The Homestead on the River

by Rosie MacKenzie

  ‘Goodness. That’s not far off at all,’ Lillie said. ‘I can’t wait.’

  Ronan, who was taking his turn to dry the dishes, looked around. ‘No, it’s not far off at all.’ He put the tea towel down and walked towards the door. ‘Reckon I’ll call it a night. I’ve got an assignment due in on Monday.’

  ‘Of course, darling,’ Kathleen said.

  Despite the fact Ronan was dating, and most likely having sex with the girl up in Armidale, Lillie still wondered how he’d feel when he saw Clara again.

  * * *

  When she wasn’t at school Lillie found that, although she really missed Jack, she came to know Arthur quite well, as she was spending more and more time down at the stables helping out. Often when they were mucking out the stalls together he would tell her stories about the bush and how his grandparents lived a few miles off the road out to Bourke, where he sometimes went to visit. He told her his mother, who was white, taught at the mission school and had fallen in love with his father when she was working in the area and he was a stockman on a nearby cattle station.

  ‘When she got up the duff with me they came to town to live,’ he told her. ‘Since they broke up m’old man spends most of the time back in the bush with m’pop.’

  ‘What about your mother? What’s she doing now?’

  ‘She met a white fella. They’ve got three kids.’

  ‘So do you see them much?’

  ‘Now and then. It’s better being with m’old man.’

  ‘Do you eat witchetty grubs when you’re out in the bush?’

  Arthur chuckled. ‘Yeah. They’re not bad.’

  ‘Really? What do they taste like?’

  ‘When you cook ’em the outside’s a bit like a crispy chicken. Inside’s like an egg.’

  ‘Not sure if I like the sound of that.’

  The next afternoon, as they were washing the stables out, Lillie and Arthur saw Dingo sniffing the ground down next to the water trough. Lillie thought it might have been a bone, and Arthur wandered over to see what he was on about. He crouched down on his haunches and fossicked in the dirt. Picking up a handful he put it close to his face. When he stood up, he held a used cartridge in his hand.

  ‘I reckon someone’s shot a rabbit or something round there,’ he said. ‘There’s traces of dried blood in the dirt. And this cartridge.’

  ‘Gosh, how could you work out there’s blood there?’

  Arthur grinned. ‘I’m not part blackfella for nothun.’

  ‘It must be from a gun Uncle Finn had,’ she said. ‘Don’t think Dad or Ronan have shot anything down here, although Ronan’s shot a few rabbits and snakes in the paddocks and Mum shot a snake up near the house. Best put it somewhere away from Dingo. He might swallow it.’

  Arthur pointed to the ledge above where the saddles were kept. ‘I’ll put it up there and throw it out later.’

  Once again Lillie felt really sad about what Uncle Finn had done. She shivered, and wondered if the cartridge was from the gun he had shot himself with. Nonetheless, she put it out of her mind as she got ready to go into Tamworth with Deb to see Dr Strangelove at the movies. Deb’s mother was going to pick her up from Gullumbindy where Ma would drop her off. When they arrived at the theatre there were a couple of fellas Deb knew who joined them sitting up the back, eating Jaffas and giggling. When the boy sitting next to Lillie took her hand she wasn’t quite sure what to do, but in the end she let him hold it right through the movie. Afterwards when they went down to Fitzroy’s for a milkshake and ice cream he put his arm around her. At that moment Brad Hickey came in with a group of friends and sat down at the next table. He smiled at her and she got goose bumps all over and moved the boy’s arm away.

  When Brad got up to leave with his friends, he came over. ‘G’day, Deb. How you been?’ he said, running a hand through his hair and standing there looking gorgeous.

  ‘Great,’ Deb said.

  Then he looked at Lillie and asked how she was.

  ‘Fine, thank you,’ she smiled.

  ‘You look great,’ he said.

  ‘Thanks,’ she said, hoping no one, particularly Brad Hickey, noticed that she was blushing bright red.

  But Deb had; she knew how much Lillie fancied him. When he left she looked at Lillie and said, ‘Yeah, it’s real hot in here, isn’t it,’ and laughed. ‘That’s why you’re the colour of the strawberry on my ice cream.’

  Lillie wondered if the way she felt about Brad Hickey was how Clara felt about Charles Fitzpatrick. Even though Ronan had a girlfriend, would he get goose bumps like this when he saw Clara again? For the fancy-sounding Lord Charles Fitzpatrick’s sake, she hoped not.

