Sentence of Marriage

by Shayne Parkinson

  ‘What?’

  ‘A new wife—Pa’s got married, and he’s brought her with him.’

  ‘Are you trying to be funny?’

  ‘Of course I’m not.’

  Jack came in, with Susannah leaning heavily on his arm. He pulled out a chair for her and she sank into it with evident relief.

  ‘Harry, say hello to… well, I suppose you can call her Susannah.’

  Harry stared from Susannah to his father, then back again. ‘Hello,’ he said.

  ‘Hello,’ Susannah said weakly. She passed a hand over her forehead.

  ‘Would you like to have your tea in the parlour?’ Amy asked, anxious to do the right thing.

  ‘Amy, she’s not a visitor!’ Jack protested. ‘This is her home now.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Amy said awkwardly. But she used the nicest china for the tea.

  Susannah drank her tea, but refused any of Amy’s cakes. Harry stared at her openly while she drank; John and Amy had at least had the hour’s drive to get a little used to the phenomenon of a stepmother.

  Amy nudged Harry once or twice, but he ignored her. ‘Haven’t you got any work to do, Harry?’ she asked at last.

  ‘Mmm? Oh, yes, I suppose we’d better go and milk some cows. Are you coming, Pa?’ He looked at their father in a way Amy could see was meant to make Jack feel guilty, but her father had eyes only for his new bride.

  ‘Eh? No, I’ll get out of my good clothes first, then I might come down later. I want to show the new lady of the house round the place—you’d like that, wouldn’t you, Susie?’

  ‘It’s Susannah,’ his wife said automatically. ‘Couldn’t we wait till it stops raining?’

  ‘All right, there’s no rush, I suppose. I’ll take you round tomorrow. You boys can carry those trunks in before you wander off.’

  Harry looked rebelliously at his father, but held his tongue and went outside. John helped him carry in the luggage and take it to Jack’s bedroom, then went off to his own room to get changed before he and Harry left to get the cows in.

  ‘I’d better start unpacking,’ Susannah said, rising from the table. ‘Will you show me my—our—room, Jack?’

  Jack led her out, and Amy was left alone in the kitchen. She sat at the table, trying to clear her thoughts. The new lady of the house, her father had said. What does that make me?

  She rose to clear the table and start getting dinner on, reminding herself to set an extra place. It was only later, when she was setting out the plates, that she realised the ‘extra’ place had better be for herself; her old one opposite Jack at the foot of the table would belong to Susannah now.

  Susannah, with a proud-looking Jack at her heels, emerged for dinner in a grey cashmere dress. It had cream lace gathered around the cuffs, and matching lace at the neck above a wide collar trimmed with a dark red fringe. She looked frail but composed.

  ‘What a beautiful dress!’ Amy exclaimed.

  ‘This?’ Susannah said in surprise. ‘It’s just a house dress.’ Amy looked at her own sensible dress of brown holland under her pinafore, and wondered how Susannah’s gown would stand up to a day spread between paddock and kitchen.

  Maybe I’ll have nice dresses like that one day. Not while I’m on the farm, though.

  ‘I’m afraid it’s only chops,’ Amy said, wishing she had had time to cook a roast.

  ‘Nothing wrong with chops,’ Jack said, illustrating his point by attacking his meal with vigour. ‘Sea travel gives you a good appetite, eh?’ He turned to Susannah.

  ‘Not really,’ she answered, picking at her meal daintily.

  ‘I’ve made an apple shortcake for pudding—I hope you like it,’ Amy said when they had finished the main course. She served the dessert and put a jug of thick cream in front of Susannah before taking her own seat, slapping John’s hand away from the jug when he tried to reach for it before Susannah.

  ‘She’s a good little cook, eh?’ Jack said with his mouth full. ‘You can take things a bit easier now, girl,’ he said, gazing benevolently at Amy. ‘You’ve got someone to share the work with now.’ He beamed at Susannah, but the smile she gave in return was frosty.

  ‘Jack, dear,’ Susannah said, ‘if all you wanted was someone to help Amy with cooking and cleaning, perhaps you would have been better off to hire a servant instead of having all the bother of a wife.’

  Amy felt like crawling under the table, but Jack laughed. ‘A servant, that’s a good one! No one would mistake you for a servant, my dear.’ He gave Susannah an openly admiring look. ‘I just meant it’s going to be good for Amy to have a mother again instead of a houseful of men.’ Amy and Susannah glanced at each other, then both quickly looked away.

