A Distant Journey Page 11

  ‘Do I offer my congratulations?’ said Alice, striding across the room. ‘This is not exactly how I would have done things, Cindy. You’ve deprived yourself, and us, of the joys of a white wedding.’

  Cindy crossed her arms. ‘There was no time, Alice. We love each other and Murray has to go back to Australia.’

  ‘You’re not going straight away?’ gasped Babs.

  Alice turned to her sister. ‘They’re married, for goodness sake, Babs. Why would she stay here?’ She turned back to Cindy. ‘Murray is a good catch, if you ask me. Stable. Wealthy.’

  Cindy felt a rush of relief. At least Alice was on her side.

  ‘But Alice, it’s all been so fast! And Cindy doesn’t even really know him, and he’s so much older than she is!’ said Babs. She looked pale and wan. Cindy felt a stab of guilt at having upset her favourite aunt so much.

  ‘Nonsense. The gap is less than ten years and you forget how much older Mitchell was than me. Marrying someone older means they’re established in the world. Who wants to waste time having to start from scratch?’ Alice turned to Cindy. ‘While I don’t condone the manner of your marriage, we must make sure this is recognised as a coup. I’ve already rung your father to tell him that.

  You will have to speak to him yourself, of course, and explain that Murray is known and respected by Spencer.’

  ‘Thank you, Aunt Alice,’ said Cindy, feeling greatly pleased and reassured by her aunt’s apparent enthusiasm.

  ‘Cindy, you are so very young and this is a very big step. Not just getting married, but leaving all your family behind and going to live such a long way away,’ said Babs, wringing her hands.

  ‘There are airplanes and ships to Australia,’ said Alice briskly. ‘Cindy is young, she’s adaptable. Just like I was when I married Mitchell.’

  ‘Please, Babs, just be happy for me,’ pleaded Cindy.

  ‘This is such a shock. I feel I’ve let your mother down,’ said Babs ruefully. She sat down on the couch.

  ‘You haven’t, not at all. You’ve both been wonderful to me. But I’m nearly twenty-one, and this was my decision and mine alone.’ Both Babs and Alice opened their mouths to speak at once and Cindy suddenly felt the need to escape. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to pack a few things and move into the hotel with Murray until I can get a visa to go to Australia.’

  Babs looked stricken, but didn’t say anything. She got up and began sorting through some stock samples. Cindy saw her wipe her eyes.

  ‘Of course,’ said Alice. ‘And I’ll get Spencer to pull some strings in Washington to get your visa sped up.’

  ‘You’ll have to tell Joey and Deidre and Sol that you’re going to Australia,’ said Babs, turning back around, her eyes filled with tears.

  ‘For goodness sake, Babs, it’s not as if we’re telling everyone Cindy is dead. Australia may be at the ends of the earth, but she’s married a rich man, so it’s certainly not all that bad,’ said Alice.

  Telling Joey was almost as bad as telling her aunts. When he arrived home from school, Joey was elated to see her, but his joy soon turned to distress when he heard her news. ‘I might never see you again,’ he said.

  ‘Nonsense,’ said Cindy heartily. ‘I’ll be back for visits and vacations and, when you’re a bit older, you can come to Australia to see me. It’ll be a wonderful adventure for you.’

  Joey looked at her mournfully and Cindy felt a twinge in her heart. Leaving behind her family was going to be hard.

  *

  They kept the farewells brief. Cindy wore an emerald-green going-away suit that looked striking against her red-gold hair. Sol put Cindy’s bags in the car and shook Murray’s hand as Cindy hugged Joey. Deidre put her arm around Babs.

  Alice kissed her niece. ‘Remember, you’ll manage perfectly well in Australia if you think of my instructions and advice.’

  ‘I’ll have the things you’ve decided to take packed up and shipped to you as soon as I can,’ said Babs. She leaned in and embraced Cindy, whispering, ‘Cindy, I pray that this marriage works out as well as you want it to, but remember, if it doesn’t, I’m always here for you.’

  Cindy turned away. She didn’t want Babs to see the tears welling up in her eyes as she realised just how much she was going to miss her. Instead, she said brightly, ‘I’ll write all the time and tell you all about my fantastic new life. I promise. Love you all!’

