Six Steps Down

by Mandi Greenwood

  'Don't give up, Freya,' Aisley smiled from her spot in the corner, curled up on a cushion like a kitten. She'd laid out the three photos she'd found the week before so she could draw inspiration from them as she leafed her way through a shoebox of letters. Most were addressed to Michael Sheldon and had return addresses from various corporations regarding business interests; Aisley laid them aside and kept searching.

  Eventually she found two worth reading. The first was from Michael to Lily in 1900. It appeared at the time the letter was written Lily was still in England and Michael had written to her from here at this house. Lily must have brought the letter back to Sheldon's Seat amongst her things, explaining why it was here, and not in England.

  October 1900.

  My darling Lily,

  I find myself increasingly lonely and confess to counting the very days until we can be together once more.

  I can't wait to begin our life together in this brave, beautiful land. I am sure you will adore Australia, my dear, as much as I do. The air is sweet and clean, and the land is the most majestic I have ever seen, surpassing even the vast plains of South Africa where I spent time as a younger man.

  This is a place for us to live and grow together, along with our children, and our children's children.

  The mine goes well and is a profitable concern, but I shan't bore you with the trifles of business. They are mundane and have no place in a love letter to such a beautiful creature as you.

  I wish you safe passage, my darling, and cannot wait to hold you in my arms once more.

  You are and always will be, my Lily, my love, my life.

  Your loving husband, Michael.

  '"My Lily, my love, my life." Where have I heard that before?' muttered Aisley. Then she remembered. It was on the back of the beautiful photo of Lily on the beach. She reached over and picked up the photo, flipping it to read the inscription on the back again.

  My Lily, my love, my life

  1902

  The photo was taken two years after the letter was written. Aisley picked up the second letter and saw that Lily had written it. She had addressed it to someone called Mrs Margaret Bowen. The envelope was still sealed, and had obviously never even been posted. Feeling a bit like a criminal for opening mail that wasn't hers, Aisley carefully slid open the yellowed envelope with her finger and shook out the single page. The letter was short, but cheerful.

  January 1903.

  Dearest mother,

  It is not much longer until the arrival of my dear little baby.

  I am so happy, and my darling Michael is overjoyed. He feels our child will be a boy, but I believe she is a girl. Either way will suit us both nicely, so long as the child thrives.

  I write to you now knowing you are about to set sail and make the voyage to meet your first grandchild. It's terribly exciting to think I'll see you again soon.

  Michael tells me he has made all the arrangements to meet you and bring you here to our beautiful home on the hill. I'm positive you shall adore this place as much as we do.

  I have never been as content in my life as I have been at Sheldon's Seat.

  Oh mother, I'm so desperately happy!

  If my baby is a girl, I shall name her after you and after Michael's dear mother Lady Millicent. God rest her soul. She has been such a great friend to me these past three years and I miss her dreadfully.

  I wish you bon voyage, and I count the days until you, and my little one, both arrive.

  Your devoted daughter, Lily.

  'This does not sound like a woman pining away with homesickness,' remarked Aisley. She handed both letters to Freya who read them and passed them on.

  Cate read them last and she came over to sit cross-legged on the floor next to Aisley. 'On the contrary,' she said. 'She sounds positively euphoric.'

  'It just shows you how local gossip can spin rumours out of control,' said Freya. 'Wasn't it dramatic enough that the poor girl died? But no! The village peasants had to go and make a martyr out of her as well.'

  'Small towns,' Archie shrugged. 'What are you gonna do. It comes with the territory.'

  Chandra collapsed on the floor next to Aisley as well. He lay back, his head resting comfortably on her lap. 'Well, at least you know now that your ghost is not the misery guts you thought she was,' he said philosophically.

  Aisley looked down at him. 'What?' she said. 'You think she was really pumped about dying in childbirth?'

  'No,' Chandra spread his hands, trying to explain himself, 'But it would seem she loved being here. At least, up until she … err, died.'

  'It does put a different slant on things,' agreed Lucan. 'We can now say for sure that everything was fine and dandy while Lily Sheldon was alive.'

