The Plantation (58 page)

‘When this happened, was Bette married to Tony Tsang?’ asked Julie.

‘Yes, now that you mention it, I think she could have been, or the same year at any rate. Margaret told me that her sister had gone to Penang and had been seen with Tony. Roland and I thought that was wonderful, as Tony was a friend of ours, but Margaret didn’t approve.’

‘And was Philip there?’ asked Julie.

‘No, he’d gone to boarding school by that stage. He was a fine boy. I heard that when he finished school and university, he came back and worked with his father on the plantation. After Roland died I didn’t hear much about Utopia, but I did learn, via the grapevine, that Philip and his wife were killed in a car accident. That upset me, I can tell you.’

‘Philip’s sons Shane and Peter are running the plantation now. They are certainly committed to making it a modern operation. They’re doing a great job. But Bill, we are dying to find out why Gran brought Mum back to Australia,’ said Julie.

‘As I said before, I know what happened but I don’t suppose anyone else ever knew the story. Maybe it’s time, Caroline, for you and your family to know the truth.’

Utopia, 1950

Margaret was clearly pleased at the welcome distraction of Bill Dickson’s visit. ‘Bill, I’m delighted to see you. It’s always so dull around here these days – a friendly face is a cheery sight. I know that you and Roland want to spend time reminiscing about the war and your adventures, so I’ll leave you two here on the verandah with your whisky and water so that you can talk.’

Later that evening, while Roland was dressing for dinner, Margaret joined Bill and asked him his views on the present Emergency.

‘Roland doesn’t like to discuss it with me. But what are these communists doing? The war is over, the country should be grateful that the British are back in control. These Chinese are troublemakers,’ said Margaret. ‘All these murders, arson attacks and strikes. You know we were all nearly killed on the Fraser’s Hill road, don’t you?’

‘Roland told me about that. You lost your driver, didn’t you? The experience must have been very frightening.’

‘I never thought we’d see the day when people would try to push the British out of Malaya. What I can’t stand is the disloyalty from some of our workers, after all we’ve done for them,’ said Margaret. ‘Several of our staff have disappeared and haven’t come back. It’s shocking that there are still communists in this area. I worry about our safety.’

‘I wouldn’t worry. Utopia seems to be quite safe,’ Bill said soothingly.

‘And,’ continued Margaret, ‘that Ah Kit is one of those communists. He was our houseboy. I think I’ve seen him around the district, but Roland won’t talk about him.’

Bill seemed quite interested in Margaret’s claims. ‘You saw Ah Kit? Whereabouts?’

Margaret smiled at Bill. At last someone wanted to listen to something she had to say. ‘I was driving back from Slim River a couple of weeks ago. We have a new driver, of course, although he’s not as good as Hamid, and there was a young Malay police constable in the front seat with him. He’s been assigned to protect us. We passed a rice field where there were several farmers in large straw hats talking to a man with a bicycle. I know that the car was speeding past, but I’m sure that the man with the bicycle was Ah Kit. It shocked me.’

‘Are you sure that it was Ah Kit? You couldn’t have been mistaken?’

‘No, Bill, I’m convinced that it was Ah Kit!’ she exclaimed. ‘The new driver told me that he’s often around, talking to the villagers, asking them questions, helping them. Bill, those communists killed Hamid and they nearly killed me and my children. They’re getting very brazen,’ said Margaret.

Bill was shocked by how angry Margaret was about the communists, but he supposed that under the circumstances it was understandable. At least Philip was safe in England. Both Margaret and Roland had told him how happy Philip was at school, enjoying the company of other boys his own age, although Margaret said that she missed him.

‘I do wish he could come home for holidays, but Roland says that it’s too dangerous at present. He thinks that Philip is better off in the UK. I expect that he’s right. He visits Roland’s mother, or stays in Scotland with some people that he knew in the POW camp.’

‘Have you thought of going away for a while?’ suggested Bill. ‘You could take Caroline to your parents, and you would probably feel more relaxed in Australia.’

‘Roland made the same suggestion,’ said Margaret non-committally.

‘So you’re happy here?’ asked Bill.

