And Those Who Trespass Against Us (40 page)

The same polite questions were asked of Katherine and she was stuck. She could hardly tell her who she had been up until recently, or what transpired to take her to Sydney. Embellishing the truth, she explained she was a teacher who had been visiting friends and was now returning to Sydney. The relief in Margaret's eyes was apparent as, at least for a little while, she could rely on Katherine to assist her in keeping the children engaged.

WHEN KATHERINE THOUGHT she could take no more of the continual rattle of the train, they finally approached the outskirts of Sydney. They passed through a number of unique train stations dotted along the track before finally reaching the substantial town of Sydney.

Katherine gazed at the Gothic arches of the Redfern mortuary station. These signaled the impending closure of the first part of her journey home. She peered pensively at the cityscape. What would she do now? She thought she had enough money to get to Circular Quay and book a passage. Then she'd need to buy enough provisions for the journey. She thanked heavens for Susan's gift. She didn't know how she would have eaten without it. She did a rough calculation and determined how much she needed to pay for a night's accommodation. She silently prayed there would be no delay to her sea journey, for she had absolutely no wish to again don the garb of a nun and seek temporary refuge in a convent.

She helped Mrs. O'Riordan and her children down from the carriage, graciously refusing an offer of temporary accommodation with relatives. She was again making her excuses when a solid, yet gentle-faced man grabbed young Ned from behind. Given the striking similarity between man and boy, he was obviously a relative.

"Sean, set the boy down and behave yourself," Margaret O'Riordan insisted, laughter in her voice. "And where are your manners? Introduce yourself to
Miss
Flynn here."

The man turned toward Katherine and in the same motion, steadied Ned on the ground.

The emphasis Margaret had placed on "Miss" was not lost on Katherine. She struggled to hide her embarrassment at the interested look in the man's eyes.

Removing his cap, he offered his hand, "Sean Doherty, Miss Flynn. I'm sorry if I was rude. It's not often I get to see my sister."

Katherine accepted the apology and then politely listened to an overview from Mrs. O'Riordan of what he did for a living. Katherine was bemused. When she'd initially arrived in Sydney as a nun, she'd received nothing but respect and assistance. Such courtesy was still reflected in Sean's eyes, yet it was accompanied by something else. For the first time since the debacle of her engagement, she saw interest in the eyes of another man. Only then did she realise how careful she'd have to be in Sydney and also during her homeward voyage. Her habit had previously acted as a type of religious shield. Now there would be nothing to protect her from the prying eyes and hands of men. Respectfully refusing one final attempt by Mrs. O'Riordan to invite her to stay, Katherine managed to extricate herself and eventually find a Hansom cab to take her to the Circular Quay booking office.

Travelling down George street which, given its grandeur, was one of the major streets of Sydney, Katherine was amazed at the city's contradictions. The elaborate sandstone architecture of the buildings lining the road announced the abundant availability of the stone. And the newly-built Sydney Town Hall laid testimony to an architectural style more reminiscent of Ireland. The paved footpaths carried men and women bedecked in the latest fashions of the day. In the presence of such civility was a reminder of the rural beginnings of the town. Halted in the shadow of such refinement was a heavily laden bullock dray. The driver, casually attired, paid scant attention to the passing men and women. His focus was trained on adjusting the harness of his team before continuing on his journey.

Just when Katherine finally determined exactly what he was carrying, the Hansom cab she was travelling in lurched sideways. Obviously the town's counsellors had expended all their available funds on building and pavements, for the main street was little more than a pothole-ridden dirt road--not at all like the cobbled streets of her home town in Ireland. Katherine tightened her grip on the door handle when the cab passed the equally ostentatious General Post Office. They turned the corner, and she finally arrived at the birthplace of Australia, Circular Quay.

She politely manouevred her way around the numerous hawkers selling their wares, pausing only long enough to ask directions of a constable in charge of a work gang. His directions led her straight to the booking office. She straightened her bonnet and entered.

A middle-aged, bespectacled man looked up from the charts in front of him. "Good morning, Miss, may I help you?"

