“I hope they won’t feel resentful towards me.”
“Resentful towards my wife! They wouldn’t dare!”
We entered the building. It was good to get out of the sun and enjoy a little respite from the flies.
There were several rooms in which people were working. Again I was aware immediately of the effect Joss had. There was no doubt that they were all in great awe of him. Ezra had gathered some of the heads of departments into the board room and there they were introduced to me.
Mrs. Madden is one of our new directors,” Joss explained.
There were six men present, including Ezra and Jimson Laud whom I already knew. Of the others I felt particularly drawn to Jeremy Dickson, blond, fresh-faced and not long out from England. Perhaps it was for that reason that we seemed to have something in common.
Joss explained to me that mining was only the beginning of the industry; there was expert sorting into categories and snipping and putting the stones on facing wheels; all these tasks had to be performed by experts. One mistake could mean the loss of a great deal of money.
"These gentlemen,” he explained, ‘are all experts in their various fields.”
As we sat round the table he told them the terms of Ben’s will and that Ben’s shares in the Company had been divided equally between himself and me, which made me of course an important figure.
He turned to me.
“You will no doubt want to acquaint yourself with all that goes on here that’s if you decide to take an active part.
It’s a decision you won’t want to make in a hurry. I can help with everything for you. “
“I feel I want to be able to take my place here with the rest of you,” I said.
My decision was applauded.
“In that case,” Joss went on, ‘we’ll have a run through of what has been happening during my absence. That should teach you something.”
I sat there while they talked. Secretly I found a great deal of it beyond my comprehension, but I was determined not to allow Joss to score over me. I had already made up my mind that I was going to take my place in the Company and show these men, who I was sure had made up their minds that I would soon tire of it, that I could grapple with problems as well as they could.
When they had talked for about an hour and I was very little wiser at the end of it. Joss asked if I would like to see some of the departments or would prefer to return to Peacocks. If the latter was my choice he would send someone back with me.
I said I would see the departments. Jeremy Dickson was told to take me round. When he had done so he could ride back with me to Peacocks, for Joss would be engaged at the township for the rest of the day.
With Jeremy Dickson I saw how opals were sorted in one room and in another put under the facing wheels. I watched the men at work and Jeremy Dickson pointed out how quality was recognized. I learned to distinguish pieces likely to contain first-, second-or third-class opal from what was merely what they called ‘potch’. This was Jeremy’s particular forte.
I was fascinated by the snippers who were able to cut away worthless stone and, by means of whirring wheels which had to be used with the utmost care while the worthless layers were removed, reveal the beautiful colours beneath. One false move, it was explained to me, and a precious opal could be lost.
Later I was to see opal revealed in all its flashing beauty when the worthless stuff was whittled away and men almost weep with frustration when a stone on which they had been working was proved to be sand-pitted through and through, making valueless the beautiful stone which otherwise could have brought a big price on the markets.
It was a most interesting day, but one thing I knew Joss was right about: it would have been a mistake for me to try to absorb too much at once. After the heat and my experiences I was ready to go back to Peacocks.
Wattle was submissive as I mounted her, and although I had the impression that she was trying me out I didn’t think I had offended her so far.
I enjoyed talking to Jeremy Dickson, who told me about , his home in Northamptonshire. He was the son of a curate, which immediately made me sympathetic. I suppose reminding me of Miriam and her Ernest. He had come out to Australia eight years previously and had thought he might make a fortune out of gold as so many people had before him. , However, he had not done very well at this and suffered , many disappointments.
Then he had discovered opal and these stones had begun to exert their perennial fascination over . him. He met Ben Henniker in Sydney and in characteristic manner Ben had taken a liking to him and offered him a place in the Company. He had worked hard and soon found he had special skills which impressed Ben. Three years ago he had been put in charge of the department.
“And you enjoy the life out here ?” I asked.
“I love opals,” he replied. They do something to me. I can’t express how I feel when I see the colours emerging. I could never find anything to do which would give me the same pleasure. “
“Don’t you miss Northamptonshire?”
“One always dreams of home. There is, of course, a lot one , misses, when the day’s work is over mostly. But Ben was always aware of that and he did his best to keep us happy. We often had invitations to Peacocks. Ben used to ask us to dinner to discuss business and there were occasions when we’d all gather together there and have parties. We missed him very much when he went to England, but your husband carried on in the old tradition and when he went Home I was invited to call by the Lauds, which I found very enjoyable.”
We had reached Peacocks and I said: “You’ll come in now, won’t you?”
” For half an hour, please. Then I must get back to work. But I shouldn’t like to call and not say Hello to Mrs. and Miss Laud’ "
I took him into the drawing-room and sent one of the servants to tell Lilias and her mother that we had a visitor. It was Lilias who came. I was amazed at the change in her.
She smiled stretching hands which Jeremy Dickson took.
“I brought Mrs. Madden back,” he explained.
“You must be hot and tired,” said Lilias.
“Shall I send for something refreshing?”
“Please do,” I told her.
She pulled the bell-rope and asked for lemonade.
She had made it herself early that morning, she told us, and had stood it in ice so that it would be delightfully cooling.
We sipped and talked and I thought how pleasant it was. Jeremy Dickson was so English that I felt completely at home with him. As for Lilias, she seemed like a different person. I wondered whether she was fond of the young man since he seemed to have such an effect on her.
We talked of the township and what I had seen that morning and he told us about a piece of opal which had just come in and which could be wonderful if there was no flaw in it, and how breathtakingly exciting it was to watch the layers of useless stuff being removed to reveal the gem beneath.
Then Mrs. Laud came in.
She stood at the door looking ‘at us, her expression enigmatical and her eyes not on me but on Lilias.
“So Mr. Dickson has called,” she said.
“Yes, Mother. He brought Mrs. Madden back. The lemonade I made this morning has come in useful.”
“How nice,” said Mrs. Laud, her eyes downcast as though she did not want to look at any of us. She seemed nervous.
“I found it most refreshing,” I said, feeling the need to say’ something while I asked myself: Why are we talking about lemonade when something dramatic seems to be happening?
My eyes went to the proud peacock looking down on us with his disdainful stare, and he reminded me of Joss. Again I had the impression that I had stepped into a dream with a plot which was a puzzle to me but in this scene it was not I who was playing the principal part.