The Plantation - Di Morrissey [45]
‘Who knows?’ replied the planter beside Margaret. ‘But our enemy is Germany, not the Japs and, as my wife says, we’ve got the navy.’
‘Well,’ said Roland. ‘I don’t think that’s enough. I think we need professional troops on the ground, a lot more than the volunteers that we have training now. If you ask me, we’re all too complacent and sometime in the near future we’re going to be very sorry that we have been.’
Margaret attempted to change the conversation. ‘Oh, Roland, you really are a wet blanket. We’ve had a wonderful day and we’re here with good friends, can’t you think of something happier to talk about?’
Roland gave a small shrug and smiled at his wife. ‘Tell me, what plans have you got for tomorrow?’
‘Yes, Margaret, what are we doing?’ asked Bette.
Margaret and several ladies had planned to go shopping the following day and Bette agreed to go along.
‘Though I’m more interested in seeing the city than the markets and the jewellers and tailors,’ Bette confided to Eugene Elliott.
‘Then come with me, dear girl. I’m visiting a few old friends, a few business calls in George Town. You’re quite welcome.’
‘I won’t be in the way?’
Eugene shook his head. ‘I’ll enjoy your company. You might want to bring that sketchbook of yours.’
When Margaret heard of their plan she decided to join them too, as she said to Bette, ‘He is my father-in-law.’
And so the sisters were shown parts of the old capital that even Margaret, who had been to Penang a few times, didn’t know existed. Bette was intrigued by Eugene’s intimate knowledge of George Town.
‘Penang was part of the kingdom of Kedah but became a British trading post in the late eighteenth century when Captain Light landed at the fort and claimed the island for the East India Company,’ Eugene told them, as Hamid drove along Light Street. ‘The story goes that, to clear the land, he had a canon filled with coins and fired it into the jungle. In the rush to find the coins the natives cut down the jungle in record time and so George Town was founded. See that little fenced-off corner under the fran-gipani trees? That’s where Light’s buried. The Christian cemetery. Looks a bit neglected, I’m afraid.’
‘This doesn’t look as organised, or planned, as Singapore,’ said Bette. ‘I like the way the streets spill out in every direction.’
‘A lot of the streets were allotted to particular groups: the Chinese traders, the Eurasians, Europeans, Indians, and later Armenians, Achenese and Sumatrans. And you see their cultures in the street. You could spend a day going around to the various temples, mosques and churches,’ said Eugene.
‘I do hope I can come back here,’ said Bette. ‘I could walk and walk and walk.’
‘And you must stop and try all the different foods, so you can keep walking,’ said Eugene.
‘I don’t think I’d like to do that,’ said Margaret. ‘Surely food cooked on the footpath can’t be very hygienic.’
Bette laughed. ‘Oh, Margie, where’s your spirit of adventure? It sounds like fun.’
Eugene spoke to Hamid, who nodded and turned down a side street.
‘Just going to take a small detour,’ said Eugene.
They stopped in a narrow street filled with intriguing shops. Eugene got out and went over to a leather shop. He greeted the owner who was standing outside smoking and the two women looked at the small display in the window. Beaded and embroidered shoes and slippers were lined up.
‘Look, Margaret, those are the pretty shoes I’ve seen the Chinese women wear with their cheongsams.’
‘The Malay women wear them with their sarong kebayas. You know, some of the Chinese women also wear the sarong kebayas,’ said Margaret authoritatively.
‘They’re just lovely shoes,’ said Bette.
‘Come inside,’ said Eugene as the shop owner hurried ahead, treating Eugene with deference.
‘You like see shoes?’ The owner bowed to the sisters.
‘Show him your foot, Bette,’ said Eugene.
Bette was startled as the owner pulled out some larger sized shoes wrapped in brown paper. ‘Oh, look at these scuffs!’ She fingered the little green silk slip-on sandals,