Rain Music

by Di Morrissey

  ‘Well, Ned was encouraged and given every opportunity to achieve. But it always seemed to be easier for me; Ned never quite fitted the mould expected of him. I was a daddy’s girl, no doubt about it.’ Bella paused to take another sip of her coffee. Ned had always been a dreamer. Alex had called him irresponsible.

  Bella finished the last of her coffee and said, ‘That was delicious. Do you have time for another, Roberta?’

  When Roberta nodded, Bella got up, went to the counter and placed the order before returning to her seat. She smiled at her friend.

  ‘My family isn’t nearly as interesting as yours, though!’ Bella said. ‘You were telling me how they lived in the Daintree? Were they able to own the land?’

  Roberta gave a small smile. ‘Hard as my great-great-grandparents worked, they were never able to save enough to buy any, and because my great-great-grandfather was an Islander, he couldn’t borrow money from the banks. So they would never have been landholders if it hadn’t been for my great-grandmother. She insisted they take in an abandoned baby girl. The child was born to a Kanaka woman and an Irishman. I don’t know what happened to the Irishman, but the woman died when the baby, who was called Clare, was about a year old. So our family decided to look after her.’

  ‘Even though they weren’t related?’ Bella asked. ‘That’s so generous.’

  ‘Yes,’ said Roberta, smiling. ‘Our people take care of each other, even when we’re not directly related. Clare was a pretty little thing, and when she was about four or five a wealthy planter who lived further north came to visit. Evidently he’d heard about Clare and he asked to buy her.’

  Bella gasped. ‘Buy her?’

  Roberta nodded. ‘He promised that she would have a proper education and grow up with his own children. My great-great-grandmother didn’t want to sell little Clare, but she felt that the child would have a better chance of having a comfortable life with a rich white family than with us.’

  Bella was astonished. ‘I can’t believe that someone would just rock up and buy a child. Was she going to be a servant, then?’

  Roberta was thoughtful. ‘It sounds odd now, but laws were pretty lax in those days, and I think that there were some very loose arrangements about children. And she wasn’t trained as a servant. This white family had children of their own and Clare was given the same opportunities they had. She received a proper education. And this girl had an exquisite singing voice.’

  ‘Do you know what became of her?’

  Roberta nodded. ‘She was given singing and music lessons and she grew up to become a very popular singer who travelled all over the country. But she was always known by the name her white adoptive mother gave her, Atlanta, Attie for short.’

  ‘Heavens, what an exotic name,’ said Bella in an amused voice.

  ‘Well, the upshot of it all was that my great-great-grandmother, because she was Scottish, was able to buy land for the family once they had the money from the sale of the little girl.’

  Bella shook her head in wonder. ‘Amazing. I suppose your family was very sad to lose Clare?’

  ‘Well, my great-grandmother was, but when she heard that Clare was giving concerts all over the state, she was proud that she had been able to give her that chance.’

  ‘That’s quite a story. Did Clare, or rather Attie, go on to have a family of her own?’

  ‘No, she didn’t. I think she just liked to perform. But all our family loves music and singing, so I like to think it was the influence of our people all those years ago that started her on her musical path.’

  After they had finished their coffee, Roberta took Bella around to the hotel where Bella had left her car and was booked in for the night.

  ‘I’ll have a look around Port Douglas before I go back down to Cairns. I can’t thank you enough, Roberta.’ Impulsively, Bella hugged her and Roberta smiled.

  ‘I have a feeling we’ll see each other again,’ she said.

  ‘I hope so. I’d like that,’ replied Bella.

  ‘By the way, I think our Antony is rather smitten with you,’ Roberta said, winking, as she was climbing back into her vehicle.

  ‘He’s just a flirt,’ Bella said cheerfully, waving a hand. ‘Thank you for everything and let’s keep in touch.’

  *

  After Hidden Cove, Bella found Port Douglas a bit too touristy for her taste, in spite of the fact that the town was abuzz with the news that a golfer had just been bitten by a crocodile while on the golf course. Bet that’s not on the usual tourist itinerary, Bella thought to herself as she lazed in the hotel pool, cooling off.

