Page 176 of The Pearl Sister
‘Camira?’ Kitty walked towards her, her legs trembling. ‘Is it really you?’
‘Missus Kitty?’ Camira whispered back, equally startled. Fred gawped at her from behind the wheelchair.
‘Now, Francis, this is Sarah,’ said Drummond, watching emotion cross both women’s features. ‘She has a passion for horses – would you take her and give her a riding lesson?’
‘Of course, Mister D.’ Francis spoke halting English, but his expression as he beckoned Sarah to follow him told everyone how much of a pleasure it would be.
‘Mr D and I have some business to conduct,’ Pastor Albrecht said. ‘Fred, why don’t you join us? We shall leave you two ladies alone.’
Once the men had gone, Kitty bent down and put her arms tenderly around her dearest friend.
‘Where did you go? I missed you so terribly, I . . .’
‘I missum you too, Missus Kitty, but things happen, don’t they?’
Kitty released the emaciated body and took Camira’s hand. ‘What “things” happened?’
‘First you tellum me how you here. Mister Drum come-a find you?’
‘No, it seems I found him. Or we found each other.’
Kitty explained how they’d met as swiftly as she could, desperate to know why Camira had left her all those years ago.
‘See? Dem up in heaven wantum you two together.’
‘It’s not like that. I leave permanently for Europe very soon,’ Kitty said hurriedly. ‘And no one must know the truth, Camira.’
‘Who here would I tellum?’ Camira gave a hoarse laugh. ‘Whattum Mister Drum say to you?’
‘Absolutely nothing – not even that you were here. Please, dearest Camira, tell me why you and Alkina left.’
‘Okay, but it longa story, Missus Kitty, so you sittum down and I tella to you.’
Kitty did so. Between halting pauses for breath, Kitty learnt the truth of her son’s relationship with Camira’s daughter.
‘God, oh God.’ She buried her face in her hands. ‘Why on earth did they not come to me? I would have sanctioned their marriage.’
‘Yessum, but my daughter, she-a strong-willed woman. She not wanta live in whitefella world an’ be treated like mangy dingo from street.’ Camira sighed. ‘She love Charlie, Missus Kitty, so much she leavem him. You understand?’
‘I do, of course I do, but I could have announced their engagement and the whole town would have seen they had my backing.’
There was a pause as Camira’s eyes found the painting of Jesus at the front of the church. ‘Missus Kitty, there something else that madem her run.’
‘What?’
Camira’s expressive eyes begged Kitty to think, to say the words for her.
‘No! You mean she was pregnant?’
‘Yessum. Four months when she go walkabout.’
‘Did Charlie know?’
‘Yessum, he know. He wanta go find her, beggum me to tell him where she go, but I do not know. After you went away to Europe, he feel he cannot leave. One night, I knowum she dead. Charlie and me, we cry together.’
‘Oh God, where did she die?’
‘Out there, in Never Never.’ Camira rested her head on Kitty’s arm. ‘Love, it causem the big trouble. Mister Drum, he come all the way to Broome to see me an’ tell me ’bout it. An’ I go with him here. Den Fred turnem up few month later.’ Camira rolled her eyes. ‘I smellum him before I see him.’
