Julia was horrified. She wasn’t sure if she more disgusted that he called the indigenous people Abos or that he was staying in what used to be a prison. “What? I didn’t know that – am I staying in a prison?”
“Whereabouts are ya?” Brian asked.
“I’m to the left of the entrance.”
“Oh, then you’re probably in the boys’ reformatory.”
“Boys’ reformatory!”
“You don’t like the sound of that?”
“No! And it’s not nice to hear the aborigine people being called Abos either!”
“Hey, I hate the way they were treated and still are, to be honest. But us Aussies always make words shorter. And as for the prison, I agree that it is kinda creepy. I think us Aussies are the only race on earth that would turn a prison into a hotel.”
He laughed out loud and took a bottle of beer from a tall blonde unshaven guy wearing a sleeveless T-shirt. “Hey, Marty, meet Miss Irish here – she has a cute mate too!”
“Hello, sweetheart,” Marty said, winking. “Don’t ya just love Rotto!”
“It’s very quaint.” Julia was taken aback.
“Can I get you a beer?” Marty asked.
“No, thanks, I was looking for . . .” she hesitated, “some crisps – eh, chips – or something to nibble.”
“There are plenty of blokes here that would love a nibble later!” Marty laughed cheekily. He spoke with the bartender and gave her some assorted packets of cashew nuts and crisps.
“Eh, thanks very much.” Julia was a bit disconcerted by the forcefulness of the Aussie guys – she couldn’t find her usual retorts that came naturally when she was out in Dublin. It wasn’t that her confidence was shaken but she had to admit she did feel like a fish out of water around Australian men
“Sorry if Marty is a bit brash – he can’t help it – and he has a heart of gold.”
“Oh, he’s grand. Eh, I think I’d better go back to Ruth.”
“Maybe I can join you later?”
Julia looked up into his big blue eyes. There was something different about Brian. He was gentler in his manner than Marty and the other Aussies that were dotted around the bar. And it had been a while since she’d had her last holiday fling. She weighed up the options – she had nothing to lose.
“Sure – come over to us – we’re sitting at the beach front over there at the last table.”
He smiled. “See you in a bit. By the way, I’ve found out a little about the people who lived in that house.”
“Oh! What?”
“I’ll tell you later.”
Julia was elated when she returned to Ruth. “You won’t believe who I met at the bar?”
“Who?”
“The builder from Peppermint Grove. Isn’t it a small world?”
“Oh, he was gorgeous!”
“And he’s found out something about the house! He’ll come over and tell us later.”
“Fantastic!”
“He’s with a stag party – a ‘buck’s party’ as they say here. I hope he brings a nice friend!”
Ruth smiled. It was like old times when the girls used to be on the hunt and she missed this in being with Julia in recent years, where she turned away every guy who approached her with a smart retort.
“I’m glad to hear that you’ll give Brian the benefit of the doubt! He is cute.”
Julia nodded. “He has lovely teeth and it has been a while since I’ve had a holiday romance.”
Ruth thought that Brian was gorgeous but she was so pleased that Julia was interested in him she wouldn’t get in her way.
They had barely finished their first glass of wine when Brian came over with Marty in tow. The two men sat down at the table beside them and Brian launched into chat with Ruth about the owners of the house in Peppermint Grove. He had looked up the papers belonging to the site and discovered that the house he had demolished at Number 5 was owned by an Emily Walters who was second-generation English. She had been a widow for many years and it was her nephew who was commissioning the new build.
“The nephew’s surname name is Arthurs so I was thrown a bit but that seems to have been the old dear’s maiden name.”
“You’re very kind to find out for me,” Ruth smiled. She was a little uneasy – she didn’t want to be the centre of Brian’s attention after Julia had expressed an interest in him. “But, you know, I think Julia is even more intrigued to find out about the house than I am – aren’t you, Ju?”
