Without You I Have Nothing (47 page)

_{Andrew was no help. “I
told you there was worse to come,” he said with a smug tone in his voice. “Should
I saddle the horse now?”  He laughed.}

_{“Don’t look so
surprised and downcast, lad.”  Eric took Peter’s tea and replaced it with a
whisky and soda. “This happens to all of us. Just agree and let the women get
busy with the arrangements. It’s easier to say yes, believe me.”}

_{Ignoring her men
folk’s comments, Elizabeth still awaited Peter’s response.}

_{“I suppose I’ve
waited all my life for Jennifer so I can wait a few weeks longer,” he replied
with considerable reluctance. “But I must warn you that when it comes to
wedding plans, I do have some commitments. My regiment has always insisted that
my old platoon, the men I saved in the jungle, give me a military wedding.}

_{“I will be in uniform
and they will form a guard of honor. Other than the uniforms and the guard of
honor, it will be a normal wedding. I hope this won’t upset any arrangements
you had in mind.”}

_{Jennifer left her
mother’s side and hugged him.}

_{“Underneath all that
military dress will be my husband, and that’s all that matters!”}

_{To reinforce her
words she hugged him tightly and stayed close by his side, clinging to his arm.
Together, they waited for Elizabeth to continue.}

_{“As Christmas is next
week, do you mind, Peter if we forgo an Engagement Party, particularly as all
your friends are in Sydney?”  Elizabeth didn’t await his reply. “We will be
having our usual Christmas Dinner and our whole family will be here for the
double celebration. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the festivities.”}

_{“Elizabeth, I’ve
never had a Christmas Dinner. And I’ve never experienced an Engagement Party
although I suppose I’ve read of one in the Sunday Paper - so I’m entirely in
your hands.”}

_{He seemed relieved to
be able to escape as he led Jennifer out onto the front drive under the starry
skies. At last, they were alone together with only the vast universe for
company, and he could hold her tight and kiss her. Peter lowered his gaze to
her upturned face as she waited for his kiss.}

_{Andrew’s voice came
out of the dark.}

_{“Hey, we’ll have none
of that on this property!  Get to bed now,” he called out, as his feet crunched
over the gravel on his way to the stables. “Not you, Jennifer. Leave him alone,
and don’t you dare go to his bed or I’ll tell Mum.”  Andrew couldn’t resist
teasing them.}

_{Peter worried about
where they would live. He worried about the wedding and he worried about how he
would ever explain to Jennifer what his regiment, and his two fathers required
of him.}

_{He did ask Andrew if
he any inkling of where Jennifer would like to live but Andrew could only come
up with a non-committal reply. Any time he tried to raise the subject with
Jennifer she seemed to be busy with other things at the time. It seemed he had
no way of asking, as she was strangely silent on the matter.}

_{Then one night when
they were sitting on the back verandah studying the stars and listening to the
faint sounds of the night Jennifer leant against him and admitted she would
love to live somewhere close to her parents.}

_{“You don’t know but
the place to the east and this property once formed one great estate. It’s now
for sale and if we can afford it – well, I would love to live there. That is
provided you also would like to live there.”}

_{The hug Peter gave
her confirmed how he would live anywhere with her. “When do we go and have a
look?”  Peter sounded enthusiastic.}

_{Jennifer pretended
she did not hear the question and with each immersed in their thoughts they
returned to their study of the stars.}

_{Early the next
morning Andrew woke him with the cheery call. “Get your leathers on!  We’re
going sightseeing.”  Andrew’s orders were decisive.}

_{The whole family
appeared at breakfast in their leathers ready for what Andrew so euphemistically
called sightseeing.}

_{To Peter it seemed as
though this sightseeing would be more an expedition as the panniers on the
bikes were loaded with bottles of ice cold water and refreshments.}

_{It was fun as they
raced across the creeks, not worrying about getting wet. Elizabeth did her best
to spray Eric, and Peter, dragging up the rear, marveled at how carefree
everyone seemed.}

_{Up the distant hill,
to the far end of the property they rode through the pine plantation and into
the state forest. Everyone enjoyed developing their skills negotiating the sand
and the rocks, but the riders were most careful, knowing they wouldn’t be able
to tolerate the laughter of the others if they took a tumble.}

_{Up and up they
climbed following narrow animal trails until Andrew, the leader called a halt. “Time
for a drink and something to eat. This is thirsty work and I’m hungry.”}

_{“You’re always
hungry,” was Elizabeth’s quick retort.}

_{“I’m just a growing
boy!”  Andrew was determined to have the last word.}

_{They dismounted and
parked their bikes. Elizabeth and Jennifer spread the food and drinks on a rug.}

_{They talked
ceaselessly between sips and bites of the food, laughing and joking about the
ride. As soon as everyone had finished, the remaining food and water was
repacked. Nothing was left to litter the bush.}

_{On foot, Eric took
the leadership from Andrew and began to lead the way through the trees. Peter
could only surmise they had planned something together. Mystified, he held
Jennifer’s hand and followed.}

_{Cresting a rise, the
little party found itself on a cliff edge. Below them and stretching into the
distance were two valleys separated by a long line of low hills. Through each
valley flowed a creek and the scene formed a picture book tableau.}

_{Pointing towards one
of the creeks with his arm around Jennifer, Peter whispered, “I can see our
magic place where you said you’d marry me. That’s a magic place for me and it
was a magic day I’ll always remember.”}

_{With shining eyes,
Jennifer turned and hugged him. “It was special for me too,” she said, looking
up into his face.}