Katherine baulked at the man's use of "Miss" and then recovered herself. "Good morning and, yes, I hope you can. I'd like to book a passage to Ireland as soon as possible. Could you please tell me when the next available boat departs?"

The man smiled. "Well, ma'am, it would be better for you to refer to these fine vessels as ships, unless of course you want to incur the wrath of the Captain." Katherine nodded in mock chastisement. "We do have a ship due to leave port for Ireland. She's set to sail on the fourteenth. If you--"

Katherine was sure the look on her face was what had made the man pause. "That's not for another seven days. Don't you have something leaving sooner?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am, it's the best I can do. If I might be so bold, I'd suggest you book now. It doesn't take long for these passages to fill up. If you miss this one, it'll be another month before another ship sails for Ireland."

Taking the man's advice with resignation, Katherine parted with enough money from the funds she was given to book a shared cabin for the long sea journey home.

"Thank you. I'll see you in seven days." Absorbed in securing her ticket, she walked straight into someone. Stepping back and raising her face to apologise, Katherine's jaw dropped. "Adele?"

Katherine looked at Adele's refined features, her mind uncontrollably dragging up an intimate image of Catriona and Adele. She closed her eyes, trying to dismiss such thoughts.

AN EQUALLY SURPRISED Adele looked at Katherine in her plain dress, rather than her habit. She could clearly see the beauty which had so captured Catriona. Despite the unruly wisps of hair struggling to free themselves from her broad-brimmed straw hat, Katherine's emerald green eyes capably accentuated her delicate features. "Katherine, what are you doing here?" She carefully chose her words. "Have you been called home early? Is everything all right with, er, the town?" She caught herself before she could pose the question she was dying to ask as to whether anything had happened between her and Catriona.

"Well, yes and no. But, what of you. I thought you were due to return to England. What happened, did your business keep you here?"

Adele laughed, her eyes crinkling in delight. "My business affairs
did
keep me slightly longer than I'd anticipated, but my delay has been imposed by the vagaries of the sea. The ship I was to sail on foundered in Bass Strait and barely managed to limp into Port Phillip Bay. I'm not due to sail for another ten days. That's what brought me here this morning. I was about to check with Mr. Jamieson to ensure my return journey had not again been delayed." Adele's last words were said loudly enough within the confines of the cramped office to ensure their intended recipient heard them.

Doffing an imaginary cap, the man who had previously served Katherine checked the book in front of him. "I've had no reports of any difficulties with your ship. She's due to arrive in Sydney on the seventeenth, weather permitting."

Adele nodded her thanks and turned to Katherine. "Where are you staying? Maybe we can take tea. I'd very much like to catch up on any news you might have of the town." She looked at Katherine's downcast features. Ushering her out of the office and the prying ears of Mr. Jamieson, Adele took Katherine's hand. "What's wrong?"

"It's a long story. I'd like to speak with you. But first I've got to find somewhere inexpensive to stay. I didn't expect a seven-day wait in Sydney, but my funds should be enough to secure me a room in an inn for the intervening period."

Adele shook her head. "The inns of Sydney are not like those in Ireland. They're no place for a woman, much less a nun. I'm currently staying at Petty's Family Hotel and I've more than enough room for us to share. I'd be very offended if you refuse. After all, I couldn't bear to think what might happen to you if I let you stay in one of those hovels. I don't think the church would ever forgive me," she finished lightheartedly, still perplexed over Katherine's absence of religious attire.

"Thank you. I promise I won't be much of a nuisance. Maybe after I'm settled we can get something to eat and I can tell you what's happened since you left."

Adele strove to read Katherine's features but found them closed. Something incredibly significant has occurred. That much she was sure of. She tried to collect her thoughts. Why was Katherine in a dress? Finding her in the booking office could only mean she was booking a passage to return to Ireland. Was this so she could finalise matters with the convent prior to returning to Catriona? Despite Katherine's silence, her non-verbal cues spoke volumes. Katherine was desperately unhappy.