Julia was delighted to be brought into the conversation as Marty was heading straight in for the kill and she had no interest in continuing a conversation with a guy who insisted on calling her ‘sweetheart’ all the time. She didn’t want to land Ruth with him either but Ruth seemed happy to talk to Marty and moved seats to be nearer to him so that Julia was now beside Brian.
“Yes, I’m intrigued to find out about Ruth’s mother’s connection with that house.” Julia explained. “She wrote a letter to a man called Charles Walters who lived there and didn’t post it.”
“Hey, he must have been Emily Walter’s husband?” Brian suggested.
“Exactly what I was thinking,” Ruth agreed.
Brian turned to Ruth. “And would you not just ask your mum about it?”
Julia and Ruth looked at each other, not sure what to answer.
“Eh, Ruth’s mum doesn’t like to talk about her time in Australia for some reason and we can’t figure out why.”
“Ah – sounds like a skeleton in the cupboard – I think this calls for more drinks. Would you like another bottle of wine, ladies?”
“Oh, that would be lovely, thanks – I’ll come up to the bar and help you!” Julia said with a wide smile. It was a good opportunity to see if Brian was interested in her and let Marty switch his attentions to Ruth.
“Do you come over here much?” Julia asked Brian.
“To Rotto? Nah, only if there’s a reason like the buck’s night. There are plenty of people from Perth who have only been on Rotto once or twice – some have never been. I used to come as a kid when I was a scout and we’d camp over at the Abo graveyard and tell ghost stories all night.”
“That sounds a bit creepy.”
“Yeah, it felt weird. I think there are plenty of old ghosts stomping the island at night – it was bad the way the Abos were treated here and nobody ever put up a headstone for them.”
Brian was smart and intelligent in a non-intellectual way, thought Julia. She waited with him while he paid for the drinks and they walked back to the table.
When they arrived poor Ruth who was trying to balance a cashew nut on the side of a beer mat to appease Marty. She was an incredible friend!
Two bottles of wine later and Ruth was singing with the bucks, arm in arm, at the bar. Brian had taken it easier than the rest.
Julia hoped that it was because he was interested in spending some time with her so she happily got involved in the singing but kept an eye on Brian. She looked at her watch. It was long past midnight and she fancied an opportunity to be on her own with Brian.
Ruth had finally given in to Marty and was snogging him now at a corner of the bar.
Brian looked over and noticed what his friend was doing. He seemed a bit startled and then turned to Julia.
“Do you fancy taking a walk over by the beach? Or we could go to the salt lake behind our hotel?”
Julia jumped at the offer and followed Brian who had started strolling slowly along the promenade.
“Those guys are going to get too drunk and fall down!” he said and Julia laughed.
The quokkas were out in their thousands, hopping along the path in front of them.
“They are so like rats – I got the fright of my life by the pool earlier when I saw my first one,” Julia said.
“Yeah, and they really take over Rotto at night, don’t they?”
They came to the wide open green at the harbour front where Julia and Ruth had eaten earlier and the space was covered with quokkas bounding about everywhe
re.
“Come on, follow me – they know where to scavenge – there won’t be so many at the lighthouse.”
He put his arm loosely around her shoulder and the stars shone brighter with each step they took along the meandering path.
Julia could smell his skin and it was very different to the way that most of her lovers had smelt. She usually liked her men to smell of cologne. But she definitely preferred dark-haired men like him and he also had the strong features that she liked.
“Are you interested in astronomy?” he asked, leaning his head back and looking straight up at the stars.
“Oh, that’s more Ruth’s sort of thing – I’m a practical girl. There’s enough going on for me on Planet Earth.” She giggled.
“It’s a great sky in Rotto – good as the outback. Look up there – that’s Orion.”
