by Di Morrissey
‘Yes. I used to fly into Barra Creek, this is a novelty but it’s the only way I could get here at short notice. Where’s Mr Langton?’
‘Meeting us there. He’s flying in from Cloncurry to the Barra strip, then going back to head office in Brisbane. He said you could go back with him, unless you want to stay on, of course.’
‘I’ll see. Do you do much of this?’ she asked the well-presented young man whose cheerful demeanour didn’t sit well with the task he had to do.
‘Yeah, it’s been bad. The drought and all, but it’s got to be done. This is just a formality, the people fight as long as they can but if they can’t come up with the cash, well, business is business, right?’ He wasn’t expecting her to show him any sympathy. Mr Langton had filled him in on why he had to bring this lady out to Barra Creek.
They talked little on the drive. Sally was feeling nostalgic and there was a tight pain in her chest as memories washed over her together with the knowledge of what she had to do. She wished it hadn’t come to this but, as Lorna and Kate agreed, it was the right thing.
Even after all these years, the land was familiar to her. The shadows of the tall trees at the gate were lengthening as they drove onto the dirt road leading to the homestead. It used to be her favourite time of day, when she turned her horse for home. A knot of people were standing in the front garden, near a ute and a heavily laden truck covered with a roped-down tarpaulin. James pulled up and Sally stared at the group, her heart in her mouth. She didn’t recognise the white stockmen leaning against the fence, but to one side among the handful of Aboriginal people she saw the unmistakable figure of Fitzi. Stooped and white-haired he was leaning heavily on a tall, strong-looking woman aged about forty in moleskin pants, a blue shirt and her hat hanging down her back. Her hair was brown and as Sally walked towards them they turned. After peering intently at her, Fitzi recognised her. He nudged the woman and spoke.
‘Miss Sally?’
‘Fitzi, how are you? I can’t believe it’s you!’ Sally was choked up and saw the old man’s rheumy eyes also water.
‘He’s doing good for an old fella in his eighties,’ said the woman. ‘I’m Daisy. Been a while since you bin back here at Barra, eh?’
‘Nineteen seventy-six.’
The woman looked down. ‘Yeah, that was a bad time. Poor Boss . . .’
‘Why you come back? Dis bad day, no good.’ Fitzi began to shake his head. ‘Wot goin ’appen poor pella me, now all dis ’appen?’
‘Don’t you worry, old man, Daisy mob gonna look after you, no matta what, eh.’ But she gave Sally a hard look. ‘You helpin’ the boss?’ She inclined her head towards the homestead with some disdain.
Sally looked away from them and for the first time looked at the house. It was almost smothered in creepers that had died back leaving twisted brown vines covering the verandah posts. The old house had never been grand but in its simplicity and tidiness it had always had a welcoming, comfortable air. Now it looked rundown and forlorn. She turned back to Daisy. ‘No, I’m here for another reason. What plans do you have, Daisy?’
‘I want to stay, we got good workers round here. We kin make dis a good place.’ She shook her head. ‘We jist wait, eh?’
‘Daisy bin running ever ‘ting. She good cattle boss,’ said Fitzi. ‘You tell big boss Daisy good.’
James Hynes touched Sally’s arm. ‘Best you wait out here. Mr Langton will talk to you later.’
The sun was sinking as Ian came outside. He was alone, as Sally expected. She had found out that his wife had moved back to Brisbane several years ago. He walked with a straight back, holding himself stiffly and Sally was reminded of Lorna. He looked ahead and held a folder of documents in one hand, a small overnight bag in the other. He was followed by Langton, an older man in a navy jacket, grey trousers, shirt and tie.
Ian saw her and he stopped, quite shocked. ‘Sally? What are you doing here?’ He glanced around, his face closing, a barrier going up. ‘Did my mother send you?’
‘No. She doesn’t know I’m here. Ian, I’m very sorry it’s come to this . . .’ Sally faltered.
‘Why would you care? Who told you to come? Are you making sure I’m really going so you can tell them all?’ he said bitterly.
‘I am not here to gloat. Tommy asked me to come.’
‘What’s he care? He never wanted this place. He never offered to help me.’
