And Those Who Trespass Against Us (10 page)

"I don't mean to sound forward, but why are you so reluctant to accept my money? After all, I
was
supplied with funds by the convent. In fact, I saw you do the same thing with Mrs. McCallen a moment ago. You wouldn't take her money either."

Susan placed the handkerchief back on the shelf. "Out here, payment on receipt of goods isn't the only way I do business. Most of my customers must await the outcome of the sale of their crops or cattle before settling their annual accounts. And besides," Susan winked, "I've always had a terrible time keeping my books. When settlement time comes around, the families always seem to be able to pay me in full and yet have money left over for the nicer things in life."

"How do you run a successful business like that? Surely this must leave you in poverty for the better part of the year. How do you manage to pay your creditors?"

Susan lightly patted Katherine's cheek. "I like you. You remind me a lot of Sister Coreen. She was always asking questions, never quite realising what was impolite to ask." Susan sobered. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring her up."

Katherine smiled sadly. "It's all right. I believe people should remember her for who she was. As for me, the nuns were forever cautioning me against my outspokenness. In fact, it's a good thing I'm a nun. I don't expect any husband would endure my incessant questions. I'm sorry to be so intrusive."

"I don't mind. Women should be able to ask questions. There are three ways I manage to stay out of the poor house. The first and more widely used means is through a system of barter. I do this with families who wish to purchase something in exchange for items such as eggs, milk, and sometimes cured or fresh meat from an animal they've recently slaughtered. I then deduct what we both agree is a reasonable sum from their final account. This, in turn, reduces my living costs. The second way is I treat the hard-working families differently, as you've just seen. They give me what they can, when they can. As for the well-established landowners who refuse to raise a finger for those who struggle to make a living, that's a different kettle of fish." Susan's eyes glinted with barely concealed anger. "As far as I'm concerned, for them there's only one mode of payment----on demand."

"If only more people were as benevolent as you, particularly those who seem to have a wealth of riches and yet are still reluctant to use it on anyone but themselves."

"Speaking of money, you may be surprised to know, even before I bought this store, I was a woman of independent means." She chuckled. "Close your mouth Katherine, or you'll catch flies. I don't have a husband, but this wasn't always so. I was once married to a man who loved money more than anything. We arrived in Sydney when I was barely twenty and he immediately set about making money in any scheme that was profitable. His real luck came when gold was discovered in Sofala. He wasn't lured, like so many were, by the promise of gold. He gained his fortune by selling pieces of equipment needed by the miners to find the precious metal. He sold these tools at exorbitant prices and, like most men, his greed consumed him. One day he pushed his luck too far and was killed by a digger down on his luck and desperate for just a respite from his lot in life. Unfortunately the miner got neither, ending his life at the end of a rope. I took the strongbox, which was rightfully mine, sold the store and provisions to another man, and left. Rather than return to Sydney, which I detested, I opted for a burgeoning country town, comfortable in the financial knowledge I'd never have to marry again."

"You don't want to remarry?" Katherine looked at Susan. Her complexion had not yet been ravaged by the harsh climate, like she'd seen with so many other women in the town. "You're still a relatively young woman. I'm sure there'd be many gentlemen in the district more than happy to marry you."

Susan smiled and furtively glanced at the stairs leading to the second level of her store. "I've had a number of offers, but the memories of my marriage aren't happy ones. My husband wasn't a kindly man. He found no wrong in hitting a woman. Nor was he content with the love of one. He was a regular in the local watering hole, or as you would call it a tavern, and a favourite of the professional women who worked there. I'm not saying all men are cut from the same cloth, but my life now has different priorities. Finding another husband is not one of them."

"I'm continually surprised by the women of this town. Catriona's so strong and confident with the men she deals with, and you're self-sufficient."

Susan again picked up the handkerchief and placed it in Katherine's hand. "I'm self-sufficient enough to offer a gift to a friend. And, while we're talking about my financial independence..." Susan opened her strong box, took out a note, and placed it in Katherine's hand, closing Katherine's fingers over them. "Here's half the cost of the books you've ordered from Sydney."

