South of Capricorn

by Anne Hampson

  Gail made no comment on this, but returned to what he had first said.

  ‘If you send Leta and me away your stepmother and Ertha - and in fact, everyone, is going to ask questions which you’re going to find difficult to answer.’

  The grey eyes glinted again.

  ‘That,’ he told her curtly, ‘is my affair. It need not concern you.’

  She said tightly,

  ‘You promised that, if I agreed to stay here, you’d keep Leta. Are you intending to go back on that promise, then?’

  ‘If you continue to treat me with disrespect then I shall consider I have grounds for going back on my promise. When I made it I didn’t bargain for this attitude of yours, which,’ he added slowly and with a sort of harsh emphasis, ‘at times is also one of contempt.’

  She flushed, aware that he spoke the truth. She had revealed her contempt from time to time - by a glance or statement or even a casual comment. Yet always she seemed to hurt herself. It was as if she just had to get in a thrust now and then ... as a measure of self-defence against the growing conviction that he could affect her far more than would be comfortable for her peace of mind.

  ‘And so you’re thinking of retaliating?’ was all she could find to say, since she was both embarrassed and unhappy. There was no denying it, each time she and Kane had words it was she who suffered most.

  ‘You make no denial about the contempt, then?’ he said, looking at her with an intentness that only increased her discomfiture. He was so superior, so much the master of the situation, that she felt inadequate and even subdued. Nevertheless, she rallied sufficiently to remind him that she had an excuse for her contempt. ‘So we’re back to Sandra again, are we?’ Something most curious in his tone, and he was surely in a state of hesitancy? It was as if he were debating mentally, on something of great importance, endeavouring to come to a decision. ‘Sandra, whom I let down so badly.’ ‘There was no excuse,’ said Gail, ‘Even if you didn’t want to marry her you could have sent her money.’

  He nodded, as he had before when this was mentioned.

  ‘I could,’ he said, again as before.

  ‘If you keep Leta,’ Gail pointed out, ‘then at least you’d be making some sort of reparation. I’d - I’d admire you for that.’

  ‘Thanks,’ he returned acidly. ‘But it may interest you to know that I’m not in the least troubled as to whether you admire me or not.’

  She coloured painfully under the sarcasm and saw that Kane was deriving some considerable satisfaction from her discomfiture. But his countenance remained icily determined and she found herself saying,

  ‘Would you really send Leta away?’ Her tone pleaded, although she did not know it. She was troubled not only on Leta’s account, but for some reason she was anxious for Kane too. She wanted him to succeed in his plan for his own sake as well as that of his daughter. She intensely disliked both Mrs. Farrell and her daughter; they were misfits in this stately home where harmony could have so easily prevailed - and most certainly had prevailed before Kane’s father remarried. That he had chosen a woman like Rachel was incredible, and Kane himself must have said this time and time again.

  ‘I shall certainly consider it if you continue to adopt this attitude.’

  She said after some thought,

  ‘I’m sorry. I’ll try to remember who you are.’

  He said nothing; he seemed to be interested in her expression and she did wonder if with his keen sense of perception he guessed that she was concerned for him as well as Leta. She spoke hesitantly, mentioning the fact that, while she and Leta remained, there was a chance that his plan would succeed, but that if they left he was back where he had started.

  ‘Is the success of my plan of so much importance to you?’ he inquired disconcertingly, and Gail swallowed before she spoke.

  ‘Having met your stepmother I can understand your wanting her out of your house,’ was her evasive reply, and it brought an unexpected glimmer of amusement to her companion’s eyes. His whole appearance changed and she caught her breath involuntarily. Tension rose within her; her heart seemed to beat faster than it should, and once again she was admitting to the power of this man; owning that, when he changed like this, to a softened and faintly humorous mood, there was for her an appeal so strong that she became almost afraid.

  ‘You avoid a direct answer, I see.’ Kane spoke casually, but his gaze was keenly searching.

  ‘I’m not so sure I understand you.’ Again the evasion, and this time Kane dismissed the subject with a touch of impatience.

