The Silent Country (12 page)

‘What will you do with this house?’

Philip got up to pour himself another brandy.

Sue waited till he was out of earshot and said quietly, ‘We had to take out a second mortgage as things have been a bit tough lately, so if we can rent this house it will help cover the mortgage. Philip wants to sell it, but I can’t bear the idea of not having a home here in Sydney.’

‘Oh, I see. Well, the promotion sounds good,’ said Veronica, suddenly thinking about Sue’s closet of unworn clothes and wondering how she paid for them. ‘When will you move?’

‘About a month. I have to go down and find a place to rent and suss out my job prospects.’

‘Okay. I’m going back to bed. I have an early call in the morning so if it’s okay I’ll just mosey out the door at six-thirty,’ said Veronica giving her sister a quick kiss. It was a bit of a white lie but she couldn’t face the breakfast chaos of Sue and Philip getting themselves and the girls ready for the day.

‘That is early. Thanks again, Vee. Did you see Gordon and his pal?’

‘Yes, we had a lovely chat – once the girls were in bed.’

‘You’ll be off the hook when we move to Melbourne. No more babysitting,’ said Philip, downing his drink.

‘I’ll miss you. And the girls,’ said Veronica.

‘Oh, we’ll be backwards and forwards and of course you’ll come down. And I’m sure Mum and Dad will come and visit a lot. Anyway, it’s exciting to think about it. New horizons.’

‘I hope things work out the way you want. Maybe it’s time you kicked back and relaxed and enjoyed the girls.’

‘Oh, I definitely want to work. I’d go nuts being a housewife. Besides if I take a break from my career, I’ll have no money and we need the extra income.’

Veronica was surprised at the enthusiasm her parents showed at Sue’s news when she went to see them on the weekend.

‘We’ll miss the girls, of course. They grow up so quickly. But Sue can send videos and we’ll talk on Skype,’ said Joan.

‘Easier to hop on a plane,’ said Roger. ‘I might be able to work in a business trip or two down there. This promotion will be great for Philip’s career.’

‘You’ll have to line up some stories in Melbourne, Vee,’ said her mother.

‘We don’t create the stories or where they’re set, Mum. They come to us and we follow along and see where the characters lead us. Like writing a book, but it’s all true.’

‘I never believe half of what I see on TV,’ said her mother. ‘Especially those tabloid shows.’

‘Then you shouldn’t watch them, Mum,’ said Veronica.

Roger raised his glass. ‘Let’s make a toast to this new venture. This is a special bottle from my cellar.’ He poured the wine and sniffed it appreciatively. ‘2004 merlot. Excellent little red. Perfect for this occasion.’

On Monday, Veronica mentioned Philip’s pending promotion to Andy over their first cup of coffee of the day.

‘I know that you’ll miss them all, Veronica. But if a break in Melbourne is what you’d like, to catch up with them, that can be arranged.’

‘Thanks, but it’s not just that. I have to say that when I see how Sue and Philip’s careers dominate their lives, I feel sad for their girls. I hope I don’t turn out like that.’

‘That’s not what you want?’ asked Andy calmly.

‘No. Of course not.’ Veronica paused. ‘They’re my family and I love them, but I don’t want to end up like them.’

He glanced at his watch. ‘C’mon, show time.’ He paused. ‘Veronica, you’re a bright girl, talented and sensitive. Concentrate on your own life. And anytime you want an ear to listen, I’m here.’

‘Thanks, Andy. You’re a good friend.’

She gathered up her papers, made herself a cup of tea,
settled herself at her desk and looked over the notes she’d made with Colin Peterson as she picked up the phone to ring him.

‘Hi, Colin. I was wondering if I could ask you a few more questions,’ said Veronica. ‘I’m trying to get the story in my head, as it happened. How did you feel when you finally set off on this great adventure?’

Colin was surprised that everyone was on time and ready to go when they assembled outside Madame Olga’s mansion at Darling Point in the dawn light. It augured well for the trip, he thought. He gazed at his fellow travellers.

