Secrets and Lies (22 page)

She moved the stick back the fraction required to perform the required manoeuvre. ‘Now . . . gently go left by moving the control to the right.

She moved the stick to the right and the aircraft obliged by heading left.

‘Now go to the right.’

That done, he said, ‘We’ll need to lose height before we land. Push the stick forward, but very gradually.’

A thought occurred. ‘Leo . . .’

His chuckle warmed her ear and he purred, ‘Yes . . . you are flying the Moth mostly by yourself, and have been for the last five minutes. But not completely, since I have the rudder controls. See if you can circle the airport as we go down. We land into the wind.’

As the land got closer she began to panic. ‘Leo . . . I don’t know what to do.’

His voice came, calm against her ear. ‘The same as you’ve been doing. We’ll be landing her after this sweep . . . straighten up the wings. The airstrip is up ahead. If you look over the side you’ll see it. We always take off and land into the wind.’

‘How will I know which way the wind is blowing?’

‘The windsock will tell us which direction it’s coming from. There’s a bit of a crosswind today.’

All she could see was a blur of land passing under them, and a kangaroo bounding off towards the trees. It looked very close, and she said, ‘I can’t see anything that looks like a sock. Help!’

He laughed. ‘I’ve got you, Es . . . you’re quite safe and we’re doing it together.’

She tried not to panic as she saw the ground wheeling below, though her heart beat at a thousand miles a minute. Then the plane straightened up and they were down, bouncing erratically along the airstrip. Esmé laughed with relief and shouted her elation exuberantly out loud as she punched the air. ‘That was the absolute aces.’

Minnie was already on her way, looking forward to seeing Esmé again, though goodness only knew where they’d find work, and they would both need to. She loved Australia and the Australians for their openness and big hearts. Her only regret was that if she’d stayed in England she wouldn’t have met Wally, and she’d be securely employed in the profession she’d been trained for.

But then . . . she’d wanted adventure in her life, so she mustn’t complain.

When she’d seen the plane fly over she’d left the nursing station in the hands of Sally Bowers and headed for the manager’s office. ‘Can I borrow the truck, Ben. I’m expecting my friend.’

He nodded. ‘Don’t forget to bring the mail back with you.’

It was a short dash through a dusty track that had been chopped by a bulldozer through the eucalypts and thick undergrowth. It turned to mud when it rained.

Minnie had watched from the truck’s cabin as the moth circled the airfield several time, its wings not quite level. She’d wondered . . . what was the doctor up to . . . was he drunk? Perhaps something was wrong with the plane. Her mouth dried. Not that. Dr Thornton was too nice a man. Besides, she didn’t think she’d be able to handle that sort of emergency by herself. She wouldn’t know which one to treat first. Es, or the Doc.

While she’d been casting off that scenario, the plane had eased lower. The wings suddenly levelled out. It landed on its two front wheels then bounced a couple of times before it slowed down. The tail had dropped, its wheel settling on the ground, and the aircraft had run the length of the runway, losing speed. It turned at the end and slowly trundled back to where she stood.

Esmé punched the air, and her shriek of laughter made Minnie smile. Her hand went to her mouth. Surely that hadn’t been her friend at the controls?

The lanky form of Leo Thornton slid out from the cockpit, and when Esmé emerged, he took her by the waist and swung her down and around. They were laughing together as she slid from the cabin and waved.

The plane was still ticking over.

‘I didn’t really fly the plane, did I?’ Esmé said, her eyes shining with the delight of it. ‘Look, there’s Min. She’ll be green with envy when I tell her.’

Leo nodded, and they wandered over to where she stood, arms casually around each other’s waists. ‘I thought you might land us on one wing with the crosswind, so took over then. Actually, it wasn’t bad for a first go. You’ll make a good pilot.’

Eyes bright, Esmé was still laughing. ‘It was such fun, Leo, I enjoyed it.’

Leo’s glance came Minnie’s way, and he handed over a packet of envelopes. ‘Is everything all right, Minnie . . . anything to report?’

‘Nothing I can’t handle.’ She gazed at the envelopes and shuffled through them. They were uniform in size, obviously sent from the same source. ‘Hmmm . . . this looks as though my job’s about to disappear. I’ve been expecting it. Are you staying for a while?’

‘I’ve got to get over to Tunbridge Downs station. The Dunston governess has broken her arm.’

‘So that’s the way the wind blows,’ Esmé said, the laughter still colouring her voice.

