by Anna Jacobs
He stared at her aghast. ‘Ronan’s mother died on the voyage?’
‘I just told you that. It made things very difficult for me. None of the other ladies would speak to me when they found out I was a convict’s wife.’ She looked round. ‘This place could be made into a gentleman’s house if you built a new wing and doubled its size. And you’ll have to hire more servants while I’m here.’
She’d grown even more selfish over the years, he realised. No, it was more than selfish. He’d soon realised that there was something wrong with her mind which affected the way she thought. She could only see how things concerned herself, had no thought for others. ‘I don’t have the money to make the house bigger, besides which we don’t need the space. And it’s nearly impossible to find servants here, so even managing a place this size is difficult.’
‘You can’t possibly run a house with two maids.’
‘We can and do, with a little help from a local woman who scrubs floors and helps with the washing. But I’ll tell you now, Kathleen, you won’t be staying here for long, so that won’t matter.’ Not an hour longer than necessary, he promised himself, even if he had to drag her away tied hand and foot. He resisted the temptation to say that, trying to retain some semblance of civility between them.
‘I’ve nowhere else to go and once the men have taken away the carts, no means of travelling. And I don’t have much money left, either. I don’t know how I’ll get my next quarter’s allowance from here.’ She rubbed her wrist where his finger marks were still visible. ‘Is that an example of your new convict manners?’
‘I’ll pay your fare back to Ireland and give you something to manage on till my brother can provide you with a house. You’ll have to go back to Shilmara – or to your parents’ house – yes, that’d be best. Your parents will help you.’
‘I’ve nothing to go back to. My parents are both dead, too. My brother has their house and he’s worse than your brother, won’t even let me visit them since you were arrested. You ruined my life!’
‘I was innocent. How did I do anything?’
‘Your father said you were guilty. He looked after me. Now you must look after me.’
Conn didn’t bother to argue the point or say that being transported had affected him a lot more than it had her. ‘Look, if Kieran offered you a house of your own before, I’m sure he’ll still find one for you. He won’t see you homeless. And surely your parents left you some money?’
She shrugged. ‘Yes. But what use is money if I only get a little bit of it every quarter? That soon gets used up. And besides, without your father beside me, no one will even talk to me.’
‘You’ll make new friends if you live in Dublin. No, don’t start arguing. We can discuss the practicalities of your going back later, but go back you will. There was never a question of my mother returning, as you’d have found out if you’d written. Her health is better here, but still not good, so—’
She raised her voice to a near scream. ‘I won’t go back on my own. I won’t! And you can’t make me!’
‘Then I’ll find you somewhere to live in Perth.’
‘Without a husband – even one as bad as you – to give me some shadow of respectability? No, thank you! Besides, what would I do in a city? It’d be as bad as Dublin. You can’t ride horses properly there.’ She fell silent for a moment or two, frowning in thought.
He watched her, trying to work out what to do.
‘If your mother can’t come back with me I’ll have to stay here. Ronan says you breed horses so at least I’ll be able to ride. And I’ll have the protection of your presence. I’m not living anywhere on my own.’ Another pause, then she added more quietly, ‘Anyway, I can’t do it. I’m not good at managing a house.’
Unfortunately he agreed. Even in the short time they’d been together he’d seen how useless she was at handling money. He abandoned the argument for a moment to ask, ‘How did my father die? And when? I thought only the good died young. He was barely sixty.’
‘He died of a seizure. It was very sudden. His face turned red and he fell down.’
She didn’t sound in the least upset about that, and yet she’d been living with his father for over two years. ‘I must go and tell my mother. Stay here.’
‘I’ve no intention of sitting here, thirsty and in need of a wash. Does that so-called housekeeper of yours do any work round the place, or is she just here to warm your bed?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve not taken anyone to bed since I was thrown in prison, let alone one of my own servants. I’ll send Xanthe to you. You have my assurance that she’s the housekeeper and that’s all! She’ll show you to a bedroom where you can wash and she’ll bring you some refreshments.’
