Then the moment was over, the sound gone, and she was lulled back to sleep by the whispering waves.
‘I don’t think it matters what time we set off,’ she said, following breakfast. ‘So long as we’re packed up and ready to go, we can spend a little while on the beach. I shall miss that.’
Once the car had been loaded and the bill settled, they drove all the way to the far end of the esplanade, where the road terminated in dense National Park land. Eager to find something to photograph, Romy trotted to the beach ahead of them, leaving Nina to lever Nana out of her seat, and to lock up.
Some minutes later, arm in arm, the elderly mother and daughter took the green corridor to the beach. There was an ever-present fragrance within this dappled shade, of sun-warmed eucalyptus leaves crushed underfoot, and the pungent scent of its blossom. Treading carefully to avoid stumbling over roots, Nell paused to watch some colourful finches that were darting through the swaying fronds of the sheoaks.
‘Your father would love it here.’
Then she inclined her head and listened, with a look of slight alarm. ‘Is that a baby crying?’
Nina stopped to listen and frowned. ‘Sounds like it, but in a weird sort of way – as if it’s distressed.’ With the mournful laments continuing to haunt the air, she and Nell began to stoop and peer within the bushes, but could see no baby.
Nell’s concern grew. The infant bleats stirred awful memories, reminding her why she had come here. Taunting her. She and her daughter moved on, still looking for the source. Then, as she and Nina emerged from the tunnel onto the sunlit beach, they saw movement, and what appeared to be black rags flapping amongst the branches of the casuarinas.
‘Oh, black cockatoos!’ Nina broke into a smile of relief, Nell too, as, still arm in arm, they attempted to get a closer look at the birds – which they could see now were feasting on the woody nut-like fruit of the trees. But before they took three steps, the cockatoos lifted into the air en masse, exposing brilliant red beneath their tails, some a pale yellow, and all emitting that mournful wail that Nell had thought was a baby, flying only fifty yards or so along the beach before coming to rest again.
Faces wreathed in delight, the mother and daughter tracked their flight path, not meaning to spook them, but doing so anyway, for each time they got anywhere close, the birds would rise again squawking.
‘It’s nothing like a baby’s cry when you know what it really is,’ laughed Nell to Nina.
Agreeing, the latter wondered aloud if Romy had managed to photograph the birds – for she was quite a way ahead, standing on tiptoe, then bending right over in her efforts to spy something of interest in the dense bush to the rear of the beach.
With the gap between them widening, the elder women decided to paddle at the water’s edge. ‘I don’t want to get too sweaty with five hours’ driving ahead of us,’ said Nell.
They splashed for a while, then returned to the dunes, where they sat under the shade of a casuarina, occasionally snatching a look up the beach to see if the distant figure that was Romy had acquired her coveted photos and might soon return. A vehicle was approaching from the point, though it was a mere dot at the moment, being miles away.
‘Ah, she’s coming back,’ Nell observed quite soon afterwards, then laughed as she continued to peer through her sunglasses. ‘She looks as if she’s dancing!’
‘About bloody time.’ Smiling, Nina turned to look – then immediately stiffened, for she had seen that Romy was not dancing, but running. Running for her life towards the sea, with a dingo at her heels.
Nina screamed, startling both her mother and the cockatoos, which rose with an almighty squawk into the air. Nell cried out too, as her middle-aged daughter went racing forth, hampered by the dry sand, stumbling and tripping until she reached the damper, firmer stretch, then racing for all she was worth toward her own daughter, who was now using her camera to beat off her attacker, swinging it from its strap, back and forth between herself and the dingo. The driver of a vehicle that had been heading towards them from the other direction was now close enough to assist, and began papping its horn furiously, as it careered toward Romy, who had entered the waves in search of escape. With the ranger’s vehicle bearing down on it from one angle, and screaming women from another, the dingo turned tail and, with tongue lolling and eyes bright, in arrogant fashion loped back into the National Park.
Nell felt as if she were having a heart attack. By the time she hobbled up, the ranger’s four-wheel drive had ploughed to a halt, and Shane was helping Nina to assist Romy out of the sea.