Topov strode among them, dressed in what appeared to be a new outfit of large khaki Bombay shorts held up by a leather belt with an elaborate buckle. Glasses hung around his neck as well as his director’s eyepiece, which was on a length of leather and tucked into his top pocket. He carried an ancient straw hat and wore boots that looked to be more suitable for snow than dust. Topov waved his arms a lot and kept checking on the last-minute loading of the cars. Peter and Drago ignored him.

‘Keep camera ready on top. Put in number one car. Topov can shoot quickly.’

‘There won’t be anything to film yet, for a while,’ said Drago.

‘Where is map? Topov keep map, show way to Northern Territory.’

‘Won’t we need a map to get to Bourke first?’ asked Colin. ‘We have to know which highway to take.’

‘We need to be on the road,’ said Helen, glancing at her watch. She was sensibly dressed in cotton slacks and a short-sleeved shirt and carried a large notebook.

Johnny lit a cigarette. ‘Who’s carrying the food? And who’s going with me?’

Johnny, Drago and Peter were the drivers. Topov, who assured them that he was an excellent driver, preferred to be in the lead car and navigate. ‘I see shots, we stop.’

Colin thought it strange that they’d be filming random things that caught Topov’s fancy. From the books he had read he was envisioning a large crew carefully setting up cameras and directing proceedings. ‘Is this how it’s always done?’ he asked Drago.

‘Shoot from the hip and run seems to be Topov’s idea, which is okay for some sequences. But I’m sure you’ll see the Hollywood-style director extravaganza before we finish,’ said Drago with a grin that was almost a grimace.

They set off. Johnny drove the Land Rover with Topov and Helen, who kept a wary eye on the little caravan they were towing. Drago drove the Jeep. Peter, Marta and Colin followed in the Dodge. There was little traffic as the convoy drove west towards the Blue Mountains.

‘Goodbye, Sydney. Goodbye, Sydney Harbour. I don’t suppose we’ll see as much water again for a long time,’ said Peter.

‘It is a beautiful city,’ Marta observed. ‘So . . . unspoiled. I don’t mean clean or not built up, but untouched. These Australians are very fortunate people.’

‘Untouched by war, you mean,’ said Peter looking at her. ‘Sweden was neutral. I don’t expect that you saw very much of the war. You didn’t see what I did.’

‘I saw enough. Where were you in the war?’

‘I was with the Dutch Resistance. Some of my family were killed in the war. After it was finished I wanted to get as far away as I could, so came to Australia. I worked on the Snowy River Scheme. Why are you here?’

Marta glanced back at Colin. ‘Europe is old and dying. I wanted to see the new world. Do as I wish.’

‘You must have a lot of stories, Peter,’ said Colin.

‘We have a long drive. Okay, I will tell you my story, sometime. And you must do the same.’

‘I don’t have anything exciting to tell. I’ve never travelled. Until now,’ said Colin. ‘So this trip is a first for me.’

‘For all of us it will be new,’ said Marta. ‘I wonder how we will be when it is all over.’

The day was long. They crossed over the Great Dividing Range and Colin explained that it was called the Blue Mountains because from a distance the range looked a hazy blue. They parked at the scenic lookout of Echo Point with the craggy peaks known as the Three Sisters on one side, the deep valleys below. It had been cool and cloudy and as they stood there the mid-morning mist floated away. Golden shafts of sunlight stabbed the sinister gloom and the sharp clear call of a bird reverberated.

‘I’ve seen grander mountains. But this is very magnificent,’ said Peter.

‘It needs snow,’ said Marta.

‘Shall I take a shot, Topov?’ asked Drago.

The director shook his head. ‘No. It is beautiful but not exciting. We go to jungle.’ He turned back to the Land Rover.

Colin decided to travel for a while in the Jeep with Drago. By late afternoon they were travelling through open countryside, past paddocks filled with sheep.

‘We’re out in the country now,’ said Colin. ‘Haven’t seen another car or town for ages.’ He glanced at his map. ‘But it looks like we still have a way to go to Bourke. We’ll have to stop somewhere. Like Dubbo.’

‘I hope Topov doesn’t want to film anything. It’s going to be dark. And where are we staying?’

