Portal: The TimeSlip Trilogy: Book I (The Timeslip Trilogy)

TIMESLIP DIANA CHASE Annie walked slowly up the crumbling flag stones and stopped. She felt strangely breathless. Behind a tangle of snarled rose bushes and fallen trellises, a house emerged. It was the house of her secret dreams, where she lived a life of elegance and charm. Annie knew it well — a grand old home with soft red bricks and verandahs fringed with iron lace. She’d planned each hidden door, each graceful window, each carved stone step sweeping to a lawn, now bright with dande lions and clouds of tiny white daisies. It stood there — the home from her most private imaginings. But Annie hadn’t imagined, could never have imagined, the secrets that lay within ... Cover painting by Felicity Marshall.

Diana Chase is married with a big, noisy family and a big, hairy dog. They all live in a rambling, sandy old house near Cottesloe Beach in We s t e r n Australia.

TIMESLIP DIANA C HASE

FREMANTLE ARTS CENTRE PRESS

First published 1997 by FREMANTLE ARTS CENTRE PRESS 193 South Terrace (POBox 320), South Fremantle Western Australia 6162. Copyright © Diana Chase, 1997. This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Enquiries should be made to the publisher. Consultant Editor Alwyn Evans. Designed by John Douglass. Production coordination Cate Sutherland. Typeset by Fremantle Arts Centre Press and printed by Australian Print Group, Victoria. National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-publication data Chase, Diana - . Timeslip. ISBN 1 86368 187 6. I. Title. A823.3

The State of Western Australia has made an investment in this project through the Department for the Arts.

Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the relevant copyright, designs and patents acts, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publisher. eBooks Corporation

To my husband, Chris, for his unfailing support, and to Val, for her enthusiasm and encouragement

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Kali and Sal, who encouraged me to keep going, and to Judy who ‘lent’ her house to the idea. Thanks also to Alwyn and to Fremantle Arts Centre Press for backing We s t e r n Australian writers.

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FAIRLEIGH Annie leaned over the gate and watched the mob of kids on the gravel track that led down to the railway line. A red-haired girl, her feet on the handlebars of a blue bike, zoomed through a deep puddle at the bottom of the hill. Wa t e r sprayed over the waiting mob and they shrieked with delight. Annie sighed and wished for the hundredth time that she had a bike. But she hadn’t — and she didn’t know any of those kids either. This was her second day in town. Behind her the front door slammed; she hung from the gate and watched her father hide the key under the mat. He scrunched down the metal chip path and patted his daughter on the seat of her jeans. ‘Key’s in the same place, sweetheart,’ he said.

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‘Well, what do you think?’ Ned Shanahan had been in Harrisonville six weeks longer than Annie. She knew he’d done his best to turn the weatherboard cottage into a welcoming home for her. ‘Looks good, Dad,’ she said. ‘Yes, I think so too. Might even try a spot of gardening if we settle here for a while. There’re some real nice people, you’ll see.’ Annie heard both hope and anxiety in his voice. He’d said things like that before, but this time there was a chance. ‘Cool,’ she murmured. He laughed, swallowing excitement. ‘We’ll just have to see if this town’s good enough for us Shanahans, eh?’ It was their private joke. Annie dropped off the gate and padded after her father as he crossed the open gr o u n d towards the railway lines. When she caught up with him, he winked. ‘Well, here goes, love. The old super’s gone — first day on my own. Wish me luck!’ Ned Shanahan was a foreman on the railways. His job was to supervise the transport of stock and produce from the country railheads to Sydney over six hundred kilometres away. Sometimes he was assigned to two or thr e e towns in one year. Harrisonville rated a full-time supervisor and this was Ned’s chance for a permanent position. He looked down at Annie

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as she half-ran, half-skipped to keep up with him. It had been no fun for her having to change schools and friends every time they moved to a new town. ‘Made any mates yet?’ he asked. ‘Naaa.’ Annie didn’t want to discuss the subject. It was bad enough starting another school. She kicked the dirt. ‘Dad, can I have a bike now? You said in September.’ ‘I said I’d try — and I will. I’ll look around, but you know money’s short.’ ‘Money’s always short for us.’ ‘C’mon, kiddo. We’ve been over this — the hospital’s expensive.’ ‘Why do we have to spend everything on Lennie? He’d never ...’ ‘That’s enough, Annie.’ ‘Well ... he’d never know the difference!’ Ned stopped and faced her. ‘You think you’ve got it tough, eh? Want to change places with Lennie?’ Annie fell silent. It always came back to that. She could hardly remember the laughing twelve-year-old brother she’d once known. Five years in a hospital bed had made him a stranger to her. She felt ashamed and somehow guilty; but it didn’t stop her from wanting a bike. She stood in front of her father, staring at a button on his shirt and saying nothing. Ned ruffled her hair. He had an idea of her problems, but Annie

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would have to cope, he had enough of his own. He thought grimly of the accident that had killed his wife and left his son a vegetable. Lennie had never stirred from his coma since that first tragic day. He lay in the Sydney hospital, never moving, never speaking — not even aware of when Ned was in the r o o m . Maybe Annie was right. Why not let him go into an institution ... but rare cases had recovered, he’d read about them. While there was a chance for Lennie ... well, he just couldn’t do it. Ned tweaked Annie’s ponytail and forced a smile. ‘Hey, buck up, love. You never know what’ll turn up. Harrisonville’s all right.’ Annie made a face. ‘Yeah. Cool, Dad. I’ll give the town the look-over and see if it’s good enough for us Shanahans.’ Ned laughed. ‘That’s the shot. I’ll be home soon after five. Pick up some fish and chips and we’ll get a good video or something.’ Annie knew he was trying to make it up to her. ‘Sure, Dad. See you ... oh, and good luck for today.’ Ned hugged her and clumped off across the railway lines. At the workshop, he waved and disappeared behind a shed. Annie picked up a stick and climbed the rails of a stockyard. In the distance she could see some cows with farmhouses behind them. The countryside was green and bright with spring.

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Dandelions and sour grass turned the paddocks golden; red bottlebrush and yellow wattle lined the edges of the road. Annie thought that Harrisonville might be a good place to be, if only she had some friends. Bull ants had built a nest near the base of the next post. She swung across and poked the redearth mound. Two of the guards came out, pincers poised for attack. ‘Watch out for those, they bite,’ said a voice behind her. Annie looked round and saw a girl about her own age. ‘Everyone knows that,’ she said, and jumped to the ground to show she wasn’t scared. Ever so casually, both girls moved away from the mound. Annie eyed the new arrival. ‘Where did you come from?’ The girl pointed to a small farmhouse surrounded by vegetable gardens. ‘Over there. I’ve been watching you; you’re new, aren’t you?’ Annie nodded, ‘Since two days ago. What’s your name?’ ‘You first,’ said the girl. Annie sighed. As the new kid, she was always expected to present herself first. ‘Annie Shanahan; my Dad’s the new super on the railways.’ The girl nodded, ‘I’ve seen him round. You in Year 7?’

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‘Yeah,’ said Annie. ‘What’s it like?’ ‘Oh ... okay, I guess. You got a bike?’ ‘Naaa. Not yet. What about you?’ The girl shook her head. ‘Most of the other kids have, though.’ Annie nodded. She understood exactly what that meant. If you didn’t have a bike, you couldn’t move with the crowd. ‘And what’s your name?’ she asked again. The girl hesitated then blurted out, ‘Araminta Ravoliches, everyone calls me Minty.’ ‘Ara ... what?’ ‘Just call me Minty,’ the girl pleaded. ‘It’s moments like these you need Minties,’ giggled Annie, enormously pleased with herself. ‘Yeah, cool,’ said Minty dryly, ‘I’ve heard it before.’ ‘Don’t you like your name?’ asked Annie. ‘Not much.’ Minty shrugged. ‘I used to b e f o re I went to school. I’m named after my Grandmother. She wrote to me once.’ ‘Did she send you anything?’ In Annie’s experience, grandmothers were always sending other kids things and she wished she had one. Minty wrinkled her nose. ‘Nup — not really. Just an old sewing basket with a silver thimble. She’s coming back to see us soon.’ ‘Real silver?’ ‘I think so. My Dad says its quite valuable.’

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‘Neat.’ But Annie was unimpressed. ‘Do you like sewing?’ Minty made a face. ‘No way! Hey, look out! Ants!’ The sergeant ants had mustered for attack and were advancing on the toe of Minty’s shoe. Both girls stamped hard and hurried out of range. ‘Araminta Ravoliches got some ants in her britches,’ chanted Annie. The girls started to giggle and Minty produced a poem of her own: ‘There was an old lady of Nanties, Who found three ants in her panties, She fed two to a bird And sat on a third That fat old lady of Nanties.’ They dissolved into laughter, collapsing helplessly into the thick grass on the side of the track. ‘Cool,’ gasped Annie, ‘Did you make that up?’ ‘Naaa, Rodney Gates did, I think.’ The grass was dense and soft and the girls rolled around in it for a while longer. After a few minutes, Annie asked, ‘What’re the other kids like?’ Minty was very casual, ‘Oh, okay I guess. They’re always riding off somewhere.’ ‘Yeah,’ Annie swallowed a sigh, ‘My Dad’s

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looking for a secondhand bike. He said ...’ her voice trailed off. Minty was silent, then mumbled, ‘We ’ re building up the business — market gardening.’ Annie nodded; it sounded like a ‘Lennie’shospital’ reason. ‘Yeah,’ she said again. ‘So what brought you here?’ Minty asked. Annie squirmed. The time had come, she k n e w, to present her personal facts for local inspection. She hated it; but in moving around a lot she had learned to tell her story first and quickly, the way she wanted it told. The news would spread and she’d be ahead of the smart kids with the gossip. She answered stonily, ‘My mum’s dead — in an accident, and my brother’s in a coma. I live with my Dad. Like I said — the railways sent him here.’ ‘What’s a coma?’ ‘ You know, he can’t speak or move or anything. He’s in this special place in Sydney. It costs an awful lot.’ ‘Wow, that’s bad,’ murmured Minty, then blurted out, ‘I haven’t a Mum either. She left us. I’ve got Dad and Auntie.’ Annie mumbled something and both girls fell silent. Each recognised a fellow sufferer and was vaguely relieved that someone else shared the same problems. But oh, thought Annie, kicking angrily at the red dirt, it would have

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been good if things had been different. If, for instance, Minty could have been the most popular kid in the school and could introduce a new friend to all the crowd ... Annie sighed. Well-ll, she obviously wasn’t, and she couldn’t, and that was all there was to it. Suddenly Minty jumped up. ‘I’m hungry, want some loquats?’ She had a strange look on her face and Annie was cautious. ‘I’m not sure; what’re they like?’ ‘Old Miss McGuiness grows them. The other kids try to pinch them but she always lets me have a few. Come on then.’ Miss McGuiness proved to be a strange little old lady who came to the door when Minty called and peered at them across a yard full of chickens. ‘Help yourself, Araminta,’ she cr o a k e d . ‘Mind the chooks. Stupid creatures mess up the yard.’ She stared at Annie for a bit, added ‘Her too,’ then disappeared into the dark passageway of her dark little house. The girls ate mouthfuls of the sweet bony fruit, licking their fingers and flicking the stones at the chooks. When they’d had enough they called, ‘Thanks, Miss McGuiness,’ and left through a back gate behind some tumbledown sheds. ‘She likes me,’ Minty explained. ‘She’s been round for ages and knows everything about the

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town.’ Then Minty went suddenly silent and Annie wondered what was wrong. After a minute she asked, ‘Wher e ’ re we going?’ Minty seemed to be making up her mind about something. ‘This lane leads to the big house where Miss McGuiness was born.’ ‘What big house?’ Minty was vague, ‘Oh, just an old rickety house up there.’ She changed the subject abruptly, ‘Do you read?’ Annie rolled her eyes. ‘Oh, no! Of course not!’ She made a face. ‘How do you think I got to Year 7?’ ‘Ahh! Okay, okay. I mean what sort of books do you read?’ Annie became serious; books were an important part of her life. ‘Horse books mostly, some sci-fi — those time travel adventure ones. My real favourite’s Anne of Green Gables. Mum named me after her.’ Minty nodded. ‘I saw it on TV; it was good. Those are the ones I like best — the olden-days ones. You know where all the ladies wear long silk dresses and have servants, and big houses ...’ her voice trailed off dreamily. Annie picked up her thought, ‘... and big gardens, full of roses and pansies and stuff.’ ‘ ... and carriages.’ ‘ ... and no one to yell at you when you pick

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as many bunches of flowers as you want.’ ‘ ... and a ballroom ... and horses.’ ‘ ... oh yes, horses.’ The girls were lost for a moment in their shared dream. Then Minty broke in, ‘Want to know a secret?’ Annie was cautious. ‘What for?’ ‘For free.’ ‘Okay.’ Minty took a big breath then burst out, ‘I’ve got one.’ ‘One what?’ ‘A house, a big house, all of my own.’ Annie was scornful, ‘I bet.’ Minty dropped her voice but went on firmly. ‘Well, it’s not really mine, but there’s no one else goes there but me.’ ‘Why not?’ Annie was suspicious. ‘Aaa, I dunno; well-ll, all the kids reckon it’s scary — haunted or something.’ ‘Is it?’ ‘A bit, maybe. But I always play there and nothing’s ever happened to me.’ Annie was intrigued. ‘Are you allowed to?’ ‘Not really. It’s s’posed to be condemned.’ ‘And you haven’t been caught?’ Minty shrugged. ‘I took Julie Simpson there once and she got scared and squealed to her mum.’ ‘What happened?’

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‘Ahhh. Her mum told Dad and he walloped me; but I still go there. Want to see it?’ Annie was uneasy. Her Dad wouldn’t like it and she didn‘t want to hide things from him. She hesitated. Minty eyed her sharply. ‘You’re scared too.’ ‘I am not,’ Annie bridled. ‘Well then ...’ ‘Is there anything really wrong with it?’ Minty sneered, ‘You are scared.’ ‘I’m not.’ Minty jumped up. ‘Well, come on then,’ and she started off down the lane. Half-fascinated, half-reluctant, Annie followed. ‘Not for long,’ she protested. ‘I’ve got to get some stuff for tea.’ But Minty was a fair distance ahead and only waved and beckoned her on. The lane wound on, past a lot of backyards and rubbish bins. Morning glory cascaded over the fences. Bright orange nasturtiums climbed e v e r y w h e re, the ground was thick with their round leaves. In some places the trees hung low enough to form a tunnel and once the two girls had to skirt a swarm of bees. After a while, the lane branched off past an open paddock full of rusty farm machinery. Some small boys were playing ‘Space Invaders’ on an old harvester and blasted the girls as they passed by. A spray from a Japanese pepper tree

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caught in Annie’s hair and while she was untangling it, Minty disappeared. Annie hurried forward, half-calling her name. A high iron gate was almost hidden in the b rush of a hedge. Minty was working at the catch. ‘Here we are,’ she said. ‘Help me push.’ The gate creaked open and a path, halfhidden by the underg rowth, wound its way through the shadows. Annie walked slowly up the crumbling flagstones and stopped. She felt strangely b reathless. Behind a tangle of snarled r o s ebushes and fallen trellises, a house emerged. It was the house of her secret dreams, where somehow the Shanahans, together once again, lived a life of elegance and charm. Annie knew it well, she’d drawn it often enough — a grand old home with soft red bricks and verandahs fringed with iron lace. She’d planned each hidden door, each graceful window, each carved stone step sweeping to a lawn, now bright with dandelions and clouds of tiny white daisies. It stood there; a little faded and shabby, p e rhaps — but still the home from her most private imaginings.

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2

SOMETHINGÕS STRANGE Minty was watching Annie closely. She jumped f rom one foot to the other and giggled nervously. ‘Well, Annie, what d’you think?’ Annie didn’t want to talk or share her feelings with anyone. She almost wished she was alone. At last words came. ‘Ohhh, oh wow Minty! It’s ... unreal. It’s the most beautiful — incredible — just like the house in the books ...’ Annie hadn’t meant to gush so much. She blushed and added quietly, ‘Thanks for showing me. It’s just that ... well, it’s like this dream I have.’ Minty gave an embarrassed shrug. ‘Ah, it’s only an old place that’s been around for years. Everyone knows about it.’ ‘Is it all right about being here, no one minds?’

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Minty shrugged, ‘No one cares for it now, why should anyone mind? Anyway, who’s to know?’ Annie dismissed a feeling of uneasiness. She walked past Minty onto the verandah. The floorboards were grey and crumbly and they creaked under her weight. There was a metal plate by the front door. ‘F-A,’ she began. ‘FAIR — L — E.’ She ran her hand over the rest of the letters, spelling them out, ‘I-G-H, FAIRLEIGH.’ Minty nodded, grinning and hugging herself. Suddenly slipping up to one of the fr e n c h windows, she pulled away the loose boarding and flipped a catch. One side of the window opened. ‘Coming?’ she said and disappeare d inside. Annie hesitated. The doorframe swung in and out. Wind stirred the leaves of a creeper that overhung the verandah. Strange feelings swept over her — excitement, fear. She brushed them aside, took a deep breath, and followed Minty into the house. The room she entered was long, dusty and empty. Cobwebs drifted into her hair and pieces of broken glass scrunched underfoot. The sunbeams that filtered through the cracks in the boarded-up windows gave a strange and hazy light. A dirty green blanket lay piled in one corner with a mess of newspapers. An old

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dining table had been broken up for firewood, and a high-backed chair leaned cr o o k e d l y against the edge of a fireplace. ‘I saw an old tramp here once,’ whispered Mint, ‘he’s never come back.’ The girls moved slowly around the ro o m , talking in whispers and giggling nervously. ‘Why are we whispering?’ said Annie loudly. Her voice echoed down the empty hallway. She giggled again, determined not to be spooked. Suddenly she yelled, ‘This is Miss Annie Shanahan speaking!’ The echo picked up her voice, ‘Ahan ... speaking ... han speaking ... ing.’ ‘And Miss Araminta Ravoliches ... oliches ... oliches ... iches,’ added Minty. The two girls dissolved into hysterical laughter. ‘C’mon,’ said Minty. ‘I’ll show you the rest of the house.’ They wandered from room to room. Annie was half-expecting to meet someone, halfdreaming of what had been there. ‘The small drawing room,’ announced Minty loftily, ‘and this is the library.’ ‘Very nice,’ intoned Annie, as though she had been used to small drawing rooms and libraries all her life. Minty giggled. ‘Hey, let’s make this our private secret mansion. We’ll clean it up and play in it and everything. We could even dress up if we could find some stuff to wear.’