  Murray keyed the ignition as Cindy blew kisses and everyone waved furiously. As they pulled away, Cindy saw the small huddle of her dearest friends and family watching her go, and she wondered if she would ever see them like that again. A cold feeling suddenly swept over her, the sort she imagined people meant when they said they’d felt someone walking over their grave. She shook her head. No, she thought. I am doing exactly what I want to do. The best is yet to come. With that, she turned to smile at Murray, and they left Palm Springs behind them.

  4

  Cindy walked arm in arm with Murray, the harbour breeze ruffling her hair. She couldn’t believe how beautiful Sydney Harbour was, and that she was actually there. Murray had organised each day of their visit to show her the sights, and she was floating in his wake, still dazzled by the fact that she was married to this worldly and gorgeous man and about to start a new chapter of her life in this exotic country.

  As they strolled back to their hotel along the quiet streets, bathed in the winter sun, she tried to soak it all in. She’d left behind her previous life, college, family and friends, and leapfrogged into another dimension. The idea made her tingle with anticipation.

  In the lobby of the old-fashioned, slightly stuffy but expensive hotel they were staying in, they stood waiting in front of the elevators, or ‘lifts’, as Murray called them. Eventually the elderly metal doors clanked open and they were greeted by the uniformed operator, who closed the door behind them and started the lift rattling slowly upward.

  ‘Fourth floor, Mr Parnell?’ he asked.

  ‘Thank you, John,’ Murray responded with a nod.

  Murray unlocked the door to their suite and went in, throwing his hat on the sideboard. He casually poured himself a tumbler of whisky and swallowed it before heading into the bedroom, where he changed his shirt and tie.

  ‘I’m popping out for a few minutes,’ he called to Cindy from the other room. ‘I have to see a man about a dog, but I won’t be long, sweetheart. Just make yourself beautiful – I want everyone at the restaurant to see how gorgeous my wife is!’

  Puzzled as to why Murray wanted to worry about a dog, but with nothing else to do, Cindy decided to luxuriate in a hot bath. She went into the spacious bathroom and turned on the taps above the large enamel tub. She poured bath salts from the bottle provided, pinned up her hair and stepped in, sinking down until the water came up to her chin. Murray quietly came in and kissed her gently.

  ‘I’ll be back as soon as I can,’ he said, his eyes lingering over her lean, shapely body. ‘I can’t stay away from you too long.’

  Cindy shivered, though the water was warm. She still couldn’t get used to Murray seeing her naked. Even brushing her teeth in front of him seemed unnatural. At college her sorority sisters had always respected each other’s privacy in the bathroom, but with Murray there was no such thing. Still, she thought, they were husband and wife now, and she had to get over feeling self-conscious all the time. She leaned back in the bath and closed her eyes, remembering their lovemaking and how she was learning to please him, and a fleeting smile of satisfaction touched her lips. She had been very glad when Murray had told her they would be living separately from his father in a house of their own. She longed to make it a special place.

  Babs was shipping a box out to Australia containing some of Cindy’s clothes, books, favourite records and a few knick-knacks, but there had been no time for Cindy to buy anything. She thought about the décor she’d seen in some of the big homes in the
desert. She’d once delivered a dress from Alice’s store, still on its special hanger, to a customer who was renting a huge home. As Cindy was directed to the master bedroom with its walk-in closet, she’d passed glass walls with their views to the mountains and white rugs beside a turquoise-coloured leather lounge suite. Cindy had thought the furnishings breathtaking. She quite liked the way their hotel suite was decorated, too; pale coffee and dusty pink. Old-fashioned but tasteful. Cindy sighed. She didn’t think Murray was a dusty pink or turquoise kind of guy. Besides, he’d said that the house they’d be living in already had everything they needed. For the first time, Cindy regretted the haste of her marriage. If she’d had the chance to indulge in a bridal shower or kitchen tea, she could have brought some of her own things to their home. Perhaps she would be able to add her own touches once she had seen the place, she thought.

