The following Friday evening Kathleen was helping out in the hotel’s dining room. A group of women had come in for a quick meal before going to play bingo in the village hall, and a woman, her husband and little son came in and sat down at the table in the corner. Kathleen didn’t mind helping out in the evenings as long as Lillie was at home with Marcus and Freddie. It gave her a chance to talk to the local people, who were all so friendly and full of sympathy for the O’Sullivans’ predicament. It turned out the couple with the young son she was serving had a sheep station out of town and were waiting for the school bus from Tamworth to bring their daughter back from St Dominic’s, the school Lillie was to go to.
‘The school rang the post office to say the bus has been delayed with engine trouble,’ the woman said, ‘so we thought we might as well fill in the time here while we’re waiting.’
‘Our Lillie’s to start at St Dominic’s in the New Year,’ Kathleen said, pouring her a tumbler of lemonade and her husband a beer. She explained how they had not long arrived from Ireland and the school suggested they leave it until the new term for Lillie to start.
‘Oh. How old is she?’ the woman asked.
‘Fourteen.’
‘The same as our Deb.’
Kathleen poured the little boy a glass of milk. ‘It’d be great if they could meet before Lillie starts next term,’ she said eagerly.
‘Well, I’ve got to go through to Quirindi tomorrow. Why don’t I see if Deb can come with me? I can drop her off and they can get to know each other.’
Kathleen smiled. ‘That would be wonderful. I’m sure Lillie would love that.’
And so it was agreed that Deb would be dropped off at ten the following morning.
‘Ma!’ Lillie exclaimed when Kathleen told her what she had organised. ‘How could you? I bet the last thing Deb wants is to be saddled with the new girl.’
‘If you don’t get on, you don’t have to take it any further. But it’d be nice for you to know someone when you start.’
‘I suppose so,’ Lillie said reluctantly.
The next morning at ten Deb and her mother arrived at the front door. ‘I’ll be back about 11.30,’ she said, giving Deb a kiss. ‘Have fun.’
Kathleen thought Deb was lovely; she had a bubbly personality and shiny brown hair with a deep fringe, which fell over mischievous deep-set eyes. She was a good two inches taller than Lillie and possibly a bit slimmer. No matter how Lillie tried, she still carried a bit of extra weight, which Kathleen knew annoyed her no end. At first Lillie was shy, but after a few minutes with Deb chatting nineteen to the dozen, she seemed to relax.
After Kathleen saw them off to Allen’s tiny milk bar next to the corner store, which served ice creams, lemonades and milk-shakes to its customers at its laminex tables, she went to the kitchen. As she listened to the country and western singer Slim Dusty on the transistor, she looked through the mail that James had picked up from the post office. Yesterday there had been an aerogram from Alice, who said she was settling into the hotel, but missed them all enormously and hoped it was all working out with Finn.
I’m still doing my writing, but rather than writing about country life, I’m writing about living in a private hotel in Dublin. I try to make it a bit humorous. The magazines seem to like it. I got a little bit of money last week from one and have sent a parcel by sea mail for the children at Christmas and enclosed a couple of my articles. Do hope the parcel arrives safely.
This reminded Kathleen that Christmas was only a couple of months away. Would they still be living here when it came around? Although they had a little money left, and they were getting the small wage from the Hogans for looking after the hotel, she worried that they would soon be scraping the barrel. How would she be able to buy the children any Christmas presents? Would James have found a job by then? A house? When the Hogans came back they would be more or less out on the street. The thought of it kept her awake at night, as she knew it did James, too. Although they were both sad for what Finn had done, at times Kathleen was dreadfully angry with him. She and James had decided not to tell Alice about his death at this stage. When the family were settled somewhere, that would be the time to tell her. Otherwise she would only worry about them. In any case, they were loath to tell her, or anyone else back in Ireland for that matter, that Finn had shot himself. And to say he had just died would be a lie. As far as Kathleen was aware it hadn’t been reported in any of the Irish newspapers. Even if it was, they would never reveal it was suicide. She had no idea whether Finn’s parents knew their son was dead.
