Tears Of The Moon Part 8

They also delicately probed to find out more about Olivia and Conrad, their family background and their future plans. When Olivia murmured that circ.u.mstances had changed their plans, that pearling was quite a new and unexpected undertaking for her husband, Mrs Hooten was soothing. 'Many pastoralists have become pearlers. It's difficult country for grazing stock and only the men with big backing seem to be really successful. In theory everyone should make money, the growth in the wet is so prolific, and there is just so much land for the taking. But yet there are so many failures.'

Olivia was stung by the suggestion of failure. It must have shown, for Mrs Hooten quickly added sympathetically, 'Of course you really didn't have a chance to see how you would have made out. It was so tragic.' Then she continued enthusiastically, 'But I'm sure that fate has now turned in your favour. Believe me, Mrs Hennessy, the pearling industry is taking off, so my husband says. A pity it attracts so many riff-raff, don't you think? I mean, at the lower end, the Asians and the like.'

Before Olivia could think of anything to say in response, the wife of one of the leading pearling masters took the conversation in another direction. 'I know you'll be wanting to join some of our social committees, Mrs Hennessy, and it will be a delight to have your talents to help those of us who have been here so long that we're rather out of touch with what's happening back home. The social life is looking up thank goodness, now that more wives are coming here. We have b.a.l.l.s, races, concerts, and the most wonderful picnic that is becoming a really major annual event.'

'Well, I was rather thinking of doing some work,' replied Olivia brightly, and there was an immediate freeze in the conversation.

After a moment Mrs Hooten broke the silence. 'Work, Mrs Hennessy, what sort of work?'

'Pearling ... or rather something connected with the pearling business. Perhaps in the office.'

'Really,' responded the hostess with raised eyebrows, absently fingering the lorgnette hanging around her neck on a chain set with large pearls. 'How interesting interesting.' Then she turned to address the room with a voice that almost rattled the teacups. 'Now ladies, I feel that it's cool enough for a little croquet. To the lawn everyone.'

Olivia realised she had made a social faux pas and decided to be more discreet in future about her involvement in the business, although she was more determined than ever to do what she wanted to do. At the same time she recognised that in such a small community acceptance by the wives of the leading families was probably very important for the business. With this in mind, she joined in the exodus to the croquet lawn, making an effort at lighthearted enthusiasm and antic.i.p.ation that was obviously welcomed by the elite ladies of Broome.

Later, Ahmed was waiting patiently at the gate and he drove her along Dampier Terrace, past crew camps, sh.e.l.l sorting and packing sheds, the jetty where the luggers tied up, a boat builder's yard and sail maker, a saddlery and bootmaking shop, a general store and the Dampier Hotel, popular with the j.a.panese, Ahmed informed her. He stopped outside a twostorey white wooden building which housed several offices and a pearl cleaner's workshop.

Ahmed pointed proudly to a new sign by the narrow doorway: STAR OF THE SEA PEARL CO STAR OF THE SEA PEARL CO.

Olivia was puzzled.

'That's us, mem. Tuan give us a name.' With studied formality he helped her down and pointed upstairs.

Lifting the hem of her dress Olivia ascended the rickety stairs to two separate small rooms.

Conrad was sitting at a desk covered with papers and new folders. He sprang up when Olivia entered, stepped around the desk and hugged her. 'We're open for business as of today. Not that there's any business ... just a lot of paperwork. What do you think?' he asked, gesturing toward the spartan furniture and bare walls.

'A suitably modest start, I feel,' said Olivia approvingly.

'Modest? You'd better take a look next door,' said Conrad with a grin.

They walked into the next office to find Tyndall leaning back in a swivel chair with his feet on a desk empty but for a whisky bottle. The rest of the room was in chaos. There were piles of rope, sails, diving apparatus, bags of sugar, cartons of tea, some nautical charts pinned to the walls along with an Aboriginal pearl sh.e.l.l breastplate on a cord. In a corner was another desk and chair where Ahmed had been carefully packing waterproof canisters with curry powders and other spices that filled the room with exotic smells.

Olivia was stunned.

Tyndall slowly took his feet off the desk and stood up. 'Savour the scene, Mrs Hennessy. The beginning of a commercial empire. You can breathe the sweet smell of success in it all, can't you?' he said with exaggerated earnestness.

