Whitsunday Dawn

by Annie Seaton

  On a clear night on the first day of August, the Ellis family sat together on the verandah, watching the sun set over the mainland. The sky was painted in purples and mauves, and as the sun dipped behind the hills, an arc of gold bathed the clouds in an almost celestial light. Mama was sewing buttons back onto the twins’ shirts.

  ‘Come and sit by me, Lil.’

  She crossed the verandah and sat on the mat in front of her mother’s chair. Leaning against Mama’s knee, Lily closed her eyes as Mama gently brushed her hand against her hair. ‘I pray every night for your Jack and that the war will be over soon.’

  My Jack.

  It was the first time that Mama had acknowledged that she knew how Lily felt.

  ‘I worry that he has gone.’ She stared at the sky as Mama’s hand caressed her hair. ‘That he’s dead. Or he doesn’t want to come back here.’

  ‘Lil, it’s wartime. Communication is difficult. Since the air battles over the Coral Sea, I’m sure there’s no leave for the boys and no time for them to write. Stop worrying yourself so sick.’

  ‘Your mother is right.’ Dad looked up from his whittling and smiled at her. ‘It’ll be all right. Before you know it, the three boys will be back for a visit.’

  Lily looked up at him and she knew he didn’t believe his own words.

  ‘You are fading away, darling.’ Mama turned to Dad. ‘I think it is time that Lil stopped working over with the Bauers. It’s too much for her.’

  ‘No.’ Lily shook her head. ‘It gives me something else to think about it.’ Going to South Molle Island to work was her escape. Lily knew she was being dishonest, but she was terrified that Mama would guess the other worry that was consuming her day and night. Last month, she had washed the linen rags that she always used when she bled, although there had been no need. Mama would have noticed if she hadn’t.

  On a Monday morning two weeks later, Lily was in the wash house lighting the fire beneath the copper when Tat’s cries reached her. She had stopped going down to the jetty each morning; the disappointment when the launch had docked at the jetty time and time again with no one on it, no smiling face to greet her had become unbearable.

  ‘Lily! Lily! The boys are here.’ Tat’s voice was shrill with excitement. ‘Come quickly.’

  Lily threw the taper to the dirt floor and ran to the path, her heart beating hard as joy flooded through her.

  Oh, God. Thank you, God. At least one of her prayers had been answered. And if her other prayer remained unanswered—if the curse didn’t arrive this week—at least she could tell Jack her fears and share her worry that she was pregnant with his child.

  Dad was already down there unloading the crates of supplies from the launch. Roger and Charlie stood beside Tatiana. For the first time, they were wearing their air force uniforms and were looking very grown-up and serious.

  Lily ran along the jetty, her eyes darting from the boat to the men.

  ‘Jack? Where’s Jack?’

  As Roger stepped forward, Dad walked over to Lily and put his hand on her shoulder.

  Lily looked at Tat, and noticed the tears streaking down her face.

  ‘What is it? Where’s Jack? Why isn’t he here too?’ She barely managed to get the words out as her breath caught and the heavy weight of grief crushed her chest.

  Dad’s arm went around her as Roger stood in front of her. His stance was respectful, almost formal. ‘On the sixteenth of July, the radio operator from the Cat that Jack was on reported that the Catalina was under attack in the Mariana Islands by anti-aircraft fire. The crew had reported a submarine, but managed to avoid any action. They left Peleliu Island and headed home.’

  Hope filtered through Lily for a brief moment until she saw the bleakness in Roger’s eyes. Charlie stepped forward clutching a small parcel tied with string.

  ‘After it took off, they broke radio silence with a standard signal. “We are forced to alight on the sea.” Dumbo failed to return to base the next morning. It is believed that the Cat has been shot down over the Mariana Islands and the fate of the crew is unknown.’ His voice was formal. ‘We’ve waited for confirmation but there’s been nothing. We knew we had to come and tell you ourselves. Your family was so good to Jack, and to us.’

  ‘No. Please no.’ Dad supported Lily as disbelief slammed through her. ‘Maybe they just landed somewhere and stayed there?’