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Annie’s mind was sorting through a trunk of her mother’s. Maybe her Dad ... Minty cut into her thoughts. ‘I’ll call you Miss Anne.’ ‘ Will I call you Miss Araminta? They probably had names like that then.’ Minty looked pleased. ‘How do you do, Miss Anne?’ ‘Very well thankyou, Miss Araminta. Shall I ring for some tea?’ The young ladies exploded into unladylike laughter, embarrassment giving way to excitement. They paused at the bottom of a sweeping staircase. Annie looked up, intrigued and faintly scared by the dark spaces overhead. ‘Let’s play hidey,’ she said. ‘You go it.’ And she bounded up the staircase, her fingers dragging dust marks on the banister. ‘Count to twenty, Miss Araminta,’ she called back. Minty hesitated, but her new friend had gone, racing along the inside of the balcony. ‘Aaaann ... just a moment. There might be ... Oh ... okay ... I mean, very well, Miss Annie. One, two, three ...’ Annie ran through a large room and came upon another set of stairs to a tower ro o m . Glancing over her shoulder, she heard, ‘Coming, ready or not, Miss Anne,’ and slipped up the steps to push open the door at the top of the landing.

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The room seemed to swing around her. A humming sound filled her ears. Annie shook her head and the dizziness cleared. ‘Overexcited,’ her Dad would have said. The tower room was hexagonal with a wall dividing it into two sections. Annie was standing in the first half and she could see a passageway leading to the other. The ceiling curved high and light. Torn wallpaper still clung to the walls. Dilapidated blinds and nailed board s shaded the room from sunlight. Below each window was a built-in seat. The remains of a dead pigeon lay on one of them. Annie crossed the room and peered out t h rough a crack. The whole of Harrisonville s t retched away below her. She could see the railway yards, even her house. She turned back to listen. Minty must have climbed the first staircase by now — where was she? Slipping through the passageway, Annie came to a room similar in size and shape to the first, probably the nursery. She could make out p i c t u res of animals on the faded wallpaper. Parts of a broken rocking-horse lay on the floor. A bookcase stretched along one side. The empty cupboard in the corner looked a good place to hide if Minty caught up with her. She relaxed a little and looked around her. Some children had marked their heights on the doorjamb. Peering closer, Annie started to spell out the

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names, ‘1990 R-O-B-E-R-T H-A-R-R-I-S-O-N, Robert Harrison.’ She tried another,‘L-E ...’ ‘-O-N, Leon Harrison, five feet, six and threequarter inches,’ a voice finished behind her. Annie swung around. A tall boy stood by the window holding a book. ‘Where did you come from?’ she gasped. ‘Over there,’ said the boy, pointing to the windowseat. ‘I was trying to read but you’ve been making enough noise to wake the dead.’ ‘But what are you doing here?’ managed Annie. The boy laughed, ‘Well, I live here.’ ‘Live here? But Minty said no one lived here.’ ‘Then Minty’s wrong, isn’t she, because I do AND so do the rest of those children.’ Annie stared at the names as Leon listed them. ‘There’s Robert, he’s fourteen and a half, and myself (I’m thirteen), then there’s Mary, she’ll be eleven next month, and Lucy, who’s just turned nine.’ ‘ You ALL live here?’ Annie was finding it hard to think clearly. ‘I keep telling you we do. This is our house.’ The boy was quite calm, even amused. Annie fell silent. She was embarrassed and puzzled. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said at last. ‘It didn’t look like anybody ...’ she stopped, staring at the names and the dates scribbled beside them. They read 1898, not 1990. That couldn’t be right.

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Something strange was going on. ‘It’s a joke, isn’t it? A joke on me. Just because I’m the new kid in town.’ Annie tried not to sound angry. ‘That’s it, isn’t it? It’s all some silly joke.’ The boy shrugged his shoulders. ‘Joke? What joke? Look, here’re the others.’ Annie turned and saw three childr e n standing by the door into the other room. One was a sturdy fair-haired boy, dressed like Leon in a white shirt, knee-length pants, black stockings and shoes. The two girls were wearing white flounced dresses with blue sashes around their waists. In the background, Minty was whispering in the ear of the smaller one. ‘Minty!’ accused Annie. ‘You tricked me!’ Minty looked uncomfortable. ‘No, I didn’t mean to. I didn’t think they were still here.’ Annie snorted in disbelief, ‘You’re kidding.’ She searched for another solution. ‘It’s a school play, or the town’s anniversary or something? That’s it, isn’t it? That’s why you‘re all wearing those funny costumes?’ This was so obviously the answer that she relaxed and smiled, ready to make friends. But the taller girl snorted angrily. ‘Funny costumes? I like that, look who’s talking — a girl in trousers! And in our house!’ Annie flushed. ‘Okay, okay, keep your dumb old play, I’m going.’

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She glared at Minty and started to move towards the door. The fair-headed boy stopped h e r. ‘I say, don’t go. Mary didn’t mean to be rude. We’d like you to be our guest. How do you do, I’m Robert Harrison.’ ‘And I’m Lucy,’ the little girl broke in. ‘Please do stay and play.’ Leon came forward. ‘Yes, please do. And I think you’re quite right, they are funny-looking clothes.’ Annie calmed down but she was still wary. She didn’t want to butt into some other kids’ gang if they didn’t want her. On the other hand she was keen to make friends. Leon grinned at her. ‘We even know your name. Miss Anne, isn’t it? It echoed all round the house.’ Annie blushed. ‘Annie’ll do,’ she muttered. She was confused and still suspicious. They must be some of the kids from town, yet she couldn’t work out how they managed all the changes. The house had been so dusty and empty. ‘But the house was so empty and dusty ...’ she began. ‘Empty and dusty indeed!’ snapped the one called Mary. ‘Aren’t you the rude one! Well, Miss Anne, you’d better not let Mrs McGuiness or Violet hear you say things like that about the house — they spend hours polishing and cleaning it.’

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Annie looked around. She was standing in a brightly painted room with animal wallpaper, woollen carpets, toys, books; in fact everything you’d expect in a children’s playroom — a hundred years ago. She took a deep breath. ‘I think someone had better explain,’ she said. In the end, no one did explain. Lucy grabbed Annie’s hand, saying, ‘Come on, let’s play now. While you’re still here. And there’s the rest of the house to show you.’ Annie was just about to say that she had seen the rest of the house when it occurred to her that things may be very different. ‘But how ...’ she started to say. ‘I’m hungry,’ announced Robert. ‘Let’s get something to eat. Cook’s been baking all morning. I can smell it.’ And Annie could too. A delicious smell of freshly baked cake wafted up the stairs from the kitchen. Now that could hardly be Harrisonville kids. Unless the Mother’s Committee ... yet surely that smell hadn’t been there ten minutes ago. Annie was the tiniest bit frightened. She wanted to stop and think it out but the others were hurrying her along, laughing and chattering on the way downstairs. Minty wouldn’t look at her. Annie hung back to sit on the last step. There were so many strange thoughts whirling around

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her head, she needed time to think. Suppose it wasn’t a joke? Anyway, how could anyone know she’d be at Fairleigh? Unless Minty ... No! Who’d go to that amount of trouble just to tease a new kid? Then it must be some sort of club, or a school play, maybe even a movie set. She’d been to a school once where they’d used the kids in a television story. That must be it, then. Yet, how do you explain the way the house had changed? Unless that had been part of the movie too? Annie shook her head. Let’s face it, there wasn’t even a camera or movie crew in sight. Annie tried to ignore what seemed unbelievable. Either she was mad, or drugged, or the whole world was cockeyed because there was no way that this was the house that she and Minty had seen when they first arrived. The banister of the stairs gleamed a rich oak brown. Delicate flowery wallpaper covered the walls. Below her in the hall, polished floorboard s shone round the edge of a magnificent Persian rug, while the furniture appeared well cared for and expensive. When she looked up, Leon was standing there. ‘Coming?’ he said. ‘I just don’t understand, Leon. How did you do all this?’ Annie waved her hand around. ‘This is the way it should be,’ he r e p l i e d carefully. ‘Come on, there’s nothing to be frightened about.’

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‘I’m not frightened, at least not much,’ said Annie quickly. ‘It’s like our dream, mine and Minty’s, our dream of a great old house. Is this all a dream?’ Leon shrugged slightly. ‘One might say that, I suppose. But it’s nothing to worry about. Really. Come on now or the others will eat all the cake.’ Annie got slowly to her feet. ‘I know it’s just not possible, but ...’ she shook her head and persevered. ‘Are you saying this is actually 1898, like it was written by your name? That this is Fairleigh a hundred years ago? I can’t re a l l y believe ... do you mean that something’s happened to the time?’ Leon was leading the way to the kitchen. ‘This is Fairleigh,’ he repeated. ‘The way it should be.’ When Leon held open the swinging doors of the kitchen, Annie stepped into a room that was a hive of activity. At the table a large cheery fat woman was elbow-deep in a bowl of flour. A young maid was stirring something on a big wooden stove and another was shelling peas on a stool by the hearth. At one end of the table a little brown wrinkly man was eating a meal. Cook took her floury hands from the bowl and wiped them on her apron. ‘I’ve been wondering how long it’d take the lot of you to come storming down here.’ ‘We’re hungry,’ announced Mary.

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‘Well, there’s upside down cake for them as has the manners to ask pro p e r l y,’ said Cook tartly. Robert, Lucy and Leon’s voices broke out in a tumble of sound. ‘Ooooh ... Please, Cook, splendid Cook ... What an absolutely marvellous, marvellous smell. Please Cook, may we please have some?’ Cook chuckled. ‘You’re a baggage lot, you are. Cut them a slice each, Violet.’ Thick golden slices of spongy cake topped with apple and cinnamon were passed around. Robert took a huge bite and yelped, ‘Ow! It’s still hot.’ ‘Cake will cool if greedy will wait, Master Robert,’ said Violet primly. When Leon passed her a slice, Annie felt shy and unsure. ‘Do Cook and the others know about Minty and me?’ she asked. ‘I mean, is it all right?’ ‘Of course,’ he answered. ‘Come on eat up. Minty will tell you about Cook’s upside down cakes.’ Annie eyed Minty uneasily. She was hardly to be relied upon. How often had this happened to her? Was Minty even real? ‘Annie, er, Miss Anne?’ Leon was smiling and still holding the plate out to her. ‘Oh, sorry,’ she took a piece, ‘okay, thanks.’ Then she added politely, ‘It looks yummy.’

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The cake was delicious. Fresh milk all round finished off the snack. Cook and the other servants didn’t even seem curious about two strangers. Annie wanted to ask about that too, but none of the Harrison children paid much attention to what she was saying. On the way out to a walled garden, bright with flowers, Leon asked, ‘What does “Oh Kay” mean?’ Annie was astonished. ‘Don’t you know? Really? Everyone says okay.’ ‘I don’t,’ said Leon. ‘Is it French or something?’ ‘It means “all right, I agree”, but it’s American I think.’ ‘Oh,’ said Leon, ‘how strange. I thought they spoke English.’ ‘Well, of course they do.’ ‘ P e rhaps it‘s Red Indian. But the Indians don’t sound very agreeable. I’ve heard how savage they are, scalping and killing people all the time.’ Annie giggled. ‘You make it sound as if people are getting scalped every day.’ ‘Well,’ said Leon solemnly, ‘aren’t they? Papa had a friend who’d actually fought them. He said they collected scalps all the time.’ ‘Don’t be silly. Indians haven’t scalped anyone for a hundred yea ...’ Annie stopped abruptly and repeated, ‘A

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hundred years ... oh, wowee!’ She was suddenly silent. She thought how so many things had changed in a hundred years ... Did Leon really expect savage Indians? ‘Wow! Hey, Leon ... wait!’ she called. ‘Hang on!’ Leon was walking across the courtyard laughing. ‘Okay, wowee! Hang on. You do say the funniest things. On to what should I hang?’ He stopped and turned to her. ‘Miss Annie, would you care to play keep-it-off? Err ... Oh Kay?’ ‘Okay,’ said Annie slowly. ‘Cool. And like I said, just Annie will do.’ Leon shook his head. ‘Cool ... cool what?’ Annie laughed. ‘Oh okay. I mean ... er ... very well, Master Leon.’ Just then a large ball came sailing through the air. Mary shouted, ‘Hurry up Miss Annie. Don’t take all day. Girls against boys.’ ‘Hey,’ complained Leon. ‘That’s two against four.’ ‘Oh, fair enough,’ remarked Robert loftily, ‘poor weak creatures need some advantage.’ ‘Bosh!’ snorted Mary. Annie relaxed and joined in the game with her usual enthusiasm. After all, there didn’t seem to be anything weird or frightening about playing keep-it-off with the Harrisons. She could see the perspiration standing out on

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Mary’s lip (though she was careful not to say so), Lucy’s hair-ribbon had fallen off and the boys had thrown their shoes under a gard e n seat. Everything looked so normal ... just like kids everywhere. Finally, and a little hesitantly, Minty came and stood beside her. ‘This is fun, isn’t it, Annie?’ she pleaded. ‘I mean, this house, it’s just the way we talked and everything.’ ‘Yes, it’s great. But, Minty ...’ ‘And no one’s got bikes or gangs.’ ‘I know, Minty,’ answered Annie slowly, ‘but something’s funny and very strange; I think ...’ Just then Lucy called out, ‘Annie! Minty! One of you.’ The ball was high in the air. Robert was racing for it. Annie jumped and grabbed it as Robert cannoned into her. They both fell to the ground laughing. Leon snatched the ball and raced off. Minty was still standing there. ‘Well, what’s so strange?’ Annie shrugged and rolled over on the green grass until she was under the shade of a weeping willow. She lay on her back, looking at the blue spring sky and watching the bees buzzing in the throats of the bright spring flowers. She picked a piece of blue forget-me-not and stuck it into her ponytail. There may be (she forced herself to think the

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word) ghosts of people, even dogs and horses, but whoever heard of ghost bees or ghost flowers? It was a reassuring, even funny thought, and Annie chuckled as the others came and flopped down beside her. ‘Phewww. It’s hot,’ said Lucy. ‘Have you two given up? What’s funny?’ ‘Oh ... nothing special,’ murmured Annie. ‘Just everything.’ ‘It’s rude to talk in riddles,’ announced Mary. ‘And it is too hot to play anymore. I’ll send for some ices.’ ‘Just who will you send, Miss Bossyboots?’ asked Robert. ‘It’s too late for tea.’ Annie suddenly thought of her Dad and the fish and chips. Almost at the same time the clock in the small tower above the stables began to chime. ‘ — 3 — 4 — 5,’ Annie counted. ‘Hey, Minty, c’mon. I’ll be late.’ Clearly, Minty didn’t want to go. ‘Oh, Annie,’ she begged. ‘A little while longer. Go on.’ ‘Minty, I’ve got to go. I’m meeting my Dad.’ ‘Why go and spoil it all? We’re all having so much fun.’ Minty’s voice was accusing. But Annie was determined. She was suddenly sure it was very important that they leave right then. ‘It’s time to go, Minty. Right now.’ Leon came to her aid. ‘Annie’s right. She has

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an appointment with her father. You must both go. Come again tomorrow.’ Mary shrugged and turned away but Annie was grateful for Leon’s support. She smiled at him. ‘Thanks,’ she murmured, ‘and thanks, all you kids. It’s been really great.’ Minty scuffed at a pile of gravel. ‘Tomorrow then,’ she pleaded, ‘We’ll see you all again tomorrow then, okay?’ The Harrison children seemed a little distant, even subdued, but they waved and smiled. It was left to Lucy to whisper, ‘Goodbye. We hope to see you again tomorrow.’ When Annie and Minty reached the gate in the wall, Annie turned to wave but the children had gone inside. The large red ball lay on a lawn, rough with weeds and clouds of tiny white daisies. Minty gave a quick backward look. ‘I told you you’d spoil it all,’ she said. It was not something Annie wanted to talk about right then. In the distance she heard a train whistle. ‘That’ll be the 5.15 to Sydney. My Dad’ll be home soon,’ she said, and started to run.

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3

DID YOU TELL YOUR DAD? Ned was already home when Annie, clutching the fish and chips, rushed in the door. ‘Well,’ he glanced at his watch, ‘I was starting to wonder.’ ‘Sorry, Dad, I lost track of time.’ Ned ruffled his daughter’s hair. ‘Okay, sweetheart. Don’t make a habit of it. I was a bit late myself ... important business ...’ and he winked. ‘Oh?’ said Annie. ‘Never mind,’ grinned Ned. ‘You’ll find out soon enough.’ He took the packet of fish and chips. ‘Let’s eat this before it gets soggy. I made salad to go with it.’ Annie washed her hands and sat down. ‘How did the day go, Dad?’ she asked. Ned looked pleased. ‘Not bad, love. Not bad at all.’ And he spent the next half-hour describing

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all the shifts and switches and good blokes he’d met along the way. It was only later, as they were doing the dishes, that he remembered about Annie’s new friends. ‘Made some mates, did you? Are they good enough for us Shanahans?’ ‘Ohh, Dad,’ Annie thought the old joke was wearing a bit thin. ‘Yeah, I guess they’ll do. They’re sort of ... they live in a big house on the edge of town. We had a lot of fun.’ ‘Uhh-hh, classy, eh? Only the best for my girl.’ Annie winced and shrugged, trying to think of what to say. ‘You’ve been up to your old tricks again, I see,’ smiled Ned, pulling the stem of forget-menots from Annie’s hair. Annie took it from him slowly. ‘That’s cool ...’ she began. ‘Might not be cool if they catch you pinching their flowers, my girl,’ chuckled Ned. Annie held the flower. It was like a timewarp show she’d seen on TV. She’d gone into another world, now some of that world had come back with her. How could it happen? How could any of it happen? Her mind whirled. She still wasn’t even sure that Minty hadn’t played some complicated trick on her. What could she tell her Dad? Ned was wiping off the sink. He stretched. ‘It’s been quite a day,’ he yawned.

