Silver Clouds (32 page)

‘Harrison.' She reached up to touch his face. ‘Yes. Yes to everything.'

‘But?' he asked with raised eyebrows and a half-smile.

‘But,' she said, trying not to squirm, ‘I can't start this relationship with secrets. For it to work, you need to see those photos.'

Harrison's smile faded and he sat there for a moment. ‘I don't see the need.'

‘No, but I don't want anything to come back and haunt me.'

He took a deep breath. ‘Okay, if that's what you want, that's what you get. Let's have a look.'

Chapter 31

While Harrison looked through the photos Tessa paced the kitchen floor, her arms folded tightly over her chest. She couldn't bear to see them or his face while he looked at what she'd done, what she'd been.
If he doesn't want you afterwards, you can't be upset
, she kept telling herself.

When she heard his footsteps on the floorboards in the passageway, she froze. She badly wanted to be sick. Somehow, though, she summoned the courage to stand tall and face him, even if her face was lined with unease and fear.

He gave her a lopsided smile as he came in then held open his arms.

Tessa closed her eyes and swallowed, took the final two steps towards him and let herself be swept up in his comfort.

‘You were a bit of a party girl, weren't you?' he said against her hair.

‘Something I'm not particularly proud of.'

‘Come on, I'll make you a cup of tea.'

‘Another one?' Tessa giggled as relief bubbled up. ‘You're as bad as Spider!'

Harrison laughed as he gathered up the used mugs and took them to the sink to rinse. Then he busied himself in the kitchen.

He returned with the refilled mugs and placed them on the table in front of her. ‘So you don't know who posted them?'

Tessa shook her head as she blew on the steaming liquid.

He sat down beside her. ‘Do you think someone has a vendetta against you? Were they trying to discredit you?'

‘Who knows?' Tessa shrugged. ‘It probably doesn't matter now. But if they were trying to make me look bad, then they did a bloody good job of it. I reckon the moment they pressed “publish”, everyone in the office knew.' She took a sip and licked her lips. ‘Do you understand why you had to see them, Harrison? Once that sort of thing is on the internet, it stays there forever. If you'd seen them in six months' time, you wouldn't be happy. Or what if Cally saw them?'

‘Yeah, I understand where you're coming from. Anyway, let's forget about that. Finish your tea then we've got work to do!'

Tessa turned to him and he put both arms around her and kissed her. She closed her eyes and thought of nothing but this strong man, his arms encircling her, and how good he made her feel. She smiled against his lips.

‘What?' He pulled away and looked down at her. ‘Am I doing something wrong?'

‘Nope, I'm just very happy.'

He hugged her tight. ‘So am I.'

They flew back to Danjar Plains that afternoon. From the air, Tessa spotted the small scar on the landscape where Joe's camp had been. If she hadn't known it was there, she doubted she would have picked it out. She leaned over to Harrison. ‘We need to find out who is in that hospice,' she called above the noise of the engine. ‘I'd hate to think some poor person had been kicked out because the bill hadn't been paid.'

‘Yeah, we do. Did you bring the bills with you?'

‘Yes. I can make some phone calls when we land, if you think it's okay to.'

‘At the very least, we need to let the accounts department know what's happened. They can make the decisions from there.'

The plane began to descend.

‘Look, there's Mum waiting for us.' Tessa pointed to the tiny ute below.

Harrison ran his fingers over her cheek. ‘It'll be fine. Don't panic!'

‘I'm not!'

‘As Cally would say: “Yeah right.”'

Tessa laughed and kissed him.

They landed and taxied to the end of the runway. Harrison leaned over and opened her door. ‘Out you get!' He gave her a quick tap on the bum as she scrambled out.

‘Hi, Mum.' Tessa waved.

‘Hello, you two. Harrison, I've made the bed up in the quarters. I assumed it would be too late for you to fly back tonight.'

‘Thanks, Peggy, I'll take you up on the offer.'

Harrison passed Tessa's bag and folder to her. She could barely contain her smile as she glanced sideways at him, wanting to say something. He avoided her gaze.