  ‘I’m sorry, Lily. I know that you and Jack were really good friends. He left this for you…’ Charlie’s voice shook as he held out the small package and put it into her hand. ‘In case he didn’t come back.’

  Roger took her hand. ‘Lily, never ever give up hope. We know there are thousands of prisoners of war out there, and the Allies are doing their damnedest to end this war in the Pacific. Since the air raids on Townsville—’

  ‘Townsville?’ Lily’s voice was shrill. ‘What air raids?’

  Roger and Charlie looked at each other. ‘You haven’t had the news this week?’

  ‘No.’ Boyd shook his head. ‘We’ve not been over to the mainland for a couple of weeks.’

  ‘Townsville’s been bombed. Three air raids. The last one only four days ago.’

  Lily drew a breath so quickly that she almost choked. ‘Townsville, that’s not far north.’ She leaned against Dad as he held her close. Even Tat’s eyes were wide and her lip quivered.

  ‘Are the Japanese going to come to our island. Daddy, what will we do?’ Tat grabbed his arm. ‘Where will we hide if they come?’

  Boyd put his other arm around Tat and held both his daughters close. The lump in Lily’s throat was making it hard to breathe.

  ‘Stay strong and believe that Jack is … alive. Until we hear otherwise, we will believe.’ Roger stepped back and turned away from them, but his shoulders were shaking.

  Lily held her head high and straightened her back, ignoring the pain that was slicing through her. Not only from the despair that settled in her chest but a physical pain as her belly cramped as it did every month.

  How ironic that this news came at the same moment that her other prayer was answered. Dad’s arm was firm around her shoulders, but she pulled away and straightened her back.

  ‘Thank you, Charlie and Roger. Would you like to come up to the house for a cup of tea? I know Mama was baking this morning. She must have had an inkling that we would have guests. We don’t get many these days.’ While ever she could keep the conversation normal, Lily was determined not to break down. She slid the small parcel into her pocket and turned towards the path. Tatiana slipped her hand into hers, and she gave a sad smile as her heart shattered into a thousand pieces.

  * * *

  A soft and mauve dawn crept over the eastern horizon as Lily made her way to an inlet on the leeward side of the island. A small creek wound across to the east before it petered out into a swamp. Its banks were a dense mass of vegetation, but where it met the sea, a large flat rock was exposed on the ebb tide.

  She sat there silently on her rock, and waited.

  Yesterday’s cramp had been nothing, and the sad realisation that her life was about to change made her physically ill. The harsh bitterness that consumed her was like one of the box jellyfish that Jack hadn’t known about. She hitched a sob and blocked him from her mind.

  None too soon, dawn flooded the eastern sky. The inner islands of the Whitsundays hovered like jewels above a pearl-like sea as the low clouds turned golden. The sun rose higher as she sat and wondered what to do.

  How can I tell Mama?

  They would send her away, and she didn’t think she could stand that. The wind picked up and the blustering breeze caught her hair in a swirl. She vowed never to forget the blue of the sea, the gold of the sky and the smell of the salt that morning. Sadness filled her as she feared that she would only remember the evil-smelling mud, banked up day by day by each incoming tide, coating the ugly roots of the mangrove trees on the banks of the creek, and covering the new green shoots of life. The haunting cry of the curlew, the lame
nt that was a portent of death, echoed her sadness. The first time she’d heard a curlew cry, that high-pitched lament, she had been four years old and she had cried with it. Mama had lifted her onto her knee and soothed her. ‘Hush, Liliana, it is only a bird.’

  Regret for what might have been flooded through her, fed by her grief. As she looked up at the sky, now bathed in the pearly light of a Whitsunday dawn, the peak loomed above her, still dark and shadowy on its leeward side.

  Lily stared at it and pushed herself to her feet. Up there, closer to the sky, was where Jack had last flown over the island. With determination, she made her way around the bay and headed for the path past the old sawmill. She would climb the peak, and she would say goodbye to him.

  CHAPTER

  31

  May 7, 2018

  ‘We’re going to have to go across to Hamo tomorrow,’ Fynn said late one afternoon as Liv lay in the hammock he’d strung up on the deck. ‘We’re almost out of water.’