  Later, as they waited for Deb’s mother to pick them up, they looked at the Christmas decorations in the shop windows. Lillie couldn’t believe the year had gone so quickly. Soon it would be the New Year and Clara would be arriving.

  PART FOUR

  Eureka Park

  1966 to 1968

  CHAPTER

  29

  Ronan looked anxiously down the railway line to see if the train from Sydney was in sight. He and his mother and Lillie were all at Tamworth station this Sunday afternoon waiting for Clara to arrive. It was hard to believe that it was nearly two and a half years since he had last seen her. He wondered how much she had changed. Since he’d started dating Trish he’d tried hard to put Clara out of his mind, and at times he’d succeeded. But when he’d heard she was to marry Charles Fitzpatrick, she slipped her way back into his thoughts more and more. It wasn’t long before he realised he was extremely jealous of Charles Fitzpatrick.

  The moment Clara stepped down onto the platform, he could see that, although she was even more beautiful than he remembered, her sweep of blonde hair hanging loosely on her shoulders, she was still the same Clara. She wore a pair of blue jeans and a white t-shirt that clung to her full breasts and accentuated her slim waist. She’d also grown a good two inches and was taller than Ma, who rushed forward to take her in her arms.

  ‘Aunt Kathleen,’ Clara said excitedly, shoving her sunglasses high on her forehead above her vibrant blue eyes. ‘How gorgeous you look! I swear to God you haven’t aged a minute since I last saw you.’

  Then it was Lillie’s turn to greet her warmly with a kiss on the cheek.

  ‘And Lillie … I love your bob,’ Clara said. ‘I nearly got mine cut like Cilla Black has hers, but Mummy talked me out of it.’

  Now she looked over and saw Ronan. For a moment both of them stood staring at each other, before Clara’s face broke into a radiant smile.

  ‘Oh, Ronan,’ she cried, coming over to him. ‘I can’t believe it’s you. Last time I saw you we were children. Now you’re a man.’ She looked up at him. ‘You must be over six foot.’

  ‘Hi, Clara,’ he said, returning her smile. ‘It’s great to see you again. And I believe congratulations are in order. You’re to become Lady Charles Fitzpatrick.’

  ‘Yes, I am.’

  Ronan could see she wasn’t sure what to do next and he wasn’t, either. So to relieve the awkwardness he stepped forward and gave her a warm hug and kissed her lightly on the cheek. ‘You look beautiful. Even more than I remember.’

  ‘Ah, get on with you, Ronan,’ she laughed, stepping back. ‘I might’ve grown, but I look just the same.’ She glanced across at Ma and Lillie, who were watching them. ‘Imagine me being here in Australia. It’s so different to England and Ireland. I couldn’t believe it on the train up. All so sparse and brown. And,’ she added, wiping her forehead, ‘so much hotter. I can’t wait to get to Eureka Park and have a swim in that river you told me about, Ronan.’

  ‘Well,’ Ma said, beckoning Ronan, ‘you get Clara’s luggage and we’ll head back there right now. Marcus and Freddie are bursting with jealousy that we’ve got to see you first. And James is keen to see you as well.’

  ‘And I can’t wait to see them too,’ Clara said. She moved over and put an arm around Lillie. ‘I’m glad I had that night in the hotel in
Sydney. I don’t feel tired at all despite that long flight.’

  Ronan stowed Clara’s luggage and got behind the wheel. Ma sat beside him, with Clara and Lillie in the back seat.

  ‘Do show us your ring,’ Ma said, turning to Clara.

  Clara held up her hand with a large diamond in a gold setting. ‘I wanted something simple.’

  ‘It’s beautiful,’ both Kathleen and Lillie said at once.

  ‘Show Ronan,’ Lillie said.

  Clara leant over and showed Ronan.

  ‘That’s some diamond,’ he said, taking his eyes off the road for a second. It must have cost a small fortune, he thought, but then to the Fitzpatricks, it was probably a drop in the ocean.

  Clara looked a bit embarrassed. ‘I actually wanted something smaller, but Mummy said I should have this one.’

  ‘She helped you choose it?’ Ma asked.

  ‘Sort of. Charles and I picked out a few and then Mummy came in and helped me make the final choice.’

  And I bet it didn’t take her long to choose the largest, Ronan thought, chiding himself for being such a bad sport.

