Part 32 (1/2)

'Margaret always seemed to be holding something inside her,' said Paul. 'When I first met her I thought she was a very straight-laced lady. I thought she disapproved of me.'

'Never! She loved you,' exclaimed Caroline. 'Especially after we moved in with her and she could boss you around.' Caroline smiled and gave her husband an affectionate kiss. 'You were so patient, so kind and easygoing all those years.'

'Shame you've turned into a grumpy old man, Dad,' joked Julie affectionately.

That night after Caroline and Paul had gone to sleep Julie sent an email to Chris, telling him that they'd met Bette and how amazing she was, not just because she was nearly ninety, but because she was an artist and a warm and vibrant woman.

She told us how she and Margaret became separated and how she ended up in a POW camp with Philip. She also told us that the man she loved and was probably going to marry was horribly killed. And yet she says she has had a full, good life. Mum and I are curious about her marriage to Tony Tsang. She seems quite happy to tell us about it. Dad thinks that now she's started reminiscing, she'll want us to know everything. I'll write more tomorrow. Julie.

Julie lay in bed trying to read but she kept putting her book down and thinking about Bette. Then to her surprise her mobile rang. She grabbed it, wondering who would ring her at this late hour. When she saw the name on her mobile, her heart leapt.

'Hi, Chris! What's up? This is a nice surprise.'

'Hi, Jules, I got your email and figured you might still be awake. Is it okay to talk?' His voice was warm and familiar and she found she couldn't stop smiling.

She spoke softly. 'I'm curled up in bed trying to read, but I can't stop wondering about my aunt. How are you?'

'Nothing new this end, for the moment anyway. It sounds as though Aunt Bette is something out of the box. Are you happy you found her? No nasty surprises, skeletons in closets?'

'No, nothing like that at all. Even without knowing anything about her life, she's a personable woman. She's quite different from my grandmother, even though they were sisters. Bette seems very open, warm and giving. Gran was a closed sort of person.'

'You mean bitter?'

'No, more a private person. Not at all outgoing.'

'On another topic, you haven't mentioned the battle of the bypa.s.s lately.'

'A glimmer of light. David Cooper is going through some old records. There was a similar plan for a bypa.s.s a few years back which was abandoned and David wants to know why.'

'And how is the good Doctor Cooper?' asked Chris, and she knew he was smiling.

'The same. He's rather like an uncontrollable puppy dog, desperate to be loved but actually rather irritating. But I feel bad thinking that about him, he's doing a terrific job on this bypa.s.s and Mum really likes him and appreciates his efforts, so I'm being mean.'

'I have to admit I'm rather pleased you feel the way you do, though,' said Chris. 'I'm jealous that he's in and out of your house, involved with your family, helping you. I wish I could see more of you. I was hoping you'd have time to come back up here.'

Julie cradled the phone against her pillow. 'I wish you were here too.'

There was a brief silence. It was as if Chris was going to say something then changed his mind. Then he said, 'How's your job going?'

'It's fine. I'm keeping busy, which is good. Mum enjoyed Adelaide.'

'Well, enjoy the bright lights of Cairns. Will you keep me posted about Bette's story? Now we've been to Rose Mansion, I want to know all about her life in Penang.'

'Me too. Thanks for the call, it's been great hearing your voice,' said Julie. 'I miss you, Chris,' she added suddenly.

'I'm pleased about that. I miss you too. Sleep tight.' Sleep didn't come easily despite the late hour. When she finally did fall asleep, Julie kept her phone under her pillow as if through it, she could reach out and touch Christopher.

12.

AS JULIE'S FATHER HAD surmised, Bette was enthusiastic when Julie and Caroline arrived to spend the next day with her. She was settled comfortably in a chair and her eyes sparkled. surmised, Bette was enthusiastic when Julie and Caroline arrived to spend the next day with her. She was settled comfortably in a chair and her eyes sparkled.

'Suzie has made us lunch and left it in the kitchen, so we won't be disturbed at all,' said Bette. 'Suddenly it seems important to me that you, my Australian family, my blood relations, know my my story.' story.'

1950.

The white house glowed with a mellow warmth as yellow light spilled from its windows onto the verandah. Ted Oldham watched as his daughter Bette walked up the hill from the bus stop. She called out to him as she came through the garden.

'Now, how'd you know I was out here?' he said.

'The red glow from your cigarette,' she answered, knowing he'd been watching and waiting for her.

'Pleased to be back in Brisbane?' he asked as she came up the steps. 'You could stay here and get a job, you know. Why don't you do a secretarial course?'

'Mum's been in your ear again, has she? I don't think she wants me to go back to Sydney. Mmm, something smells good.' She followed her father down the hallway to the kitchen.

Winifred looked up from the flour-covered tabletop where she was rolling out pastry. 'Glad you got back safely, dear. Dinner won't be long. It's lovely cooking for more than just your father and me. I'm so glad that you've come back for a holiday. It would be even better if you could get a nice job here, at home.'