  Susannah rose when they had finished drinking their tea. ‘I think I’d like to go to bed now. It’s been a long day.’

  ‘Good idea,’ Jack said. ‘You go off, I’ll be along shortly.’

  ‘Oh, don’t hurry on my account,’ Susannah said quickly. ‘You’ll want to talk to your children.’

  Jack’s gaze followed her as she left the room, then he turned to meet the three pairs of eyes staring at him.

  4

  September 1881

  ‘Well, what do you think?’ said Jack. ‘Bit of a stunner, isn’t she?’ He looked around the faces of his children, obviously seeking admiration, but puzzled at what he saw there. ‘You’re all very quiet.’

  ‘We’re just a bit… surprised, Pa,’ Amy said, taking the lead. ‘I mean, you were away so long, I was getting worried about you—we all were.’

  ‘Started to think you weren’t coming back,’ John put in.

  ‘It wasn’t as long as all that,’ Jack protested. ‘I wouldn’t leave you boys trying to run the place on your own for long—I wanted to find everything still in one piece when I got back.’

  ‘We ran it by ourselves for five weeks!’ Harry burst out. ‘All the calving, and then milking the whole herd with just the two of us.’

  ‘Well, I’m back now, there’s no need to go on about it.’

  ‘Yes, you’re back all right,’ Harry said darkly. ‘And with that.’ He gestured in the direction of the passage.

  There was a short silence. Jack stared at Harry, the smile wiped from his face.

  ‘What do you mean by that?’

  ‘It’s just that we’ve never met anyone like her, Pa,’ Amy put in quickly. ‘I mean, she looks so… well, elegant, I suppose.’

  ‘Wouldn’t want to get her hands dirty,’ Harry said.

  ‘Doesn’t look like she belongs on a farm,’ John added.

  ‘She’s my wife, so she belongs where I do,’ said Jack. He looked around their faces. ‘And you’ll treat my wife with the same respect you give me. Understand?’

  ‘She’s not that much older than I am,’ said John.

  ‘What’s that got to do with it?’ Jack snapped. ‘Think I’m too old to get married again, do you? I’m not too old to rule my own house yet.’ He glared at his children.

  Amy put her hand on his arm. ‘Don’t be angry, Pa. It’s hard for us to get used to, that’s all. It’s been only the five of us for so long, then only us four since Granny died—I don’t even remember Mama properly—it’s strange to think there’s someone else here now.’

  Jack’s face softened as he looked at her. ‘Maybe I should have let you know. I didn’t think you’d all make such a fuss, but I suppose it’s only natural you’re surprised. Well, you’ll get used to it.’

  ‘We don’t have much choice, do we?’ Harry muttered.

  ‘No, you don’t,’ Jack said. ‘So get used to it.’

  ‘Aren’t you going to tell us how you met, Pa?’ Amy asked.

  ‘Mmm? All right, then. You know I was staying with this Taylor family, Sam Craig’s friend? Well, when I got there what should I find but there’s a charming young Miss Taylor as well as Mr and Mrs. And Miss Taylor seemed rather taken with me—she didn’t seem to think I’m too old to make a good husband.’ He shot a look at John. ‘Then on
e thing led to another—’

  ‘I don’t want to hear this,’ Harry interrupted, getting to his feet. ‘I’m going to bed—some of us have been working today.’

  ‘Wait, Harry, please,’ Amy said. She didn’t like the thought of Harry’s going to bed smouldering with resentment at their father, and if a row between the two of them was inevitable they might as well get it over with.

  ‘All right,’ Harry grumbled. He sat down again.

  ‘Go on, Pa, we want to hear,’ said Amy.

  ‘Well, there’s not much more to tell,’ Jack said. ‘We got married a week ago—didn’t seem much point leaving it—then we went up to this place called Waiwera, north of Auckland, for a few days’ honeymoon—Susie said it’s the place to go, fancy hotel there, cost a fortune.’ He looked very complacent, Amy thought. ‘Then we came back to Auckland just long enough to pick up Susie’s things and order the hay mower I fancied—it’s coming on the steamer next week—then we hopped on the boat to come down here. And that’s it.’

  ‘So she got her claws into you,’ said Harry. Amy turned to him in alarm, knowing this was going too far.