  ‘Now tell us about Drominderry House,’ Kathleen said. ‘How’s Lady Fitzpatrick? And how are dear Maisie and Paddy?’

  ‘They’re great. I think they were very excited when they heard Mummy and I would be coming there to live. Well, Lady Fitzpatrick said they were, anyway.’

  ‘I’m sure they will be, darling.’ Kathleen smiled. ‘And you’ve seen darling Alice as well. How is she?’

  ‘Last time I saw her she was fine. Missing you all, of course. But she looked good. And I think she’s happy in Dublin. I haven’t seen her since I knew I was coming over here. Otherwise I’m sure she’d have loaded my suitcase with pressies for you all.’ She grinned. ‘I wish I had a grandmother like her.’

  Ronan knew Clara’s paternal grandparents had died years ago in India. And Jessica’s mother had died about fifteen years ago, having returned to England from India after her husband died in Calcutta after the war.

  ‘We do miss her,’ Ma said. ‘But we ring up from time to time and write often.’

  Clara looked at Ronan in the rear-vision mirror. ‘How’s uni, Ronan? And,’ she laughed, ‘have you met the love of your life?’

  Ronan smiled. ‘I’ve got a nice girlfriend. I’m sure you’ll like her.’

  ‘Well, you’ll have to introduce me.’ She looked at Lillie. ‘And how about you? Are you madly in love?’

  Lillie laughed. ‘I wish I was. But no, I haven’t met anyone I really like who likes me.’

  ‘Lillie’s far too young to be thinking of things like that,’ Ma jumped in. ‘She’s got to get her Leaving Certificate first.’

  Clara grinned. ‘She’s only a few years younger than me and I’m getting married. I wanted to leave it a bit later to get engaged, but Mummy said I should accept now or Charles might change his mind.’

  ‘Well, I think it’s a great idea you decided to do a bit of travelling first.’

  ‘Thank you, Aunt Kathleen. I wish Mummy thought the same. She was a bit annoyed with me. But dear Charles understood totally.’

  ‘Have you got lots of photos of him?’ Ma asked.

  ‘In my suitcase. I’ll show you when I get to Eureka Park if you like.’

  ‘That would be lovely, darling.’ Ma turned to Ronan with a bright smile. ‘Won’t it, Ronan?’

  Ronan nodded. The last thing he wanted to do was to gush over copious photos of Lord Charles Fitzpatrick with his huge estate and pots of money to go with it, which was making Clara’s mother more than happy. When he’d first heard Clara was marrying Charles the first thing he had thought was how Jessica would be beside herself with joy. She’d achieved what she had set out to do: marry her daughter off to a wealthy and titled husband.

  ‘Sure,’ he now said, trying to sound enthusiastic. ‘I’d like to see some photos of the dashing prospective groom.’

  His mother turned back to Clara. ‘Jessica sounds so delighted that you’re marrying Charles. She’ll love being able to visit you now and then.’

  ‘Oh, she’ll be doing more than that. Charles said she can have the flat at the side of the house as her own. It’s got a lovely view of the Kenmare River. And buckets of sun.’

  ‘Oh, how lovely. Jessica will adore that.’ Ma paused. ‘So she’s definitely not going back to Calcutta?’

  ‘Heavens no, Aunt Kathleen. She and Phillip are getting a divorce. I think she sees her future as spending more time in Ireland with us. It’ll be great to have her with me when I’m settling in. Even though Lady Fitzpatrick will be there, there’ll be so much to learn.’

  It was only a couple of years since Clara had told Rory that Jessica gave her the heebie-jeebies. How things change, he thought.

  ‘Your mother will keep her place in London?’ Ma asked.

  ‘I’m not sure about that. She may give it up.’

  ‘And live with you full-time,’ Ronan said. As the words left his mouth he thought he could see a slight cloud pass over Clara’s eyes.

  ‘That’s more or less the idea. She and Charles get on so well. And of course she adores Lady Fitzpatrick. And with dear Maisie and Paddy there it’s sure to be fun.’

  As he drove, Ronan wondered if Clara really meant that. Starting life in a new house with a new husband would be difficult enough without having to contend with her mother being there all the time. Even when they were children, Ronan could remember Clara complaining about how controlling Jessica was. Hearing now how she’d more or less bullied Clara into accepting Charles Fitzpatrick’s proposal straightaway only confirmed it. There was no doubt that Jessica was delighted with the turn of events. Lord Charles Fitzpatrick would undoubtedly shower the mother of his bride with loads of money and gifts, and keep her in the lap of luxury.

