Tears Of The Moon Part 20

'I'd like some peace, too. Been through a bit of heart searching. I suppose I've come to terms with things. Nothing much I can do for the moment anyway.'

'We've both suffered a loss, maybe this trip is a good idea,' said Olivia softly.

Arrangements were made and Tyndall pointed out it was not a recreational trip but a serious pearling expedition. He intended to dive on the new beds they'd explored previously. So far as he was aware none of the Broome luggers had worked this area. The Shamrock had been converted for diving and fitted with pumps. Ahmed would act as tender. If the diving proved lucrative they would divert their other luggers to the new grounds.

Tyndall grinned broadly when Olivia first emerged on deck in what he called her Chinese sailing pyjamas.

'Not a word,' admonished Olivia lightly, wagging a finger at him.

He took both hands off the tiller and held them up in mock surrender. 'I'm too much of a gentleman, you know that. I'm surprised it even crossed your mind that I might utter an ungentlemanly remark. You look positively divine.'

'Huh!' But she couldn't hold back a grin.

And that was the mood that prevailed as they fell into a comfortable routine at sea, a good humoured interaction as Olivia, tanned and toughened, threw herself into crew tasks, handling the sails, taking the tiller and even, briefly, working the pump.

The weather was peaceful, the water clear and calm. But the diving was disappointing. Time and again Tyndall appeared in a whoosh of bubbles and once on the rope ladder, before his helmet was off, he'd give the thumbs down. There was sh.e.l.l but it was small, the nacre thin and l.u.s.tre dull.

'These duds won't produce pearls,' he declared in disgust.

Olivia could see he was getting cranky with the enterprise and so one morning suggested they go ash.o.r.e and explore. They took a water container, rowed ash.o.r.e, pulled the dinghy up on the beach and set off.

Following the water course through the sand dunes they were thrilled to discover it widened into a deep creek. They waded through the warm knee-deep water as the undergrowth on either side of the creek was thick and hard to penetrate. About a mile inland the creek broadened and, through the bush, cliffs suddenly appeared. Clambering round a bend they stopped and caught their breath. The creek widened into a large freshwater pool. It was fed from a waterfall that fell from the high red cliff escarpments surrounding it.

'How beautiful!'

Tyndall waded to the small strip of crystalline red sand and dropped his shoes, hat and water container and pulled off his s.h.i.+rt.

'Turn your back, I'm swimming.' He pulled off his trousers and plunged in. 'Come on, Olivia. It's glorious.' He faced the other way while she stripped down to her underwear and slid into the water.

Refreshed and relaxed, they sat in the shade looking at the sparkling pool.

'Bit of paradise isn't it?' said Tyndall, smiling at the damp-haired Olivia. 'Glad you came?'

'Very.'

They stared at each other for a moment longer, then Tyndall leaned over and gently kissed her. 'You look sweet,' he said softly.

Olivia felt she was in another world. All that had gone before them slipped away and she and Tyndall were in some time warp, some dreamscape where only these moments counted. She had no thoughts of past connections with people, places or events. There was just this beautiful place, this tranquillity, and this special man beside her. She reached for him as he did her.

Briefly, as Tyndall's hands caressed Olivia's smooth skin the thought flashed into his mind, that this act would lead them into deep and complicated waters. But he dismissed the future and the past and lived in this glorious moment of losing himself in Olivia's arms and body.

Their bodies melded together with ease and felt as one. Their breathing, their mounting pa.s.sion, the physical pleasure they gave each other was in tandem. Olivia felt no weight from Tyndall's body pressing against and within her. They moved together, their bodies in a dance of love that carried them along in wild sweeps of energy then into valleys of gentle tenderness, exploring, feeling and absorbing each other. They smiled into each other's eyes as they thrust and lingered, teasing and pleasuring. Tyndall's lips brushed against hers as she wound her fingers in his thick hair and they whispered of the wondrous sensations they were experiencing. There was a frankness, an intimacy and a sharing of the heart, soul and body neither had experienced before.

After lovemaking that left them both breathless and stunned at the wonderment of such fulfilment, they swam in the pool again-this time joyously naked, romping and splas.h.i.+ng like children. Finally, they dressed and headed back to the schooner. As Tyndall rowed he gazed at Olivia's sparkling eyes and happy smile. 'Your face gives everything away,' he chided.

'You look fetchingly rumpled yourself.'

They laughed, exchanging an intimate glance, both silently pledging to try to appear circ.u.mspect in front of the crew.

