Page 128 of The Pearl Sister
‘Do men not listen to their wives or take comfort from them at home?’ Kitty retaliated and Noel blushed.
‘Well now, maybe ye are right. And I can’t say as t’would do harm. Our luggers are due out the day after tomorrow. We’ve been delayed by trying to find replacement crew.’
‘Have you yet paid those men who have said they are leaving?’
‘No. They’ll be coming in for their final wages in the morning.’
‘Then please gather together as many crew as you can drag out of the bars and whorehouses and tell them that the new boss of the Mercer Pearling Company wishes to address them all at eleven o’clock tomorrow.’
Noel raised an eyebrow. ‘Are ye telling me, Mrs Mercer, that Andrew has handed the business over to you?’
‘In essence, yes. I am executor of the trust in which the business is currently held, so I am the closest thing to a “boss” there is.’
‘Well now, there’s a thing. I warn ye, Mrs Mercer, they’re a motley crew, so they are, and they’ll all be expecting a man.’
‘I have lived in Broome for five years, Mr Donovan, and I am hardly unaware of that. I will see you tomorrow at eleven o’clock sharp.’ Kitty went to the drawer in her writing bureau and counted out a stack of Australian pound notes. ‘Go to Yamasaki and Mise and buy twenty-four bottles of their best champagne.’
‘Are you sure ’tis sensible, Mrs Mercer, given the company’s finances?’
‘This is not the company’s money, Mr Donovan. It is mine.’
‘Well now.’ Noel pocketed the money and offered her a smile. ‘I’d say that one way or another, our employees are in for a grand shock altogether.’
When Noel had left, Kitty called for Fred to take her into town. She walked into Wing Hing Loong’s tailoring shop and asked whether he could run her up a long-sleeved bodice and skirt in the white cotton drill used for the pearling masters’ suits. The bodice was to have five large pearl buttons, which fastened at the front, and a mandarin collar. Having offered double the normal cost to make sure that the garments would be ready for collection at nine the following morning, she returned home and spent the afternoon pacing the drawing room to think what she would say when she addressed the men. At a loss, and wondering if she was completely mad to do this, she remembered her father standing in the pulpit each Sunday. She had often watched the crowd mesmerised, not by his words, but by the sheer strength of his belief in them, and his undoubted charisma.
It’s worth a try for Andrew, for Charlie and for Drummond,she told herself, as an idea suddenly came to her.
* * *
Kitty studied her image in the looking glass the following morning. She fastened on the small gold chain taken from Andrew’s pristine white jacket, which was the symbol of a master pearler. She picked up the white pith helmet, put it on her head and chuckled at her reflection. Maybe it was a little too much, but nevertheless, she stowed it by Andrew’s leather case, which he had used to transfer his papers between office and home.
Taking one last glance at her reflection, she drew in a deep breath.
‘Kitty McBride, you were not born your father’s daughter for nothing . . .’
* * *
‘Gentlemen,’ Kitty began as she looked down at the sea of male faces below her, wondering briefly how many different nationalities she was addressing. Japanese, Malay, Koepanger, and a slew of whiter faces peppered amongst them. She could see some of them were already sniggering and whispering to each other.
‘First of all, I wish to introduce myself to those of you who do not know me. My name is Katherine Mercer, and I am the wife of Mr Andrew Mercer. Due to the recent loss of his father and brother, Mr Mercer has been forced to take a leave of absence from Broome to deal with our family’s affairs. I hope we would all wish him well on his travels, and pray for him to find the strength to deal with such matters at a difficult time for him personally.’
Kitty heard a slight quaver in her voice as she repeated the lie.
No sign of weakness, Kitty, they’ll smell it a mile off . . .
‘While he is absent, he has asked me to act in his stead, ably assisted by Mr Noel Donovan, who will continue to run the business day to day.’
She saw a number of raised eyebrows and heard whispers of protest from the audience. She garnered every ounce of strength she possessed to carry on.
‘Gentlemen, I have recently heard rumours in the town that the Mercer Pearling Company is struggling financially, due to the loss of three of our luggers in the cyclone. Some have claimed we may well go out of business. I am sure it is none of you here today that would have been so heartless as to spread such rumours given the tragedy that has beset not just our family, but the entire town of Broome. And that each and every one of you remember fondly the man who began all this originally, Mr Stefan Mercer. The Mercer Pearling Company is one of the oldest and most well established in our town and has provided many of you with an income for yourselves, your wives and your children.
‘I am here to tell you that the rumours of financial trouble are completely unfounded. They have been put about by those who are jealous of our heritage and would wish us to fail. The Mercer empire is one of the wealthiest and most successful in Australia and I can assure every man here that there is no shortage of cash, either in the pearling company, or on a wider scale. As of this morning, Mr Donovan and I have signed a contract for three new luggers to be built. We hope to add a further two by the end of the year.’
Kitty took a breath and gauged the pulse of her audience. Some men had turned to a neighbour to translate what she was saying. Many were nodding in surprise.
I nearly have them. . .
‘Rather than the business collapsing, on the contrary, we will be looking to recruit the best men in Broome to join us in the next few months. My own and my husband’s wish is to continue to make the Mercer Pearling Company the greatest in the world.’
