Master of Moonrock

by Anne Hampson

  With the sort of glance that said he would very much like to treat her in the same way again Thane left her sitting there. Yet he must merely have hesitated on the landing, making no immediate attempt to return to the others, for within seconds he was back.

  ‘Loren,’ he said in a much softer tone than previously, “you must come down—’

  ‘Get out of my room! Go back to your outlandish farm

  - and your cows and sheep, and all those savages like you who live in that part of the world!’

  ‘Don’t be so damned silly! The thing’s over and done with now. No one’s going to take a bit of notice of you. Come, we’ll both go down together.’

  She had bent her head, but she lifted it as he spoke and he saw the abject misery there, in her eyes, misery that had replaced her anger.

  ‘You’ve ruined it all for me. I can’t come down, not like this. And no matter what you say they’ll all laugh. I’ve been looking forward to the party for weeks, and my hair

  - it - it w-was the f-first t-time—’ Great sobs shook her body. ‘Go away! I h-hate y-you and I’ll n-never, never f-forgive you!’

  With a sigh he left the room and the next moment Mrs. Knight appeared.

  ‘He only ruffled your hair, dear - oh, I know it was different from ruffling it at any other time, but he did it without thinking. He’s explained this. You must come down, darling. Everyone’s waiting for their presents.’ ‘How could he do it! Just look at my hair as well. No, I won’t come down, not for anybody!’

  ‘Let me do your hair for you,’ offered her aunt in soothing tones. ‘I’m quite sure it’ll look just as nice as it was - when I’ve finished with it.’ But Loren was shaking her head.

  ‘I hate him! To do that - in front of all those people! I’ll never be able to face any of them again!’

  Mrs. Knight sighed.

  ‘You were naughty to kick him, Loren. I didn’t see what happened, but Janet did. She said you kicked him viciously.’ Loren looked up at her aunt.

  “You agree with what he did to me?’

  ‘No,’ returned Mrs. Knight guardedly. ‘Not exactly, dear—’ "You do! And I expect everyone else does as well.’ She stopped, more tears falling for the benefit of her uncle, who was standing by the door, arrayed in his scarlet and white. ‘Uncle Thomas, can’t you hit him for me?’

  He came into the room.

  ‘You’re making a mountain out of a molehill, Loren. Now, dry your eyes and come on down. You can’t miss the party for such a silly reason.’

  Tears fell on to Loren’s dress, trickling over her hands, clasped tightly in her lap.

  ‘I’m not facing those people after what he did to me - I’d be just a laughing-stock! And Janet - she’ll laugh more than anyone!’

  ‘Janet’s probably quite envious of you, my dear, if the truth were known,’ commented Mr. Knight mildly, and although he and his wife seemed to derive some considerable amusement from those words, Loren merely scowled, as she had no idea what her uncle was talking about.

  He became stern after a while, but as Loren remained adamant she was eventually left alone, sitting on her bed, weeping copious tears and telling herself that the missed party would remain in her memory for the rest of her life, a blight on her whole existence.

  All that had happened over four years ago. Janet was now married and living in Canada; Thane was owner of

  Moonrock, the cattle station which his grandmother had shaped from millions of acres of wild unyielding bush. His father had died three years previously and his mother had since remarried and now lived on a sheep station situated on the rolling western foothills of the Great Dividing Range. Loren was seventeen and a half, still young for her age but perfectly formed in features and body. High cheekbones accentuated the delicately modelled contours of her face; her mouth was full and generous, her chin pointed and firm. Her long brown hair had acquired glorious copper tints, while the great brown eyes had very recently acquired new and shadowed depths which added enchantment even though they were born as a result of great sorrow.

  Only a fortnight ago her aunt and uncle had been killed in a car crash when returning home from a theatre.

  Janet had flown from Canada for the funeral, and the day following it she had gone into town and placed the house in the hands of an agent.

  ‘A dealer’s coming in to buy the furniture,’ she informed Loren who, grief-stricken and lost, just stared at her cousin with a sort of stunned disbelief. ‘He’ll be here this afternoon. I want as much settled as possible before I return to Canada. This place can’t be sold yet, of course, but I want it closed up.’ The two girls were in the sitting-room of what was now Janet’s house. The day after tomorrow she was leaving again for Canada.