The stars were brighter than they had been at home but she didn’t know what Brian was talking about. She had been with an Italian called Maurizio once who talked all night about constellations while they lay on their backs in the hill town of Taormina on the island of Sciliy but that had not mattered as his English was broken and she loved the tone of his voice. Brian talking about the stars somehow didn’t have the same ring to it. A part of her longed for him to snog her. She had made up her mind that she wanted some romance but the build-up all evening had been different to what she had expected. Now he was talking about stars which was another twist in this butch man’s bow.
“Are you the project manager on the site at Peppermint Grove?”
Brian shook his head. “No, I’m the architect but it’s my business partner who’s building the house.”
That explained his artistic side and fascination with the stars to some extent, Julia figured.
All the time Brian’s grip remained loose but constant along her shoulder. She wondered if he was going to make a move and part of her longed to do something dramatic like throw her arms around him. As they walked further up the hill the crickets started to click and the quokkas were more difficult to spot in the darkness. Only the odd ray from the full moon above them fell on the path they were treading.
“Almost there,” Brian whispered.
When they got to the lighthouse the view was spectacular, the moonlight creating glistening jewels in the water and casting ribbons of white along the coast as the gentle waves lapped the shore.
“It’s stunning.” Julia stared out at the ocean. She felt a very long way from home suddenly. Strange when it resembled the beautiful Burrow strand that ran along the back of her home in Howth. Suddenly Dylan came into her head – this was around the time that he would be meeting Gillian. Why should she care? She was on the other side of the world standing next to the gorgeous Brian? She asked herself the question but couldn’t find the answer.
“I’ve seen this view plenty of times but it always makes me shiver,” Brian said.
“Why?”
“Not sure, just a feeling!”
“I live beside the sea in Ireland – I love it. Where do you live in Perth?”
“I live in Karrinyup – it’s near the beach – north of the river. How long are you staying in Perth?”
“Two weeks.”
“That’s a pity – there’s plenty you won’t see. You should stay longer.”
“I’ve a business at home – I feel bad taking two weeks.”
“That’s right, you’re in the travel business. Where is Ruth working while she’s here?”
“She is working for the Irish Tourist Board. She is adamant that it’s a change of scene for two years only and then she is returning home. I miss her terribly.”
“You two are really good mates then.”
Julia nodded. “Friends since we were eight.”
“Wow, that’s a lot of history!”
Brian’s arm slipped down from Julia’s shoulder. He turned so that they were facing each other.
“We’d better go back!” he said suddenly.
Julia was deflated. She had expected him at that moment to kiss her. If Gillian was going to be getting it on and Ruth was already in action back at the hotel then she really needed to feel loved, or desired at the very least. She desperately wanted to be taken in his arms and fall down on the sand and have passionate sex – or, at that moment, a snog would suffice. But Brian had already started the walk back to the hotel.
It was seven o’clock and time to meet Dylan at last. Gillian had bided her time in work as there was no point travelling home to change and then come back into the city.
The porter stood wearing a top hat and long coat and he bid Gillian good evening as she walked through the swing doors of the Shelbourne Hotel. The warmth and opulence hit her and she felt butterflies flit inside her stomach. A large display of pungent lilies to her left wafted their scent through the air, their beauty doubled by the massive mirror that rested behind them. She didn’t know which way to turn until suddenly someone came up behind her and touched her on the arm.
“Hi there – hope you haven’t been waiting long – Craig and Odette picked me up from home and they were a bit late.”
Gillian was completely taken aback to see Odette by his side.
“Eh no, I just got here,” she said.
“Hi, Gillian, nice to see you again!” Odette said and placed a kiss on her cheek.
“Hi, Odette.”
They walked into the large bar and took the settee which was just then conveniently vacated.
“Have you had any word from Julia?” Odette asked.
“Yes – well, an email. She seems to have had a good journey and is getting on really well.”
“Oh good – I haven’t had a chance to ring Mum for news. I’m sure Julia’s worried about the business. Her work is so important to her.”
