The Plantation - Di Morrissey [116]
‘Oh, all right. Marjorie, can you come as well? Just for a few minutes.’ And the three walked over to Hannah’s hut.
‘Sit here and wait a minute,’ Bette told Philip who obediently sat in the dirt and began playing with Lumpy, while Marjorie watched him. When Bette returned from her conversation with Hannah, she was smiling. ‘Come on, tell me what you’ve been up to today.’
Everyone in the camp went to bed early, exhausted from the lack of food and the sheer hard work of getting through each day. Sometimes the women talked quietly among themselves sharing a rare cigarette in the darkness before the shrill voices of the soldiers signalled curfew. Sleep, when it came, was a welcome escape from the reality of their existence. After Bette settled Philip, she went to Evelyn and Marjorie and spoke softly.
‘I’ve made an arrangement with Hannah Lampton today,’ she told them.
‘She’s nasty, she gets things and keeps them to herself,’ said Marjorie.
‘Yes, I think that’s true,’ said Bette. ‘She came into camp with a lot of assets, which is why I approached her. I asked if I could work for her in return for payment. It’s the only way I can think of to get extra food for Philip.’
‘Bette! You work like a dog now! And you deprive yourself,’ exclaimed Evelyn.
‘Doing what sort of work? Can I help?’ said Marjorie quickly.
‘No, it’s enough that you help me with Philip. I wish I could pay you for that,’ said Bette. ‘No, Hannah is used to servants and she’s also lazy. I’ve offered to work for her. Sew, help her cook, do her rostered jobs for her. Whatever she needs. Just here and there,’ she added.
‘That woman will make you her slave,’ said Evelyn shortly. ‘You’ll kill yourself, Bette.’
‘I need the money.’
‘I have one or two pieces of jewellery put aside,’ began Evelyn but Bette touched her arm.
‘Save it for yourself and Marjorie. You might need it. Philip is my responsibility and it’s up to me to do whatever is necessary. I’m just asking you to keep an eye on Philip when I’m working for Hannah.’
‘Of course. You know we will.’ Evelyn looked at her daughter. ‘Marjorie adores him, like a little brother.’
But it soon became obvious to everyone that Hannah was driving Bette almost beyond exhaustion point. When Evelyn pointed this out to her, Bette replied that she was thankful for the pittance that she got from mean Hannah, as it enabled her to buy the occasional egg or banana for Philip.
There was a blast from the watchtower and another muster was called. For once Bette was relieved to put down the heavy metal bucket and join everyone in the centre of the compound as Major Sakura strutted out to inspect them.
‘Why does the silly fool bother with these inspections?’ whispered Babs.
‘Got to justify his existence, I suppose,’ said Bette.
When the short, balding man stood to attention in front of them, the women and children bowed deferentially, as was expected. But then he shouted at them in Japanese, raising the heavy riding crop which he always carried.
‘He’s cranky, what’s wrong?’ hissed Evelyn.
A soldier strode towards Evelyn and whether he had seen her speaking or thought that she had not bowed humbly enough, he was displeased and he brought the solid wooden butt of his rifle down across her shoulders causing her to fall to the ground with a short cry. Bette and the woman on the other side of Evelyn went to help her, but Major Sakura and the sudden movement from two other soldiers brandishing rifles made it clear that the women were to stay still. One of the guards elbowed Marjorie aside with his rifle and stood in front of the crumpled figure of Evelyn, his legs apart, his rifle held in front of his chest, as he shouted at Evelyn, making it clear that she was to get up.
Evelyn moved but simply could not get to her feet. There was a trickle of blood from her mouth. Marjorie started to cry. The women were silent, shaking, biting back their own tears of fright and sadness for Evelyn.
The soldier’s boot