Margaret paused and looked away. ‘Sometimes I miss my home in Australia. Nothing here has been the same since the war. Many of my friends have gone and we can’t get about very much. I wonder how much longer this guerilla war will go on for. No one seems to be winning.’

‘How do you occupy yourself?’ asked Bill, thinking Margaret sounded lonely.

‘I spend a lot of time supervising the gardeners.’

‘I noticed. The grounds are looking very spectacular,’ said Bill.

‘I wish I could travel around more, but it’s not safe, although I always travel with a policeman. I meet my friends in Ipoh every few weeks, and Slim River isn’t too far away. In fact I’m going there tomorrow to do some shopping.’

‘Perhaps you and Roland could take a trip when things settle down,’ said Bill comfortingly, though he doubted that would be any time soon. He felt sorry for Margaret, the current situation had made things difficult for everyone, but especially for people on isolated plantations.

When Margaret returned from her outing to Slim River the next day, her cheeks were pink, and she seemed quite buoyed, almost agitated. She came straight out to the verandah where Roland and Bill were settled, and called Ho to bring her a drink. Almost as an afterthought she asked, ‘May I join you?’

Roland and Bill jumped to their feet as she collapsed into a rattan chair.

‘You look somewhat frazzled, dear. A big day?’ asked Roland solicitously.

Margaret opened the sandalwood fan she always carried and fanned her flushed face. ‘It’s been quite a day of excitement for a small town,’ she began. Ho placed her gin and tonic beside her and Margaret took a sip before continuing. ‘I met Anne Farquar in Slim River, and she brought along another friend, Shirley Fielding, who is staying with her. Shirley was still quite shaken up. Her husband manages an estate in the north and it was set alight a week ago. The communists, of course.’

‘I’ve met Thomas Fielding,’ said Bill.

Margaret ignored the interruption and continued her story. ‘We had a pleasant time in the little shops and the bazaar, then Anne Farquar insisted on going to those smelly markets. Anyway, after that, we went for a nice lunch at that Tip Top Tea House.’ She took a sip of her drink as the men waited politely for her to continue. ‘My driver and the Malay policeman were right outside, waiting for us, thank goodness.’

‘Why was that?’asked Roland.

‘I’ll tell you,’ continued Margaret. ‘I said goodbye to the other women, then I decided to pop into that small general store next to the tea house for some items, and when I came out, there was a man looking at something at the front of the shop. I had to squeeze past him, you know how cluttered those little places are, and then he turned around, so we came face to face. Do you know who it was?’ She looked at them in horror. ‘It was Ah Kit. When he saw me, he was as shocked as I was. He turned away without a word. But it was too late. I’d seen him. So I shouted to the Malay policeman, “Quick, quick, that man’s a communist!”’

‘And what happened then?’ said Roland curtly.

‘I told the policeman to arrest Ah Kit.’

Roland leapt to his feet. ‘Margaret, what have you done? Where is Ah Kit?’ he demanded.

‘Goodness, Roland, there’s no need to get upset. The man is a communist. You told me so yourself. Anyway they took him to the police station in Slim River for questioning.’

Bill and Roland exchanged a look.

Margaret stared, wide-eyed, at her husband. It seemed that neither Roland nor Bill were sharing in her triumph. ‘Really, Roland, I know that you fought with him in the war but he was a Chinese houseboy! Is he more important than your family, your friends, your country?’

‘I’ll go and telephone the station,’ said Roland, hurrying from the room.

‘Whatever for? Why on earth do you care so much about Ah Kit?’

‘Margaret, it’s not just that Ah Kit fought with us in the jungle, but he
saved your husband’s life
!’ said Bill. ‘Mine too, if it comes to that. Neither of us would be here, sitting on the verandah, if it had not been for Ah Kit.’

‘But he turned against us once the Japanese were defeated,’ said Margaret. ‘I have no sympathy for him, or any communist.’

‘That’s unfortunate,’ said Bill tersely. ‘Because not only did Ah Kit save our lives but I believe the reason there have been no communist attacks on Utopia is because Ah Kit has prevented them out of respect for Roland. Ah Kit has made this place safe for all of you.’

Margaret shrugged. ‘I don’t believe that. And even if it’s true, it’s the least he could do, after all Roland has done for him.’