  She’d rung her mother and told her about the wonderful time she’d had in the Daintree, and Josie had told her that she’d had a brief chat with Ned a few days earlier. Unfortunately he hadn’t mentioned where he was staying. Ned had seemed fine, Josie had said, but he was still disinclined to come down to Tennyson for his father’s dedication ceremony. ‘Such a shame,’ said Josie, sighing. ‘In years to come, I think he’ll regret his decision. But there is nothing I can do about it. It’s his choice.’

  But I can still do something, thought Bella fiercely. She had finally received a text from Ned saying he was too busy to catch up with her while she was visiting Queensland. She’d texted him back saying she was happy to travel to wherever he was, but she’d got no response. Hearing the disappointment in her mother’s voice, Bella began to feel fired up about Ned all over again. So when she’d hung up from Josie, she tried once more to ring the number that Sarah had given her for the backing band. Her call went unanswered, yet again. This was the third time she had tried ringing since she’d arrived in Port Douglas. How on earth was she going to track Ned down if her phone calls weren’t answered?

  Later, sitting in the shade under an umbrella, she saw she’d missed a call and immediately rang back.

  ‘Hi, Irene, it’s Bella. Sorry, I missed you while I was in the pool.’

  ‘Lucky you. I’m slaving away in a studio, listening to a group lay down some tracks. It’s like a cave, no windows, no light!’ She laughed lightly. ‘Roberta tells me that you had a great time together. I can’t chat at the minute, but just quickly, would you like to come to Cairns for a show tomorrow night? There’s a couple of new bands performing and they are super good. I was given some free tickets, if you’d like to join me.’

  ‘That sounds great, Irene. I’m in Port Douglas now, but I’m leaving in the morning,’ replied Bella.

  ‘I see. Well, why don’t you hop in the car and come to Cairns? You can stay the night with me if you like.’

  Bella laughed. ‘Sounds fabulous. I’d love to have a night out. Thanks for thinking of me and for the offer to stay. Text me your address and I’ll mosey on down. See you then.’

  How friendly the people were up here in the north, thought Bella as she drove through Cairns the next day, looking for Irene’s place. Was it the climate or the slower, more casual way of life? It was certainly a contrast with Tennyson, which was a bit on the formal side. People didn’t walk around Tennyson in shorts and halter tops, or wearing the tourist uniform of Bermuda shorts, thongs and singlets. Shops here were filled with colourful versions of Hawaiian and Indian print tops and caftans as well as the ubiquitous souvenir T-shirt. The atmosphere and setting was all about being on holidays. Even the locals working in the shops and businesses wore a uniform of bright shirts and cheerful colours, giving the impression that as soon as they finished work they’d be off swimming, fishing or boating.

  After meeting her cheerfully at the door, Irene showed Bella to the small guest room in her high-rise apartment. Bella admired the room, which was painted bright blue. On the wall were a lot of photos of different tropical fish, making Bella think that she would be spending the night in a coral reef.

  ‘Your guest room is so gorgeous. I love the fish on the wall,’ she said as the two women settled on the balcony with a cup
of tea each.

  ‘Yes, done by one of my friends who is a very good underwater photographer,’ replied Irene, and then told her a little about the bands they would see that night. ‘So, Bella, enough of that, tell me what you thought of Roberta’s little jaunt.’

  ‘I can’t thank you enough for telling me about Roberta. The Daintree was a very special experience. You can walk through a place and look at things from the outside, but with Roberta I got an insight into what’s really there. She has quite a few stories to tell about her family history, too.’

  ‘I’m so glad you like her. We’ve been friends for years. She’s coming to the show as well.’

  ‘Oh, that’s great! Funny, she said she had a feeling we’d meet up again,’ said Bella, happy to hear this news.

  ‘Any luck tracking down your brother?’

  ‘Not yet. No one had heard of him in the Daintree and I’ve been trying to ring the number I was given for the backing band who might know where he’s gone, but I can’t get an answer. I have their address, so I think I’ll have to drive up to the Atherton Tablelands and see them in person.’