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Annie could see his thoughts were still on his new job. She was happy to avoid a deep discussion until she knew what she was talking about. ‘For me too, Dad. Don’t worry about a video — I think I’ll turn in early.’ Next morning Annie slept in. She was woken by a lot of banging in the kitchen. She washed quickly and slipped into some jeans and a T-shirt. As she walked in, Ned was cracking an egg into a frypan. ‘Hi there, sleepyhead, want an egg?’ he asked. ‘Thanks, Dad. You should have woken me.’ Ned grinned at her. ‘No worries. It’s a bit grim if you can’t sleep in now and then on your holidays. Besides, I cook a pretty good egg.’ Annie was glad he was cheerful. They’d had some dark times in the last few years. He was so lonely. Then there was always Lennie in hospital — and money problems. Just lately he seemed much happier. While he had his tea she packed sandwiches and fruit into the little black lunchbox he always carried. ‘The yards seem to suit you here, Dad?’ she said. ‘Fairly much so at this stage, love, fairly much so. There’s always something going on — a bit of a challenge. Yeah ... it’s good, I like the place.’ He brought his cup to the sink and went on, ‘There’s one bloke in particular, a cattle

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buyer by the name of Geoff Clarke. Him and his sister, well — you’ll meet them. Anyway, how about you? Tell me more about your new mates.’ Annie was alarmed. She wanted to talk to her Dad about Fairleigh and the Harrison kids but she needed time. Anyway, where would she start? And there was always the possibility that Ned would put Fairleigh out of bounds before she had a chance to find out a few answers. She tried an old trick of making a lot of clatter with the dishes and shouting over the noise. ‘They’re great kids, Dad, you’d really like them.’ Well, that was true enough, thought Annie. Ned backed away from the noise, eager to be off. He stood up, reaching into his pocket. ‘I’m sure if you like ‘em, I will too,’ he shouted back. ‘I’ve got to go, love. Here’s forty dollars for extra food and stuff. See what we need, will you? Don’t worry too much about meat. A fella’s going to put aside some lamb for us.’ Annie dried her hands and took the money. She was used to doing the housekeeping. Her mind was busy with a shopping list when Ned popped his head back in the door. ‘Annie, love,’ he said, ‘the big packing cases arrive this morning, will you be here?’ These were the last of their things that Annie and her aunt had packed last week. Well, she thought, there goes the morning — and Fairleigh. She shrugged. ‘Sure, Dad, I’ll unpack

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what I can. No worries.’ Ned hugged her. ‘Good kid, Annie girl, I’m real proud of you.’ And he left. Annie was quite glad of an excuse to stay home. The whole Fairleigh thing was a bit scary, and she felt guilty not telling her Dad about the Harrisons. The boxes arrived soon after breakfast. After unpacking the linen, Annie sorted books onto shelves in the lounge room, browsing away an hour with an old favourite she hadn’t read for ages. She’d just found the grocery purse and shopping basket when she heard a call. Minty was waiting anxiously around the back gate. ‘Hi, Annie. You’ve been ages. Did you tell your Dad?’ ‘No-o-o-o, I didn’t, but ...’ Minty sighed with relief. ‘Good on you. I was scared you would.’ ‘I don’t feel right about not telling him, I’ll have to sometime ...’ Minty had no doubts. ‘Why? He’d only stop you going there. Adults always spoil everything.’ ‘I don’t know.’ Annie was still uneasy. ‘Well, never mind now,’ said Minty eagerly. ‘ You ready to come to come up to the big house?’ Annie felt pushed. Once again she was glad of her excuse. ‘Minty, not today. I’ve got to

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unpack and there’s some shopping to do. Anyway, I don’t think we ought ...’ Minty grabbed Annie’s arm urg e n t l y. ‘But you’ve got to come. It’s you, you see. If you don’t come, we’ll lose them again.’ Annie bristled. ‘What do you mean “It’s me”? Who said? Anyway I want to know more about them. Who, or more exactly what are they?’ Minty turned away. ‘They’re the kids who live in the big house.’ ‘I know that. There wasn’t supposed to be anyone there, remember? But what about the rest? The whole house changing and everything? What’s it all about?’ Minty sighed and shrugged. ‘I don’t really understand it either. They used to come when I first went to the house but I haven’t seen them for ages. I’ll bet they came back because of you. They’ll be waiting, they said they would. You’ve got to come.’ Annie took a deep breath. ‘Are they ghosts, Minty?’ Minty looked confused and unhappy. ‘Oh ... I don’t know. I s’pose they’re something like that. They’re not bad or anything. You ask them.’ Annie persisted, ‘You’ve met them before . You’ve asked them. What did they say?’ Minty shrugged again. ‘Nothing. Anyway, what’s it matter? We’ve got a real pr o p e r mansion to play in ... like we said. I like them,

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and I like playing up at the big house.’ Annie shook her head. ‘I’m not sure it’s all right to be playing around with ghosts and everything.’ Minty was scornful. ‘They didn’t hurt you, did they? They‘re cool. Yo u ’ re just scared of getting into trouble.’ Annie hated to admit she felt afraid; but she also knew most people would feel the same way. ‘ Well, I guess I am ... a bit. But Dad says there’s nothing wrong in being scared. If you’re not sure, it’s better to wait and see.’ ‘But no one did anything bad to you. You’re not really scared of any of the Harrisons are you?’ ‘Not if they’re ordinary people, I‘m not.’ ‘Look, they’re fine; really they are. They don’t fool around or get into bad stuff or anything. Better than most of the kids I know. They’re just different, that’s all. Lots of people are different. That’s s’posed to be good now, isn’t it?’ Annie wasn’t sure about that. But she was sure she was going back to Fairleigh, even if it was just to find out what the whole crazy thing was all about. ‘Okay,’ she said. ‘I can’t come today. I will tomorrow; but when I say “time to go”, we go. Okay?’ ‘Oh, all right,’ muttered Minty. ‘I’ll help you shop. What do you need?’

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The two girls set off armed with Annie’s shopping list. As it happened, the rest of the day was quite fun. They unpacked and made the house right and even cooked a pie for tea. Just before Ned came home, Minty left saying, ‘See you, Annie. Hope your Dad likes the pie.’ Annie walked her friend to the gate thinking that she had been nicer and more relaxed just doing ordinary things, not nearly so anxious about getting back to Fairleigh. But as she closed the gate, Minty said, ‘See you tomorrow then. We’ll go up to the big house.’ Annie hedged, ‘I’ve got stuff to do first.’ ‘Sure. I’ll help.’ Annie nodded reluctantly. Minty said, ‘See you then,’ and disappeared in the direction of her farm. Ned was a bit late. ‘Dropped round to see a mate,’ he said, and winked. Annie had no idea what the wink meant. ‘Oh good,’ she murmured. ‘Wait ‘til you see the pie I made for tea.’ Ned pronounced it a culinary marvel, and they laughed, remembering some of Annie’s other cooking experiments. Annie thought that it might be a good night for a talk about Fairleigh but it didn’t quite work out that way. After some of the heavier cases were unpacked, Ned adjusted their small televi-

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sion set and they watched a movie about a c a p t u red whale. The end was happy and the whale escaped but Annie cried anyway. Then it was time for bed. The long talk with her Dad would have to wait for another day.

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4

ITÕS ALL BACK TO FRONT The next morning, Ned went to work, then Minty arrived. Annie hedged. She wanted to go to Fairleigh, then again she didn’t. She took ages doing the dishes, messed around looking for the top she wanted to wear, changed her shoes twice and showed Minty some photos from her old school. But by ten o’clock she had run out of excuses and they were on their way. A mob of kids had gathered on the track that led to the river. They were stuffing gear into their backpacks and swapping drink cans and parcels of food. The red-haired girl was there and a darker-haired boy who looked so like her he must be her brother. He grinned at the two girls and zoomed his bike down the bank in front of Annie. Minty pretended not to notice.

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‘Maybe they want us to go too,’ Annie whispered. Minty snorted. ‘You reckon?’ Annie stuck to her guns. ‘Yeah, I do. Anyway they looked okay — and they had picnic things.’ Minty shrugged, ‘We can have a better one, at Fairleigh,’ and marched on, until the overgrown hedge and fretting chimneypots of the old house came into view. With the creak of the iron gate, all shabbiness vanished. To Annie the world seemed to swing and tilt about her. Dizziness passed as quickly as a thought. It was as though the weed-covered lawn, tangled creepers and broken trellis had never been; as though the grass was always c a refully mown and the garden constantly bright with flowers. Annie gasped for breath. Perhaps she’d got it back to front. Perhaps she and Minty were the ones out of it and the Harrison kids were real and in the right time. She cleared her head with a shake. It was no use pretending. They definitely were not normal kids, and this was not a normal place. It was time to stop the whole thing before it went any further. She opened her mouth to say the goodbye words. Before they would come, Robert waved, Leon looked up from his book and Lucy left her doll to race over. ‘Oh, goody!’ she gasped. ‘I thought you’d never come!’

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Mary was a dif f e rent matter. ‘Don’t you know it’s extremely rude to keep people waiting?’ she snapped. ‘People we mix with usually know better.’ Annie stiffened. She could easily say goodbye to Mary. ‘Oh, do hush up, Mary,’ yawned Leon. ‘ T h e y ’ re here now.’ He looked at Annie and smiled. ‘Glad you could come,’ he murmured. Annie’s protests faded and she mumbled a weak, ‘Sorry we didn’t make yesterday.’ Minty cut in quickly. ‘It wasn’t me. Annie had to do some stuff at home — housework and things.’ ‘Housework?’ said Robert in surprise. ‘You mean washing and cleaning and things?’ Annie shrugged. ‘Sure.’ Mary frowned. ‘Why? What about your servants? They must be stupid and terribly lazy.’ Annie’s chin came up. ‘Servants! What servants? We don’t have servants.’ ‘Really?’ Mary’s eyebrows went up. Annie spoke through tight lips. ‘Nobody does — except perhaps the Queen and the Prime Minister.’ Mary was amazed. ‘Dear me! How awful! You must be terribly poor. Do you have to do all the work in the house?’ She waved her hand vaguely. ‘I mean the kitchen whatever, and the beds and so on?’ Annie was prepared to exaggerate. ‘Yes,’ she

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snapped. ‘Of course.’ Lucy was surprised too. ‘You mean you cook and wash and everything? You do all that? By yourself?’ ‘Not necessarily by myself,’ answered Annie stiffly. ‘Dad and I both do our share.’ ‘ Your father?’ squealed Mary. ‘Your father does housework? Well, really!’ Annie turned, ready to do battle. ‘Yes! Really! And I think that’s great.’ ‘Shush, Mary!’ growled Leon and smiled ruefully at Annie. ‘Do forgive us,’ he muttered. ‘You too, Minty?’ asked Mary, refusing to be silenced. ‘Everyone?’ Minty shrugged. ‘Just about. Mrs Sloan has a cleaning lady who comes once a week, that’s the only one I know of. I think my Granny had a maid in the old country, lots of people did. Now, well, my Auntie does most of it. I have to help. Other kids’ mums do everything. I haven’t got a mum, neither’s Annie. She has to look after her Dad.’ ‘That’s my business,’ muttered Annie. Robert apologised quickly. ‘We didn’t mean to pry, I’m sorry.’ ‘Well, I’m not,’ said Mary. ‘Fancy having to act as a servant. I’m glad we don’t — and fancy a man doing housework!’ She tossed her head and lifted her chin. ‘Father is a Captain in the 23rd Pioneers. I’m not sure he would approve.’

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‘Mary!’ warned Leon. ‘That’s enough!’ Annie was red in the face but she could see Minty silently begging her not to start a quarrel. She shrugged and said sharply, ‘It’s oldfashioned to have servants. I told you, I don’t even know anyone who has one. Anyway, housework’s not hard with washing machines, vacuum cleaners and stuff.’ ‘Do you mean you have machines to do the housework?’ asked Robert, forgetting his intention not to pry. Annie began to see how strange everything must seem to the Harrisons. After all, she could at least read about their time — that is, if they really were from a hundred years ago. They couldn’t know a thing about her world — about cars or computers or anything. She tried to explain, ‘We’ve got machines to do just about everything. Some you turn on and push around, like lawn-mowers and vacuum cleaners. Others give you light, or music, or cook your toast, or beat your eggs. If you want to spend the money there are even machines to wash dishes.’ ‘Wonderful!’ breathed Lucy. ‘What else?’ Annie tried to think. ‘We’ve computers that remember things, and do sums.’ ‘What?’ gasped Mary. ‘You don’t have to learn tables or spelling or anything?’ ‘Yes, but ...’

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‘ Well, what’s the use of these computers, then?’ Annie was uncertain, but she was not giving in. ‘We’ve just started them at school. I don’t know enough yet, but I do know they r u n railways, and airports and all sorts of complicated systems that link up round the world. Places like hospitals, libraries and banks use them too. We even have banking machines that hand out money.’ Robert laughed. ‘You are teasing us. What do you do — just stand there and say, “I’d like some money, please”?’ ‘ M o re or less,’ Annie answered. ‘Yo u ’ re supposed to already have money in the main bank somewhere. Dad has this little keycard thing that he sticks in a slot ...’ she trailed off. She had never really figured out how the teller machines worked either. She shr u g g e d . ‘Anyway, it spits out money.’ ‘I’d like one of those,’ said Lucy solemnly. Minty giggled. ‘So would everyone.’ ‘Tell us more about machines,’ said Leon. ‘ T h e re’s lots of farm machinery,’ of f e re d Minty. ‘We have some on our place. Tractors that pull harvesters and ploughs, and machines to make hay, pick fruit, even feed the chickens — oh yes, and ones that milk cows.’ Leon shook his head. ‘Amazing! Poor old cows!’

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‘Fancy!’ breathed Lucy. ‘I think it would be great fun to have a machine to make your bed and polish your shoes. It could do the mending and draw your bath and wash the boys’ socks.’ She held her nose and rolled her eyes. ‘Even clean up the toy cupboard and cook your breakfast.’ She thought for a minute. ‘No, I’m very fond of Cook, I should keep her, but will machines do all those other things?’ Annie giggled. ‘Well, not quite. We just have machines that make those things easier — like gas stoves and refrigerators. ‘What’s a refrig ... what you said?’ ‘It’s a sort of cupboard that keeps food and everything so cold it stays fresh for ages.’ ‘Does it make ices?’ ‘Sure does, any sort you want.’ Lucy nodded. ‘And I’ll have one of those, too.’ ‘Do you have machines to make things hot, as well?’ asked Robert. ‘Oh, masses,’ laughed Annie. ‘Like I said, gas stoves and heaters, and electric ones that do the same thing. And, if you want hot water for something, a bath, or a shower (we mostly have showers), you just turn on the hot tap.’ Mary shrugged. ‘Who cares how you make hot water. Violet just brings us some in a jug when we want it.’ Annie eyed her grimly. ‘And we have television.’

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‘Never heard of it,’ yawned Mary. ‘What’s television?’ asked Leon. ‘It’s too complicated and it’s not all that marvellous,’ broke in Minty. Then added moodily, ‘I’m hardly ever allowed to watch it.’ ‘Watch what?’ persisted Leon. Annie tried to explain. ‘It’s another sort of box that has moving pictures and voices. I’m not s u re how it works — something to do with sound and picture waves in the air.’ ‘ You don’t know very much about any of this, do you?’ remarked Mary. Annie ignored her. ‘Anyway it means we can watch all sort of stories and news and sport from miles away, sitting in our own lounge rooms.’ ‘It sounds fantastic,’ said Robert. ‘I’ve heard about those telephone inventions by Alexander Graham Bell, but I’ve never seen Thomas Edison’s phonograph, or electric light for that m a t t e r. What you’re saying is even more astounding. To be able to harness sound and light waves to hear music and see images. It must be wonderful.’ ‘I’m not sure I can explain it,’ apologised Annie. ‘You seem to understand it better than me.’ ‘Oh, hardly,’ laughed Robert. ‘But I do envy you using these things every day.’ ‘Well, I don’t,’ snorted Mary. ‘It sounds like fairy stories to me.’

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‘Yes,’ breathed Lucy. ‘Magic! It’s wonderful. What else?’ Annie tried again. ‘Let me see. Oh I know, we have machines to take you everywhere: cars, aeroplanes, jet engines, huge ocean liners and submarines — even ...’ ‘Whoa there,’ laughed Leon. ‘Doesn’t anybody use horses anymore?’ ‘Only for fun, not to get around with. We have motor cars.’ Annie described her Dad’s old Holden. ‘I wish we had a horseless carriage,’ sighed Robert. ‘But I should miss Blaise,’ said Lucy. Annie smiled. ‘I think horses are a lot more fun. But they take a lot of looking after and feeding. You don’t have to feed a car or a bike.’ Mary sniffed loudly. ‘Most people I know ...’ she began, but Minty cut in quickly. ‘Hey! Let’s do something. Do you kids ever go on picnics?’ ‘Picnics? Oh yes! I just adore picnics!’ breathed Lucy. ‘Rather!’ said Robert heartily. ‘They’re jolly!’ He sounded like her Dad taking off one of his bosses. Annie nearly laughed, then realised that it was Robert’s natural way of talking. She swallowed and asked politely, ‘Where do you have your picnics?’ Lucy jumped up. ‘At our other farm, right in

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the bush. We could go there now.’ ‘Don’t be silly, Lucy,’ snapped Mary. ‘Yo u know we can’t leave here. We can’t go without Father.’ Annie suddenly realised she had never seen the Harrison’s parents. The only adults seemed to be the servants. Was their mother dead too? Where was Captain Harrison? But these were family matters and Annie knew better than to ask. She pretended to be lacing up her shoe as Lucy buried her head in Mary’s dress. The little girl was close to tears. ‘I want Father, now. Why doesn’t he come?’ There was an awkward silence. Then Mary, surprisingly kind and gentle, knelt down and comforted her small sister. ‘He’s away at the moment, Lu. Remember? He’ll be back one day soon.’ ‘Promise?’ Mary nodded slowly and firmly and Annie almost forgave her all the sharp words. ‘I know! Why don’t we have a picnic here?’ said Leon quickly. ‘I’ve just the spot. Riverfork. We can follow the river to where the creek joins it, below Bunyip’s Pool. I might even fall in again.’ Lucy started to chuckle. ‘You did the last time, remember. You had to wear a skirt, made out of McGuiness’ rug.’ Leon scowled. ‘I suppose you had to say that, little sister.’

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‘Serve you right too,’ laughed Mary. ‘Come on then. Let’s go and tell Cook.’ The children raced along a trellised walk, past the garden they’d played in yesterday. Annie stopped to look at the smooth green lawn, and the flowers bright in the soft spring sunshine. How did things change? Was there a door that separated the present from the past? She had to have answers. She looked up to find Leon waiting for her. He smiled. ‘I hope you won’t think badly of us for asking so many questions. It’s just that ...’ he stopped, then sighed. ‘Anyway, I think it’s i n t e resting how you help your father and manage so well. Don’t take any notice of Mary. She can’t imagine another sort of life, she doesn’t want to.’ ‘Do you really not know anything about all those things we talked about?’ asked Annie shyly. He nodded, frowning slightly. ‘It’s hard to explain.’ Annie could see he didn’t want to say any m o re, but she had to ask. ‘Can’t you tell me about it? I don’t know what to think. I mean, I like you all, and Fairleigh’s beautiful. But nothing is quite real. I guess this is a different time, but I can’t quite believe it.’ ‘It’s not different for us, Annie. This is our

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time. This is why we live at Fairleigh.’ Leon looked at her solemnly. ‘There’s nothing here to hurt you, Annie. I’ll make sure of that.’ ‘I’m not really afraid.’ Annie took a shaky breath, he seemed to be the one she could talk to. ‘It’s just that I do need to know, I need to know what to think.’ Leon shrugged and smiled ruefully. ‘I’m not s u re I understand it myself,’ he said softly. ‘Perhaps we live in an island in time where all around us things grow old and change, but we don’t seem to.’ Annie shook her head. He had it all back to front. Her life was real, the present, his was the past — a fantasy. She spoke without thinking, ‘But the house changes. It’s not like this when you’re not here. When I first saw it, it was old and dirty and broken-down.’ Leon put his hands over his ears. ‘Don’t, Annie. I don’t want to hear. Fairleigh is our home. It’s the only place where we can ...’ he broke off. Annie guessed he was going to say ‘live’. She felt awful. She wished she could unsay everything. Instead she mumbled a ragged apology that he didn’t seem to hear. He was leaning against the brick wall, staring across the gardens. ‘Father wants us to go back to England one day, especially since Mother died. He’s there now looking at houses.’

