Tears of the Moon - Di Morrissey [70]
‘Now that’s one area of business you’re not sharing,’ admonished Tyndall, shaking a finger at her. ‘We wouldn’t get anyone to work for us if a woman got involved in the act.’
Olivia glared at him in reply.
‘It’s a cultural thing, no insult intended,’ he explained, then hurriedly changed the subject. ‘Hey, have you seen the diving gear? Just had the helmet overhauled.’ He led her to a corner of the room where the baggy diving suit was hung, metal boots and helmet piled on the floor beside it.
‘Those boots look terribly big,’ said Olivia.
‘Here, try them on,’ enthused Tyndall, pulling them out while Olivia slipped off her shoes.
She put a foot in each of them, then burst out laughing. ‘They’re ridiculous. I can’t move they’re so heavy.’
Tyndall bounced back to the pile and lifted the copper and brass helmet. ‘Might as well do the full thing, try the hat,’ he laughed, carefully placing it over Olivia’s head, resting it on her shoulders, then stepped back.
Olivia’s muffled giggle gave way to a sudden cry for help, but it was too late. Her legs buckled as she tried to lift her feet, and she toppled over. Tyndall dashed forward and caught her in his arms, but he was off-balance and they both fell to the floor, overcome with helpless laughter.
‘Good Lord, Olivia, whatever are you doing?’ gasped Conrad as he took in the scene having just come up the stairs. ‘What’s going on?’ he snapped.
‘Just testing the gear, Conrad. Testing the gear.’ On his knees Tyndall helped lift the helmet off Olivia’s head.
Olivia lay flat on the floor, her feet still stuck in the diving boots, and looked up at Conrad, first seriously, then burst out laughing again at the absurdity of the situation.
‘Really! This is very embarrassing. You’re behaving like a child,’ Conrad reprimanded her and then stomped off to his office.
Tyndall helped Olivia to her feet, and they exchanged mock grimaces behind Conrad’s back.
Several months later the Star of the Sea Pearl Company was back in business with the Bulan refitted for deep-sea helmet diving with accommodation, new hand pump and tender’s equipment in place, crew hired and the Shamrock fitted out as a mother ship to deliver supplies and collect shell hauls.
Prior to setting out to sea, Tyndall joined the Hennessys for dinner. Niah helped wait at the table, she and Olivia showing off their respective limited knowledge of English and Malay. Niah knew this was a farewell for Tyndall before he and Ahmed went away to sea again.
Tyndall and Conrad celebrated the forthcoming enterprise heartily with far too many drinks. When Olivia bid Tyndall goodbye and good luck she knew he was going to head to the bars in Chinatown.
She wagged a finger at him. ‘You behave yourself and don’t miss the tide in the morning!’
‘Ahmed will get us to sea, don’t you worry. What are you going to do while I’m away?’ he slurred. ‘You’ll find it very dull without me around. You’ll have to go and play ladies again.’
‘We’ll manage perfectly well without you,’ she answered, trying not to sound upset at his drunken state. ‘You just bring back lots of good shell and pearls.’
‘Don’t you wish you were coming too?’ He lurched a little as he peered intently at her face, but her expression was hidden in the shadowy night.
‘Good night, Captain Tyndall,’ she said firmly from the verandah. ‘And bon voyage.’
Conrad was already snoring lightly in his chair and Olivia sighed as she watched Tyndall, staggering slightly, disappear into the night. It would be an adventure to go out to the pearling grounds where the banks of shell were hidden fathoms deep. Maybe … one day.
The next morning as Conrad walked carefully about the house complaining of feeling out of sorts, a worried Ahmed arrived on a borrowed bicycle. ‘Mem, mem, tuan no on schooner.’
‘I knew it,’ she said, slamming