Part 11 (1/2)

Ruth and Miss Dimm, Nancy and Lois Pickett, Beula Harridene, Irma Almanac and Marigold Pettyman were also approached by the Dungatar Social Committee. Faith was not at home. She was rehearsing, with Reginald. Mona asked the ladies to attend the inaugural meeting at Windswept Crest and to please bring a plate. The newly recruited members of the Dungatar Social Club immediately rang Ruth at the exchange and told her to put them through to Tilly Dunnage.

'Elsbeth's got her by the ear at the moment,' she said, 'I'm next then I'll ring all youse.'

When Ruth arrived at the top of The Hill, she banged on the back door and called, 'Anyone home?'

'We'd hardly be out visiting would we?' came Molly's reply.

Then the others arrived and had to wait in the kitchen with Mad Molly who sat hunched in her decorated wheelchair poking at a burning log with her walking stick. She blew her nose into her fingers and flicked the green slime onto the embers, watching closely as it bubbled and hissed and vanished.

Tilly, professional and gracious, took each of her clients one by one to the dining room to discuss their needs and visions. She noted the members of the newly formed Dungatar Social Club had acquired an accent overnight an enunciated Dungatar interpretation of queenly English.

As customers, their demands were simple 'I've got to look better than everyone else, especially Elsbeth.'

Out at Windswept Crest the new man, Lesley Muncan, sat pet.i.tely, knees crossed in the kitchen, peering at Mona's back as she leaned over the sink was.h.i.+ng dishes.

Lesley had been working in the laundry at the hotel where the Beaumonts stayed for their honeymoon when he encountered William in the foyer, reading the paper.

'The girls out shopping, spending all your money are they?' he joked.

'Yes,' said William, surprised.

'Enjoying your stay?'

'Yes,' said William. 'Are you?'

Lesley adjusted his cuffs. 'It's a nice hotel,' he said. 'You're from the country, aren't you?'

'Yes,' said William, smiling.

Lesley looked about the foyer quickly then sat on the lounge beside William. 'I've done a lot of equestrian work and I've got my eye open for a suitable placement. I don't suppose you know of anyone who needs a riding instructor do you?'

'Well ...' said William.

Lesley glanced towards the reception desk. 'Strapper? Stable hand even? I can start right away.'

Just then Elsbeth, Trudy and Mona bustled through the door, bringing with them the smells from the perfume counter at Myers. Lesley leapt to his feet to help with their parcels.

William said, 'This is a fellow guest ... Mr ?'

'Muncan, Lesley Muncan, delighted to meet you all.'

'Mr Muncan is an equestrian,' said William.

'Oh really?' Gertrude had said.

'Mona,' Lesley said now, and tapped the end of his cigarette with his forefinger, 'if I can get my foot in a stirrup, so will you it's very, very early days yet my dear.'

Mona was afraid of horses but she wanted Lesley to like her. 'I'll try,' she said, running the dish-cloth around and around the clean plate. Mona wanted someone, a partner. Her mother and Trudy were best friends now and Mona often found herself alone in the big house, sitting at the bay window, watching the stables where Lesley worked. He'd set up quarters in the loft, but in the past few days would arrive in the kitchen when he saw her at the window.

'Good,' he said, 'that's what your mother wants and we can't let the boss down, can we?'

Elsbeth and Trudy were relaxing with William in the library which up until that day had been 'the spare room' a room in the middle of the badly designed house with no windows that was used to store junk. William had taken to smoking a pipe. He found taking it from between his teeth and sweeping it about a useful gesture to emphasise an idea. Most of his points were actually Trudy's, but she let him have them. That way she could say, 'But William, you said a leather lounge suite would last longer.' South Pacific played softly on the new record player, 'Bali Haiiiiiiii, come to meeeeeee'. Without warning Trudy froze, clutched her mouth and ran from the room. Elsbeth and William raised eyebrows at each other.

Mona tripped down the hall calling, 'Mummy, William, come quickly!'

Lesley cried, 'She's just been sick into the dishes!' and he closed his eyes and raised the back of his hand to his forehead.

'Why Trudy,' said William and went to her. Elsbeth put her fingers to her lips and steadied herself on the refrigerator.

'I'll put the kettle on,' said Mona.

'Have you been feeling unwell of late, dear?' asked Elsbeth, suddenly important.

'A little tired, that's all.'

Elsbeth looked knowingly at her son and they looked down upon Trudy with love and overwhelming grat.i.tude. They reached for her while Lesley muttered to the ceiling, 'OhmyG.o.d. She's preg-nnt.'

Mona held the teapot tightly to her chest and said, 'You'll want my room for a nursery!' Elsbeth stepped towards her daughter. 'Selfish little wretch,' she snapped, and slapped her viciously on the cheek.

16.

Beula Harridene was out walking one evening when she discovered Alvin s.h.i.+ning a torch into a travelling salesman's boot, sorting through cheap materials. In the morning she found the materials on Muriel's counter, for sale at inflated prices. The haberdashery counter had expanded its range of b.u.t.tons, zips and beads, which Alvin imported from specialist shops in Richmond, while he purchased accessories from wholesalers in Collins Street then sold them at 100 percent markup to the highly compet.i.tive locals. These days women made their housecoats from 'imported' brocade with ivory or diamante b.u.t.tons, and swanned about their country bungalows in pastel silk chiffons or tapered velvet pants with c.u.mmerbund waists and high-necked jerseys, like movie stars.

Tea-chests kept arriving for Miss T. Dunnage, Dung-atar, Australia. Sergeant Farrat arrived at The Hill one evening as Ruth struggled to drag one from the postal van to Tilly's veranda. 'Dear me,' said the sergeant, 'what's in it gold?'

'Supplies,' said Tilly, 'cottons, patterns, sequins, magazines, feathers '

'Feathers?' Sergeant Farrat clasped his hands.

'Oh yes,' said Ruth, 'all different sorts of feathers too.'

Tilly looked coolly at her and raised an eyebrow. Ruth's hand flew to her mouth. Sergeant Farrat caught everything that pa.s.sed between the women. 'Ostrich feathers?'

'I don't know really, sergeant' said Ruth, 'I'd imagine, there is, I mean I wouldn't exactly know what's in the box but everyone's been talking about their new frock for the social club presentation night ...'

They all looked down at the tea-chest. The seals were torn and there were raw holes where nails had been newly pulled and about them brand new nails inexpertly hammered in. The original tape had been torn away and new standard postal tape applied in its place. 'Well,' said Ruth, 'I'd better get on then, Purl'll be waiting for her new shoes and Faith's got new sheet music to practise.' They watched her putter away in her van, then the sergeant smiled at Tilly and asked, 'How is your mother these days?'

'These days she's far from neglected.' Tilly crossed her arms and looked at him.

Sergeant Farrat removed his policeman's cap and placed it over his heart. 'Yes,' he said and looked at the ground.

'It's amazing what a little bit of nourishment will do,' she continued. 'She has good days and not-so-good, but she's always entertaining and things come back to her from time to time.' They dragged the tea-chest into the kitchen.