Chapter 13

           Onthelastdayof1937MeggiecaughtthetraintoTownsville.Thoughherholidayhadscarcelybegun,shealreadyfeltmuchbetter,forshehadleftthemolassesreekofDunnybehindher.ThebiggestsettlementinNorthQueensland,Townsvillewasathrivingtownofseveralthousandslivinginwhitewoodenhousesatopstilts.Atightconnectionbetweentrainandboatleftherwithnotimetoexplore,butinawayMeggiewasn’tsorryshehadtorushtothewharfwithoutachancetothink;afterthatghastlyvoyageacrosstheTasmansixteenyearsagoshewasn’tlookingforwardtothirty-sixhoursinashipmuchsmallerthantheWahine.

           Butitwasquitedifferent,awhisperingslideinglassywaters,andshewastwenty-six,notten.Theairwasbetweencyclones,theseawasexhausted;thoughitwasonlymiddayMeggieputherheaddownandsleptdreamlesslyuntilthestewardwokeheratsixthenextmorningwithacupofteaandaplateofplainsweetbiscuits.

           UpondeckwasanewAustralia,differentagain.Inahighclearsky,delicatelycolorless,apinkandpearlyglowsuffusedslowlyupwardfromtheeasternrimoftheoceanuntilthesunstoodabovethehorizonandthelightlostitsneonatalredness,becameday.Theshipwasslitheringsoundlesslythroughwaterwhichhadnotaint,sotranslucentoverthesidethatonecouldlookfathomsdowntogrottoesofpurpleandseetheformsofvividfishflashingby.