Tears of the Moon (41 page)

Tyndall conceded momentary defeat. The pretty but manipulative girl who’d led him to the altar had become a shrewd, calculating and experienced woman used to getting what she wanted from life.

He slammed out of the house. Oh God, how was he going to tell Olivia? It would be hard, but he had no doubt Olivia’s depth of understanding and love for him would help them to cope with the trauma. He’d get rid of Amy no matter how much it cost.

It took a few moments for Olivia to absorb the full import of what Tyndall told her. She asked him slowly to repeat the basic details.

He stumbled through a brief explanation and floundered to a halt as Olivia sank back into her office chair and stared at him across the desk. She’d come to work as usual to tidy up loose ends before their wedding and honeymoon.

Tears of hurt rage spilled down her cheeks. ‘How could you not tell me you were
married?
Had been married, whatever … ’

‘I thought she was dead. I haven’t thought about her in years! I was a lad, she just disappeared … ’

‘And you didn’t try to find out what happened to her? You were her
husband
… ’

‘I was barely twenty years old. I was on the other side of the world. The priest wrote and told me … for God’s sake, Olivia, try and understand … ’

‘I
am
trying to understand. Understand how the man I love, the man I believed my soul mate, the man I saw spending the rest of my life with, joyously with, has lied to and deceived me.’

‘Never, Olivia … Never intentionally … ’

‘What else have you not told me, John? How can I ever trust you again?’

‘Olivia, we’ll sort this out. I know it’s unfortunate, her timing is bad, I agree … ’

‘
Unfortunate!
I would say her timing was perfect. What if we were married? You’d be in gaol for bigamy … ’

‘We’re still getting married, Olivia. This might delay matters but I will fix it. Damn her, she’s just after money … ’

‘I don’t think so, John … ’

‘Don’t think what? That she’s after money?’

‘That we should get married.’

‘Olivia … you can’t be serious! We can’t throw away our happiness because of this wretched … intrusion.’

Olivia turned away from his anguished face. ‘It’s not just her being here … it’s the fact that you didn’t tell me … ’

‘
I didn’t know!
’

‘But you should have told me, we talked about your past. This is very hurtful. Of course I can’t stay in the town.’ Olivia stood up, suddenly decisive. ‘I’ll make plans to move. Fremantle. Hamish will go to school in Perth and I’ll find something to occupy myself.’

‘Are you crazy, Olivia? Don’t be so rash. And what about Star of the Sea? It’s half your company. You can’t walk away from it.’

‘I’ll be a long-distance partner. If you’d rather buy me out … ’

‘Olivia, stop this, please … ’

‘John, I think it best if you leave me be. You aren’t going to change my mind. You’ve hurt me deeply, I have to come to terms with this. It is all very … difficult. And just how are you going to handle this publicly? What about my reputation? This will give everyone something to talk about.’

‘Olivia, if that’s what’s worrying you, I’ll make sure everybody understands the situation.’

‘It doesn’t change matters though, does it?’

‘I’ll get a divorce, and then we can go back to where we were.’

‘No, we can never do that. And has she agreed to
a divorce? “Why has she come all this way, if not to be with you?’

Tyndall had no answer and he mumbled unhappily, ‘She only just arrived. I wanted to make sure you heard about it all from me first.’

‘Oh, they’re already talking about us are they? John, please leave.’

Tyndall moved towards her, his arms outstretched but Olivia shrank back. ‘No!’ She turned away from him, her face and body stiff and tightly held.

Looking wounded and dazed, Tyndall walked slowly from the office. Olivia heard him go, her heart breaking, swamped by the knowledge she might never again touch the man she loved.

The glaring light seared into Tyndall’s eyes. He pulled his hat down to shade his face and found his vision was blurred by hot tears. He still thought Olivia’s reaction unreasonable. Why should he have mentioned what was, to him, a brief incident in his past that he felt was of little significance? All he wanted now was to spend the rest of his life with Olivia.

A seething resentment of Amy drove him back to his bungalow. How dare she just settle in under his roof? She was a total stranger. He couldn’t remember any treasured moments they’d shared. He had been lured by first-time sex with a girl who knew more than he did. It never occurred to him at the time to wonder at her experience, but he simply lost himself in his own fulfilment and release with a willing and eager partner. After their hasty wedding, a
mere formality, he recalled several blazing rows, tearful tantrums and a determination that he try to make a better life for them. What a load it had been on his bewildered twenty-year-old shoulders.

He slammed back into his house, bellowing for Rosminah. ‘Where is mem?’

‘Mem Amy resting, tuan. She make me unpack clothes, I no can say no, tuan,’ she said miserably.

‘Then start packing them again. She’s not staying here.’

He banged on the door of the guest room and flung open the door when Amy coolly called ‘Come in’ as if she had been in residence for months.

She was sitting at the dresser, brushing her long blond hair, a satin wrapper about her white shoulders. She gave him a coy look. ‘You shouldn’t barge into a lady’s boudoir, Johnny. But then, you are my husband.’

‘I’ve ordered Rosminah to repack your things. You’re not staying here.’

‘
I’m your wife
. The whole town must know it by now.’

‘A bit of paper back in Ireland might say so, but that is all about to change. I want a divorce as soon as possible.’

‘On what grounds? I don’t want a divorce and you’re going to look pretty foolish, not to say a blackguard, for treating me this way.’ She turned back to the mirror and glanced at his reflection. ‘And what did your ex-fiancée have to say?’

Tyndall simply glared at her. ‘Amy, I want you out of this house. I will pay your expenses.’