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Annie looked down. The Harrisons didn’t have a mum either — and their father was thousands of kilometres away. Everyone had their troubles. Leon stared past her to the orchard. ‘I don’t want to leave,’ he whispered. ‘I know every inch of the grounds, all the secret spots in the orchard and near the creek. There’s even a hidden room off the cellar. I’ll show it to you one day.’ Then without looking at her, he went on. ‘You see, I hate to think of it all broken and uncared for — dead. That would mean that I, all of us, were ...’ Leon didn’t finish but Annie knew what he meant. It would mean that they were dead too. Annie didn’t want to think of Fairleigh like that either. She was frightened and strangely sad. Just then Robert appeared around the corner of the trellis. ‘Hurry up, you two. Cook is preparing us the most marvellous hamper. Leon do you know where my bat is? You had it last.’ Leon turned quickly to more practical matters. ‘It’s probably in your room, pickle-head. You had it yesterday, so don’t blame me. Yes, you did.’ And the boys ran off arguing just like any two brothers that Annie had ever met. It really was the most marvellous hamper. In a softly-grassed hollow by the edge of the creek, the children threw down a rug and spread out the food. The boys lit a fire and they grilled

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chops and sausages. There was fresh cru s t y bread with butter, cheese, pickles, sandwiches with hundreds and thousands, homemade ginger beer, and, to top it all off, one of Cook’s special chocolate cake creations smothered in gooey icing and cream. Minty collapsed on her back and gasped. ‘If I eat another thing, I’ll bust.’ Lucy giggled. ‘Me too.’ Mary sniffed. ‘We don’t use words like ‘bust’, Lucy. It’s not ladylike.’ ‘Tut tut,’ murmured Annie, and made a face at Minty. They explored a little waterfall where the creek joined the river, paddling up to their knees in the clear amber-coloured water, chasing yabbies and catching tadpoles. Later they played cricket until Mary hit a six into the creek and refused to get the ball. ‘Washed downstream,’ said Robert sadly. It was his ball. Annie glanced at the slanting rays of the sun. Her Dad would be home soon. ‘It’s time we were going,’ she said. Minty looked wistful but said nothing. She and Annie helped carry the hamper back to the house and left for home. ‘What an excellent day,’ breathed Minty. ‘I wish we didn’t have to leave.’

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‘But we do,’ said Annie shortly, bru s h i n g aside the uneasiness at Minty’s words. Mostly she was wondering how on earth she was going to fit in any tea with her Dad.

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5

THE GREEN TERROR Ned Shanahan stomped through the kitchen door with a big grin on his face. ‘Hold the cooking, little matey.’ Annie looked up from the potatoes she was putting on the stove. He was certainly in a good mood. ‘We’ve been invited out to dine with some special friends of mine,’ sang Ned, and waltzed Annie out of the room. ‘Now slip along, sweetheart and smarten yourself up. When you’ve finished I’ve something to show you.’ Annie had decided to tell her Dad about Fairleigh that night, now she was thrown off her plans. There was no way she could have a serious talk before they went out to someone’s place, especially with the mood he was in. The discussion would have to wait, again.

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In what seemed to her like a few minutes, Annie emerged from her room to find her Dad, freshly showered and dressed, pacing up and down the hall. ‘What took you so long?’ he asked. She opened her mouth to protest but he hurried her out onto the front verandah. The grin was wide on his face. There on the path was a very bright, very green bicycle. ‘Oh, Dad,’ gasped Annie. ‘Is that a bike for me?’ ‘For you, Princess, for you. I’ve been doing a bit here and there on it all week. Well, what do you think, eh? Will it do for us Shanahans?’ He was hugely delighted with himself. ‘ Wow! Dad! It’s just great.’ Annie hugged him. ‘Thanks so much.’ She walked around the machine feeling the l a rge upright handlebars and admiring the startling colour. ‘ G reen for old Ireland!’ Ned said with a brogue and a wink. Annie laughed. They’d had an old car once called the Green Terror. ‘Cool. Another Green Terror, eh, Dad? Where’d you get it?’ ‘It belonged to a friend of mine. Aren’t you going to try it out?’ ‘Can I? I mean, have we got time?’ ‘Oh, you can’t get a new bike and not try it out.’

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Ned wheeled the Green Terror outside the gate and held it while Annie climbed aboard. The high upright seat and old-fashioned handlebars were strange at first and Annie wobbled along the road until she got used to them. After a while Ned had a try and Annie giggled at the way his knees stuck out each side. He adjusted the seat for her and she had another go. It was, she decided, a very diff e rent sort of a bike, indeed. ‘ Time we were leaving, kiddo,’ said Ned. Annie wobbled round to the backyard and dismounted with some difficulty. She decided not to wear a mini-skirt the next time. Ned watched her return. ‘You sure you like it Princess?’ he asked. ‘It’s incredible, really cool, Dad.’ She hugged him tight. ‘Thanks a million.’ They walked along towards Dale Road where Ned’s friends lived. ‘Talking of thanks, Annie,’ he said, ‘the main thanks go to Claire Clarke. It was her bike. Claire’s brother Geoff heard me asking around if anyone had one for sale. He said his sister’s was just lying about their shed taking up space. They wanted to give it to me but I couldn’t have that. Anyway, for a few bucks and the price of the paint we got your bike for you.’ Annie squeezed his hand. ‘Then thanks for all the hard work and everything, Dad.’ She had

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a sudden brainwave. ‘Hey! That’s what all the winking was about.’ Ned laughed. ‘Smart alec kid! You’ll say something to Claire, won’t you? It’s their place we’re going to tonight.’ ‘Sure, Dad,’ Annie replied automatically, but deep inside she wished she didn’t have to thank strangers. She didn’t want to let her Dad down, or hurt him, but somehow, since Fairleigh, the need for a bike had faded slightly. Then too, though she’d never admit it to anyone, she was embarrassed about the colour and the funny old fashioned style. She knew the other kids would laugh. ‘ A c t u a l l y,’ Ned went on, ‘I quite enjoyed tinkering about with the old crate. Built like a Sherman tank, it is. Reminds me of one I had as a kid. It was green too.’ Annie grinned. They crossed Beacon Street and Dale Road to a white and green house with a long verandah. The front was full of climbing plants and masses of early spring flowers. A light shone out over the garden. ‘Nice place, eh, love,’ said Ned. ‘Claire’s a great cook, too.’ Annie thought of her last bite of Cook’s chocolate cake and felt slightly sick. As soon as she had been introduced to Claire and her brother Geoff, Annie burst into a lot of enthusiastic, ‘thankyou, simply great, ripper

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colour, very kind,’ sort of speeches. Ned beamed at her and she hoped she sounded happy enough. Claire smiled. ‘Well actually, I think it looks a bit funny nowadays. People’ll certainly see you coming. Still, it will take you anywhere. It’s built like a Sherman tank.’ Ned nodded solemnly as though Claire had made a particularly clever remark. Annie remembered her Dad saying the same thing and wondered what a Sherman tank was. G e o ff suggested she try making a new fashion out of owning an antique bike. ‘Rubbish,’ scoffed Ned. ‘Annie doesn’t care about fashion! She’ll be glad to have it. Lucky kid.’ G e o ff laughed. ‘That sounds like a pare n t talking, eh, Annie?’ Annie had run out of fantastic things to say so she smiled vaguely and murmured, ‘Cool, thanks again.’ ‘That’s enough about bikes,’ said Clair e . ‘Let’s eat.’ The meal was delicious: roast lamb and potatoes, beans and plenty of gravy. The dessert was Annie’s favourite, baked banana custard and cream. She wished she felt hungrier. ‘Magnificent, Claire,’ announced Ned. Annie agreed shyly. She liked Claire and Geoff. They were warm, comfortable people and she knew

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her Dad was anxious for them all to get on. He was trotting out all his old jokes and stories. Annie felt a bit embarrassed for him but everyone else seemed impressed. After dinner, Claire and Geoff sorted through a box of old tapes and CDs while Annie sat on the sofa and pretended to look for some that she knew. She let her mind drift to the fun they’d had at Fairleigh that afternoon and decided that Leon was probably the nicest boy she’d ever met. ‘Find anything, Annie?’ Geoff was standing in front of her, smiling. ‘Not your line of music, eh?’ Annie collected her wits as quickly as possible. ‘Well-ll-ll, not really. But don’t mind me, Mr Clarke, it’s cool. Actually, I’ve heard some of them before, from Dad.’ ‘I bet you have. And call me Geoff, won’t you.’ He sat down beside her. ‘Is Harrisonville treating you properly?’ ‘Yeah, great! It’s really nice, thanks, Mr ... er ... Geoff.’ ‘Ned tells me you’ve made some good friends. I know most of the local kids. Who would they be?’ C l a i re and Ned joined them. ‘They’ve got quite a garden from what I hear,’ Ned chipped in, perching on the arm of the sofa. ‘And a big house. Who’d you say they were again, Annie?’

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Annie was uneasy. ‘Umm, well-ll ther e ’ s Minty Ravoliches ...’ ‘Oh, yes,’ said Claire. ‘That’s Asher Ravoliches’ kid. He runs a farm and market garden on the other side of the station. Lives with his sister. I believe his mother is going to join them.’ Annie nodded, hoping that would do, but Geoff smiled. ’Anybody else?’ he asked. Annie cleared her throat and mumbled, ‘Rob something or other; Mary, I think ... I don’t know all their names yet. They’re all good kids.’ ‘Of course they are,’ beamed Claire, offering cake. ‘All Harrison kids are good kids, most Harrison adults too.’ ‘ You know them, then.’ Annie swallowed hard. ‘Probably,’ grinned Geoff. ‘We know all the kids in town. There’s no way you’ll get into trouble if you’re sensible.’ It was rather a strange sort of thing to say and Annie wondered if Geoff was actually warning her about something. Unaware of any undercurrents, Ned grinned happily. ‘Oh, Annie’s a sensible girl. She’ll stay out of mischief.’ Annie squirmed inside. She wished he wouldn’t talk about her as though she wasn’t there. She was confused with the conversation and she didn’t want to discuss Fairleigh in front of strangers — strangers who obviously knew a

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lot more about the town than her Dad did. She was grateful when Claire changed the subject. ‘How about a picnic one Sunday?’ Ned thought this a great idea and made some arrangements with Geoff. Then it was time to leave. Before they went, Annie was careful to thank Claire for the dinner — and, once again, for the bike. ‘Nonsense,’ laughed Claire, ‘Ned did it all.’ Then she added, ‘I hope you’re both going to like it here, Annie. If you want to meet some other kids, perhaps I can help.’ Annie was trying to think of what to say, when Ned joined them. To her eternal embarrassment, her father, red-faced and gooey-eyed, kissed Claire’s cheek and stammer e d , ‘Sensational evening, Claire — the best!’ Annie took a deep breath and stared at her shoes. On the way home, Ned whistled loudly. Annie was happy not to talk but suddenly he asked, ‘Anything wrong, sweetheart? You were a bit quiet tonight. Didn’t eat much either.’ Annie wasn’t ready for a long conversation. ‘No, I probably had a bit too much at lunchtime.’ She laughed and poked him in the ribs. ‘Anyway, you made enough noise, and ate enough for both of us, I reckon.’ Ned laughed. ‘Smart alec kid. And what did you think of the Clarkes?’

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‘Really nice, Dad. I liked them.’ ‘Good,’ said Ned. ‘So do I, so do I.’ Lying in bed later that night, Annie pondered over Geoff and Claire’s comments. Geoff had warned her to be sensible. Claire seemed to think she should meet other kids. Did those suggestions have a double meaning? Did the Clarkes know something about the Harrison children? It was hard to tell. Then there was the bike and Minty. Minty would feel left out. What would she think of the Green Terror? And there was Ned. He would expect her to ride it everywhere and be disappointed if she didn’t. Annie yawned. There were too many problems. Minty would just have to like it or lump it, as her Dad always said. Anyway, they could probably dink. Minty wasn’t very heavy. ‘That should work,’ said Annie to the dancing shadows and blowing curtains, and dropped off to sleep.

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6

ABSOLUTELY CHARMING When Minty first saw the Green Terror she burst out laughing. ‘What’s that?’ ‘T h a t is my new bike, the Green Te r ro r, ’ announced Annie. ‘I think it’s quite cool actually. It’s not new, in fact, it’s quite old, but, so my dad says, it’s built like a Sherman tank. This is supposed to be a good thing, I think.’ Minty looked doubtful. ‘And what’s a ... oh, never mind.’ She walked round the machine staring at it. ‘A bike, eh? Well, if you say so.’ Then, with a sneering sort of laugh, ‘You won’t have to bother about me now, will you? You can join the bike set and forget all about me, and the Harrisons.’ ‘Don’t be dumb!’ snorted Annie. ‘It can carry both of us.’ She was irritated by the whining

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note in Minty’s voice. Deep down she decided that her new friend could be a bit of a pain sometimes. Then Annie felt guilty. After all, it was easy when you were the one with a bike. She patted the seat. ‘C’mon, let’s see if I can dink you.’ Minty refused point-blank. ‘I wouldn’t be seen dead on the thing,’ she announced sharply. Later she changed her mind. For the next hour or so she and Annie wobbled up and down the gravel path in front of the house. One sat on the seat while the other one pedalled and both of them shrieked their heads off. They did try Minty on the handlebars but they nearly cleaned up the postman. ‘ H e re, watch it, you two!’ he gr u m b l e d . ‘Don’t go out on the road like that or the coppers’ll run you in.’ And he went off down the path, stuffing letters back into his bag. The sky was turning overcast. Dark rain clouds g a t h e red on the horizon and spilled over the town. ‘It’s going to rain,’ said Annie. ‘I have to get the wash in.’ And she flung the bike against the fence and raced for the clothes line. Minty came to help. ‘Thanks for sharing the Green Terror,’ she muttered. ‘That was real neat of you.’ Annie grinned and flicked a towel at her. ‘That’s okay. You’ll get one, one day.’ As the girls folded the last sheet, the first shower drummed on the iron roof.

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‘I love rain,’ said Annie. ‘It smells gr e a t doesn’t it?’ She thought for a moment. ‘Will it be raining at Fairleigh?’ ‘Don’t know,’ answered Minty. ‘Let’s go and find out.’ In a break between the clouds, they set off for the old house. Annie pedalled, Minty perched on the back seat and their yellow raincoats flapped in the wind. The rain caught up with them and pounded down. They were already wet, so Annie steered the Green Terror through all the muddy puddles in the lane. Laughing b re a t h l e s s l y, they arrived at Fairleigh and stowed the bike in the hedge. ‘That was one cool ride,’ drawled Minty in her best Clint Eastwood voice. Laughing and scattering raindrops, the girls pushed through the gate. ‘ You’ll have to change right away, ’ announced Mary from the verandah. ‘Look at you! What a mess.’ Then she added with some satisfaction, ‘You’ll catch a chill in those wet things.’ ‘Look, we’re okay,’ protested Annie. But Mary had made up her mind. ‘It’s too wet to play outdoors,’ she snapped, ‘and you can’t possibly come inside and drip over everything. I’ll have to send for some dry clothes.’ ‘I know,’ said Lucy. ‘Why don’t we dress up while their things are drying?’

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Annie and Minty were quite interested, but the boys were not keen. Leon scowled and Robert muttered disgustedly. By force of numbers (and Mary), Lucy’s suggestion was carried. In the end, the boys gave in quite gracefully and they all trooped up to the boxroom, a narrow, poky area near the top of the back stairs. Trunks, picture frames, fishing rods and old furniture were stored along one side. Where the roof sloped low, there were three large chests. One was painted black and white, with ‘Capt. George R. Truscott, Berks. H.M.S Lady Adelaide R.S.N.’ carefully printed on the lid. ‘It belonged to Father’s grandfather. He was killed at the Battle of Trafalgar,’ explained Leon proudly. ‘That’s the sea-chest he had with him at the time.’ ‘I’m going to design a battleship some day,’ announced Robert. Annie wondered what ‘some day’ meant. Mary rummaged in a big cane basket and pulled out a pile of brightly coloured silk and brocade costumes. ‘ Wow! Where did all these come fr o m ? ’ gasped Minty. Mary looked surprised. ‘Old family things, of course, and of the highest quality too.’ She eyed Minty and handed her a pale blue satin evening gown with lots of trailing lace. ‘That should do for you,’ she said. ‘Now, what charming little

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thing can I find for Miss Anne?’ She chose a rose-pink taffeta afternoon tea dress. Pink had never been Annie’s favourite colour and she suspected Mary knew it. However, as she had fully expected to get a maid’s uniform, or a tattered old rag, she decided not to argue. ‘Any old thing will do me,’ Annie murmured and disappeared behind an ancient wardrobe to change out of her damp clothes. The pink dress suited her surprisingly well. She clamped a large, flowered hat on her head, swirled a feather stole over one shoulder and swept out looking like the lady she had once p retended to be. ‘How kind of you to let me come,’ she intoned, borrowing shamelessly from My Fair Lady. ‘How d o you do,’ cooed the blue-satinned Minty and held out a gloved hand. Immediately Leon and Robert snapped to attention, clicked their heels and bowed from the waist. ‘Enchanting,’ drawled Leon, pretending to curl a moustache. ‘Quite enchanting, don’t you agree, Captain Robert?’ ‘Oh, quite,’ pronounced Captain Robert. ‘Tres elegante!’ All this was too much for Annie. She tripped over her feathers, cannoned into Minty and collapsed in a helpless pile of giggles and blushes.

