Destiny's Path (22 page)

‘He bought some new ones again,’ Sean said with a smile. ‘I thought he would. He usually does when he goes up to Perth, whether he plans to or not.’

‘He says they show promise.’ Bram moved closer to the fence.

Sean sucked on a gap in his teeth and went as far as to say, ‘Could be he’s right. I’ll be keeping them here in the small enclosure till they’ve settled down. They’re tired after the journey but they don’t look too bad, considering.’

A few minutes later Conn came out to join them, looking sad, but didn’t say what had upset him. ‘What do you think of the new stock, then, Sean?’

‘Could be all right once they’ve been fed and rested.’ He hesitated then added, ‘You look tired too. Did your errand go well?’

‘As well as could be expected. It’ll take time, years probably, given the distance.’

‘Everything takes a long time here.’ Sean’s hand rested briefly on his master’s shoulder then he went off with the horses.

‘Who’s the woman you brought back?’ Ronan asked.

‘A replacement for Xanthe. She fainted on the street and Bram went to her help. Doesn’t he always?’

Conn and Ronan exchanged smiles. Bram shrugged.

‘You can’t leave Maia here on her own again, not with Kathleen on the rampage,’ Ronan said. ‘She’s . . . a bit chancy when her temper’s up, lashes out. She’s always hitting poor Orla. You’ll have to make better arrangements.’

‘I know. But they’re burying Francis tomorrow. Both Maia and Xanthe will want to attend that, for Livia’s sake. They knew her back in Lancashire. I’ll have to wait till afterwards to work something out for Kathleen.’

Xanthe and Maia returned to their mistress in the kitchen once Conn had left it, taking Nancy with them. She was looking so white and tired, Mrs Largan suggested Xanthe make up a bed for her, find her some food and let her lie down.

‘I’m sorry, Mrs Largan,’ Nancy said. ‘I’ll soon get better, then I’ll earn my way, I promise.’

‘It’s a poor household that can’t help someone in trouble. You’re very welcome, my dear, and I hope you’ll be happy with us.’

Xanthe took the new maid to a small room at the far end of their wing, guessing that if she let her sleep in Kathleen’s wing, the latter would try to bully her. She explained the family situation in broad terms.

‘And Bram? How does he fit in?’

‘I’m not sure he does. He came with Ronan, but I don’t think he wants to stay here.’

‘He was talking about shops and trading.’ Nancy stopped inside the door, setting her bundles on the floor. ‘I can’t believe I’ve got a room to myself.’

‘It’s not much bigger than a cupboard but we’ll try to make you comfortable. Let me make up the bed then I’ll bring you some food. The necessary is across the yard.’ She showed Nancy where to go and hurried off for sheets and blankets. But there were no spare blankets left except for one ragged old one.

When she went to ask Conn if she could send a stable lad down to the local shop for some of the rough blankets they sold there, she could see no sign of him and asked Bram where he’d gone.

‘He’s gone to find Kathleen. Is it urgent?’

‘We’ve no blankets for Nancy. I need to buy some more at the shop.’

‘We bought some in Perth. They’re in that bundle there.’

‘Oh, good! How clever of him to remember.’

‘We used some of them to overnight on the road, but it was dry so they didn’t get dirty. There are quite a few things to unpack. Shall I help you?’

‘I’ll do it afterwards. I need to get Nancy some food then make up a bed for her. She looks exhausted.’

When she went back to the tiny bedroom with some bread, cheese and a piece of cake, she found the new maid sitting on the edge of the straw mattress, looking greasy white with exhaustion. ‘Here. Eat something before you sleep. You can leave the rest of the food under this cloth and if you wake in the night you can nibble a bit more.’

Tears filled Nancy’s eyes. ‘You’re all so kind.’

‘You won’t find Mrs Kathleen kind. Just remember that although she’s married to the master, she’s not in charge here, so don’t let her bully you. She doesn’t even live here normally. You’ll be working for Mrs Largan.’