Ahmed wasn't fooled for a moment. He glanced from one to the other, noting Olivia's flushed face, her persistent closeness to Tyndall, whose studied nonchalance was contradicted by swift and burning glances towards Olivia.

That evening after Olivia retired to her bunk, Tyndall sat in the main cabin poring over a map by lantern light. Ahmed stuck his head in the doorway. 'We movin' somewhere new?' he asked, seeing the map. Ahmed was anxious to get back to serious pearling.

'Yep. Some time back I met an old codger in a bar. Had a wooden leg. Told me the best place he'd ever seen was the Buccaneer Archipelago.' Tyndall adjusted a protractor over the map.

'He lose his leg up that place then?' enquired Ahmed.

Tyndall ignored the question, remarking, 'Easy sailing. What's a couple of days. Could be interesting. Yes, I think we should go.' He looked at Ahmed and couldn't stop the slightly embarra.s.sed smile that spread across his face. 'Might never have the opportunity again. Good for Mem Hennessy, after the storm ... and everything. Me, too.' For the first time that day, thoughts of Maya and Niah rushed to his mind and a shadow pa.s.sed over his face.

Ahmed nodded, his expression unchanged. 'Bagus. I tell boys we go ... where we go, tuan?'

'Camden Peninsula, set a course nor-north-east,' instructed Tyndall, folding the map.

The schooner rolled in seas off Cape Leveque and the threat of bad weather forced them to pull into one of the creeks that fed into the sea. The mangrove trees were thick and protective, sheltering the creek and spreading into the ocean for several miles. Rarely disturbed, the roots grew upwards and entwined fifteen feet above the ground, forming an impa.s.sable canopy. Deciding to explore, Tyndall and Olivia picked their way through the maze of broader lower roots, using them like stepping stones. Occasionally they disturbed climbing fish basking on the tree branches and the long catfish-like creatures plopped into the marshy water or flipped across the surface.

When they eventually returned to the boat, they found Ahmed and the crew had caught several fat mud crabs and mangrove pigeons.

From then on they had perfect sailing conditions up the coast. It was plain sailing for two days, pa.s.sing through Buccaneer Archipelago and Yampi Sound. They skirted a large island reef and moved closer to land and finally sailed past Camden Peninsula to Augustus Island.

'I feel like we're the first people ever to come here,' said Olivia, shading her eyes to scan the lush and seemingly deserted island.

They anch.o.r.ed in a sheltered cove where rose-coloured sandstone cliffs soared three hundred feet to a plateau upon which several large baobab trees stood sentry on the skyline. Lush tropical growth fringed the base of the cliffs. They could hear the screech of birds and distant sound of waterfalls that glinted on the pink cliffs. Before them was a crescent-shaped white-sand beach, with tall trees casting shadows which led to crystal green water. At one end of the island the deeper green indicated the ocean floor dropped off to a greater depth.

Tyndall nudged Olivia. 'There's a perfect place to dive.'

'It's so beautiful,' sighed Olivia. 'It's got a strange mood, don't you think? It's really inviting, but there's also something mysterious about it. Or am I imagining things?'

'Well, let's go ash.o.r.e and find out,' said Tyndall buoyantly.

They went ash.o.r.e in two dinghies-Ahmed, the tender and the second mate, who had brought a rifle along, followed by Tyndall and Olivia. After pulling the dinghies high onto the sand they all went in different directions to explore.

'One shot, we shoot food, two shots quick quick, need help,' said Ahmed.

'What about us? What if we need help?'

'Give a cooee. Don't worry, I have my pistol,' grinned Tyndall.

Olivia produced a knife in a leather sheath from her pocket. 'I can look after myself,' she added, taking up an aggressive stance which had the crew chuckling.

They plunged into the thick undergrowth discovering strange plants and exotic flowers. It was green and cool and so unlike the heat and barrenness of Broome. Tyndall saw a tree snake looped and draped like a vine hanging from a branch, but decided against pointing it out to Olivia.

They found a rough track that wound up to the plateau. As they climbed, they rested frequently to admire the view across the gla.s.sy waters to the model-sized schooner and islands beyond. In an overhang they spotted caves and, almost at the plateau, they came upon a ridge where a narrow ledge led to several caves.

'Feel game enough to explore?' asked Tyndall.

The ledge along the cliff face was wide enough to walk along, but there was a sheer drop to the jungle floor a long way below.

Olivia nodded and followed him, her heart thumping. She swallowed hard and looked only at where she was putting her feet.