‘Xanthe? Fine name that is for a maid! No wonder these people get above themselves. You should call her by a maid’s name. Susan would be better. It sounds close to Xanthe so I shall call her that.’
‘I doubt she’ll answer to it, since it’s not her real name. A word of warning. You’ll get no subservience here, Kathleen, and I don’t want it. Your requests for service should be made politely and through my mother, who is and will remain the mistress of Galway House.’
‘I’m your wife! Now that I’m here, the servants must answer to me.’
How many times did he have to say it to her? ‘You’ve never been a wife to me. Never. Marrying you was my penance for every wrong I’ve ever done, and for every sin I may ever commit in the future.’ He watched her, but her expression didn’t change. Did she even understand how he was insulting her? He doubted it. Her comprehension was very limited.
‘Send that maid to me, then.’
He went to find Xanthe. ‘My wife wishes to wash and needs some refreshments. Perhaps you could show her to the spare bedroom and attend to it?’
‘Of course, sir.’ She smiled mischievously as she called him that, had clearly realised that with Kathleen around they could not relax or seem too friendly.
‘And remember, Xanthe, my mother is still mistress here and . . . if my wife doesn’t use your real name, don’t answer her.’
‘I’ve met that before. They called me Susan at the soup kitchen in Lancashire. I suppose because it’s similar in sound.’
‘They had no right to do that – and nor does she.’
‘Might is right. Only money gives you freedom.’
‘And sometimes, not even then.’
It seemed to him that her look was full of sympathy. She didn’t yet understand quite how bad Kathleen could be, but a few days would enlighten her.
Oh, hell, what was he going to do?
Conn walked slowly back through the house to the front veranda, where he found Ronan sitting beside his mother, his arm round her shoulders as she wept. His friend must have told her the news.
Conn went to her other side and knelt beside her. ‘I didn’t expect you to weep for my father.’
‘I’m not. I’m weeping for sheer relief that I no longer have to fear him coming here to drag me back to live with him. It’d shock a priest, but you both know what a harsh man he was and I was always afraid of him, always.’ She mopped her eyes. ‘I’m forgetting my duties. Could you find Maia and ask her to help her sister sort out bedrooms for our guests?’
‘You’ll be all right?’
‘I’ll stay with her,’ Ronan said.
It was then that Conn remembered what Kathleen had told him. ‘I’m sorry about your mother.’ He saw a bleak look come into his friend’s eyes.
‘Yes.’ Ronan looked at Mrs Largan. ‘My mother died on the ship coming here. There was nothing the doctor could do to help her.’
She stared at him. ‘You’ve just lost your mother?’
‘It’s over a month ago now.’
‘Oh, Ronan, I’m so sorry. I know what a loving mother she was.’
He gave a wry smile. ‘In her own way. I’m getting used to it now. Actually, Kathleen was quite helpful at the time. In her own way. At least she stayed with my mothe
r. I was surprised by that.’
‘She was always good with sick horses. And she’s had it drummed into her what you should do in every situation.’ Mrs Largan sighed. ‘Beaten into her, from what she told me. She’s not had an easy life.’
‘Beaten into her?’
‘Yes. Her parents were very strict and her mother whipped her regularly.’
‘Poor thing. I didn’t realise.’
‘That still doesn’t excuse the way she behaves!’ Conn said. ‘I’ll not have you feeling sorry for her, Mother, and letting her upset the household.’
‘She’ll upset it anyway. Where is she now?’
‘In the only spare bedroom that’s furnished. She can use it while she’s here, because it’s at the far end of the house from you and me.’ He looked at his friend. ‘We’ll have to move some furniture around and I’ll ask your help in putting the beds together for the other rooms. We never did get round to finishing them. Well, there was no reason. Not many people are likely to want to come and visit a convict.’
His mother patted his hand as if understanding his pain. ‘Shh now. We’ll get through this.’
He couldn’t think how.