Kathleen desperately missed Ronan now he was billeted with the Thompsons, but she was happy he was getting a good education. On Sunday evening when they had dropped him off at the Thompsons she had met both Mr and Mrs Thompson and their son Dave, and took to them all enormously, so she was confident he was being well looked after. When he’d phoned on Tuesday he’d said he was enjoying school and had already made a few friends in addition to Dave, who he really liked. He had even had a game of rugby that afternoon and had signed up for a tennis game. Kathleen cherished all her children and liked to think she had no favourites, but deep down her eldest held a special place in her heart that no one else could touch. That was one of the reasons she’d been so upset when James had lost Rathgarven — it should have gone to Ronan. Although times in Ireland were hard now, who knew what it would have been like when Ronan took over.
Idly she picked up an aerogram and realised it was addressed to her. She glanced at the postmark. India. She smiled; she should have recognised the handwriting. She grabbed a knife and slit it open.
Dearest Kate — Only Jessica called her Kate.
Well, how goes it all? How’s the big adventure in the outback of the colonies? I’m dying of curiosity and can’t wait to get your first letter. I got your postcard from Naples. It looks as frenzied as Calcutta. How is James getting on? And the divine Finn? Has he turned James into an Aussie cowboy yet? And how about my darling Lillie? And of course Ronan and the little ones too?
I was sad to leave Clara in London and come back here to stinking hot Calcutta. I tried to get her invitations to the best sort of parties while I was there. Although she went to some, I don’t think her heart was really in it. Silly girl. She is so grown up now, isn’t she? Seventeen going on twenty. But she does look beautiful. It’s a bit like watching an orchid come into flower.
Phillip’s business is battling, as ever. And of course money is desperate. Nonetheless we still seem to be at one ball or cocktail party after another, which really tests my wardrobe. Last night we went to a reception for Lord Mountbatten at Government House. I must say I find him rather dapper, even though the rumour is that he bats for the other side, if you know what I mean. But, my darling girl, India is not like it used to be. Where have all the interesting people gone? They’re not here, I can assure you. Maybe they’re in Australia.
We hope to escape this ghastly heat and go to the hills for a month to stay at a friend’s bungalow at Darjeeling. Maybe things will be better in the cooler air. As you know, Calcutta at this time of year turns anyone’s mind.
Well, my sweet, I shall wait with bated breath for the first instalment from the ‘little Aussie bush wife’. Seriously, though, I do hope it’s going well for you and it’s all you had hoped for.
Heaps of hugs to you all.
Your bestest friend forever,
Jessica.
If only you knew, Kathleen thought. She wished with all her heart that Jessica was here with her now and they could sit down and have a girly gossip. That Jessica could hold her in her arms and tell her everything would be fine, like she’d done in India just after the war ended, when Kathleen’s world had come crashing down. And before that when Kathleen’s parents had died; it was Jessica who had been there for her, helping her through the heartbreaking funeral and afterwards. So, much as she annoyed Kathleen at times, she had to admit she had been a good friend over the years.
But Jessica wasn’t
here with Kathleen. Jessica was in Kathleen’s cherished India. Without warning Kathleen’s mind slid back to the Tollygunge Club in Calcutta all those years ago when they were trying to pretend things were normal during the war. The fateful evening when Jessica had introduced her to the squadron leader in their midst. Kathleen remembered his face, how the soft Indian light caught his cheekbones, how she blushed when her eyes locked with his and every part of her body flamed with desire. She remembered each treasured moment of their time together, the motorbike rides, the feel of his body warm against hers, his breath upon her cheeks when he turned to her and smiled, his eyes aglow with fun.
Stop this silly reminiscing, she told herself, refolding Jessica’s letter. She made herself a cup of coffee and gazed out of the window as she drank it, watching the washing flapping in the breeze. The Second World War seemed so far away from where she stood now. In reality it wasn’t even twenty years ago.