‘Did you ever ask?’
Ian didn’t answer, then he shrugged. ‘No point. I knew he wouldn’t lift a finger. You can tell my mother I’m not walking out of here with nothing. She doesn’t need that house in Sydney.’
‘She might not need it, but that’s her decision. I suggest you make a fresh start and leave her in peace.’
‘What’s it to you? You were only here for a little while. You were the governess, for God’s sake.’
‘I had hoped we’d stay friends. Your mother is my friend. She’s suffered all these years knowing something that has been painful. She has protected you, Ian.’
Sally thought she saw a faint flush under his tanned face. ‘What’re you talking about?’
‘About your father. Fitzi told her you left your father to die.’
He swung around and glared at the old man. ‘Who’s going to believe anything he says? It was years ago, you’re all full of bullshit.’ He brushed past her and wrenched open the door of the truck.
Sally had seen the flash of fear in his eyes. He knew exactly what she was referring to. She watched silently as the two white stockmen stepped forward and awkwardly shook Ian’s hand, mumbling good luck.
James Hynes looped a chain over the gate with a shiny new padlock and snapped it shut. Langton, his supervisor, unfolded a sheet of paper and read aloud a short formal statement that the lands and buildings of the holding known as Barra Creek had been foreclosed upon and that Ian Monroe had forfeited all rights in ownership of said property, which was now vested in the bank as mortgagee in possession.
Daisy, Fitzi and the small group of Aborigines stood huddled together, looking worried. Ian avoided looking at them, got behind the wheel and for a moment Sally thought he was going to say something to her. But as she stepped forward, he turned on the engine and gunned the truck, spraying them with dirt and small stones. Silently they watched him drive away from his childhood home for the last time.
One of the stockmen shook his head. ‘As easy as that. Drive off and leave everything you’ve ever known, that you’ve worked for. Bloody banks.’
‘He was running the place down for years, borrowed too much. The drought did him in. Still, it must be tough,’ said another.
‘What’s he going to do?’
‘Heading for Yowah, going opal mining. He’s going to a place where no one asks any questions.’
Mr Langton looked at Sally and stepped forward. ‘I am instructed by the bank that the property is now officially on the market and available for purchase.’
‘And I am instructed to ask you to take this with you. It is an offer in writing to purchase this place by Thomas Monroe. I’m acting on his behalf. Here is the proxy authorising me to sign any papers.’
‘I have to take this back and put it through all the right channels. I can’t agree to anything here, you know that.’
‘I was led to believe there wouldn’t be any problems.’ Sally was feeling shaky.
‘That’s probably right, but I can’t let you onto the premises, Mrs Lee.’
‘I understand. I’ll drive back to Normanton with Mr Hynes. I’m booked into the hotel in Croydon for tonight.’
‘I can give you a ride to Brisbane, if you like. Take your pick.’
‘Thank you, I’d appreciate the ride back to Normanton.’ Sally didn’t want to spend any time with the officious bank agent. Also she wanted time to come to terms with all this.
When they had spoken on the phone Tommy had said to her, ‘There’s no way Ian is getting his hands on Mum’s house. Please do what you think is best, Sally. I h
ave so many regrets at not following up on what was going on in my mother’s life.’
*
It took several weeks of meetings between Lorna, Sally and the new solicitor Sally had found for her, but now everything was finalised. Sally returned to Barra Creek.
There was no one living in the homestead; the phone went unanswered. She sent a letter to Daisy to tell her that she’d be arriving with good news, wondering if mail would get to them now that it was common knowledge that the place was unoccupied.
As she drove up to the old house, it looked very deserted. She walked onto the verandah, calling, ‘Anyone home?’
There was no answer. She got in her hired four-wheel drive and headed towards the camp. The gundis looked tidy, some chairs were outside in the sun, a few old dogs scratched idly. In the distance a couple of Aboriginal stockmen were working on a fence. In one of the gundis Betsy, now frail, was sleeping. Before Sally was out of the car, Fitzi and Daisy came to meet her.
Their delight in seeing her was tempered by the worry she’d come to ‘move us mob on’.
‘You didn’t get my letter?’