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‘How too terribly clumsy,’ scoffed Mary, her eyes sparkling. ‘It would never do in the best circles, you know.’ Leon bowed gallantly and helped the girls to their feet. ‘Shall we try again?’ he grinned. Annie swept him a curtsy and whirled around, her skirts rustling and swinging gracefully. She decided she wouldn’t mind wearing this sort of stuff more often. ‘Hey, look at me,’ squeaked Lucy. Her faded pink bonnet was decorated with three bent ostrich plumes and you couldn’t see the rest of her for drooping lace and a fan of feathers. ‘Absolutely breathtaking, Mam’selle,’ laughed Robert. He grabbed a black walkingstick and advanced on a dressmaker’s dummy, challenging it fiercely. ‘How dare you laugh Sir! En garde, Sir! We shall fight to the death, Sir, to protect the honour of these beautiful ladies.’ Annie loved it. She couldn’t remember when she’d had so much fun. None of the boys she knew were able to talk like that. Even when she’d been in a school play, she’d only ever met one boy who hadn’t mumbled and tripped over his tongue, and he was a real pain and full of himself. Perhaps it had something to do with having no TV or movies and making your own fun. The Harrisons seemed quite used to it. Annie noticed that none of them, including Leon and Robert, were the least bit embarrassed

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about dressing-up and play-acting. They joined in, decking themselves out in a mixture of bright costumes, uniforms, helmets and swords, one of which had a stain at the point ‘Blood,’ claimed Leon, ’from a duel over a beautiful French lady during the Revolution.’ And he took over from Robert and engaged in a fierce swordfight with the tailor’s dummy. Before long, Mary organised everyone into a p l a y. The plot became very drawn out with Mary doing a lot of loud sighing and looking into the distance while everyone else more or less stood around. E v e n t u a l l y, the gallant soldier (Robert) announced that he needed rations. The rest of the cast agreed, except Mary, who stormed off in a huff. Annie and Minty stuffed the satins, hats, capes and gear back into the trunks, pulled on their almost-dry clothes and raced down to the kitchen. Cook hardly blinked an eye and produced a batch of freshly baked cupcakes. ‘Absolutely delicious, as usual,’ pronounced Leon. Mary arrived to claim the last two cakes. Afterwards everyone trooped up to the day nursery (which Annie privately thought was a w e i rd name for a games room). Shoving the furniture around, Annie and Leon built a fort with a secret tunnel. The others made an enemy castle at the other end of the room. War was declared and armed with cushions, Leon and

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Annie defended their fort against all comers. Leon claimed his ‘comrade in arms’ was the best he’d ever had. Annie blushed madly and hoped no one else noticed how good his words made her feel. The wet afternoon passed quickly. Towards five o’clock the rain stopped and a watery sun beamed low on the horizon. Annie heard the chimes. ‘I guess we’ll have to go,’ she murmured reluctantly. As it was, she arrived home just ahead of her Dad. He could hardly wait to find out how she had got on with the new bike. Annie gulped and tried to sound enthusiastic. She described her rides with Minty, even making up a few extra, but Ned sensed that she was putting it on. ‘Crikey,’ he said. ‘When I got my first bike you couldn’t get me off it for meals.’ Annie felt horrible. ‘Well, it was pretty wet, Dad. Besides Minty doesn’t have one. Anyhow, we’ve learned to dink and I’m taking it with me tomorrow.’ She thought suddenly of showing it to Leon and Robert. They wouldn’t think it was old-fashioned, though it was likely that Mary would think it was ‘common’. Annie laughed to herself. Ned, looking up, smiling too.

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7

DIFFERENCES ‘It’s just an old velocipede,’ Mary snorted. ‘What’s so wonderful about that? Robert got one for his last birthday.’ ‘Not like this, I didn’t,’ sighed Robert, running his hands over the wheels and spinning the pedals. ‘Ride it for us, Annie.’ Annie rode the Green Te r ror round and round the gravel drive and came to a skidding halt in front of Leon. ‘How did you stop like that?’ he asked. ‘Back-pedal brakes, see.’ Annie demonstrated. ‘What’s a velocipede?’ ‘Like that.’ He pointed to Robert, who was wheeling a sort of bicycle around the corner of the house. Robert’s machine was undoubtedly a form of bicycle — but not like any that Annie or Minty

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had seen. The metal wheels were filled with wood, there were no tyres and no chain either. The handlebars were even stranger than the Green Terror’s and looked like a carved wooden c o a t - h a n g e r. The pedals were attached to the front wheel. ‘It needs a hill to start,’ explained Leon. ‘Not like yours. There’s no way of stopping, either.’ ‘What!’ squeaked Minty. ‘No brakes! Not for me. Anyway, what’s the use if it only works downhill?’ ‘Father said it is only an amusing invention. It will never replace the horse,’ announced Mary loftily. ‘Oh? Is that a fact?’ said Annie, trying not to laugh. ‘E-rr, what’s a horse?’ ‘A horse,’ began Lucy solemnly, ‘is a fourlegged creature, with a nice glossy tail and coat, and a pretty head like our Blaise. What are you all laughing about?’ ‘Lucy, dear sister,’ said Leon. ‘I think they know what a horse is.’ ‘Oh,’ pouted Lucy. ‘You might have told me you were joking.’ Annie offered her bike. ‘Anyone else?’ Mary sniffed and said, ‘No thankyou’, but the boys were very keen. Even Lucy had a ride while Leon held the bike steady. Minty and Annie tried out the velocipede. They started off down a bank in the garden and

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ended up in a bed of geraniums. ‘Of course,’ remarked Annie, in a made-up voice, ‘it will never replace the horse.’ In the end, Mary was not to be left out either. As it turned out, she had good balance and picked up the idea quickly. ‘Mmmm,’ she conceded. ‘Perhaps I shall get one for my next birthday.’ That night Annie reported to her father that the Green Te r ror was a great success. Ned smiled happily and Annie felt worse. She hadn’t told him the full truth. Now things were so complicated she didn’t know where to start. It wasn’t even easy to explain to herself. She knew she was playing in the past, with children who’d lived in her gre a t - g re a t - g r a n d f a t h e r’ s time, but somehow no one had said the actual words. They often compared the different way they lived; but never why. Even Leon couldn’t explain clearly and Annie didn’t want to ask him again; she still felt awful about her bungle last time. She sighed and thought about Leon. He really was her favourite Harrison, not that she would ever dream of admitting that to anyone else. Annie wished Leon was a real person. No, that wasn’t right, she wished he lived in her time. But then perhaps he wouldn’t be the same. She shook her head. Yes, he would. He might not talk and act quite the same but he’d be just

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as nice. Her cheeks felt hot and she knew she was blushing. She did really like him a lot. And he seemed to like her too. What was it he’d said ... he’d make sure she was not in danger. Annie forced herself to think clearly. No matter how good it all seemed and no matter how much fun they all had, playing in the past must be dangerous. What would happen when she went back to school? She couldn’t keep disappearing up to Fairleigh all the time. Anyway, she wanted to get to know the kids in her class. One thing was certain, she would have to make some hard decisions pretty soon. Yet, as the days went by, Annie found it easier to forget her good intentions. She just didn’t get around to talking to her Dad, or meeting other Harrisonville kids. If anything, she was more and more eager to get back to Fairleigh. She was even impatient about doing her share of household jobs before she left home in the mornings. Before Harrisonville, Annie had quite enjoyed setting up a new house for herself and her Dad. It was fun to arrange things the way she wanted them. It made her feel grown-up and important. Many girls she knew really envied her that. But Mary or Lucy, or the boys for that matter, never did any housework. Mary said they even had maids to help them dress. Annie grinned to herself. Well, she could do without that.

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Yesterday she’d tried to explain about radio and television again. Robert and Leon had sort of understood, but Mary still refused to believe it. Lucy claimed it was magic. Annie couldn’t blame them. Her explanation didn’t even make sense to herself. As for school, it was all so different. Mary and Lucy weren’t even allowed to swim, play team games or do science with the boys. And who would want to learn Latin or Greek, let alone spend all afternoon embroidering doilies holding conversations in French or learning to serve tea to a duchess? It certainly was not like anything Annie was used to. She could think of nothing worse than staying at home with a governess. On the other hand, Mary was convinced that nothing worthwhile or ‘ladylike’ could be learned at a ‘common public school’. Leon was inclined to agree with Annie. ‘Robert and I are to be sent to Father’s old school in England when we’re sixteen,’he sighed. ‘I’d much rather stay and study here.’ ‘Go all that way for school? What about your friends here, and holidays?’ gasped Annie. ‘Whatever for?’ ‘Father says we won’t get a proper education in the colonies,’ explained Robert. Annie snorted. ‘What rubbish! We’ve got just as good schools and universities as they have in

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England. Australia has some of the best scientists in the world.’ ‘Have they?’ Leon looked interested. ‘Who are they?’ Annie tried to r e m e m b e r. She’d done a project last term. ‘Well-ll’ she said, playing for time. ‘There’s Farrer, who did that research on wheat, and Lawrence Hargrave ...’ ‘That’s true,’ agreed Robert. ‘I’ve heard of F a r re r, and we went to Sydney and saw Hargrave’s kite experiments.’ Mary sniffed. ‘Kites ... What’s so special about kites?’ ‘Well,’ said Annie warming to her subject. ‘It was Hargrave’s ideas that were important. And what about medical people like Sister Kenny and Howard Florey? And the scientists who invent things all the time like in solar research, telescopes and stuff. And ...’ she wished she could remember some, ‘... and the explore r s , t h e re were masses of them, like Douglas Mawson and err ...’ ‘Hmph,’ yawned Mary. ‘Never heard of any of them. If you ask me, Father’s right. You can’t get a good education in the colonies.’ Annie rose with the light of battle in her eye. ‘And while you’re at it,’ she snapped through tightened lips, ‘nobody who knows a n y t h i n g, talks about “the colonies”. Colonies are o u t. Australia has its own government.’

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‘Really!’ exclaimed Robert. ‘You mean like America? No Empire? No Queen?’ Annie made herself calm down. ‘No, not like America. We ’ re still part of the British Commonwealth — not Empire, by the way. We have our own prime minister and government and everything. The Queen wouldn’t dream of telling us what to do, and the British Parliament doesn’t have a say either.’ ‘ Well,’ smiled Leon, after a small silence, ‘Good for Australia!’ ‘ Yes, well-ll,’ muttered an embarrassed Annie. ‘I just thought I’d mention it.’ Later she regretted losing her cool. Mary was just repeating what her father said, and anyway ideas about Australia and England had been d i ff e rent a hundred years ago. When she thought of it, they’d even been talking about a different Queen. Annie laughed to herself — she wasn’t going to try and explain that. The Harrisons were her friends now and an argument here or there made no difference. Just like every kid she’d ever known, they had their good points and bad points. Even Mary was fun when you got to know her. Annie couldn’t imagine life without them any more. Then, Annie took a deep breath and looked at the thought she’d been hiding from herself. That was it, wasn’t it. She was going to have to learn to live without them. The Harrisons would

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never leave Fairleigh. They would never grow up. She and Minty, and the rest of the people in the town would change and grow older, but Leon and Mary, Robert and Lucy, they’d stay just as they are now, just as they’d been for the last one hundred years! What would happen to these friends as she and Minty changed and went on to high school? Annie made herself think it out. They would be waiting and waiting for someone else to come, for their father to return — for a chance at a future they could never have. Would it be like that forever? It seemed so unfair. Annie’s heart ached for her friends. She couldn’t even tell them what she knew. A cold wind moved the curtains of her room and she shivered. She would have to talk to someone soon — starting with her Dad.

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8

CHILDRENÕS ISLAND ‘You promised to show us some of the secret places round Fairleigh,’ Annie reminded Leon next time she saw him. ‘How about another picnic?’ he suggested. ‘Oh, Leon,’ said Lucy, jumping up and down. ‘Let’s show them Children’s Island!’ ‘Good idea, Lu.’ Leon ruffled her hair. ‘We’ll plan an expedition tomorr o w. What about supplies?’ ‘Our turn to bring the lunch,’ pr o m i s e d Annie and went into a huddle with Minty over the menu. The next day was warm and fine. Annie was through her list of house jobs almost as soon as Ned had left for work. Minty arrived and they put the picnic together.

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‘Hot dogs!’ giggled Annie, producing a pile of the red, gleaming sausages. ‘Mary’s going to love that! With tomato sauce and mustard too.’ Minty grinned but added anxiously, ‘You will tell her it’s not really dogs, won’t you?’ ‘Oh, I guess so,’ promised Annie, ‘eventually.’ Minty held up two bags. ‘The rolls and a bottle of Coke,’ she said. C h i l d ren’s Island proved to be a tiny island which had formed in the wide part of the stream, before it joined Big River. ‘Father says it’s to be our private property,’ announced Lucy. ‘No grown-ups are allowed here without our permission.’ They crossed an old log then pushed their way through a prickly vine. Annie picked a leaf and crushed it; it smelled of apples. ‘Where is this place, now?’ she whispered to Minty. Minty looked around, taking her bearings. She was puzzled. ‘I don’t know. I don’t think it’s here any more. I mean, it’s not like this when ...’ she stopped, embarrassed. The Harrison children had stopped to listen, too. Nobody spoke for a minute then Leon said slowly, ‘You mean when we’re not here.’ Annie flushed and Minty kicked at a bit of dirt. Then Mary shrugged and gave a short laugh.

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‘Well, it’s what you were going to say, wasn’t it? Anyway, what’s the fuss? There’s no secret. I’ll tell you what we know.’ And she did. ‘Whatever year y o u may think this is, it i s 1898 for us. Father has gone home to England to see his father before he dies. That’s our Grandfather. It’s taking a long, long time. He’s been away for — ohhh — months and months now. He’s still away. There are a lot of people here looking after us,’ she sighed and shrugged again. ‘But, well, it’s not the same. Then Miss We n s l e y, our governess, developed la grande p a s s i o n for Captain Fell-Jones of the Royal Engineers.’ She paused and sniffed. ‘I can’t imagine anyone developing a t e n d re for Miss Wensley, but apparently Captain Fell-Jones did. Anyway, she left to get married.’ Mary made a face. ‘I didn’t care, but Lu did, and the others.’ Lucy’s eyes filled with tears. ‘She gave me a rabbit called Peter. I loved her.’ ‘She was a silly woman, just like a rabbit,’ snapped Mary. ‘She should never have left us when she did. Then the trouble would never have happened.’ A chill went down Annie’s back. Minty asked uneasily, ‘What trouble?’ Mary raised her eyebrows and brushed at her skirt. ‘Oh, it was nothing very important, nothing serious. I don’t know why everyone makes such a to-do about it.’ She looked up into

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a waiting silence. ‘Well-ll, I don’t! We went somewhere we weren’t meant to go. We can’t even remember exactly where, and ... and something happened. But we don’t know what.’ Her voice wobbled, ‘Anyway, it somehow means Father won’t return when he said he would. And we have to wait right here for him until he does come back. That’s all, really.’ Annie cleared her throat and glanced at Leon. He was drawing circles in the dust with his shoe. She looked back to Mary. ‘And you still can’t remember what did happen?’ Mary stared at her fiercely. ‘I told you — no!’ She straightened her back and stuck out her chin. ‘We’ve never found out why we don’t get any older. There’s some mystery and I think we have to find it out, before ...’ her eyes gre w round and frightened and she didn’t seem so bossy any more. ‘Before what, Leon?’ ‘Before we go back to our own time,’ finished Leon firmly. Nobody spoke. Now it was finally out in the open. Despite Mary insisting it was 1898, Leon had made it clear that he, at least, knew this was not so. Annie wasn’t sure she felt any better. It was all so scary, especially as the Harrisons recognised that something bad really had happened, even if they didn’t know exactly what. She knew how terribly they must miss their father, and if

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she were honest, she didn’t really believe the Captain was ever coming back. One thing was clear: Mary wasn’t asking for sympathy, neither w e re the others. Annie respected that. She certainly didn’t want anyone else butting in on her problems either. Better to be matter-of-fact about the whole thing. She looked up and said firmly, ‘Can you do anything about it? Change the pattern or something? I mean, what have you tried since ...’ she stopped, then continued steadily, ‘since you got caught in this time thing?’ Nobody said anything for a moment, then Robert spoke. ‘There doesn’t seem much we can do but wait. I only wish ... we all do, but ...’ he shrugged. ‘There it is. It’s best not to wish after a while.’ Annie swallowed. ‘It’s a hundred years later for us, you know. I guess at least you ...’ her voice trailed off. She’d been going to say something dumb about ‘always staying young’. There was silence again, then Mary gave a sharp little laugh. ‘You know, it’s funny. I remember a friend of Father’s saying that it’s a shame we ever have to grow up. I used to agree with him.’ She paused and added, ‘I don’t now.’ Annie wanted to sink through the earth. ‘Oh, wow, I’m sorry ...’ Leon threw down the stick he’d been peeling and said quickly, ‘Don’t be. We still have lots of

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happy times, and at least we were able to meet you and Minty.’ He looked down at Annie. ‘I don’t know how long you’ll be able to stay with us.’ He ignored Minty’s cry of protest. ‘But,’ he grinned suddenly, ‘until we get parted by ... by whatever it is, we’ll make the best of it. And still have fun together. Ohhhkay?’ Annie didn’t feel like grinning back. She felt hollow inside. How awful to know every friendship must end, to have no growing up, no changing. How awful to know that this was all they’d ever have of life, over and over and over again. She looked up. Leon was watching her. Annie took a deep breath. If he could smile, well then, so could she. ‘Okay,’ she laughed. ‘Show us the rest of this special island of yours. And just wait till you see what we’ve brought for lunch!’ And it was a special island! The Harrisons had built a fort out of a great old fallen tree. By digging and moving rocks around Annie and Minty helped them divert part of the stream into a small sandy lagoon nearby. Robert and Leon shoved an old sheep trough-cum-canoe into the r i v e r. ‘We’ve been marooned, like Robinson Crusoe,’ announced Robert. ‘Prepare to defend our island against yon hostiles and attacking pirates!’ Under Robert’s generalship they peppered the canoe with mud bombs until it sank and had

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to be towed ashore. Annie’s last shot landed too close to Mary who lost no time in sending a particularly sloppy missile right back to explode at Annie’s feet. Full scale war developed and mud flew everywhere. Finally, the boys called a cease fire. ‘Time to break out the supplies,’ announced Leon. ‘I’m starved.’ Minty had managed to avoid most of the mud. ‘You get cleaned up while I get the fire going for lunch,’ she volunteered. ‘What did you say they were?’ gasped Mary. Annie kept a straight face. ‘Hot dogs. We eat them all the time.’ Mary scowled. ‘Hot dogs! And you expect us to believe you?’ Leon eyed Annie suspiciously. ‘Why do I think you are playing a joke on us?’ Robert sniffed. ‘They smell all right,’ he said uneasily. ‘Mmmmm,’ said Annie, chomping into a gleaming red sausage and watching Mary turn her face away. Lucy was quite pale. ‘You don’t really mean ...?’ she began. Annie relented. ‘No, no.’ She laughed guiltily. ‘They’re not really made from dogs! We were only teasing. It’s just a sausage with a funny name, another American name.’

