Secrets and Lies

by Janet Woods

  She typed in the keys that operated the Morse signal. Pepperpot Creek. Nurse Prichard here. Over. She must remember to change her name back to Nurse James when she left here.

  It was the agency. I’ve got someone here who wants to speak to you, Nurse.

  She hoped it wasn’t Wally. Go ahead.

  Minnie . . . it’s me, it’s Esmé. Are you all right?

  I thought you went back to England.

  I did . . . then I came back . . . alone. I was worried about you.

  A warm feeling, like a smile lit up inside her. So, Esmé hadn’t married Liam after all. And Esmé had come all this way to check up on her. Minnie wondered what had gone wrong between them, and suspected it was her fault, since she’d made a mess of just about everything. We’ll have a good chat when we see each other. How long are you here for? I can’t take time off to come to Melbourne, but you could get a lift to Pepperpot Creek. Ask the agency to find someone coming this way. I think the supplies are due to be renewed.

  The agency man took over. I’ll send the little lady up the day after tomorrow. Any problems?

  Not if she didn’t count Wally’s deceit. Everything’s fine. The chicken pox outbreak seems to be over, and the Stephens’ baby is due this week. Can you look after my friend, tonight?

  Miss Carr can stay with my family tonight. Over and out.

  Esmé arrived towards the end of the afternoon consultations. ‘Help stack the delivery away, Es. The drugs go into the locked cabinet . . . the key is in the drawer.’

  She examined Connie Stephens. The mound of her stomach was striated where the skin had stretched. Her baby’s head was well down in the pelvis and its heart was beating strongly. ‘The baby’s as snug as a cork in a bottle,’ she told Connie, ‘but your blood pressure is up a bit. What have you been up to?’

  A small movement pushed against Minnie’s palm. It could be the infant stretching, or settling in . . . or . . .? She smiled down at her patient. ‘Are you having any contractions, by any chance?’

  The woman shook her head. ‘I don’t think so.’

  ‘Have you had a show?’

  ‘What’s that?’

  ‘It’s trace of blood and mucus in your drawers.’

  The woman shrugged. ‘There was something a couple of days ago. It wasn’t much. I keep peeing, that’s all. It’s a nuisance. I’m wearing a path to the outhouse, running back and forth.’

  Minnie hid her grin. ‘I hope you won’t mind if I call my friend in to examine you. She’s a midwife, too.’

  ‘All right, but I’ll be happy to get out of this position. My back hurts like crazy. I think I must have bent the wrong way this morning because the pain in my back keeps coming and going.’

  Minnie exchanged a grin with Esmé after the examination. ‘Well?’

  ‘She’s your mother. You tell her.’

  Minnie beamed a smile at Connie. ‘I’d say that you’re well and truly in labour, and have been all day, Connie, and just when my friend is paying a visit. It looks as though you’ll have two midwives helping with the birth now. I’ll do an internal to see how far you’ve dilated. I’ll just give my hands a scrub.’

  The examination didn’t take long. ‘It will be a few hours yet. We’d best get you home to rest before the birth.’

  ‘My Pete’s waiting for me outside. Can you help me off the couch, please? I feel like a stranded turtle.’

  ‘We’ll drop in on you in an hour or so and see how you’re going.’

  They ate in the small canteen, along with the miners, filling themselves with a hearty stew with dumplings. Bets were being taken on whether the baby would be a boy or a girl, proceeds to go to the mission.

  Minnie had bet on a girl . . . so Esmé put her sixpence on a boy.

  They were called at ten by the child’s father banging on the door. ‘Connie said to come now.’

  They’d often delivered babies together, previously. It had been when they were training . . . but that had also been in a hospital with a safety net of experienced medical help at hand.

  ‘Fingers crossed,’ Minnie whispered. ‘It’s been ages since we did this.’

  ‘It’s your baby. I’m just doing the dirty work. Remember what Matron told us?’ She assumed the tone of voice the women had used. ‘Always appear confident, nurses. The mother will be relying on you for guidance.’

  The baby came easily, slipping from the mother with little fuss. He was a strong lad, his cry lusty, and loud enough to momentarily silence the crows that squabbled in the gum trees outside the bedroom window.