  ‘What?’ Jack said heavily.

  ‘She saw you and decided you were her last chance, I expect, and you fell for it—then you were having such a good time you forgot about us doing all the work here.’

  ‘Don’t you talk to me like that,’ Jack growled. ‘I’ll teach you to—’

  ‘Pa!’ Amy interrupted. ‘Shh! You’ll disturb Susannah, and she looked so tired.’

  Jack quietened at once. ‘You’re right. We’ll talk about it in the morning.’ He turned to give Harry a threatening look, but his son had already left the room.

  ‘I’m going to bed too,’ John said, slipping away in his turn.

  ‘Well, I don’t know what’s wrong with them,’ said Jack. ‘But you’re pleased to have me home again, aren’t you?’

  ‘Oh, yes, Pa, of course I am.’ Amy hesitated for a moment, then climbed onto her father’s lap. She wondered why she felt a little awkward doing so.

  Jack stroked her hair. ‘And you’re pleased to have a mother again?’

  ‘Pa,’ Amy said cautiously, ‘I don’t think she wants to be my mother.’

  ‘Of course she does! Ever since I mentioned you she’s gone on about meeting “the dear little girl”—Susie loves children. Anyway, you’re my daughter, she’s my wife, so she’s your ma. That’s simple enough, isn’t it?’

  ‘I suppose so, Pa.’ Amy slipped from his lap and started clearing the table. ‘Will you tell me about all the things you saw in Auckland?’

  ‘Not right now, maybe tomorrow. I might as well go to bed myself.’

  ‘Oh,’ Amy said, trying not to sound too disappointed. ‘I thought maybe you’d stay here for a while and we could talk.’

  ‘There’ll be plenty of time for that.’ He rose from the table. ‘Don’t sit up too late, girl.’

  ‘I won’t, I just have to tidy up in here then get the bread made for tomorrow.’

  ‘Susie will start helping you with all that soon, she’s a bit worn out after the trip today. She was pretty crook on the way down.’

  ‘I don’t mind, Pa. I’m used to it.’

  ‘You’re a good girl. I’m off, then—see you in the morning.’

  ‘Good night.’

  Amy went to bed herself an hour or so later. She tried to read, but found she couldn’t concentrate on the book. Through the wall of her bedroom she could hear voices in her father’s room, but she could not make out any words.

  One of the voices grew louder, then they both fell away into silence. Amy felt tired, but it was a long time before her busy thoughts let her drift off into a troubled sleep, which seemed to be full of the sound of someone weeping.

  *

  ‘Susie’s still asleep,’ Jack said next morning when he came out to the kitchen. ‘She doesn’t want to get up, anyway.’ He looked perplexed.

  ‘Perhaps she still doesn’t feel very well,’ said Amy.

  ‘Maybe not. Where’re the boys?’

  ‘They’ve already gone to get the cows in.’

  ‘I’d better catch them up.’

  When they returned for breakfast Harry was rather quiet, but Jack seemed cheerful, so Amy decided they must be getting on well enough.

  ‘Susie not up yet?’ Jack asked, looking around in surprise.

  ‘No—shall I take a tray in to her while you’re having yours?’

  ‘That’s a good idea, she’ll like that.’

  Amy put a plate of bacon and eggs on a tray along with a cup of tea, and carried it through the passage. She knocked softly on the bedroom door, and after a moment she heard a voice say, ‘Come in’.

  The drapes had been drawn a fraction; Amy’s father must have opened them to give himself enough light to dress by. Susannah was lying in bed with her brown hair spread out around her face on the pillow. Her hair was not as long or thick as Amy had thought it when tucked under a hat. There were dark circles under her eyes, and she looked very pale.

  ‘Oh, it’s you,’ Susannah said, pulling herself up into a half-sitting position. ‘I thought it was your father.’

  Amy wondered why Susannah would think her father might knock before going into his own bedroom. ‘I’ve brought you some breakfast,’ she said, moving to put the tray on a small table beside Susannah.

  ‘What time is it?’ Susannah asked, covering her mouth as she yawned.

  ‘Half-past seven.’

  ‘Why did you wake me up so early?’ She looked accusingly at Amy.

  ‘It’s not early,’ Amy said in surprise. ‘The men have already finished milking, we’ve all been up for ages.’