He looked at the windsock, then down at Esmé and grinned before kissing her gently on the mouth. Then he hauled himself on to the wing walk and climbed into the aircraft. He blew Esmé a kiss, then as an afterthought blew one Minnie’s way. ‘I’ll be seeing you, ladies.’

‘I wish I could attract a man like that,’ Minnie murmured.

Taxiing down the runway Leo turned the aircraft into the wind and picked up speed, the plane lifted gracefully into the sky. They watched it bank in an arc to change direction and gain height, then it moved into the distance, swiftly becoming a small speck in the sky.

Esmé sighed, already missing Leo’s company. ‘He looks like a small bird in such a large sky,’ she whispered, and wondered if he was lonely up there all by himself.

‘I can see that you’re well over Liam,’ Minnie said, grinning at her.

‘Yes . . . I’m over Liam.’ She gave her friend a hug. ‘I’m definitely over Liam.’

Minnie handed the mail to Ben, who frowned. ‘These look like the ones I’ve been dreading.’

‘Is there one for me?’

Shuffling through them he drew out the one with her name on. ‘Sorry, love.’

Minnie tore it open. ‘I’ve got to vacate the nursing post by the end of the month. They’re going to put everything in mothballs until finances improve. The mission sisters will collect what’s left of the medical supplies. They’ve included a reference for me. Oh well, I can’t complain . . . I can always move into Wally’s place if need be, though it’s a bit of a hovel.’

‘You shouldn’t stay there by yourself, love.’

‘I’ll have Esmé to keep me company.’

‘If you do move in there and need to pick up anything from town let me know . . . though we can raid the company store of what’s left. Are you sure you want to stay there?’

‘I’ll see what state the place is in first. I left some canned food and milk in the cupboard, and there’s flour in a tin. We might stay for a few days then move back to Melbourne and sign on with the agency again. At least Esmé can have the experience of living in the bush.’

‘Take the truck over tomorrow so you can give the place the once-over. Make sure the pump’s working and you’ve got everything you need. I’ll lend you the pedal radio from the nursing post in case you need to get in touch urgently.’

‘Thanks, Ben, you’re a brick.’

When they were on their way to the nursing post, Esmé told her, ‘Ma said we can both stay with her in Melbourne, if we like . . . help her out a bit. It won’t interfere with us looking for work.’

Minnie made a face at her. ‘You’re forgetting one thing . . . Wally might turn up and remember he’s my husband.’

‘Oh, of course . . . I’d forgotten about him. Then again, he may have gone to Singapore on the
Horizon Queen
. He was scared of his own shadow when I saw him, and expecting a visit from John Teagan, I believe.’

‘No wonder . . . he’s been seeing Teagan’s younger sister.’

‘Don’t you mind?’

‘I’d pay her to take him off my hands if I had any money. I just wish he’d left me the car. He’s probably sold it.’

‘Still, it’s nice to know we have somewhere to stay in Melbourne while we’re waiting for work,’ Esmé told her. ‘Wally told his mother that he loves you, and the other woman means nothing to him.’

‘Wally tells people what he thinks they like to hear. He knows that his mother and I get on together, and telling her I have his undying love will stop her nagging him. He’s a cheat and a liar, Es. I can’t understand how Ma keeps getting taken in by him.’

‘He’s her son, Min . . . he’s all she’s got left and she loves him.’ Saying that made Esmé think of Livia. She’d filled the role of a mother figure, and love for her sister came as a strong surge.

‘I suppose, but what if he turns up at Ma’s while we’re there?’

‘We’ll sleep in the room with the twin beds and the bolt on the inside of the door.’

‘A good idea.’

Over the next couple of weeks it was sad watching the remainder of the workers depart, some on foot with their children in tow, their carts or vehicles piled high with household goods they were unwilling to leave behind.

Minnie hugged them all and wished them luck.

Ben put the sides up on the truck, and those with only themselves to think about piled into the back, quiet and thoughtful, already looking worried at the thought of what lay ahead.

Then it was their turn. Ben left them at the gate to Wally’s homestead. ‘I don’t like leaving you here by yourselves, so I’ll drop in every day to see how you’re going. If you need anything you must let me know.’

The state of Victoria had impressed Esmé with its lush vegetation and soaring mountains, but nothing could have prepared her for the ramshackle building in front of her. ‘Wally bought this?’