  Minnie tidied up the mother while Esmé, who was seeing to the needs of the infant, called out, ‘Heavens, what a whopper. He weighs nine pounds and two ounces! How on earth did you manage it?’

  ‘That’s a big boy, and with no stitches needed,’ Minnie said in admiration, and with a small twinge when she remembered her own lost infant. She began to fill out the birth details to record for the certificate. ‘What are you going to call him?’

  ‘Donald, Peter.’

  ‘Nice names.’

  She remembered what the mine manager had told her about the mine closing, and wondered how Donald’s parents would look after the child when his father was out of work.

  There would be many like them.

  When Connie got her infant back, clean and tidy and wrapped in a cotton rug, she placed him at her breast. It was as though she’d handled babies a dozen times before.

  ‘She’ll be a good mother,’ Minnie said, as they made their way back to the flat, their arms around each other’s waists. ‘Shall we talk for a while. I’ve got something I need to say to you.’

  ‘I know what it is and I’ll take it as said, Min. I wish you’d asked me first though.’

  ‘Wally took your money, not me. I feel responsible because I told him where you kept it, that night when he got me drunk.’

  ‘What’s happened to Wally? Where is he?’

  ‘He’s gone back to Melbourne, and he might even have gone to sea again. The marriage was a mistake, and I lost the baby.’

  ‘I’m sorry.’

  ‘I’m not . . . well, I’m sorry about losing the baby, though perhaps it’s just as well, considering what happened. What about Liam?’

  ‘He put his career first. It was odd really. I took him down to meet my family, and he and Livia were at each other’s throats right away, while we were still at the railway station. We’d been in the same children’s home, and she recognized him, though I hadn’t.’

  ‘How strange that he didn’t tell you, when you were both in the place at the same time.’

  ‘I think he was ashamed of being in there. I can understand that. He wouldn’t go any further and wouldn’t let me sort it out. He said he didn’t want to be part of a family, and he’d been offered a job on the Aquitania. They didn’t want me because my dancing wasn’t good enough. So much for my dancing career.’ The wry smile she gave hid the gut-wrenching twist of pain she felt when she thought of Liam.

  ‘So he turned out to be a rat, as well.’

  ‘No . . . he’s not a rat. He was terribly mixed-up. I could have gone with him. He wanted it so much, and I didn’t want it enough.’

  ‘But you said he put his career first. So why didn’t you go?’

  ‘I’ve had time to think it over and it’s a bit complicated. I didn’t want to be the one who got in his way. Whether he knew it or not, he was using emotional blackmail. I’d always thought he was so sure of himself, but he wasn’t. He wanted me to lean on, to have someone to blame if he didn’t make it. I would have felt guilty if I’d tried to stop him from going after what he craved. Besides . . . I couldn’t bring myself to turn my back on my family.’

  ‘Yet, you’re here.’

  ‘Not for good. Because of our past, Livia is insecure. We all are . . . and we need each other. Liam saw that right away. The trouble is, he needs the same thing. Because he knew me in the orphanage he’d begun to think of me as his family. Livia soon put paid t
o that notion. She saw him as a threat and made it clear to him that he was an outsider. I still feel affection towards him, you know . . . at least, I think I do. It all feels like a bad dream sometimes.’

  ‘I know the feeling. You’ll get over it.’

  ‘Yes . . . I imagine I will in time. I’ll have to.’

  ‘He had a nice body. You should have gone to bed with him.’ She laughed when Esmé blushed at the thought. ‘Have you got a new dance partner?’

  ‘I’m employed as the ship’s medical officer. We’re sailing without a doctor on board this time.’

  ‘So we’re doing the same sort of job, me at a mine site and you on a liner. I wish we could work together again. It was so much fun. I don’t particularly like this sort of responsibility. I’m worried I might do something wrong and the isolation scares me.’

  ‘At least you’ve got back up?’

  ‘Yes, there’s that . . . and the new doctor has a plane so he can fly himself in if he’s needed in an emergency. I’ve only had to call him out once. He’s really something. The mining company has built an airstrip now. If only I was single,’ she said with a sigh.

