interested.â
âDo you come from Katanning?â
âMy Granny grew up on the mission at Tolgerup.â
âOh.â The mission. Forerunner of the Reserve.
Silence fell. Marian realised that Lee was watching her, quite calmly. Waiting for a reaction. The confidence of the younger woman was galling. Theyâve been lovers, Marian thought suddenly. This girl and Charlie. The idea disturbed her in a way that the idea of Sam and Charlie, just a kid thing , had not. She was uncomfortably aware of Leeâs body, the glow of her brown skin, the way her breasts swelled under her jumper. Marian looked away.
âCharlie wanted to know about it,â Lee was saying, âThe Mission. The Reserve. He reckoned it was his history too, you know?â
âBut weâre not â¦â
âNo. You arenât, are you? White as white.â
This woman didnât like her.
Well it was mutual. Marian felt her own hostility as a physical force in every nerve ending. She was completely awake now.
What did Charlie care about the Reserve? One of his troublemaking ideas. Marian didnât trust it. And she didnât trust Lee.
âSo you didnât grow up down there?â
âNo. Mum came up to the city. Reckoned there was no future down there. She was right, eh?â
Lee didnât wait for Marianâs response. âI was born here. Iâve got aunties and uncles down there though. I stay with them sometimes. Could have met you there.â
This time Lee smiled, a momentary gleam of amusement. âCharlie liked that. That weâd almost met before.â
She rubbed the side of her nose. âHe was homesick, I guess. Homesick but glad to be away at the same time. Love-hate sort of thing.â
Love-hate. Marian felt that in her body. The stab of rejection.
Lee looked at her, head on one side. âWell it isnât exactly progressive, is it, Tolgerup? Charlie wouldnât fit in too well down there. He needed to get away.â
Marian was angry. Who the hell was this girl? What would she know about Tolgerup, or about Charlie?
Sam leaned forward. âMarian? Donât, you know, take it personally. Lee doesnât mean to upset you. Do you Lee?â she pleaded.
Like hell she didnât. Marian looked past Sam to Lee. Leeâs face was neutral.
âOh no,â she said. âLetâs not have anyone upset. Dead maybe, but not upset.â But her face softened as she looked at Sam. âSorry,â she said. âI get cynical.â
Marian nodded. She had to keep her temper. Keep trying to find out. Whatever it was.
âDoes your Granny still live in Tolgerup?â she asked stiffly.
âNo, sheâs dead now. Brought her kids up on the Reserve then died, soon after they moved into town. When the Reserve was closed.â
Marian didnât want to think about the Reserve. She rubbed her finger across the fabric of the chair. Cotton, perhaps. With a strong rib in it.
âDid you ever go there?â Lee asked.
âTo the Reserve? No.â
The question was loaded. Of course sheâd never been to the Reserve. Nobody she knew had ever been to the Reserve. Nobody white.
âGranny said they didnât have too much to do with the town in those days. Maybe walk there sometimes and buy two bottles of beer. That was the limit. They werenât allowed inside the pub. Might have dirtied the carpets.â
Marian opened her mouth to protest, but Lee lifted a hand to stop her. âSorry,â she said. âBut donât tell me it isnât true.â
Sam spoke. âIt made Charlie angry.â
âYeah,â said Lee. âHe was an activist. I think itâs all connected.â
âWith Charlie?â asked Marian. Activist?
âCharlie wanted to know about this stuff,â Lee said. âHe was always ⦠he sort of wanted to know the worst.â She turned to Sam. âYou know what I
Tamara Thorne, Alistair Cross