by Anne Hampson
BY the time they had reached the homestead Gail had managed to gain command of her emotions sufficiently for her to relate most of what she had heard, Kane listening intently, appeared to be as deeply interested in her as he was in the story she was telling. His expression was curious indeed, yet unreadable. He had complete control of any emotions that her story might have aroused within him, and this surprised her, expecting as she was a swift show of anger.
‘She suspects — and that’s a pity, because, as I told you earlier, I rather thought we were to get rid of her.’
‘We...’ A turn of phrase only; it did not mean a thing. Gail’s lip quivered, but she averted her head so that he would not see.
‘Do you think something happened this evening — something which aroused her suspicions?’ she managed to inquire presently.
‘Her suspicions were aroused some time ago — in fact, they were probably there all the time, since the day I produced, in so dramatic a manner, my long-lost wife and child.’ He spoke almost casually, just as if he was not too perturbed at all by these suspicions which his stepmother had. ‘But there was nothing she could do about it — she could scarcely tell me to my face that I was tricking her, and that you and Leta were not my wife and child.’
‘No...’ Gail was thoughtful. ‘I do realize that she’s had these suspicions - her questions to me that time proved it. However, as you say, there was nothing she could do, and so she was, you think, ready to accept the inevitable and make her exit. But twice this evening she’s been trying to find things out—’
‘Her watching us was intended,’ he broke in, his brow furrowed in thought. ‘That’s why she didn’t appear at the party. Her intention was to have me believe that she and Ertha were staying at home. I wonder what Ertha’s been up to this evening?’ he added as an afterthought.
He little realized just how soon he was to find out! For he and Gail had been talking only a mere five minutes or so when the door opened without even a knock and Ertha and her mother entered the room. Kane’s eyes smouldered as, standing up, he demanded to know the meaning of so unceremonious an entry into his private sitting-room.
‘I have some important things to say to you,’ began his stepmother, but she was interrupted and told that they were not so important that they could not be left until tomorrow.
‘The time’s almost two o’clock! I have no intention of talking to you until—’
‘I think,’ cut in Ertha, her tones cold as ice, ‘that you will listen, now! Otherwise, Kane—No! Allow me to speak! Otherwise you’re going to find yourself denounced before your guests. I believe the house will be full in a few minutes when they all appear - those who are staying, that is!’ Ertha’s face was pale with anger; the glance she threw at Gail was alive with venom. Mrs. Farrell, having seated herself, was looking rather worn, and Gail did not wonder at it, since she had been outside, probably all the evening, wandering about, searching for an opportunity of spying on her stepson and his ‘wife’.
‘I see ...’ So quiet the tone, and, to Gail’s alert ears, resigned. ‘Carry on, then; let’s have it all.’ Kane sat down again and leant back, languidly, against the up holstery, his piercing eyes fixed intently on Ertha’s face.
Gail too, was watching her and, fascinated, she saw the girl bring a picture book from behind her back.
‘What—!’ exclaimed Gail, instantly recognizing the book. ‘That belongs to Leta.’
‘So I assumed. I might as well come straight to the point, Kane,’ said Ertha, turning to him but idly flicking back the cover of the book. ‘I’ve been into Leta’s playroom this evening - the opportunity of doing so being afforded me by the absence from the house of any prying eyes—’ She sent Gail a glance of utter contempt. ‘I found this book ...’Slow deliberate words that sent an involuntary shiver down Gail’s spine. She knew what was coming next and her eyes sought those of Kane, sending out her apology in advance, but to her amazement he was smiling and his attitude was still one of languid comfort as he rested his back against the chair, ‘The child’s name is here, inside the cover. Her name is Leta Stafford.’