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‘A disgusting name,’ sniffed Mary. ‘Well, I’m going to try one,’ said Leon, taking the bun Annie offered him. ‘What’s all this stuff on the sausage?’ ‘Tomato sauce and mustard,’ Annie told him. ‘And you can have pickles too if you want.’ Robert was already tucking into his. ‘Delicious,’ he announced. ‘What are these “hot dogs” made of?’ ‘I don’t want to know,’ squealed Lucy, halfway through one. ‘I’m enjoying this.’ Mary steadfastly refused a hot dog, but Annie had included a couple of or d i n a r y sausages — just in case. Mary was persuaded to try one of those. ‘Quite pleasant,’ she murmured. ‘And this Coca-Cola, is that what you call it, is really most thirst-quenching. I shall instruct Cook to make some.’ ‘You can try,’ murmured Annie lying back and gazing up through the tree branches to the clear blue sky. ‘You can try.’ Leon flopped down beside her. ‘Do you like our island?’ he asked. ‘It’s unreal,’ sighed Annie flicking a bit of mud from her hair. ‘All of it. Fairleigh, this island, this day, everything.’ Leon smiled at her. ‘Unreal! Another strange w o rd. You don’t say unfat, unbig, unhot or uncold, why do you say “unreal”?’

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Minty joined them. ‘It’s only an expression,’ she explained. ‘A way of saying fantastic, out of this world, spaced out.’ Robert looked up into the blue spring sky. ‘Space? Do you know what’s up there?’ he asked. Annie yawned sleepily. ‘Well, Minty and me, we’ve only a vague idea,’ she said, ‘but scientists in America and Russia have landed men on the moon, so some people must know.’ ‘On the moon?’ squeaked Lucy. ‘Fibs!’ announced Mary. Robert’s eyes blazed with interest. ‘That’s amazing, to actually leave earth and travel through space to the moon ...’ ‘I’ve read science fantasies about things like that,’ murmured Leon. ‘But it’s hard to believe it really can happen.’ ‘Well, I don’t believe it,’ scoffed Mary. ‘Oh it’s true enough,’ said Annie. ‘Scientists and astronauts have landed on the moon. There are satellites going around all the time, checking the weather. There are even unmanned spaceships visiting other planets.’ ‘It must be so fascinating, living in your time.’ Robert sighed wistfully. ‘Imagine flying to London, exploring the seabed, walking on the moon ...’ He sat up suddenly. ‘What about other life? Is there ...?’ ‘Naa,’ Minty shook her head. ‘Just a bunch of old rocks and dust. Not even a tree. The whole

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space program thing turned up a big fat nothing. Grandmother says if we were meant to fly, we’d have had wings.’ Annie knew Minty’s feelings about space and the future, but it still irritated her. ‘Yo u r Grandma probably doesn’t want to understand any of it,’ she countered. ‘There are people who claim they’ve seen UFOs and aliens.’ Minty snorted and went to speak, but Leon was before her. ‘Aliens?’ he queried. ‘UFOs? What are they?’ ‘Unidentified Flying Objects. Visitors from outer space, spaceships, other forms of life. There’s stacks of books and stuff about them.’ Annie held up her hand to stop Minty cutting in. ‘Oh, I know there’s no proof, and a lot of hoaxes, but still, many important scientists say there must be something else out there. We’re not the only life in the universe.’ ‘Ha! A lot of hot air!’ scoffed Minty. ‘Absolutely,’ agreed Mary. ‘I guess they’ll know one day,’ Robert breathed. ‘Imagine, flying through the universe into the future. How simply splendid!’ ‘Look! It’s not all that splendid,’ Minty burst out. ‘Space travel costs millions and millions of dollars, and the money should be spent here, on earth, to help sick people and farmers.’ Annie thought it sounded like her Grandma or her Dad talking.

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Minty went on. ‘Anyway, it’ll be ages before any of us goes zapping through space. If you ask me, it’s better in your time.’ Robert wasn’t impressed. ‘Oh, no! Nobody I know, not even one of Father’s friends, thinks science is important at all. They’re such sticksin-the-mud. Science is the key to the future.’ His eyes were shining. ‘Just think of it, to stand on the moon ...’ Leon was more practical. ‘What’s the moon like? What’s it made of?’ ‘Cheese!’ announced Lucy. ‘Cook told me.’ Annie laughed and tweaked her nose. ‘With a man in it? Actually, like Minty said, it’s mostly just dirty grey rock and lots of dust. There ’ s nothing alive, at least not that anyone’s found yet. But scientists are uncovering new things all the time. One day people will be able to visit the moon and fly through the universe.’ Minty snorted. ‘Pigs might fly!’ ‘Do they?’ whispered Lucy, her eyes wide with wonder. Annie and Minty burst into giggles. ‘I’m not sure I’d like that,’ Lucy went on, wrinkling her nose. She caught sight of the others’ faces. ‘Ohhhh, it’s another joke.’ ‘Never mind, Lu,’ smiled Leon. ‘Anything seems possible in Annie’s world.’ Annie shook her head. ‘Not flying pigs — yet, thank goodness!’

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Leon looked across at her. ‘You know these wondrous new inventions and discoveries that y o u ’ re talking about, well, they’re all just beginning for us. Remember, Robert, Father told us about Charles Darwin’s new theories on evolution, and people are experimenting with balloon flying all the time. Then, there’s the steam engine and all it can do. What about that man in Germany, somebody Daimler, who made a thing called an internal combustion engine that runs a horseless carriage.’ Robert nodded slowly. ‘I suppose you’re right. It’s all just starting. What about medicine? I didn’t much like the vaccinations we had against smallpox.’ ‘Oh, yes!’ Lucy shuddered. ‘We all got those horrible sore things after that.’ ‘Well-ll, it was probably better than getting smallpox,’ said Leon uncertainly. ‘You kids are lucky,’ grumbled Minty. ‘We have to have heaps of needles against heaps of diseases.’ ‘Ugh, how horrible!’ squealed Lucy. ‘Ahhh, it’s not much,’ said Annie carelessly. ‘Just a pinprick, and at least we don’t get diphtheria, rabies and stuff. Doctors can do amazing things now. Dad knew someone who had a heart transplant.’ Robert eyes opened wide. ‘You mean ...’ ‘That’s right. They cut out his old one that

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had gone bad, and put in a new one.’ Annie was beginning to enjoy herself. ‘I feel sick,’ announced Mary. ‘It’s true,’ Annie went on ghoulishly. ‘They can also replace your liver, your kidneys ...’ ‘That, Annie,’ said Leon firmly, ‘is quite enough.’ Annie grinned. ‘Then there’s ...’ she caught sight of Lucy’s pale face. ‘Sorry. Anyway, new discoveries are happening all the time.’ Mary sniffed. ‘I can’t see why you bothered to come back to our time, when your world is as wonderful as you say.’ Annie flushed. She hadn’t meant to sound off. ‘Minty is right,’ she mumbled. ‘Your time is g reat fun for us. There’s a lot more peace s o m e h o w, and time to do everything, lots of space and no pollution.’ ‘What’s pollution?’ asked Lucy. ‘You wouldn’t want it,’ Minty told her. ‘It’s yucky mess and rubbish and chemicals in the air. Some places are really bad, like Tokyo — all the big cities.’ ‘What about Fairleigh?’ ‘Oh, no,’ said Annie. ‘Never at Fairleigh.’ The sun was warm and Minty wandered off down to the water. Annie felt full of lunch, and lazy. She lay back in the thick grass and let her mind drift. The boys were talking quietly

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between themselves, Lucy and Mary were making a daisy-chain and everything else seemed hushed and far away. She was halfasleep when she heard Robert say something about a convicts’ cave. Annie sat bolt upright. ‘A what?’ Robert laughed. ‘I thought you were asleep.’ Annie brushed the grass from her hair. ‘You said something about a cave?’ He nodded. ‘Ye s . T h e re’s a cave further u p s t ream, not far from the waterfall at Riverfork. You know, where we had the last picnic. It’s called Convicts’ Cave because it’s supposed to be haunted by some convicts who hid there once. Anyway, that’s what old Bill says.’ Annie was intrigued. ‘I love caves and stuff like that. Can we go there sometime?’ ‘I suppose so,’ said Leon, then hesitated. ‘That is, as long as you don’t go exploring by yourself. It wouldn’t be safe and who knows what’s up there.’ Annie laughed. ‘The creature from the black lagoon or perhaps the grisly remains of the convicts.’ ‘Not that I know about, but ...’ Annie was ready to agree to anything to see the cave. It sounded like something fr o m Treasure Island. ‘What’s it like? Is it very big, are there any Aboriginal paintings?’

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‘I think there must have been once,’ Leon was trying to remember. ‘Yes, isn’t that right Robert? On the far wall?’ Robert nodded. ‘But they’re rather faded now. Can’t say they’re worth seeing, really.’ He yawned. ‘It’s a bit late today though, don’t you think?’ Minty had returned and was staring thoughtfully at Robert. Finally she asked, ‘Where is this cave?’ Leon answered, pointing to where the trees were thicker and a small stream tumbled over a series of rocks before joining the Big River. ‘There’s a steep part up there and a spring on the side of a cliff. Two big rocks mark the edge of the pool where we swim in summer. The cave’s not far behind the pool. It’s well hidden. That’s why the convicts went there.’ Lucy made a face. ‘I don’t like to swim there. It’s dark and the water’s always fr e e z i n g . McGuiness calls it Bunyip Pool.’ Mary clicked her tongue. ‘Nonsense,’ she said. ‘It’s wonderfully cool in summer. Bunyips are make-believe and Bill McGuiness is a crazy old man.’ ‘ Well, I still don’t like it,’ whispered Lucy firmly. ‘I would,’ said Annie. ‘You could stay outside, Lu. We wouldn’t be long. Can we go? We’d have time now, wouldn’t we?’

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Robert shrugged. ‘I suppose ...’ Strangely, it was Minty who interrupted. ‘It’s getting late, Annie,’ she said, ‘time we went home.’ Annie looked at her watch and made a face. ‘Well — ll,’ she began. But Leon laughed. ‘You’re usually the one that has to leave early, Annie. Never mind, we’ll take you another day. ‘

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9

THINGS CHANGE The next day was Saturd a y. Ned had talked about meeting Geoff in the neighbouring town to watch a football match against the local team. ‘If you don’t want to come, Annie, we can do something else,’ he offered. Annie hid her relief. Now she could go and e x p l o re that cave with the Harrisons. She coughed and said quickly, ‘No, you go, Dad. Minty and I can join some of the other kids.’ ‘Well, if you’re sure,’ said Ned, a little hurt that she had been so happy to break their usual Saturday afternoon date. They went shopping early and Annie arranged to meet Minty after lunch. As it turned out, Ned didn’t go to the football match and Annie couldn’t go to Fairleigh. Just as they were eating

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their hot pies, a man came over from the station with a message. The hospital had rung to say that Lennie had taken a real turn for the worse. Ned threw some clothes into a bag and got out their old Holden for the trip to Sydney. Annie was to stay with the Clarkes, so he dropped her off with a hurried explanation to Claire and disappeared in a cloud of dust for the highway. Claire put her arm round Annie’s shoulders and gave her a hug. ‘Come on. We’ll get your room ready.’ Annie followed silently. She was feeling shy and confused. The emergency with Lennie was real but somehow it didn’t mean much to her. It was a long time since she’d been with Ned to see her brother. It was hard to even remember his face clearly. Fairleigh and the Harrisons were more real to her than Lennie. And though she knew she shouldn’t be, Annie was disappointed about missing the expedition to the cave that afternoon. ‘Minty’ll wonder where I am,’ she murmured to Claire. ‘We can go and meet her and explain, if you like,’ suggested Claire. They could hardly go up to Fairleigh. ‘Never mind,’ Annie muttered unhappily. ‘I’ll see her tomorrow, or Monday.’ In the end, she rang and left a message with Minty’s aunt. ‘Araminta’s

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never here when she should be,’ muttered the aunt crossly and hung up. The day had turned grey and overcast. As Annie put the phone down, steady rain began to fall. ‘Geoff’s off at that football match, so there’s just the two of us,’ said Claire as Annie joined her in the kitchen. ‘It looks like the rain is going to set in and I’ve been thinking, since we have to stay home, why don’t we have a real girls’ afternoon? You know, do a bit of cooking, wash our hair, paint our nails, things like that.’ Annie winced. She couldn’t think of anything worse. Nevertheless, before long she was poring over recipes with Claire. They ended up making cakes, biscuits and an interesting Indian chicken dish for tea. ‘You’re a good cook, Annie,’ Claire complimented her as they cleared up. Annie blushed. ‘Well, I get more practice than most kids, I suppose, but I usually don’t get around to the fancy stuff.’ Then she added in a surprised voice, ‘I enjoyed doing it today, that was fun. Perhaps I’ll experiment a bit more with Dad when he gets back.’ They had a cup of tea and sampled some of the biscuits before retiring to the bathroom. Claire’s exotic shampoo and flair with a blow drier turned Annie’s pony tail into shiny curls that bounced and flowed around her shoulders.

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‘Oh, Annie,’ Claire sat back on her heels, admiring her handiwork. ‘You look like one of those magazine models.’ Annie thought that was overdoing it, but she enjoyed the idea all the same. ‘What you need is a new dress to match the new you,’ announced Claire, and led the way to a trunk in her bedroom. ‘I’ve masses of materials in here. I can never throw anything out. What are you like with dressmaking? Annie admitted to being less than marvellous. ‘In fact, terrible,’ she laughed. ‘No problem,’ said Claire. ‘I’ve got one of those magic machines that does anything. Now,’ she spread various pieces of material in front of Annie, ‘which one would you like?’ Annie settled for a soft blue denim and Claire showed her how to cut the pieces for a skirt. The hospital had the Clarkes’ number and during the afternoon they rang again to see if Ned had left. Claire spoke to them but Annie knew Lennie must be worse for them to call like that. Claire guessed what she was thinking. ‘I’m sure they’re doing all they can,’ she said gently. ‘Do you remember Lennie?’ Annie shook her head. ‘Not r e a l l y,’ she w h i s p e red. ‘Not any more. I was only seven when he and Mum ...’ she stopped and

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swallowed. Tears were very close. ‘I wish I could. I think of Mum a lot, but I can’t even remember Lennie’s face. Is that awful?’ It was something she had never been able to say to Ned and she suddenly felt terrible admitting it to someone who was almost stranger. Claire shook her head and squeezed Annie’s shoulders. ‘It’s natural, Annie, truly it is. You mustn’t feel bad. You were just a little thing when Lennie was hurt. The shock would have driven him from your mind.’ Annie blew her nose. ‘Dad remembers everything; he thinks I don’t care.’ Claire hugged her. ‘He understands, love, I’m sure he does. And, you know, he’s so proud of you. He’s going to need you even more, if things go badly.’ Annie closed her eyes. No one else could know how mean she’d been over the money for the bike. She felt sick about the things she’d said. If only her Dad really believed she did care about Lennie. Claire didn’t say any more and Annie was grateful. By teatime she had joined the seams of the skirt on the magic machine and was trying it on when Geoff came home. He clumped into the sitting room, grumbling, ‘We lost by three points and I don’t know what happened to Ned.’ He saw Annie. ‘Hullo, hullo and her e ’ s young Annie; where’s your Dad?’ Before she

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could answer, he’d taken in her new hairstyle and outfit. He smiled broadly. ‘Hey, don’t you look good! What’ve you two been up to? The young blokes better watch out.’ Annie went pink and mumbled something. Later Claire explained about Lennie. Geoff came and sat beside her. ‘Oh dear, Annie girl. I’m so sorry. Clumsy old me waffling on when you’re all sad and everything. Claire and me’ll help as much as we can.’ Annie mumbled her thanks for his concern but she still felt sick and guilty inside. Soon after dinner she whispered goodnight and slipped off to her room. The following morning, Annie went with Claire to the morning service at St Oswald’s. She hadn’t been to church for a long time and she felt a bit self-conscious in her new clothes, with her hairstyle. All through the murmur of prayers, and in the quiet times, she thought hard about Lennie. She tried to remember some of the happy times with him and Mum before the accident. Perhaps God would help her show Ned know how much she cared. After a while, she began to enjoy the service. Most of Harrisonville was there. Sunlight streamed through the coloured windows of the c reaky old building, and hymn music was pumped out on the organ by Mrs Baines from

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the fish and chip shop. Everyone sang lustily. In the choir stalls she recognised the boy she’d seen near the picnic grounds. He grinned at her over his hymn book. After the service Claire stopped to talk to friends and Annie found herself standing by the redhaired girl. ‘Annie Shanahan, this is Megan Tranby,’ said Claire and went on chatting to a neighbour. Megan smiled shyly. ‘We heard about your b ro t h e r. It’s like that in country towns.’ She added hastily, ‘I hope he’ll be all right.’ Annie murmured, ‘Thanks,’ and couldn’t think of anything else to say. Suddenly they both started to talk at the same time. ‘You first,’ laughed Megan. Annie grinned. ‘I was just going to say that I saw you riding through the puddles.’ Megan rolled her eyes. ‘You should have seen my jeans afterwards. Have you got a bike?’ Annie nodded. She glanced quickly at Claire. ‘A very old bright green one. Dad says it’s built like a Sherman tank.’ Well,’ said Megan. ‘It sounds as though it’d be good through puddles.’ They both laughed. Then Megan suddenly w h i s p e red, ‘My revolting twin bro t h e r, To m , wants to meet you.’ She rolled her eyes upwards and put on a spooky voice. ‘Be warned!’

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They giggled and Annie said, ‘I’ve seen him. He’s in the choir.’ Megan made a face. ‘Yeah. Mrs Baines thinks he can sing.’ She shrugged and laughed. ‘Thank goodness she didn’t have the same idea about me.’ Annie liked her. ‘What’s school like?’ she asked. Megan smiled. ‘Not bad really. You’ll be in Mr Hatchett’s class. Same as me — and Tom!’ She made a face. Just then her mother called and she had to go. ‘See you, Annie,’ she said, and wriggled her fingers before racing off. Tom rode past on his bicycle and waved too. Annie decided she was really looking forward to going back to school. On the way home they met Minty wandering along Beacon Street. She stayed on the other side of the road so Annie crossed over. Claire followed slowly. Annie spoke first. ‘Hi Minty. Look, I’m staying with the Clarkes for the weekend. Dad’s gone to Sydney to see Lennie. He’s really sick.’ Minty nodded. ‘Yeah, my aunt told me.’ C l a i re came up and said, ‘Hello, Minty. How’s your grandmother?’ Minty looked uncomfortable. ‘Fine, thanks, Miss Clarke. She’s coming up soon.’ Claire smiled. ‘I remember when she visited last time. That’ll be nice for you.’