EXCEPTING A NEAR collision when they left the Circular Quay yards, the trip to the understated, yet exclusive, hotel was silent. Katherine was engrossed in her own thoughts. Thinking back to the first time she and Catriona had made love, Katherine recalled their discussion regarding Adele's sudden departure. Catriona told her Adele had gleaned an involvement between the two of them at the dinner party, and left to give their feelings the chance to grow. Katherine blushed at the realisation that Adele had read her so well. Even though embarrassed, she was relieved. At least with Adele she'd be able to express what had happened, without shocking her.

Katherine followed Adele to the rented room and quickly attended to the accumulated dirt and grime of her train journey. Both women then left for the tearooms of George Street and a well-deserved meal.

CATRIONA NO SOONER alighted from her journey in the bone-jarring coach when she hailed a cab and jumped in. "Central station please."

"Certainly," the driver replied and cracked his whip.

Sitting in the confines of the coach, her thoughts strayed to Katherine and the train journey she'd taken. She dwelled on the length of Katherine's journey and cursed. Despite the coach usually being the more reliable means of travel, she and the rest of its passengers had been forced into an unscheduled halt at the foot of the Blue Mountains due to a broken rear axle. Replacing it took the greater part of the night, with the coach departing very early the next morning.

Catriona prayed the delay wouldn't hinder her attempts to, one last time, convince Katherine to return with her to Gleneagle. Pausing only long enough to pay the driver, she grabbed her bag and ran for the station.

Arriving at the platform her heart sank. While the train was there, the station was bereft of any passengers. Collapsing onto one of the railway seats dotted along the platform, she struggled to come to grips with what to do next.

"Excuse me, sir, can I help you?" Catriona looked at the porter in front of her. It hadn't been the first time during her journey she'd been mistaken for a man. Given her clothing, the assumption was a reasonable one. And, given the greater freedom of men to move unhindered through an established town the size of Sydney, she saw no need to correct him. After all, her voice had always held a low timbre--, something her mother had regretted, but was now potentially to her benefit.

"Has the Western weekly arrived yet?" A sinking feeling filled the pit of her stomach when he nodded.

"It arrived about half an hour ago. We're cleaning it now for the return service. Would you like to book a passage? It's due to leave at about twelve fifteen this afternoon."

For a fleeting moment she was tempted to call an end to it and book her trip home. How in the hell was she supposed to find Katherine in a city of this size? Mentally cursing Susan's suggestion, the coach's broken axle, and her own stupidity she almost didn't hear the porter repeat his question.

"Sir, do you want me to book you a journey home? There are still a number of first class carriages available for the return journey."

Catriona's eyes widened and she slapped her leg. The first thing she would do if she were Katherine would be to book a sea passage home. Maybe she was still doing that. "No thank you. Can you hail me a cab please?"

Her urging the driver to get to the Quay as fast as possible almost resulted in them causing an accident. As the Hansom entered the enclosure of the booking office yard they nearly careened into a cab containing two women departing the yards. Ignoring the curses of the other driver, Catriona sprang down from her cab, hoping the two ladies hadn't been harmed. She strode toward the booking office.

Mr. Jamieson gazed up from his tables. "Good morning, sir, can I help you?"

She placed her bag on the floor and glanced at the man's nametag. "Yes, Mr., er, Jamieson," she said with a calmness that belied how she actually felt. "I'd like some information on a passenger if I may."

Mr. Jamieson furrowed his brows. "I'm sorry, sir, but it's the policy of this office not to provide information regarding the nature of people booking passages."

Catriona forced herself to remain calm while deep down all she wanted to do was reach across, grab the man by the shirt, and shake him senseless until the information fell from him. "And a sensible policy it is. After all, the privacy of your passengers must be maintained at all costs. Would it be possible then for you to tell me when the next ship is due to sail for Ireland?"

"Indeed I can. The next ship to Ireland is not due to sail until the fourteenth. Would you like to book a passage?"

"No, that's fine." Besides, the last thing she wanted to do was to be stuck on a ship with a woman who didn't want her there. "I do have one more question. Have any nuns booked a passage to Ireland?"