The Plantation - Di Morrissey [37]
His voice was filled with enthusiasm and he sounded almost excited. Usually Roland was reserved but now she was seeing a different side to him. ‘You sound like you enjoy that sort of thing. I don’t think it’s something ladies would care to do,’ said Margaret rather primly. ‘Hunting and roughing it, I mean.’
‘My Lord, Margaret, my mother used to enjoy it. No airs and graces, a chance to look after ourselves as we only have basic staff and a couple of natives to help with the hunting. Some of the women are very good shots. You can see photographs of them in Father’s study.’
Margaret didn’t answer, but looked again at the wilderness around them, finding it difficult to comprehend that this was her new home.
Soon the jungle gave way again to the neat rows of rubber trees, and Roland drove to a rise and stopped the truck. From this spot the 360 degree view took in the great scope of Utopia. But what interested Margaret more was that up here, on the top of the hill so far from any civilisation, stood a small white church.
‘What’s the church here for? It’s miles from anywhere. Who would come here for services?’
‘My father built this for my mother, a sentimental gesture. It’s for our family and friends to use on occasion. My mother always hoped I’d get married here.’
‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, I’m glad we didn’t! No one would come way out here!’ said Margaret. ‘And who would conduct the ceremony?’
‘The clergy come around regularly and conduct services here. Our neighbours come, as well.’
‘It’s a nice idea, I suppose, but I’m very glad we were married in KL,’ said Margaret firmly.
‘Come and have a look around,’ said Roland. ‘My father wants to be buried here. Mother is in England caring for her own parents but she’ll eventually come back here to enjoy her final years with Father at Utopia.’
‘Ugh. How morbid. Perhaps we should go and visit her in Kent. I’d love to meet her,’ said Margaret.
‘Let’s settle into life out here first,’ said Roland. ‘And you have just been to Europe. Most people wait till a child or two arrives before making the pilgrimage back home.’ His tone was final.
Margaret didn’t reply as Roland went to open the little church door and show her inside. But a trip back to England to meet his mother sounded rather like a good idea. She was sure that she would be able to persuade him, eventually.
Within two weeks Margaret had settled into the plantation routine and had taken to running the household as a small fiefdom, as though she’d done it all her life. Roland slipped from bed while it was still dark to take the muster, leaving her to sleep until Ah Kit tapped on the door and brought her a tray with a pot of tea and a slice of bread and butter. While Margaret sipped her tea, hot water was brought in and poured into the water pitcher so that she could bathe in warm water. She found that in the hot and humid climate, she changed clothes several times a day, but whatever she dropped was picked up and returned fresh and ironed the next morning.
When Roland returned later in the morning their hot breakfast of toast, eggs, smoked fish or kedgeree and fruit was ready. He then bathed and changed and returned to work, reappearing after midday. Sometimes they lunched with Roland’s father at the big house where they were seated in the dining room and served a three-course meal. Margaret paid attention to the menu so she could ask her cook to prepare similar dishes – chicken à la king, steak and kidney pudding, mulligatawny soup. Sometimes there was a visitor passing through and one day she was thrilled to see Dr Hamilton, who had called on Eugene before heading up-country.
‘Have you heard from your lovely mother?’ asked Dr Hamilton. ‘We had a splendid time in KL while you were at Fraser’s. I’m sorry I didn’t get to see her before she left. Had a bit of an emergency at the hospital, if I remember correctly.’
‘Mother is settling back in at home and sends her best wishes to you,’ said Margaret.
‘And how are you settling in, my dear?’ asked the kindly doctor.
‘Everything