Settling the Account (55 page)

‘That was very nice of you,’ Lizzie said,
still looking uncharacteristically distracted.

‘Sit down, Richard,’ Frank invited. ‘Have a
cup of tea—it’s still fresh.’

‘I can’t really,’ said Richard. ‘I’ve
another patient to see on my way back to town. I shouldn’t really
have come at all, but I wasn’t able to last Sunday, and it seemed a
long time till next week, and I…’ He smiled, and gave a helpless
shrug. ‘Well, suddenly I found myself coming up the road. I almost
felt I couldn’t help myself. I’m sorry, that sounds ridiculous, I
know.’

‘It’s always nice to see you, Doctor
Townsend,’ Lizzie said. ‘It’s a pity you can’t stay for a cup of
tea.’

‘No, I really shouldn’t, but… is Miss Kelly
in?’

‘Maudie’s in her room,’ Lizzie said. She
seemed to be avoiding Richard’s eyes. Frank watched as she composed
herself and looked back at the doctor with every appearance of
confidence. ‘She’s not feeling the best, I’m afraid. I sent her off
for a lie-down.’

Richard’s face was abruptly full of concern.
‘Is she unwell? I’ll gladly examine her if you like, just to see if
there’s anything at all serious. In your presence, of course, Mrs
Kelly.’

‘No, no, it’s nothing like that,’ Lizzie
said. ‘Nothing I can’t sort out myself, thank you.’

‘Maybe Richard should take a look at her,
Lizzie,’ Frank said, startled at the news that Maudie was not
well.

‘There’s no need for that,’ Lizzie said.
‘It’s just the sort of problem girls get from time to time. I know
how to deal with it.’

‘I’m sure you do, Mrs Kelly,’ Richard said.
‘I… I’d better be going, then.’ He cast a disappointed look in the
direction of the passage door.

‘Come out on Sunday, won’t you,’ Lizzie
called to him from the porch as he walked towards his gig.
‘Maudie’ll be right as rain by then.’

‘I’ll look forward to it,’ Richard called
back.

As soon as he was out of sight, Lizzie let
her smile drop. ‘Ohh,’ she said, clenching her fists in frustration
as she and Frank went back into the kitchen. ‘Why did he have to
come today? Oh, that girl!’

‘What’s wrong with Maudie, then?’ Frank
asked, though by now he had guessed.

‘And did you see the funny mood he was in?
All excited like that. He was going to propose today, I’m sure he
was. He might go and change his mind now—it might be ages till he
gets his courage up again.’

‘Why couldn’t he see Maudie?’ Frank
pressed.

Lizzie gave him a sidelong glance. ‘She was
cheeking me. I can’t put up with her answering me back all the
time. I know you think she’s too old for hidings, but I can’t help
that.’

‘I didn’t say a word, Lizzie.’

‘You didn’t have to. You’ve got that look on
your face.’

The passage door opened and Maudie peered
around it, her face swollen and tear-streaked. She had put on her
nightdress, and was holding her dressing-gown closed with one hand.
‘Ma? Was that Richard?’

‘Yes, it was,’ Lizzie said, still frowning
in frustration.

‘Oh,
Ma!
And I missed him! Oh, it’s
not fair! It’s your fault, too.’

‘That’s enough of your cheek, Miss. It
wouldn’t have happened if you’d kept a civil tongue in your head.’
She gave Frank a glare, as if daring him to argue. ‘You get back in
that room, my girl. I want a word with you.’

Maudie disappeared up the passage, followed
by Lizzie, and Frank heard the sound of the girls’ door being
pulled to.

Frank did not make a practice of
eavesdropping, but the temptation was too strong. His stockinged
feet made no sound as he walked softly up the passage and stationed
himself near the bedroom door.

‘Now, listen, Maudie,’ he heard Lizzie say.
‘I had to give you that hiding today, you know I did, so let’s have
no complaints about it. But you’re getting a bit big for hidings,
you know.’

‘Doesn’t stop you giving them. Oh, fancy
missing Richard!’

‘I don’t enjoy it, you know. No, I don’t, so
there’s no need for you to look at me like that. In fact, I’m a bit
tired of giving a great big girl like you hidings. You should be
grown up enough not to need it.’

‘Why do you do it, then?’ Maudie challenged.
‘Seems every time I do anything or say anything you jump on me.
Seems I can’t do anything right.’

‘And why do you have to contradict
everything I say? Be quiet for two minutes and listen.’