They entered the centre cave, which was the biggest, and found themselves in an antechamber with smaller pa.s.sages leading off it. Tyndall reached for Olivia's hand and they ducked down a short pa.s.sage to an inner cave. It was quite dark but no sooner had their eyes adjusted to the gloom than Olivia let out a screech and jumped back. Before them lay whole skeletons and a.s.sorted human bones. Skulls glared at them from sightless holes and teeth were bared in snarls.

'Ugh. How awful. What is this place?' she whispered.

'Aboriginal burial cave. Hey, look at this.' He moved forward.

'Don't disturb them. It might be bad luck.'

'I won't. I just want to have a closer look.' He pointed to one set of bones. 'This fellow brought his favourite things with him.'

Olivia saw a large mother-of-pearl breastplate lying amongst the bones. 'Do you think it came from round here?'

'Could be.'

'Let's leave. This place frightens me.'

They retraced their steps and made the final ascent to the plateau. Far below was the speck of one of the dinghies rowing to the schooner.

'Maybe they're going to sail away and leave us,' said Olivia in jest.

'Well, if we're going to be marooned we might as well make the most of it.' He grinned and took her in his arms and kissed her. They made love on the gra.s.s, by the baobab tree, at the top of a magical island, and felt they could touch the clouds. Olivia, naked in the daylight, surrendered herself to the caress of the breeze, the warmth of the sun and the whisper of Tyndall's lips.

The next day Tyndall made the first dive off the point of the island. He rose within an hour and a basket of pearl sh.e.l.l spilled onto the deck. His enthusiasm bubbled over. 'It's magnificent down there.' Olivia, you must see this. You said you wanted to try a dive. This is perfect. It's only twelve fathoms and so beautiful. You'll love it.'

His eagerness swept away her momentary apprehension. She had always wanted to see the world beneath the sea. Tyndall and Ahmed schooled her closely and she'd watched enough dives to be familiar with the procedure. Tyndall would be able to dive with her as they'd set up two hand pumps on the Shamrock Shamrock.

The weight of the suit scared her and as she sank through the water, she felt she would never rise to the surface again. Then she felt lightheaded, as if she could float away and realised quickly she had to adjust her pressure gauge.

By the time she felt comfortable, Tyndall was in front of her, giving her hand signals and she looked about her. Nothing had prepared her for the wonderment of this eerily silent blue and green world. Tiny multihued fish darted at the gla.s.s panel in her helmet, peering in at her and darting away as one in a coloured cloud. The underwater garden waved and swayed to sea music she could only imagine. Coral, which exploded in brilliant bursts, housed all manner of microscopic life and fish. Tyndall pointed beneath a coral ledge and for a moment she couldn't make out anything. Then two eyes came into focus and she saw the fleshy lips of a huge groper with a mouth that looked big enough to swallow a diver's boot. Everywhere she turned was something of incredible beauty or fascination. At first she was aware of Tyndall watching her carefully, but as she moved slowly through this absorbing underwater world she forgot about him and lost track of time.

Finally Tyndall indicated she should follow him, and he led her along the bottom to where a strip of sand ran between two coral outcrops. He pointed to a ledge and when she shook her head, uncomprehending, he bent over and picked up a large pearl sh.e.l.l. Olivia suddenly saw the others, so simply cam-ouflaged yet now so obvious. They collected half a dozen and then Olivia pointed to the coral and made a querying gesture. Tyndall peered at where she pointed, then reached his gloved hand in and felt for what appeared to be a pearl sh.e.l.l nestled in the coral. It was well concealed and hard to dislodge, he struggled and was about to give up when Olivia pushed her hand beside his and together they pulled it free. Tyndall turned the sh.e.l.l over in his hands. It was very large, plump and heavily encrusted. He put it in the bag and pointed to the surface. They tugged on their lines, signalling to the tenders to bring them up.

It wasn't till after they'd eaten and sailed well clear of the beach to anchor for the night that Tyndall and Ahmed opened the sh.e.l.ls. One yielded a perfect round, but very tiny pearl. Nonetheless Olivia was elated. Tyndall then opened what he announced to the crew was 'Olivia's sh.e.l.l.'

It was stubborn, the muscles tightly holding it shut. Tyndall worked the knife until it slipped through and the sh.e.l.l fell open. Without even removing the meat they could see the glow of a fat round pearl.

Olivia, crouching beside Tyndall, leaned forward. 'There's more than one,' she breathed and the crew gathered around, moving the lantern closer.

Tyndall carefully sc.r.a.ped away the meat.

A collective gasp went up as they saw on one sh.e.l.l, seven fat, spherical pearls. Each on its own would fetch a goodly price but what caused the crew to murmur in amazement was the formation. The seven pearls lay joined in the shape of a star.