  ‘It’s of no matter.’ A slight pause and then, with a glance towards the window, ‘Send her to me later. I’ll be in my room downstairs.’

  Gail nodded her head.

  ‘I must go down to breakfast,’ she said after a little silence. ‘It’ll be getting cold. I left it to attend to Leta.’

  ‘As I haven’t had mine we’ll have it together.’

  Much later in the morning Rachel came to Gail when she was in the garden, relaxing with a book after having helped in the kitchen, clearing up and washing the enormous mountain of pots and dishes left by the hungry men.

  ‘I want to talk to you.’ Mrs. Farrell assumed a determined expression which quite naturally caused Gail a little unease. ‘If I can have this other chair?’

  ‘Of course.’ Puzzled and on her guard, Gail asked if it was anything important.

  ‘I’m having an hour with my book, as you can see,’ she added. ‘I hadn’t expected to be disturbed.’ This was the attitude which Kane had instructed her to take with his stepmother, and although Gail found such behaviour rather a strain, she accepted the inevitable, both to help Kane, and to hasten her own release from here.

  ‘I must talk to you.’ With a glowering look Rachel sat down on the garden chair, and turned towards Gail so that she looked straight into her face. ‘There’s something very strange about this whole situation,’ she said. ‘Something that doesn’t fit.’

  ‘Fit?’ repeated Gail, assuming an air of bewilderment. ‘I don’t think I understand you?’ Her voice was steady and calm, but how she wished that Kane would appear, as he had this morning, so unexpectedly, to save the situation. ‘You’d better explain yourself.’

  ‘That’s exactly what I intend to do! You and that child appearing, out of the blue! Why haven’t we heard of you before?’

  Gail bristled and said again that the woman would have to explain what she meant.

  ‘Is it my fault that Kane never mentioned his wife and child?’ she went on, feeling that this would be the thing to say in these particular circumstances. ‘It was natural for him to remain quiet about it, when the marriage had - at that time - broken up.’

  ‘At what time?’ Rachel’s eyes were intently fixed upon Gail’s face. ‘Kane’s father used to talk to me for hours and hours, and yet he never so much as mentioned the fact that his son had taken a holiday in England. In fact,’ continued Mrs. Farrell slowly, ‘he told me that he had no relatives in England. I have no reason to believe that he would lie about such a thing, and therefore Kane couldn’t have gone there to visit relatives, could he?’ No answer from Gail who, despite her attempts at control, was suddenly aware of strange tinglings within her. Nerves quivered as she dwelt on what her companion had been saying. No relatives in England...

  She frowned at last and said,

  ‘I’m not willing, Mrs. Farrell, to discuss my husband, or his relatives in England—’

  ‘Tell me,’ interrupted Mrs. Farrell rudely, ‘did you ever meet any of these relatives?’ Again her eyes were watchfully intent. Gail turned away, hiding the fact that her colour had risen. This woman was indeed disconcerting, and involuntarily Gail’s glance was di-rected towards the low line of hills where the dark silhouettes of men could be seen. Having dismounted, they were gathered in a group and Gail realized that they had stopped for smoke-oh. Sometimes Kane, if he were close enough to the homestead, would return for his morning break, going into the kitchen and finding him
self something to eat. Would he return this morning? She found herself almost willing him to do so.

  And like a miracle there he was!

  ‘It’s an answer to a prayer,’ she gasped, but silently.

  ‘Kane!’ she called, for he was striding towards the verandah, not having glanced their way. Halting abruptly, he stood for a few seconds uncertainly and saw the swift frown that knit his brow. He was in a hurry, obviously, but she was not allowing him to leave her in this sort of position. ‘Can you spare a few minutes?’

  The frown deepened, but he came over to where she and his stepmother were sitting.

  ‘What is it, dear?’ he asked, smiling at his ‘wife’ affectionately. ‘I’m in a hurry—’

  ‘Rachel is asking questions which you’re more competent to answer than I—’ She rose as she spoke, the idea of total escape having come to her suddenly, ‘So I’ll leave you and get on with some jobs I have to catch up with.’ Swiftly she was gone, having snatched up her book. Never a backward glance did she make, but she smiled faintly to herself because she could actually see the scowling expression on Rachel’s face - and the arrogant one on Kane’s.