'Mother, we've been through this. Brisbane is such a backwater. I know that Sydney is not the centre of the universe, either, but there are more opportunities there than there are here.'

'Let her be, Win,' said her father. 'What's for tea?'

'Steak and kidney pie,' said Winifred flattening the circle of pastry with a firm bang of the rolling pin.

Bette wandered out of the kitchen. She knew her parents worried about her future. It had taken some time for her health to return after the years of deprivation in the prison camp, but she had been determined to catch up on life. She enjoyed Sydney, mixing with the bohemian artists, while she worked in several jobs. But Bette felt that she had lived for so long minute by minute, day by day, that she still couldn't bring herself to make long-term plans. Maybe Winifred was right and that she was indulging herself by doing only what interested her and gave her pleasure. Art seemed to fulfil her. She was content losing herself in the images she could paint, which replaced the ugly scenes that haunted her sleep.

'There's a letter for you from Margaret. I put it on your bed,' said Winifred. 'I do hope she's sent some photos of Philip and our dear little Caroline.'

Margaret and Philip had returned to Malaya three and a half years ago. Eventually Margaret had given birth to a daughter, whom they'd named Caroline, while Roland tried to rebuild Utopia after the devastation of the war. But clearly life was difficult. In her letters home, Margaret described things as being tiresome, nowhere near as glamorous as the pre-war years had been.

Bette skimmed through the opening niceties of the letter, before finding the real reason her sister had written: And while I understand you're absorbed in whatever you do in Sydney, it would be very nice, and very helpful, if you could come up and visit us. Roland agrees with me and, indeed, is very keen to have you here again. Unfortunately, you must realise that things won't be as they were. Sadly many of the wonderful men like Gilbert are no longer around. As you know, the estate was a disaster at the end of the war and it's a big job for Roland to get things turned around, especially without his father, although some of the old staff are still here to help. I'd like the opportunity to get out and about a bit, and if you were here I'm sure Roland would be more amenable to the children and me taking a few little trips. I'd also like Caroline to meet someone from my family and it would be nice to have you here to brighten our dreary social calendar! I know Mother and Father are getting on a bit and, anyway, they're not travellers, so I don't expect them to visit me. You don't have a proper job to speak of, so it's easy for you to leave. It would please us both if you could come. I've enclosed some current photographs of Caroline for you.Love, your sister, Margaret There was little mention of Philip in the letter. Bette had kept in touch with her nephew and sent him ill.u.s.trations of things she thought would interest him, as well as a good supply of Australian storybooks. His thank you notes for these gifts were short and revealed little about himself. Bette wondered how he was getting on. Children were resilient, she told herself, so she hoped that he had put all the horrors of the war behind him and was now a happy, normal boy.

Several days later another letter arrived from Malaya. Bette realised at once that it wasn't from her sister and hoped that nothing had happened to cause the invitation to be withdrawn. To her surprise, the note was from Roland.

... I'm pleased to hear you are doing well, Bette. I know Margaret has written inviting you to visit and I just wanted to add that it is also my sincere hope that you will come. I'm a little concerned that Margaret is rather restless and dispirited by our current situation. Young Caroline is a delight and Philip, well you wouldn't know him from the child who arrived back here after the war, he has grown so. I will always be in your debt for caring for him. I know you saved his life and I'm sure that your actions were at a cost to yourself. I think it would do us all good to have your company here for as long as you wish, and to that end, I insist on providing you an airline ticket. You'll find the country is going through troubled times at present, and life at Utopia is not as it was. Those carefree days have gone and what is yet to come remains unsure. However, putting these troubles aside, there is no doubt that we would very much enjoy your company. It would be a very welcome distraction for your sister, and I need not tell you how much your presence would mean to Philip. I look forward to welcoming you back to Utopia.Warmly, Roland Bette was slightly surprised, even a little concerned, at this gentle pressure from Roland and she wondered about Margaret. She had vaguely heard about the political problems in Malaya, and Margaret and Roland's letters had confirmed it. Still, there was no question in Bette's mind. This was a wonderful opportunity to return to Malaya and she was going to take it.

But her parents questioned her decision.

'You must have so many unhappy memories of that country, and there's a bit of trouble brewing there, according to the newspaper,' said her father.

'Of course, it would be lovely to visit with little Caroline,' said her mother. 'And I suspect Margaret might be a bit lonely, not having the social whirl she was used to before the war.'

'I'm sure there's still some social scene,' said Bette, fondly recalling her previous visit with the Elliotts. 'But I suspect Roland is less inclined to party and hunt since he's working so hard to build the plantation up again. And it does seem that he doesn't like Margaret going out and about by herself. But I'm a free agent these days. I'll have to go back to Sydney and resign from my job. I can always get another one when I get back.'

'A free spirit, indeed,' said her father. 'I just hope that Malaya doesn't disappoint you again.'

Because she was flying, Bette found herself packing very carefully. She put in her art materials, added her favourite book, and photographs of her parents and their garden to show Margaret, and she gave a lot of thought to presents for Philip and Caroline.