Olivia and Tyndall stared at one another in disbelief.

'My G.o.d, it's fantastic.' Tyndall's hand shook slightly as he studied the sh.e.l.l in his palm, tilting it to and fro to catch the light of the lantern from different angles.

'It's worth a fortune,' Olivia whispered in awe and behind her the crew broke into a gabble of exchanges in j.a.panese and Malay. Ahmed gave thanks to Allah in a silent prayer.

'The great gem buyers of the world will be fighting like h.e.l.l to get their hands on this,' crowed Tyndall.

'We'll have to call it the "Star of the Sea", of course. Odd, isn't it, that the shape of the pearls matches the name of our company,' said Olivia, her voice still reflecting the awe in which they all held the freakish pearl find. 'Spooky in a way.'

'Everything that led us to finding it is a bit odd in a way, when you think about it.' Their eyes met for the first time since the sh.e.l.l was opened. 'It's going to change our lives, Olivia.'

She nodded in silent agreement, then they both looked down at the sh.e.l.l again, transfixed by its beauty.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

Maya still missed her mother. The women had told her that Niah had gone to live with her ancestors among the stars but she watched over her and was always with her even though Maya couldn't see her.

'Sometimes when the wind come and blow your hair and brush your face, that your mummy touching you. When you eat good and find clean water for drink, that your mummy looking out for you,' they told her.

Maya struggled to grasp this abstract concept-she missed the lilting voice, the embrace and sweet smell of her own mother.

She missed her father, too. His laughter and teasing and the great stretches of time they spent together 'out in the world'. While her mother had been part of this outback world, her father belonged to another world. She remembered the noise and smell of the sh.e.l.l sheds; sitting on the deck of a beached lugger while the men worked; playing on the floor of Tyndall's office with her own toy lugger; seeing the streets of Broome from her father's shoulders; holding onto his curling hair with one hand, the other resting over his ear with the pearl.

While these memories were vivid initially, they were soon relegated to the nether regions of her mind while she focused on the daily events of life around her. Being part of a family group was a revelation for her, as was having playmates and so many aunties and uncles and grandmothers. She walked obediently beside the girl designated her big sister, played with the other children when they rested at a waterhole, and at night, sleepily climbed into the nearest ample lap as the women grouped themselves around the campfire after eating.

As the weeks pa.s.sed, the thought of losing Maya gnawed at Tyndall and he tried again to send word via his Aboriginal friends to find where they might be. He'd learned that the people he and Olivia had befriended down the coast had moved on.

Monsieur Barat wasn't due for a few more weeks and Olivia and Tyndall had kept tight-lipped about their pearl find, though there were rumours circulating. Olivia was well aware that collectors and serious buyers wouldn't buy a pearl that had been 'shown' or shopped about.

'We'll just have to keep quiet. At least the gossip isn't about us.' He gave her a playful grin.

'Do you think they will? Talk about us? Surely not. No one knows anything.'

Tyndall laughed at her worried look. 'You ashamed of me or something?'

'It's not that. I am still officially in mourning and you aren't unattached.' Olivia finally voiced the thought that had disturbed her most about their relations.h.i.+p. 'What will you do if Niah comes back?'

'I'm not sure that she will.' He looked distressed. 'It's not Niah I want back, but Maya. Niah is delightful, but she can't give me what you can, Olivia. I can talk to you, we share a common background and that counts for such a lot. You make me feel a whole person. I treasure that.' He spoke hesitantly and almost shyly.

'Where are we going, John?' she asked softly.

'We need time, Olivia. We need to go slowly down this path we're following and avoid the glare of gossip and interfering outsiders. I'm afraid we're going to have to be devious.'

'I understand. I'm not ready to rush into anything, John. And I have Hamish's feelings to consider.'

So the new turn in their relations.h.i.+p remained their secret. The closeness with which they had worked and supported each other over these trying months was maintained and no one in the community noticed any change.

But they stole opportunities to be together and, in a flash of inspiration, Tyndall suggested they go away to Perth together. 'I cabled Monsieur Barat to see if we can meet him there. It is the logical thing to do-to see him there and arrange the sale of the pearls. We've tried to keep it quiet but enough people know to understand why we'd make a business trip south.' Tyndall suddenly became quite demonstrative, waving his arm in the air. 'Oh Olivia, just think, we can stay in a nice big hotel in Perth, visit good restaurants, do things together and stay anonymous.' For a few moments he was just like an excited schoolboy.

For Olivia, the thought of a romantic interlude with Tyndall was bewitching. 'Let's do it!' she agreed with equal excitement.