  ‘It’s a nuisance that you can’t get through to them, but on the bright side, you’ll enjoy going to the tablelands. It’s a glorious area, and a bit cooler than here on the coast.’

  That evening, as dusk was gathering, Irene drove them into the Botanic Gardens where the concert was to be held. ‘I like to get here early and get close to the front near the stage,’ explained Irene.

  The setting was unlike anything Bella had seen before. Two Second World War naval oil storage tanks stood against a backdrop of thick rainforest. The tanks had been turned into a gallery and performing arts centre, Irene informed her, and were popular with local bands because the acoustics were excellent.

  Everyone seemed to know Irene as she made her way through the crowd towards the front of the venue. Suddenly Bella saw Roberta.

  ‘There she is, Irene! Hi, Roberta!’

  The women hugged and laughed. ‘Didn’t think we’d catch up this soon, but this invitation was too good to miss. Thanks again, Irene. The ticket was waiting for me at the door, just like you told me,’ said Roberta.

  The Brass Rahzoo were into their third number when Bella felt an arm drop onto her shoulders. She spun around and in the flashing coloured lights she saw Antony’s smiling face.

  ‘What’re you doing here?’ she asked.

  He gave her a brief hug. ‘I’m in Cairns on a bit of business for a couple of days, and Roberta mentioned she was coming down for this show and that you might be here too, so I thought I’d come along on the off chance that you were. And here you are,’ he said, looking pleased with himself.

  The crowd roared its appreciation of the band, drowning out Antony’s voice. Roberta and Irene didn’t seem surprised to see him and both smiled, but Bella was unsure how she felt. As she studied his profile in the light from the stage, he turned and gave her a lazy smile. She gave a brief smile in return and looked back to the performers.

  Afterwards, as the four walked outside into the cool air, Roberta said, ‘I think a cold drink might be in order. It was awfully hot in there.’

  ‘It’s not very late, so let’s head over to the jazz club for a nightcap,’ suggested Irene.

  A few people from the concert evidently had the same idea, and the bar of the small club was noisy with laughter and chatter above the background music.

  ‘Follow me, I can see a table and chairs out in the garden,’ said Antony.

  After the four had settled themselves comfortably with their drinks, Antony turned to Bella. ‘Did you enjoy the show?’ he asked.

  ‘I did enjoy it, but my usual taste is for something a bit more mellow. I’m in an a cappella group, so I like good lyrics as well as good music,’ said Bella.

  ‘And anything your brother sings, huh? I’ve downloaded some of his music and he’s good. Have you been able to contact him yet?’

  ‘He’s spoken to my mother quite recently, so I know he’s still somewhere up here. I’m heading to Atherton to talk to some musicians he knows, because I can’t raise them by phone. It’s quite annoying.’ Bella wrinkled her nose.

  ‘When are you off?’ Antony asked, sipping his drink.

  ‘Tomorrow,’ said Bella. ‘I’ve wasted enough time already looking for Ned. As far as I’m concerned, this is make or break. If I can’t contact these guys, then I’ll have no idea where my brother might be, so I guess I’ll just finish the rest of my holiday and go home.’ She sighed. She was feeling energised and refreshed, which was exactly what she’d hoped for, but the fact that she had been unable to contact Ned weighed on her. ‘By the way, Irene, this is a great little place. I wish we had something like it in Tennyson,’ said Bella. She glanced at the lights strung in the trees outside where they were sitting and the comfortable friendly vibe of the place. ‘But it would be very cold sitting outside like this in a Victorian winter.’

  ‘Yes, it’s a great little spot. A lot of legends have passed through the doors over the years. Surprising how many big names have jumped up on stage to jam and do a few numbers,’ replied Irene.

  ‘Overseas big names?’

  ‘You bet,’ Antony jumped in. ‘A lot of them come up here when they’re doing the festival circuit. So many blues and roots and jazz festivals around the country now, but not like the old days from what I’ve been told, hey, Miz Irene?’

  ‘True.’ Irene nodded. ‘But that was well before my time. That’s when Cairns was nicknamed the Barbary Coast and the wild pubs along the waterfront were legend. This bloke, Johnno, started the music scene, and soon there were bands and singers, guitarists and pianists in every pub, every night. They say people just drank around the clock, yet there were rules, of a sort. I’ve heard that Dottie, who ran one of the pubs, kept a baseball bat under the bar, “in case”.’

