Friends Like These
Page 38
‘What I will tell him of how his father died.’
‘I think of that myself,’ said Augusta. ‘When he starts at school next year, the children will all have their opinions and I’m afraid they’ll be quick to inform him.’
Everyone in Sydney had their opinions on Henry Donnithorne’s death. His leap from The Gap, the size of the debts he had accumulated, the fortune he had lost in property speculation had all been chronicled at length in the Sydney Morning Herald.
‘Perhaps I’ll say that his father was up there in contemplation, lost his footing and fell. That could have happened, couldn’t it?’ Eunice stood to pace the freshly painted white floorboards of the balcony.
‘It could have.’
‘Or will I tell him the truth? That he thought so little of us all that he jumped and left us behind?’ And here Eunice buried her face in her hands and gave way to deep sobs.
Augusta was instantly on her feet to take her sister in her arms. ‘You’ll tell Albert he was a good father, that’s what you’ll say. That he loved all his children, very much. That he adored their mother so much he sailed around the world to find her. That he...he just overreached himself and became confused and thought there was no way back.’
Eunice laid her head on her sister’s shoulder and Augusta reached to smooth her chestnut curls.
‘He was good,’ said Eunice. ‘But at what point he decided that to be rich would be better, I don’t know. We only needed one house to live in, after all. Not ten, and not a hundred men to build them for other families that still have husbands and fathers.’
Eunice had made this speech countless times and Augusta knew she would have to make it many times more before her grief was assuaged.
Eunice untangled herself from Augusta’s embrace and paced once more, her long skirts rustling. ‘He could have repaid the debt. If only he’d spoken to me and then I could have spoken to you and we could have sent for mother’s money...’
‘He was a proud man. I don’t think he would have allowed women to save him. Do you? You weren’t to know, my love. How many wives do know the truth of their husband’s business arrangements? Even in these times?’
Eunice stood at the sturdy railings and spoke her words out across the bare front yard. ‘I wasn’t a greedy, vain thing, Augusta. Not like some of the fine women I saw at the college. The ones that pursued me and saw me off.’
‘I know, dearest, I know.’
‘I’d give this house, every stick of it, to have him back. It was only money,’ Eunice gasped. ‘Truly. It was only money. Who would kill themselves for that?’ She leaned over the railing and stared at the ground below and the green stubs of seedlings she had planted now that the summer heat had faded.
‘He was not the first and he won’t be the last in this town,’ Augusta replied ruefully. ‘I see it every day. Men feverish and cruel and careless in their pursuit of riches.’
Eunice turned back to her. ‘You’re lucky men hold no interest for you,’ she said.
‘Or them for me, thankfully,’ Augusta smiled. ‘So that means I’ll always be here for you and the children. You are my first dear love in this world and then them after you.’
‘You’ve given me so much. I’ll never be able to repay you, ever, for your steadfastness.’
‘You already have, a thousand times over. Coming here and being with you and the children is my greatest joy in life.’
‘One day I’ll be able to take them to see you in Etheldreda. One day, when they’ve all forgotten,’ Eunice whispered.
‘Come and sit.’ Augusta steered her sister back to her chair.
‘I wonder if children in the playground will taunt Albert about the circumstances of his birth as well,’ said Eunice.
‘Perhaps not,’ Augusta reassured her. ‘Don’t think this is unkind of me to say, but it’s not the sort of thing spoken about in front of children, and if a child were to overhear, they’d most likely not understand.’
‘Henry and I have given him such a burden to bear,’ said Eunice with a sad sigh.
‘Don’t ever think that!’ Augusta declared. ‘He’ll grow up with you for a mother and in this fine house. He’ll go on to do great things, you’ll see. Perhaps God meant for us to be here, the way we are now.’
‘I can’t think why.’
‘See that sunset?’ Augusta pointed. By now the edges of the clouds were deepening to a brooding purple. ‘He’s given you the ability to see it and render it in a way few women can. So you’ll sit on the terrace and paint. And through that and the love of your children and the happiness they’ll bring you, peace will settle in your heart. Time will heal all, you’ll see.’
Augusta poured lemon cordial from the jug and offered her sister a glass. Eunice sipped from it, sat quietly and watched as the last of the reflections on the water disappeared and the harbour turned to black.
‘Do you think anyone will remember me?’ asked Eunice.
‘I’m sure of it,’ her sister said.
Acknowledgements
Praise be to the good folks at Allen & Unwin for their faith in this book: Annette Barlow, Catherine Milne, Siobhán Cantrill, Andy Palmer and Ali Lavau.
Humble thanks to my dear friend and mentor at A&U, Richard Walsh, for his steadfastness, Latin translations and reviving fish lunches when I had lost my way. His patience was mightily tested at times and his support, as ever, unwavering.
To my soulmate, Father Michael Kelly SJ, thank you for our many uplifting conversations and your wonderful generosity.
I am in Meredith Jaffe’s debt for her dutiful reading and clever, insightful comments. I thank the bright and brilliant Sue Ingleton for sharing her experiences as a civil celebrant.
Also, many thanks to all at HLA, my home now for some twenty-five years, and to Hilary Linstead, who always believes in me.
And then there’s my family—husband Brendan, children Marley and Maeve—who have always supported and sustained me in my new-found career as an author. If there is warmth and heart in these pages, it comes from them. They bring me such joy. I am eternally grateful for their love.
To all my cherished friends and family...I love you very much.
Table of Contents
Cover
Praise
Title page
Imprint
Dedication
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-one
Chapter Thirty-two
Chapter Thirty-three
Chapter Thirty-four
Chapter Thirty-five
Chapter Thirty-six
Chapter Thirty-seven
Chapter Thirty-eight
Chapter Thirty-nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-one
Chapter Forty-two
Chapter Forty-three
Chapter Forty-four
Epilogue
Acknowledgements