The final, dramatic sentence was almost spat out, but rang with triumph all the same. Gail, scarcely knowing what she was saying, so put out was she by this discovery, suggested that the book was one that had been lent to Leta by a friend, and it had not been returned before they left England. But even as the words left her lips she realized just how weak they must sound. Kane thought the same, because when she lifted her face to look at him he was shaking his head from side to side as if to say, ‘It won’t do, Gail.’ But he was retaining his calm exterior and she did wish she could do the same. She was hot and flustered and feeling defeated in addition to the unhappiness she was experiencing as a result of what had happened out there in the bush. And she was desperately tired into the bargain, so it was no wonder that an ache of tears was troubling her and causing her to blink rapidly in order to keep those tears from falling. She glanced again at Kane, sending him another apology and silently pleading with him to overlook her lack of foresight in leaving the book around.
Ertha was speaking, saying softly, and with a hint of amused contempt in her voice,
‘You mean she had a friend called Leta?’ A short laugh and then, ‘You’re not very clever at thinking up excuses, are you? Leta ... A name so uncommon that I haven’t even heard of it before, and yet she had a friend of the same name. What a remarkable co-incidence!’
Kane spoke at last, his grey eyes narrowed almost to slits.
‘Just what are you trying to prove?’ he asked in his unhurried Australian drawl. ‘Cut out the procrastination.’
She looked directly at him and said,
‘This woman here is not your wife!’
Silence, the silence of tension, the very air seemed to vibrate with it.
‘And so,’ came in Mrs. Farrell at last, ‘I shall not be leaving here. On the contrary,’ she added, managing to sit up straight as an illustration of her authority, ‘I shall from tomorrow be resuming my position as mistress here.’
‘I think not, Rachel.’
‘Oh, and what makes you say that?’ Was she in doubt? wondered Gail. Her face had gone pale and her hands, clasped together in her lap, were tightening so that the knucklebones shone through the skin. ‘That autocratic, superior manner won’t serve you this time, Kane.’ Mrs. Farrell looked to her daughter for support and Ertha responded with the information that she had been into Gail’s room too, and examined her passport and other documents.
‘There is no doubt whatsoever that her name’s Stafford,’ she asserted, poison in her tone.
‘You’ve been prying into my private papers!’ Gail could scarcely believe what she had heard. ‘You despicable creature!’ It was her turn to exhibit contempt and this she did, her eyes wandering from the girl’s face to her feet and back again. ‘I don’t know how you dare own to such disgusting conduct!’ Aware that Kane was watching her with keen interest, Gail flushed and lowered her head. But he was amused, as she discovered from his laugh as he said,
‘What an entertaining little scene this is.’
‘You think so?’ sneered his stepmother. ‘We’ll see whether you’re as pleasantly entertained by the next part of it.’
‘You have something else - er - up your sleeve, Rachel?’
‘I want this wanton and the brat Leta sending away! You’ll make the promise here and now — otherwise you’ll be denounced—’ Mrs. Farrell stopped speaking and cocked an ear. ‘The first of your guests have come in,’ she told him unnecessarily. ‘The promise, or else!’ And when he made no attempt to answer, ‘This will be more than a nine days’ wonder, Kane. You have an illegitimate child, remember! That in itself is going to bring your name right down into the mud! Make your decision, because you haven’t much time!’
‘So it would appear,’ agreed Kane, lifting a hand to stifle a yawn.
Momentarily at a loss, Mrs. Farrell turned her attention to Gail.
‘You,’ she said imperiously. ‘Are you willing to be shown up in front of all those people? I make no idle threats, girl! I shall speak right out and say that your child is illegitimate—’
‘That’s enough!’ Kane stood up and the three women all started at the white-hot fury that mingled with the deep bronze of the sun-bitten skin. ‘That is slander! Gail doesn’t happen to have a child - any child - get that!’
Gail could only stare, her heart throbbing so that the pain was very close to being physical. For there was no doubt at all that Kane was possessed of a searing fury and that fury was all on her account!
‘What are you talking about?’ Ertha’s face had gone a sickly green. ‘Leta’s her child — and yours—’ But she stepped back before she had finished, since Kane had come towards her as if he meant to strike her across the mouth.
‘Leta is not her child! By God, Ertha, you’re asking for it! Apologize to Gail at once!’
‘But-’
‘I said apologize, and then get out of here!’
