Dust on the Horizon (41 page)

“Oh, yes of course.”

Both women smiled at him.

“I am one to talk on a bit, Mr Aldridge. Do forgive me.”

“Nothing to forgive, dear lady.” Jack turned on his best smile. “In answer to your questions, yes, I am very settled at Smith's Ridge although I agree the times have been challenging and no, sadly, there is no Mrs Aldridge.”

Loud oohs and aahs resounded around them from the crowd. “Millie, did you see that?” A young fair-haired boy jumped up from where he'd been sitting in front of the women. “Oh, I'm sorry.”

“William.” Millie put a hand on his shoulder. “This is our neighbour, Mr Aldridge.”

The boy stared at Jack a moment, his look almost disdainful, then suddenly he shoved out his hand as if remembering his manners. “Hello.”

“William is the eldest of my husband's children.” Millie beamed down at the boy.

More and more intriguing, thought Jack. He wondered if she had children of her own and where William's mother was but it would not be polite to ask.

There were loud calls from the horse ring.

“The hurdles are starting.” William half-turned his back to Jack. “Shall we go and watch?”

“Of course.” The two women spoke at once and laughed.

“Nice to meet you, Mr Aldridge.” Millie gave him a smile before she moved off.

“Do call in and see us soon.” Mrs Baker senior put her arms around William's shoulders and turned him in the direction of the track.

Jack had noticed the steely look the boy gave him. What was that about?

The three Bakers moved away together and the rest of the crowd around the magician dispersed, his show over for now. Jack followed along behind. So the rather attractive Millie was his neighbour. He wondered what kind of white man she'd married. He couldn't wait to take up their invitation and find out more about the Bakers. Who knew? Millie might not have a happy marriage and a visit from Jack Aldridge might be just what she needed.

“Hello, Mr Baker.”

Thomas looked up from the ticket he was studying. Johanna Prosser had stopped in front of him accompanied by a younger woman. They were both dressed in frills and bows, far too much frippery for his liking.

“Mrs Prosser.”

“Have you met, Mrs Wiltshire. Her husband Henry owns the best shop in Hawker.”

Thomas paid more attention to the younger woman. Of course, that's why she'd looked vaguely familiar. He'd only seen her once before when he'd gone with Joseph and Lizzie to Wiltshire's shop.

He inclined his head. “I don't believe we've been formally introduced. Good afternoon, Mrs Wiltshire.”

Catherine Wiltshire gave him a shy smile. She had kind eyes and a delicate mouth. It was hard to imagine her as the pompous Henry's wife. He glanced lower as the sun glinted off the chain around her neck. It was gold and from it dangled a beautiful filigree locket in the shape of a heart. His eyes widened and he leaned closer.

“Mr Baker!” He was startled to attention by Johanna Prosser's indignant voice.

“I beg your pardon, Mrs Wiltshire.” He straightened feeling heat in his cheeks both from anger and embarrassment. “My own mother once had a locket just like the one you are wearing.”

Mrs Wiltshire's gloved fingers clasped the locket. “Oh, I see. Well this one has also been in my husband's family a long time. It was his grandmother's. Her name was Hester I believe.”

Thomas glared at the young woman. Her look was guileless. No doubt she was completely unaware of the lies she'd been told.

“Well, we should be off.” Johanna Prosser gave him a wary look and took her friend's arm. “The next race is about to begin.”

“Ladies.” Thomas lifted his hat and watched them walk away. No matter how many times Lizzie told him he must forget how Henry's father Septimus had duped him out of some of his family's precious possessions it was most difficult. Especially when his own mother's precious necklace was around another woman's neck instead of that of his dear Lizzie.

William watched as the last of the horses thundered past the finish line. There were the usual shouts of joy and a murmur of moans as some delighted in the outcome of the race and others rued their losses. His father and grandfather would be happy. Both of them had decided to put a wager on a small horse called Thunder. They had laughed at their choice, hoping it was a good omen and it would win and bring down much-needed rain. Thunder had won, much to the delight of three farmers from Cradock who owned him.