Maia went through into the kitchen, where her sister was putting some refreshments on a tray.
‘She has decided to eat in the dining room, not her bedroom,’ Xanthe said with a grimace in that direction. ‘I’m not dusting it for her. I’ve enough to do with all the guests.’
‘Shall I go and set the table?’
‘Certainly not. I’ll take in a tray. But you could start getting some refreshments ready for the others. I’m hoping Orla will help us too, once her mistress is eating.’ She turned towards the outer door and saw the groom who’d come with Ronan standing on the veranda. ‘Come in, do. I’m Xanthe. This is my sister Maia. We’re all at sixes and sevens, but we’ll find you something to eat presently.’
‘I’m Bram. I’m not needed in the stables, so can I help you at all here?’
‘You can. If you’ll watch the kettle and fill the big teapot when it boils, it’ll be a help. I’ve put the tealeaves in already. Thank you.’ She turned back to Maia. ‘Conn made a point of saying we were to refer any orders that weren’t reasonable to his mother, who will remain in charge.’ She bent closer to whisper, ‘Be careful not to give yourself away!’
When Xanthe carried the tray into the dining room, she found Kathleen sitting at the head of the table. She set down the tray in front of her, not commenting on that. ‘Please ring when you need this cleared away, ma’am.’ She turned to leave.
‘I’m not eating off a tray. I want this table setting properly. I can’t believe Mrs Largan accepts such shoddy service.’
‘I don’t have time to set tables. There are other guests needing food.’ Xanthe turned to leave the room.
Behind her, Kathleen yelled, ‘Come back! Come back this minute!’
Xanthe carried on walking, wincing at the shrillness of the other woman’s voice.
She stopped dead in shock when she heard the sound of smashing crockery.
When he heard the noise, Conn set off running. It had started.
With a quick word of excuse to his hostess, Ronan followed him, passing Xanthe, who was staring open-mouthed into the dining room. Both men stopped in the doorway.
Kathleen was sitting at the head of the dusty dining table.
‘I will not accept such shoddy service.’ She thumped the table to emphasise her words. ‘How dare that servant speak to me like that? She must be dismissed instantly. Instantly, I tell you.’
Conn stared at the tray, which was lying upside down on the floor on top of a welter of food and smashed crockery, then looked back at his wife’s furious face.
‘You will get rid of her! Dismiss her at once,’ she repeated.
He said nothing because silence was as good a weapon as any with her. Kathleen glared at him, but when he didn’t move, she began to fight for control over her emotions, something he’d seen her do before. He didn’t think he’d ever seen her struggle for so long, though, nor could he remember her acting quite so outrageously.
‘Wait for us in the kitchen, please, Xanthe. I’ll deal with this.’ Conn turned back to his wife, horrified to see how much crockery she’d broken. The mess was so far from the table that she must have hurled it. This was the act of a child in a tantrum or . . . he looked at her flushed face and wild, staring eyes and couldn’t help thinking a madwoman.
‘I’ll pick that mess up,’ Ronan said quietly, ‘and I’ll stay here in case you need help.’
Conn realised then that his friend was thinking the same thing.
Halting footsteps made them both turn round.
He forced a smile. ‘No need to worry, Mother. Kathleen just had an – accident.’
‘I won’t be served by sluts and when I reprimanded her, she threw the tray on the floor. I’m a lady born and bred, the wife of a man who was born a gentleman, at least, and I will not be treated like this. That lazy creature must go.’
Surely she didn’t think he’d believe this lie? Conn was utterly certain that Xanthe had not thrown a tray of food on to the floor, not because she hadn’t had time to run out of the room before he got there, but because it wasn’t in her nature. Kathleen had changed for the worse in the years since he’d seen her. No wonder his brother Kieran didn’t want her staying on at Shilmara. No wonder her own brother didn’t want her living with him and his family. The wonder was that they’d not locked her away before now. They must be delighted that she’d come to Australia.
‘Perhaps we’d better send for Orla to help you to your room.’
