A Distant Journey Read online

  I had my doubts right from the start.’

  ‘Oh, Alice. He does not have piggy eyes,’ Cindy protested. ‘They’re a lovely blue, and sort of haunting.’ Then she burst into tears again.

  For the next few weeks, Cindy moped. She refused to talk to her girlfriends, not even Chrissie. She felt she could never again trust any man not to lie to her and besides, she just knew that none of them could ever compare to Robbie.

  ‘What will I tell my friends back at college? Everyone thought that Robbie and I were the perfect couple. What will they think when I tell them that he dumped me?’ she said to Babs.

  ‘They’ll think he made a very silly decision,’ said Babs.

  ‘Say you dumped him,’ advised Alice. ‘Many more fish in the sea, Cindy, but you won’t catch them if you don’t go fishing. You’d better get back out there soon! Besides, your mopey face isn’t good for business. Who wants to buy an expensive dress from someone who looks so doomed?’

  The thought of having to smile, chat brightly and put on her happy face for the rest of the summer seemed too hard. Cindy felt bruised and sad. She lay down on her bed and hugged her pillow to her chest. She caught a glimpse of the pearl necklace lying under the bookcase, the sunlight making its polished surface gleam. The sight of it caused her to burst into fresh tears. It was no use. Her heart was broken, her future in tatters, and she wondered how she would ever heal.

  3

  Cindy came quietly into the room and studied Babs as her aunt stood before the long mirror.

  The concerned gaze on Babs’s face softened as she ran her hands over her hips, smoothing the silk cocktail dress she wore, finally allowing herself a small satisfied smile.

  ‘You look gorgeous,’ said Cindy. And she was right. Her aunt was shapely and tanned and looked years younger than she was.

  Babs touched her fashionable new pageboy hairstyle. ‘I feel good, too, especially in this dress. I think the tulle stole softens the outfit really nicely. Thank you for lending it to me. And wasn’t it nice of Alice to let me borrow some of her costume jewellery from the shop? Most of her stuff is a bit too showy for me, but I have to say I like this little shell bracelet.’ She fingered the matching earrings. ‘It would have been nice to have a string of real pearls to wear, but I certainly couldn’t afford anything like that. Maybe one day. I feel a bit nervous, though.

  I really don’t think I’ll have anything interesting to say to Spencer’s friend.’

  ‘That’s silly, Babs,’ said Cindy. ‘You look so lovely, you won’t have to say a thing. Men will just stare at you in admiration.’

  Babs laughed. ‘Thank you, though I very much doubt that. It’s just that it’s been such a long time since I socialised like this.’

  Cindy felt a rush of love for her aunt. ‘Now that Joey is getting older, you should take advantage of Aunt Alice’s invitations. I mean, she and Spencer go to all the best places in town and I can’t see why you shouldn’t go with them from time to time. You ought to get out and meet more people.’

  A frown creased Babs’s lovely face. ‘Don’t you think I might be a bit old to start that now?’

  ‘Don’t be silly!’ Cindy exclaimed. ‘Live a little, I say!’

  Babs arched a brow. ‘I could say the same to you, Cindy. It’s high time you got over Robbie and started to live a bit yourself,’ Babs said firmly but kindly.

  ‘I guess,’ said Cindy quietly. ‘But not right away.’

  It was late when Babs arrived home that night. She popped her head into Joey’s room and checked he was sound asleep. Cindy was curled up like a kitten on the sofa in her polka dot pyjamas, dozing. She sat up when she heard Babs come in.

  ‘How was the night? Did you have a good time?’ Cindy asked sleepily.

  ‘Sorry I disturbed you. I had a wonderful night,’ said Babs, smiling. ‘I can’t remember the last time I had such fun.’ She dropped down next to Cindy on the sofa.

  ‘What was Spencer’s friend like?’ asked Cindy curiously.

  ‘His name is George, and he’s about Spencer’s age, I guess,’ answered Babs. ‘He seemed very nice. He had a friend with him, a man called Murray from Australia! George was in the war with Murray’s father. Murray’s in California on vacation and George brought him to Palm Springs to show him the desert sights. I’ve never met an Australian before.’

  ‘Neither have I,’ said Cindy. ‘What was he like?’