  He came to her less than five minutes later. She was in the sitting-room, a duster in her hand.

  ‘What did you tell her?’ Abrupt the question, examining the eyes. Was he troubled? she wondered. He appeared to be casual enough, but then he never did seem ruffled.

  ‘Nothing at all. You arrived at a most opportune moment.’ The relief in her voice could not escape him and she saw him smile, reassuringly. She responded, her mind flying to this morning and the breakfast they had taken together - their first meal alone. Kane had been different, more human. He it was who served her with bacon and eggs from the silver dish on the sideboard. It had a spirit lamp beneath it and so the food was piping hot. He it was who made fresh toast, using the electric toaster which was also on the sideboard. Revelling in this attention, Gail had herself been different. She was pleasant to him, as he was to her, and when it was over she found herself giving a small sigh of regret. ‘She was asking me some awkward questions, though, and I felt that I’d find myself tied up in knots.’

  He nodded sympathetically, rather to her surprise.

  ‘I do realize just how awkward it all is for you, Gail.’ This too surprised her and she wondered what had happened to the curt and impersonal manner which up till now had characterized his way with her - his way when they were alone, that was. In the presence of others he adopted a different manner altogether, bent as he was on giving the impression that he was in love with his wife’.

  ‘She seemed convinced that you had no relatives in England.’ A subtle inquiry to which he had an answer ready.

  ‘She and I have been over this before. She knows full well that I have relatives in England. It was said merely to draw you out. She’s suspicious, which is only natural, but she hasn’t anything concrete on which to base those suspicions.’

  ‘She said that your father talked to her a great deal, and yet he had never mentioned your trip to England.’

  ‘She lies when she says Father talked to her a great deal. He was a preoccupied kind of man, talking little to anyone, even to me. Moreover, he didn’t happen to get along with our relations and consequently never mentioned them, not to anyone other than me, that is. And even then it was unusual for him to do so.’

  Gail hesitated, and Kane talked a little more, just to reassure her, and he succeeded.

  ‘I see now what you mean about her methods of drawing me out,’ she said thoughtfully when he had finished speaking. ‘I shall be on my guard in future.’

  ‘Try to avoid being alone with her,’ he advised, and then, changing the subject, ‘We’ll be preparing for your party quite soon. This evening you can come along to my sitting-room and we’ll discuss it.’

  She coloured enchantingly.

  ‘It’s good of you to bother, Kane.’ She was shy all at once and wondered if he were amused at this, because he did seem to curve his lips in the glimmer of a smile.

  ‘Not at all. It’s necessary. We always use birthdays and the like as excuses for having a party. It would look most odd indeed were I not to give a party for your birthday.’

  ‘You needn’t have mentioned my birthday to anyone.’ She looked wryly at him. ‘It isn’t as if I’m to be here for more than a few months, is it?’

  His eyes revealed nothing as he replied,

  ‘That’s something of which we can’t be sure.’

  She frowned up at him, aware of a constriction of nerves.

  ‘My parents won’t expect me to be gone for very long.’

  His stare was lingering.

  ‘You’re tired of our way of life - already?’

  ‘Not at all; I love it here.’ Her reply was spontaneous and sincere. Kane’s straight brows lifted a fraction.

  ‘You surprise me. Most English girls soon tire of our silence, our loneliness.’

  ‘You have many English girls here?’ Gail knew that some girls came into the Never-Never for adventure, obtaining posts as home helps on these cattle stations.

  ‘They come and go.’ Kane’s glance strayed to the window and, following its direction, Gail saw the small flock of lovely rosellas, their red, blue and yellow feathers dazzlingly emphasized by the sunlight, Kane seemed lost in thought, as he teetered back on his heels, his hands half in and half out of the pockets of his tight-fitting jeans. ‘They’re full of enthusiasm on arrival. Oh, yes, they can stand the loneliness - it’s what they’ve always wanted, to get away from it all. Sometimes they stick it out until the end of their term, but in the main they break, declaring this to be a wilderness, a no-man’s-land. They crave for lights and cafés and shops, for the scurry of the bus or train before the tea and television session.’ Contempt now in his low and languid tone. He shook his head to illustrate his scorn, ‘Why do they come, I wonder?’

