The Plantation - Di Morrissey [176]
May 1969
Bette’s life continued to be busy and happy. Even though the two eldest children, James and Eunice, were married, she was still involved in their lives as well of those of Connie and Toby, the younger ones. Bette cherished the closeness they now all shared. Madam Chang was ageing, but not gracefully. She still played mah jong each week, and she insisted on running the household in the same disciplined manner she always had. She went to the market each day to haggle for fresh produce, taking the young kitchen maid with her to carry her basket. Although she took to sleeping each afternoon, first she did a tour of inspection of the house and woe betide any servant if she found dust in a corner or a dead leaf on the ornamental trees. When Bette quietly tried to manage things behind her back, giving discreet instructions to the staff, Madam Chang chose to ignore it all.
The joy Bette found in sharing every day with Tony never diminished. She often thought that their love was like a beautiful gem that sparkled on the outside while glowing with inner fire. Tony’s tenderness and humour, his integrity and kindness, his passion and devotion often left her breathless with wonderment that her life had turned out this way. Australia, and her family, seemed to belong to childhood experiences that had happened and passed while she was waiting to begin her life. She was saddened but not particularly surprised when Margaret notified her of Winifred’s death with a telegram that arrived after her mother’s funeral had taken place. For Bette her life and family were here around her in Penang.
‘Are you ready?’ Bette asked as Tony walked into the airy downstairs passage that ran between the two wings of the house. Bette sat in a carved seat on silk cushions watching the sunbeams sparkle on the water of the old lion fountain.
Tony stopped in the shadow of the spiral staircase that led down from his study and looked at his beloved wife. She was dressed in the loose silk pants she favoured topped with an embroidered lace-edged tunic. She now wore her hair swept up on her head for coolness and had taken to securing it with one of his mother’s collection of jewelled hair combs. A book lay on her lap. He looked at her face, he knew every inch of it, and caught his breath at the rush of love he felt for her. ‘I am,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry I have to be away for this weekend’s elections. Are you sure you won’t come up to KL with me? There’s bound to be all manner of celebrations after the election on Saturday.’
‘So the Democratic Action Party is feeling very confident then?’
‘I believe so. I had hoped that the Alliance Party would deliver what is best for everyone, but it hasn’t worked out that way, as far as I’m concerned. The constitution is set up to favour the Malays, and while there’s no denying they are way behind the Indian and Chinese communities economically, I think that they have too much political power and there is now an undercurrent of racial intolerance towards us.’
‘I know, and you think that they should share their political power more,’ said Bette.
‘Well, we Chinese are the main source of the country’s wealth,’ said Tony. ‘I believe that our Democratic Action Party might just give the ruling Alliance a fright. We shall see. But it’s a pity we’ll be apart.’
‘Madam Chang is tired and I promised Eunice that I’d look after little Carla while she went to a tea party.’
Tony kissed her. ‘You’re wonderful. Enjoy our grandchildren. I’ll be back on Tuesday.’
‘That’s the thirteenth – it’s an unlucky number. Come back on the twelfth.’
Tony chuckled. ‘You’ve been listening to too many of Madam Chang’s superstitions.’
‘I hope it all goes well. I love you, Tony.’
He kissed her fiercely. ‘I’ll get through my business and be back to you as quickly as I can. Just a few days.’
The calmness at Rose Mansion was disrupted when some of Tony’s friends