*
Back at Alicia Hall, Kitty set about tying up all the loose ends of her life in Australia. A long afternoon was spent with her solicitor, Mr Angus, as she explained that all of the Mercer businesses should be transferred to Ralph, and a sum of money invested in stocks and shares to support herself in old age. The money was to be passed on to charity in the event of her death.
‘I also wish to officially declare my husband dead, given he has now been missing for thirty-seven years,’ she said, her face not betraying a single emotion.
‘I see.’ Mr Angus tapped his pen on his blotter. ‘That should not present a problem, Mrs Mercer, but I will need some time to gather the evidence.’
‘What evidence do you need? No one has seen or heard from him in decades.’
‘Of course. It is simply the bureaucracy of declaring someone dead in absentia – we have to show the court that we have made sufficient attempts to find your husband, even though the balance of probabilities is that he is, indeed, deceased. I shall begin the process for you immediately.’
‘Thank you.’
Her brother Ralph arrived back from the opal mine in Coober Pedy, and the two of them sat down to discuss the business.
‘Given the current financial crisis in Europe, I’d say that we’re holding up quite well. It’s a good time to expand, Kitty. When I was in Coober Pedy, I was offered some land that’s going cheap. I think it will be an excellent investment.’
‘I trust to your judgement, Ralph, but do we have the funds?’
‘We certainly would if we sold off Kilgarra cattle station. I’ve been looking at the accounts – you may remember the old manager died a while back? The replacement manager does not seem to be quite as regular with his monthly reports. I think I should travel up to the north to see for myself what’s going on.’
‘Is that really necessary?’
‘I believe so, yes. I’ve had no reply to any of my recent telegrams.’
‘I’ve never been up there,’ Kitty said, knowing full well why she hadn’t. ‘It’s such a very long way away.’
‘Closer now that one can take the Ghan train to Alice Springs. Kilgarra station is only two days’ ride away by pony and cart, but I would need to leave soon.’
‘Of course.’
‘Then there is the question of the properties in Broome. I have sold off all the luggers as we discussed, but that still leaves the office, warehouses and, of course, the house. Do you wish to keep it? I know how many memories it holds for you.’
‘Yes,’ she said, surprising herself, ‘but the business premises can be sold. Now, dear Ralph, I must tell you of my plans for the future.’
Kitty watched Ralph’s expression turn to abject surprise when she told him she was handing over the entire Mercer empire to him.
‘I will take a modest pension from the business, but I have other money of my own and besides, my needs will be few. And then, of course, there is Alicia Hall. I intend to pass it over to you.’
‘Truly, Kitty, are you sure? You have known me less than three years and—’
‘Ralph.’ Kitty laid a gentle hand on his arm. ‘You are my brother, blood of my blood. I can think of no one better to care for the business in the future. You have proved yourself a talented manager, with an excellent head for business. I am sure you will be able to ride the storm of change I feel is coming to Australia. And in truth, I will be quite happy to hand over the reins. I have been an accidental caretaker for far too long.’
‘Then thank you, Kitty. I am honoured by your trust in me.’
‘So, that is settled. I am thinking . . Kitty stared off into the distance. ‘I am thinking that I shall ready myself to leave by April. Although there is one more journey that I promised myself I should make when I first sailed over here as a young girl.’
‘And where is that?’
‘To Ayers Rock. Can you believe I have never seen it still, after all these years? So,’ Kitty smiled at him, ‘you will have company on the Ghan. I shall come with you as far as Alice Springs.’
*
As Kitty made her final preparations to leave Australia’s shores, she realised there was little she wished to take to Europe with her – almost everything at Alicia Hall had been chosen by Edith, her mother-in-law. Papers were being drawn up ready for her to sign the business into Ralph’s name when she returned from her trip to Alice Springs. Mr Angus informed her that he was well underway with registering Andrew’s death in absentia and Kitty had written a brief statement as to her ‘husband’s’ mental state after the Koombana had sunk, hoping it would be enough to convince a judge.
She received Andrew’s death certificate in the post two weeks later, and sat staring at it with a mixture of horror and relief. Walking outside onto the veranda, she glanced at the very spot where she had first laid eyes on Drummond as an eighteen-year-old girl.
‘It’s over,’ she murmured to herself, ‘it’s finally over.’
*
A strange sense of peace had descended on her by the time she heard the doorbell ring as she was eating her solitary dessert. Wondering who could be calling so late at night, she heard Nora, her Aboriginal maid of all works, answer the front door.
‘Scusum me, Missus Mercer,’ Nora said as she peeped round the dining room door a few seconds later, ‘there’s some beggar who sayum she need see you. She say you givem her address. Her name Sarah. Shall I let her in?’
‘Why yes, of course.’ Kitty rose from the table.
‘Has young fella with her too,’ Nora added darkly as Kitty followed her into the hall.
‘Missus M! Thank the blinkin’ Lord we found yer!’
Sarah, if she had been thin before, now resembled a ghost of her former self. She launched herself into Kitty’s arms. ‘Oh Missus M . . .’
Then Kitty’s gaze fell on Eddie, who had been hiding behind Sarah, his eyes round as saucers as he stared up at the chandelier that hung in the centre of the high vaulted ceiling.
‘Goodness, what on earth has happened?’ She drew Eddie to her, with Sarah still attached to her. ‘Why don’t we go and sit down and you can tell me all about it.’ She steered both children in the direction of the drawing room and sat them down on either side of her.
‘Oh Missus M, we’ve ’ad the most ’orrible time of it at the orphanage.’
‘Orphanage?’ Kitty could see Sarah was near to tears.
‘Yeah, ’cos it was all a lie, see? The others got taken by families but me an’ Eddie, there weren’t no one waiting for us. We was taken with a load of other kids to this ’ome run by nuns.’
‘Are you hungry?’ Kitty asked.
‘We’re blinkin’ starvin’, Missus M!’