  'But what about all the doctors' bills I found?' Cate frowned. 'She was seriously sick.'

  'Maybe they weren't for her,' suggested Lucan. 'We're assuming again.'

  'But …' Cate hesitated and thought for a minute. She brushed her hair out of her eyes. 'The name of the patient on all those doctors' bills and receipts was Lady Sheldon,' she said firmly. 'That's Lily.'

  Nobody could deny that fact.

  'I don't get it?' Archie was confused. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. 'If they weren't for Lily, who were they for?'

  Everyone sat silently for a while, mulling over what they knew.

  'We've missed something,' said Aisley, frowning.

  Lucan stood up and walked in a circle, looking around the room as if searching for something. 'The elephant in the room,' he said, mysteriously.

  'Where?' asked Archie, looking more perplexed than ever.

  'It's a saying Arch,' said Cate. 'It means the obvious is right in front of us and it's so big we're not seeing it.'

  Archie screwed up his face. 'What the hell!' he grumbled. 'That doesn't make sense. What a stupid saying. Whoever made that up should be shot! Honestly.'

  Aisley had been leaning back against the wall, but suddenly she gasped and sat up straight. She did it so abruptly that she jolted poor Chandra right off her lap. 'Argh!' he yelped as his head hit the wooden floor. He sat up slowly, holding the back of his head.

  'Oh, sorry!' Aisley scrambled to her knees and tried to rub it better.

  'Join my club,' said Archie bitterly. 'Aisley likes to hurt and scare us defenceless little boys.'

  'Lie down,' Aisley begged Chandra. 'Please. I promise I won't hurt you again.'

  With a little cajoling, he cautiously laid back down, looking at Aisley a little warily.

  'What were you going to say?' Freya reminded Aisley. 'Before you maimed Chandra.'

  'The letter,' said Aisley, waving her hand at the slip of paper Cate was still holding. 'Lily says Michael's mother has been a great friend to her "these past three years".'

  Everybody stared at her blankly.

  'Don't you see,' she persisted. 'Michael's mother must have emigrated with them. She was also called Lady Sheldon. She must have lived here at Sheldon's Seat as well and she was the sick person who required all the doctors' visits. Not Lily.'

  Lucan was nodding approvingly. 'See. The elephant in the room,' he repeated happily.

  'The genius in the room,' corrected Chandra.

  Aisley smiled, leaning down to kiss him.

  'This is great,' said Cate emphatically. 'I feel like we've managed to vindicate Lily's memory. She was never homesick. That was all bollocks! She was very happy to be living in Australia.'

  Freya looked pleased too. 'I really feel like we've put together enough information for an in-depth presentation next Friday,' she said happily. 'We rock!'

  Aisley sighed wistfully. 'It would've been nice to have found that plaque,' she said. 'Even better, if we'd found a way down to Cariad Lili Bay. I'm certain there must be one. I'd put money on it.'

  'I know,' agreed Cate. 'But it's still going to be a kick-arse presentation.'

  'Yep,' Archie stretched and yawned. 'Gonna tear Drew King's coal mine presentation to shreds baby.'

  'It's not
a competition Archie,' Freya reminded him.

  Archie pointed at her and adopted a menacing look. 'Life, is a competition sweetheart and don't you forget it.

  Chapter Ten

  Perfect

  Late Friday evening

  Chandra, of course, made it his business to be the last to leave that night. It was getting on to eleven thirty and everyone else had been picked up half an hour before.

  'Are you sure you texted your dad?' Aisley asked him dubiously.

  They were wrapped in each other's arms under the trees at the front of the house, keeping each other warm.

  He tried to look offended. 'Yes! You doubt me?'

  'Only a lot,' she said.

  'Well that's nice.'

  'It just seems to me that he's taking an awfully long time to get here, just from Seamere West,' Aisley baited him. 'It's only a kilometre away, after all.'

  Chandra shrugged. 'Maybe he's driving very slowly.'

  'Yes, that's it,' Aisley laughed. 'He's driving here really slowly out of respect for us. He wants to make sure we get as much snogging time in as possible before he tears us apart.'