  Murray had already told her something about their house at Kingsley Downs. He said that it was miles not only from the main house, where his father lived, but also from other neighbours. Evidently the nearest shops were in a little township about thirty minutes’ drive away. As Murray said, she couldn’t forget something she needed for cooking and dash out and buy it, so she would have to buy everything in bulk. Cindy, who knew very little about cooking, felt daunted by such a prospect, although Murray had suggested that Mrs Flowers, his father’s housekeeper, might be able to help her. Cindy thought the idea of being alone on the land with Murray was just too romantic for words. She imagined greeting him at the door to their spotless house, a delicious meal sitting ready on the table. She conceded that the picture she had in her head of life at Kingsley Downs was a bit vague and woolly, but she knew she had some of the skills that would help her along. She was grateful that Aunt Alice had taught her to lay a table correctly and had emphasised the necessity of fresh flowers, so Cindy was determined to serve her husband romantic candlelit dinners, even if the meal might initially be a bit basic. She would learn to cook. How hard could it be?

  Cindy stepped from the bath to dress for dinner. She loved dressing up, and tonight she took special delight in adding the pearl necklace and matching earrings Murray had bought her the day before in the jewellery shop next to the Hotel Australia. When Murray returned, they went to Romano’s, one of Sydney’s more fashionable restaurants for dinner. While she looked at the menu, Cindy listened intently as Murray told her more about life at Kingsley Downs.

  ‘It all depends on where I’m working on the property,’ he was saying. ‘If I’m close by, I’ll be leaving home early, but I’ll be back for breakfast,’ he said. ‘I usually have lunch with Dad, but I might pop back later for “smoko”.’ When Cindy looked puzzled, Murray smiled at her indulgently and said, ‘Just time for a cuppa and a bite to eat, although at shearing time it’s a big thing. But during shearing there’ll be a camp cook and Mrs Flowers, so you won’t have to do much.’

  ‘Oh, I see,’ said Cindy, though it all sounded something of a mystery to her. A waiter appeared by their table to take their order. Cindy put her menu down and said, ‘I think I’ll have the lamb and a salad.’

  Murray lifted his head from his menu and laughed.

  ‘Darling, please order something else. You are going to have more than enough chance to eat lamb when we get home.’

  Cindy glanced back at the menu. ‘In that case I’ll have a salad and steak.’

  ‘Good choice,’ Murray said. ‘I’ll have the same. And a bottle of champagne.’ He winked at Cindy and then took her hand across the table. ‘Cindy, times can be really tough on the land, especially when we need rain, but I think you’ll be just fine once you’ve adjusted.’ He squeezed her hand reassuringly.

  Cindy hoped that was true. It all sounded so intriguing. Much as she was enjoying herself in Sydney, she longed to start her new life properly. However, she was constantly surprised by how different things were in Australia. When her steak and salad came together on the same plate, she looked at Murray in dismay.

  ‘This isn’t what I thought I was getting,’ she said.

  Murray just laughed. ‘Sorry, Cindy. A salad in Australia is not served first as it is in the States! You’ll get used to things.’

  Cindy smiled. ‘I’m sure I will.’

  ‘Tomorrow night we’ll be a world away from all this.’ He lifted his glass and smiled. ‘Let’s make the most of this evening.’

  *

  The small aircraft began its descent. Cindy stared at the flat landscape around them, a melange of dusty paddocks, dirt roads, a winding, sepia-coloured river, and a dotting of scrubby trees. It sprawled below her with a wantonness of excess space. Coachella Valley, in which Palm Springs was situated, was surrounded by the Santa Rosa mountains, which made the area seem contained and ordered. Here Cindy had the sense of a landscape running off at the edges into mysterious limbo.

  They landed with a bump and taxied down the short runway at Deniliquin Airport. A blast of warm air ruffled Cindy’s hair as she stepped out the door. Walking across the tarmac to the little box of a terminal, Cindy began to feel nervous. Murray’s father was to meet them. Shading her eyes against the bright sun, she saw that quite a few people were waiting for the arrivals. Some of the men were dressed casually in shirts with rolled-up sleeves, but most wore tweed jackets over blue shirts and woollen ties. Women were dressed in skirts with knitted sweaters or bulky cardigans over their blouses. She could tell which women were travelling, as they wore smart suits and gloves. She wondered whether she would get to know these people and one day exchange friendly chatter with them as they were all doing now.

  Murray was scanning the gathered crowd. ‘There he is,’ he said. He took Cindy’s arm and hurried towards a tall man. Murray shook his father’s hand and announced, ‘Well, here she is, Dad, my wife! Cindy, this is my father, Lawrence.’