  ‘It should be safe now, surely?’ Liv frowned. No one knew where she was, or that she was on Fynn’s yacht. They—whoever they were—would have no idea where to look for her.

  He shrugged as he looked across at her. ‘We’ll still need to be careful. They’ve probably been watching the airport.’

  They’d spent a week moored in Upper Gulnare Inlet. A call made last night from Fynn’s sat phone had garnered the information that Greg was back in a general ward. Fynn had texted the points he’d taken from the folders, and Greg had replied almost immediately.

  As soon as I am discharged I’m on a flight up. Saturday probably. Not even a broken leg will stop me.

  ‘Watch the airport? Do you really think they’d go to those lengths? It sounds like something out of a movie.’

  ‘Ask Greg’s opinion on that when he gets here.’ He looked up at her from where he was leaning with his back against the side of the boat. ‘There’s millions—no, billions—of dollars to be made if the coal loader is approved. They’ve already demonstrated that they’ll do anything to stop that information getting out there. Until Greg’s exposé is published, we’ll keep a very low profile. Once we get to Hamo, you can call your father and send the computer back to him. Hopefully, that’ll take the pressure off you.’

  ‘It’ll be interesting to hear what he has to say.’ Liv put her head back and looked out over the water. ‘I’ll give Mum a call too. She’ll be worrying.’

  Fynn put his hands behind his head, tipped his head back and closed his eyes. It was still hard to believe that she’d spent the past five days out on his yacht with him.

  ‘Thank goodness Greg’s okay.’ Liv ran her hand through her loose hair. It was stiff with salt and her skin was tinged pink with sunburn, but she was happier than she’d been for a long time. Her confidence had increased as the days passed, and the time spent with Fynn had been stimulating. He was an intelligent man with strong principles, and she had learned to trust him.

  They’d spent the week exploring the island, climbing Whitsunday Peak yesterday morning. The day before, they’d hiked across the island to Whitehaven Beach.

  They’d come across the workings of an abandoned sawmill in the bush, and Fynn had examined the rusted equipment with interest. ‘It’s amazing how they got those huge pine logs down from the steep hills in the days before chain saws.’

  ‘It was a whole different life back then, wasn’t it?’ She glanced at Fynn curiously as he held his hand out for hers but before she could take it, he’d dropped it again. Seeing the places where Aunty Tat had spent her childhood in the war years had been sad.

  ‘It was.’ Fynn held a branch back as she ducked her head. ‘A hard life with no luxuries.’

  Liv had stumbled as she stubbed her toe on a log and Fynn had caught her and held her close for a minute and then let her go. It was like being a teenager again, this dance of ‘will he’ or ‘won’t he’.

  Liv bit back a smile as she looked at him now. He certainly was a fine-looking man, and a decent man too. She’d sensed his withdrawal over the past few days. Not in his conversation, but Fynn had seemed more careful not to brush against her, and had kept more physical space between them.

  She jumped out of the hammock. ‘I’m going for a swim. You coming?’

  Fynn opened his eyes and his smile was lazy. ‘You go first. I’ll come in when I summon up the energy.’

  * * *

  Fynn tried not to stare as Liv stood and peeled her T-shirt off to reveal her brief white bikini. Her skin had taken on a rich coppery glow over the past few days, and his mouth dried as he caught a glimpse of the small piece of jewellery in her belly button. It was a very different Liv from the terse corporate woman he’d encountered that first day. He closed his eyes and pulled his cap over his eyes again so she wouldn’t catch him staring.

  ‘Tell me what the water’s like,’ he murmured.

  He opened his eyes and sat up once he heard the splash of her entering the water. Pushing himself to his feet he leaned on the side of the boat and watched as she swam towards the small sandy bay at the side of the inlet. She waded into the shallows and wandered along the shoreline, bending occasionally to pick up something and examine it.

  Spending a whole week in the company of an attractive woman was something he hadn’t done for a long time, but as he watched Liv walk along the edge of the water, Fynn admitted to himself that his feelings for Olivia Sheridan were growing by the day. He narrowed his eyes as a low squeal reached him. She ran to the water and waded out before she began to swim quickly back to the yacht. Without hesitation, he pulled off his T-shirt and dived off the side. It only took a few strokes before he reached her.