There was silence for several seconds, as
though Lizzie was gathering her thoughts. ‘I know I’m firm with
you,’ she said. ‘It’s for your own good, you’ll know that when
you’ve got children of your own. But I think perhaps it’s time I
started expecting you to be a bit more grown up.’

‘What do you mean?’ Maudie asked
suspiciously.

There was another silence before Lizzie
spoke again. ‘I’ll make a bargain with you, Maudie. If you’ll try
not to be so provoking—and I mean really try, mind you, you needn’t
think you can get away with murder—then I’ll try not to give you so
many hidings. If I can see you’re really making an effort, I don’t
see why I can’t stop them altogether. Now, I can’t say fairer than
that, can I?’

‘I suppose not.’ Maudie sounded doubtful.
‘You mean it, Ma?’

‘I certainly do. We’re agreed, then? Good.
Now, wash your face and get dressed. You can come out for
dinner.’

‘But you said I had to—’

‘I can change my mind, can’t I? Hurry up and
you can give Beth and me a hand.’

Frank began to move away, knowing Lizzie
would emerge shortly. Just before he slipped back out to the
kitchen, he heard her say, ‘Make sure you wear one of your nice
dresses on Sunday, for when Richard comes out. I’ve an idea he
might be going to get around to it soon.’

*

Frank heard Maudie’s steps practically
skipping up the passage, so eager was she to come back into the
kitchen from the verandah, with Richard following more sedately.
One look at his daughter’s glowing face told Frank all he needed to
know.

‘Do you think the weather’s dependable
enough for a short walk, Frank?’ Richard asked. ‘I’d appreciate a
few moments of your time.’

‘A walk with me?’ Frank said with a grin.
‘That’ll make a change.’

Frank chatted away easily about the farm and
his plans, but Richard made nothing more than occasional polite
responses until they had walked for several minutes. Frank saw him
frowning in concentration, as if running through a speech in his
head.

‘Mr Kelly,’ he began at last, then gave a
smile when he saw Frank’s startled expression. ‘Frank,’ he
corrected himself. ‘You should know that for some time now I’ve
held your daughter in the highest possible esteem. And I have hopes
that she is not completely indifferent to me. I feel I’m in a
position to provide for Miss Kelly in the manner she deserves—I
have the earnings from my practice, as well as an income from my
father’s estate, and I’d be more than willing to set out a copy of
my accounts for you to study, if you so wish. It would make me very
happy if I had your permission to make my feelings known to her.
May I ask the honour of seeking your daughter’s hand in
marriage?’

It was some moments before Frank realised
that his mouth was hanging open in astonishment. He shut it, at the
same time giving his head a small shake to clear his thoughts.
‘Gee, you made a good job of that, Richard. A heck of a lot better
than I did of asking for her ma. Of course,’ he added, the memory
too full of amusement for any trace of bitterness, ‘I didn’t give
you a hard time like Arthur did me. Not that you gave me much
chance to. Gee, that sounded really good.’

‘Can I take it that your answer is
favourable?’ Richard prompted.

‘Eh? You mean can you have her? Yes, yes, of
course you can. I’d never hear the end of it from her or Lizzie if
I said no. You knew I’d say yes, didn’t you?’

‘Well, perhaps I did. There’s a due form to
be observed in such things, though. And I was a little concerned
that you might think Maudie was too young for proposals.’

‘She’s gone and grown up while I wasn’t
looking,’ Frank said with a rueful smile. ‘Fathers can’t stop their
daughters doing that, I suppose. I’ll tell you this, though,
Richard,’ he added more seriously. ‘I wouldn’t give Maudie to just
anyone, you know. It takes someone special to be good enough for my
girl.’

‘I’ll do my best to be worthy of your trust
in me.’

‘I’m sure you will.’ He clapped Richard on
the back. ‘We’d better get on, or Maudie and her ma will be coming
out looking for us.’

They walked back towards the house, enjoying
each other’s company. ‘Can I ask you something, Richard?’ Frank
said as a thought struck him. ‘Are you meant to ask the girl first
or her father first? I mean, you’ve already asked Maudie, haven’t
you? I could tell from the way she looked just now. I only ask out
of interest, mind you. You seem to know how this sort of thing’s
done.’

‘Well, I’ve never proposed to anyone
before,’ Richard pointed out. ‘But as far as I know I’ve acted
correctly. Maudie and I did reach a certain understanding before I
spoke to you, but I don’t think we could properly consider
ourselves engaged until I had your permission.’