  Bella was thoughtful. ‘I wonder if Ned has heard some of these stories. Songs are stories.’

  ‘If he performed in Cairns, he would have,’ Irene assured her. ‘Bella, if you’re still around in a couple of weeks, I could bring you here to see Wilma Reading. She’s a fantastic jazz singer and the niece of Georgia Lee, who was a very famous blues singer back in the war years. Wilma’s a local, but she made a name for herself in Europe. You’d enjoy her show.’

  ‘I’m sure I would, but in two weeks’ time I’ll probably be back in Tennyson and in my normal, unadventurous routine,’ said Bella.

  ‘Well, Bella, if you’re after a bit more adventure, why don’t you let me come along with you when you go up to Atherton tomorrow?’ interjected Antony. ‘I know that area really well, so we could do a bit of sightseeing as well as looking for these mates of your brother.’ He gave her a big smile.

  ‘Oh, thanks, Ant,’ said Bella. ‘At least with you I shouldn’t have any problems dealing with those musos if I find them.’

  ‘Great, then I’ll pick you up from Irene’s in the morning, shall I?’ said Antony eagerly.

  After they’d had a couple more drinks, they decided to call it a night and Bella drove home with Irene.

  ‘Thank you again for your generous hospitality. This has been a lot of fun,’ said Bella.

  ‘I’m so pleased,’ said Irene.

  *

  As they drove into the rising hills of the Great Dividing Range the following morning, Bella was reminded of what she’d read about the hill stations in India, where the colonial elite went to escape the humidity and heat of the plains.

  ‘I’m sorry that we were so late getting away. I talked too long with Irene this morning, but she is very interesting and I enjoy her stories about Cairns.’

  ‘Not to worry. The plateau isn’t such a big area to cover, so we’ll find those musicians and still be able to take in a couple of sights easily,’ said Antony good-naturedly.

  The tablelands were misty and cooler th
an Cairns. The land was lushly green and dotted with dairy farms, and grain crops flourished in the red volcanic soil.

  ‘I can’t get over how beautiful this area is. I bet it was pretty rugged in the early days, though,’ said Bella, pointing to some of the thick green vegetation that stood in an uncleared area beyond the paddocks.

  Antony nodded. ‘Yes, it would have been hard yakka for those pioneers. Some people did well, they found gold, or cut timber or raised cattle, even grew tobacco. But it was all a bit of a lottery. There were plenty who lost the seat of their pants. Just the same, I reckon that this place is still a goldmine, if you know how to exploit it.’

  ‘And how would you do that?’ Bella asked.

  ‘Lots of ways. I’ve got a few lucrative contacts up here in the north, but I reckon one of the easiest ways is through tourism. It’s not hard to see the potential.’

  Bella frowned and took her sunglasses off her head, giving them a polish on her T-shirt. ‘I’m not sure about that. I would have thought that everything was well covered, judging by all the tourist brochures I’ve seen since I’ve been up here.’

  Antony shook his head. ‘I don’t mean just the dinky cafés and B&Bs and maybe a bit of camping and hiking, with a few side trips thrown in for good measure. I want to think outside the square.’ Antony’s eyes were bright as he spoke and Bella was intrigued.

  ‘In what way? Give me a clue,’ she asked.

  ‘Tailored tourism,’ Antony said glancing at her.

  Bella thought for a moment. ‘Meaning specifically geared tourism?’

  ‘Exactly.’

  Bella looked at him incredulously. ‘Antony, there are heaps of websites and companies that do that sort of thing.’

  ‘Not for this area! At least I don’t think they do it as well as someone with a lot of local knowledge and fresh ideas could do it,’ Antony said with gusto. ‘I’ve been thinking about this for a long time, and I want to start my own business and do things a bit differently. Bella, think about it. If you’re into a particular sport, or camping, hiking, kayaking, why wouldn’t you choose a holiday that’s totally tailored to cater for those interests?’