‘Look here, Kane—’ began Mrs. Farrell, but she was also prevented from continuing as Kane ordered her out of the room.
‘If you’re not gone in ten seconds I shall throw you out bodily!’
Gail gasped at this threat which, judging from his expression, he would not hesitate to carry out. His fury was unbelievable and she was heartily thankful that she was not the cause of it.
‘I’ll go—’ Mrs. Farrell rose in a hurry as she saw his sudden movement towards her. ‘But I shall denounce you—’
‘Denounce away - and see where it gets you!’
She left the room without a backward glance and as the door closed behind her Kane once again ordered Ertha to apologize to Gail. A long hesitation followed but, aware now that something was drastically wrong, the girl obeyed, although her apology was spoken in tones of snake-like virulence.
‘Kane,’ said Gail rather breathlessly as Ertha left the room, ‘what is all this about? I mean, you don’t seem at all perturbed that they’re going to denounce you.’ She stopped, her heart seeming to turn a somersault as she noted his expression. ‘Kane—’ She got no further, for, coming to her, he took her hands in his and said quietly,
‘Gail - dear Gail, will you marry me?’
‘Marry...?’ Despite what was so plainly written into his expression she was dazed by the question. And because she just stood there, staring up at him, he jumped to a wrong conclusion and promptly assured her that he was not asking her to marry him simply to thwart Rachel.
‘She’s found out the truth and she could denounce me; she would also remain here if you went. But that’s not my reason for wanting to marry you.’ He smiled lovingly at her and once again her heart did strange things. ‘Out there, this evening, I discovered that I loved you—’
‘Oh, but no, you didn’t!’ she interrupted without thinking. ‘It was an act. You said it was.’ A catch in her voice told its own tale of the hurt she had received, and tenderly he drew her to him and kissed her unresisting lips. ‘You did say it was,’ she repeated when at length he had released her.
‘And that was true. There in the shadows I saw Rachel — no one could possibly mistake that shape! Well, I wanted only to give her something convincing, and that was why I acted as I did.’ He stopped and smiled ruefully down at her. ‘Dearest Gail, it was when I kissed you that I at last owned that you were the girl for me.’
‘At last?’ in some puzzlement, and then she was hearing that Kane had been noticing her as a woman for some time.
‘But only a fortnight ago you reminded me that I was only an employee and that I would soon be leaving here.’
‘I did.’ He frowned a little. ‘You see, marriage had not appealed much to me, and I must admit that I had no wish to be involved in any intimate relationship.’ Again he paused and Gail recalled that Dave had said some such thing about the Boss of Vernay Downs. ‘However, since that evening I have been gradually accepting the fact that you appeal to me and tonight I knew that my bachelor days were rapidly coming to an end.’
She looked at him, deliriously happy, but yet into her happiness there intruded the picture of Sandra.
‘Kane,’ she said, and in her voice was a plea. ‘Sandra ... you must have told her that you loved her...?’ Silence. Gail’s heart was no longer light, nor were her eyes. Yet she offered no resistance when Kane once again drew her close to his breast and, lifting her face, kissed her tenderly on the lips. And then, ignoring her reference to Sandra, he said with a hint of amusement,
‘You haven’t asked me how I know that you love me oh, yes, I know it! I discovered it this evening when you responded so delightfully to my kisses. That’s why I could ask you to marry me; I was confident that you would answer yes.’
His words thrilled her and yet she could not fully appreciate them at this particular time.
‘Sandra,’ she murmured. ‘And Leta...?’
‘Remember those “parts unknown”?’ he asked, and, when she nodded her head, ‘you’re shortly going to know what they are.’ A glance at his watch and then, ‘I hear laughter and chatter, so it would appear that our guests are not too tired to listen to a bedtime story.
Come, my love, and we’ll see that they’re further entertained.’ Lightheartedly he kissed her, ignoring her perplexed look and slight frown of censure. ‘Patience, my child— Oh, by the way, although I do know the answer to my question I should very much like to hear it.’