'Frankly, all I smell is curry,' said Olivia with a grin. 'Whatever is all this stuff?'

'A job lot. The fellow who sold us the lugger had a stock of supplies he no longer needed. Buyer's market. Got the lot dirt cheap this morning,' explained Tyndall with considerable satisfaction.

'Did it require another bottle of whisky?' asked Olivia, instantly wis.h.i.+ng she hadn't made such an impulsive response.

Tyndall was stung and stared at her for a moment, then responded angrily. 'As a matter of fact, yes it did.'

'Just trying to come to grips with the ways of business in these parts,' said Olivia lightly, anxious to defuse a situation she felt was getting a little beyond her. 'Who came up with the name of the company? It's nice, but maybe I could have put in a suggestion, too.'

Tyndall was appalled. He was just feeling relieved that she had changed the subject from the purchase of the supplies when she swept in under his guard with another punch. Stay calm, he told himself. He hadn't met any woman who so confused him. 'It was my idea. Conrad left it up to me ... I didn't think to ask, just a.s.sumed you would not be interested.'

'Olivia ... ' interjected Conrad quickly, but Olivia went on as if she hadn't heard him.

'I am very interested, Captain Tyndall. I am a partner in this business, too. I have discussed it with my husband and told him that I would like to be involved in any small way I can. I have very little else to interest me.'

Tyndall understood this as a reference to the loss of her child, but at the same time sensed there was more to this young woman than he suspected. There was a hidden strength beneath that youthfulness, and it was striving for expression.

With quiet politeness he said, 'Forgive me. It was thoughtless.'

Olivia responded in kind. 'It's a pretty name. I hope it augurs well.'

'How was the tea? Were the ladies pleasant?' asked Conrad, anxious to change the subject as he found Olivia's forthrightness a little embarra.s.sing.

'Yes. It's strange observing formal customs here. I am expected to call on them over the coming weeks. That will give me a chance to get to know them better, but they certainly enjoy the chance to gossip.'

'And you must join the Club, Conrad. It will be useful for business as well as for the social activities,' suggested Tyndall.

Conrad nodded in agreement. 'Yes, the RM already suggested I should join the Freemasons. And I was rather thinking I'd like to join the Cricket Club, more for the sport than the social side of things. I miss swinging a bat.'

'Do you belong?' Olivia asked Tyndall.

'Haven't got around to it yet. I'm still considered a bit of a blowin round these parts. But when I'm more settled, I'll get around to it.'

He grinned and Olivia had a feeling he was not really about to join an elite white men's club. Tyndall led a very private and casual life from what Olivia had observed. He didn't seem comfortable ash.o.r.e and gave the impression it was a temporary arrangement. He was happiest at sea and living on his schooner.

'I'm sailing back down the coast and going to hook up with some of the Aborigines who showed me the sh.e.l.l beds. I'll hire some of them to work the shallow water and dry sh.e.l.l for us. Want to come along?' Tyndall asked Olivia with a lifted eyebrow.

'I have work to do here getting our home set up. But thank you for asking,' she answered, ignoring his teasing air. 'Next time I will come along,' she said archly, with a tilt of her head. As she noticed Ahmed by the door, she softened and turned back to him.

'Thank you for providing Ahmed and the sulky. I feel I made the right impression arriving in style at the Residence.'

They exchanged a quick smile and Conrad turned to Tyndall.

'I say, that was decent of you. We'll have to arrange for transport.'

'Better sell a haul of sh.e.l.l first. I rather hope that Star of the Sea will start making money soon,' remarked Olivia, emphasising the last word.

'I guess we've got our orders, Conrad,' chuckled Tyndall with some relief as Olivia swept from the room. However, underneath he was wondering just how well he was going to get along with his partner's wife.

With Conrad happily settled behind a desk, Tyndall and Ahmed put to sea, both pleased to be away from the office. With their crew they sailed the Bulan Bulansouth to the untouched sh.e.l.l banks in shallow water that Tyndall had been shown by his Aboriginal friends. They readily enlisted several men to dry sh.e.l.l-a form of beachcombing at low tide-for payment of tobacco, flour and sugar. Sharp eyes were needed to spot the flat grey sh.e.l.ls embedded in the muddy sand. As the tide moved over them, they drifted away.

