Silver Clouds (24 page)

For a moment, Tessa stopped and thought about the days she had spent here, sitting on the bench watching Spider. That was where she had learned to cook cakes and pies – apple and rhubarb had been one of the shearers' favourites. For lunches there had been large servings of roast mutton, potatoes and pumpkin, all washed down with mugs of hot tea. Dinner was the eastern dishes that Spider had been known for.

All those skills Spider had taught her, and Tessa was blowed if she could remember the last time she'd baked a cake. Maybe next time she went to Cally's she could make one. She bet there wasn't too much of that sort of thing over there with Harrison in charge. And Brendan would probably like one too, she thought, pushing Harrison out of her mind.

She set off down the passageway. It was narrow, cool and brilliantly light, thanks to the whitewashed walls. Off it were five bedrooms behind heavy wooden doors. Each room contained a fireplace and two single beds.

Tessa was rewarded in the second room she looked. There were five swags already rolled up and placed beside each other on one of the narrow beds. At first glance she knew the large double one belonged to her parents. There were three smaller ones, which were singles. One had been used recently and was the only one not covered in dust. She stared at it, knowing it was Spider's but wondering why it wasn't like the others. Surely the old lady hadn't been camping recently! With unpractised fingers she loosened the buckles of the straps and unrolled it. She removed the inside of the swag to take back to the homestead and wash and dragged the tarp onto the floor. Then she half-carried, half-dragged it to the kitchen. There she quickly had a look for holes. It would be fine. Tessa started to roll it back up when she felt a bulge at the bottom. Frowning, she unzipped it further and felt for what it was. Her fingers touched on something hard. She brought it out and stared at the bulky camera. It was an old-fashioned wind-on film camera. How strange. Tessa hadn't known Spider liked taking photos. She checked the display panel and saw there were twenty-four photos on the film and twenty of them had been used. ‘Wonder what these shots are of?' she said out loud, before placing the camera carefully on the bench.

She turned and went back down the hallway, and popped her head into the other three rooms. All empty and clean, except for the layers of dust. It would be another seven months before these rooms rang with voices and energy again.

Back at the homestead, she laid everything out on the front lawn and started assembling the swag. First, the tarp was laid out flat and then on top she placed a thin mattress. Next was the sleeping bag and three blankets then everything was wrapped in a silver space blanket, which looked like nothing more than alfoil. Then she folded the tarp in all around the lot, zipped it all in and rolled it as tight as she could.

‘You look like you did that only last week.' Marni was walking up the path, an overnight bag in her hand.

Tessa looked up. ‘Oh ha, ha,' she said, smiling. She turned back to survey her handiwork. ‘It's a bit rough, but it'll keep out any nasties. What's with the bag? You packing for the Muster?'

Marni's face broke into a huge smile. ‘Ryan and I are going to Perth after the Muster. We've made an appointment to see that fertility doctor you suggested. I've come to borrow a couple of things from Peggy.'

‘Oh, that's fantastic!' Without thinking she threw her arms around her sister-in-law and held her. ‘I hope it turns out the way you want it to.'

‘I'm reckoning it will. We just need a bit of help, and we should get it there. We'll go and see Dr Mike in Kal before we go, but the first appointment, at least, is set up. We'll work out a plan from there.'

‘I think that's just great! Mum and Dad obviously know then?'

‘Yeah, Ryan told them yesterday. I think he's hoping you might stick around for a little while, until we get back in case they need another pair of hands.'

‘Don't think I'll be much use,' Tessa said, making a face. ‘But Marni, I would honestly love to do that, if it will help you guys relax while you're away.'

‘Thanks, Tessa.'

‘And I owe you an apology. I was so nasty to you when you came to visit. I'm very sorry. For some reason, you talking about Spider made me jealous. I felt I just had to hurt you. Sorry, I'm so fucked up.' Tessa looked at the ground but jerked her head up when Marni started to laugh and laugh. ‘What's so funny?' she asked, frowning.

‘Oh, Tessa, I never thought I'd hear you say the word “fuck”! You're too much of a city person! I'm so nervous around you, 'cos I think I come across as such a country hick!'