Craig arrived and said hello to Gillian, nodding at her briskly. He went over to the bar and was instantly in deep conversation with Dylan. She wondered why Dylan had brought along his brother and wife – it was strange but maybe a good thing. She would like to be welcomed into the family – so maybe this was a sign!
“What is this about, Dylan?” Craig asked roughly, leaning on the bar. “I hope you aren’t trying to play happy families – you should have sorted this evening out with me first instead of going to Odette.”
“Why, Craig? Did you have other plans by any chance?”
Craig frowned. “I don’t understand why you have such an interest in what I do? Or is it because you’re bored now you have no job to go to?”
“See this as a celebration of my retirement.”
“Well, get your nose out of my family’s private affairs, okay?”
“I don’t know why you’re being so defensive!” Dylan said with a wry smile.
Craig took the bucket of Prosecco while Dylan took the four glasses, and they carried them over to the table.
“There you go, ladies – in honour of my brother’s celebration.” Craig looked at Dylan and darted a killing glance.
Julia and Brian didn’t talk much as they briskly walked down the path and the Quad came into view. The sound of laughter from the open grass centre of the quadrangle made them change tack and find Ruth with some of the bucks and a group of three other women who had been picked up by them at the Rottnest Hotel.
Ruth’s eyes shone when she saw the two coming through the arch in the Quad.
Julia went over to her friend who immediately dragged her to the side. “Oh my God, Marty is Hands Almighty – he wanted to get straight down to it at the bar – until he passed out!” she giggled. “How did you get on with Brian? You’ve been gone absolutely ages.”
Julia shook her head. “Very strange – I thought we were getting on and then he suddenly said we had to get back.”
“Maybe Aussie men are a dead loss – although Steve’s a great snog!” she giggled.
“Hey, I thought you were giving up married men!”
“Yeah, but Marty was like a washing machine – he really needs a couple of lessons!�
��
The two fell around laughing.
“Come on, let’s go to bed.”
Brian waved goodnight, then helped one of the bucks up off his knees and over to his bedroom while the girls slipped away.
They passed a couple of quokkas outside their bedroom and with help from the moonlight found the lock and opened the door.
“This place gives me the creeps!” Ruth said suddenly.
“What does? Rotto?”
“This room!”
Ruth shivered and went over to the bed. “Do you want to take the double bed – I can sleep in the single over here.”
“I don’t mind – whatever suits you!”
Above their heads the fan swirled noisily but they were glad of the relief from the dense heat.
“What’s that smell?” Ruth asked as she pulled the light blanket over her legs.
“I don’t smell anything!” Julia said. “Will I turn the light out?”
“Okay, but do you mind if we leave the bathroom light on?”
“No problem – I’ll be asleep in a couple of minutes,” Julia yawned.
Ruth shivered again and a powerful headache came over her – it could be the start of a hangover or the effects of the sunshine from the day. It had been particularly hot. As she closed her eyes she thought that she heard a hiss but put it down to her imagination. From the corner of her eye she saw something dark move along the wall and as her eyes became accustomed to the darkness she could make out the silhouette of a cockroach. Her mind started to play tricks and she imagined what it must have been like when it was a boys’ reformatory. She had read the notice outside telling how young European boys had been transported to the island in the early parts of the twentieth century for truancy and bad behaviour. The legacy reminded her of the anguish that must have been suffered by so many young Irish boys and girls in places just like this in Dublin and all over rural Ireland. How cruel the world was and how awful to be so very far away from home! She sank into a sleep and twisted and turned in the heat of the night.
It was only a few minutes later when she was woken by a cold presence travelling along her body. She opened her eyes and felt the salty taste of blood in her mouth. She licked the back of her hand and could see that fresh blood had left a mark. Suddenly her phone bleeped with a message. She cleared her throat and felt more blood rise as she licked her other hand to see if the blood was still there. It was. She walked over to the bathroom, picking up her phone on the way. It was a message from her mother – she would read it later.
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