Silver Clouds Read online

  The grave of Tom, Tessa’s grandfather, was next to William’s, and buried beside him was his wife, Lucy. A white steel railing bordered their final resting place.

  With her eyes hidden behind her Gucci sunglasses, Tessa turned to the crowd. Some faces she recognised; others were new to her. Who was that lady sniffing into her pansy-covered hanky? Oh, she knew the face, but the name deserted her. Mrs . . . Mrs Hunter. Paula Hunter! That’s right. They had a station five hundred kilometres to the north, on the other side of the trans line, where the Indian Pacific ran. Spider had never liked the woman; her aunt couldn’t tolerate gossip and badmouthing and from the vague recollections Tessa had, she seemed to remember Mrs Hunter did both every time she took a breath.

  Tessa realised the people there were mostly older – Spider’s friends or neighbours. Elsie was standing next to an elderly man who was leaning on a stick. The old woman stared stoically at the coffin but Tessa thought she could see traces of tears on her cheeks.

  She judged the crowd at about sixty – not a bad turn-out for someone who was ninety-three. Spider had often joked that she wouldn’t have anyone at her funeral because she’d outlive them all.

  Tessa continued to look from face to face. Her eyes slid past an old man, who looked uncomfortable in a shirt and tie. She stopped and went back to him. It was Joe, the old horse breaker. He’d taught her to ride, a million years ago. Of course he’d be here. He was a fixture of the Nullarbor and everyone, child and adult alike, loved him.

  He caught her eye and gave a small smile and a nod. Let’s catch up later, it said.

  Tessa’s eyes were drawn unwillingly towards the grave as the men stood back. She didn’t want to look, but she couldn’t seem to tear her gaze away. She looked, down, down, down, past the different layers of dirt, until she stopped at the coffin. There it was. And this was Tessa’s final goodbye.

  Allan moved forward to make the sign of the cross. ‘Rest in peace, our dear Violet.’ Pause. ‘You are all invited to share a luncheon with the Mathison family back at the homestead.’

  The crowd began to disperse. Some people came to the grave and threw in small posies of wild flowers.

  Joe took off his hat and held it over his heart as he dropped in a few small sprigs of native bush.Soon salt bush, blue bush and bright blue and yellow everlastings covered the coffin. Tessa watched, angry with herself. Why hadn’t she thought to do that? She knew how much her aunt loved the flowers of the Nullarbor. Was she really so self-absorbed?

  Tessa felt a hand on her arm. Harrison and Cally were at her side. Cally’s eyes were red from crying and she stood silent and pale next to her father.

  ‘Do you want a ride back to the house?’ Harrison’s tone was still cool, she noticed. It was a reminder of her behaviour the previous day and pricked her conscience.

  ‘Where’re Mum and Dad? What happens now? Shouldn’t the grave be filled in?’ Tessa’s questions tumbled out as she glanced around realising they were nearly the last ones left.

  ‘She’s gone to get the food ready. She knew you weren’t ready to come and asked if we’d bring you. As for the grave, we’ll come back after everyone has gone.’

  ‘Oh.’

  ‘Tessa! How lovely to see you. I knew you wouldn’t miss saying goodbye to your dear old aunt.’ Mrs Hunter bustled up and gave her a hug. She was dressed all in black but for a bright pink ribbon tied around her straw hat. For a moment Tessa was smothered in the smell of lilac. Hell.

  She tried to cough discreetly, but all she wanted to do was push the woman away and scream and scream and scream. Her heart suddenly began to beat very fast and Mrs Hunter’s flabby face swam in front of her eyes.

  ‘Ah.’ She put her hand out as if to ward off the impending faintness.

  ‘You okay?’ Harrison asked, moving to her.

  ‘Um, no.’

  She felt him take her arm and Cally move to the other side. ‘Excuse us, Paula. Tessa has had a long trip. I’ll get her back to the homestead.’

  ‘Well, she’s certainly lucky to have you helping her,’ sniffed Mrs Hunter, her tone envious. ‘You’re probably exhausted from all that travelling, dear, and it’s a sad day. See you all at the house.’ She patted Tessa’s arm and turned to leave.

  Once in the car, Tessa cleared her throat. ‘Um, thank you. I’m not sure what came over me.’

  ‘You’re probably a bit tired and emotional.’ His tone was short and clipped.