‘He inherited it from his uncle.’

The thought was too awesome for words, and a giggle tore from Esmé’s mouth. ‘That husband of yours must be the world’s biggest loser.’

Minnie grinned. ‘He said he was going to settle down and grow vegetables, but the first lot of seedlings he planted disappeared overnight and he lost heart. I think the rabbits ate them.’

Their grins became laughter as they gazed at each other, and soon they were doubled up. From somewhere in the scrub a kookaburra joined in.

‘I can’t remember the last time I had a good laugh,’ Minnie said, holding her aching stomach. ‘Here’s something else funny. Wally is convinced his uncle stashed a fortune in gold down a snake-hole under the veranda.’

That started them laughing all over again.

Minnie fetched the key from the ledge over the door, which opened with a creak. Something scuttled in the shadows.

The hair on the back of Esmé’s neck prickled as she stared at it. ‘I hope that wasn’t a spider.’

‘So do I. I’d hate to meet one that size.’

‘It’s got scales. It might be a snake.’

Minnie peered at it, her eyes growing accustomed to the gloom. ‘It’s got legs, so it’s a stumpy-tailed lizard. It’s not venomous, but make sure you don’t get bitten because its mouth is full of bacteria.’ Minnie picked it up, and, ignoring its warning hisses, placed it outside. ‘Off you go; you’re more bark than bite.’

‘You’re brave.’

‘Living here has taught me what’s safe to handle and what’s not, and that most things run away if they hear you coming. If you’d rather, we could go straight to Melbourne.’

‘It would be nice to have a bit of a rest from Ma. Let’s stay. We might be able to find the gold.’

‘If you think I’m sticking my hand down a snake hole you can think again. Wally can keep his secret stash.’

The romance of communing with nature wore thin after the first week. They began to run out of food, and they lived on pancakes, porridge and eggs for two days before Ben delivered some canned goods to see them through. Tinned peas had never tasted so good, and they feasted on preserved fruit.

‘I’m going into Melbourne in a week or so. Let me know if you want a lift,’ Ben said.

Minnie gave him a relieved smile. ‘I’ll let you know now. We most definitely will.’

To keep themselves busy they cleared the undergrowth away from the house and whitewashed the inside walls. They generally tidied the place up, though there wasn’t much they could do in the way of repairs.

When they had a rainy day the roof leaked and they put buckets and bowls around to catch the drips. A windy day nearly ripped off the sheet of corrugated iron and it flapped up and down, making a horrific screeching noise that put their teeth on edge, and kept them awake all night. But the rain filled the water barrel, so the water lost its brackish taste.

The next morning dawned fresh and bright, with a stiff breeze rattling everything. ‘I’d better try and repair the roof while we can,’ Minnie said, the doubt in her voice all too evident. ‘Make sure you hold the ladder steady, because I’m scared of heights.’

Esmé took the hammer and nails from her. ‘You hold the ladder and I’ll do the repairs. I don’t mind heights, and besides, I’m wearing slacks. I helped build a chicken house and Chad allowed me to hammer in a nail, so I’m experienced.’

When Minnie started to laugh, Esmé grinned. ‘It happened to be a very superior chicken house, fit for a royal rooster.’

The roof wasn’t all that high, but the beams creaked when she put her weight on them, and she didn’t feel very safe.

‘Be careful, Es,’ Minnie called, her worried voice contributing to her uneasiness.

The sheet of iron was so flaked with rust and full of holes it was hardly worth the cost of a nail, let alone several. Still, it was all they had. Esmé set to work, banging nails in where she could. They went in easily. The beams underneath were spongy, and offered no resistance. The wind would soon loosen them again, but it might last until they left. After that it was Wally’s problem.

She gazed down at Minnie. ‘It might be better if we put weights on the roof. Could you pass up those flat stones from the path?’

‘I’ll try, but they’re heavy and I’ll need two hands, so I won’t be able to get up the ladder.’

‘If you take the washing line down we can use that. Hand me up one end, then tie a stone to the other one and stand back. We’ll only need about four, So I’ll try and haul them up one by one.’

The wind brought a faint droning sound, but when Esmé turned her ear upwards towards the sound it had gone, lost in the noisy thrash of the foliage flaying in the wind. It was probably a bee flying past her ear. Her hammering had disturbed all sorts of small creatures, lizards, beetles, and spiders, swooped on by birds taking advantage of the unexpected snacks on offer.