Tell Me of Love

By Rosa Lee Lloyd

(Previous chapter)

Chapter 3

Synopsis: Julie Ridgehaven, of Sydney, Australia, while attending college in California, receives a cablegram from her Aunt Isabelle asking her to fly home at once, due to an emergency in the family. Her friend Betz Condon goes with her. While traveling, they meet Carolyn Bridges, matron at a hospital in Perth. During a brief stopover in Fiji, they are introduced to Dan Fargo, an engineer, and friend of Grandfather Ridgehaven. Mr. Fargo goes with them to Sydney, and Julie learns that her fiance Ron McLaren is lost in the bush.

The big airplane circled over Sydney Harbor preparing to land at Kingsford Smith Aerodrome, five miles to the south.

“Oh, look!” Betz exclaimed. “It’s like San Francisco, with all those ships and beaches!”

“More magnificent,” Big Dan said. “The water is a brighter blue. Notice those two craggy cliffs that let the ocean in. And those beaches have hard white sand, like crystal. There’s only one bridge across our harbor. We call it old Coathanger’s Bridge. And we have a whole fleet of ferries to take our people back and forth. Magnificent!” he repeated, looking at Betz, “If this is your first glimpse of the eastern part of Australia you must be awe-struck.”

“I am,” Betz said. “As you say, it is magnificent.”

He turned to Julie. “Look below,” he said. “Let pride in your home lift your heart. Your grandfather’s house is out there to the left on Rushcutter’s Bay. What a poetic spot that is. Many tourists compare it to the Riviera, but. . .”

“But you think it’s grander,” Betz cut in, laughing.

“I do!” Big Dan nodded.

“And so do I,” Carolyn agreed.

“This is our home,” Julie murmured. “Forgive us, Betz, if we brag a little. Big Dan, that ultra modern structure down there must be our new Opera House. It looks different from up here.”

“It is,” Carolyn chimed in. “They say it is the largest cultural building in the world.”

They circled the harbor again, then flew to the south and landed gently at the aerodrome on scheduled time.

“Remind me to compliment that pilot,” Big Dan said to Carolyn as they walked down the steps and out across the tarmac toward the gate where people were waiting to greet passengers.

Julie was weak and sick at heart. Her feet dragged and her eyes stung with tears. How could she greet them? What could she say?

She saw Grandfather first, head and shoulders above the crowd, even though he was very elderly. Then she saw Aunt Isabelle beside him, so pale and thin she hardly recognized her. Oh, Aunt Isabelle, her heart cried silently, what has happened to you?

Uncle Geoffrey and Wally stood with Aunt Tricia between them. Uncle John and Aunt Cleo were there, too, with Brown and Kip. Aunt Cleo was holding Brown’s hand, and Kip was high on Uncle John’s shoulder.

Julie’s heart lifted in spite of her grief about Ron. This was her family. These were her dear ones who shared her worry and heartbreak, and who stood willing and ready to go with her through any hardship to bring Ron home again.

She looked from one dear face to another. She saw the love and compassion in their eyes. Then she ran through the gate with outstretched arms to meet them.

“Grandfather,” she whispered tenderly, feeling his wrinkled cheek against her own.

He held her tenderly for a long moment without speaking.

“My child,” he said at last in his fine old English. “I can see that Big Dan has told you about Ron. We are all here, ready to help.”

“Julie. . . .” Aunt Isabella touched her shoulder. Her head toward the gate where people was high but her voice was tight were waiting to greet passengers, and her breathing was labored. Julie was weak and sick at Little Brown said in his piping heart. Her feet dragged and her voice: “We’ve made a special eyes stung with tears. How could treat. Big secret. Something you she greet them? What could she will like.”

“Oh, you darlings!” Julie bent to kiss him, and when she stood up again Uncle John gave her a good hard squeeze.

“We’ll have to fatten you up,” he said.

Julie noticed Aunt Cleo’s hair was brilliant yellow again, but she told her how pretty she was, anyway.

Then she was in Aunt Tricia’s sweet motherly arms and Uncle Geoffrey was patting her shoulder. Wally, standing close by, said: “Hi! Monkey Face.”

“Hello, Redhead!” Julie answered. Then she turned to Betz, Carolyn, and Big Dan.

“This is my family,” she said proudly. “Even this punk red-head is my own cousin. And these are my dear friends — Carolyn Bridges from Perth, and my roommate Betz Condon. You all know Big Dan.”

