Page 83 of Return to Telegraph Creek

“Yes,” Miss June said.“Did they tell you anything else?Cal told me she killed Albert, but not how or…”

Oscar looked to me for assistance.

I took Miss June’s arm to keep her steady.“They said she...chopped him up with the axe.”

Miss June’s face went from shock to grim determination.

She glanced to where Cal was huddled with Trick.Then she turned back to us and crossed her arms.

“Caliope wouldn’t have done something like that unless there was no other option.”

I nodded.“I know it.”

“Peter said something else,” Oscar added.

Miss June gazed at us, her eyes wide.

I frowned.“He said that their pa was cruel and hurtful, but he didn’t use physical force.Seemed like their pa believed in all the wrong things and tried to convince the children and Cal that they were evil and vile.”

“In some ways, that’s worse.”

“Yeah.That can mess a person up.But those children, they’re strong.And Cal protected them as well as she could,” I said.

Miss June put a trembling hand to her head but stayed silent.

“Sounds like he only wanted Cal so she could look after the little ones and satisfy him in the bedroom,” I said.“E’en though he told her she was vile.”

Miss June nodded.“I suppose that’s how he felt about himself.Shame can do terrible things to a person.”

I snorted.“I can’t find it in me to feel one bit sorry for that man.”

“I didn’t mean that.I’m just trying to make sense of it.”

Oscar cursed.“Goddammit.’Tain’t fair.”

“No, it ain’t,” I muttered.“Life ain’t fair, Oscar.Why, you’d know that better’n any of us.”

He gazed at me out of grateful brown eyes.“Except now I got you.And I only wish Cal could have been lucky enough to find a man like you to love her.”

I stared at him, feeling how lucky we both were.And the truth of it was, if I hadn’t already given my heart to Oscar, I might have found a place for Cal in my life.I’d been fascinated and enthralled by her, back in the fall, but I was already taken.And she’d been different to what she was now.I only hoped she could find her way back.

Miss June found the will to smile.

“Well, there aren’t a lot of men like Jimmy in the world, I’m afraid.”

“Come on, now,” I said.“I ain’t anythin’ special.”A lot of the time I felt I was barely above contempt, what with my history and all.But I tried to be a good person, to make up for it.

Miss June and Oscar smiled at each other, and Oscar snugged into my side, placing a soft kiss on my cheek.

“Now look,” Miss June said.“We need to help Cal get past this, if there’s even a chance that she can.’Twas a violent, horrible thing she had to do, but I reckon that was the easiest part.Now she has to live with what she’s done, and so do those children.I have a feeling Cal’s been wrestling with the guilt of it, and that’s what’s dimming the light inside her.And God knows she’s been struggling to look after the little ones all by herself.”

“What do you propose we do?”I said, glancing at Cal and Trick, then looking at Miss June.“Oscar and I can stay for another few weeks, I reckon, but then we’ll have to go back to Port Essington and see about getting some work.”

“I know,” Miss June said, placing her hand on my arm.“I’m so grateful to you for being here.If we can only keep you a little longer, I’m sure we can sort this out somehow.”

I nodded and glanced at Oscar, who had straightened up and now stood beside me.

“We ain’t goin’ nowhere until Cal’s doin’ okay.Right, Jimmy?”Oscar said.