  ‘You’re incorrigible, Minnie. I missed having you around, even though we were fighting like a couple of cats before we parted company.’

  The two women gazed at each other, and Esmé smiled wryly when Minnie said, ‘We both made a mess of our love lives, didn’t we?’

  ‘I don’t think I’ll bother with men again for quite a while. It hurts when things go wrong.’

  ‘Wait until you see the doctor, Es . . . he’s a sweetheart. Your heart will do a backflip.’

  ‘I’m especially resistant to doctors. I’ve been surrounded by them since I was a teenager, so you can have him.’

  ‘I don’t want him. Not only has Wally cured me of men, he’s cured me of Australian men in particular.’

  Esmé began to laugh. ‘You can’t blame all Australian men for the actions of one.’

  ‘Allow me to enjoy my woman scorned moment, I’m sure I’ll soon get over it. How long can you stay, Es?’

  ‘For a couple of days . . . but I’ll be back at intervals, as long as the ship keeps sailing to Australia and back.’

  ‘My contract is for a year at the mine site. But between you and me, with the way things are going I expect to be out of work before it runs out. We can keep in touch through the agency, though. So much for our Australian adventure – all those plans we made, and I ended up here while you ended up bobbing about on the ocean like a cork.’

  ‘But look how different it is for both of us. It’s awe inspiring here. I’ve never seen such a flaming sunset before.’

  ‘They become commonplace after a while.’

  Minnie let them into the flat and gazed doubtfully at the small couch. ‘I hope you can fit on that. If not, you can have the examination couch. It’s as hard as a plank though.’

  ‘The couch will do, it’s about the same size as my bunk on the ship, and at least the floor won’t be moving under me.’

  Even so, Esmé couldn’t sleep. Wrapping her blanket around her she let herself out on to the veranda. The night was velvety soft and she gazed with awe at the stars, appearing so low in the sky that she felt she could reach out and pluck one, like a diamond from a branch.

  Faintly, the sound of the radio came to her ears. A woman was singing to an orchestra playing an Irving Berlin song. Her voice had a low, throbbing quality to it. ‘The song is ended but the melody lingers on.’

  Esmé was overcome by melancholy. Obviously, another person out there couldn’t sleep either.

  The music ended, leaving her with nothing but an occasional sigh of wind that rustled the trees. She was alone in a vast darkness, and she could hear its spirits whisper as it cradled her. The breeze was a humid kiss against her skin and she was comforted by it. The sky moved, taking the stars with it, as if it had moved on, taking her problems with it. She came to the conclusion that they were little more than hurt pride.

  Gradually, her pain and anger was absorbed by the peace of the night, and she allowed it to drain away. Talking things over with Minnie had helped her to come to terms with herself.

  There came a time when her sense of aloneness scared her. It was as if she was the only person left alive on earth, and she craved companionship.

  Meggie would love this place, she thought, yawning as she headed for the uncomfortable couch.

  Nine

  A couple of days later Esmé did meet the doctor.

  It was late afternoon and the day had been quiet. They were sitting on the veranda, a glass of lemonade cradled in their hands.

  There was a commotion and a woman came running, a child in her arms. ‘Quick, help! I can’t stop the bleeding.’

  ‘Mrs Tomlinson . . . what’s happened?’ Minnie paled and sprang to her feet when she saw the screaming child carried in by his frantic mother.

  ‘He fell over with a glass in his hand, and hit his head on a bucket. He’s gashed his hand and has got glass sticking out of his face. He also has a big lump on his head.’

  She eyed the chunk of glass sticking out of his face, not far from his eye socket. Immediately, Minnie said, ‘I’m going to have to call out the doc. Would you see to Brian, please, Esmé.’

  ‘I’ll try and stop the bleeding.’

  Brian screamed louder when Esmé began to examine him. His mother tried, with some success, to soothe him. Esmé managed to pick a couple of large pieces of glass from his hand then applied a pressure bandage and immobilized the injured arm with a sling that kept his hand above heart level. The blood loss slowed.