‘I’m all right!’ Though shocked and bleeding from her calf, Romy reassured first her mother, then Nell, who arrived looking ready to collapse. ‘I’m all right, Nana!’
Nina, too, whizzed round to say, ‘Oh, Mam, I’m sorry for leaving you!’ But she was soon back to tending Romy, at the same time berating Shane. ‘The blasted thing, it should be shot! Look at the state of my daughter’s leg! It’s almost ripped her calf off!’
‘Neen, don’t exaggerate,’ puffed Nell. ‘You’re frightening the poor lass to death.’ She drew on her nursing skills, and portrayed the calm manner that was required here – though inside her heart was pumping. ‘Let me have a look at it.’ Whilst Romy was supported by Shane’s thick arms, Nell bent to examine the leg and offer reassurance to the victim, who seemed not half as shaken as her mother, and more bothered about her camera.
‘I hope it still works – at least I got a shot of the dingo.’
Nina began to yell at the ranger again. ‘Why aren’t you in there shooting the blasted thing?’ She speared a finger in the direction of the bush. ‘It could have torn a child to pieces!’
‘Calm down, Neen, it’s not too serious – but its teeth have made a little puncture, so she should have a tetanus jab at least.’
‘I can’t understand it,’ murmured Shane. ‘There’s been one or two instances of attacks on Fraser Island, but that’s because the tourists feed them. It’s never happened here.’
‘Well it has now!’ Nina raged at him.
The ranger was still meditative as he watched Nell tend Romy’s wound with the first-aid kit he had brought from the car, and hardly seemed to hear Nina yelling at him, until she raised her voice another decibel.
‘Are you bloody deaf, or as thick as the rest of them in this godforsaken place? I said go after it, before it kills someone!’
He looked at her then, his face still creased in bafflement. ‘Time of the month, is it?’
‘I beg your pardon?’
Nell thought her daughter was about to grab him by the throat, and quickly intervened her plump body between them. ‘We should get her to a hospital, Neen.’
‘Fat chance in this wilderness!’
Shane’s attitude changed to one of mild indignation. ‘I was only –’
‘We’ll have to get her to the car!’ Nina cut him off, and hauled her daughter none too gently to her feet. ‘Though God knows how she’ll manage to drive it.’
Despite provocation, Shane remained polite and took charge. ‘I’ll take you – where’s it parked?’
‘At the end of the esplanade by the toilets – we were on our way back to Brisbane.’
An expression crossed his face, unassociated with the situation here – a look of disappointment, thought Nell. But she was too concerned to bother about his attraction for Nina today. ‘Best if we all go to Millie’s,’ she said. ‘She might be good enough to drive Romy into town – I hope she’s in. Can you get these girls into your cab, Shane?’
Having helped the wounded Romy into the passenger seat of his cab, Shane thought it politic to let Nina climb in by herself. Then he looked at the older woman, his posture relaying that no way would she fit in too. At that juncture he was spared from having to insult her, as he spotted another four-wheel-drive vehicle approaching from the point, and flagged it down, asking the driver if he would give this lady a lift and follow him.
Issuing breathless thanks
to the strangers, Nell sought to cram her wide beam into the back seat, then remarked on how much room there was, before relating the incident to her Samaritan as they followed the ranger’s tyre tracks along the beach.
Once at Millie’s, after quick negotiations, Romy and Nina were transferred to her car, just as Nell was being dropped off. She gave thanks for the ride, then went to join the group in the palm bedecked driveway.
Nina was still yelling at Shane. ‘Can you move that bloody thing out of the way so we can get out!’
‘You’ll have to forgive my daughter.’ Nell gave a rushed apology as he moved to do her bidding. ‘She’s just worried – and thank you very much for this – what a good job you were there to scare the dingo away.’
‘No worries. I reckon she got hold of the wrong end of the stick, though. What I meant was – pardon me for asking, love,’ he made a quick aside to Romy, ‘but sometimes on the rare occasion a grown woman’s been attacked, it’s usually turned out she’s been having her period. Dingoes must be attracted by it, or that’s the theory. I didn’t mean any offence.’