She went to her bedroom and opened the bottom drawer of the dressing table, where she kept the money tin she’d brought from Rathgarven. The key was in her make-up bag where she kept it. She was about to open the tin and once more look at the letters inside, but something made her stop. It felt disloyal to James.
She remembered when they first met. She had been surprised when James came up and introduced himself at her Aunt Mildred’s place on the Kenmare River all those years ago, before the war.
‘James O’Sullivan,’ he’d said. ‘I believe you know my friend Finn Malone in Calcutta.’
‘Finn Malone. Of course.’ Kathleen had paused and given him a smile. ‘I don’t suppose you’ve been to Calcutta to visit him? Otherwise I might’ve met you.’
James shook his head. ‘I’m afraid I’ve been rather tied up here in Kerry. Keeping the home fires burning, you might say.’ He looked at her empty glass. ‘What if I fill that up for you and we can have a chat?’
The next time she had seen James was when she had come back to Ireland after the war had ended. The night he asked her to marry him was still vivid.
‘Thank you, James,’ she had said. ‘You’re very kind.’ She gave him a small smile and shook her head. ‘But I’m afraid I’ll have to turn you down.’ She had looked across to the window where the full moon was rising over the cove. ‘You, of all people, know why.’
It took a week for James to finally convince her to be his wife. It was the day after she had been to see Rathgarven and fallen under its spell. As it was so soon after the war and rationing was still in force, they decided to go up to Dublin and get married there, rather than have a large wedding in Kerry.
Now, making an effort to bring her mind back to the present, she finished her coffee, washed the cup under the tap, checked the loaf of soda bread in the oven and went outside to get the washing off the line. She wondered how Lillie was getting on with Deb. She hoped they would become friends, for she imagined Lillie was missing her friends back in Ireland. Particularly Sheelagh. As she was about to go inside, over the side fence she caught sight of a woman walking down the street towards the post office. She was wearing a tartan skirt and a navy blue pullover. Even with her head bowed, she looked familiar.
Kathleen went to the fence and called out. ‘Winifred?’
The woman turned her head for a second and Kathleen waved.
‘It’s Kathleen O’Sullivan. I saw you up at the church when we were talking to Father Fogarty.’
Kathleen thought she might ask her in for a cup of tea. But Winifred kept on walking. Kathleen was going to call out again, then stopped. It was obvious that this friend of Dawn’s didn’t want to know her. So she let it go and went back inside to fold the washing.
* * *
‘I like your dress,’ Deb said when she and Lillie had settled at the laminex table by the window in Allen’s milk bar. They were the only people in there, apart from the woman behind the counter who was wiping the benches. ‘Did you bring it from Ireland?’
Lillie glanced down at her pink seersucker dress, which she’d always quite liked. Until Clara had come to Rathgarven in her latest fashions from London. After that she’d thought it was dull and boring.
‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘I think Ma got it in Killarney. There was quite a good shop in the main street.’
‘I live in jeans,’ Deb said, patting the stone-washed jeans she was wearing. ‘Not much point in wearing a dress out where I live.’ She laughed. ‘Don’t think I even own one, apart from my school uniform. Oh … and a couple Mum makes me keep for mass.’
‘Is your parents’ sheep station very big?’
Deb nodded. ‘Thousands of acres.’
‘You’ve got to be joking!’
‘No.’
‘Sounds like it’s the size of the whole of County Kerry where I come from.’
At that moment a couple of girls parted the plastic strips that hung in the doorway to keep the flies out and entered the milk bar. One of them was wearing a short flouncy floral dress like one Lillie had seen in a magazine. The other one wore a pair of jeans similar to the pair Deb was wearing. She also had a check shirt a bit like Deb’s.
‘Hiya, Deb,’ they both said at once, before heading to the counter. ‘Good to see ya.’
‘Hi there,’ Deb replied. She leant over and whispered to Lillie, ‘They go to St Dominic’s. The one wearing jeans is okay. The other one’s a real bully.’
Lillie tried to get another look at the bully’s face as she heard her order an ice cream and lemonade. But she had her back to her so she couldn’t see.