  ‘Oh. I’m not used to getting up till… well, later than this, anyway. Get me that wrap, would you?’ She pointed to a pale blue shawl draped over the back of a chair. Amy brought it to her and helped Susannah on with it, enjoying the feel of the soft fabric.

  ‘This is a lot for breakfast,’ Susannah said when Amy had passed the tray to her.

  ‘Is it? It’s what we usually have.’

  ‘It’s not what I usually have. I just have an egg and some tea normally.’ Susannah ate one of the fried eggs, then pushed the plate away and sipped at her tea.

  Without being asked, Amy sat down on one of the chairs and watched. When Susannah finished her tea and pushed the tray away, Amy moved to take it from her lap.

  Susannah studied her as Amy leaned across. ‘How old are you, Amy?’

  ‘I’m twelve. I’ll be thirteen next month, though.’

  ‘Thirteen. And how old do you think I am?’

  About twenty-seven, Amy thought, so it was probably safer to say twenty-five. ‘Twenty-f—’ she began, then decided to be very careful. ‘Twenty-three?’

  A satisfied smile flashed over Susannah’s face for a moment, then she looked troubled again. ‘That’s close enough. I’m twenty-five. Twenty-five, Amy! That’s not old enough to have a daughter of thirteen, is it?’

  ‘I suppose not.’

  Susannah sank back onto the pillows. ‘I wish I’d known more about…’ she said as if talking to herself, then she noticed Amy again. ‘I’ve finished, thank you. You can take that away now.’ She indicated the tray that Amy still held. Amy stood looking at the floor.

  ‘I said you can go now,’ Susannah said. ‘What do you want?’

  ‘I… I don’t know what to call you.’

  ‘Call me Susannah.’

  ‘But Pa wants me to—’

  ‘Never mind what your father wants—I’ll talk to him about it. Just don’t call me Susie.’ She turned away, and Amy left the room, closing the door behind her.

  *

  Amy was washing the dishes when Susannah came into the kitchen with Jack later that morning.

  ‘It’s not raining today,’ Jack said. ‘So I’ll give you that tour around the place I promised.’

  Amy thought Susannah looked less than eager, but her stepmother said nothing. She was wearin
g the grey cashmere dress again, this time with a dark red mantle that had fur at the neck. As Jack opened the back door for his wife, Amy noticed Susannah’s boots. ‘You mustn’t go outside in those!’ she said in alarm, pointing to the elegant things. The boots were black with a high heel; the lower part looked to be made of kid while the uppers were of a strong-looking cloth. To Amy’s utter dismay they were trimmed with bows of black silk ribbon near each toe.

  Susannah looked affronted. ‘What’s wrong with my boots?’

  ‘You’ll get them filthy out there—it’s very muddy with all the rain we’ve had. Don’t you have anything sensible—I mean suitable? Or you can wear mine if you like.’ She indicated her own outdoor boots, which were standing in the porch. ‘They’re a bit big on me, so they’d probably fit you.’

  ‘I’m not wearing those things!’ Susannah said, looking at Amy’s heavy leather boots in disgust. ‘These are perfectly good walking boots—I’ve worn them all winter in Auckland.’

  ‘They do look a bit flimsy, Susie,’ Jack said.

  ‘Don’t call me that!’ Susannah flared, turning on him. Jack took a step backwards in surprise.

  ‘What’s wrong with you?’

  ‘Nothing—I just wish you’d remember my name. And this child fussing over my boots got on my nerves. I—I didn’t mean to snap.’ Susannah tilted her head a little to one side as she looked at Jack, and he took her arm with a smile. Amy felt as though she were eavesdropping.

  ‘It doesn’t matter,’ said Jack. ‘Let’s go—I want to show you the view from the top of the hill before the rain sets in again.’

  Jack and Susannah were only gone a short time, just long enough for Amy to finish her dishes and start on the dusting, and when they came back in Amy could see that Susannah was the worse for wear. Her lovely mantle was spattered with mud, and the border of her dress was wet and stained for several inches. Worst of all, when Susannah bent to take off her boots in the porch she gave a cry of distress.

  ‘Oh, look at them! They’re just ruined!’ She held a boot aloft. It was caked with mud right to the cloth upper, and the ribbon trim was bedraggled and filthy. Tears filled Susannah’s eyes. Amy left her dusting cloth on the dresser and rushed to her.