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Minty mumbled something and Claire went on, ‘Annie was worried about missing you yesterday.’ Annie knew Minty would be reluctant to talk about their plans in front of Claire. She said quickly, ‘Look, Minty, come round to my place on Monday after eleven. I’ll be home by then.’ Minty nodded and left looking lost and miserable. Claire didn’t make any comment but Annie could tell she was put off by Minty’s manner. When they reached home, Geoff said that Ned had rung from Sydney and would ring again that evening. ‘No change,’ was the report on Lennie’s condition. Geoff glanced at Claire and Annie knew that things looked bad for her brother. ‘He’s going to die, isn’t he?’ she said. Claire put an arm around her. Geoff looked serious and said, ‘I’m afraid that might happen, Annie. Do you want to talk about it?’ She shook her head. ‘Not yet. I’m not sure how to think about dying.’ Then in a small voice she admitted, ‘I can’t even remember him living. He hasn’t had a life at all. It doesn’t seem fair.’ She sat down suddenly and the tears came. ‘It’s Dad all by himself, feeling lonely and thinking I don’t care about Lennie never growing up.’ ‘Annie, love,’ said Claire, kneeling beside her. ‘Your Dad is so glad to have you, and he knows how much you care for him. That means,

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however much you’ve forgotten about your b ro t h e r, your Dad knows you care about the things that matter to him. And you do, don’t you?’ Annie nodded through her tears. ‘I just wish I hadn’t said some things that I said.’ She gulped. ‘You see, I moaned that all our money was going to Lennie, and ... and it was such a horrible, awful thing to say ...’ Geoff stroked her hair. ‘Everyone has guilt feelings when something like this happens, Annie. Put it behind you, love. Ned knows you are thinking of him.’ Annie hoped he was right. She gave a shaky sigh and stood up. ‘I think I’ll go and get out of these things,’ she murmured. Geoff gave her a hug. ‘Remember, you’ve got plenty of time to make it up to your Dad.’ He smiled. ‘Maybe a little later we’ll get out for a bit of fresh air. Ned won’t call again until this evening.’ Annie nodded and went to her room. She changed into jeans and a shirt and thought about Lennie dying. The worst thing was that Lennie’s life had been over before it r e a l l y started. Just as he was growing up and doing all the things that she was doing now, the accident had happened. He’d been practically dead ever since. It was like he died five years ago, but he was still here, the same as the Harrisons, in a

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way. They really lived a hundred years ago, yet they were still here, too. Annie’s head was in a whirl. There seemed to be no barrier between living and dying, just a line that people crossed. It was like going through the gate at Fairleigh. One minute it was the present, next it was a hundred years ago. Things got mixed up sometimes. People like Lennie never got started while others, like the Harrisons, never got to finish their lives. Could one balance out the other? Then, she thought about her mother. She had been killed in the accident when Lennie was hurt. Where was she? Would she be with Lennie if he died? She wondered what her Dad would think. Perhaps if he knew about the Harrisons he wouldn’t feel so bad about Lennie dying. She lay on the bed and let her mind drift. It seemed only a few minutes later that Geoff knocked on the door. ‘Annie, how about that fresh air? It may cheer us all up. Your Dad won’t ring for hours yet.’ Claire had packed a small basket of food and it wasn’t long before they were bumping along in Geoff’s old Ford. ‘I don’t share this spot with just anyone,’ he said with a smile. ‘It’s a special spot for a special person. ‘

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10

TIME TO SHARE A SECRET It didn’t take Annie long to realise that they were heading towards Fairleigh. Geoff followed the road as far as Miss McGuiness’ place, but instead of going through the main gates, he turned down a lane that led to the back of the p ro p e r t y. Stopping the car at a break in the fence, he said, ‘Come on. Grab something, we walk the rest of the way.’ Claire seemed to know the spot. She smiled as she passed a rug to Annie and said, ‘Fairleigh was one of the very first farms in the district. This part was the orchard.’ Annie had worked that out for herself. She could see one or two old fruit trees ablaze with blossom. To the back of them she caught a glimpse of the garden wall and the nursery tower. Geoff returned and stood hands on hips,

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looking towards the house. ‘Strange old place,’ he said. ‘It used to be very beautiful. The local library has pictures of it in its heyday.’ Annie knew she should ask some intelligent questions but she couldn’t make her voice work properly. ‘Oh. Really?’ She cleared her throat. ‘Who lives there now?’ She hoped she didn’t sound as phoney to Claire and Geoff as she did to herself. C l a i re didn’t answer for a while, then she gave Annie a long straight look. ‘I thought you might know that alr e a d y, Annie. Nobody’s supposed to have lived there for years.’ Annie flushed. ‘Well, yes I, er ... that is Minty did say ...’ ‘Well, Minty should know,’ murmured Geoff and led them down a small track. They approached a part where the cre e k widened and Annie guessed they must be somewhere near Children’s Island. It was hard to tell exactly. The trees were much thicker than she r e m e m b e red and the grassy bank was overgrown with ferns and wild brambles. There was no obvious way across the creek. If the island was still there, it was well hidden. A faint scent drifted on the air; Annie picked a leaf and crushed it. It smelled of apples. She was almost certain then that this was the place she’d been to a few days earlier — a hundred years ago. Geoff chose a grassy spot in a hollow and

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started a fire. Annie r e m e m b e red Leon and Robert lighting the fire for their picnic. How strange to be doing the same things, in exactly the same place, yet how different. C l a re opened the picnic basket and they shared a simple meal. Not hot dogs this time, thought Annie, and grinned to herself. The spring sun was warm and she lay back in the thick grass and watched a hawk drift over Miss McGuiness’ chicken yard. ‘That’ll make her mad,’ yawned Geoff. ‘She’s a funny old girl,’ remarked Claire . ‘Perhaps you’ve met her, Annie? Always talking of the old days. Her grandfather used to work here when the Harrisons owned the place. She knows all sorts of secrets and things about the house.’ Claire paused and added, ‘She’s a friend of Minty’s.’ Annie nodded, her mind whirling. ‘Actually, I have met her.’ She cleared her throat again and tried to sound casual. ‘You said the Harrisons. Is that how the town was named?’ G e o ff glanced sideways at Annie. ‘The Harrison family owned all the land around here. Of course that’s how the town was named. Young Minty is always spending time at Fairleigh, it’s a wonder she hasn’t told you the whole story.’ Annie winced. She suspected that Claire and Geoff knew she was pretending. She hated that

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feeling, but she wasn’t ready yet to confess how much she knew. Geoff didn’t seem to expect a reply, instead he tapped her on the head and said, ‘Come on, young Annie. Let’s walk some of that food off. Coming, Claire?’ Claire decided to sit and read in the sun, so Annie and Geoff made their way along the edge of the creek towards the riverbank. ‘Claire and I used to play here quite a bit as kids,’ remarked Geoff. ‘It’s not hard to imagine what it was like in the old days.’ Annie’s heart was pounding. How much did Geoff know? What was he trying to say? He kept strolling along beside her. Then, as though he read her mind, he said casually, ‘They were all lost, you know, in a cave somewhere up that hillside.’ Annie gulped. ‘Who? Who was lost?’ He eyed her with amusement. ‘Come on Annie! You know who I’m talking about! The Harrison children, the ones who lived in Fairleigh. They were lost. They went exploring one of those caves up there on the side of the valley.’ Annie’s knees folded under her and she sat down suddenly. Geoff stood looking down at h e r. ‘You’ve been back there, haven’t you, Annie?’ he said. ‘Back to the old Fairleigh?’ Annie nodded, unable to speak. Geoff went

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on, ‘And you’ve met the Harrison children?’ ‘Yes,’ Annie swallowed. ‘You seem to know ... to know ...’ she couldn’t go on. Geoff picked a dandelion and started to peel its petals. ‘Claire and I played with them, too. Of course I know. They were great fun.’ ‘Oh, Geoff!’ gasped Annie, relief flooding her voice. ‘I’ve wanted to talk to someone about Fairleigh, about Leon, Robert and all of them. I thought no one would understand.’ Geoff nodded slowly. ‘Yes, well, we understand, Claire and I. And I daresay one or two others around here do, too. It’s a very strange secret, Annie, quite strange.’ Annie was eager to share her experiences. ‘I find it hard to believe when I’m not there. Yet every day, I’m finding it easier to ...’ ‘Every day Annie? You go there every day?’ She nodded. ‘Just about, it’s holidays now and ...’ Geoff cut in, frowning. ‘I didn’t realise.’ He shook his head and looked straight at her. ‘One day soon the holidays will be over. What then?’ ‘I suppose I’ll ... we’ll ...’ It was a question she had to face and didn’t want to answer. She swallowed. ‘Is it bad to go up to Fairleigh?’ Geoff sighed, then shrugged. ‘Not bad, no. Unwise perhaps to go so often. And it’s not just visiting the house, is it? It’s a trip back through time, something nobody knows anything about.

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That shouldn’t be something you do every day.’ He smiled suddenly. ‘Look, who am I to talk? Claire and I did it and we’re okay. You seem to be, too, so there’s no harm done. Does Mary still boss everyone around?’ ‘Oh, yes,’ laughed Annie, and it all came tumbling out. She and Geoff shared their memories and experiences. ‘I remember Cook’s upside down cake,’ said Geoff wistfully. ‘Can you and Claire visit with them now, Geoff?’ Annie was intrigued. ‘I mean, do you ever come up here and talk to them. Like today, for instance?’ Geoff shook his head. ‘No, we don’t even try. Once you decide to move on, it’s all over, except for the memories. Claire and I said goodbye nearly twenty years ago.’ He was silent for a minute, then he gave her a straight look and said softly, ‘You must make the break yourself Annie, very soon.’ Annie let her breath out slowly. She knew this was coming. ‘But why? They’re my friends. I can’t stop seeing them, just like that.’ She pulled at a piece of sour grass, her voice worried and a little frightened. ‘They wait for us to go and play.’ ‘Annie, listen to me.’ Geoff sounded very serious. ‘I don’t know all the reasons, but I do know that if you choose the past instead of the

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future, you can be lost between two worlds. One day you’ll be too old to play with the Harrisons anymore and by that time you won’t be happy in your own time either. And you’ll have no friends who’ll understand.’ Annie knew he was right, and she didn’t want him to be. ‘But the Harrisons — Leon, Robert and the girls, they’ll always be my friends,’ she protested. Geoff shook his head. ‘Annie, they never get any older. You know them at the same age as Claire and I knew them, twenty years ago.’ Annie was silent. She wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the Harrisons just yet. Why only yesterday they’d planned to visit the cave. She remembered then what Geoff had said earlier. ‘What happened to them?’ she whispered. ‘The story in the library just says that they climbed up to one of the caves that honeycomb the hill, and were never seen again. Their father was away in England at the time and the governess had left to get married. The housekeeper, the people in the town, they all searched and searched.’ ‘ ... and they never found them?’ Annie asked. ‘No. They even had trackers in. The Aborigines said the children’s tracks led into the cave, but not out again. One whole section of the floor had collapsed into a chasm below. They

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must have disappeared into the void with it.’ He shook his head. ‘It’s too awful to think about. The trackers reckoned the place had bad spirits and they wouldn’t go any further. The whole area was closed off. Now no one really knows exactly which cave it was, except perhaps old Miss McGuiness. Anyway, the place is overgrown and almost impossible to get at.’ Annie was silent for a while and then she asked, ‘What happened after they ... after they were all lost?’ ‘ Well, Mr Harrison never came back to Fairleigh. The house was closed up for years. During the First World War it was a nursing home for recovering wounded. Then, in the next war, the estate lawyers arranged for it to be used as a home for children evacuated fro m Europe. After that Fairleigh became a sort of orphanage for any kids that had lost their families, or needed refuge, that sort of thing. They worked on the farms and went to the local school. Claire and I came then. I was eleven and Claire was eight. We got to know the Harrisons soon after we arrived. They seem to choose lonely kids.’ ‘Did you have fun?’ Geoff laughed. ‘Oh, the Harrisons were all the friends we wanted. We were quite happy spending all our time with them. Then Miss McGuiness moved us on.’ He sighed. ‘It was a

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good thing she did. It took us a while to settle back into our own time again.’ ‘I’m beginning to see that problem,’ Annie w h i s p e red. She looked up at Geoff. ‘What happened then? Who owns the property now?’ ‘Well, orphanages and farm schools went out of fashion. I don’t know why really, Fairleigh was certainly a happy place. Anyway, there it is. The Harrison family in England still own the property. At least they did until last year.’ Annie looked up. ‘Last year?’ she queried. Geoff smiled. ‘Well then, with a bit of urging from a few of us, the Council arranged to buy it from the descendants of Captain Harrison.’ ‘He had descendants?’ ‘He married again, I believe, and had more c h i l d ren. He seemed to deliberately put the tragedy behind him. I’m sure ... I hope our Harrisons never knew that.’ Annie thought of the way Lucy and the others spoke of their father, of how they kept waiting for him to come home. She hoped they’d never find out that he wanted to forget Fairleigh. It seemed so awful. As if they didn’t fit in anywhere. She shook her head angrily. ‘They’re still waiting and he just forgot them! They’ll never have a proper life. They’re waiting and waiting, and for nothing. They’ll never grow up. It’s not fair!’ Geoff shrugged. ‘Fair doesn’t come into it,

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love. Life isn’t fair or unfair. It’s just how it turns out.’ He took her hand. ‘Look, try and see the best of it. In a way they stay young forever. I mean we knew them, and you and Minty, and Miss McGuiness, and there have been others.’ ‘Staying young forever isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s a bit like Lennie, isn’t it?’ whispered Annie. ‘What’s ahead for him?’ ‘Look, Annie,’ Geoff said quickly. ‘I don’t know the answers. I wish I could tell you how it will end, but I can’t. These things have their reasons. Perhaps it’s not for us to know it all.’ Annie was silent for a time. Then she asked, ‘What’s going to happen to Fairleigh, now that the Council own it?’ Geoff got up and went over to look at the house in the distance. ‘I’m part of a committee to restore the old place,’ he told her. Annie was shocked. ‘You mean, make it a public park or something?’ ‘Yes, in a way. That’s not too bad, you know. We’re planning to bring the house and grounds back to the way it was, so people can see what life was like then.’ ‘Oh,’ murmured Annie. ‘All those people wandering through. Mary’ll hate it.’ ‘But not Leon,’ Geoff said. ‘Especially if we do it pr o p e r l y. He’ll be glad, and make the others understand too.’ Annie nodded. ‘I guess so. Anyway, it’s good

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y o u ’ re doing it. You’ll know how Fairleigh should look.’ ‘You too, Annie,’ Geoff reminded her. ‘Your memories are fresher than mine.’ Annie thought of all those memories: of how fond she’d grown of the Harrisons, little Lucy, always ready for a game, Robert so fascinated by science and machines, and Leon ... Leon who really was on her wavelength. Even bossy old Mary. She sighed and said, ‘I’m going to miss them so much. It’ll be awfully hard to say goodbye. I don’t know what Minty will do. She doesn’t think of anything else but the Harrisons.’ Geoff nodded. ‘Of course it’s hard, but,’ he looked very serious, ‘you mustn’t leave it too much longer. Believe me, they will understand.’ Annie sat there, silent and thoughtful. ‘We were going to meet today,’ she said, ‘to explore a cave.’ G e o ff turned pale. ‘My God, Annie! Yo u can’t! You mustn’t! Promise me you won’t ever go to a cave! Neither you, nor Minty!’ He frightened her. ‘Why? What are you saying? I’m certain that Leon ... Robert ... I mean ...’ G e o ff answered quickly, ‘I’m not saying they’re bad or anything like that. They’re not trying to entice you into their ghostly world, if you want to put it that way. They don’t even

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know what happened themselves. But any uncharted cave is dangerous, to anyone. R e m e m b e r, that’s how the Harrison childre n were lost in the first place. And that cave you w e re going to, it could be the one where it happened!’ Annie swallowed hard. She was badly scared now. ‘It’s like the whole thing’s happening over again, isn’t it? Has anyone else ever been lost?’ Geoff nodded slowly. ‘Once, about five years after Claire and I stopped going to Fairleigh. The young MacDonald boy from the garage disapp e a red and was never found. We always suspected that he’d been lost in the cave.’ ‘I’m sure the kids wouldn’t hurt anyone on purpose,’ whispered Annie. Geoff agreed quickly. ‘Of course! I’m certain they just don’t understand what’s happened to them. I don’t think they even remember the other children they meet, once it’s over.’ Annie remembered Leon’s determination to make the most of their times together. The final parting was coming so quickly. She stared up the valley towards the cave that he had pointed out that day on the picnic. G e o ff followed her gaze. ‘Up there?’ he asked. ‘The cave’s up there?’ Annie nodded. ‘That’s what they said.’ ‘Does Minty know too?’ Annie shivered. ‘I’m sure she does.’

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‘Then you must be sure to warn her. And as soon as possible, too! No cave.’ Geoff was very firm. Clouds covered the sun and to Annie the whole world seemed suddenly cold and gloomy. Everything was changing. Lennie might die, now she was going to lose the Harrisons as well. Not only that, she knew their secret, she knew the danger. What could she do with that knowledge? How could she ever tell them that their father was never coming back? She sighed. To make it even worse she was pretty certain that Minty would take no notice of her at all. After a moment, Geoff tugged her ponytail gently and said, ‘It’s okay now, Annie. We’ve talked about it and gradually things will sort themselves out. Let’s go. Claire will think we’ve disappeared or something.’ They both grinned shakily. As they wandered back to the car, Geoff told Annie how he and Claire kept an eye on kids that they thought might be involved with the Harrisons. ‘It’s a very special secret and fine for a while. Mostly there’s no harm in it and the Harrisons are due a little fun. But ever since that young MacDonald was lost, we try to make sure that the meetings don’t go on for too long. We see it as a sort of trust, one you’ll have to share now.’ Annie nodded. She felt she had grown up

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during the last hour. Geoff had made her look clearly at things she’d been uneasy about all along. Claire was packing up the picnic things. She smiled as they joined her. ‘All set?’ she said. Geoff grimaced at her. ‘You were right, Sis. Annie and Minty have been having a fine time with the Harrisons.’ Claire nodded. ‘I thought so, right from that first evening. They are such fun, aren’t they, Annie? But what now?’ ‘Well, Annie?’ said Geoff. She smiled shakily. ‘I know, it’s got to end soon.’ ‘Sooner than soon, I think,’ murmured Geoff. ‘Especially as they are planning to go to the cave.’ Claire looked alarmed. ‘Oh, my God!’ Geoff hushed her. ‘Annie?’ Annie sighed. ‘I’m going to miss them all. We were such great friends. I must see them one more time, at least to say goodbye.’ G e o ff patted her shoulder. ‘Okay. Fair enough. But you must speak to Minty, too. Very, very soon.’ Annie was uneasy. ‘I’m not sure she’ll listen. You know Minty’s been going there for ages, long before I arrived.’ Claire frowned. ‘It’s our fault in a way. We haven’t followed her up. We tried to warn her

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early on, but she can be a bit difficult.’ ‘Miss McGuiness spoke to her too, I think,’ said Geoff. ‘Yes, I know,’ said Claire, ‘but I can understand the poor kid. She doesn’t get too much joy at home. That Asher is a sour man and the aunt’s not much better.’ ‘We’ll have to stop her somehow. You have a talk with her, Annie.’ Geoff was very serious. ‘Then if she won’t listen to you, or anyone else, I guess I’ll have to speak to her father.’ ‘Oh, Geoff, don’t do that,’ cried Annie. ‘He’s already thumped her once. I’ll try. I’ll have to make her understand.’ G e o ff nodded. ‘Do your best, Annie, and quickly.’ He felt for his car keys. ‘Let’s go home now, eh? It’s getting late.’ On the way home in the car nobody talked much. Annie had a lot to think about. Despite her promise, she knew that Minty was going to be very difficult to convince. She sighed. So much had happened in the last twenty-four hours. And there would be news of Lennie.