Katherine's eyes widened. "You can't do that."

"Of course I can, and I won't accept the money back." Susan lowered her voice, when another customer entered the store. "If the funds given to Sister Coreen by the convent were anything to go by, then I'm more than aware how much money you were given."

"Thank you," Katherine replied, fighting back tears. "I won't forget this."

IN THE COOL of the evening, as they sat on the verandah, Katherine relayed the events at the store to Catriona. "I didn't realise Susan was so financially independent."

Catriona trimmed the lantern between the two of them, in an attempt to reduce the number of insects drawn to the lantern's flame. "She is. Some days I think it's only been her generosity which has saved a lot of poorer families from going bust."

Katherine snickered. "With the questions I was asking, I was beginning to sound like one of the members of the ladies' committee."

"Speaking of which, you're doing a commendable job of steering clear of them." Catriona leant back in her chair and crossed her ankles. "If I recall, last week was only the third time you hadn't managed to wrangle your way out of their clutches."

"I very much prefer administering to the hardworking families of the district. Between the ladies' committee's incessant questions about you, whether I would prefer to live in town, and my need to maintain polite, flippant, vacuous conversation, well, the visits leave me drained." Katherine sighed. "Although, as a nun, I do understand I still need to be courteous to them. I wish it wasn't so hard." Katherine lightly slapped Catriona.

"What was that for?"

"You're not much help. You take a perverse delight in seeing the look on their faces when you drop me off at their homes. I swear, the other day when you accompanied me
astride
your horse, I thought Mrs. Simpson was going to have a conniption."

Catriona softly laughed. "It keeps me from falling off my horse."

"Of course it does," Katherine scoffed. "It has nothing to do with you upsetting them. I just wish they were more sympathetic to those less fortunate."

For a while they sat in silence, listening to the sound of the wind as it whistled through the trees.

"Do you ever wonder whether you made the right decision?" Catriona asked.

Katherine crinkled her brows. "What, visiting the ladies' committee?"

"No, becoming a nun. You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

Katherine lightly patted Catriona's hand. "Given some of the probing questions I ask you, I think it's only fair I answer yours." She took a breath and slowly exhaled. "When I see families who, despite their struggles, are so happy, I wonder what it would be like to be married, with children and a house to live in."

"I expect you could have easily had that in Ireland."

"Yes, I could have." Katherine stopped at the sound of a bird echoing in the trees overhead. "But look what I would have missed. The raucous noise from the white sulphur-crested cockatoos landing in the tree outside my window every morning, turning it from green to snowy white. The shrill laughter of that cheeky kookaburra when I hang out the washing. I swear he's sharing a secret joke with the other kookaburras. And the colours out here, they're so different from Ireland. There are so many shades of green, not to mention the skies at dusk and the stars. This country is full of splendour, yet harsh at the same time."

Catriona looked up at the night sky. "It's beautiful in its own way."

Katherine pointed to a constellation. "That's the Southern Cross, isn't it?"

Catriona followed Katherine's hand. "Yes, it is."

"It reminds me of a kite, with its tail blowing in the wind. I loved kites when I was a child, but my father was continually frustrated when I would let them go."

Catriona scratched her head. "I don't think I've ever seen a kite."

"I'll make you one if you like. Look, two shooting stars parallel to each other." Katherine fell silent.

Catriona snorted. "I don't believe what I just saw, sister. Correct me if you dare, but I'm sure I saw you close your eyes at the passing of those shooting stars. Perchance you weren't indulging in the pagan act of making a wish, were you?"

Katherine laughed at Catriona's mock severity. "Indeed I was, Miss Pelham. As one of many of God's spectacles I was thanking Him for the opportunity to view such a rare event." She faced Catriona, trying to mask her embarrassment at being caught. How could she admit that her wish involved the hope that the ladies' committee would soon tire of asking her to move in to town, when she so very much loved where she was, being here with someone she could easily relate to? In an attempt to deflect Catriona's question, Katherine decided the best form of defence was attack.