A flicker of apprehension came to Aunt Isabelle’s eyes when she saw Carolyn. But why? Julie wondered. Aunt Isabelle had never been afraid of anything or anybody.

Grandfather’s eyebrows lifted quizzically as he looked at Betz.

“Betz will be our guest,” Julie said candidly, deciding that it was best to tell them at once.

Aunt Isabelle’s eyes widened in surprise, but Grandfather said in his grand old manner, bowing slightly: “Welcome, Miss Condon. Thank you for coming with our Julie.”

Betz answered, smiling: “Julie has told me so much about each one of you I feel that I know you all. So please call me Betz.”

“Fair enough,” Wally said.

“Dinner is at our house,” Aunt Cleo said brightly.

“Big surprise,” Brown chanted again. “Mummy made cream sponge cake ‘cause Julie’s here.”

“Will you ride with us?” Aunt Tricia asked Betz. Julie sighed with relief. Aunt Tricia always knew just what to do to make anyone feel welcome.

“I’d love to,” Betz answered.

“This way,” Wally said, taking her arm. “The family chariot is parked a block away.”

Grandfather and Big Dan sat in the back seat of the Ridgehaven car.- Julie sat in front with Aunt Isabelle, who drove. It is strange, Julie thought as they started through the heavy traffic, how good it is to be back.

Busy with the traffic, it was understandable that Aunt Isabelle would be silent on the way to Uncle John’s and Aunt Cleo’s house. She didn’t speak at dinner and ate very little. Julie wondered if she were very angry because she had brought Betz at this time. But that isn’t like Aunt Isabelle, Julie thought, with a nagging worry. Aunt Isabelle isn’t herself at all.

Aunt Cleo, in her generous, good-hearted way, had cooked everyone’s favorite dish, whether or not they went together. There was a beautiful cream sponge, because Julie liked it; Grandfathers’ favorite roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, and Yorkshire pudding; Wally ‘s favorite sweet apple dumplings and cream, and then fresh fruit to finish off.

Betz looked at Julie when she saw the two desserts, but Julie shook her head before she could say anything that might hurt Aunt Cleo. Just for this one time, Betz could forget her figure was a size ten.

After her second mouthful, Betz whispered to Julie: “I’ve had enough starch to stiffen my spine!”

“I know,” Julie whispered back. “But this is Aunt Cleo’s way of showing that she loves us.”

When dinner was over, Grandfather asked everyone to join him in the living room. He was a man of action, and plans were already being carried out in the search for Ron.

“Search parties from Perth have been on the job for three days,” he explained. “But the Ridgehavens will have their own search party. Julie, I know you remember that it was your Aunt Isabelle who found you and Ron years ago after the fire, when all others had given up the search. Women, sometimes, have a sixth sense concerning their loved ones. Some call it intuition. Your Grannie called it love. Ron belongs to us. We will never give up until we find him.”

He paused for a moment, and Julie noticed, for the first time, that his hand trembled as he touched his forehead with his handkerchief.

A moment later he went on in his clear, steady voice: “I wish I could go with you, but Dr. Longworth says I would only be a liability to you at my age. Brown and Kip would be liabilities, too, for the same reason. So they will stay here with me. Aunt Tricia will come to my house and take care of us. The rest of you will fly to our station in Conderra in the morning. I have contacted Dr. George McGregor to meet the plane at the aerodrome twenty miles from the property.”

There was silence. Everyone looked at Aunt Isabelle, who sat like a statue as though she would break in two if she moved. Her hands were clenched in her lap, and her dark eyes were too big for her pale face. She seemed too shocked to speak or make any sign of protest. Julie’s heart reached out to her. Surely Grandfather could see she was not able to go with them and live outback at a station where you had to haul your own water and kill most of the food you ate. Had Grandfather’s eyes become so dim he could not see clearly?

Julie saw the look that passed between Uncle John and Uncle Geoffrey, but, as usual, they did not openly question Grandfather’s wisdom.

Betz was seated beside Julie. Now Grandfather looked at her. His brows drew together, quizzically.

“You must make your own decision,” he said. “You are welcome to go, but it will not be a pleasure trip. The women will stay at the station house and do the cooking for the searchers. There is no plumbing, and you will have to help with the scrubbing and the washing and sleep on a bunk. But you look well enough to help out. The Americans I have known have never lacked for courage.”

Julie held her breath as she watched the conflicting emotions in Betz’ face. This was a chance for her to see a part of the world she didn’t know existed. But she had made such a fuss over a few ant bites, how would she hold up in the bush?

Betz wet her lips as she looked from one person to another, seeking her answer. She ran her fingers through her blond hair and took a deep breath.

“I’m sort of a sissy,” she said at last. “Julie called me a baby on Fiji — but I want to go. I want to help Julie — all I can. That’s what I came for — really. I want to go.”

“A very good girl!” Grandfather beamed at her.

Wally was looking at Betz with his red head tipped to one side, sizing her up. He leaned over and pulled a blond curl at the back of her head.

“Ouch!” she yelled, jumping to her feet.

“Just testing,” he laughed.

Big Dan called out: “We’ll get even with him, Betz.”

Grandfather motioned for them to kneel beside their chairs, and all were reverently quiet as his low, cultured voice asked Heavenly Father for his guidance and protection on their journey into the outback in search of Ron.

Back in her own bed in Grandfather’s house, Julie lay staring into the darkness. Aunt Isabelle had seemed to revive after Grandfather’s prayer. Her eyes were brighter, and a slight color had come into her cheeks. She talked a little about the properties on the way home and was gracious to Betz when she took her to the guest room.

The moonlight made lacy patterns on the wall and a spring breeze whispered through the branches of the big white-trunked gum tree that she remembered so well. Julie loved everything about this old home with its nineteenth century architecture and elegant period furniture that her grandparents had brought from England sixty years ago, when they decided to make Australia their home.

She could not sleep. The house was full of memories. She and Ron had grown up here; they had gone to school together and played together; and last year in the garden where the big gum tree grew, they realized they loved each other and wanted to marry.

The family had always gathered here throughout the years, on every occasion, weddings, birthdays, and always on Christmas. Grannie had been the most gracious hostess in Sydney, and everyone, rich or poor, loved her.

Oh, Grannie, Julie whispered in tender yearning, we need you so. We all need you.

Julie had never gone to bed in her growing-up years, without first going to Grannie’s room for her goodnight kiss and kindly word of cheer. All the family did this, and no matter what time of night it was, Grannie seemed to be waiting for them. Grandfather had kept her room just as she had left it five years ago. Julie wanted to go there now. Looking at Grannie’s old four-poster bed and her dressing table and that quaint old chest of drawers would be a comfort. Dear, familiar things might ease her heartache.

She stepped into her slippers, pulling her robe over her shoulders. Her feet made no sound as she tiptoed down the hallway. Halfway down, she opened the door to Ron’s room; his tennis racket was still in the comer beside his desk, his cricket pennant was on the wall above it. There was the picture of the team that had won honors for Australia. Ron was tall, and his dark hair made him look even taller than the other boys. Wally was in the picture, too, grinning wickedly. Wally was such a cut-up, no one was ever quite sure what Wally would do next.

There was a blank space above Ron’s desk where her own picture had been. That had gone with him to Perth.

Her throat pinched in and she knelt down beside his bed asking Heavenly Father, in her own humble way, to guide her to Ron again. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for Ron, no sacrifice she wouldn’t make, she promised faithfully. She wept silently and alone for her love.

She arose, feeling relieved, and went on down the hallway to Grannie’s front bedroom.

She had stepped inside before she realized she was not alone. Someone was in the chair by her bed. She could see the figure in the moonlight coming through the window. It was Aunt Isabelle.

“Come in, dear,” she said. “I guess — I’ve been halfway expecting you — sooner or later.”

Julie sat down on the stool and held Aunt Isabelle’s hand in both her own.

“Aunt Isabelle,” her voice caught. “It’s — so good to be home. Even with all the heartbreak about Ron, I still have a joy about being here I can’t quite explain. Peace and memories all blend together. I guess — it’s just being home.”

“I understand,” Aunt Isabelle murmured. “I’m so glad you’re home, Julie. I didn’t want you to go to the United States, but, of course, I could not interfere with Father’s plans.”

“Yes, I know,” Julie agreed. “Grandfather always has a reason for what he does. He wanted me to see something of the outside world.” Her voice trailed off. Silence hung between them. She wanted to say that this time no one understood why he was sending Aunt Isabelle to the ranch with them in the morning. But she did not speak.

“Julie . . .” Aunt Isabelle drew a long quivering breath. “I’ve wanted to tell — I should have told you before. But the time has come. Now you must know.”

Hardly daring to breathe, Julie listened while Aunt Isabelle told her why she had not married Dr. George McGregor a long time ago.

(To be continued)