It was slow work because for so many hours of the day the mud flats were covered by the ebb and flow of the tides, but steadily the stockpile on the beach began to grow and the two Koepangers hired as crew were kept busy opening and cleaning the sh.e.l.l under the watchful eye of Ahmed. They had good reputations, but Ahmed trusted no one when it came to pearls and he knew that it took only the slightest hand work to conceal a pearl if temptation struck.

When the hold of the lugger, and the s.p.a.ce in its engine room, were filled with sh.e.l.l, they lashed to the deck the bags of unopened sh.e.l.l from the final few days' work and headed home.

They sailed into Broome with the tide and as soon as they were alongside the wharf Ahmed was sent to alert Conrad, who hastened down the wharf and clambered on board the cluttered deck to shake Tyndall's hand.

'I say, this looks like a really great haul. The hold full, too?'

'To the very top, Conrad. And good sh.e.l.l at that. Not many pearls, mostly small baroque, but we still have the deck cargo to open. How have things been going with you?'

'Met most of the dealers in motherofpearl and talked about arrangements. Nothing settled yet. I must say some of them are very shady characters. Had a telegram from Perth from the representative of a European pearl merchant wanting first option on any pearls we find. How do you think they found out we're in business?'

'The bush telegraph, mate. The pearl business is a cutthroat one and there's big money at stake. Information is worth money too, and I don't doubt that someone in this town has made himself something out of pa.s.sing on information on our venture to contacts down south.'

The tide was still on the make and Conrad and Tyndall wanted to get as much of the cargo unloaded before the Bulan Bulan settled on the mud below the deck of the jetty. Soon the crew were stripped to the waist and slinging bags of sh.e.l.l off the lugger while Conrad kept tally and supervised the hired dray hauling it along to their foresh.o.r.e sh.e.l.l camp. settled on the mud below the deck of the jetty. Soon the crew were stripped to the waist and slinging bags of sh.e.l.l off the lugger while Conrad kept tally and supervised the hired dray hauling it along to their foresh.o.r.e sh.e.l.l camp.

The next day the Koepangers and Ahmed began work on the unopened sh.e.l.l before they went off to the foresh.o.r.e camp. They had barely started when Olivia arrived, unannounced and unexpected. The three men stopped work when she pushed open the galvanised iron sliding door and stood silhouetted against the bright sunlight outside. For a moment she could see little in the dark interior, but as her eyes adjusted she took in the frozen tableau in a far corner of the shed-three men, some large metal drums, and a small mountain of bagged sh.e.l.l. The men were sitting on tiny stools surrounded by piles of sh.e.l.l, some unopened. They stared in surprise at the sight of a white woman in their domain.

'Apa kabar,' said Olivia brightly, a greeting she had picked up from Ahmed before he had set out on the trip.

'Ah, baik, baik, saja,' responded Ahmed with delight. 'Please come. Come see your sh.e.l.l.'

Olivia was instantly overwhelmed by the smell of stale oyster, then as she reached the group became aware of a fresher, saltier smell of the live oysters being opened. Ahmed offered her his stool and she sat down, looked over the pile before them, then picked up one of the oysters.

'Good sh.e.l.l, mem.'

'I'll take your word for it, Ahmed.' She turned the sh.e.l.l over in her hand, marvelling at its size. Most of the sh.e.l.ls were the size of saucers or small dinner plates. She stroked it, feeling the roughness of the uncleaned sh.e.l.l that had nestled undisturbed in the muddy waters, marvelling that her life was now so closely linked to such an unlikely object. Whatever would they think in London, she thought and smiled. 'Hard to imagine, looking at it now, that inside might be a lovely pearl.'