  Chandra grinned. 'Better not disappoint him then,' he said, kissing her.

  'Did you know that I'd had a crush on you all year?' Aisley admitted. 'Virtually from the moment I first laid eyes on you.'

  'Mm hm.'

  His lips moved from her mouth to her neck and she broke out in delightful goose bumps.

  'You did? Really?'

  'Mm hm.'

  'I don't think you even knew I existed,' she remarked. 'I mean, before the whole thing with Bria's dinner invitation.' She waited.

  Chandra drew back from nibbling her ear and looked into her eyes. 'Are you kidding?' he said. 'I noticed you the very first day!'

  She raised her eyebrows at him and he put one hand on his chest.

  'Cross my heart,' he said. 'Ask Stewart Thomas if you don't believe me.'

  'Stewart?'

  'I sort of let it slip to him that I liked you.'

  'When?'

  'After the first day at school, actually,' he said.

  'Wow,' Aisley grinned, stroking his cheek. 'I'm flattered.'

  'So, there you were,' Chandra told her. 'You were the new girl at school, and I was thinking to myself … wow, she is hot. Then it took me six months to find the guts to speak to you. I was just too nervous.'

  Aisley pulled a face at him.

  'Chandra Sarin, nervous?' she laughed aloud. 'I find that very hard to believe.'

  'Sincerely,' he said, gazing into her eyes. 'I didn't have the courage to talk to you properly until we were on the same Humanities team, because then I had an excuse, you see.'

  'Is that right?' She held his gaze. He had the most amazing eyes.

  'Would I lie to you?' Chandra defended himself.

  'I hope not,' said Aisley. She smiled. 'Not if you want to keep hanging with me anyway.'

  He leaned his forehead against hers and buried his hands in her hair. 'I really wish I hadn't texted dad just yet,' he said softly. 'I could stay here talking to you all night.'

  Aisley loved the sound of his voice when he spoke like that.

  She leaned her face against his neck, breathing in the smell of him.

  'I so want to keep hanging with you Ais,' he whispered. 'I want it more than anything else in the world.'

  She turned her face to his and they kissed properly this time. It was amazing how natural it all seemed, like they'd been waiting to do this all of their lives. Reluctant to let the moment pass, they made the kiss last until headlights splashed up the gravel road, rudely killing the mood. When the car stopped, the door opened and someone climbed out.

  Aisley couldn't see who it was because of the glare of the headlights, but she thought, Oh no! I'm going to meet his dad. Gulp! So not ready for this! She took a quick step away from Chandra, putting some space between them.

  However it wasn't Ravi Sarin, Chandra's father, who stepped out of the car. It was someone Aisley was familiar with, a well-known face around school.

  'Oh, hi Aasha,' she said, genuinely pleased to see Chandra's eighteen-year-old sister.

  Aasha Sarin smiled her beautiful smile. 'Hi Aisley,' she said. Her voice was kind of husky and very friendly. 'I've come to relieve you of my baby brother,' she said, walking over to them. 'I hope he's been behaving himself?'

  'Hey, when do I not?' protested Chandra, spreading his hands innocently.

  Aasha rolled her eyes. 'Do not get me started,' she said. 'Have you told Aisley about your dark side?'

  Chandra just laughed. 'That's what she likes about me. Right, Ais?'

  Aisley crossed her arms and pretended to be dismayed. 'What are you not telling me, Chandra?' she demanded.

  Aasha chuckled. 'Come on,' she said to her brother. 'Catch you later Aisley.' She headed back to the car.

  'No wonder Archie adores her,' said Aisley. 'She's exquisite.'

  'Archie adores her?' Chandra looked surprised.

  'You mean you've never noticed?'

  'Err, no.'

  Aisley rolled her eyes. 'Men!' She flicked her hand at him. 'Go on, go.'

  He leaned towards her one more time and gave her a goodbye kiss, a somewhat tamer kiss than the previous one. 'See you tomorrow,' he whispered. 'Cannot wait.' He walked backwards all the way to the car, watching her.