‘Actually, Mum. Harrison will probably come and stay with me at Aunty Violet's,' she said, a spark in her eye challenging her mother to say something.

Peggy paused for a moment then continued walking towards the ute. ‘Sure, petal.'

Tessa took Harrison's hand. This time Harrison did look at her. A broad smile lit up his face.

Tessa came out of the office, a worried look on her face.

‘What's wrong, love?' Peggy asked, wiping her hands on a tea towel.

‘Did Harrison tell you Joe was paying for someone in a hospice?'

Peggy shook her head. ‘Sounds like you two were rather busy over there for twenty-four hours!' she said in an undertone. ‘You still haven't told me what happened.'

Tessa blushed. ‘I'm still amazed anything has happened. I've noticed him a few times since I've been home, but never thought . . . It's obviously very new and we'll take things really slowly. I didn't think he could possibly be interested in me. I thought the age gap at the very least would be a stumbling block.' She shrugged. ‘But Harrison didn't see it that way. He's very persuasive!'

‘He's a good man, Tessa. He's been a friend of the family's for a long time and he's very important to us. If it works, you'll be a very happy girl. And we'd be so happy to have you out here. You know he won't leave the station, don't you?'

‘I know. I feel safe with him. I feel, I don't know, alive or something!'

‘I think you'd be very good for each other. I was only saying to your father a couple of weeks ago that you'd make a good match.'

Tessa stared at her mum. ‘Good on you! And what did Dad say?'

‘He said,' she made quotation marks, ‘“Leave them to work it out, Peg. They'll get to it when they're ready.
Do not
,” and he gave me that stare only he can give, “Do not interfere!”'

‘So you guys had it all worked out before Harrison and I did? Oh, great!'

‘Did they?' Harrison walked in with a quizzical look on his face.

‘Old folk's intuition,' Peggy said with a smile.

Tessa grinned at Harrison as he put his arm around her shoulders. ‘‘Steady with the “old” bit,' he grinned good-naturedly. ‘Next time you've got a good idea like that, maybe you should tell us a little sooner. We could have got our act together much more quickly!'

Tessa turned to Harrison. ‘I spoke to the hospice – it's so sad.'

‘What is?'

‘Joe's got a disabled sister. Her name's Susannah and she's had brain damage since she was a child. When their parents couldn't manage her anymore, they put her into a hospice and once they died, Joe took on making the payments. I bet that's why he was growing all the marijuana. To help pay the bills, because it's really expensive.'

Shock crossed Peggy's face. ‘Growing what?'

‘Oh, we haven't told you that bit yet.' Tessa slapped her forehead. She told the story, with Harrison adding small pieces.

Peggy's disbelief was evident.

‘Anyway, he would never have been able to afford those fees on his station hand's wage,' Harrison finished. ‘But what I want to know is, how did he get it to the buyer? He never went off the place.'

Tessa shrugged. ‘Trucks? Gave it to someone? Who knows, but he obviously managed it. The lady said there is a trust fund set up, so if something happened to Joe, Susannah would be cared for until she died. She's nearly seventy-eight, so,' Tessa left the word hanging in the air. Maybe there wouldn't be too much longer.

Paul clattered up the steps.

‘Evening all,' he said then did a double-take as he saw Harrison with his arm around Tessa's shoulder. ‘About bloody time. I'm just going to wash my hands. Who wants a beer?' He walked out of the room before anyone had a chance to say a word.

Tessa and her mother exchanged wide grins.

That night, as Harrison and Tessa lay in bed, she told him all about Spider's letters and diaries and what she had discovered about Tom and her suspicions.

‘Do you think Violet could have been in love with Ali?' Harrison asked.

‘No, I'm sure she wasn't. She would have been, what? Fourteen? She might have had a crush or something, but nothing would have been acted on. Tom can't have been her child.' Tessa ran her fingers over the outside of the diaries. ‘Maybe he was Ali's child and for some reason he left him with Violet?'

‘I think you're clutching at straws,' Harrison said, his fingers circling her bare shoulder. ‘Why don't you get the rest of the letters and we'll have a look at them together.'

