Loving Daughters (28 page)

56

But she did not keep him.

Henry came home unannounced with a wife and they moved into the old place.

Henry could scarcely believe Small Henry was real. He carried him everywhere about the farm. Henry's wife was a short black-haired girl with a fringe across her forehead. (Another wife with her hair cut, thought Jack, looking hard at her middle, expecting she would probably be already in the family way like the other one.) She was plump and pretty and shrewd and decided not to lose out to Small Henry on affection from Henry, whom she genuinely loved. She would take on Small Henry as well.

She begged to be allowed to carry him some of the time, and he stretched arms very straight and stiff towards Henry at first, then found tiny pearl ear rings which she allowed him to finger, then when she wore a jacket with a trimming of fur on the collar he dropped his face in it and looked for the ginger cat connecting the two in his little mind.

Edwards wrote about this and other events to his mother.

‘We always say nothing ever happens in these places, don't we?' he wrote. ‘But I have several things to relate on top of the news a few weeks ago about the new little life. Have you digested it yet?

‘My poor, dear Una is not really well though. We succeeded in finally getting her to the Pambula doctor and he says she will need a long rest following the birth, maybe in a Sydney hospital. Don't distress yourself. We will manage.

‘There are changes at Honeysuckle. Small Henry has gone to a new home with the return from Sydney of Henry and a new wife. It was tragic for dear, sweet Enid. (No sister-in-law is greater loved.)'

He crossed out the word loved and wrote respected in its place.

He wrote on: ‘I was quite nervous for her that Alex, the elder brother courting Maggie Hickey (they say “going with” over here), may have claims on the little fellow. They constantly took him for Sunday afternoon drives. She is a Catholic too, no marriage for me to perform there, a depressing fact. I feel responsible (foolishly I know) and am quite dreading my next meeting with the archdeacon who will no doubt remind me of my failing.

‘He has visited us only once since my marriage. It was to take a service on the anniversary of the opening of St Jude's. By great good fortune it was also the anniversary (or near enough) of the opening of St Peter's in Pambula so he had time only for a brief meeting with parishioners and morning tea in the rectory before going off. He mistook Enid for Una and to my everlasting shame I did nothing to rectify the error. Enid made a perfect hostess. Una had taken her bathing suit to the swimming hole, although the middle of winter. I was terrified she would appear looking like a deep green football sprouting arms and legs.'

He wriggled on his chair to rid himself of cold and cramp and then wrote on:

‘I have this plan. So far only God and I know of it and I now share it with you.

‘When the new little one is born I hope to carry it off and place it in Enid's arms. If a boy Small Colin, if a girl Small Enid. I will insist. Una I don't think by that time will raise any objections, simply allow herself to go off for the long (very long) rest cure.

‘In her state I think Una will allow herself to be confined at Violet's, although the two still do not speak. Violet wants it desperately. She has few patients owing to this limited population (of adults) and for her own niece not to be confined in her hospital (and next door) would be taken as a social blight.

‘Ned recovered from his burning accident, and now walks with two sticks. He goes to the bush less and less which is easier on Violet. My prayers in that area have brought results, although I have to admit, since he burned the farmhouse down, shelter is unavailable and nights spent in the open during an Australian winter would have limited appeal.

‘But to say more about my plan. It was I who took Small Henry to Enid when Violet had to handle the unexpected birth of twins, followed by Ned's burned legs. I took great delight in the happiness he brought her. Then she lost him and I feel somehow I failed her. This way I will make it up to her. (Please God!)'

He laid down his pen and rubbed the finger that held it. A noise startled him. Una had returned from her walk carrying a long branch and trailed it along the windows of the church, then around the tankstand. The noise was like a bell tolling, a light ringing on the surface above a deep and thunderous sound.

He went swiftly to the kitchen, tearing off the written pages and folding them.

He lifted the ring of the stove and laid the pages on the coals. Flames ran from the corners curling them as they went. Some of the words leaped up blackened and with letters enlarged.

Then the pages turned to transparency, and when he last looked, reminded him of frail waves breaking up on some strange, metal-coloured sea.

Other Titles in UQP Modern Classics Series

JOAN MAKES HISTORY

Kate Grenville

This is Australia's past as you won't read it in any history book. Joan pops up in all our famous moments and gives her irreverent female version of them. She remakes history in her own image and asks: who gets written into history, who gets written out, and why?

‘A writer of quite extraordinary talent, slipping between the centuries with a fluid and vigorous prose style.'
Literary Review

‘Hugely entertaining. It is impossible to resist Grenville's warm and affectionate wit. We follow Joan's rich and complex story with a profound sense of engagement.'
Courier-Mail

‘
Joan Makes History
is a lively, witty, very wise look at the role of women in our society. Kate Grenville is a writer who knows about those things which belong to eternity.' Manning Clark

ISBN 978 0 7022 5351 5

First published 1984 by University of Queensland Press

PO Box 6042, St Lucia, Queensland 4067 Australia

Reprinted in paperback 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988

Reset with corrections 1993

Reprinted 1998, 2014

www.uqp.com.au

[email protected]

© The Estate of Olga Masters 1984, 1993

This book is copyright. Except for private study, research,

criticism or reviews, as permitted under the Copyright Act,

no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,

or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior

written permission. Enquiries should be made to the publisher.

Typeset by Post Pre-press Group, Brisbane

Printed in Australia by McPherson's Printing Group

Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

National Library of Australia

http://catalogue.nla.gov.au

Masters, Olga, 1919-1986, author.

Loving daughters / Olga Masters.

Australian fiction.

Domestic fiction.

Daughters–Fiction.

A823.3

ISBN 978 0 7022 5345 4 (pbk)

ISBN 978 0 7022 5479 6 (pdf)

ISBN 978 0 7022 5480 2 (epub)

ISBN 978 0 7022 5481 9 (kindle)

University of Queensland Press uses papers that are natural, renewable and recyclable products made from wood grown in sustainable forests. The logging and manufacturing processes conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin.