The Plantation (56 page)

‘Where is my husband?’

‘At the hospital, Mrs Tsang.’

‘Please arrange to bring him home.’ She cast an anguished look at James, who nodded. He would be the one to bring his father home because he was now the eldest male in the family.

There was silence in the bright room as Bette finished speaking. Julie and Caroline glanced at each other hoping the other would speak first.

Julie said, ‘Thank you for telling us what happened, Bette. It was such a tragedy. You obviously loved each other so much.’

Bette turned to her great niece, her eyes misty. ‘I still do. I feel him beside me every day of my life.’ She straightened and smiled. ‘So that’s my story. Naturally my life didn’t end after Tony was killed, though it felt like it at the time. I remained at Rose Mansion helping the children and after Madam Chang died I kept the house running.’

‘The book you wrote, about the Iban, how did that come about?’ asked Julie.

‘After Tony’s and my trip to Sarawak, I became intrigued with the orangutans and the Iban. Orangutans are remarkable animals, but the Iban are people I could talk to and I wanted to know more about their way of life. So, thanks to Tom Harrisson, who’d introduced us to Leonard and his village, I returned to Sarawak to spend time in the jungle with them.

‘But when I returned to Kuching, Tom had been blacklisted. He wasn’t allowed re-entry into Sarawak. Apparently a jealous woman colleague had made false allegations about his work. I didn’t believe them, but Tom’s wild behaviour had offended many people, so the charges stuck.

‘Even without him, I was happy to travel upriver with Leonard or Bidui, which was his Iban name, and I stayed with his family in their longhouse. I was also able to observe the orangutans and I realised that the destruction of their habitat would create a perilous situation for them.’

‘Hence the book and the pamphlet you wrote,’ said Caroline.

Bette smiled. ‘There are a lot of people who are trying to raise awareness about the situation now.’

As Bette and Julie chatted on about the Iban and orangutans, Caroline was thoughtful, appearing a little distracted. ‘Bette,’ she said. ‘I’ve learned a lot about the rift between you and my mother and a lot about you and your life in Penang, and the POW camp. But the person I don’t know much about is my father. I still don’t understand why I grew up in Brisbane with my mother while my brother stayed on in Malaya with him.’

Bette took her hand. ‘Roland was a lovely man. Tony had a lot of respect for him. Actually, the last time I saw Roland was at Tony’s funeral. He died from cancer not long afterwards. But he never said an ill word about your mother. Whenever I had asked how Margaret was, all Roland said was that she was spending time in Australia. I think that after the war Margaret never settled back into life at the plantation. But more than that I cannot say.’

‘And you never spoke to Philip after you left Utopia,’ said Julie. ‘I think that’s so sad.’

‘I suppose I could have made contact, but I always thought that if I stayed away, then Philip and Margaret would become closer. I might have written to Philip if Margaret had died, but he was the one who died first. Now, of course, I regret our separation, but it’s all too late.’

Julie looked at her mother and realised that Caroline also had a lot of unanswered questions that went right back to her childhood. She turned to her great aunt. ‘Bette, is there no one you can recall who knew Roland and Margaret and who might be able to shed some light on what happened between them?’

Bette was thoughtful. ‘There could be someone. Give me a minute to think.’

‘I’ll make a fresh pot of tea, shall I?’ said Julie.

Over tea they talked about Brisbane and all of the changes that had occurred there since Bette had left nearly sixty years before, but Julie could see her mother was anxiously watching Bette. Then, in the middle of a conversation about something quite unrelated, Bette’s eyes lit up and she broke into a smile.

‘Bill! Excuse me, Julie. Bill Dickson. Roland had an old army friend he fought with in Malaya. I think Tony knew him as well. He said he met him a couple of times. I wonder if the boys at Utopia would know of him, and whether he’s still alive.’

‘He’d be very old,’ said Caroline doubtfully.

‘Grandfather Roland wrote about him in his war memoir,’ exclaimed Julie. ‘I’ll email Shane and Peter and ask if they know anything.’

‘Thank you so much for having us, Bette,’ said Caroline as she rose to leave.

‘Not at all,’ replied Bette. ‘I can’t tell you how happy you have made me. Knowing that my Australian family are interested in me and care about what has happened to me means more than I can possibly say. My ninetieth birthday will be on me soon and I know that the Tsangs are planning big things. I do hope that you can get back to Cairns to join the festivities. I would love you both to meet my other family.’

Caroline and Julie hugged Bette goodbye, and assured her that they wouldn’t miss her birthday party for anything.

‘It’s a lot to take in,’ said Caroline in the taxi going back to their hotel. ‘I’m sorry Dad missed hearing about it all. What an extraordinary life she’s led.’

‘Now you’re anxious to know what happened between Roland and Margaret, aren’t you?’ said Julie.

‘I am. It’s something I didn’t think about all my life, it’s just how it was. Now of course I want to know what the relationship between the two of them actually was. I have a million questions.’

‘Gran was not very forthcoming, was she?’ said Julie.

‘No. She was a good mother, but when it came to family matters, she wasn’t approachable and I grew up knowing that it was a forbidden subject. I suppose it seems silly and unbelievable now.’

‘I don’t think so, Mum. I’m sure there are a lot of families who have mysteries,’ said Julie. ‘I’ll send the email to Shane and Peter.’

That evening while Caroline was recounting Bette’s story to Paul over drinks, Julie received a reply email from Shane.

‘Mum, he says that they know about Bill because they’ve read Roland’s memoir, too, but that’s all they know.

‘How disappointing,’ said Caroline.

But Julie was not to be deterred. She fired back another email asking her cousins if they would mind looking through Roland’s papers to see if they could find out anything more about Bill Dickson.

‘He’s probably dead,’ said Paul pragmatically.

Caroline and Paul were happy to get home to Bayview where they were flung back into the drama of the bypass. Julie felt as though she’d hardly had time to unpack when Caroline rang her.

‘David says he’s found out something important! We should call a meeting of all the interested parties. He sounds quite excited, can you come around tomorrow night?’

Julie debated with herself about dancing attendance on David’s little dramas, but she didn’t want to let her mother down. He really might have found out something useful. After all, he was an effective researcher. When she turned up at her parents’ house the following evening, she was surprised to see a large number of cars parked outside.

‘Jules, so glad you’re here. David is being so mysterious.’

A group of neighbours, several local councillors and representatives of the council were spread out along the verandah. David had set up a large board on an easel and had a lot of papers in front of him. He gave Julie a wave as she headed down the hallway to the kitchen to find her mother.

‘I hope he has something worthwhile, there are a lot of people out there. Can I help you with the drinks and tea things?’

‘Thanks, darling, but my friend Erica is giving me a hand. I wish Paul was here. I asked him to come home early. We have some nibbles, but I’m sure people will leave to get home to dinner.’

David took command of the gathering, asking the council representatives to sit at the front. He paid special attention to Fred Louden from the council who was looking smug and, as David began speaking, adopted a bored expression.

David thanked the Reagans for opening their home. ‘A home that, like so many in this area, represents what this battle has been about. A building in surroundings that have been here for a long time and represent a beautiful and historic part of this city. This is an area we do not want to see ripped apart for a large road bypass.’

‘Hear, hear.’

‘We know all this,’ interjected another of the council’s representatives.

David ignored him. ‘Perhaps we don’t know everything. We know that there was a similar plan for a bypass in a slightly different area some years ago. But the plan failed to go ahead. How fortunate for those living in that area.’ He paused and looked around the attentive group. ‘I’d like to show you all where that original bypass was going to go.’

‘That has nothing to do with the current situation,’ said Fred Louden in an irritated way.

David paid no attention, but unfolded a large picture that he pinned on the board for all to see. Like everyone, Julie craned forward, staring at the photograph. It was a picture of a large, extremely expensive modern house: a mish-mash of soaring glass, steel and fantasy castle components that illustrated the saying that money can’t always buy good taste.

‘Imagine having that monstrosity next door,’ muttered a neighbour.

‘What’s your point, young man?’ demanded a councillor.

‘I think you might know where I’m going with this, Mr Louden,’ said David affably.

‘I’m not staying. You have no right to use my home as some point of reference, and hold it up to ridicule. I’ll have you know that my house was designed by a top-notch architect, built by a master builder and featured in several magazines,’ snapped Fred Louden.

‘Is it
your
place, Mr Louden?’ asked Caroline.

‘Whatever you may think of the design, this is Mr Louden’s house, which was plonk in the middle of the original route for the bypass. And he didn’t want to see his home demolished for a bypass,’ exclaimed David. ‘Isn’t that so, Mr Louden?’

Fred Louden, red-faced and angry, glared at David. ‘You are right. Fortunately that route was changed and no houses were demolished,’ he answered.

There was a sudden murmur among the group.

‘Yes and no doubt very convenient for you. But may we know how you were able to avoid having your home demolished, while the heritage homes in this area are now earmarked for such a fate? Would it be because you used your influence to change the route of the bypass?’ asked David.

Fred Louden jumped to his feet. He could feel the open hostility directed towards him. ‘You can’t prove that! It’s outrageous for you to impugn my reputation,’ he began.

‘Before you threaten me with legal action,’ said David calmly picking up a sheaf of papers, ‘you might want to read the minutes and motions moved in Council two years ago when the bypass was originally mooted. It makes for some very interesting reading.’

There was now a surge as people grabbed the documents from David and shouted questions and sharp comments at Fred Louden and the startled councillors.

‘Outrageous.’

‘What a damn cheek.’

‘Were bribes paid?’

Fred Louden stood up and pushed his way through the group. ‘I’m not listening to this garbage. You’ll be hearing from me.’ He was hurrying down the steps into the night just as Paul pulled into the driveway.

‘What’s going on?’ asked Paul as he kissed Caroline.

Julie filled him in on the evening’s events and her father smiled.

‘Sounds like we should break out the good stuff. Well done, David.’ Paul pumped David’s hand as the academic joined them, looking rather pleased with himself.

‘I’ll see how the champagne stocks are going. Everyone will want a celebratory drink,’ said Paul as he and Caroline headed indoors.

‘Congratulations, that was quite a coup. A great piece of detective work,’ said Julie.

‘Thanks. I wonder how he assumed it would never come to light. I don’t think that we can prove anything untoward happened, but the fact his house was in the middle of the original bypass plan, which was changed and that he was part of the decision-making process puts a rather unpleasant cloud over him,’ said David.

‘So what will happen now? Do we get a reprieve and some other neighbourhood suffers?’ asked Julie.

David shook his head. ‘I don’t think so. I have heard, although it’s still unofficial, that the council is now considering a tunnel. Seems your campaign has stirred things up.’

‘You mean you and my mother! You’ve been doing all the stirring. Thank you, David,’ added Julie with feeling.

He nodded. ‘Least I could do. I like a challenge. And, it’s been nice to get to know your family. And you.’ He smiled at her. ‘Julie, I owe you an apology, I guess I blew it with you. Came on too strong. I didn’t read you correctly. I can be a bit of a bull at a gate. But I hope we can be friends.’

A great feeling of relief, and warmth, rushed through her. ‘Of course we can. We are friends. And my mother adores you.’

‘I think my stocks went up a bit after this,’ he said as Caroline came out bearing a bottle of champagne and glasses.

‘You were brilliant. Well done, David. I wish I had a photo of Fred Louden’s face when he saw his home up on the board!’ said Caroline. ‘Here’s to you, David.’