‘Why?’ Kathleen’s gaze was wide. ‘I don’t need her help just now, Conn. What I want is some food, served properly by those whose job it is.’
Ronan began to pick up the broken crockery and food. As he passed Conn, he whispered, ‘Don’t send for the maid. She beats poor Orla.’
Kathleen stood up, shoving her chair back so hard it fell over. ‘What are you whispering about?’
Conn’s mother moved forward. ‘Why don’t you come and sit with me on the front veranda, Kathleen. We often eat out there.’
‘You’ve lowered your standards.’
‘It’s a different country. Different standards apply here.’
‘That’s not what the women on the ship said. I used to listen to them talking. They didn’t bother to lower their voices. They said the gentry had to maintain their standards here. That’s what I’m doing.’
‘Some try to do that and they live miserable lives because it’s impossible. There aren’t enough servants here.’
The younger woman blinked her eyes furiously. ‘I wish I’d never come.’
‘It would have been better to write first. Anyway, you’re here now, so come and sit down with me, Kathleen. We’ll both have a piece of cake and a cup of tea.’
His wife stood there for so long Conn was about to intervene, but gradually the wild look faded from her eyes and she moved forward.
‘You’re moving very stiffly,’ she told her hostess, ‘worse than before.’
‘My joints are less painful than they used to be in Ireland, however.’
‘Stay with them,’ Conn whispered to Ronan. ‘I don’t want to leave her alone with my mother.’
Ronan gave him a pitying look and nodded.
When they’d gone, Conn went to speak to the maids, his heart heavy with fear about what his wife would do next. In the kitchen he asked for tea and cake for his mother and wife on the veranda. While he waited for Xanthe to get it ready, he studied Orla, who was looking subdued and had a red mark across one cheek. He went across to study it. ‘Did my wife hit you?’
The maid shrugged. ‘She does sometimes. It’s not so bad, sir.’
‘I’m not having it.’
She looked at him, her eyes dull and hopeless. ‘How will you stop her, sir?’
Silence, then. ‘Why do you stay with her?’
‘The old master s
aid he’d throw my family out if I tried to leave.’
‘Did Kieran say the same thing?’
She looked puzzled. ‘I don’t know. It’s not for me to ask the new master about such things. He did say he was pleased she had me.’
It wouldn’t occur to Kieran to worry about whether Orla was happy. He usually left the servants to his wife. Conn turned to the two maids. ‘I’m sorry my wife is behaving – strangely. I think you two had better not be alone with her from now on. She’s very strong and can be quite violent. Orla, you must call for help if she hurts you again. Whoever’s nearest will come to make sure you’re all right.’
‘Better not, sir. She’ll get even angrier. It’s just a slap or two.’
Before he could argue with her, Xanthe pushed a tray forward. ‘Here you are.’
‘I’ll take it.’ Maia picked up the heavy wooden tray.
Conn followed her along the passageway, waiting out of sight while she took it to his mother. Kathleen was sitting staring out across the gardens, looking spent and weary now, as she often did after a tantrum.
He watched his mother pour some tea and keep up a gentle flow of conversation.
Kathleen responded briefly to her questions, ate two pieces of cake, then said, ‘I’m tired. I think I’ll go and lie down for a while.’
‘Do you remember the way to your bedroom?’
‘Yes.’
Conn slipped into a nearby room and waited till his wife had walked past, then went to sit with his mother. ‘She behaved better for you.’
‘She always did. Her mother used to whip her, you know, to teach her self-control. I speak to her gently.’
‘She didn’t show much self-control today, did she? I’ve never seen her behaving so badly.’
‘That poor girl should have led a quiet life in the country with the horses she loves. Instead her parents filled her head with foolish ideas that people should wait on her hand and foot.’
He looked over his shoulder and whispered, ‘Is she insane, do you think?’
‘I don’t know. Her aunt was very similar, you know. Strange as a girl, getting worse as she got older. They’d have had to lock her up but she drowned herself when she was twenty-two.’