  An uneasy silence followed, with Gail half wishing he would go, and yet aware that there would be a tiny void as soon as he had done so.

  ‘You’ve had them here, at Vernay Downs, then?’ She spoke a little breathlessly, urged to break the silence because it seemed like a weight on the atmosphere.

  ‘We’ve had them here, yes,’ was his non-committal reply, and after another silence Gail spoke again.

  ‘If I had come as a home help, I am sure I’d have stayed at least until the end of my term.’ Her eyes wandered to the window again. The MacDonnell Ranges seemed close in the brilliant white light of the sun. In the foreground a billabong shone brightly, its edges frilled with casuarina trees, while to the east lay the river from which the billabong had been cut off, but the bed was dry and bounder-strewn; it meandered close to the homestead and the eucalypts growing along its hanks provided shade for anyone wanting to take a walk or a ride on horseback. Leta, who was often seen riding with Dave, went this way with him, and once or twice Gail had walked along the dry creek bed to meet them on their way back to the paddock.

  ‘I half believe you would.’ Kane’s response came at length, and he looked down into her face, an odd expression on his own. Gail smiled, conscious, as always, of his attractions. That particular expression which softened the slate-grey eyes, that prominent chin and firm lean jawline, the dark skin, the clearly-chiselled lines that spelled pride and clearly marked him as one of the aristocrats of the Outback. ‘I must be off,’ he said at last, but, strangely, no action followed his words.

  ‘And I must finish my dustings.’ She felt awkward, as she so often did when in his presence. This morning at breakfast had been an exception, as was part of this present little interlude. But now there was a tenseness in the room; she was more than a little affected by it and with a jerky, nervous gesture she began making the duster into a small pad. ‘A little help from me makes it easier for the lubras,’ she added lamely when Kane did not speak. Why had he come back to the house? If it was for the customary reason of wanting something to eat then why didn’t he leave her, and make f
or the kitchen? It was so unlike him to remain with her like this, for no apparent reason at all.

  He looked down at her, faintly smiling.

  “You appear to enjoy working,’ he said.

  ‘I’d rather be doing something than be idle all the time.’

  ‘Most commendable.’

  ‘Not at all; I’m keeping myself from being bored.’

  His eyes flickered; they slid down from her face to her neck, then to her tiny waist and lastly to her legs and ankles, A soft blush fused her cheeks; she moved nervously, then forced a smile to her lips. She saw his mouth relax, his eyes take on a softened expression. He seemed unable to bring his eyes from her and she turned at length and began dusting an antique occasional table.

  ‘Don’t forget what I said about coming to my room this evening after dinner,’ he said and, with a lift of a hand in salute, he strode from the room.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  THE evening was cool and fresh after the searing heat of the afternoon and Gail was reluctant to leave her most comfortable place on the verandah. She had come out immediately after dinner, intending to enjoy the breeze for a few minutes before going to Kane’s room. Dave had asked her to walk with him, but she had explained, in low tones as she sat next to him at the table, that they must be careful on account of the vindictiveness of Mrs. Farrell and Ertha. She told him what had happened on the occasion when they went out into the bush; he had scowled and thrown Mrs. Farrell a darkling glance. This was seen by Kane, who instantly raised his eyebrows and flashed a glance at Gail.

  ‘Don’t talk about it,’ urged Gail to Dave. ‘Kane’s seen you glaring at his stepmother.’

  ‘What a pickle!’ he exclaimed exasperatedly, but in response to her plea he had changed the subject to something trivial, something that had not to be discussed in undertones.

  But now he came out to her and she looked up with a smile.

  ‘I thought you’d be going over to your friend’s,’ she said, but glanced at the chair opposite to her.