Silver Clouds (35 page)

‘What?' Tessa's voice rose into a girly high-pitched squeal. ‘Geez, I'm really pleased you're not a marriage counsellor, Elsie. Bloody hell!' She shook her head.

‘When you get a good man, don't let him go. I'll tell you something you don't know. I was engaged to Violet's brother, Edward, for a time. I didn't want to let him go and I would have loved living out there, but when he died we hadn't got any further than getting engaged. The wedding never happened. He was the salt-of-the-earth type. Trouble is, he got away, in a different sense of the word.'

‘Yeah, I guess dying sort of puts a stop to getting married.' Tessa tried to make light of it. ‘But I didn't know. There's nothing in the diaries or letters about that.'

‘Ah well. Guess it wasn't worth recording. Anyway, that's enough of that. But heed my advice, dear girl, and don't let Harrison get away.'

‘I hear you, but we're both a bit gun-shy, I think. Anyway, I'll invite you to the wedding if there is one!' Tessa smiled. ‘But going back to what we were talking about: out of all of this, it's the rape that bothers me the most. Grace “marrying” a cameleer doesn't upset me in the slightest. It was obvious they were in love and no matter what people thought about interracial marriages, her family was going to support her. It's what she went through because of being with Ali. I bet it would have killed him if he'd known.'

‘Oh, absolutely. No question. And, you know, those boys did Ali a favour by doing what they did. Not that I agree with an eye for an eye, but imagine the outcry if an Afghan man had killed three white men while they were sleeping. Quite simply, he would have been hung.'

Tessa could almost hear Elsie shaking her finger at the phone. ‘But three white men against three white men would just as likely not be followed up out there. You've got to remember, the police were few and far between.'

Tessa was quiet for a moment, thinking about that. Yes, times were different and it had probably been survival of the fittest back then.

‘The one comforting fact in all of this is that Tom was born into a relationship that was loving. Imagine if she'd got pregnant when she'd been raped.'

‘Didn't happen. Not worth thinking about.'

‘And the small grave that's out here, it's her other baby, the twin. From reading the diaries, Violet said she laboured for three days after the first one was born. It was a girl and they had to bury her before Grace had Tom. You know, what our pioneers had to go through was incredible. There would be a massive outcry if something like that happened now. In fact, it wouldn't happen. The mum would be whipped into surgery and given a Caesarean. It just wouldn't happen. The more I think about it, the more distressing it is. I can't think of a word strong enough.'

‘Life, my dear. It's just life. Yes, horrible, yucky, hell-I-wish-it-didn't-happen stuff. But it's still life,' Elsie said gently. ‘Now, are you going to tell the rest of the family? I think Spider was leaving that decision to you.'

‘I talked to Harrison about this before he left yesterday. I didn't want to spill the beans until I had the full story. He didn't see anything wrong with telling everyone, then, but I wanted to wait until I had as much information as I could get. I reckon I've got that now. So help me, if something else pops up! But I think it's the right thing to do. We should be proud of our heritage, especially because our line was born from love. I know I keep harping on about it, but it's important.'

‘Yes, you're right, but also understand this: it doesn't really affect you in the way it would have caused problems back then. You, Ryan and Paul aren't going to have to deal with the kind of ostracism they would have had to put up with. I see no point in hiding it anymore.'

‘I'm with you,' Tessa said with conviction.

There was a bang on her door. ‘Oh, someone's here, Elsie, I have to go. Come in!' she called out then turned back to the phone. ‘Did you know Ryan and Marni are up in Perth?'

‘Oh that's good news, too. Which hospital are they at?'

Tessa's face lit up in a huge smile as she saw Harrison and Cally walk in the door. ‘Hi, you both! Sorry, Elsie, Harrison and Cally have just arrived. Um, I think they're seeing a doctor at Hollywood Hospital. There's a fertility clinic there. But how did you know that? Oh, don't bother answering. I don't think there's anything about us you don't know.' She accepted a kiss on the cheek from Harrison and said goodbye.

‘Hello, hello!' she cried as she hung up. ‘Cally, how was your trip? I didn't hear the plane.'