‘So do you like school?’ she asked Deb. ‘I can’t wait to start. I’m getting really bored at home, especially since my brother Ronan’s started at Christian Brothers in Tamworth. He’s away all week.’
‘School’s sort of okay. Some of the nuns are great, others are a bit weird.’
Lillie fiddled with her straw in the aluminium milkshake container.
‘I wonder if I’ll be in your class.’
‘I reckon if you’ve come from another country they won’t know what class you should be in so you’ll have to sit an exam.’
‘Really! I hadn’t thought of that. I wouldn’t have a clue whether Ireland’s as up to date as Australia. Do you do Latin? We had to.’
‘Yeah. And I hate it. Amo, amas, amat …’
‘I know. God knows when we’ll ever use it.’
When the other girls had got their orders and were walking out they stopped at Lillie and Deb’s table.
‘They’re putting on a screening of Jedda at the church hall tonight,’ the one in the jeans said to Deb. ‘You going?’
Deb shook her head. ‘Mum and Dad have visitors coming over. In any case I can’t imagine they’d want to drive me in unless they want to see it.’
‘I’ll tell you what it’s like. It’s supposed to be really good.’
‘That’d be great,’ Deb said.
‘See ya back at school on Monday,’ the other girl said, eyeing Lillie.
Lillie thought she was hoping Deb would introduce her. Either Deb had forgotten her name or she didn’t want to.
After they’d gone Lillie giggled. ‘She does look a bit as though you wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of her.’
‘Yeah. She’s a real bitch. I knew she wanted me to introduce you, but,’ she grimaced, ‘if I did that she’d want to know the gory details of what happened to Mr Malone. Soon it’d be all over the school. She’s that sort. A real gossip. So’s her father. He’s often drunk out of his mind. Her mother’s okay though.’
‘Well, sounds as though I need to stay clear of her.’
‘Yeah. I would if I were you.’
‘Anyway,’ Lillie said, finishing the last of her milkshake, ‘if there’s another good movie on at the hall here in Gullumbindy some time soon maybe you could spend the night at our place.’
Deb smiled. ‘That’d be great.’
As they strolled back along the lane a little while later, Deb asked her if she missed her friends from school back in I
reland. And if she’d had a boyfriend.
‘Not really. I met this fellow on the school bus, Seamus, who I really liked. He’s migrated with his family to Canada. Things are so bad in Ireland. That’s why we had to come here.’ Which, Lillie supposed, was in a roundabout sort of way the reason her family had come here. ‘What about you? Have you got a boyfriend?’
‘I like a fellow at the Christian Brothers who I see on the school bus. But I don’t reckon he even knows I exist.’
Lillie smiled. ‘Bet he does.’
‘I’ll point him out when you start school.’
And as they waited on the verandah back at the Hogans’ house for Deb’s mother to arrive, Lillie really hoped that Deb would come and stay the night sometime. It would be great to have another friend to talk to, like she did with Sheelagh. Deb was nothing like Sheelagh at all, but Lillie liked her a lot.
CHAPTER
17
James was in the bar polishing glasses when he took a phone call.
‘Can you start next week?’ It was the manager of a farm machinery outlet in Quirindi. ‘You’ll be selling our Massey Ferguson tractors. It’ll involve a bit of travelling around the local properties.’
James sighed with relief. This place was one of many he’d applied for a job. He had been worried sick about what would happen when the Hogans came back. Despite what they were earning from the hotel, money was running short and what they had brought from Ireland would soon be whittled away. There was hardly a moment in every day when he didn’t fret about the future. Hardly a minute when he didn’t think of what he’d done in losing Rathgarven. And how desperate Finn must have been to do what he did, leaving James and his family high and dry. James had feared that if he couldn’t find a job around the district, the family would need to move somewhere else. He had been loath to contemplate that move with Ronan having started school up in Tamworth and Marcus and Freddie ensconced at the local school. This job offer could alleviate things considerably.
‘Give it some thought and ring me in the morning,’ the manager said. ‘We’d like to have you on our team.’
The Homestead on the River Page 16