“Well I never,” a haughty voice hissed nearby. “That's the black woman Joseph Baker married. Fancy him bringing her here to mix with decent folk.”

William spun to search out the voice but he came face-to-face with Millie. The crowd surged and she got bumped. William put out his hand to stop her from falling. Anger coursed through him but when he looked beyond Millie no-one was paying them any attention.

“Are you all right, Millie?” William felt a mix of concern and resentment. He liked Millie but other people couldn't see her goodness. His father should never have brought her here and let her be the target of gossips. Now he had to be the one looking out for her.

“I am quite all right, William. Thank you for your arm.” In spite of her smile he thought she looked shaken.

“Disgusting!”

Once more William searched the faces but none were looking their way. Was someone talking about Millie or the race?”

“Please, William.” Millie put a hand on his arm. “Don't worry on my behalf.”

“People are so rude. Father shouldn't have brought you.”

Millie's large brown eyes studied him closely. “I am enjoying the race day, William. Would you prefer I'd have stayed home?”

“No.” William looked down at his boots. His head said yes. He felt bad for Millie but also for himself. He knew people stared and talked about his father marrying a native. He liked Millie but it was hard to be with her on days like this.

“It's all right, William.”

She tapped him under the chin and he looked up. She gave him the kindest of looks.

“We seem to have lost your grandma in the crowd. I think I'll go back to our picnic spot.” She leaned a little closer. “Please don't mention this to your father. We've all been having such a lovely day, he'll only get upset.”

Millie turned and the few people left around her gave her a wide space. William saw a man shake his head. He watched Millie as she walked purposefully across the bare ground towards their picnic spot, a lone figure with her head held high. William's insides were in turmoil. He looked around but no-one paid him any notice. His cheeks burned with shame but he couldn't help feeling relief that she was gone.

Millie reached the rug they had spread in the shade of some trees and let out the breath she'd been holding. No-one else had returned to their picnics yet. She was grateful to be away from prying eyes for a while. She lowered herself to the rug and arranged her blue-and-maroon patterned skirt around her. There were several other picnic rugs and baskets set out around theirs, vacant now and so making the distance between them and the Baker's position more obvious.

Millie wriggled back to lean against the trunk of a tree, watching the crowd mingling along the edge of the track. The sound of voices and laughter wafted up to her. Three young women walked past arm in arm. They chatted happily. One cast a sideways glance at her then turned back and murmured something to the other two and they picked up their pace. Millie sighed. She knew the colour of her skin would always be an obstacle for these fair-skinned people who looked down their noses at her. That didn't bother her as much as her lack of female company, especially at events like this.

She was also concerned for William. She liked Joseph's older son very much. He was developing into a fine young man, strong and hardworking. He had a good heart like his father but she could see how much he struggled with what other people thought about his father's marriage to her.

“Millie!”

She looked up at the sound of Joseph's voice and her heart skipped a beat. He strode towards her, his pale moleskin trousers hugging his long legs and his brown jacket over an open-necked white shirt flapping as he walked. He was waving something at her and his grin was as wide as his face. She dismissed her troubled thoughts and waved back.

He tossed his hat aside, flopped down on the blanket beside her and laid some notes in her lap. “Thunder won.” He took her hand and kissed it. “You are my lucky charm.”

Millie chuckled, noting the dark pouch in his shirt pocket. “I thought it was your special rock that brought you luck.”

He shuffled around and lay his head in her lap, looking up at her with a wicked glint in his eyes. “You're much cuddlier than a rock.”

She bent forward and he lifted his head till their lips met. A tantalisingly brief touch yet it was as if a spark had leapt between them and ignited desire in her body. Millie leaned back against the tree, one hand resting on his head, and closed her eyes. She cared little for what the rest of the company thought of her, she was Joseph's wife and that made her the luckiest woman around.