‘Margaret, Ah Kit could be in a lot of trouble.’

Bill turned as Roland walked back out to the verandah. Roland’s face was set and his eyes were cold.

He spoke to Bill. ‘They got him.’

‘You mean they arrested him?’

‘No, shot him.’

‘Shot him? How bad?’ asked Bill.

Then Roland looked at Margaret and said quietly, ‘He’s dead.’

‘Oh, bloody hell,’ said Bill.

‘He was shot trying to escape. That’s what I was told.’ Roland’s voice was filled with anger.

‘So they say,’ said Bill.

Margaret jumped up. ‘Well, that’s not my fault! He was trying to run away. He’s guilty!’

Bill and Roland ignored her.

‘What do you want to do?’ asked Bill.

Roland rubbed his eyes. ‘There’s little we can do for him now. I’d like to help his family, if I can. Margaret, how could you have done this? You know what Ah Kit and I went through during the war!’

Margaret looked at Roland and, without a word, turned and left the verandah.

‘Roland, you can’t entirely blame Margaret,’ said Bill. ‘The war and then the communist insurgency, especially after the incident on the Fraser’s Hill road, have made life here very difficult for her.’

‘Bill, you’re a good friend, but what you say doesn’t entirely wash with me. Ah Kit was not responsible for what happened on Fraser’s Hill. First her sister and now Ah Kit. Margaret only seems to care about the way people and events affect her personally. She isn’t concerned about anyone but herself,’ said Roland bitterly. ‘I have to speak to her, please excuse me.’ He strode from the room.

Bill sat on the verandah with his whisky. He could clearly hear the raised voices.

‘What do you mean – you can’t forgive me? You should thank me!’ snapped Margaret. ‘One less communist to worry about, who won’t set fire to our place, or kill our children. Really, Roland, it’s your attitude that I find shocking.’

‘And I yours! You are wrapped up in yourself. Everything revolves around you, Margaret. I know it’s difficult at present but I have tried my best to provide for you, make you happy, indulge your wishes, but it never seems to be enough.’

‘Roland, I think you spend more energy and time worrying about those damn trees than me! The war was hard on me too, yet you make such a fuss about Bette. I bet you encouraged her to go off with that wealthy Tony Tsang, just to annoy me!’ Margaret’s voice was rising.

‘You’re being hysterical, and that’s ridiculous. I have no control over Bette’s decisions. Anyway you should be grateful to Bette for looking after Philip in that POW camp, but you want to turn her heroic actions into some sort of fight for Philip’s affection. It’s as though you can’t forgive your sister for saving our son’s life.’

There was silence for a moment, then Margaret’s voice was filled with fury. ‘I will not stay under the same roof as you any longer, Roland. I think it would be best if I returned to Australia and leave you to your precious plantation! I’ll take Caroline with me because I don’t want her to be endangered by your communist friends any longer.’

There was another silence and then Roland spoke in a resigned voice. ‘They are not my friends, but perhaps that is a good idea given the precariousness of our security here, now that Ah Kit is gone. It won’t surprise people that you are returning to the safety of your family in Australia.’

‘That’s not the reason I’m leaving,’ said Margaret in a dull tone.

‘I know.’

Roland walked slowly back to the verandah where Bill was still sitting. ‘You heard, I suppose,’ he said as he slumped into his chair.

Bill nodded. ‘Might be the best solution, for the time being.’

‘No. She won’t be back. Nor will I chase after her. Utopia hasn’t been the right place for her since she came back in forty-six.’

‘You’ll be all right, old man,’ said Bill awkwardly.

The morning Margaret and Caroline left the plantation, it was not yet fiercely hot, but the sky was clear and blue, a soft wind rustling through the garden, shaking frangipani and bougainvillea flowers to the ground. Later, the gardener would sweep them into piles with his twig broom and scoop them into a large bamboo basket. Margaret always liked the gravel driveway to be hosed clean, and the earth in the garden beds and the dusty road to the gate to be raked and smoothed, marked with straight lines by the sticks of the broom, and with no leaf or petal despoiling the lawns. The perfect garden would go on, even without her.