She waited to see Nancy force a few mouthfuls down, then suggested, ‘Shall I help you unpack your things and find a nightdress?’

Tears of shame filled Nancy’s eyes. ‘My clothes are all filthy except for these I’m wearing, which Mr Largan and Bram bought for me. I was living on the streets when I lost my job.’

‘You poor thing! I’ll lend you a nightdress, then, and bring some water to have a quick wash in. Though my nightdress will be too long for you. You only come up to my shoulder.’

‘Thank you.’

When she’d left Nancy to sleep, Xanthe went back to the kitchen and found the men waiting for food. Kathleen was sitting on her own in the far corner, her eyes reddened, staring stonily out of the window. There was no sign of Mrs Largan and Maia. ‘Perhaps Orla could help me get the food ready?’

‘Orla is my maid, not a housemaid.’

When she looked up, Xanthe could see that Kathleen’s face was flushed from weeping and that anger was still burning in her eyes. ‘You don’t need Orla at the moment.’

‘She’s
my
maid, my personal maid, not a housemaid.’

Conn opened his mouth and Xanthe spoke quickly to forestall him. She didn’t intend to let his wife spoil herself when the rest of them were working all the hours they were awake. ‘Then you’ll have your clothes looked after but must do without food.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘There are a lot of people to feed and I can’t do it all. Unless we help one another here, we don’t eat. You don’t need your maid all the time, and if you had anything about you, you’d help us too.’

There was a pregnant silence then Conn said, ‘Kathleen, she’s right. There is far too much work for one person. Please let Orla help Xanthe whenever possible, so that we can all be fed.’

Kathleen folded her arms and said nothing. He took that to mean yes and went to bring Orla in from Kathleen’s bedroom.

His damned wife sat scowling as the conversation resumed and made no attempt to join in. And with her there, the conversation didn’t flow easily. They were all too aware of her glowering presence at the end of the table.

After the meal people scattered and Kathleen beckoned to Orla to follow her out.

When the maid came back, wanting some hot water for her mistress, Conn saw a red mark on her cheek.

‘Did my wife hit you again?’

Orla looked at him pleadingly. ‘It doesn’t matter, sir, really it doesn’t.’

‘It does to me.’ The vicious whippings and beatings he’d seen as a convict had sickened him to his soul and he’d vowed never to let that sort of thing happen in his own house or anywhere he could prevent it, for that matter. He strode down the corridor to his wife’s bedroom and entered without knocking.

She jumped to her feet, snatching up the nearest object, a silver-backed hairbrush, as if to defend herself. ‘What are you doing here? Get out at once!’

‘You don’t have to worry. I’ve no desire to touch you. I’ve come to tell you that if you hit Orla again, I’ll take her away from you and let her work as a general maid, then you’ll have to take care of your own clothes.’

‘You can’t do that!’

‘As long as I’m your husband, the law says I can do anything I like.’

Tears filled her eyes. ‘You’re a terrible man. A criminal. I wish I’d never come here.’

‘So do I. But you’ll soon be moving out again. I intend to find you a house or lodgings in Perth.’

She looked at him in terror. ‘No! I won’t go and live on my own in a strange town. I won’t!’

‘You’ll have to when our marriage ends. I’ve made a start on getting it annulled, but it’ll probably take years to finalise it. In the meantime, remember . . . if you want to keep your maid, don’t hit Orla again. And she’s to help Xanthe and Nancy for a couple of hours every day.’

He noticed that Kathleen kept the hairbrush in her raised hand as long as he was in the room and once he was outside, he heard her run across and slam the door shut.

She was in no danger from him. The mere sight of her made him feel sick . . . and just as trapped as he’d felt in convict irons.

Conn decided to take Kathleen with him to the burial, to prevent her from causing trouble while he was absent. He explained that it would mean over an hour’s ride each way and reminded her that it was a gentleman friend of the family who had died.

She brightened up at the thought of that and indeed, gave no trouble on the way there, riding beside him or one of the other gentlemen, chatting about the horses and the scenery around them.