  ‘If I remember correctly, that should give the gossips something to talk about.’ She leaned her head against the side of the car and breathed deeply. ‘I’m fine. I’m fine.’

  ‘If I didn’t know better, I’d have thought you were trying to get away from Mrs Hunter,’ said Harrison to which Cally giggled. ‘Still, you’ve just confirmed everything I already thought about city slickers. They’re soft.’

  His blue eyes were icy and Tessa realised he was still mad with her for being a prize bitch on Wednesday. And she deserved it really. She had been dreadful.

  ‘Tessa, we’re really pleased you’re back,’ said Cally, smiling at Tessa.

  ‘Cally, I must say, it is nice to see you.’ Tessa inclined her head towards the girl and didn’t say another word for the rest of the short trip.

  When the trio arrived back at the house there were people swarming all over the lawn. Chairs had been set up underneath the tall gum trees and on the verandah. Marni was caring for the chair-bound elderly, taking orders for tea and coffee. As Tessa went into the kitchen, her mother handed her a plate. ‘Here, offer this banana cake around could you? Then come back and grab this tray of teas. Cally, you take the sandwiches.’

  Tessa took the offered plate of cake and set off down the long hallway, only to find Elsie there, waiting for her.

  ‘Why didn’t you tell me who you were on the plane?’ the old woman asked.

  ‘I don’t know.’

  ‘Well, dearie, you and I need to have a chat. I know so much about you from Violet and I can’t leave here without spending some time with you.’

  ‘If you know so much about me,’ Tessa blurted, ‘how come you didn’t realise it was me on the plane?’

  Elsie looked at her sternly. ‘Love, I knew exactly who you were. How could I not? Coming home from London for your great-aunt’s funeral? How many great-aunt funerals would there be on the Nullarbor?’ She shook her head as she spoke. ‘Like I said, we need to have a chat and I’ll explain everything.’ Elsie gripped Tessa’s arm and stared intently into her face. Tessa saw a flicker of disappointment. Then Elsie said: ‘Well, you don’t look anything like her. But then again, you wouldn’t, would you? Go on. Do your duty here, but I won’t be leaving until we talk.’

  Chapter 8

  From under a tree Harrison looked on, Cally at his side. His gaze landed on Peggy, who had her eyes shut and was rubbing at her temples, as if trying to chase away a threatening headache.

  ‘Cally, go see what you can do to help Peggy. Looks like she’s just about had it.’ He gave his daughter a gentle push and she ran to do his bidding.

  He watched as Peggy handed Cally another plate of sandwiches to offer around.

  Poor Peggy! There were so many people still left, the wake didn’t look to be ending any time soon. Seeing an empty tray, he picked it up and went to collect a few dirty cups and glasses.

  As he carried them inside, Peggy’s friend, Diane was following close behind.

  She opened her arms to Peggy, who was back in the kitchen, washing up. ‘Tired?’

  ‘Too bloody right,’ Peggy answered.

  She emptied the sink and wiped her hands on a tea towel. ‘Harrison, get us all a beer, will you?’

  He reached into the fridge, pulled out two beers and offered one to Diane and the other to Peggy.

  ‘Don’t fancy one?’ Peggy inquired.

  Harrison shook his head. ‘Not at the moment.’ It was such a hot day, and he was pacing himself.

  Peggy took a sip. ‘Is Tessa okay, Harrison? Paula said s
he had a bit of a turn at the grave.’

  ‘She’s fine. It was a bit emotional for her.’ He turned to look for Tessa through the window. There she was, helping herself to another wine. It was her fourth that he knew of.

  ‘She looks really tired. Just like you.’ Diane nudged Peggy’s shoulder.

  ‘I guess you would be too if you’d travelled halfway around the world. And you know how much she thought of Spider.’

  They all watched Tessa take a long drink from her glass.

  ‘She’s like her father and anyone else around here,’ Peggy observed. ‘Loves a drop or two to drink.’

  ‘Right. I’ll leave you to it,’ Harrison said and backed out of the kitchen. He got the impression the two women wanted a chat.

  Outside he talked to a few of the older people. He saw Cally, now sitting in the swing, talking to one of her School of the Air friends.

  Paul was in a group, but it seemed to Harrison everyone except Paul was talking. Violet’s death had hit his friend hard.

  Marni was hovering over everyone, waiting to see an empty cup and offering to refill it. She rarely smiled, but was polite to everyone.