  Aisley waved goodbye as she watched the car disappear down Loch Hill. Then with her arms crossed against her chest, she wandered to the far edge of the road and looked out over the dark ocean. From up here on Loch Hill, the view was incredible. She could see the lights of Seamere spread out below her and the beach like a white strip in the moonlight as it snaked its way up the coast. She could hear the rush of the waves and she could smell the salt air. It was all so beautiful.

  Breathing a soft sigh of contentment, she wondered how they ever could have thought Lily Sheldon was unhappy here. How could she be? Sheldon's Seat was perfect. Living in Seamere was perfect too. Chandra had gone from being a shy secret she kept to herself, to something real and out there for the whole world to see. It all seemed so ideal. Aisley couldn't imagine anything that perfect lasting forever, but she passionately hoped it would.

  Saturday was just for fun. Aisley and Chandra had a proper date and they went to the movies together. Now and then they actually watched some of the movie. Although if quizzed about it afterwards, neither of them could describe what it was about. It didn't matter.

  They ate popcorn and made out in the dark. Mid-kiss, Chandra knocked over their enormous bucket of popcorn with his knee, covering both of them in it. Aisley laughed so much she got the hiccups. When the movie was over, they scuttled out like a pair of criminals, leaving baubles of popcorn all over the place.

  Afterwards, they went into the Seamere Botanical Gardens and lay underneath one of the big palm trees that grew there, just talking and laughing for hours. The day was over before it had even begun. Why did time speed up when you least wanted it to?

  Chandra sent Aisley a text as she was climbing into bed that night — "Let's have phone sex. What are you wearing?"

  Aisley grinned and texted him back — "My Elmo jimmy jams. Is that doing it for you baby?"

  His reply made her laugh — "Pant! Pant! Yes! Must go and have a cold shower now!"

  She snuggled down under her doona. Feeling happy and sleepy, Aisley turned off her bedside lamp.

  Chapter Eleven

  Salt Tears

  Sunday, the next afternoon

  On Sunday, Cate rang Aisley and asked if she wanted to catch up. 'Meet you near the lifesaving club,' Cate said. 'We can take Ellette for a walk along the beach.'

  It's a bit cold,' said Aisley, looking out the window. The sky was very dark.

  'So, we'll get a hot chocolate at Melba's after,' said Cate. 'What are you made of? Sugar?'

  'Okay, okay,' said Aisley. 'See you in twenty.' She hung up and called to Ellette who came running in a frenzied rush. Her tail was wagging so har
d she almost knocked herself over. She knew from the tone of Aisley's voice that a walk was about to happen.

  Aisley and her crazy fox terrier met up with Cate near the Seamere Lifesaving Club rooms. They strolled along the beach in the direction of the village. There certainly was bad weather coming. The sky was grey and the waves were enormous.

  'Good day for surfing,' Cate remarked dubiously. 'Not!'

  Aisley stared out at the huge swell and wondered if Chandra was out there somewhere on his board. It was the sort of foolhardy thing he might do, but she hoped he was safe on dry land somewhere. He was a good swimmer. However, if there was going to be a storm even the strongest swimmer could get into trouble quickly.

  She and Cate walked, talking about this and that while Ellette ran bravely at the waves before jumping away in fright when they hit her. It was good to get out in the fresh air and spend time with a friend and it was good to think about things other than their History presentation.

  She told Cate about Wade picking the house apart with his screwdriver looking for secret compartments. 'The kid's obsessed,' Aisley laughed, pulling her windswept hair away from her face.

  'So was Einstein,' said Cate. 'Wade is destined for great things.'

  'Wade's destined for a bum smacking, dunno about anything else,' snorted Aisley. 'That's what he'll get if mum and dad catch him wrecking the house, the little vandal.'

  They ambled up the beach for a while, until they could see the end of Main Street. The wind carried the sounds of cheering and tooting car horns to them. There was a game of footy happening on the oval next to the botanical gardens, so the girls decided to go to Melba's via the oval.

  Aisley called to Ellette, snapping on her lead, and the two girls walked up the street towards the oval. It turned out that the Seamere Sharks Under-18 team were playing at home that afternoon, so Aisley and Cate found a spot at the fence and watched for a little while.