That was how his father and her parents had trapped him. She was at her best on horseback.

They arrived at Lynch’s Farm at about eleven o’clock and after introductions had been made, Leo helped them tend to the horses.

For once Kathleen was quiet, because she was used to funerals, knew how to behave at one, how to parrot condolences about ‘a sad loss’ and ‘will be greatly missed’ without meaning a word. When she was not going through the formalities, she watched Maia, stiffening and glaring if the other woman went anywhere near Conn.

They walked up the hill, with Reece and Leo again carrying the coffin and lowering it gently into the grave.

Conn noticed that Kathleen spent the short time during the reading of prayers gazing at the view and watching some kangaroos which were sitting quietly nearby. But she came dutifully forward to toss a handful of earth into the grave when the others did.

Afterwards they enjoyed a simple stew with fresh bread, which Cassandra had prepared, then sat talking.

‘Do you know what you’re going to do now?’ Conn asked Livia.

She shook her head. ‘It happened so suddenly I wasn’t really prepared. I told Francis I’d open a school, but I’m not eager to do that. And I couldn’t anyway, unless I can sell the horses and the farm, because I have very little money left.’

‘Do you want to go and live in Perth?’

‘No. I’d rather stay here, near his grave, near the only friends I have in the colony.’

Conn was shocked to realise her predicament but as he thought about it, he got an idea. From then on he took little part in the conversation, sitting thinking furiously. After a while, he excused himself on the pretext of checking the horses.

Ronan joined him. ‘Something wrong?’

‘No. Well, not wrong, but I’ve been wondering if Livia would like a paying lodger, at least in the short term.’

‘Kathleen?’

‘Yes. Do you think she’d behave herself here?’

‘If she was allowed to ride. And there’s always Leo to keep an eye on things. He’d not let her hurt anyone physically.’

‘Is it too soon to suggest it to Livia, do you think?’

‘Do you have much choice? She sounds very worried about how she’s going to manage.’

So when they rejoined the others, Conn asked Livia if he could speak to her and they walked over to a rough bench Reece had built to take advantage of the splendid view.

‘I’ve a suggestion to put to you,’ he said and explained about Kathleen.

‘You mean – you’d pay me to have her staying here?’

‘Yes. And Orla with her. I think you’d welcome a maid’s help.’

‘I’d be interested if I had room, but the house isn’t big enough. There’s only one bedroom, and let alone I don’t want to share that, it’d not fit three of us. Francis bought this place for the view and the cleared meadows where he could graze horses, not because of the house. He wasn’t very practical.’

‘Hmm.’ He looked at the tiny wooden house Reece and Cassandra lived in and noted how they’d added a new bedroom. ‘Perhaps Ronan could help me build on another room for Kathleen and a lean-to of some sort for Orla. He’s good with wood. And I’m sure my mother would let me bring some furniture across for Kathleen. How would you feel about it then? Please be honest with me. I don’t want to force anything on you.’

Livia gave a shaky laugh. ‘I don’t need to think about it. I’d willingly have her. I don’t want to move out but I’m desperately short of money. Francis wasn’t very wise with it, you see.’

‘Kathleen’s not easy to deal with, but she loves horses and if you let her ride yours, she’ll treat them well, I promise you.’

‘Francis wasn’t easy to deal with, nor was my father. I’m good at living with difficult people.’

He closed his eyes in relief. ‘I’ll tell her then.’

She pulled him back. ‘No. Let me invite her to stay with me, as one lady to another. From what you tell me, that’d be more acceptable to her than being told what to do by you. And while I’m talking to her, you could ask Reece’s help in building an extra room.’

Conn escorted her back to join the others in relief, unable to believe that this matter could be solved so simply. After a short time Livia asked Kathleen to come and check that the horses were all right.

Kathleen came back from their stroll and smirked at Conn. ‘I’ve found somewhere to live myself, somewhere away from the sight of you and that Maia whore.’