  Old Joe, a man who had been breaking horses on the Nullarbor for nearly fifty years, sat by himself in a chair underneath a tree away from the crowd. Harrison started to go to him, but Tessa beat him to it. A rare, genuine smile lit her features as she sat down next to the old bloke and patted his hand. Joe seemed to get a new spark, too.

  But Tessa didn’t stay long. A quick chat, a peck on the cheek and she was on her way back to the Esky.

  A man in a dull green shirt, loose black tie and moleskins strode passed. When his eyes settled on Tessa he made a beeline towards her.

  Harrison’s face set hard. Bloody Brendan McKenzie! If Tessa was the sort of girl she seemed to be, with her makeup thick as it could stick, that short black dress and swaying hips, she’d be giggling and flirting in no time. No extra thoughts for Spider.

  He watched as Brendan McKenzie smiled down at Tessa and held out his hand.

  Tessa smiled back and took it.

  At that moment he heard a voice at his shoulder. Old Joe.

  ‘You’d reckon Paul would run him off the place wouldn’t you?’ Joe said slowly.

  ‘He’s not one to make a scene,’ Harrison answered.

  ‘I’ve never understood why some fellas just have to be a pain in the arse,’ Joe commented thoughtfully. ‘And he’s one of them.’

  ‘He definitely appears to be that.’

  Tessa was now holding a fresh glass of wine and in deep conversation with Brendan.

  ‘Someone should warn that girl that his reputation with the ladies precedes him,’ Joe said. His eyes stared ahead, but his meaning was clear. Harrison should.

  ‘She’s able to make her own decisions, Joe.’

  Brendan’s family had bought into the area four years before. In that time Ray, his father, had earned a reputation for being an alcoholic and a rogue. Brendan seemed okay even though he was widely known as a ladies’ man. The girls thought him charming and devilish, but no one wanted their daughters near him in case his father’s traits turned out to be his own.

  Harrison noticed Pastor Allan going to Peggy, who had come outside to stand next to Paul. When Allan said he was leaving, it was the sign for others to start the exodus. Couple by couple and family by family, people said their goodbyes. There was the drone of planes overhead and dust in the drive. Within an hour most of the mourners were gone.

  Peggy flopped in a chair and Harrison handed her a beer and passed another to Paul.

  ‘Where’s Tessa?’ asked Peggy, looking around.

  Harrison scanned the area, a feeling of unease spreading across him. Was she really so brazen? ‘Not sure,’ he answered.

  Ryan flopped down in another chair. ‘Saw her talking to McKenzie, earlier.’

  Peggy’s head snapped around. ‘What?’

  Ryan shrugged.

  Paul patted her knee affectionately. ‘Relax, love. Drink your beer. She’s probably flaked out somewhere. It’s been a big day for us all.’

  An elderly lady appeared. ‘Excuse me, dear. I’m Elsie, a friend of Violet’s. And this is Frank, an old friend of mine.’

  Peggy jumped to her feet and put out her hand. ‘Hello. We’re Paul and Peggy. I was going to come and talk to you, but I didn’t seem to quite get there. Thanks for coming. It must have been a long drive. Where have you come from?’

  While Peggy talked, Harrison offered Elsie his chair, then grabbed another two from close by.

  Elsie made herself comfortable and the man sat down in the chair beside her.

  ‘Only from Balladonia, today. We left Kalgoorlie yesterday. That was the big drive.’

  ‘Would you like to stay here tonight?’ Peggy offered.

  ‘Thank you, dear, but we’ll be fine. We both know this country very well, from a long time ago.’

  ‘Really? Did you meet Violet out here?’

  ‘I stayed out here quite a bit in the forties. There were a few early birds out here, before the land really started to open up in the sixties. My father worked with your grandfather, Paul.’

  ‘Is that right? Well, I never! I bet you could tell us some stories. I can’t believe we haven’t heard about you, Elsie. I feel very rude.’ Paul looked incredulous.

  ‘Don’t feel like that.’ Elsie brushed aside Paul’s apology. ‘But I’ve always kept in touch with Violet. She was such a good friend.’ Her eyes misted over for a moment and Frank placed his wrinkled, sun-spotted hand on her shoulder. Then she brightened as she continued. ‘I really wanted to see Tessa before I left. I have something for her. Do you know where she’s gone?’

  Everyone looked around. Tessa was nowhere to be seen. Harrison shifted in his seat uneasily.