‘No mail since Ian left,’ said Daisy. ‘No one has visited either, no one from the bank.’
‘Wot gonna ’appen?’ asked Fitzi, taking Sally’s hand. ‘Dis place be my country. Old Pitzi gonna end up in dat old-age place there in Normanton, bloody jail place, one room. How dis old man gonna lib on him own in one room, eh?’
‘Don’t worry, Fitzi. It’s all been fixed up. But first I’ve got to talk with Daisy.’
Fitzi read something in Sally’s smile and in her eyes and was reassured. ‘I boil ’em up billy.’ He headed into his gundi to make a pot of tea.
Daisy led Sally to two of the sagging chairs. ‘What you fix up now, eh? Me and the boys and my old mother got no place to go.’
‘You don’t have to go anywhere, Daisy. You were born here under that tree over there. I saw you born, me and Mrs Monroe.’
Daisy looked at her. ‘That’s right, you told me you were there.’
‘Did your mother ever talk to you about your father, your true father?’
Daisy shrugged. ‘I got plenty father, Fitzi, uncles, lot of family. Not too many round now but.’
‘Daisy, your father was John Monroe. Barra Creek belongs to you because you were born on its land and your father owned it. That means you have as much claim to being here as Ian does.’
Daisy struggled with this knowledge, her face a mixture of emotions as the full impact hit her. ‘Dat true? Daisy belong t’ the big old boss?’ Tears began to run down her face as a mature woman cried for her father like a little girl.
‘You talk to Betsy, your mum. It’s all right for her to tell you the true story now,’ said Sally gently.
Daisy nodded but then looked worried. ‘I got no money, how me and Fitzi and my mother all stay here?’
‘Do you remember Tommy? Ian’s brother? Well, he has paid the money for Barra Creek, and he wants you all to share it, run it and look after it for him.’
‘Stay here all time? No move away?’
‘Tommy suggested that we could advertise in the Queensland Country Life for a manager, to help you all run the place if you like. But you and Tommy, you both own it.’
Fitzi came back out and looked fearful as he saw Daisy weeping but as they explained things to him, a huge smile of relief lit up his face. He patted Daisy’s hand. ‘Dis place be home, longa time fer Barra Crik people. Good, good.’
Sally was starting to cry. ‘It is good, Fitzi. Now come on, what about that cuppa?’
Sally still felt emotional when she related the events to Kate. ‘I couldn’t believe the look on Fitzi’s and Daisy’s faces. It was beautiful, just beautiful.’
‘So Ian just drove away. Are you sure he won’t make any trouble?’
‘He’s got no more fight in him. You know, in a strange way when I told him that his mother knew what he’d done to his father all those years ago, there was almost a look of relief in his eyes.’
‘I wonder if he’ll ever ask forgiveness.’
‘I don’t think he’ll ask it from his mother,’ said Sally, pushing her coffee cup away and glancing round the crowded cafe. ‘How are things going with Lorna’s case?’
‘It’s looking good. This whole thing has perked her up. She was all right at the last medical assessment. Tommy wants her to stay in her home as long as she can. He’s offered to pay for the care she needs and he’s going to visit her next month. She’s looking forward to that. He sounds very nice.’
‘You’re looking very pleased with yourself, Kate. And so you should. Thanks should go to you for getting this ball rolling. I’d better make a move, I’m heading back down the coast tonight.’
She went to push back her chair but Kate leaned over and put her hand on hers. ‘Sally, there’s one last loose end. I’ve become so involved with the family since hearing all this, I decided I’d make a couple more phone calls.’
‘What about? There isn’t a problem is there? What could possibly be left to sort out?’
‘You and Rob.’
‘What! That’s ancient history now, I’m afraid. He’s been out of the picture for years,’ said Sally, but seeing Kate’s face she felt her heart constrict. ‘What do you mean exactly?’
‘I tracked him down. Lorna wanted to tell him what she did, what happened.’
‘No! The poor man. No, he doesn’t need to know any of this, Lorna is causing more pain, disrupting more lives. Don’t let her, Kate.’
‘It’s too late. She talked to him on the phone. Sally, he’s coming down, he wants to see you. And her. He reacted like you did, but now he’s just grateful she’s told him the truth, at last.’