‘Good, thanks.' The young girl smiled tentatively.

Tessa turned and searched Harrison's face for some sort of hint that everything had gone all right. Cally certainly wasn't rushing over and giving out hugs.

‘Excellent. Where did you go? What did you do?'

‘Oh, you know, just stuff.'

‘Okay, well I'm pleased you had fun. How was your flight?' She turned to Harrison.

‘Beautiful. Smooth, no issues,' he said.

‘Lovely.' She forced a smile.
Spider, where are you when I need you?
‘This is uncomfortable,' she finally blurted out. ‘Are there rules about this sort of thing?'

Harrison laughed and Cally smiled slightly.

‘Cup of tea anyone? Bloody hell, now
I'm
turning into Spider. She always said a cup of tea could fix anything.'

‘I'll have a cup,' Harrison answered. ‘What about you, Cally?'

‘No thanks, but I'll help you get it, Tessa.'

‘That would be lovely.'

Tessa's mind was churning. She hadn't given any thought about what she would say to Cally. She imagined she'd have days to sort through all of that. ‘Milk's in the fridge and there are some biscuits in the pantry, if you want.'

Cally silently got out the milk carton and looked for the biscuits.

‘Cally,' said Tessa, deciding honesty was the best policy. ‘I don't really know what to say to you. I can't begin to know what you're thinking. But we did have fun together before your dad dropped our news on you. I hope we can still do that.'

Cally put the milk on the bench and, casting a quick glance over her shoulder, faced Tessa. ‘Ages ago, Aunty Spider told me Dad might remarry. I never believed her because there could be no one more special than my mum.'

Tessa wisely said nothing.

‘She said that Dad might get lonely without me when I went away to boarding school and I'm going there next year.'

Tessa nodded. ‘Yes, I know.'

‘I can't pretend I don't feel funny about it. I mean, I've never seen Dad with a girlfriend before. But Aunty Spider told me it wouldn't change how much Mum loved me or how much Dad still does. She
promised
me there would be enough love to go around. She also said I wouldn't always get along with whoever he chose. So I guess that means we'll have arguments and fights. But I will get used to it and, besides, I like you. I can talk to you.' She gave a grin and a shrug. ‘I just don't know how to act around you now.'

‘For starters you can give me a hug, because you were giving me them before your dad was.'

The girl moved towards her. She stroked Cally's hair. ‘You're a very grown-up young lady and I appreciate your honesty and everything you have said. I'd love it if you could act the same as before, because I was friends with your dad before and I'm still friends with him, so not too much will change. How's that?'

‘We'll give it a go.'

Tessa closed her eyes. When she opened them again, Harrison was peeping through the door.

She gave him the thumbs up.

Chapter 36

Harrison took Tessa out for a walk that evening, while Cally helped Peggy with the dishes.

‘All good?' she asked.

He nodded. ‘I think I shocked her. She may have been the only one except you and me who didn't see it coming.'

Tessa linked her fingers through his as they walked. The moonlight made the mallee trees glow silver and she smiled. ‘I think everything is just about sorted. I've solved the family secret. I'm not drinking and feel the best I have in ages, and I've found you! All I have to do is get five minutes alone with Dad, tell him everything and my job will be done!' She bowed.

‘Found me? You've always known me.'

Tessa shoved him on the shoulder. ‘You know what I mean. Now Marni just needs to get pregnant and everything will be perfect.'

‘Life isn't meant to be perfect,' Harrison said seriously. ‘And I've got some news for you.' He stopped walking and turned to face her.

Tessa felt a shiver of fear rush through her as she stared up at him. ‘What?' she breathed as her heart began to beat faster. ‘What's wrong now?'

‘Those photos you showed me on Facebook, Tessa. I've been thinking.'

‘Oh no. No.' Tears sprung to her eyes. ‘I was honest,' she whimpered, her voice breaking.

‘Yeah, you were. And I have to admit they were fairly confronting and I hated what I saw.'

Tessa pulled away from him and wrapped her arms around herself as she waited for the hammer to fall on all her hopes.