_{Eric pointed out
their home and drew Peter’s attention to the valley on their right. There stood
an old Australian homestead - another stone mansion - almost a twin to the
Blake’s house yet considerably larger. Even at this distance, Peter could see
that the paddocks were bare of livestock and the property was in a sad state of
neglect,}

_{“That’s Rocky
Springs,” and Eric explained that both properties had been part of one great
estate owned by his great, great grandfather and his great, great grandfather’s
unmarried brother. They had argued and split the property.}

_{The feud between the
brothers was so bad that there had been no reconciliation. The family line that
owned the second property had ended about 30 years previously, leaving no heirs.
Now, at last, the local stock and station agents had listed this property for
sale.}

_{Jennifer snuggled
against Peter and put her arm around his waist as she interrupted her father’s
explanation. Cautiously, she opened her heart. “You asked me where I’d like to
live. That’s where I’d like to live,” and she pointed down to the twin of her
own family home.}

_{Quickly she
re-gathered her thoughts. “Down there is the place where I’d love to bring up
our children, giving them a childhood such as I had.”}

_{Slipping his arm
around her waist Peter stared down at the homestead and he believed he could
hear the tinkle of merry laughter as his children played around their home. He
could almost smell food cooking and hear the yells of boys and girls as they
climbed the trees around the house. Squeezing Jennifer, he returned to the
present.}

_{Anxious to see what
could be his future home with Jennifer, Peter took control.}

_{“Well let’s go, why
are we wasting time talking?  Elizabeth, take the lead and see if you can lose
Andrew.”}

_{There was a rush back
to the bikes and Andrew didn’t wait for anyone but made his bike fly, retracing
their tracks. Not a foot behind him was Jennifer, who was determined to pass
her brother.}

_{At a long disused
slip rail gate in a pitiful state of disrepair, they waited for the others to
catch up.}

_{“You’re the
apprentice, Peter,” Andrew laughed . “So you open and close gates.”  Andrew
made certain he put Peter in his place.}

_{Laughing to himself,
Peter thought of the return trip, possibly through creeks. He’d pay Andrew back
in full.}

_{The paddocks and the
fences showed that the property was in a bad way. There was an absence of
livestock and the windmills looked rusted and unused. The few dams he saw were
overgrown with weeds and almost dry.}

_{The overall picture
was depressing.}

_{The triple storied
homestead seemed a twin for Jennifer’s home yet it was so much bigger and its
condition showed that it had stood empty and unloved for years.}

_{Peter mused that
perhaps it was built by the same architect who had designed those thick stone
walls and wide verandahs at Deep Springs. Even the filigree cast iron lacework
of the verandah rails seemed as though they had been cast at the same foundry.}

_{No matter, Peter
mused, the steps leading from the broad curved driveway to the tiled verandah
gave the building a regal presence, welcoming them. Not surprised that Eric had
a key to the house, he waited for Jennifer to stand beside him. Holding her
hand, he followed the others up the flight of wide marble steps.}

_{The house, although
dusty and unkempt, had an aristocratic dignity – with an elegance that matched
Jennifer’s home. Peter’s mind raced into the future when the wide corridors and
courtly rooms would be alive with the laughter of his children and the love of
his family.}

_{In some rooms,
possums had made their homes and the floors were thick with dust. The leadlight
windows in some rooms were so badly weathered they would need replacing.}

_{From the archway of
the huge entry foyer, a wide curved marble staircase climbed to the second
floor. As they began the slow climb, Peter silently thanked the teaching
brothers at his College for the painful lessons in architecture and the care
they took with him hammering an appreciation of art and music into his thick
head.}

_{This was an Imperial
staircase with divided flights. The first flight rose to a half-landing and he
could see where it divided into two symmetrical flights both rising with an
equal number of steps and turns to the third floor. When they reached the top of
the staircase Peter was astounded to find a ballroom complete with stage.}

_{“This isn’t a farm
house it’s a luxury hotel.”  The imposing size of the ballroom, with its ornate
high ceiling and floor to ceiling French Doors opening onto the wide balcony
awed Peter. The polished wooden floor appeared ready for a ball that same
evening.}

_{On the second floor
the bedrooms, each with its own ensuite, were enormous. Ground floor rooms were
also enormous as was the pantry and kitchen and at the rear of the building another
curved staircase with twin silky oak banisters led upwards to the second floor.
The corridors were so large that Andrew couldn’t resist teasing Jennifer once
more.}

_{“You could drive a
horse and cart up and down these corridors. Jennifer, you will have housewife’s
knees and hands just keeping this place up to scratch.”}

_{Peter grinned. “Well,
I’ll always know where to find her!” he remarked, bringing gales of laughter
from Eric and Andrew but silencing glares from the women.}

_{“So your dream has
been to raise your children here and work this property, eh?”  Peter stared at
Jennifer as if demanding answers. He added, “Would it become part of Blake and
O’Brien Pastoral Company or remain Blake Pastoral Company?”}

_{They continued their
exploration of the wide corridors until they walked into what had been a formal
dining room. The only furniture remaining was the dining table that would
easily seat sixty.}

_{Peter noticed
immediately and passed an unexpected comment. “Jennifer you’re going to be
busy!  I want to fill the chairs around that table with my children.”}

_{Jennifer punched his
arm in reply and the others laughed.}

_{Peter didn’t stop his
queries at this point, and as Jennifer strolled through the big house
discussing possible plans, his questions seemed endless until he paused to turn
to Eric.}

_{“Okay then, show us
around the property.”}

_{They inspected the
sheds, the dilapidated shearing shed, the shearers’ quarters and the ruins of
the stockmen’s homes. Then slowly, they rode around the fence line, stopping
occasionally for someone to pass an opinion or make an observation.}