Tessa jumped out of bed. She ran into the kitchen, grabbed the letters then ran back again. Her body was covered with goosebumps. ‘Brrr. It's getting cold at night now,' she said.

Harrison grabbed the doona and wrapped her up in it. Then they sat together and read out loud.

‘This is from Elsie to Violet in 1937, so she would have been – Elsie – I mean . . . twelve? Somewhere around that, anyway.' Tessa cleared her throat.

Dear Violet,

We made it to Perth on the train. There are people everywhere and they all seem in such a hurry. Quite strange after the stillness of Danjar Plains. Still, I guess it was busy there, too, a different type of rush. Building and making things better.

The cars whip down the streets and people run across the roads to catch trams. You must bring Tom to the city and see these things – they're electric! They make such a noise, clattering and banging all the time, but they are fun to ride on.

I miss reading to you, Violet, and doing the lessons you had me do. It was a lot more fun learning out there than it is here, in a classroom.

Love,

Elsie

‘Okay, so we know Elsie had been here in 1937,' Harrison said and made a note.

Dear Violet,

Mum told me tonight that Dad is coming back out to help Len on the station. I'm really sad we couldn't come too. But Mum says I must do proper lessons. I miss the horses and the sheep. Did you buy any cattle?

Love,

Elsie

‘And another from Elsie, but it really doesn't say very much,' Tessa said, scanning it quickly. ‘Neither does the next one, just stuff about living in Perth. Okay, so there isn't any info there.'

She riffled through the pages and read a few more out. After ten minutes, Harrison had had enough.

‘Righto,' he said, taking the lead. ‘Let's leave it for now.' He took the letters out of her hands and put them on the floor. Then he gently pushed her back against the pillows. ‘Whatever the secret is, Violet kept it hidden for a long time. A few more hours isn't going to hurt. We'll solve it tomorrow. What do you say?'

‘Kiss me,' she answered, and gave herself up to him.

Chapter 32

‘I'm going back to the start,' Tessa said as she spread Violet's letters to Grace across the lounge room floor. ‘Got to get them all lined up in date sequence.'

Harrison looked at her, bemused. ‘I reckon I might go for a drive with Paul,' he said. ‘I'm happy to help you, Tessa, but I gotta get out of the house. I don't do very well inside for long periods of time.'

Tessa looked up. ‘Shit, I'm sorry! I didn't think. I've been making you deal with my stuff, and ignored all the things you've got to do.'

‘It's not a chore, but while we're on the subject, I need to head home tomorrow. My employees will be wondering what the hell is going on! I've hardly been there since the Muster. Good thing we can talk on the radio.' He reached for his sparkly hat and put it on his head. ‘And Cally gets back at the end of the week so I'll have to go into Kal and pick her up.'

‘Did you want me to come?'

He shook his head. ‘I think I need to tell her about us by myself. I don't think she'll react badly, but I need to make sure she is fine with it all before you guys catch up.'

‘Oh. Well, whatever you think.' Tessa turned away to hide her hurt.

‘Tessa, Tessa, Tessa! You're such an open book! I'm not shutting you out, but it's been just me and Cally for a long time. She'll need a while to get used to it. You guys can chew the fat when she's been home for a bit and you come over.'

‘Okay.' She rubbed her face, but when her hands came away, she was smiling. ‘I know, I know.' She held her hands up in defeat. ‘It makes sense, but I'm going to miss you!'

Harrison held out his hand and pulled her up. ‘Make no mistake, Tessie, I want you with me all the time.' He kissed her, spun her around and let go.

‘I guess we've got things to get in place, haven't we? Once I've wound all of this up.' She waved her hand at the house. ‘And you've got your blokes to organise and work to do.' She nodded her head. ‘But we'll make it work, won't we?'

‘Too right. And you don't have to hurry,' Harrison pointed out. ‘Mundranda and I aren't going anywhere. Stay here as long as you like, there is no pressure from me. In fact, I'm sure Violet would have wanted you to live here until it's time to move on.' He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

They heard the rumble of the ute as Paul pulled up and beeped the horn.

‘How did Dad know to come and get you?' Tessa asked, her hands on her hips. ‘Did you ask him last night?'