Sally couldn’t speak for a minute. ‘You mean, he also wondered about what had happened . . . he cared?’
‘Of course! He said he never got over you. He couldn’t understand why you didn’t give him a chance. Then he figured that he and Barra Creek had just been an interlude in your life.’
Sally closed her eyes, feeling the hurt all over again. She took a deep breath. ‘And what about his family, what do they say?’
‘No idea,’ said Kate briskly. ‘He’s been divorced for ten years. He’s breeding horses, he also said something about Jasper, that you’d understand. Anyway, he can tell you about it.’
‘I can’t see him. Oh no! This is too much.’
‘What do you mean you can’t see him? He sounds gorgeous. When he asked if you were still a beautiful redhead, I said you were a knockout.’
Sally didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ‘Kate, I’m sixty years old! I can’t start acting like a giddy teenager.’
‘Then just feel like it, and enjoy it.’
‘Oh my God, I don’t know whether to hit you and Lorna or hug you.’ She dropped her head on her arms on the table.
‘You’ve got a week. He’s going to phone you. He said he’s very shy and nervous.’ Kate patted Sally’s head. ‘Are you going to be okay driving?’
Sally sat up and grinned. ‘Well, you’ve given me a hell of a lot to think about on the way home. I’ll be there before this has sunk in.’
Outside the coffee shop, Sally hugged Kate. ‘I’ll call you. I don’t know how to thank you for all this.’
Kate looked at the beautiful, vivacious woman in front of her. ‘You know, Sally, there’s one thing I’d really like, to go and see Barra Creek one day.’
Sally grinned and gave her a thumbs up. ‘Done.’
Epilogue
‘YOUR MOTHER CAN STILL ride like a champion.’ Rob leaned over the rails of the yard watching Sally on the young thoroughbred trot around the ring.
Trisha glanced at the handsome man, thinking it was no wonder her mother had fallen for him. ‘She’s in her element, that’s for sure. In every way, I’d say,’ laughed Sally’s pretty daughter. ‘This has been the best coming-home present I could have. I’m really so happy about you two getting together.’ She touched his
arm gently and he gave a big grin.
‘Yeah, it’s pretty good, isn’t it? These past couple of months have been like a dream. It’s funny how life can pan out. It’s never too late for some things.’
The words slipped out so easily. If only he’d believed that all along. He’d been so shocked at Sally’s sudden departure, her terse letter, Lorna’s cool explanation. He was hurt, bewildered, then mad. There’d been some good natured kidding from a few of the blokes.
‘Cripes, what’d ya do to Sally? You scared her off for sure, mate.’
‘Did you get her up the duff? Why’d she take off so sudden?’
Rob knew he’d been evasive and vague about making any firm commitment to her. He thought Sally understood. He felt so deeply about her that it scared him. He wanted time to adjust to the overwhelming feelings he had for her. He wanted to make things perfect for her. Then he came to realise his hesitancy, though motivated by the best intentions, had been his undoing. He was just a slow, careful country boy and she was used to sophisticated city ways. He resigned himself to his loss. And planned to wait for Sally to make the first move.
Then he heard she’d married. Broken hearted he returned to the Territory, made his peace with his father and brothers and started afresh. Eventually he married a nice country woman and had two terrific kids. But there was never the spark in his heart that Sally had ignited. While he’d never mentioned Sally to his wife, she must have sensed she never had his total love. Like Sally and Hal, they drifted apart. He resigned himself to a single life in old age, drawing joy from his children.
Then came the phone call from Kate. Before he’d even heard the whole story of Lorna, at the mere mention of Sally’s name his heart turned over. He was stunned, but secretly not surprised when he heard what Ian had done. And so the meeting between he and Sally was arranged. They spoke briefly on the phone, Sally’s laugh was just as he remembered, but he couldn’t help wondering what she’d look like now. So many years had passed, she’d had children, their lives had gone in such different directions, except for their love of horses. He was as nervous as a boy on his first date, but decided that it didn’t matter what Sally looked like, to renew the friendship, maybe the companionship would be wonderful.