The plane dipped one wing, as if paying respect, and Norfolk Island was revealed in all its panoramic glory. A narrow frame of frothy white rimmed the island, caressing the jutting outcrops and tossing against cliffs. Pine trees were everywhere, blanketing some areas and studding others as if holding them in place. The juxtaposition of vibrant colours was an assault on the senses. Sapphire seas patched with azure, coffee cliffs, puddles of emerald grass, forest-green pine.
I sat back as the plane straightened. It was going to be a week of relaxation, sampling the local produce, hiking up Mount Pitt, a little bit of fishing, a little bit of sightseeing, a little bit of sex. Probably not in that order. An unforeseen benefit had been the information, courtesy of my mother, that a few of our ancestors had been among the first settlers here, before being unceremoniously uprooted and sent to Van Diemen’s Land. But I planned on doing a bit of research while I was here. Taking some photos of the original habitations for the girls, along with a sense of their history.
‘Penny for them,’ said Ashley, proffering a bag of cashews.
I took two and chewed thoughtfully. ‘The island’s so beautiful that I was just wondering how willing my ancestors were to leave. Maybe they always thought they’d return but were prevented by fate. Or the authorities. Maybe they even left traces, like a –’
‘Note left in a secret spot? Written in code?’
‘Ah, not quite.’
‘Oh god. Please don’t tell me we’re going to spend the week playing detective. Looking for a mystery.’
I snapped on my seatbelt and then shrugged. ‘In all honesty, I don’t actually spend a lot of time looking for them. I don’t have to. They just seem to find me themselves.’