  You are a cynic, he chided himself. When he glanced again at Clara in the rear-vision mirror he had to admit that she looked more than happy with the situation. And why shouldn’t she be?

  * * *

  All Lillie’s insecurities came back in a rush. Clara was even more beautiful than she remembered and even though she was only wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans, there was something about the cut of the jeans and the way the t-shirt clung to her slim waist. She tried to work out what Ronan was thinking, but he gave nothing away.

  When they arrived back at the homestead she saw Marcus and Freddie rush out to greet Clara as she got out of the car.

  ‘Golly gosh, look at you,’ she said to Freddie, picking him up and giving him a twirl. Freddie grinned so widely it was as if someone had given him ten shillings to spend on lollies at the Gullumbindy corner store. ‘And, my oh my, what about you!’ Clara laughed, turning to Marcus, who had Brylcreemed his hair especially for the occasion. ‘Quite the teenager now, aren’t we?’

  When she saw Lillie’s father she rushed over and gave him a warm kiss on the cheek. ‘Uncle James, you haven’t changed one tiny bit.’

  ‘Don’t know about that,’ he smiled. ‘It’s always terrific to see you, Clara.’

  ‘Mummy said to say a special hi to you.’

  ‘Did she now? Well that was kind of her.’

  A flicker of something Lillie couldn’t read passed across Dad’s eyes, but then it disappeared and she wondered if she’d imagined it. As Clara stood back with a huge grin from ear to ear, exclaiming how wonderful Eureka Park looked, it was obvious to Lillie that, like her mother, she had the ability to charm the birds from the trees. Surely Ronan couldn’t be unaware of how beautiful Clara was. It really wasn’t fair that someone should look like that — and be such a nice person.

  They made their way inside to the kitchen, where Lillie got a bottle of lemonade out of the fridge and Ma made a pot of tea. From the pantry cupboard she brought out the chocolate cake she’d made especially for Clara’s arrival.

  ‘How delicious,’ Clara enthused. ‘Do you have a cook? Like the wonderful Maisie?’

  Kathleen shook her head. ‘No. We make do wit
h what I manage to scrape together.’

  ‘And she does a great job,’ James added.

  ‘I do my best. With Lillie’s help.’ She smiled at Clara. ‘Now tell me, where are the photos of your Charles? It seems like centuries since I’ve seen him. And even then he didn’t come to Drominderry House that often.’ She turned to Ronan. ‘You met him a couple of times when you were much younger.’

  ‘Really? Can’t say I can remember him.’

  Clara went to her suitcase and pulled out two photos.

  ‘Quite the young lord, isn’t he?’ Ma said, as she and Lillie studied a picture of Charles in cricket whites with a green cap on his head. The other snap was taken down by the Kenmare River in front of Drominderry House, and showed Charles with his arm around Clara. Lillie thought how happy they looked.

  ‘When’s the wedding?’ she asked, peering at Charles’s face. Although one wouldn’t describe him as madly handsome, he had a certain air. But he did look a lot older and more sedate than Clara.

  ‘August,’ Clara said. ‘In Christchurch Cathedral in Dublin.’

  ‘Gosh,’ Lillie exclaimed. ‘It’s going to be some wedding.’

  ‘We’re having the reception at the Shelbourne.’

  ‘My oh my,’ Ma exclaimed. ‘It should be spectacular.’

  Clara looked around the family. ‘I wish you could all be there.’ She settled her eyes on Ronan. ‘It’d be such fun if you could be.’

  ‘Ah,’ Ronan laughed, ‘you’ll have so many guests you won’t miss us one bit.’

  ‘I will so,’ Clara said. ‘In any case I’ll send lots of photos.’

  When tea was finished and the kitchen tidied up, Lillie took Clara to their bedroom where she quickly unpacked a few things before they all went down to the river for a swim. Deep shadows were forming across the water and on the far bank Lillie could see that the neighbour’s cattle had come down for their usual drink with a gaggle of wild geese paddling happily next to them.

  ‘How divine is this!’ Clara exclaimed, scrambling down the bank. ‘Your very own swimming hole right at your back door. It’s nearly as good as the Kenmare River.’ She dragged a sandal off and placed her toe in the water. ‘Gee whiz! It’s so warm.’ She pulled her toe out and looked closely. ‘I’ve heard of leeches. Are there any in here?’