‘I know you will, Johnny. But nonetheless, I’m staying here. This is my home too, now.’ She gave a tight smile but there was a malicious dare in her eyes that sent a shiver through Tyndall.

‘Very well, I shall move into the Continental.’

‘That seems an unfortunate waste of our money, Johnny. I shall be here a very long time. Why cause more gossip than necessary?’

He was silent for a moment. She had a point, but if he allowed her to stay, it was tacit acknowledgement of her rights as his wife. He had to think through his tactics. He turned and stormed out of the house, heading for the foreshore camp.

Amy wasted no time in dressing. She had already learned as much as she could from the nervous Rosminah, and her enquiries on the steamer had given her sketchy details of the Star of the Sea Pearl Company. When she was ready, she selected a parasol and sent Rosminah to fetch transport.

Olivia’s mind was racing from one plan to the next, mentally sorting through the tasks ahead of her. By concentrating on the immediate details of readjusting her entire life, she tried to stop thinking of the ultimate outcome of a new life without Tyndall.

The tap at the door caused her heart to stop. She didn’t want to talk to anyone. She dropped the last of the files and ledgers into a box and sighed,’ Come in.’

She swung around and stared in shock.

Both women frankly and silently assessed each other.

To Olivia, Amy looked out of place, overdressed, in her frilled white high-necked pin-tucked blouse, cinched waist and cream silk skirt swept up to one side in a ruched swathe. Lace-edged gloves matched the parasol and to set it off she wore a pert hat peaked at the back with a small feather and a glittery pin.

To Amy, Olivia looked unstylish and uninteresting. Olivia’s simple lilac dress, sashed at the waist without the benefit of laced corset, hair looped at the nape of her neck with a black velvet bow and no accessories, indicated to Amy a woman who didn’t care about keeping up appearances or wasn’t in touch with the mode of the day. However, she conceded a grudging admiration for Olivia’s natural beauty. Amy had to enhance her natural assets, Olivia did not.

‘Hello, I’m Mrs John Tyndall. You must be Olivia Hennessy.’

Olivia stiffened at the stressed ‘Mrs’. ‘Yes, I am Olivia Hennessy. Just what can I do for you?’ She wasn’t about to repeat Amy’s name.

Amy rested her parasol against the wall and began to pull a glove from her hand. She was perfectly relaxed. ‘I thought I should get to know my husband’s business. Could you explain matters to me? Seeing as I’m now part of it all.’ She gave a bright smile.

‘I beg your pardon?’

‘I’m Captain Tyndall’s wife. Whatever he has is also mine. I’d like to see some of the pearls.’

Olivia flushed and tried to hold her temper. ‘We don’t keep pearls just lying around. Nor are they just picked up by the handful from the bottom of the ocean,’ she snapped.

‘Really? This is a pearl business, isn’t it?’

‘It’s a
pearl shell
business. I’m sorry, I don’t have time to discuss this. There are plenty of other people who can explain it to you in simple terms. And, incidentally, I am fifty percent owner in the business. A
working
owner, I might add.’

‘Then I suppose that makes us partners, too.’ The smile hadn’t left Amy’s face.

Olivia dropped all pretence of civility. ‘There is no way you will be involved in this business while I’m a partner.’

‘I’ll see about that. But I do hope we can get along. Because I’m planning on staying here. With my husband.’ She picked up her parasol. ‘Good day to you, Mrs Hennessy.’

Olivia watched her sweep from the room. Then, quickly striding across the room, she slammed the door behind Amy with a crash. As her fury dissipated, she sank back into her chair feeling utterly defeated. She had now summed up Amy, which was no doubt the intention of the visit. She saw there was no way Amy was going to give up Tyndall or her position. Amy was avaricious and attracted to perceived wealth as much as to the man. Their relationship might well have been fleeting and orchestrated by Amy as Tyndall described, but it was obvious she had found a comfortable new status in life and would not give it up without a fight. And Olivia
recognised that in a fight she was no match for Amy. Nor was Tyndall.

Olivia sent word for Ahmed to come and see her and she tensely explained her plans.

Ahmed had already heard about Amy from Tyndall and Toby’s cousin, the porter. He wrung his hands in distress and shook his head. ‘Oh, mem, this very bad news. She no good lady. Tuan say he send her away. Soon be all right. You stay, mem. We need you.’ He gave Olivia a half smile. ‘We like you, mem. You and tuan get married, later.’

‘Ahmed, there is a small fair-haired obstacle in the way of that happening. And for me, once the trust between two people is broken, things can’t be the same. I simply can’t stay here while all this is going on. I have some pride, too, you know. And I tell you, Ahmed, that woman is trouble. Dangerous trouble.’

He nodded understandingly. ‘I no like you go away. But maybe for little time, is best. How can Ahmed help?’

‘I need two boys to help pack and move my things to the ship. I’ll arrange for the house to be locked up. Minnie will keep an eye on things and I’ll try to get Yusef settled as a houseboy elsewhere.’

‘He and Rosminah bin plannin’ to get married. Maybe he can work at Tuan Tyndall house.’

‘Yes, I’m sure he’ll have his hands full with madam-in-residence. I can’t believe she has moved into his house. Well, actually I can now, having met her.’

At the foreshore camp Ahmed passed on the news that Amy had already confronted Olivia, who was definitely planning on leaving on the steamer in two days’ time.

Tyndall kicked the nearest chair. ‘That damned woman. How dare she upset Olivia. Did you try and talk her out of going, Ahmed? Tell her we need her here for the business? I need her too, but she won’t listen to me at the moment, I’m afraid.’