Ahmed took the plump sh.e.l.l and, using a broad flat knife, inserted it deftly into the muscle that held the two halves of the sh.e.l.l tightly together. Rolling his fingers into the rubbery visceral flesh enclosed in the fold of tissue known as the mantle, he pulled out a small, oddshaped pearl. Being a baroque pearl, it was of little value, he explained but, nevertheless, Olivia was delighted and fascinated by the strange creature revealed to her. She paid rapt attention as Ahmed identified the parts, using both the Malay and English words, which Olivia repeated carefully and committed to memory. The Koepangers began to feel relaxed with the white woman and chuckled at her studied repet.i.tion of the Malay words. Ahmed showed her the strong adductor muscles that joined the two half sh.e.l.ls and the fringe of fine hairs which strained the water flowing into it, capturing the plankton and oxygen.

She tried her hand at opening a sh.e.l.l, an effort that reduced the crew to laughter as the sh.e.l.l remained stubbornly and tightly shut. This failed attempt caused several cuts to her hands, which she, too, laughed about.

'Nothing serious,' she said, wiping them with her handkerchief. 'All part of the learning process, but I think I'll leave this part of the operation to you.'

Olivia took to visiting the foresh.o.r.e camp each day, sometimes bringing a tiffin carrier of food from her Chinese cook for the crew. It was an uncommon gesture and news of her deed travelled quickly through two communities. The whites who heard about it raised their eyebrows and pointed to the sun and muttered about 'spoiling them'. The Asian pearling community accepted the gesture with puzzlement but respect; the new white lady in town was certainly a curiosity.

As part of the daily routine she arranged to pa.s.s on to Conrad the tally of the day's work and the little bag of fairly ordinary pearls, mainly baroque, that the sh.e.l.ls yielded. The onsh.o.r.e work was completed a week after they arrived back in port. As Olivia left the shed that day, she wished the crew as much success on their next trip. While walking her to the door, Ahmed noticed an unopened oyster amid the debris on the floor and absently picked it up. He thanked her, as he always did, for the food.

'Think nothing of it, Ahmed. It gives me an excuse to stay a little longer in the shed in the hope of being there when you find a really worthwhile pearl.'

'Sorry, mem. Maybe next time,' he said consolingly. He turned to walk back into the shed, then paused and pulled out his knife to open the oyster. He probed the flesh and knew the moment his fingers touched it that this was no ordinary pearl ... it was a real gem. He rolled it around in his palm ... a beautiful mellow goldtoned pearl of at least twenty four grains, glowing with what seemed to be an inner light.

'Ah, Allah is great,' he whispered, then ran to the door and was about to call to Olivia, who was now down the track that led back into town, when he hesitated, pocketed the pearl, and threw the sh.e.l.l in a bag. The Koepangers exchanged glances, but said nothing.

Conrad was elated at the figures in his ledger and the collection of pearls which he kept in a small locked cash box that he took home each night.

'On paper at least we're doing nicely,' enthused Conrad as he and Olivia made their way to the Continental Hotel where they often took lunch. 'Of course, we have a lot of expenses coming up, crew wages when they are paid off, boat repairs, and so on, but I must say things are looking up.'

Over lunch Conrad broached the subject of her visits to the camp. 'It's not really necessary, you know. Ahmed can be trusted to bring me the figures and so on.'

Olivia very deliberately took a spoonful of soup before replying. 'I know he could, Conrad, but as I've said before I'm part of this business and I'm learning quite a lot. The men have taken to telling me a lot of stories about pearling and pearlers. Some of them are funny, some of them very tragic. It's really fascinating, Conrad, and I want to keep doing it.'

Conrad felt awkward. Some chaps at the club had made a couple of remarks about her visits to the sh.e.l.l camp which clearly indicated that town gossips were at work. 'It's just that, well, some people find it a bit odd, dear.'

'I imagine they do, but they will have to get used to it,' said Olivia determinedly, then changed the subject. 'That Ahmed is an impressive man. I'd trust him with my life, I think.'

Conrad took up the theme, glad to avoid any further tension with his wife. 'He's certainly devoted to John and works very hard. Funny business though, he doesn't seem to want much for himself. Probably has something to do with being a Muslim. He's always praying. Bit offputting, I must say. John saved his life, you know. I suppose that's why he is so devoted to him.'During the following week Tyndall and Ahmed made changes to the rigging and storage on the lugger, innovations they devised from experience at sea and actually working the boat for the first time. Before setting out on the next trip Tyndall and Conrad asked Olivia to join them at the Continental for lunch.