‘What? City people don't say fuck? Oh you are sooo wrong! Come on inside and have a cup of tea with Mum. We'd better rectify this problem!'

‘Well, I'll take you up on the cuppa, but it's okay. I know you've only been here three months, but you've mellowed, Tessa. You don't scare me as much now.'

‘You're right, Marni.' Peggy was standing in the doorway. ‘We're beginning to see the real you, Tessa, not the one you want us to see. And that makes me so glad.'

Tessa looked at them both, thinking about their words. They were spot-on, if you disregarded all the meltdowns she'd had since she'd arrived. She was feeling calmer, more peaceful and more at home. Her thoughts were clearer, as was her whole body. Was it possible that she was putting her ghosts to rest, even though she kept thinking about them?

‘I think you're all a bit heavy for me this morning,' she finally said. ‘I need that cup of tea.'

Inside, the three women chatted happily together as they drank their tea. Tessa and her mum were relieved and pleased for Marni, and they were all excited about the upcoming Muster.

‘Do you have to do anything at the Muster, Mum? We've cooked all the little cupcakes for the food stall. Is there anything else?' Tessa asked. She had vague memories of all the food being provided by locals.

‘Yeah, I'll help Diane and Pastor Allen to cook doughnuts on the first day. He's raising money for the Frontier Services and the Flying Doctor. But now, all of the catering is done by Kalgoorlie folks. There're too many people coming for just us “Nullarborians”.' She made quotation marks with her fingers. ‘Your Dad's job, as the treasurer, is a fair bit bigger than mine.'

‘Is he really? I can't see Dad doing that.'

‘He's been doing it for a couple of years, hasn't he, Peg?' Marni commented.

‘Mmm, yep.' Peggy collected the cups and took them to the sink. ‘Harrison will be dropping off the float for the till tomorrow and then the next day we'll go and help set up. There's always a bit to do beforehand.'

‘I hope Cally rides well in the barrel races. She has her heart set on winning.'

‘Oh, she's a great barrel racer, just like her mother was,' Peggy said. ‘Did you know Ryan judges that?'

‘Really? Well, I'm actually quite excited about it all. Nothing like a good party.' Grinning, Tessa did a couple of dance moves across the kitchen.

Marni laughed. ‘Oh yeah, it's the event of the year!'

‘I just hope there aren't any problems,' Peggy said. ‘Organising it is a huge job these days, because so many people come. In the last few years, we've had over eight hundred visitors come through the gate. It's amazing to think people will come from as far as Perth to compete with their horses and for the bull riding!'

‘That many? Wow! Still, it's for a good cause – we all know how much you depend on the Flying Doctor out here.' Tessa rinsed the cups her mother had put on the sink and turned back towards them.

‘Now, can I change the subject?' Tessa asked. She motioned for Peggy to sit down next to Marni.

‘I found something at Aunty Spider's that I need some help with.'

‘Sure.'

Tessa dug into her pocket and pulled out the box holding the rings. She opened it and placed them on the table. The two gold bands lay glittering on their bed. Instinctively, all three women leaned forward.

‘Whose are they?' Marni asked quietly.

‘I have no idea. I was hoping someone here might know.'

‘I've never seen them before. Where did you find them?'

‘Spider had hidden them well. I'm not sure I was meant to find them. They were in that little clay pot on the outside table.'

‘Why did you go looking in there?'

‘Sounds weird, doesn't it? I was holding it, tossing it from hand to hand and I felt something clunk inside it. I turned it over and they fell out.'

Peggy gently picked one up and held it up to the window. ‘“Forever mine, forever yours”,' she read. ‘I've heard that somewhere before.'

‘Really?' Tessa looked at her eagerly.

‘But I'm buggered if I can remember where. I'll ask Paul when he gets home.'

‘Ask me what?' Paul and Ryan came in, covered in dust and grease.

‘What have you two been doing?' asked Peggy.

‘The bloody grader shat itself. Had to pull out the fuel pump.'

Ryan washed his hands in the kitchen sink then sat down next to Marni. ‘They're a bit flash. Where'd you get them, Tessie? Someone want to marry you?'

‘Found them at Aunty Spider's.'

