flynn left me a little. I can live on that.'

'What about McKenzie?'

'He has less than I do.'

The fight seemed to go out of him. He bent double at the waist. 'Please,' he whispered. 'Don't.'

'I've made up my mind.'

'Look, just wait a while. The business is having a few problems. Don't leave me now. Please. When the price of shell picks up ...'

'For God's sake, George, I'm sick of pearls. Sick of them, sick of you, sick of this town. Sick of hearing about pearls!'

George's knees buckled under him and he slid down the veranda post, plumping on his haunches into a puddle of rainwater. "Please, don't leave now. Wait until the end of the season.'

'Stand up, George.'

'Please don't go.'

'I have to, I have to get away from here,' she said and left him slumped on the veranda before her resolve left her. If she stayed any longer she would never get away from this awful little town. She wanted to live before she died. She had made too many compromises in her life, she would not make any more.

Chapter 61

The Jabiru picked its way through the red mud outside the picture house like an old woman with her skirts pulled up, trying to avoid the puddles. Cameron honked at it with the klaxon mounted on the Ford, and it straightened up and stared back at the impertinent intruder with utter disdain. Cameron was forced to drive around it, through a deep pool of water right there in the middle of the street, the water splashing over the running board.

The Sun Picture Cinema was an institution in Broome and one of the favourite entertainments during the layup season. Tonight they were showing a new Charlie Chaplin film,
City Lights
. Elvie had pleaded with Cameron to take her.

After they had parked the Ford she climbed on his shoulders and he carried her across the flooded street to the picture house. Just then another motor car pulled up in front of them and a young man and woman got out. Cameron stopped.

'Hello Jamie,' he said.

'Mister McKenzie,' Jamie replied.

'How are you?'

'Well, thank you.'

'I hear you're working with your father these days.'

'I hope to learn a little.'

'I'm sure you'll do well.'

Jamie held out his arm for the pretty young girl at his side. Cameron recognised her; the governor's daughter. Yes, the boy had a knack of doing well for himself.

'Well, good evening,' Jamie said. 'I hope you enjoy the picture.'

After they had gone, Elvie, still perched on Cameron's shoulders, leaned forward and tapped him on the head. 'He's stuck-up, isn't he?' she said.

'He's a fine boy.'

'I still think he's stuck-up.'

'You mind what you say, lassie, he's nae like his father. The boy has guts.'

Cameron bought their tickets and they took their seats inside, in the open section near the front of the screen, where it was cooler. Mister Rathbone took his seat at the piano. At least they wouldn't have to endure his wife singing opera, Cameron thought.

Jamie and the girl were sitting two rows in front of them. Elvie leaned towards Cameron and whispered: 'She's rather too fat for him, isn't she?'

'And you're rather too young for him, lassie,' he said and she pouted.

'Well, it doesn't matter anyway,' Elvie said. 'We're related.'

The words took him between the eyes. How long had she known? He could not concentrate at all through the rest of the picture, he was the only one not laughing. Oh God, I've got to tell her the truth, he thought. If she knows about Jamie, someone will tell her about Rose soon enough, so she had better hear it from me first.

***

Breathless hot, their bodies slick with sweat. She kissed his chest licked the salt sweat off his neck. She wrapped her thigh over his belly. 'What's wrong Cam?' she whispered.

"It's Elvie. She knows about Jamie.'

'What does she know?'

'I was teasing her the other night in the picture theatre, about her having moon eyes for Jamie. She said, well it can't come to anything, we're related.'

'How did she find out?'

'Kids at school, I suppose. People don't forget, Kate. They let things slip, kids pick up on it and then they jabber it all around the schoolyard. You know how it is.'

'What did you tell her?'

'I have nae told her anything yet.'

'You have to tell her something.'

'I know.'

'Does she know about us?'

'Does she know her pa's still sleeping with Mrs Niland after all these years? I dinnae think so. But she's sharp and that day you came to the hospital? Afterwards she was asking a lot of questions.'

'It's best she finds out from you and not form the other kids again.'

'Aye, I'll have to tell her right soon. How's young Jamie these days?'

'He was at the Race Club Ball.'

'Aye I saw him. Grown into a fine lad.'

'He hates me.'

'He does nae hate you Kate.'

'Oh yes he does. He has reason to.'

'What possible reason for a lad to hate his mother?'

'He hates me for making me do things he didn't want to do. He hated boarding school and that was my idea. He wanted to work for Niland and Company and I tried to stop it. And he hates me for hurting George.

'Does he ken your reasons?'

'Well, that's the question isn't it? If he doesn't, he soon will.'

Cameron sat up. 'What do you mean, lass? What have you done?

'I told him I'm leaving him. I can't keep living like this. Stolen afternoons, being some man's mistress. Even if that man is you. I hate living like this, sitting around here for months on end while you're at sea and then when you do come back we have to sneak around behind everyone's back. I want a life, Cam. I stayed for Jamie's sake. I
married
for Jamie's sake. Enough is enough now.'

'What will we do?

'I'll go down to Perth. Flynn left me a little bit of money and I've managed to hide it from George if he knew about it he'd tried to get it off me and throw it down the bottomless pit he calls Niland and Company. You can come with me, Cam. We can start again.'

'You know it's all I've ever wanted.'

'Really?'

'I'll marry you, if you'll still have me.'

'What will you do?'

'I can get a job on the fishing boats again. If there's one thing I know, it's the sea. There's plenty looking for a good skipper.'

'What about Elvie?'

'Elvie will nae like it but she'll get used to the idea. Especially if she does nae have to stay at the boarder every time I go to sea. What's that look for?

'I worry what Elvie will think of me.'

'Do nae worry about Elvie. She's feisty but she'll come around. It's Jamie I worry about.'

'He won't even know I'm gone.'

'Oh I think you underestimate him, lass. He may seem cool to you now, but once he know's what's coming he'll fight you tooth and nail.'

'But if I leave, you'll come with me?'

'Aye, this is my last season.'

She sat up in the bed. 'Cameron McKenzie. I've waited all these years. Can't you just walk away now?'

'I've signed the lease. Got my crew. I just want to give it one more season. If I can get one good lay it will set us up, we'll have something behind us.

She got up and started to dress. 'Kate, love.'

'Don't Kate love me! I should go down to Perth on my own and to hell with the lot of you!"

'Just one more season, that's all! Let me give it one last try and then I'll walk away. But I'll never be rich man skippering down in Fremantle. One last roll of the dice, Kate. Please.

'Damn you Cameron.' She finished dressing and walked out. He put on his trousers and chased after her, bare chested. Elvie was standing on the veranda.

'Elvie,' Kate said. 'Hello. I'm ...'

'You're Mrs Niland. I saw you at the hospital.'

'Elvie! What are you doing here? Why aren't you at school?'

I ran off.'

'Why?'

'One of the nuns yelled at me again so I kicked her in the shins and ran.'

'Good Lord. You'll get thrown out.'

She looked him up and down. 'Well I won't be the only one in trouble.'

Cameron scrambled to put his shirt on. Elvie looked at Kate. Do you like me pa?'

She nodded.

'You're married to Mister Niland aren't ya? Looks like I'm not the only one in trouble, then.' And she went inside.

Chapter 62

Elvie watched him light a cheroot. It was not often she saw him smoking, and only when there was something on his mind that he needed to turn over. The moon crept up the sky. Although it was night it was still breathless hot. She put an arm around his shoulders.

'What are you going to do, pa?'

'I don’t know, lass. Twenty years I’ve been at the pearling grounds now. I’ve never found my pearl or my fortune. I guess it's time I stopped.'