Page 164 of The Pearl Sister
‘Of course you may and thank you, Sarah, for all your hard work. Now here’s your wages.’ Kitty picked up an embroidered blouse and skirt that, at present, would drown Sarah’s slight form. ‘Can you do something with these to make them fit you?’
‘Ooh, Missus M . . .’ Her hand reached out to touch the soft fabric. ‘I couldn’t take them, not downstairs at least. They’d be filthy in five seconds flat.’
‘Then we will fit them to you and they can stay up here with me until we leave the ship. You’ll need to be looking your best to attract a “fella”, after all.’
‘Thanks, Missus M, you’re like our guardian angel,’ Sarah said as she collected the pile of clothes, plus the spare sheet, and headed to the door. ‘See yer later.’
‘I only wish I could be,’ Kitty sighed, as she closed it behind her.
30
Despite the look of disapproval from the purser, Kitty insisted that her small orphan tribe came to join her as the ship approached Adelaide port, where they were all to disembark. She ordered a last feast that they devoured hungrily, their eyes searching the horizon every so often for the first sight of the place where their new life would begin. When it appeared, spotted by Jimmy with a shout, they all ran onto the terrace to hang over the railings.
‘Cor!’
‘Look at them ’ills! They’re green, not red!’
‘Where’s the ’ouses and the town? Don’t look like there’s nothing ’ere.’
Kitty lifted Eddie into her arms and stroked his fine, downy hair. ‘Can you see the sand, Eddie? Maybe I can take you one day to make a sandcastle.’
As usual, Eddie didn’t reply. Kitty wrapped her arms tighter around his frail body as he snuggled into her shoulder.
James appeared on the terrace to say that the children had to go back downstairs to get ready to disembark.
‘Will someone be there to greet them?’ she asked him as he herded them towards the door.
‘Apparently there’ll be officials who’ll take them to meet their new families. I’ve heard it’s a bit of a meat market – it’s the strongest boys that get picked first, and the youngest and prettiest girls.’
‘What happens to those who don’t get picked?’
‘I don’t know, Mrs Mercer,’ James replied.
But Kitty knew he did.
‘Now then,’ she said, turning to the gaggle of excited faces that stared up at her so trustingly. ‘I’m going to give each of you a card with my name and address on it. I live very near the centre of Adelaide, and if any of you need my help, you’re to come and find me at Alicia Hall. Is that understood?’
‘Yes, Missus M,’ they chorused.
‘Well then, I will say goodbye.’ Kitty kissed their clean, shiny heads and watched as they left the cabin for the last time.
‘And God bless you all,’ she murmured, tears filling her eyes.
* * *
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 deadin 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.