‘Let’s ask him. They’ve stopped.’ Colin pointed up ahead to where the Land Rover had pulled over. The Dodge was some distance behind them. As they pulled to the side of the bitumen road they saw Topov studying a
map. Helen was striding ahead, stretching her legs. Johnny was smoking a cigarette.

‘Is there a problem?’ Drago asked.

Topov took off his hat and rubbed his head, stabbing at the map with a finger. ‘Here, is town. Topov want coffee. Where coffee place?’ He looked around accusingly.

‘What town?’ asked Colin.

‘Red star here means town. Here must be town. You say we go Bourke way.’

‘Not in one day, Mr Topov,’ said Colin.

‘Here, look on map. B-O-U-R-K-E. Here, Sydney.’ He measured with the tip of his finger. ‘Is just finger between.’

‘On paper. But in Australia there are long distances between places,’ said Colin.

‘Well, there ain’t nothing out here,’ said Johnny. ‘Let’s drive on, it’s hard to tell distances.’

Drago looked at the map and the stretch of empty road disappearing towards the horizon as far as they could see. ‘No towns out there.’

Helen walked back to them. ‘There’s no point in standing around. Let’s continue. We’ll get coffee when we arrive in Dubbo.’

‘I hope they drink coffee in Dubbo,’ said Colin quietly to Drago. ‘Australians drink tea. You don’t see coffee much outside Kings Cross.’

Drago rolled his eyes. ‘I hope Johnny packed some coffee or Topov will go crazy.’

Two hours later they stopped at a café in a small country town but the waitress shook her head when Topov ordered coffee. Topov went red in the face and shouted at her, which sent the girl scuttling into the kitchen and the rest of the group looking embarrassed.

A woman appeared from the kitchen with a bottle of Camp Coffee Essence, a black sticky liquid she assured him tasted ‘quite nice with condensed milk’.

‘What is condensed milk?’

‘It’s thick, sweet, tinned milk.’

‘Okay. Bring me cup of condensed milk, I pour this black sludge in it.’

They travelled on much more slowly than they had expected because of the caravan and the poor road. It was now dark, the headlights illuminating a stretch of road lined with the occasional ghostly silver eucalyptus tree. In the three cars, all had fallen silent. The day had seemed endless and they all felt that they were travelling into a void. They were tired and uncomfortable.

Their packed lunch had long gone and all were hungry, each thinking of what they would like to eat when suddenly the Jeep ground to a halt. A quick inspection by Peter revealed that it had run out of petrol. It was refilled from the petrol can in the Land Rover.

‘Why it is empty? I hope it’s not leaking,’ snapped Peter looking at Johnny, who shrugged.

‘It doesn’t have as big a fuel tank as the others. We should have filled up when we stopped for coffee,’ said Johnny.

While Peter was filling up the tank some of the petrol spilt and when Johnny went to reach for a cigarette Colin stilled his hand. Johnny put the packet back in his pocket after exclaiming in some very ripe language.

‘Watch your language, please, Johnny,’ snapped Helen.

They had barely travelled another two miles when the Dodge’s engine began to make a pinging noise. Peter slowed down and pulled over.

‘Trouble?’ asked Colin, who’d joined the Dodge after the last stop.

‘Sounds like it. I’ll have a look.’

‘Can you tell what the matter is?’ asked Colin anxiously.

‘Could be a small thing. Could be a gasket. It will need a part. This car needs a big overhaul.’ Peter glared at Johnny. ‘Not such a good vehicle for a long journey.’

‘So what do we do? How much further to where we’re staying?’asked Marta, shivering in her shorts and top.

‘How far is the next town?’ asked Johnny.

Helen got the map from the Land Rover and woke Topov who was snoring in the back seat.

By the beam of the torch they peered at the map spread on the bonnet. ‘We’re not far from Dubbo,’ said Colin. ‘But I doubt there’ll be anything open this late.’

‘Might be best to wait till daylight and get to a garage. I don’t think it is a good idea to travel in the dark in case the engine gets worse,’ said Peter.

Topov ambled to the group and hearing this announced, ‘We camp. Go in bush and make fire. Make food, put up tent.’

There were sighs and grumbles.

‘We’re all tired and hungry. This is the best thing to do,’ agreed Helen.