The Plantation (31 page)

‘When we did ask him what he did in the war, he talked about the lighter side of things,’ said Shane.

‘Such as how he and his friend Bill dressed up as coolies, that sort of thing. In retrospect he made it all sound a bit of a Boy’s Own Adventure. We were adults before we realised how courageous he was,’ added Peter.

‘After Grandfather died, so many people came forward with stories about how brave he’d been. But he always downplayed all he’d done,’ said Shane. ‘It was Bill who spoke at his funeral and said that Roland should have been given a lot more recognition for his actions behind the lines.’

‘Because they were an intelligence unit, a lot of what they did was kept secret and didn’t come out for years,’ said Peter. ‘Then we realised the little we knew was from his memoir. Grandfather was very reserved and rather formal. As far as he was concerned, it wasn’t done to blow one’s own trumpet, y’know.’

‘We both admired Grandfather but we were a bit in awe of him and maybe we thought him a bit stuffy, in an old-world kind of way,’ said Shane.

‘I wish I’d known him,’ said Julie. ‘My, our, grandmother, Margaret, never talked about him in personal terms. And she never talked about why they split up. It’s all such a mystery.’

‘Well, perhaps it was the era,’ said Peter. ‘Perhaps Grandmother Margaret was also not one for airing one’s true feelings, like our grandfather.’

‘And Grandfather doesn’t say why or how our father got captured in that memoir,’ said Peter. ‘I read it long ago, but I don’t think that he explained how Philip was separated from his mother. And, I must confess, it wasn’t the part of the story that intrigued me so much. Our father was little and always said he didn’t remember much and would only say we should appreciate what Grandfather and those like him did to help save us from the Japanese.’

‘Maybe. But I’m still very curious. Are there any other notes, diaries? Anything of our grandmother’s here?’ asked Julie.

‘No, nothing at all,’ said Shane.

‘I suppose it must have been a traumatic time for a small boy, which is why he didn’t talk about it,’ said Julie. ‘He was how old?’

‘About three or so. But really, I think he took a note from Grandfather and didn’t want to talk about the war. But he was very young,’ said Peter, looking at Shane as they tried to recall what their father had told them.

‘That’s right. But he had a playmate, Marjorie …’

‘Mrs Carter! They were in the camp together. He used to say she was like his big sister who looked after him, his war amah,’ said Shane.

‘She was in the camp with him?’ exclaimed Julie. ‘Did you know her?’

‘She was Marjorie Potts then. Her family were Civil Service people, I believe,’ said Shane.

‘Is she still alive?’

‘Oh, yes,’ said Peter. ‘She’s as fit as a fiddle and great company.’

‘Could I find her?’ Julie jumped up, elated.

‘Hey, it’s the middle of the night,’ laughed Peter.

‘So tell me all about Miss Potts or Mrs Carter, as you call her,’ said Julie.

‘Well, as we said, she and my father were playmates in the camp, although I think she was about ten years older than Dad,’ said Shane. ‘After the war, she and father kept in touch, even when she returned to the UK.’

‘Didn’t Dad stay with her on school holidays sometimes?’ interrupted Peter.

‘Yes, I think so. Later, when she was living in Scotland, she used to come out to Malaysia every winter and stay on Langkawi Island at a holiday house Dad owned there. We sold it a few years back, but she still went to the island for holidays. Then she bought an apartment on the hill in Penang. We had lunch with her at the E&O not long ago. We’d have her phone number somewhere. She’s a great old stick even though she’d be about eighty now,’ said Shane.

‘I’d love to speak to her. If she was friends with Uncle Philip she’d remember Great Aunt Bette as well. Oh, this is so amazing,’ said Julie.

‘Yes, perhaps we could do something about it in the morning,’ said Shane. ‘Er, could we put the sound of the game back on?’

Julie laughed. ‘I know this doesn’t mean as much to you as it does to me, so, please, go ahead and finish watching the football. I’m going to re-read parts of Grand-father’s book. Thank you so much for showing it to me.’

The next day, as soon as she knew her mother would be at home, Julie rang.

‘Darling, lovely to hear your voice,’ said Caroline. ‘Is everything all right? Why are you calling?’

‘I’ve found out something amazing about Bette, and your brother. It’s stunning. You weren’t all that close to your brother, were you? I mean did Uncle Philip ever talk to you about the war?’

‘No, not at all. Why should he?’ Caroline paused, trying to remember. ‘As I’ve already told you, I was ten years younger than Philip, and he was sent to boarding school in the UK. Then Mother and I came back to Australia to live and I really never got to know him. No. I never talked to him about the war. But what was there to talk about?’

‘And Bette? Where was she during the war?’

‘Back here, too, I assume. Why? What have you found out? This is all very intriguing. Are you having fun? Are the boys nice?’

‘Lovely. I’m enjoying myself immensely. Wait till I tell you about the orangutans and the Iban. It’s all been such an adventure. But that’s not why I rang. I’ve just read a small memoir that Grandfather Roland wrote and, in his version of events, the family and the war in Malaya is quite different from what we have always assumed.’

‘Goodness, whatever do you mean? I’m not sure that we assumed anything about the war in Malaya, because my mother never talked about it. Kept her own counsel. If she talked about Malaya, she only wanted to talk about the fun days before the Japanese.’

‘Hmm. I know why.’ Julie drew a breath. ‘Great Aunt Bette and Philip didn’t escape on the ship out of Singapore. I don’t know what happened, but Gran made the ship and Bette and Philip didn’t.’

‘What do you mean? How did they get out of Malaya, then?’

‘Mum, they didn’t. They were sent to a POW camp in Sarawak.’

There was an intake of breath from Caroline. ‘What? You are joking. No, you’re not. So Mother lived here in Brisbane while her sister was with Philip in a prisoner of war camp. How dreadful for them. How awful for Mother.’

‘Yes. Obviously it couldn’t have been deliberate, but why didn’t Gran ever talk about it?’

‘I don’t know. Maybe she felt guilty and thought that she had failed her son. It would certainly explain why she only wanted to talk about the times before the war. Oh, if only I’d known and could have asked her the right questions. Poor Mother, poor Bette and Philip. How terrible.’ Caroline sighed. ‘Do the boys have any more information?’

‘No, but there was a girl in the camp with Bette and Philip, and, although she was older than Philip, she was his friend and they kept in touch.’

‘Oh, how nice. I suppose that when Philip was killed, that changed,’ said Caroline.

‘Apparently not. Shane and Peter regard her as an old family friend as she comes out to Malaysia regularly from Scotland. She doesn’t like cold winters. Peter and Shane think that I should call her.’

‘Well, it would certainly be interesting to find out more,’ agreed her mother.

‘I’ll let you know what happens. I’m going over to Langkawi Island with the boys and Martine and some of their friends.’

‘Lovely. Is David going too?’

‘No. He’s working, Mum. Doing his research and stuff. I’m sure he’ll be in touch with you when he gets back to Australia. How’re things there?’

‘Good. A moratorium’s been called with the council. Don’t you worry, darling, the house will still be here when you get back.’

‘That’s good.’

‘This call must be costing a fortune. It’s all very exciting. Send me an email when you know more.’

‘I just wanted to call and tell you. I was pretty gob-smacked,’ said Julie.

‘Me too. I’ll sit down with your father and digest it all. Take care, Julie.’

‘Love you, Mum.’

‘I love you too. I’m really glad you’ve made this trip.’

‘Me too.’

Julie put the receiver down. She realised that there were still a lot more places to see and, she felt sure, more of her family’s story to unfold.

8

O
N THE SHORT FLIGHT
from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi Island Julie found she was laughing more than she could remember in years, as did everyone else. There was Martine, Shane and Peter, Tina and Carl, who lived in the Cameron Highlands and had a tea plantation, Christopher Nichols, the Australian RAAF officer from Butterworth, and the Stevensons, a couple in their late forties who were staying on the other side of the island in their apartment at the marina on Telaga Harbour.

‘You must come over for lunch,’ said Ursula Stevenson. ‘We could take our boat out. There are some amazing things to see on the island.’

‘They are in the shipping business in Europe,’ Martine whispered later to Julie. ‘Very rich. They come here every year.’

‘Langkawi seems to be a popular place. I see why Marjorie Carter must have enjoyed it here,’ said Julie as they flew over the blue Andaman Sea dotted with lush green islands that lay west of the Malaysian and Thai coasts.

‘Oh, yes indeed. She was tempted to buy here too, when she saw Ursula’s place, but she changed her mind and bought a penthouse in Penang instead.’

‘Does she go there often?’ asked Julie.

‘When it’s cold and draughty in her daughter’s house in Scotland, where she usually lives. She comes out here for the warmth and sun. I’ll get her phone number out of my mobile, I know how anxious you are to talk with her.’

‘Yes, I am. I’m so curious about Great Aunt Bette and Philip, too. I suppose the boys grew up knowing the story of what happened to their father during the war, so this is not as exciting for them as it is for me because I know nothing.’

‘I’m sure Marjorie will be able to tell you something. Shane said she was only about twelve when she was in the camp. She was like a big sister to their father, which is why they kept in touch. And when Philip and Stephanie were killed, Marjorie still kept in contact with the boys. We’re landing. I hope you like it here. We’re staying at a cute place. Wait till you see it,’ said Martine.

‘I’m sure I’ll love it,’ said Julie. ‘Is there lots to do? Peter talked about the fishing.’

‘There are wonderful things to do or, if you like, you can do nothing. That’s what appeals to me,’ said Martine. ‘When we had our own house here there always seemed to be too much work maintaining it, even with the girls to help. This is much easier.’

After collecting their bags they divided themselves between rental cars and a taxi. Julie sat with Christopher in the taxi as they followed Shane and Peter.

‘So you know the island pretty well?’ asked Julie.

‘Yes, I’ve been here a few times. It’s not the place to come if you’re in to nightlife, movies, shows, and that sort of thing. But the nature and wildlife are spectacular.’

‘And the fishing?’

‘Iffy. I just like the idea of hanging out on a boat. Any fish I catch is a bonus. If I’m really in to serious fishing, I go to the Barrier Reef or the Top End. And don’t expect too much from the beaches. They’re not what we’re used to. We Australians are so spoiled when it comes to beaches, it makes the ones here a bit disappointing,’ he said.

‘I like the idea of exploring the local nature. I loved seeing the orangutans in Sarawak.’

‘There’s some wonderful birdlife here. There are plenty of monkeys, and, if you like, we could go on a hike. You’ll have to meet our pal Aidi. He’s a local naturalist who’s just the best. Every time I see him, I learn amazing things. I’ll arrange for him to take us on an expedition.’

‘Sounds good. So explain about the place where we are staying?’

‘It’s run by two Australian women. Nerida started it, gosh, maybe eighteen years ago. The hotel has just grown … but in a nice way. It used to be closer to the sea but land was reclaimed so now the compound is on the edge of some lovely rice fields. Nerida started collecting traditional Malay houses that were going to be pulled down and had them moved to her place, which was once a coconut plantation, and saved them from demolition.’

‘What a great thing to do!’