'An unexpected pleasure, Captain Tyndall,' said Olivia after they had ordered and the waiter had poured gla.s.ses of champagne.

'For me as well, it's a special occasion.'

'Oh, then that explains the champagne. But what is the excuse for such a midday extravagance?'

Tyndall reached into his pocket and pa.s.sed a small cloth pouch to Olivia. 'The first return on your investment,' he said nonchalantly.

She looked at Conrad who was smiling. 'Well, open it,' he urged her.

Olivia picked up the bag and shook out into the palm of her hand a large pearl set in a gold ring. She gasped.

'Ahmed found it. Said it was in the last sh.e.l.l he opened,' explained Conrad. 'We all agreed that you should have it.'

Olivia looked at them both in grat.i.tude, momentarily lost for words. She slipped the ring on to her right hand, admired it, then looked at them both. 'It's so lovely. Thank you both very much. And Ahmed.'

CHAPTER EIGHT.

Olivia had taken to walking along the seafront at sunset, watching the red ball of the sun slip into the brilliant turquoise waters of Roebuck Bay. The colour of the water fascinated her as did the activity around Streeter's Jetty, a straggling long wooden wharf, built by the English pearler of that name, through the mangroves near the path that led to the three native wells east of Dampier Creek when the town was still a bush settlement. It was here that the luggers offloaded their hauls. When the great drop of the tide ran out, the luggers rested on their rounded beams. To Olivia it was as if some hurricane or tidal wave had swept through, tossing the st.u.r.dy boats to one side as it pa.s.sed.

There was always activity around the area as the crews swarmed about the boats either unloading or preparing for sea. Olivia knew she was being watched with suspicion and curiosity by the many races working, shouting and singing as they went about sailmaking, repairing, sorting sh.e.l.l, loading and offloading cargo. But they gradually became used to the beautiful white lady who, unlike the other white women, wandered amongst them watching everything with interest, exchanging shy smiles with them and greeting them in Malay.

One sunset on the full tide she saw the Bulan Bulan sail back in with Tyndall at the helm. She walked the length of the jetty as they moored. Seeing her, Tyndall raised his skipper's hat, giving her a salute and a thumbs-up sign. 'How did you know I was coming in? You just knew I'd made a good haul and thought you'd check up on your investment, eh?' sail back in with Tyndall at the helm. She walked the length of the jetty as they moored. Seeing her, Tyndall raised his skipper's hat, giving her a salute and a thumbs-up sign. 'How did you know I was coming in? You just knew I'd made a good haul and thought you'd check up on your investment, eh?'

Olivia laughed. 'Pure coincidence, I can a.s.sure you, although Ahmed did say this morning that you were due any day now. He's kept tabs on the shed, the sorting and packing and all the other details. Though I think he missed being at sea this trip. How did you do? Is there reason to break out the champagne?'

He hauled on one of the mooring lines to get the boat closer to the jetty, then extended his hand to help her on board. 'We did well enough. Conrad will be able to write up another tidy profit in those immaculate records of his.'

Not wanting to accept any implied slight on her husband, Olivia leapt to his defence. 'Immaculate they should be. That's the only way to run a business. Efficiently.'

Tyndall threw up both hands in mock defence. 'I'm sorry. No slight intended. You are right of course. It's just that I've never been that keen on bookkeeping. Come have a look in the hold.'

The two Koepangers had already unlashed the canvas over the hold and on a word from Tyndall quickly removed the thick planks that made up the hatch. The hold was packed with bagged sh.e.l.l but the smell made Olivia put a hand to her nose.

'We found a good patch of sh.e.l.l but I think we're on to the last of it. One more trip should clean it out.'

They moved aft and went below into the cabin.

'My goodness,' exclaimed Olivia in surprise, 'It's remarkably tidy.'

'The only way to run a s.h.i.+p, I reckon.' He grinned, then added mockingly, 'Efficiently.'

Olivia stiffened slightly and turned to find him smiling at her. 'Point taken,' she said graciously and sat on one of the two bunks. 'I rather think I would like to come on the next voyage.'

Tyndall was stunned. 'Whatever for? It's ... ' He was momentarily lost for the right word. 'Well, it's boring ... uncomfortable ... not the done thing.'