‘I couldn't believe there wasn't a way to find out who posted them. There had to be and I had a feeling someone was trying to deliberately discredit you. Well, maybe I was hoping. I found it hard to believe anyone could be so malicious without a reason.' He stopped and took a breath.

The silence, to Tessa, was deafening. There wasn't even a mopoke or an owl calling. It was as if the bush was waiting to hear what Harrison had to say.

‘I've got a cousin who is a computer tech in Perth. I rang him and asked him how we could find out. He tried a few different techie tricks and didn't come up with anything. But then he saw something in the photo we hadn't seen. So he blew it up larger. I'm sorry I showed them to someone else, but I thought it was really important to get to the bottom of this.'

Harrison felt in his back pocket and drew out a piece of paper. ‘He emailed it to me and I printed it off last night. I think I know who did this, but you'll have to ask her why.'

Harrison handed over the piece of paper.

Tessa stared at it. She couldn't see herself in the photo and she was thankful. But she could see a window. And, reflected in the window, was the person taking the photo.

‘Oh my God.' Tessa was struck dumb. ‘Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck!' She turned in circles of fear and confusion. ‘Jaz took the photos? Why would she do that?' She stared wildly at Harrison, who stood a little way away from her.

‘So it is Jaz? I wasn't sure, but I thought it might have been. If she was the one who took the photos, it would be fair to assume she posted them as well, wouldn't you think?'

‘But why? Why?'

Harrison reached out and touched her cheek. ‘I can't answer that, Tessa. But maybe you can. What went on between you two? Could it have something to do with Kendra's accident? Jaz was there, wasn't she?'

Tessa nodded.

‘So what did happen that day?'

‘We'd been drinking,' Tessa said, her arms crossed as she stared out into the paddock. We had a competition, who could get to the top of the windmill and back again. Kendra got scared the further she went up, so she didn't make it to the top. She froze.'

Tessa turned back angrily. ‘Every goddamn time Jaz got the opportunity, she teased Kendra about not being able to make it to the top. Not just teased her, but really paid the hell out of her.'

She looked at Harrison with tears in her eyes. ‘And then we played truth or dare, and Jaz dared Kendra to climb up the windmill again. Kendra wouldn't do it. But that night, when Jaz and I were asleep, she climbed up in the dark. The problem was, we'd been drinking all day. She wouldn't have had all her wits. I think she fell. Maybe she jumped because she was frightened. But I'd rather think she fell.'

Tessa looked at Harrison in horror. ‘Then the dingoes came.' She shivered. ‘It was awful. Awful!'

Harrison took her in his arms and held her. ‘So why would Jaz do this to you?' he said finally.

Tessa looked up at him. ‘I don't know! I don't know!' She buried her face in his chest and cried.

It was midnight on Danjar Plains when Tessa rang Jaz. Tessa could hear the hum of the office in the background when her friend answered the phone. She imagined Jaz sitting at Tessa's old computer,
her
files and
her
friends. She still could not begin to imagine why her oldest girlfriend could be so vindictive, but the shock had worn off and now there was a fury bubbling inside her.

‘Marketing Matters. Jaz speaking,' the voice said.

Tessa half-smiled. Jaz hadn't recognised the phone number and now she had the upper hand.

‘I know you did it,' Tessa began. ‘What I don't understand is why.'

There was a silence, then Jaz said: ‘I'm very sorry, but you must have the wrong number. This is Marketing Matters. To whom were you wishing to speak?'

‘Oh I'm speaking to the right person. I just want to know why, Jaz?'

‘Tessa? Is that you?'

‘Yes.'

‘What are you talking about? How are you? I haven't heard from you for ages!' Jaz gushed.

‘No, and I'm sure you're pleased about it. The photos, Jaz. That's the only reason for the call. Tell me why you did it. And did you set me up with John Smith? Did you have a little plan?'

Harrison walked out of the bedroom, sleepy-eyed, and gave Tessa a questioning look. Tessa held her fingers to her lips but tilted the handpiece of the phone to him so he could hear, too.

‘How did you work it out? Why are you accusing me? I'm your friend!' To Tessa that confusion of truth and lies was all the confirmation she needed.

‘Jaz, come on. I won't ask you again.'