‘Ah!’ Both Nell and her granddaughter gave a sound of acknowledgement, Nell thinking how much things had changed when a man felt able to voice this unmentionable subject, Romy freely confessing that yes, it was that particular time of the month for her.
‘Better let you get to hospital then,’ said the ranger, and he drove away.
Anxious for her granddaughter to receive treatment as swiftly as possible, Nell waved them off and said she would wait there.
‘Help yourself to tea,’ called the spry Millie, as she sped away.
It was a very long three hours before Nell was to see her family again. She smiled her relief as Romy was helped from the car by her mother, her calf heavily bandaged. ‘Did you need stitches? No, I thought not. It’ll soon heal. I bet it hurts, though …’
Romy agreed, then was helped, limping, into Millie’s bungalow. ‘We were going to go straight back to the holiday house, but Millie said we could have lunch here.’
‘I don’t know what we’d have done without you, Millie.’ Nell showed deep gratitude.
The little walnut face laughed this off, then turned as a utility truck pulled up outside.
Nina groaned.
‘Look, don’t be rude,’ Nell cautioned. ‘He was the one who saved her.’
‘He didn’t shoot the blasted thing, though, did he?’ Nina was still grimacing when Shane twanged the fly-wire screen.
‘How’s the patient?’
‘Better, thanks.’ Romy showed him her bandaged calf.
‘Did you get it?’ asked Nina.
‘What?’ asked Shane.
She shook her head with a sound of disgust.
Nell jumped in to keep the peace. ‘Did they say if it would be safe to fly home?’
‘When d’you fly?’ Shane asked.
‘Next weekend.’
His face relaxed a little. ‘So you’ve another week here.’
‘Not here, no,’ said Nina. ‘In fact, we would have been in Brisbane three days ago if that kangaroo hadn’t wrecked the car.’ She ignored him then, to answer Nell’s query. ‘Yes, she’s safe to fly, Mam. So we can go back to Brisbane when you want.’
The ranger looked regretful. ‘Sorry your stay wasn’t more enjoyable.’
‘On the contrary,’ said Nell. ‘Apart from the bite and the crash it’s been absolutely glorious, hasn’t it, Nina?’
There was no way Nina could disagree with that. ‘I can see why people like living here, though I don’t know if I’d feel safe so far from civilisation.’
Shane questioned her idea of civilisation.
‘Horses for courses,’ smiled Nina, not half so antagonistic as earlier, having got over the miscommunication. ‘Anyway, hadn’t one of us better go round to the villa and ask if we can stay an extra night – again. You won’t feel like driving down to Brisbane now.’
‘We can stay a few extra days,’ said Nell. ‘After all, there’s no rush.’
‘But we came here to look –’
‘Yes, I know.’ Nell cut her granddaughter off before she could publicise the secret. ‘But let’s concentrate on getting you healed.’ Looking at those two dear faces then, dearer to her than any others in the world, Nell asked herself how she could have subjected them to this futile and dangerous trek, to look for a son that might hate her – wishing for the moon, when she had been so blessed with Nina and Romy. ‘You’re what’s important to me now,’ she said firmly.
She saw that Shane was confused, and flashed him a smile, which he returned. He was a lovely looking chap when he relaxed that frown. ‘We were just going to look up our family tree in the State Archives,’ she explained with a white lie. ‘One of my ancestors emigrated, but he’s not important at the moment, this one is.’ She indicated Romy. ‘I don’t know! This is the second time we’ve tried to set off …’
‘Somebody doesn’t want you to leave,’ opined Shane, glancing at Nina as he said it. Then he had a thought. ‘Is your car still parked at the other end of the esplanade?’
Both Nina and her mother looked at Romy, who was obviously unfit to get it.
‘I’ll give one of you a lift to collect it.’
‘Neither of us drive,’ admitted Nell.
He seemed taken aback.