  ‘I’ll go and find her,’ Peggy said, getting up from her chair.

  ‘No, Peggy, I’ll go,’ Harrison said firmly and left the group quickly. He didn’t want Peggy stumbling upon something she didn’t need to see.

  He walked into the house and called out, but there was no answer. He scouted around the chook shed then headed over to the shearing shed and stuck his head inside. He heard Tessa laugh and say, ‘So, where is your station, Brendan?’

  ‘To the north of here. Another drink?’

  ‘That would be very nice.’

  Harrison heard the glug of wine being poured and tossed up whether to go inside or not. The decision was made for him, when Brendan said, ‘So, Miss Mathison, are you staying around Danjar Plains for long. I’d like to get to know you a bit better.’

  ‘If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were flirting with me, Mr McKenzie,’ Tessa said coyly.

  ‘What gives you that idea? Now come and sit next to me.’

  For a moment all went silent. Disgusted, he turned and left. Brendan had certainly worked his charm very quickly. And Tessa had responded the way he thought she would.

  Back in the garden he summoned a smile. ‘I’m really sorry, Elsie, but I can’t find Tessa. I suspect she may have slipped off to the shearers’ quarters for a sleep. She’s still a bit jetlagged, I reckon.’

  Elsie looked disappointed. ‘Ah well, not to worry.’ Pulling a large white envelope out of her bag, she turned to Peggy. ‘I wonder if you could give her this? Before Tessa opens it, though, she and I need to have a conversation.’ Elsie winked.

  Paul and Peggy exchanged glances. ‘That sounds a bit mysterious,’ Peggy said.

  ‘It probably does, but that’s the way Violet wanted it done.’

  ‘Well, we can’t argue with her, never could,’ Paul said.

  ‘Not a chance in hell,’ Elsie agreed.

  Peggy smiled. ‘Look, are you sure you don’t want to stay? I can easily make up beds. I’m sure Tessa won’t be too far away.’

  ‘No, dear, we need to go before there’s any chance of driving into the sun. Getting old doesn’t have many benefits.’ Elsie pointed to the envelope. ‘My details are on the
back.’

  Peggy, Paul, Ryan and Harrison followed Elsie and Frank out to their car to wish them a safe journey. When the car was nothing but a speck in the distance, Harrison turned to Paul.

  ‘Tessa’s with Brendan McKenzie.’

  Chapter 9

  ‘Mum? I don’t think the internet connection is working.’

  It was three days after the funeral. Tessa had been back home for nearly a week but it was the first time she’d been brave enough to go online. She was hoping above all hope the photos had disappeared and that would be the end of the horrible saga. Realistically, she knew that wouldn’t have happened.

  ‘Why’s that, petal?’ Peggy answered from the kitchen.

  ‘I can’t get it to open my emails. Oh wait, it’s trying. I can’t believe how long it takes.’ Tessa swung around in the chair as she heard her mother walk into the office.

  ‘Tessa, you’ve forgotten,’ Peggy said gently. ‘If we didn’t have satellite, we wouldn’t have anything.’

  ‘I don’t know how you bear it,’ said Tessa jiggling her knee up and down impatiently.

  ‘No point in getting all uptight. It’s just the way it is and we can’t change it. Bit like the weather, really. So just sit and enjoy the wait. It’s called relaxing. See? There you go.’

  ‘It’s just as annoying as the TV,’ Tessa said. ‘I can’t believe how different things are here.’

  ‘I’m not sure London has done you much good if you get all wound up over a slow internet connection and some bad TV. You might need to remember what really matters, my girl.’ Peggy turned and left the room.

  Tessa opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. She’d spotted two emails, one from Darcy and one from Jaz.

  She clicked on Jaz’s and waited what seemed like a lifetime for it to open.

  Dear Tessa,

  I’ve tried, babe. I really have. I can’t find how they’ve been posted or who posted them. The photos are really quite funny if you look at them while you’re drunk. Unfortunately, not so hilarious when you’re sober. I’ve attached all that I can find, but I’d better warn you, your name is pretty much mud over here. Well, maybe not mud, but everyone at Marketing Matters is very disappointed with you. Apparently they’re finding mistakes in your work too. And worse – one of your accounts has been hijacked by . . . yep, you guessed, John Smith and his team. They must have accessed your phone or emails or something while you were out to it.