  ‘You’re turning me out?’ Loren shook her head dazedly. her face white and drawn. ‘I want to stay ... this is my home—’

  ‘The house now belongs to me and I’m closing it up until it’s sold,’ Janet repeated. ‘In any case, you couldn’t live here alone.’ She had never mentioned the matter uppermost in both their minds and even though Janet was married Loren did wonder if she still gave a thought now and then to Thane Benedict.

  ‘I don’t want to go to Australia,’ murmured Loren on a little pleading note. ‘Let me stay here - just for a while, until I’m able to think. And then I’ll see to the sale of your furniture for you—’ She broke off as her cousin turned and looked out of the window, unhappily aware that Janet had no patience at all with what she was saying. Yet Loren added, hesitantly and still faintly beseeching, ‘You, Janet ... you wouldn’t take me-just until I have control of my own money?’

  ‘Certainly not! What a thing to ask anyone newly-married! We want to be alone.’

  Loren’s mouth quivered.

  ‘Then I’ll have to go to Thane.’ She twisted her hands distractedly.

  Janet swung round, almost scowling.

  ‘You’ve said all along that you wouldn’t,’ she snapped. “You never liked him, so I can’t see you being happy living in his home.’

  ‘Mr. Davey - the solicitor - says I’ll definitely have to go, because Thane’s my guardian now and trustee of the property left me by my parents. He’s been in touch with Thane, and told him of my reluctance to go to Moonrock, but Thane insists, saying that if I don’t do as he requests I’ll have no money - not until I’m twenty - that’s what Uncle Thomas stipulated when he made the arrangements for me -in case of his death.’ She ended on a little sob, tears filming her eyes. Strange it was, but Janet had not shed a tear over the death of her father and mother, whereas she, Loren, felt she would weep for the rest of her life over the loss. Losing her aunt and uncle had hit her with far greater force than losing her parents, Loren being very young at the time, and in any case there had been Uncle Thomas and Aunt Sophie to care for her and comfort her. She had not been sent away to strangers, as was to be the case now, for Thane was a stranger to Loren, since they had not met for almost five years. Another thing, he did not really want her, Loren was fully convinced of this. True, he must have agreed to be her guardian and trustee, but in all probability he never expected to be called upon to honour the agreement.

  ‘I can’t think why Father appointed Thane as your guardian,’ said Janet crossly. ‘He knew you and he never

  got on.’

  ‘According to Mr. Davey, Uncle Thomas considered Thane to be the most trustworthy man he knew. In any case, there wasn’t anyone else.’ Much as she disliked the idea of Thane as her guardian and trustee Loren could not let one tiny thought of blame for her uncle enter her head. He had loved her and cared for her like a daughter and in appointing Thane as her guardian he must have believed he was acting in Loren’s interests.

  ‘I don’t think you should go out to Australia,’ Janet declared firmly. ‘You’re still at school, granted, but you can leave and get yourself a job.’

  ‘What sort? I’m not trained for anything.’

  ‘Anyone can get a job these days,’ returned Janet carel
essly. ‘Go into a shop, or you might just get into an office - although you never were any good at figures. Still, you could learn to type at night school.’

  Loren tried, through the terrible mist of sorrow enveloping her mind, to consider her cousin’s advice.

  But she soon shook her head. For some days - ever since she had learned of the arrangements Uncle Thomas had made for her, in fact - there had steadily grown on her the conviction that she had no alternative than to go to Moonrock, for even though, as Janet had suggested, she could leave school and get a job of sorts, Loren did not see how she could manage to pay rent for a flat, all the expenses that went with it, and also keep herself in food and clothes. Had she been older, and trained for something, it would have been different.

  ‘I’ll have to go to Thane,’ she said, aware of the deep frown which had settled on Janet’s face as she waited for her cousin to speak.

  ‘There’s no “have to” about it; he can’t force you to go and live with him, and I don’t advise you to - not the way you feel about him.’

  ‘But I haven’t anywhere else to go, Janet - if you won’t have me.’