‘So it’s all right to ask the girl first?’
Frank pressed.

‘I believe so, yes.’

‘It doesn’t really make sense otherwise,
does it? I mean, why go to all the trouble of asking a man for his
daughter if the girl might turn around and say she doesn’t want you
anyway?’

‘Quite,’ Richard agreed.

‘Arthur gave me a hard time about that, too.
He caught on that I’d asked Lizzie before I asked him, and he went
crook at me for it. He was just enjoying see me squirm, I think.
Rotten old so-and-so,’ Frank added fondly.

‘Well, I’m glad you didn’t feel the need to
put me through the same treatment.’

‘Richard, can I ask you something else?
Maudie’s my daughter, and as far as I’m concerned there’s no finer
girl in the world. But you must have met a lot of fancy girls in
England, at dances and all. What was it attracted you to Maudie
specially?’

‘Oh, there’re a lot of things to admire
about Maudie,’ Richard said, smiling. ‘But I suppose… I think it’s
because Maudie is so different from the young ladies you’re
thinking of. They’re elegant, of course, and sophisticated and
witty and all the things that young ladies are supposed to be. But
Maudie’s just herself. She sits and walks like a real girl—a
healthy girl, too, not some fragile flower who spends all her time
at balls and never sees the light of day—and she says what she
thinks in her own lovely, artless way. She’s natural.’

He became aware of Frank’s mirth. ‘What’s so
amusing, Frank? Have I said something foolish?’

‘No, you haven’t,’ Frank said, controlling
the laughter that insisted on bubbling up. ‘No, it’s just… don’t
say anything like that to Lizzie, eh? About Maudie being natural
and all that. Lizzie’s gone to a lot of trouble to try and make
Maudie like those other girls, she might get a bit funny if you let
on that she’s been going down the wrong track.’

‘Thank you for the advice. I’ve no desire to
offend Mrs Kelly.’

‘Let’s get a move on, then. If we get on
with it, you’ll have time to take Maudie for a walk before it
starts getting dark.’ Frank grinned at a fresh thought. ‘I’m not
promising anything, mind, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Lizzie
says you don’t have to take Beth with you any more. Want to find
out?’

June 1903 – October 1904

Maudie’s wedding was to be the grandest that
Ruatane had ever seen. The months of her engagement seemed scarcely
long enough for all the planning and organising that had to be done
to make sure the wedding was all that could be wished.

It was to take place in April. Lizzie had at
first decreed that Maudie would have to wait until she was
eighteen, just as Lizzie had, but the united forces of Frank,
Maudie, and even Richard in a deferential but nonetheless
persuasive appeal, soon convinced her that there was no need to
make the young couple wait a whole year.

‘An Easter wedding will be nice,’ she
announced as if it had been her own idea all along. ‘That’s about
the same time of year as we got married. Anyway, June’s too cold to
have the reception outside.’

There were lists of guests to be drawn up
and pored over, invitations to write, and a quantity of food to be
organised large enough to feed a small army. But the thing that
caused more excitement, and initially more trouble, than anything
else was the matter of dresses.

He should have known better, Frank told
himself afterwards. He had known Maudie all her life, after all.
But somehow, when she sought him out one day to call him in for
morning tea, wound an arm around his waist and planted a kiss on
his cheek, he had not the least suspicion that she was motivated by
anything more than affection.

‘Pa,’ she said, fixing him with her most
winning smile, ‘I can have a really, really nice dress for my
wedding, can’t I?’

‘Of course you can, love,’ Frank said. ‘The
flashest dress you can get. You can send away to Auckland for one
if you like.’

‘So I can have whatever I like?’ Maudie
pressed.

‘I don’t see why not. It’d better be
something your ma likes, though,’ he added, a hint of suspicion
beginning to cloud his pleasure in Maudie’s company.

Maudie’s smile faltered. ‘But I can have a
new dress, can’t I?’

‘Yes, of course! I don’t expect you to wear
one of your old ones to get married in!’

‘Thank you, Pa.’ She put both arms around
his neck and kissed him soundly, then took his hand and they walked
up to the house together.

Frank had barely closed the back door when
Maudie spoke in a rush. ‘Pa says I can have a new dress, Ma,’ she
said triumphantly. ‘He says I don’t have to wear some old thing for
my wedding dress.’