  ‘Pleasant enough. He speaks with a very odd accent, not that I couldn’t understand him, but he certainly doesn’t sound like an American. His father owns a big ranch. Thousands of acres where they raise sheep, not cattle. They have thousands of them.’

  Cindy was intrigued. ‘That’s a lot. Wouldn’t cattle be better? More money?’

  Babs began to take off her jewellery. ‘Not in Australia, it seems. According to George, big-time sheep farmers like Murray’s father are quite wealthy. Evidently there is a lot of money to be made in wool. And they’re not called ranches, it’s a sheep station,’ she said.

  ‘What, like a train station?’ Cindy laughed. ‘Well, it’s good you met someone so interesting. Do you think this evening might entice you to go out more?’ Cindy asked.

  ‘Yes, it just might,’ said Babs with a smile.

  Cindy made to get up but then turned back to Babs. ‘Oh, I nearly forgot. Deidre came by while you were out. She’s so kind. She knows how unhappy I’ve been since Robbie sent me that letter.’ A pained expression crossed Cindy’s face. ‘She asked if I might like to go with her and Sol to Lake Tahoe for a few days, leaving tomorrow lunchtime. They’ve booked a cabin and there’s room for me, if I want to come.’ She paused a moment. ‘Joey wants to come too. What do you think? The four of us would be there for a week. I don’t really want to go, but I don’t want to let Joey down,’ said Cindy, almost defensively.

  Babs hesitated for a moment. ‘Joey’s never been away from home before …’ She stopped and shook her head. ‘But he’s old enough now and this will be the perfect opportunity to get away from his mother for a while! Besides, you two get along very well together.’

  ‘He’s my favourite tennis partner,’ said Cindy.

  Babs laughed. ‘And I think that you and Joey have seen every musical that’s come out at the movies this summer. All right, both of you go with Deidre and Sol.

  I expect a change of scenery will do you good.’

  The cabin was at Meeks Bay on the lake’s western shore in a quiet cove with a sandy beach and small marina. Sol took them to a classic wooden boat club and, to Cindy’s surprise, she discovered he was a keen and skilful yachtsman. Over the next few days he taught Joey and herself the basics of sailing, and Joey learned to paddle a kayak as well. It was an idyllic time and sometimes almost an entire day could go by without Cindy thinking about Robbie.

  It was a long drive back. Babs was happy to see them, especially Joey. She hugged him and asked him how he’d enjoyed himself, and Joey bubbled over with enthusiasm about the lake and all its activities. ‘We went fishing, too. I caught two small ones, but I couldn’t bring them back, so we ate them. The best thing of all is we went to the Ponderosa Ranch where they filmed Bonanza. That was so cool!’

  ‘How fabulous!’ said Babs, smiling fondly at Joey.

  As they chatted, Cindy thought Babs seemed very happy and light-hearted. Cindy couldn’t help thinking of her own mother and wishing she was still around to share things with her the way Babs and Joey did.

  The next day, Cindy reported for work at Alice’s dress shop.

  ‘So you had a good vacation? I wouldn’t let my skin get tanned like that if I were you. It’s ageing,’ said Alice, by way of a greeting.

  Before Cindy could go into detail about everything she’d seen and done, Alice was all business.

  ‘Cindy, these dresses aren’t hanging neatly. Space the hangers more evenly apart, would you?’ Alice walked
to the counter, where she smoothed the wrapping tissue next to the carry bags with their ‘The Sun Garden’ lettering entwined across a date palm and a snow-capped Mount Jacinto. She was just about to return to the back of the shop when Spencer came in, accompanied by two other men.

  ‘Hello, Spencer, George,’ said Alice, smiling. She turned to a tall, tanned man standing behind her husband. ‘And it’s so nice to see you again, Murray. May I introduce my niece? This is Cindy,’ said Alice, beckoning Cindy over.

  ‘Pleased to meet you both,’ said Cindy, coming over to them. She reached out her hand to Murray and he shook it in a firm grip. ‘My Aunt Babs told me she met you at dinner. You’re from Australia, Murray?’

  ‘I certainly am,’ said Murray, smiling at her, the edges of his eyes crinkling in his lean and slightly weather-beaten face. He looked like a man who worked outdoors. He was at least six feet tall but slimly built.