  She felt for his pulse, which was a little fast, but that was hardly surprising after such a fright. ‘How old are you, Brian?’

  ‘Five . . . nearly six, Miss. I’m bleeding, and it tastes nasty. Am I going to die?’

  ‘No, you won’t die. It’s quite all right, Brian. You have plenty more blood left inside you.’ Except for the occasional sob, his fright seemed to abate a little at her words. Esmé smiled encouragingly at him. ‘You’re being a brave boy. I’m going to look at that eye next.’ She rinsed the blood off and gently probed the area. The glass shard was stuck firmly into his cheekbone. ‘Best to wait for the doctor to see to that, I think. Does it hurt very much?’

  He nodded and gave a snuffle.

  ‘I’m not surprised, since you landed on it. You’ve got a whacking great lump on your head, as big as an emu’s egg. You look like a frightful monster with that blood all over you. Would you like to see yourself in the mirror?’

  When she held a mirror up so he could see himself his eyes widened and he gave an admiring, ‘Crumbs . . . wait till my friends see it.’

  She exchanged a glance with his mother, who shook her head despairingly and muttered, ‘Sometimes you wonder what boys have got for brains.’

  Esmé put the mirror away. ‘Can you count, Brian?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘How many fingers am I holding up?’

  ‘Three.’

  ‘Now?’

  ‘Six . . . no it’s five . . . no . . . six, it’s a bit burred.

  ‘Keep your head still and follow my finger with your eyes.’ He had a job keeping them focused. ‘Are you tired?’

  ‘It hurts when I try to look at things, so I want to close them and go to sleep.’

  ‘I need you to try to stay awake, Brian. I’m going to wash some of that blood off you now. I’ve got nephews of about your age, you know. They have a big black dog called Shadow. Have you got any pets?’

  ‘I’ve got a pet cockatoo, and my Dad had taught him to say swear words. You talk funny, miss.’

  ‘Do I?’

  ‘All posh. Like Nurse Prichard. Dad said she’s from England, and they all talk like that, there.’

  She grinned as she thought of the many different accents and dialects in England, and checked the bandage. A little blood had seeped through the fabric, but not enough to be alarmed about. The boy was trembling. He wa
s able to move his fingers, and she reassured the mother. ‘He’ll be all right, I imagine, but I’m leaving most of the glass for the doctor to see to. How did the accident happen?’

  ‘I was only gone for a couple of minutes. He fell off his chair and hit his head on the log bucket. The glass was still in his hands and it smashed when he fell. The little bugger won’t sit still for five minutes.’

  ‘Be thankful he missed his eye. Was he unconscious for any length of time?’

  ‘I don’t think so, but he was a bit dazed. Why are you asking all these questions?’

  ‘Routine. It will help the doctor to have a detailed account of the accident.’

  ‘But Brian will be all right, won’t he?’

  ‘We’ll know for sure as soon as the doctor has examined him, but I don’t think your boy is in any danger. Why don’t you go and clean yourself up, Mrs Tomlinson. The sink’s through there.’

  Fetching a bowl of water, Esmé began to wash the child’s face. Immediately his face screwed up in protest, like those of her nephews always did.

  Homesickness hit her with some force. Liam had been right. She didn’t like being apart from her family.

  Minnie came in. ‘What luck, we’ve just caught the doctor. He’s over at one of the stations and will be here in three-quarters of an hour, probably less. How’s Brian?’

  Esmé lowered her voice. ‘I can’t see any lasting damage, though shock is beginning to set in. Pulse is a bit fast and his head hurts. He’s also sleepy so I think he has a mild concussion. His responses aren’t too bad though and the blood loss has been arrested. His fingers are pink and flexible, so I’d say the nerves have been spared. I’ve made notes, but you might like to check him over for yourself, Min, in case I’ve missed anything. After all . . . I have no authority here.’

  ‘You’re a better nurse than I’ll ever be. You’re always so calm.’

  ‘Nonsense. I’ve just got more confidence. That’s what comes of growing up surrounded by doctors and would be doctors. I’ll go and make a cup of tea, I expect Mrs Tomlinson could do with one after the fright she’s had, don’t you?’