  ‘What’s wrong? Did you see someone?’ Fynn reached out and held her as they both trod water.

  She shook her head and water droplets flew from her hair as a giggle erupted from her lips. ‘No. I heard a noise and when I looked up there was this huge black goat behind the rock I was heading for. I wasn’t going to hang around to say hello.’ Liv lifted her arms and looped them around his neck. ‘Did you come to rescue me?’ Her eyes held his and a shaft of need hit him in the solar plexus.

  ‘I did.’ A low groan came from his chest as she moved her head closer to his while she still held his eyes. ‘What are you doing, Liv?’

  ‘Thanking my rescuer.’

  Cool soft lips brushed against his, and all Fynn’s good intentions dissolved like the vapour trails in the sky above them. As she kissed him, they sank beneath the water and he felt her lips tilt in a smile when the water closed over their heads. He kicked hard and they broke the surface.

  ‘My pleasure, darlin’.’

  * * *

  As they prepared dinner together in the galley that evening, the air was charged with sexual tension. Liv stood closer to him than she usually did, and a couple of times, Fynn put his arm around her when she stood beside him.

  ‘Our last night on the water,’ she said wistfully. ‘I guess we’ll go back to the mainland after we go to Hamo?’

  ‘Depends when Greg flies in. Once we get into phone range at Hamo, I’ll give Byron a call too. Just to make sure it looks safe.’

  Later that night as they lay on the deck, it seemed natural for Fynn to put his arm out. Liv nestled her head against his shoulder as they watched the stars. A meteorite flashed through the sky and split into a shower of sparks over the Passage.

  ‘It’s going to be so hard to go back to the land. Back to real life,’ she murmured. ‘I feel like I’ve been in a magic place for the past week.’

  ‘You don’t have to be a landlubber. It’d make a lot of sense for you to stay with me on the boat if we’re going to be working together.’

  She rolled to her side and he looked down. Her eyes were bright in the dim light. ‘Would that be all right, do you think?’

  As he lowered his lips to hers, he said quietly, ‘I think it would be just fine.’

  * * *

  Sharing the same cabin meant that they got a much later
start the next morning, although Fynn assured Liv that he’d only slept in because he was waiting for the tide to rise. As he climbed out of bed—reluctantly—she put on a mock pout and fluttered her eyelashes at him.

  ‘You do wonders for a girl’s confidence.’

  ‘Come on, wench. It’s time to help me hoist the sails.’

  He waited as Liv climbed out of bed and he pulled her close. Her skin was warm against his chest and he nuzzled his lips into her neck. ‘Are you nervous about heading back to civilisation?’

  ‘No. I’m looking forward to starting this fight. Maybe we could have stayed on the mainland and got a head start.’

  ‘Better to be safe than sorry.’ Fynn trailed his fingers down her bare back and glanced back at the bed. ‘Maybe we should rest a little more to store up some energy.’

  ‘I thought you were in a hurry to get going.’ Her smile was enticing as she moved away and her breasts brushed lightly against his chest.

  Reluctantly he reached for his shorts. ‘Yeah, I guess the tide won’t wait.’

  The wind was only light, so they hoisted the headsail and the main before motoring out of Gulnare on the rising tide. As they turned towards Hamilton Island, Fynn cut the engines.

  Liv went to the cabin and brought her phone up as they approached the island. As soon as she turned it on, the messages began to ding.

  ‘Your father?’ he asked with a frown.

  ‘Most of them but I’m going to ignore his texts.’ She nodded towards the screen. ‘But poor Mum wants to know where I’ve been. I’ll call her now.’

  ‘Hang on. Is it your own phone or a work phone?’

  Her eyes were wide. ‘A Sheridan Corp phone.’

  ‘Damn. Turn it off in case they have a track on it.’

  ‘Really?’ Her brow furrowed as she switched it off.

  ‘Yeah. I didn’t think.’ Fynn clenched his hands on the wheel. ‘You can send your mother a text from my phone. And maybe email your father and say you’ll courier the laptop back.’