"And are you telling me you would let such an opportunity go unnoticed to make a wish?"

"I never let an opportunity go unnoticed if the time is right," Catriona said quietly.

For a moment neither spoke as they looked at each other. Catriona ran her hands through her hair and eased herself out of her chair. She threw the remains of her tea into the inky black of the night. "If you'll excuse me, I'm off to bed. I have to check fences in the top paddock tomorrow, as well as go into town."

"I haven't yet seen all of the property, and I've not got any commitments tomorrow. May I come along? I can help you with whatever it may be, even if it means only holding a hammer. Besides, how can you do all this by yourself?"

"I'd be happy for your company, but we won't be alone. Mr. Connor and his sons from the adjacent farm will be helping me. The fence stops their cattle from straying onto Gleneagle and ruining my crops. I pay them for the work. I'd be happy if you didn't mention that the job could as easily be done by two than by six, for all the sons will be there with their father tomorrow. I'm sure they're also aware of this, but they're not so foolish as to refuse money they sorely need. It's a private game between us. They'll provide lunch. It's the way their family showcases their skills. Their mother is one of the better pastry cooks in the district." Catriona picked up the lamp.

Katherine followed her through the door and into a well-lit kitchen. "I remember now. Four sons, two daughters, and another baby on the way. I can't fathom how they manage, but it's understandable when they've a neighbour like you." Katherine was well aware that behind a brash exterior was a woman who had a true affinity with the people out here, with the exception of a minor affluent few. Maybe that's why the men treated her with such respect.

Catriona's face reddened. "It's something any good neighbour would do for another," she brusquely replied. "And, besides it's a reciprocal arrangement."

Catriona trimmed the wick on the old, utilitarian lamp they'd used outside and picked up the inside lamp from the kitchen table. "I'll take you to your room and light your lamp for you if want. You best be getting some sleep. It'll be a long day tomorrow." She walked through the house with Katherine in tow.

Katherine hurriedly dressed into her threadbare shift. She was glad the garment was so light, for at the moment most of the nights were so balmy. As she prepared for bed, she couldn't help but think about Catriona, who tried so hard to hide the good she did for others. That was not the only thing she concealed though. She was also very good at disguising her emotions, which Katherine thought was a defence mechanism she'd used since losing her parents. Katherine drew her curtains. Pulling down the covers, she hoped a time would come when she could repay the kindness she'd been shown. Climbing into bed she quickly fell asleep, her dreams full of shooting stars and town matriarchs hot in the pursuit of a laughing Catriona, who remained tantalisingly out of their gnarled grasps.

KATHERINE'S DOOR CLOSED and Catriona headed for the sanctuary of her own room. She sat on her bed and undressed. "Damn that was close," She muttered. She knew she needed to be more careful with what she said to Katherine, particularly when she sat so near. Such comments, if interpreted correctly by Katherine, could force her into the town, where those old matriarchs wanted her.

They'd established such a good friendship which wasn't likely to continue if Catriona scared her away with either words or actions that could never be reciprocated. Catriona shed the remainder of her clothes and got into bed, relieved that Katherine hadn't pushed her about any wishes she would have made on the shooting stars. After all, how could she explain that her wish involved wanting to get closer to her?

KATHERINE AWOKE THE next day to a knock on her door and the sound of footsteps continuing down the hallway. In the muted grey of dawn she lit her lamp, read her morning passage, then quickly dressed and headed for the kitchen. She looked at the clock above the stove.

"I know you said early, but I didn't expect it to be
this
early."

"Good morning." Catriona placed a plate of bacon and eggs and a cup of hot tea on the table and motioned Katherine to take a seat. "It's better if we travel now, that way we can make best use of the daylight hours."

In short time their breakfast was finished and the dishes washed.

Catriona checked the stove and then straightened. "Do you need anything else from your room?"