She blushed adorably, and because she was sure now that there had been a great mistake regarding Kane and Sandra, she gave him the answer in soft and loving tones.
‘Yes, Kane, I will marry you,’ and she added, because she just could not help it, ‘I love you dearly...’ But her voice trailed off to silence because of his amused smile and because of her own shyness, and because her heart was really too full for words.
And so she asked no questions as, holding her by the hand, Kane took her along to the gracious lounge where some of the guests were either sitting or standing around, chatting in little groups. Others had not yet come in; they would talk for a long while yet, standing by their utilities or overlanding cars, for a party like this was always an occasion for staying out until the early hours of the morning. But eventually they would drive away, to tackle distances from fifty miles to perhaps a couple of hundred. Only those whose stations were further away than that would be staying the night.
A silence fell on the room as Kane and Gail entered, but almost immediately it was broken as one grazier after another offered thanks for the wonderful party which Kane had put on for them. But he raised a hand, as he stood there, framed in the open doorway, Gail’s hand still clasped in his strong brown fingers. It was a tense moment as the hush fell upon the room; all appeared to be arrested by their host’s expression and on each face was a look of expectancy. Gail, feeling she needed support, freed her hand and sat down in a chair not far from where Kane was standing. Her heart was beating too fast for comfort and she wished the next few minutes were over, as she was still bewildered by all that was unknown to her, bewildered because, even now, she was a tiny bit afraid of her doubts. Her eyes, like his, moved over the men and women gathered in the lovely room. The women were as well dressed as any Gail had seen, and their husbands too - these suntanned men of the wide open spaces, self-reliant and tough, good-natured and friendly. She liked them all and felt proud to think that she would soon be calling them her friends.
‘Firstly,’ began Kane, as coolly as if he was an experienced professor preparing to give a lecture to his students, ‘I must thank you all for coming, and also for your appreciation - which you have just mentioned, and which was quite unnecessary.’ He spoke graciously, sparing a swift glance for Gail. She smiled and he responded before turning his head again and looking at his guests. ‘And now,’ he continued, ‘I have a strange story to tell. It won’t take too long, my friends, but I feel that you’ll find it interesting despite its brevity.’ He paused, but not a sou
nd was heard — and only one person moved. That was Dave. He seemed to be uncertain whether he had the right to stay or not. However, he settled down, leaning against the frame of the window and staring with interest at his employer. The story, Kane was saying, began some years previously when a man named Kenneth Farrell came to work at Vernay Downs as a rouseabout.
‘He was a tall and handsome man, but his character was not as attractive as his physical appearance. He drank heavily, spending his leaves at Cullungong, drinking until all his money was gone ...’ His voice drew to a slow stop and he glanced expressionlessly at Gail who, having given a start, had attracted his attention.
Kenneth Farrell... she was thinking. Kenneth Farrell — a rouseabout ... Already the first pieces of the puzzle were falling into place. But to her only; the rest of Kane’s audience were gazing at him with expressions of keen expectancy not unmingled with perplexity.
‘From my father,’ continued Kane in his cool efficient way, ‘I learned that this man had, since coming to work for him, discovered that he was in fact related to us, and that, two generations back, his branch of the family had lost all because of a disheritance. But, had this disheritance not occurred, this property would have been in the possession of this Kenneth Farrell, and not in the possession of my father at all. Kenneth Farrell from then on became almost vicious in his manner, refusing to take orders or, in fact, to work at all if he didn’t feel like it.’ Here Kane gave a shrug and Simon Wallis, an elderly grazier who had been a great friend of Kane’s father, interposed with the comment that this insolent and idle rouseabout would soon have been sent on his way. Kane nodded his head, saying that this was exactly what had happened.
‘But my father heard later that, even when he was working for him, this man would boast – when he’d had too much to drink, that was — that he was the owner of this station. He even assumed the name of Kane.’
‘But no one would believe him. Everyone in Cul- lungong knows both you and your father!’ This interruption came from another grazier, a younger man and a firm friend of Kane’s.