‘Where have we heard the saying “Forever mine, forever yours”, Pauly?' asked Peggy. ‘I know I've heard it somewhere.'

‘Hmm, yeah. You're right.' His brow wrinkled as he thought. ‘Not a hundred per cent sure, but I wonder if it's down at the old cemetery on one of the graves. We can have a look later, if you want.'

‘Old cemetery? Is there another one, other than where Aunty Spider is?'

‘Yeah, it's where they first camped when they first came out here. Near a grove of mallee trees. It wasn't used until the fifties. I can't rightly say why her other family is buried over there and William is in this one nearer to her house.' He reached for the teapot and swished it around, before pouring it into his cup. ‘That might be it, because she wanted William closer to her.'

‘Oh! That's what she meant about another cemetery.' Tessa's eyes flashed with recognition. ‘Her brothers and uncle? I read about them dying, in the diaries! So tragic. Can we go and have a look?' She leapt up from the table.

‘Hold your horses! You're always so impatient.' Paul smiled. ‘We'll have to knock that out of you! Let me have my tea, then I can take you.'

‘Yeah, Tessie.' Ryan chimed in as he lifted his cup. ‘Us hardworking fellas need our sustenance. How'd you go with a swag?'

‘Smart-arse,' she muttered, passing him a plate of biscuits. ‘Oh, I forgot! Yeah, I got the swag done, but when I opened it all up to check for creepy crawlies and things, there was an old camera in it. Right at the bottom of it.'

Ryan straightened up. ‘Was there?'

‘In the swag?' Peggy asked.

‘Yep. It's an old wind-on one.'

‘What did you do with it?' her brother asked.

‘I couldn't carry it back with everything else, so I left it on the bench.'

‘Weird.' Marnie shrugged. ‘I didn't know she took photos.'

‘Can't say I did either,' Paul entered the conversation. ‘But I think there were plenty of things we didn't know.' He put down his cup and stretched. ‘Come on then, Miss Impatient. I'll drive you out to the plot.' Paul and Tessa climbed into the ute and drove about thirty minutes to where three of Tessa's great-uncles plus her great-great uncle were buried.

Under the shade of the mallee trees, everything was silent, almost reverently still. Tessa took in the old gravesites, the handmade wooden crosses and headstones. Clumps of grass grew out from in between the rocks which covered the hard-working pioneers' final resting places – unless you looked hard, you wouldn't have known they were there. The land they had loved had claimed them.

She shivered, knowing the rocks had been placed there so the dingoes and foxes wouldn't dig up their remains.

Paul stopped to read the inscriptions, all of which were carved by hand.

‘Len Mathison, died, 30 June 1957,' Paul said softly. ‘And over here, Sam Mathison killed in a horse fall, April 1957.'

‘Edward Mathison,' Tessa continued, her fingers tracing the letters. ‘George Mathison.' Tessa could only imagine the grief felt by Spider and what was left of her family when they lay to rest these men who had played such a large role in their lives. She suddenly remembered the words of Aunty Spider in one of the diaries: ‘. . . sometimes it seems this station has seen nothing but heartbreak'. Tessa repeated it out loud for Paul.

‘Danjar Plains has definitely had its moments,' he agreed.

Tessa took one last look at the four graves and turned away, looking to see if there were any more. Nothing leapt out at her.

Disappointed that she hadn't found the words she was looking for inscribed anywere, she walked further out into the trees and glanced around. Hidden in the middle of a cluster of bushes she saw part of a little rusty white fence poking out. It corralled off an area that was small enough to be a child's grave. Beside it was another one, not much larger. The two seemed to be joined together with the fences connected.

As she looked carefully, Tessa realised there was something scratched into the fence. She leaned closer.

‘“Forever mine, forever yours”,' she read. ‘Dad! Dad, here it is!' she called.

Paul came to stand beside her.

‘You found it.'

‘Yes, but whose grave is it? There's nothing to say whose it is?' She ran her finger across some marks in the stone. ‘But I can't read it. Only the words “Forever mine, forever yours”.'

‘I have no idea.'

Chapter 24

Harrison put the parcel on the step and raised his fist to knock on Violet's front door. He paused. He wondered what sort of a reception he'd get.