  Ignoring that, Janet repeated her suggestion that Loren find

  a job.

  ‘For one thing,’ she added, ‘you’d never get used to the life out there in the bush. There’s just nothing to do, from what I can gather. Don’t forget that Thane lives a hundred and fifty miles from a town - if you can call that place a town — now what was it—? Ah, yes, Kouri End. It’s probably a dump at the end of a railroad, with a dozen houses, a store and an airstrip.’ Janet s eye caught the clock and she gave a start, forgetting all about her cousin’s plight as she exclaimed, ‘Good heavens, is that the time? I’ve promised to call on all my friends while I’m over and I can’t possibly do more than four tomorrow if I’m catching the evening plane. Sorry, Loren, but I must be off. Can’t say when I’ll be back so don’t wait up for me.’

  A moment later Janet was telephoning for a taxi; while awaiting its arrival she went upstairs to wash and put on her face. Loren sank on to the couch, her hands tightly clasped in her lap. Mr. Davey had told her to call on him at three o’clock that afternoon, when he would give her the money for her fare to Australia....

  CHAPTER TWO

  Why had Thane insisted that she go out to him? Loren had asked Mr. Davey to contact his lawyer by telephone and see if Thane could be persuaded to change his mind and let her have an allowance with which she could supplement her small salary - when she managed to find a job, that was.

  ‘I got his lawyer on the telephone,’ Mr. Davey told her the next day, ‘but he was not at all patient, I’m afraid. He said that your guardian had stated quite firmly that you must go and live with him. I have his instructions here, and if you wish me to help in any way then do let me know.’

  The instructions were that Loren fly to Brisbane and then board a train for Manleyville, where she would be met by Thane and flown the rest of the way to his home. To anyone used to travelling these instructions would have seemed simple; to Loren they represented untold difficulties and even danger. However, nothing untoward had happened up till

  now and Loren was aboard the train which, having wound its way through the series of wooded mountain ranges that constituted the Great Divide, was nearing Toowoomba, where she must change.

  From Toowomba the scenery also changed, the mountains being left behind as the train raced on through a region of subtropical woodlands and brigalow scrub.

  Loren fell asleep, and when she awoke the sun was sending slanting rays across the monotonous countryside-wide endless plains covered with bushy acacia.

  At last the train drew into Manleyville Station and, her heart beating quite abnormally, Loren found herself standing there, staring bewilderedly about her. _

  ‘Hello!’ A slender girl of medium height was extending a hand. ‘I’m Dena Benedict and you’re Loren Knight. Happy to meet you.’ Loren found her hand taken in a firm clasp, was aware of an all-embracing scrutiny which took in every detail of her travel-worn appearance. Loren stared back with faint surprise, having somehow taken it for granted that Thane had no relatives other than his mother and sister.

  ‘How do you do?’ Loren felt shyness creeping over her. The girl possessed a confidence and poise from which even her dusty jeans and limp white shirt could not detract. ‘Is Thane here?’

  ‘Couldn’t make it - business in Sydney, urgent. Everything Thane does is urgent. However, you have Dena here, minus aeroplane but with a very reliable motor car. These your bags?’ Without waiting for an answer she picked them up as if they were no heavier than Loren’s hand luggage, and strode out towards the big overlanding car, smothered in dust and with canvas water bags fastened to its bumper bars. ‘You mustn’t - I mean, let me carry one—’

  ‘That’s all right. There’s no weight in them at all. Dena was ahead and Loren skipped to catch her up, examining her with interest as the lid of the boot was flicked open and the suitcases disappeared. The girl was as sinewed as a man, Loren thought, not without a tinge of envy. Her hair shone like burnished bronze, her long neck was arched like a swan’s as she bent to make sure the lid of the boot was securely fastened. Her corduroys clung tightly, her shirt did everything for her figure. ‘And now we can talk.’ They were in the car and already the speed pointer was hovering on fifty. ‘I’m sure my curiosity’s greater than yours, but I’ll speak first.

  ‘Didn’t Thane tell you who I am?’ interrupted Loren before Dena could continue.

  ‘Thane’s so frustrating when he’s absorbed by business. Like a clam, if you know what I—?’ She broke off, side-glancing to grin at her passenger. ‘Don’t care for the simile myself - never met a frustrating clam - but it’s illustrative. He told me your name, that you would be at Manleyville Station at around three-thirty this afternoon, having come from England to make your home at Moonrock - and that’s about all.’

  ‘Didn’t you ask him for more information?’

  ‘Ask Thane?’ Dena grimaced. ‘My dear girl, one never questions the Boss. One just does as he orders - or else. Besides, he happened to be in a foul mood yesterday morning when he was telling me what I had to do. Never mind that, though. Let’s get acquainted with one another.’ Dena leant back in her seat, controlling the steering wheel by the merest touch of her fingertips. An exceedingly capable girl, decided Loren, wondering how far Dena had travelled that day. ‘Here goes. I’m cousin to Thane several times removed, my grandfather having settled in Perth. One day I decided to visit my unknown relatives at Moonrock. Fell in love with Thane and decided I’d better stay or someone else would snap him up. Waste of time — he’s a bachelor born.’

  Loren had to laugh, in spite of the heaviness resulting from her recent loss, and at the same time thinking of Janet, and the way she used to go on about Thane’s being just right for her.

  ‘My cousin fell in love with him once,’ she said, adding that Janet was now married to someone else.

  ‘It’s not surprising. He’s something, is the Boss of Moonrock Station. However, I’m not falling into a decline or anything like that over him. Now, where was I? Ah yes, you now know who I am and the reason for my coming to

  Moonrock - and remaining. I’ve been here two years, by the way. I’m a sort of home-help-cum-cook-cum-lady’s-maid-cum-stockman-cum-roustabout. And lots more besides, but for the moment that little lot will suffice to give you an idea of the status of Miss Dena here.’ They were travelling along the North-Western Highway and Dena’s speed had increased to eighty miles per hour. ‘Now, what else? You know about Gran Amelia, of course. And there’s Stew — he’s a roustabout who called one night for a kip and stayed on. He works in the dairy and does the hens and whatnot.’

  ‘Gran Amelia,’ Loren said tentatively. ‘Who’s she?’ Vaguely Loren recalled having heard Mr. Benedict saying something about his mother, but Loren had not been interested. At thirteen years of age there are always other, more exciting things to do than l
isten to the dull conversation of grown-ups. Loren had never given a thought to this old lady, but if she had she would have presumed her to be dead by now because Mr. Benedict was in his late sixties when he died three years ago.

  ‘Thane never told you about her?’

  ‘Thane never told me anything. I was only thirteen on his last visit to England. His mother and father were friends of my aunt and uncle, with whom I lived. Thane would never have come with his parents, if it hadn’t been for his father’s indisposition.’

  ‘I see. It’s a bit of a nuisance - this ignorance of how much you and I know about past incidents. Still, we soon will know. About Gran Amelia,’ she went on, staring at the long straight road ahead. ‘She’s ninety-four and just about as formidable as Thane in one of his vilest moods. She was left a widow with four young sons, her husband being killed by a marauding bushranger. This was nearly seventy years ago and Moonrock was not much at that time, but Gran Amelia, being a woman of courage and resourcefulness, immediately took up where her husband left off, determined to make the station prosper, undergoing terrible hardships and setbacks — what with bush fires and dingoes, lazy workers and raiding Aborigines.

  But she won through - when you’ve been in her presence for five minutes you’ll see why - not only making a go of the original holding but taking over more and more land until now the western extremity almost reaches the state border of the Northern Territory while the southern limit touches the Tropic of Capricorn. It covers over twelve thousand square miles and runs up to fifty thousand head of cattle.’

  Loren blinked, trying to visualize a holding of so vast a size, but her mind boggled and she allowed it to revert to the subject of Gran Amelia.

  ‘She must have been an exceptional woman.’

  ‘She was, and tough as any man. In between making the place what it is she brought up four fine sons who in turn have caused her deep sorrow. ’

  ‘Sorrow?’

  ‘Two were killed in the war, one died after being thrown by a scrub - that’s a bull gone wild on the range - and even Thane’s father predeceased her, so she’s had a sad life one way and another.’