  ‘Aunt Babs says you have a sheep ranch – no, it’s not a ranch, is it?’ said Cindy with an apologetic smile.

  ‘It’s called a sheep station,’ Murray responded, his blue eyes twinkling. He spoke slowly and his accent was charming and unlike any Cindy had ever heard before.

  ‘It doesn’t matter what you call it. There are a hell of a lot of sheep on it,’ said George with a laugh.

  ‘Honey,’ said Spencer, turning to Alice. ‘George and I have to make a quick run up to LA. We’ll be back by tonight, but I’m not too sure when.’

  ‘Then maybe we should eat out tonight,’ said Alice.

  ‘Good idea,’ said Spencer. He turned to his Australian friend. ‘Now, what are you going to do today, Murray? Play a bit more golf? You seem to have been on a golf course just about every day.’

  ‘Well, this is the home of golf. We don’t have anything quite like the courses you have here,’ Murray said, rubbing his hand over his stubbled jaw. ‘But I thought I’d like to see a bit more of Palm Springs. I might drive around and do a bit of sightseeing.’

  ‘Say, I’ve got an idea,’ said Spencer. ‘If it’s okay with Alice, why doesn’t Cindy show you some of the sights? Would that be okay with you, honey?’

  Cindy was trying to think of a way to decline politely when Alice said, ‘I guess so.’ She glanced at her watch. ‘I’ve got Lucy coming into work in about thirty minutes. She’s one of my better sales assistants, so I’ll manage perfectly. Would you mind being a tour guide for a bit, Cindy?’

  Cindy felt annoyed about being volunteered without prior consultation but then Murray gave her a slow, wide grin and she found herself agreeing. ‘Sure,’ she said, returning his smile. ‘That sounds fun.’

  ‘Why don’t you go to Tahquitz Falls? It’s not far and you could take a picnic and have a swim,’ Alice suggested. ‘It’s a very popular spot with the locals, Murray. I’ve been myself.’

  ‘Sounds good to me,’ said Murray. ‘I could go for a swim in this hot weather. Is that okay with you, Cindy?’

  Cindy nodded. ‘I’ll round up some things for a picnic and I’ll pick you up at your hotel in about an hour.’

  Food and water loaded in a bag in the backseat, Cindy pulled up outside Murray’s hotel to find the handsome Australian chatting with the doorman. He’s certainly very friendly, Cindy thought to herself as she honked the horn. Murray waved to the doorman and hopped into the car. It was less than a fifteen-minute drive to Tahquitz Canyon, and Cindy found Murray easy to talk to and interested in everything she had to say. Glancing at him from behind her sunglasses, she noticed small flecks of red in his dark sandy hair.

  Murray turned to her and Cindy realised he’d asked her a question.

  ‘What was that?’ she asked, looking at the road to hide her embarrassment.

  ‘Is the hike far?’ he asked again.

  ‘No,’ she said. ‘Less than a mile – and there’s a lovely waterfall at the end of it. But we’ll need to get started right away, before the day gets too much hotter.’

  ‘I’m in your hands,’ said Murray with a grin. ‘I’m not concerned by the heat. The summers at home can be as hot as the summers you have here.’ He explained about the changeable weather and climate where he was from, amusing Cindy with funny anecdotes.

  When they parked the car, Murray politely walked around and held the door for Cindy and insisted on carrying the picnic bag. They set off down a well-marked trail, stepping over large rocks as scrubby bushes scratched at their legs. Cindy had been up here with Sol and Deidre on a couple of occasions and so she was able to tell Murray something about the area.

  ‘This is all managed by the Agua Caliente Indians. This rock,’ she pointed out a large boulder as they passed, ‘is called the Sacred Site. My friend Adsila told me that artefacts have been found around here that are sixteen hundred years old.’

  They chatted easily as they hiked, commenting on their surroundings and sharing stories of their childhoods. Cindy found herself opening up to him in a way she rarely did with strangers. There was something disarming about his slow smile. He seemed genuinely interested in her and laughed at her jokes. They paused a moment to catch their breath and Murray passed Cindy a water bottle.

  ‘Do your parents live in Palm Springs too?’ Murray asked.

  ‘No. I’m staying with my aunts,’ Cindy said, taking a swig of water.