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WORSE, BEFORE IT GETS BETTER Lennie was dead. Ned rang that night and spoke to Annie in a flat, tired voice. ‘He opened his eyes and looked right at me before he died,’ he said. ‘I think he knew me.’ ‘Oh, Dad,’ mumbled Annie, holding back the tears, trying to find words. ‘I ... I can’t ... I ... Oh, Dad, I wish I was with you.’ ‘I’m okay, sweetheart.’ He sighed, his thoughts lost in the last forty-eight hours. ‘ T h e re’s nothing else to do now. I think I expected the end this time. Perhaps it’s for the best.’ Then his voice broke and he said, ‘See you soon,’ and hung up. Annie wept for her father’s sadness and for the things that might have been. Deep down she felt that Lennie was free now, and she was glad for him. If it were me, I’d want it over, she thought.

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With so many things to think about Annie was sure she’d never sleep. Claire hugged her and tucked her up in bed with a book that she re m e m b e red opening ... Then it was next morning. Lennie was to be buried in the Sydney churchyard, next to his mother. Annie knew her father wouldn’t be home until after the funeral but she wanted to make their place warm and welcoming for his arrival. Early on Monday she went shopping, then helped Claire pick some flowers for his room. There had been no sign of Minty all morning, so after lunch Annie went over to the house. Minty was waiting for her. She was leaning awkwardly on the gate and said, ‘I heard about your bro t h e r, Annie. Auntie Sheila told me.’ Then almost as an afterthought she added, ‘We’re all sorry.’ Annie smiled uneasily. ‘Thanks,’ she m u r m u red. ‘Dad was at the funeral this morning. Sorry I couldn’t talk to you.’ ‘That’s okay,’ mumbled Minty. ‘It must be hard on your Dad, so far away and everything.’ Annie unlocked the front door and eased past with the flowers and the box of shopping. Minty followed her into the kitchen. ‘Can you come up to Fairleigh this afternoon,’ she burst out. ‘If you get finished here first, of course.’

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Annie started to put things away. Flowers in a vase, milk in the fridge, cereal in the cupboard, matches by the stove. ‘I’ll help,’ hurried Minty. She grabbed some soap and a toilet-roll and raced for the b a t h room. She was back in a second. ‘What next?’ she said. ‘Shall I sweep?’ Annie sighed and shook her head. ‘It’s no good, Minty,’ she said. ‘We have to talk.’ Minty watched her suspiciously. ‘What about?’ Annie soldiered on, ‘Fairleigh. We’ve got to stop going there.’ Minty was aghast, eyes wide and angry. ‘Stop going there? What do you mean, stop going there?’ Annie took a deep breath. ‘I mean, it’s time we said goodbye to the Harrisons, for all sorts of reasons. It’s not good to be going back into the past all the time.’ ‘Annie!’ Minty’s voice rose to a pleading whine. ‘What do you mean, it’s not good? It’s the only good there is. What’s any better?’ ‘We’ve got to find out what’s better, that’s what. We have to look for fun in our own time.’ Annie was trying to be reasonable and knew she sounded corny and goody-goody, even to herself. ‘Have you flipped or something?’ Minty’s voice was sharp and scornful, ‘I thought you liked the Harrison kids!’

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‘I do! Of course I do,’ Annie protested. ‘But if we don’t stop going there soon, we could be in real danger!’ ‘Danger!’ Minty snorted. ‘Who says danger? I bet I know who’s put you off. Those Clarkes have! They make me sick!’ Annie sat on the kitchen table, hating the sharp, desperate note in Minty’s voice. It rose again, shouting at Annie’s silence. ‘Those smart arse Clarkes, they think they know everything. T h e y ’ re always watching me, spying on me. They hate me!’ ‘Don’t be dumb!’ Annie struggled to hold back her irritation. ‘Geoff and Claire are all right. They don’t hate anyone. And what they said is true. Fairleigh is in the past. We have to live in our own time.’ Minty’s mouth twisted and she pointed her finger angrily. ‘Get a load of Miss Know-it-all,’ she sneered. ‘Geoff and Claire! All very loveydovey, aren’t we! Well, those Clarkes are just jealous. They don’t want anyone else hanging around their precious old Fairleigh. They think they own the place or something.’ ‘Ohhhhh! Stuff it, Minty!’ It was Annie’s turn to snort. ‘You always reckon people are picking on you. Geoff and Claire have been worried about us.’ ‘Oh dear, oh dear!’ mocked Minty. ‘La-dedaaa! Claire and Geoff are all worried, are they?

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Oh dear!’ Then she glared. ‘Too stinking bad!’ Annie tried to keep cool. ‘They mean it M i n t y. We’ve got to stop going. I told them about the cave.’ ‘You did what?’ Minty was red in the face, ready to strike out. ‘That’s just marvellous, isn’t it? Spilling my secret to the biggest busybodies in the district. I should have known better than to tell you. I should have known you’d shoot your mouth off one day.’ ‘I never promised not to tell anyone.’ Annie was angry now. ‘And it’s not just your secret. You make things all twisted. You must know the Harrisons will never grow up, and we will. It’s time we tried making some new friends right here in Harrisonville.’ ‘What about the friends you had? What about Robert and Lucy and Mary? What about your precious Leon?’ Annie flushed. ‘Leon’s a good friend. That won’t change. He’ll understand. They all will. It won’t be easy to say goodbye. I know that. But it has happened before. Geoff says a kid was lost once.’ ‘Geoff says! Geoff says! What does he know?’ snapped Minty. Then as Annie went to reply she added quickly, ‘Oh, I know they used to play with the Harrisons. Miss McGuiness told me. Well, Geoff Clarke doesn’t know everything!’ Annie tried to calm down. She understood

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Minty’s fears of being left out again. ‘Look. T h e re’s no need to go off your face. I’ve met some of the kids from school. They want to be friendly. You can share my bike, Minty, we dink okay. Come on! There’s stacks of things we can do together.’ Minty was beyond reason. ‘Who wants to do things with you! Other than that silly nerd Megan Tranby, of course! Oh, and her brother Tom! Very friendly, I’m sure. I saw you making eyes at him on Sunday. Well, keep your stupid old bike. Who wants to ride a thing like that! It was only Claire Clarke trying to make up to your dad that got you that bike in the first place!’ Annie flushed. Minty was always spying on people. ‘So what! What has my Dad got to do with Claire Clarke? Besides, I like her.’ ‘Yeah, you’d have to say that.’ ‘What do you mean?’ ‘Well, what do you think was going on before you got here, eh?’ Minty wore a smug, know-itall face. ‘The whole town knows they’ve been hanging out for ages. Claire Clarke and your dad are softening you up before they break the news.’ She laughed scornfully. ‘I reckon you’ll have a new mum whether you like it or not. Well, good luck to you! You can keep her, and your crappy old bike, and your fancy new clothes and your smarmy new friends! See if I care!’

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Annie was stunned. It had never even occurred to her. Claire and her Dad ... they were too old, weren’t they? How would Minty know? She shivered uneasily. Minty had a way of collecting information about people. Now she thought about it, she supposed it could be true. Her Dad had certainly seemed to act all stupid around Claire and he was always over there. He was her Dad. She wasn’t sure how she felt about sharing him. There were too many changes already. Vaguely she saw the desperate, lonely tears on the face of her one-time friend, but Annie’s heart had hardened. She had tried to talk sense to Minty, but Minty wouldn’t listen. The sharp voice faded into the background and Annie only just heard her parting, ‘I’ll let the Harrisons know what sort of a friend you are.’ The door banged. Through the front window, Annie saw Minty run down the path, then stop and swing a kick at the Green Terror. It fell with a bang against the side of the house and one wheel spun round and round and round. Annie sat on the coffee table. The house seemed silent after all the shouting. She was glad to see Minty go, but it had all gone so badly. Now how could she ever convince Minty to stay away from Fairleigh? If anything, the situation was worse than before.

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Annie sighed and wondered what sort of tale Minty would tell the Harrisons, especially Leon. Mary would probably make a few nasty remarks, but Leon would wait to hear her side. Lucy and Robert would, too. Annie’s thoughts drifted back to Claire and her Dad. C l a i re, her new mother? The more Annie thought about it ... she started to smile.

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HEADED FOR TROUBLE It was almost two hours later that Annie rode the Green Te r ror back towards the Clarkes’ place. She took her time, suddenly embarrassed about seeing Claire and unsure about what to say. Reaching Beacon Street, she caught sight of Minty’s Auntie Sheila and quickly wheeled her bike towards the far corner. But Minty’s aunt had seen her. ‘You’re young Annie Shanahan, aren’t you?’ she called, hurrying across the street. ‘I’m looking for Araminta. Have you seen her? She was supposed to be home an hour ago.’ Annie swallowed. Minty could be in a million places. Why did she feel scared all of a sudden? She cleared her throat. ‘Oh, hi, Miss Ravo ... Ravolich ... er ... no ... that is, I haven’t seen her for about two hours. She left my place around one.’

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Minty’s aunt pursed her lips, then clicked them. She had a faint orange moustache, the same colour as her hair. Her eyes were pale blue like Minty’s. Annie shuffled uneasily. She didn’t want to talk about Minty. Especially not about where she could be. The aunt seemed to read Annie’s thoughts. ‘Well, where is she now?’ ‘I don’t know, Miss, er, Miss ... Like I said, I haven’t seen her for ages.’ The pale blue eyes squinted at Annie. ‘I thought you two were always together. Has she been telling me lies again?’ ‘No, no.’ Annie had to force herself to smile politely. ‘We usually are together, but I had to tidy the house for my Dad. I’ll look for her if you like.’ Miss Ravoliches nodded shortly. ‘I’ll be glad if you’d do that. I’ve searched everywhere I can think of. Her grandmother is coming to visit. She should be home.’ And she hurried off down the street, managing to look harassed and injured at the same time. Annie stood on the corner of the footpath trying to think of what to do. She felt guilty about the argument, about the whole mess. She should find Minty and patch it up somehow. T h e re was every chance her friend was at Fairleigh yet Annie found herself strangely reluctant to go there. She sighed. If only it were

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possible to forget the whole business. The urgency of Geoff’s warning came back to her and her hands went all sweaty and her tummy squeezed. What if Minty was no longer at the house? What if she had joined the Harrisons in the cave! Annie swallowed hard. Surely Minty wouldn’t be so dumb as to go into the cave with the Harrisons. She must know all the stories. She must know the dangers. Then Annie thought of the last time she’d seen her, running from the house, sobbing and desperate, kicking at the Green Terror. Unless someone stopped Minty, anything could happen. The best thing to do was to get hold of Geoff right away. Annie swung onto the seat and began pedalling furiously. At the Clarkes’ house she dropped the bike on the drive and rushed in the side door, shouting ‘Geoff! Claire! Come quickly, Minty’s ...’ Her voice trailed off. The house was dark, almost cold. Afternoon sunlight picked out the gleam of floorboard s along the empty passage, and a bowl of roses on the hall table gave off a faint sweet scent. Annie forced herself to calm down. Her legs felt weak and shaking. She remembered now, Geoff had driven to a cattle sale in Balranald. Claire had gone with him to visit friends. She made her way to the kitchen and sat on the pine table trying to work out the best plan.

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The ticking of the clock seemed to get louder and louder. Annie glanced at it. Geoff and Claire wouldn’t be home for about an hour or so. Who else could she turn to? Who would believe her? There was Miss McGuiness, of course. The old lady was a bit strange, but she was fond of Minty, and she knew about the Harrisons. Claire’s shopping pad was on the shelf by the phone. Annie grabbed it and scrawled, ‘Minty missing, gone to Miss McG for help. A S.’ Two minutes later she was bumping along the lane that led to Miss McGuiness’ house. The late afternoon sun made it difficult to see and the Green Terror skidded and bounced on the rough track. Annie thought of her Dad saying ‘built like a Sherman tank’, and she decided that now she knew what he meant. When she rattled up to the fence, Miss McGuiness was feeding her chickens. She eyed Annie suspiciously. ‘You’re young Araminta’s friend, aren’t you? Where’s she today?’ ‘Oh,’ sobbed Annie. ‘I was hoping you’d know.’ Miss McGuiness hobbled closer, bright black eyes peering into Annie’s face. ‘Tell me, lass, what’s up?’ Annie poured out the whole story. ’... so now I’m afraid she’s gone up to the cave.’ The little old lady shook her head and walked around with small jerky movements.

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Annie heard her mutter, ‘I knew she was headed for trouble, that one. I told them, I told those Harrison kids to let her be.’ Then she came up to Annie. ‘She’s probably just sulking at the Big House, but you could be right. Go after her. Be careful, though. If she’s gone up to the cave, it’s not safe. The floor collapsed years ago. No one’s ever found the bottom of it. Don’t you go in there — you hear me! Don’t you go in there!’ Annie gulped and nodded, unable to speak. Miss McGuiness glanced at the sun. ‘It must be after three. We don’t want that family of Araminta’s making a fuss if we can help it, they’re a sour lot. If you’re not back soon, I’ll get help.’ She peered at Annie. ‘Do you know the way to the cave?’ Annie took a deep breath. ‘Is that the track that goes up by the fork in the river, near Leon’s picnic place?’ The old woman nodded. ‘That’s it, that’s it. All covered by blackberry bushes now. You’ll find a tiny stream running down the hill. Follow it up till you come to a sort of spring. Yo u ’ l l probably hear it.’ Annie remembered what Lucy had called it. ‘Bunyip Pool?’ she asked. ‘ Aye, that’s it, Bunyip Pool, between the rocks and behind the spring. Never liked the place myself, always too dark and spooky.’ She eyed Annie’s pale face and clicked her tongue.

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‘Don’t worry, child. There’s nothing there to harm you as long as you stay out of that cave.’ ‘What about Minty? What if she’s in there?’ Miss McGuiness was like a fierce little hen. ‘Well, if she is, it’s probably too late and she’s in that hole.’ Her voice rasped at Annie, ‘Don’t you go in there too! That won’t help, you hear me? You stay safe outside and, if she’s there, yell at her! Tell her I said she was to come out. If she’s still with them Harrison kids, she may be able to get back. Tell them from me to push her out. You’re not to go in! You get that Leon to help you. He’s got more sense than the others. You stay outside! Promise?’ Annie was happy to promise. If she had her choice she wouldn’t even go back to Fairleigh, let alone the cave. She mumbled a goodbye, climbed on her bike and pushed off up the lane that led to the Big House.

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13

CRISIS IN TIME The gate swung open easily but there was no sudden change into the beautiful gardens that Annie had grown used to seeing. She found it h a rd to breathe and her head felt thick and woozy. The happy welcoming feeling had gone f rom the old house. It stood under the dark overhanging trees looking shabby and lonely, its shape floating and changing in the shadows. Annie wished Geoff, Claire, anyone, was here with her. She struggled to the verandah with feet that seemed to drag through heavy sand. She pushed open the broken french window. The r o o m blurred and changed briefly to its former glory, then faded out of focus again. Voices came and went in the wavering room. Voices she halfrecognised.

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‘Anneee ... Miss Anne ... Miss Annie Shanahan ... Annie ...’ Then, quite close and loud, she heard Leon. ‘Where are you, Annie? Where are you?’ She whirled to find him standing a hand’s distance from her, unable to see or reach her. ‘Leon,’ she shouted. ‘I’m here. Help me! Help me find Minty.’ But he seemed to fade, lose form and then he was gone. Annie’s heart was thudding, her lips felt tight and numb. She had to stop herself from turning and running miles away from Fairleigh. She went on down dim passageways and up dark staircases, through rooms, that only a few days ago, had been bright and gay and full of friendly voices. ‘Minty,’ she called. ‘Minty, answer me!’ and the echoes shouted back at her, ‘Me ... me ... mee ...’ She heard laughter and Mary’s sharp, ‘Well, really!’ followed by Minty’s high-pitched giggle. Still she raced on. Things brushed at her face and veils of web clung to her hair. Sounds were confused, harsh, garbled. Once Annie heard her own voice and found herself mouthing the same words. She realised then that the rooms were full of the shadows and sounds of yesterday, memories that moved towards her and drifted away again. Outside the light began to fade. A slight b reeze stirred the darkening trees. It slipped

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through the shutters, pushing, and sliding down the hall and up the stairs to the nursery. Annie paused. Dust drifted loosely. A curtain lifted and dropped, behind her the door started to bang. In that moment she understood quite clearly. The Harrisons, and probably Minty with them, had slipped into some other dimension, a dimension she was no longer able to reach. Annie was truly frightened. Around her time whirled and sucked, pulling her, first one way then the other. She struggled to breathe, to see. Lights glimmered and vanished, empty laughter echoed down empty stairs. There was only one hope. If the past was still within her reach, she could talk to her friends, try to save them from the cave. She turned and ran out of the house, down the track, towards the creek. Dropping her bike, she stumbled on, terrified that nothing would be there, that the track, the spring, the dark cave were lost forever. She fell, scrambled up and ran on, past where they’d played cricket, past the fork in the river. It could not be far away now. The horizon darkened into purple. Annie edged along the bank, her ears straining to catch the sound of trickling water above the rush of the river and the rasp of her own bre a t h i n g . Everything else was silent — no birds, no crickets. Brambles grew thicker now. Prickly tendrils

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caught at the inside of Annie’s legs and tore her skin. Sobbing, she pulled at the thorny creeper. Blackberries! What had Miss McGuiness said? ‘All covered with blackberry bushes.’ She must be very near. Annie forced herself to breathe quietly. Then, she heard it! The faint tinkling of water. Falling to her knees, she peered beneath the bushes. A small trickle slid down the bank into the river. Sobbing with relief, she pushed through the thick undergrowth and found a path. This had to be it, the track to Bunyip Pool and the cave beyond. She started to climb. Once, looking back down the valley, she saw the lights of a car. