Landings by Jenny Pattrick

Author:Jenny Pattrick [Jenny Pattrick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781869796921
Publisher: Random House New Zealand
Published: 2012-03-13T16:00:00+00:00

STELLA IS THERE, leaning over the top deck-rail of the Houseboat as they drift in to the landing. To Douglas she stands out from the crowd of tourists, who point and clap as the Wairua comes alongside. Stella wears the Hatrick uniform — sailor dress and apron, black cap trimmed with white lace. The smile on her pretty dark face and the little wave could be for him, he’s almost sure of it. He lifts a grimy hand in reply. Later, if he’s lucky, he might see her up at the crew’s quarters. But for now she will be busy. Douglas takes the long-handled rake and shoves the red-hot coals to the back of the fire-box, where they will burn themselves out. He tops up the two coal bunkers, raking the fuel to be ready at hand for the downriver trip in the morning. He rubs an oily rag over the handles and valves and checks the water level in the boiler. Then it’s a good sluice with a bucket of riverwater before he goes up into the galley for a blessed mug of hot sweet tea.

Through the servery hatch he can see Stella moving up and down the two long tables with dishes of meat and vegetables. He knows she’s married but because he has never set eyes on the husband, Douglas finds it easy to ignore that fact. He dreams of a life with the pretty maid whose songs excite him in a way that is hard to bear. He would die for her, he’s quite sure of that. He tries to catch her eye through the servery.

The dining saloon is full, which means there will be forty tourists travelling downriver, along with the wool bales and extra waysiders picked up en route. Summer brings good business for Mr Hatrick. It is good for Douglas, too, as Stella will stay the night, until the tourists have had their breakfast and their rooms are cleaned. He smiles and waves when she glances his way. She winked! He’s sure of it. He stumbles out onto the bank and up into the bushes to hide — and then relieve — the wonderful swelling in his crotch.

These summer evenings daylight lingers well into the evening. While some tourists prefer to talk in the smoking room or social hall, others go ashore and wander through the bush tracks or sit on the bank in the gardens the captain and his wife have planted. Douglas has brought his new banjo with him; he wants to impress Stella. He sits outside his hut trying to pick out a Highland song his mother used to sing before she died. He can get the first line but then is stuck. As he works away, repeating the few notes over and over, he is suddenly aware that a man is standing near, listening. Douglas judges him to be a local by his clothes, which are worn and stained with sweat. He nods to Douglas, who stops playing, shy to be overheard when he is just learning.

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