  Lawrence Parnell had the same creases around his eyes as Murray, but he seemed to look past her and his face was cold and expressionless. He wore a tie, jacket, hat and shiny boots, and his pants were sharply creased. He removed his hat as he extended his hand, saying matter-of-factly, ‘Welcome. I hope you’ll be happy here in Australia.’

  Cindy shook his hand and smiled nervously. ‘I’m sure I will, Mr Parnell. I love Murray very much.’

  ‘You have much gear with you, Murray?’ asked Lawrence as he pushed his hat back on his head.

  ‘Not really. Cindy’s having a couple of boxes sent out.’

  ‘Don’t hold your breath for that, then. Ships are slow.’ He nodded to a woman walking past, who smiled at him in return. ‘Bit sudden all this, son,’ he said, glancing at Murray.

  Murray shrugged. ‘Maybe it was, Dad, but if I hadn’t married Cindy right away, she might have changed her mind!’ Murray said jovially.

  Lawrence did not seem amused. ‘What did you say your name was?’ Lawrence asked, turning to Cindy and looking at her properly for the first time.

  ‘It’s Cindy,’ she answered in a puzzled voice.

  ‘That’s not a proper name,’ Lawrence said scathingly, and Cindy was unsure if he was joking. ‘What’s your real name? What did your mother call you?’

  ‘Oh, I see what you mean, Mr Parnell. It’s Cynthia. She called me Cynthia Anne, but I’ve always been called Cindy. It’s friendlier, don’t you think?’ She trotted to keep up with his long strides as he reached the baggage trolley.

  ‘Cynthia’s pretty enough,’ Lawrence replied. ‘Here, son. Give me that. You take Cynthia’s suitcase out to the car.’

  The car was a solid old Daimler that smelled of pipe tobacco and leather.

  ‘Good trip, son?’ asked Lawrence as they climbed in, Murray and his father in the front, and Cindy alone in the back seat with her hat box and beauty case beside her.

  ‘It’s a long haul from Los Angeles, so I’m glad we had the break in Sydney,’ said Murray. ‘How’re things at home, Dad?’

  As Lawrence drove out
of the airport, the talk turned to wethers, ewes, crutching and boundary fences, a conversation that Cindy simply did not understand. There was no further mention of the sudden marriage. She leaned her head against the back of the seat, feeling weary and apprehensive. Lawrence ignored her for the entire trip except for one moment when she caught his glance as he looked at her in the rear-vision mirror. But he said nothing. He obviously was in no rush to make her feel welcome. She dozed on and off, but each time she opened her eyes, the landscape outside seemed little changed. Flat country, stunted trees and shrubs, dry, cracked dams, a creek edged with dusty willows, stands of gums, and – a high point – the novelty of kangaroos bounding beside the road.

  Murray leaned over and gently tapped her. ‘Darling, wake up, we’re here.’

  Cindy jerked awake and craned forward, but could see nothing. They were bumping over a cattle grid that lay between two fence posts. Beside one of the posts sat a large covered box with Kingsley Downs painted along it.

  ‘Welcome home, sweetheart,’ Murray said, turning around and grinning at her.

  ‘Where’s the house?’ Cindy asked, for she could only see a narrow dusty road running between two stands of eucalypts.

  ‘Two miles ahead,’ said Murray, facing forward again.

  It was late afternoon. A golden light slanted through the tall straight trees, making their smooth white bark glow.

  Shortly they passed a long raised wooden building surrounded by post and rail fences. Further along, Cindy could see other fenced paddocks containing several horses, then saw some farm machinery and another low corrugated-iron shed with several kennels outside, where chained dogs leaped and barked at the passing car.

  ‘Kelpies good, Dad?’

  ‘The bitch had another litter. Lizzie’s a good mother, so the pups will make great working dogs.’

  There was silence for a few moments.

  ‘Damned dry,’ muttered Murray.

  Finally, Cindy could see some chimneys come into view and then a long rust-coloured roof, the rest of the building momentarily screened by serried dark trees. Then, as the car drew closer, she saw that the house was large, with grey stone steps leading up to a wide verandah. The lawns of the garden were segregated from the scrubby grass beyond by a whitewashed fence, and were full of verdant shrubs and a rose arbour. As they pulled up at the front of the house, Cindy breathed a sigh of relief. The Kingsley Downs homestead was exactly as Murray had described it, a house reflecting taste, substance and breeding. She presumed Murray’s house would be in a similar style.