Page 177 of The Pearl Sister
‘But if Alkina died, then why . . .’
‘She die, yessum, but baby alive. Mister Drum, he find baby with Ghan camel men, an’ bring him to Hermannsburg. He savem baby’s life. He a miracle man.’ Camira nodded vehemently. ‘Ancestors helpum him find my grandson.’
Kitty’s head was spinning with what Camira was telling her. There were so many questions she wanted answers to, she hardly knew what to ask next.
‘But how did he know the baby was Alkina’s?’
‘Thattum bad pearl. My daughter once see me check that it still buried where I leave it. She takem it to sell for money for her and baby. Mister Drum, he see bad pearl with baby and baby’s eyes. Dey like his mum’s. He comun see me an’ bringum me here to care for baby.’
‘So you didn’t tell Charlie that he was a father?’ Kitty tried to control the anger rising inside her. ‘That my son’s baby was alive? Good God, Camira, why did you not tellme?!’
‘Maybe I makem mistake, but Charlie friend with Elise, an’ I thinkum best he not know. He running big business, an’ my daughter dead. How could he bringum up baby? You away in Europe. Yessum I hear later Charlie die too. So sad, but now they up there together with Ancestors. So, everything turnum out for best, yes?’
Camira’s eyes begged Kitty to agree, but she stood up and began to pace up and down the narrow aisle of the chapel. ‘I really don’t know just now, Camira. I feel as though I wasn’t given any choice in the matter. I feel . . .’ Kitty wrung her hands. ‘Totally deceived.’
‘Missus Kitty, we all lovem you, we wanta do best thing.’
‘How many wrong decisions come out of love . . .’ Kitty sighed. As she did her best to control herself in front of a womansheloved and who, from her obvious frailty, was facing her last few weeks on earth, another thought came to her.
‘What happened to the baby?’ she asked, bracing herself for more bad news.
Camira’s features finally gathered themselves into a wide smile. ‘He sick as baby, but now he big, strong boy. I do-um best to bring him up good for both of us.’ She chuckled then. ‘Missus Kitty, you just met our grandson. His name Francis.’
* * *
Drummond watched Kitty pushing Camira’s wheelchair towards the stables, uncertain how she would have reacted to the news. He turned his head at the shrieks of laughter emanating from Sarah as she did her best to steer the reluctant horse round in a circle, with Francis holding the end of the rope below her.
‘He keeps wanting to go straight ahead! Can we, please?’
‘Only if I climb up with you,’ Francis called to her.
With the past and the present about to collide, Drummond pondered on whether Sarah’s words were an apt metaphor. So many humans wandered round in circles, wishing for a future they were too fearful to seize.
‘Come on then! Jump aboard!’ Sarah shouted.
Francis released the rope and swung his long body onto the horse behind her.
If nothing else, he knew those twowouldseize it.
‘I tellum her, Mister Drum, I don’t think she very happy,’ Camira murmured as Fred took the wheelchair from Kitty’s shaking grasp. She greeted him, then stared at the young man on horseback.
‘Maybe I diddum wrong thing,’ Camira continued as they watched Francis doing his best to impress a lady. With a hand tucked proprietorially around Sarah’s waist, his strong thighs controlling the movements of the horse, he set it to a brisk canter. Expletives fell from Sarah’s mouth, but the onlookers could all see their sheer joy in being alive, with their future ahead of them.
Kitty turned to Drummond and finally spoke. ‘I believe I am watching my grandson career round a field with my lady’s maid?’
‘You are, yes. Are you angry?’
‘When a decision is taken out of your hands – when one is left completely in the dark – of course there is anger.’
‘Forgive her, Kitty, Camira only did what she thought best at the time.’ Drummond braced himself for her verbal onslaught. Yet, as her gaze fell once more onto Francis and Sarah, Kitty was silent.
Eventually she said, ‘Thank you.’
‘What?’
‘The polite response would be “pardon me”, as you well know, but given that you apparently saved our grandson’s life . . .’ Kitty put her hand to Camira’s shoulder. ‘I can overlook your appalling use of language just this once.’
‘Glad to hear it,’ he said, and gave her a smile.
