Chapter Twenty-One

As Kitty woke the next morning, the previous day’s events rushed back into her mind. She rose from her bed and put on a wrapper, then went out on to the verandah and leaned against the rail.

The morning was fine and clear. The rain had stopped, the early morning sun shone over the watery world and a few white clouds hung like flossy cotton in a blue sky. She looked down toward the river. The water still reached up the hill toward the house and, on the other side of the river, it spilled over and stretched away in a great sheet. The river itself still rushed along, fed by the waters upstream, but on both sides it laid flat now, the turbulence of last night eased, looking more like a lake than a river. The smooth surface reflected the sky above. Everything was still and silent. As Kitty looked out she saw two birds circling high above the water. Large birds, eagles, searching for vulnerable victims forced from the shelter of their homes by the flood.

Unwilling to face conversation at the moment, she sat on one of the seagrass chairs dotted along the verandah and stared out over the scene before her.

All at once she heard a bird calling, and first one, then another, flew out from the trees, inspecting their changed habitat from a safe perch. A magpie called to its mate, not its usual melodious warble but more of a plaintive quaver. Then the swallows came, darting and swooping.

Raindrops clung to a spider’s web that stretched between the slats of the balustrade beside Kitty’s chair and, still intact after the storm, sparkled in the sunlight.

Slowly Kitty forced her unwilling mind back to her situation. Probably the men were out even now searching again in the light of day, but she acknowledged she must accept the fact that William had perished in the wild waters of the normally placid river. What difference would it make to her life now? A widow with a child on the way. And what would become of Redwoods?

She placed her hand on her stomach; in there was a new life, a life that must be provided for. That she must provide for. Redwoods was this child’s heritage; she must make sure it was kept safe for him, or her. William had been sure the child would be a boy, but would it?

Perhaps it would be a girl. Her lips curved at the thought. A little girl to cosset and love. And she would never have to endure William’s tyranny. Kitty bit her lip as the thought sprang to her mind, and she looked around guiltily, as if anyone nearby would be able to read her thoughts. She took a deep breath. Probably it was wrong of her, but, being honest, she could feel no grief at William’s loss. She would not have wished it on him, she would have saved him if she could, but now he was gone she could feel only relief. She would bring up their child as she wished. She would provide for it, her,—and Redwoods.

Yes, she knew enough about the business side of timber cutting, and she had Jack to manage the men. She would take over and run it efficiently. As a widow with her own business she would be in charge of her own destiny. Never again would a man force his will on her. Her heart beat a little faster at the realization, and, rising, she went inside to wash and dress.

When Kitty entered the sitting room, it was to find Bella and Mary sitting together, drinking tea, and talking. Mary rose hurriedly as she came in, but Kitty lifted her hand to stop her. “No, don’t get up, Mary. Stay where you are and drink your tea. You’re pretty much part of the family now and seeing that William’s not here, we no longer have to bother with the formalities.”

Both women looked surprised, but Mary sat down again as Kitty crossed the room to pour herself a cup of tea from the pot keeping warm under its woolen cozy on a table by the window.

Bella spoke first as Kitty seated herself next to them. “How did you sleep, Kitty?”

Kitty shrugged. “Not too well, I’m afraid. Have the men gone out looking again this morning?”

“Yes, they’re out there now.”

“They told me they won’t come back until they find something,” Mary added.

Kitty nodded, sipping her tea. “I realize it’s extremely unlikely that William has survived. We must face that fact, and decide what must be done now. If he has perished, there’ll be formalities to be taken care of, people to be advised and arrangements to be made.”

“Jack will be able to help with all that,” Bella said. “You must think of yourself and the baby now.”

“Yes, she’s my first concern now.”

“She?” Bella put down her cup. “Have you decided it’s a girl?”

“Yes.” Kitty smiled. “Perhaps it’s just fancy, but this morning when I was sitting, just thinking, I had this strong premonition that my child is a girl. How I hope it is.” She rested her hand on her stomach again and rubbed it gently. “This little one is my main concern in life now; she must grow up in a happy environment, secure in the knowledge that she’s loved. As I did.” She stretched across and patted Bella’s hand. “I was fortunate to have two loving parents, but this one might well have to manage with just one.”

“Maybe better one, with love, than two, when the second one’s uncaring,” Mary said as she collected the cups and left the room.

****

Jack came to the house later in the morning. Mary showed him into the sitting room where Kitty and Bella waited. They looked at him expectantly.

“I’m sorry to have to tell you that we’ve found Mr. Barron’s body. He’d been washed downstream quite some distance with the force of the water. We found his body wedged against the bank by some tree roots. We’ve brought him back, and Mary and Mrs. Porter are attending to him now.”

Kitty bit her lip. So he really was gone. Sadness and relief warred inside her. She took a deep breath, and when she spoke it was calmly. “I see. Thank you, Jack, and please thank the men for me. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate what you’ve all done. And now I must go and help.” She made to rise from her chair, but Jack shook his head.

“No, don’t you worry about it. Mrs. Porter’s used to doing this; she and Mary will take care of everything. Mary’s getting some dry clothes for him now. Don’t you worry about it,” he repeated, concern on his face. “You just look after yourself. If you’d like me to, I’ll contact the authorities for you.”

“That would be a big relief to me, Jack.”

“Right-o.” He hesitated. “I don’t want to presume, Mrs. Barron, but perhaps Mrs. Morland and I could arrange the funeral for you, seeing as how you have no male relatives to look after it for you.”

“Thank you again.” She smiled briefly. “And seeing as how we are soon to be related, I think you should start calling me Kitty.”

Relief showed on Jack’s face. “Your mother’s told you?”

“Yes. And I want you to know I’m very happy for you both.”

His face lightened and he smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Thank you. I’ll look after her well, you know.”

“I’m sure you will, and that you’ll be happy together. And I see no reason, now, to put off the wedding. When all this is over, we can talk about it. And I need to talk to you about the business, too.”

“I’ll help in any way I can.”

“I’ll rely on you to continue managing the work, but we’ll talk later. For now, we must arrange to pay our respects to William.”

****

The funeral took place two days later. A small group of mourners gathered at the graveside, the workers from the estate and a few locals, mostly unknown to Kitty. Anne and George sent word they were unable to attend as Anne was expecting their first child within weeks. The mourners then returned to Redwoods for refreshments. Kitty could not exhibit a grief she did not feel; she received the formal condolences with dignity and thanked those who attended.

She went to her room and undressed as soon as everyone left, putting on her comfortable wrapper. The days were cooler now and Mary had lit a fire for her. It burned cheerily in the grate and Kitty sat in front of it in the armchair. Staring into the flames, she turned her mind to the future. As a mark of respect to William, she had ordered no work to be done on the estate until after the funeral.

Tomorrow, work would begin on salvaging the timber from the bottom of the river. Jack would see to that, and it would be sent away for sale. She would take over the reins of running the business, with Jack remaining as her manager, while she waited for the birth of her baby. It seemed that her life stretched before her, calm and uneventful, into the future.

Before she went to bed, Kitty went to the sitting room, where she found Bella sitting over a cup of tea.

“I thought you’d be asleep by now,” Bella said in surprise.

“There’s something I want to talk to you about first. When you and Jack are married, I hope you won’t want to move away from here, I’d miss you so much. Of course, I’d understand if you want to manage your own home again, and you could live in the manager’s house, where Jack lives now, or we could build a new house on the property. But Jack could always move in here with us, if you’re both happy to stay on here.”

“I’d rather stay here, Kitty. I’m happy here and I know Jack would be, too. He’s very fond of you, you know.”

Kitty put her arms around her mother. “That’s wonderful. I was dreading that he’d want you to move somewhere else. Then we’ll consider it all arranged. There’s no need to wait any longer for you to marry.”

“It can’t be too soon after William’s death.”

“No, but I think it should be within the next few weeks. Would that suit you both?”

Bella smiled. “If you don’t think that will be too soon, it wiill be perfect.”

****

The next day Kitty sat at her desk in what used to be William’s study and was now her office. She finished adding up the figures, put down the pen, and closed the book in front of her. She knew exactly how much she needed to draw from the bank for the coming month’s expenses. Tomorrow she would take Bella with her in the buggy and they would drive to the bank. Jack would ride with them. She needed to make herself known to the bank manager and she would make arrangements for Jack to be able to collect money on her behalf if necessary.

****

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Barron.” The bank manager welcomed her warmly, even though he seemed surprised to see her. “Please take a seat.”

After offering his condolences, he spoke in a business-like manner. “And now, how might I help you?”

“I need to draw some money from the account and make arrangements for the manager, Jack Morgan, to collect on my behalf in future, if necessary.”

He eyed her intently. “Forgive me for asking, Mrs. Barron, but what are your plans for the future. I understand you come from England, will you be returning there?”

“No, Mr. Hyde. I’m staying at Redwoods,” Kitty told him firmly.

He raised his eyebrows. “Indeed. And who will be running the business, may I ask?”

“Jack Morgan will stay on as manager. He will attend to the timber as he has always done, and I will manage the business myself.”

Mr. Hyde leaned back in his chair, astonishment all over his face. “My dear lady, surely you do not realize what you are saying. A lady, such as yourself, is not equipped to run a timber cutting business.”

“May I ask why not?”

“Because you would be attempting to deal with matters completely outside your experience, matters of which you could have no conception.”

“Really, Mr. Hyde, and what matters would they be?”

“Matters pertaining to the financial aspects of the business.”

“I’m already conversant with the financial aspects of the business. I’ve always kept the financial records for my husband. I’m fully aware of the details of the sales of the timber, the prices we receive, and the costs involved. Figures hold no mysteries for me, Mr. Hyde.”

The bank manager regarded her incredulously. “You mean Mr. Barron involved you in his business?”

“Certainly. And as long as I have a manager to oversee the timber cutting, I can’t foresee any difficulty in the business continuing exactly as it’s been doing.”

He drew a deep breath and inclined his head. “Very well, Mrs. Barron. Then let us proceed. You wish to draw some funds today?”

Kitty nodded. “Yes, this is the amount I need.” She handed him the slip of paper with the amount written down.

Taking the paper, he nodded. “Certainly, you have the funds for this amount.” He glanced at her keenly. “However, are you aware that this will almost deplete the account?”

Kitty gasped, his words hitting her like a blow to the midriff. “Surely not,” she exclaimed, “our last cheque we received was for a substantial amount. I entered it in the ledger myself.”

He nodded again. “Yes, that is so. However, Mr. Barron made several large withdrawals since then.”

Kitty shook her head in confusion. “But, surely, we had a substantial balance before the last cheque? The business has been operating profitably for some time.”

“I’m afraid that everything that came in went out again.” He pushed back his chair. “And now, if you’ll come with me, I’ll arrange a statement for you, so you can see the amounts, and you can withdraw your funds.” He walked around his desk and opened the door, standing back to allow her to precede him.

Kitty rose and walked out ahead of him, her mind in turmoil. Why had William made large withdrawals and what had he done with the money?

All the way home Kitty pondered the question, but no answer presented itself, so she turned her mind to her problem, what was she to do when this money was gone?

“How is the salvage of the timber coming along?” she asked Jack as she handed him the reins as they reached home. “How long do you think it will be before it’s all out of the water?”

“Now that the water’s receding we should be able to finish in another two to three days. I’ve arranged the use of extra bullocks, which will make things easier.”

“What sort of condition is the timber in? Will it be all right for sale?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” Kitty breathed a sigh of relief. “Will you make sure it goes as soon as possible? We’re going to need the money.”

“Of course, Kitty. I’ll let you know when it’s ready.”

He moved off with the horses, Bella walking with him for a little way, and then they stopped to talk. Kitty felt a surge of happiness for them, seeing them with their heads close together, but as she went inside, her mind returned to the business. If the timber left within the next few days, she could expect payment within the month. It was going to be tight, she had only a few pounds left in the account at the bank, and she knew there were outstanding accounts to be paid. Could she manage? Yes, I will manage. Yes, I will manage

****

Kitty was sitting at her desk working on financial projections for the coming months when Mary appeared at the door.

“There’re two gentlemen here to see you, Mrs. B,” she said, “a Mr. Sampson and Mr. Trenoweth. I’ve put them in the drawing room.”

Kitty looked up in surprise; callers were unusual. “Thank you, Mary.” She rose from her chair, smoothing her hair and straightening her skirt. “I’ll come right away.”

She entered the drawing room to find two strangers awaiting her. One, a little cock sparrow of a man with eyes that looked everywhere except at her, remained seated, while the other, a tall man with a bald head and bushy beard, rose and came toward her.

“Mrs. Barron, I’m Charles Sampson, well acquainted with your late husband. Allow me to offer you my condolences. I was shocked to hear of his untimely accident.”

“Thank you, Mr. Sampson.”

He paused, clearing his throat. I’m here on a somewhat delicate matter. Both Trenoweth and I had some dealings with your late husband.”

Kitty frowned. “Some dealings, Mr. Sampson?”

“Yes.” He fumbled in his pocket and produced a piece of paper.

Kitty frowned. “What kind of dealings?”

Without a word he held out the paper to Kitty. When she looked at it she saw it was a note written in William’s handwriting. She took it, and as she read what was written there her eyes widened, and her head spun. It was a promissory note made out to C Sampson for six hundred pounds. Putting out a hand to steady herself on a chair back, she took a deep breath.

“What is this for?”

“It’s a debt your husband incurred while playing cards.”

Before she could reply Trenoweth stood and thrust another paper at her. “He owes me, too. You better look at this.”

To her horror she read a similar note stating that W Barron owed to P Trenoweth the sum of three hundred and eighty pounds. Both were signed by William, there was no mistaking his signature, and both were dated within the last month.

With a great effort Kitty forced herself to keep calm. “And is this for cards, too?” she asked.

Trenoweth nodded. “Yes, that’s right.”

“When did William play cards with you?”

“We meet regularly most days, a group of us, and your husband managed to be there most days,” Sampson replied.

“Where did you meet?”

“At the Plough Inn, of course. We have a private room there for our use.”

“He’d been having a bit of bad luck lately,” Trenoweth added.

Kitty clenched her jaw. So this was what William did when he was supposed to be working. He had deceived her, pretending to be working when all the while he spent his time gambling. No wonder he’d not wanted her to enquire into his business activities. And no wonder he hadn’t wanted her to mix with the local landowners and their wives. He had been afraid she would learn of his activities. She realized now that this was why he’d withdrawn the money from the bank; it had been to feed his gambling habit.

She stared at the papers in her hand. What was she to do about them? Much as she hated the idea of paying gambling debts, if William had incurred them, they must be paid. However, there was no way she could do so just now.

“I’m afraid I can’t attend to these at the moment,” she told them.

“How long do you think we’ll have to wait?” asked Sampson.

“They’re enforceable by law,” added Trenoweth belligerently.

Drawing herself up Kitty regarded him coolly. She would not allow herself to be intimidated. “You need have no fear that I will not honor my husband’s debts. However,” she riffled the papers in her hand, “these come to almost a thousand pounds. I will have to make arrangements.”

“So, how long do you think these arrangements will take?”

She would have to allow a month for the timber cheque to arrive. “Possibly a month. And now, gentlemen, if you’ll excuse me, I have business to attend to.”

Walking to the front door she held it open for them.

“Good day, gentlemen. I’ll see you in a month.”

Her hand trembled as she shut the door behind them. How could she possibly pay them and still have enough to keep the business running?