  ‘I have an aunt, too, but I haven’t seen her for years,’ said Murray.

  ‘My mother died of cancer when I was quite young. I still miss her. I guess you always miss your mother,’ she said softly. ‘Are you close to your mother?’

  Murray was suddenly very still. ‘No,’ he said, not meeting her eye. ‘My mother …’ he trailed off and an expression of deep pain flashed across his face. Instinctively Cindy reached out and grasped his hand. Murray squeezed it tight.

  ‘Did you lose your mother too?’ she asked gently.

  Murray nodded, still not looking at her.

  ‘I’m so sorry,’ Cindy said. ‘How old were you?’

  ‘Just a boy.’ Murray’s voice was barely a whisper. ‘One day she was there, and the next she was … gone.’

  Murray looked up and their eyes met. Cindy felt something passing between them, a recognition of a bond that they carried the same pain.

  ‘We’d better keep moving,’ said Murray, breaking the spell.

  He replaced the water bottle in the bag and they continued hiking. By the time they reached the waterfall both of them were feeling the heat and were grateful to immerse themselves in the cool water. They swam idly and floated in the pool below the falls for a little while. Eventually they moved towards the edge of the pool, where they sat in the shallows and began talking again.

  ‘Do you like college?’ Murray asked, sitting on a rock near the edge of the pool. ‘Not so many people go to university in Australia. I went to Agricultural College for a couple of years and then went back to work on our property.’

  ‘I guess, if it’s your family place, that would be the sensible thing to do. Where exactly is your sheep station?’ Cindy asked. ‘Not that I’ll recognise the place! I don’t know much about Australia.’

  Murray grinned. ‘The station is called Kingsley Downs, and it’s near a little village called Yamboola, which is between the townships of Deniliquin and Hay, in western New South Wales, near the border with Victoria,’ he said.

  ‘I’ve never heard of any of those places,’ said Cindy, with a laugh.

  Murray’s eyes twinkled. ‘I’m not surprised. Yamboola is very small and the other two towns aren’t much bigger. But the saltbush plains round the area make it great country for growing wool. It’s dry and hot, a bit like around here, and it’s very flat. You won’t see any mountains where I live,’ he added.

  ‘I love the mountains here,’ said Cindy. ‘Even on the hottest summer’s day, when you look at the snow on the peaks, at least you can think about being cool, even when you’re not. Lots
of people leave town when the weather starts to get really hot. Do they do that where you come from, too?’

  Murray shook his head. ‘No, you can’t do that, not for any length of time, anyway. The sheep won’t look after themselves. But you get used to the heat because it’s always been there. You have to work in it, so there’s not a lot of use complaining.’ Murray splashed Cindy playfully and she laughed, splashing him back.

  ‘Do sheep need a lot of looking after?’ she asked.

  Murray moved back into the water and floated onto his back, spreading his arms out wide. ‘You’d be surprised. There’s shearing, drenching and marking them, and we’re forever checking the fences. We have a hundred miles of those and you always have to make sure that they are intact to keep the sheep in and the wild dogs out. It’s a never-ending job.’

  Cindy felt that, although her question had provided a lot of answers, she wasn’t sure she understood those answers, so she changed the subject.

  ‘With all that going on, you don’t sound as though you have much spare time,’ she said.

  ‘Life on a station is hard work, but the social life in the country is rather fun,’ said Murray. ‘There’s generally something going on, like a dance or a barbecue. There’s also the annual show, and I play cricket in the summer and football in the winter with my mates.’

  ‘Your mates?’ said Cindy in a slightly puzzled voice.

  ‘My friends,’ Murray explained. ‘You’d call them buddies. And then we’re only a few hours’ drive from Melbourne, so I go there a bit. Melbourne’s a great city. And we go to Sydney for the wool sales, too.’

  Cindy smiled. ‘At last, two places I’ve heard of. The Olympic Games were on in Melbourne not so long ago, weren’t they?’

  Murray nodded. ‘Correct. I went down with a couple of my mates to watch some of it. I like Melbourne. It’s an easy place to get around and it has some good pubs.’

  ‘Pubs?’ asked Cindy. ‘I know we’re both speaking English, but sometimes you say words that I just don’t understand!’