Page 71 of The Pearl Sister
‘Yessum, missus. Speaka bit.’
‘What has happened to you? I can see that we’re in the same . . . condition.’ Kitty indicated her own bump.
‘You an’ me have baby, but best I die. Will go away. Life here no-a good for us, missus.’
With great effort, Kitty knelt down. ‘Don’t be afraid. I want to help you.’ She risked reaching out a hand again to touch the girl and this time, she didn’t flinch. ‘Where are you from?’
‘Come-a from big house. Big fella boss, he saw’ – the girl patted her stomach – ‘no home for me no more.’
‘Well now, you are to stay here. I have a pony and cart along the road. I will take you to my home to help you. Do you understand?’
‘Leavum me, missus. Me bad news.’
‘No. I am taking you to my home. I have somewhere you can stay. You are not in danger.’
‘Best I die,’ the girl repeated, as tears squeezed out of her closed eyes.
Kitty raised herself to standing, wondering what on earth she could do to persuade the girl she spoke true. She unclipped the pearl necklace that nestled at her throat, then bent down and put it into the girl’s hands, thinking that if she was a ‘bad un’’, the girl would be long gone by the time she returned, but if not . . .
‘Look after this for me while I go and get the cart. I trust you, as you must trust me.’
Kitty walked at pace to find Fred and have him move the cart to the entrance of the narrow alley. She indicated that he should climb down and follow her. To her relief, the girl was still there, sitting upright with the string of pearls clasped tightly in her hands.
‘Now then, Fred, can you help this girl into the cart?’ Kitty both spoke and mimed the words.
Fred looked at his mistress in disbelief. She watched as he eyed the girl and she eyed him back.
‘Do as I say, Fred, please!’
There then began a conversation in Yawuru, as Fred took it upon himself to grill the girl who was sitting in the rubbish and holding Missus Boss’s pearls. At times it became quite heated, but in the end Fred nodded.
‘She okay, Missus Boss.’
‘Then hurry up and help her into the cart.’
Fred tentatively reached out his hand, but the girl refused it. Slowly and proudly she staggered to her feet by herself.
‘I do-a the walkin’,’ she said as she passed Kitty, her head held high.
‘Where puttum her?’ Fred asked.
‘It’s best if she lies in the back, and we put the tarpaulin over her.’
Once Kitty had organised this arrangement, Fred helped her to climb onto the front of the cart with him.
‘Now then, take us home, Fred.’
When they arrived, Kitty fetched clean sheets for the hut that Fred never used and helped the girl – who by this time could hardly stand – onto the mattress. Fetching some witch hazel, she bathed a swelling around the girl’s eye, spotting more bruises on her cheek and her chin as she did so.
Leaving a pitcher of water beside the bed, Kitty smiled down at her.
‘Sleep now. You’re safe here,’ she enunciated.
‘No one come-a beat me?’
‘No one.’ Kitty showed her the big iron key in the lock. ‘I go out,’ she gesticulated, ‘then you lock the door. You are safe. Understand?’
‘Yessum, understand.’