William wandered amongst the people still mingling at the edge of the track. Through a gap he saw a smart green bonnet with tresses of red hair flowing out beneath it. It had to be Georgina Prosser. He edged in her direction. He hadn't seen her since his last trip to the races three years ago. She was standing beside her father. This time she was wearing a deep green dress and matching bonnet which heightened the colour of her hair

“Be damned if I'll let them get away with it.” Ellis Prosser's voice was loud. People turned to look in his direction and William moved a little closer. “I can't see how that hack could beat my fine Lightning or even your Charlie Boy, Wiltshire. It's rigged.”

The man beside Mr Prosser turned slightly and William recognised the shopkeeper who had called them vagabonds. Thank goodness Millie had left.

“I don't see what we can do.” Wiltshire scratched at his chin. “It all appeared above board.”

“Humph!” Ellis Prosser snorted. “I need a drink.” He looked down at his daughter. “Georgina, go and find your mother.”

Georgina stayed exactly where she was as her father strode away. Once he was out of sight she turned and hurried in the direction of the horse yards. William followed her, laughing to himself over the way she hitched up her skirts so she could move faster. By the time he caught up with her she had her hand over the rails of the yard, stroking the nose of her father's horse.

“What went wrong?” she asked the jockey who was seeing to the horse.

“I don't know, Miss Georgina. I gave him his head like your father said but once he got caught in the dust … well no matter what I did he wouldn't go forward.”

“Poor Lightning.” Georgina kissed the animal's nose. “The dust has certainly been stirred up again today by all this movement.” She looked at the jockey. “Perhaps he's become frightened of it. We've had some terrible dust storms lately.”

“Perhaps.” The jockey went on about his business.

Georgina spun and leaned back against the rail. It was too late for William to conceal himself.

“Hello.” She looked him up and down. “Are you spying on me?”

“No.” William pushed his hands into his pockets and poked at the ground with the toe of his boot. He glanced up. She was watching him closely. “I've come to see the horses.”

“William Baker.” She smiled. “I thought you looked familiar. You've grown much taller.”

“So have you.”

“Have you built anything lately?”

William frowned.

“I recall you were good at building.”

“Oh yes.” William smiled at the recollection of them sitting in the dirt at the first Hawker race meet. “I don't have much time to play any more.”

She gave him a look, the kind of look Millie gave him when she thought he was being too bossy with his siblings.

“We've moved to Wildu Creek now,” he said. “I have to help with the work that needs to be done.”

“I envy you.”

He stared at Georgina in complete surprise.

“I would love to do more outside but apart from help with the horses, Mother won't let me.” She put her hands to her hips and just as he had, she poked at the dirt with the toe of her boot. “Next year they are sending me to school in Adelaide.” She said the name as if it was poison. “I don't want to go. I won't know what to do there. I love Prosser's Run.”

William felt sorry for her. He'd had to leave Smith's Ridge but at least they still lived on the family property at Wildu Creek. He couldn't imagine living in Hawker let alone Adelaide.

“It won't be for long. You can come back once school is finished.”

“Mother has her heart set on me marrying someone in Adelaide.”

“Marrying?” William was horrified. “You're far too young to be married.”

She lifted her chin. “In five years I'll be sixteen.”

He smirked. “Still too young to be marrying someone.”

She glared at him a moment then grinned. “I'm never getting married. All my mother does is what my father says. She never thinks about anything for herself. I'm not going to be like that.”

“Good for you.”

“Georgina!”

She looked past William. “It's my brother. I'd better go. Mother has probably sent him.” She moved forward, level with William. “Good luck, William. I hope we meet again.”

“Goodbye,” he said. She was gone before he could say anymore. He knew his father didn't like Mr Prosser but William found he liked Georgina Prosser, even if they rarely met.

On the other side of the horse yards, William saw a familiar head. Jack Aldridge their new neighbour was making towards the nearby bush, his arm around a young woman who'd been selling food in one of the booths. William started to follow then thought better of it. They would be quite away from everyone else over there and the space was open between him and the bush. Much harder for him to conceal himself and pretend he was just checking out the sights if he was discovered.