‘It’s not a crime,’ said Nina.
‘No, no.’ He scratched his jaw. ‘You’ll be a bit stuck for a while, though.’
‘I’ll be all right in a day or two,’ insisted Romy.
‘Yes, but all our clothes are in it,’ said Nell. ‘Millie, would you mind going with Shane and driving it back for us?’
‘Nan, that’s cheeky,’ tittered Romy.
‘If you don’t ask you don’t get,’ said Nell, looking sweetly at Shane.
‘I’ll have to remember that one,’ said the ranger, as if filing it away for the future. ‘I’ve got something to do now, but I’ll come back later for you, Millie.’
‘Will you have a bite with us first, Shane?’
‘No I’d better get moving.’ He slapped his bare knees, and said to the group, ‘Hope to run into you again later.’ Then he put on his hat, touched its brim to the women, and left.
A sudden chill came over Nina. ‘I left my cardigan in your car, Millie – is it open?’
‘Yes, love, help yourself.’ Millie set to exploring the fridge for the ingredients of lunch.
Nell said, ‘I’ll give you a hand, Millie.’ But her attention was on Nina, who hurried through the lush garden after the ranger.
Not until they were back in their holiday villa did Nell casually mention to her daughter, ‘I saw you having a few words with Shane …’
Nina looked blank, then appeared to recall the situation. ‘Oh, yes, I was just thanking him for his assistance. I forgot earlier in all the kerfuffle. Do you want some supper? I’ll just take milady something in, then I’ll see to you.’
Romy was already in bed, ordered there by Nell to rest her leg. Whilst the young woman’s mother went to attend her, Nell, who had been thoughtful all afternoon, turned and wandered outside.
People went to bed early here. With all the lights off it was pitch black. Nell allowed herself to be clothed in darkness, just standing there, alone, letting it seep into her. Well, you got your comeuppance, she told herself. Your granddaughter could have been killed this afternoon if there’d been no one around to help her, and all because you brought her here on your fool’s errand. What kind of a woman are you, to waste all these years fantasising over a will o’ the wisp? Neglecting your husband, letting Nina spend all that money on searching for her rival. Is he really more important than the one who isn’t flesh, but calls you Mother just the same? How it must hurt to know that a person your mother had never met was more valued than the one who had spent all her pocket money on Christmas, Mother’s Day and birthday gifts, every year of her childhood, saving all her pennies, taking such trouble to get just the right one. Especially aft
er that business of Joe wanting a boy, and all the hurt that had gone with it. But no, you push it all aside in your selfish quest. What kind of a mother are you?
Then, her eyes attuned to the darkness by now, out of the inky blackness came a twinkle, and another, and another – and Nell remembered, that only in the blackout of that terrible war had they been able to appreciate the full beauty of the galaxy. Yes, William was out there somewhere – but she resolved there and then that she must stop this obsession before it was too late.
A cheery voice called, ‘Cup of tea here for you, Mam!’
Nell turned and went in then, saying immediately, ‘I’m so sorry, Neen, you must think I’m a selfish pig, putting him before you …’
Nina looked surprised, then started to say, with that bluff yet affectionate manner so much like her father’s, ‘You silly bug—’
‘No, listen.’ Nell’s tone held determination, though her face had adopted a look of despair. ‘I know you’d never complain, you’re a kind, caring lass, but I’m too old to go traipsing any further. So, I’ve decided, I’m going to give up looking for William – don’t bother to argue! This afternoon has taught me to be content with the wonderful family I’ve got. We’re going home.’
26
Having made her momentous decision to give up her search for William, in the knowledge that she should treasure those she had, all the same Nell felt flat on landing in grey old England. Especially coming home to an empty house. Well, not empty for long. She had barely stuck her key in the door when the click of Mary’s stiletto heels alerted her to the one dashing round to hear news of her sister.
‘Mary, I’ve just this second got home!’ The taxi containing Nina and Romy had not even turned the corner ‘Would you mind letting me unpack these cases, or at least let me go to the lavatory.’
An Unsuitable Mother Page 61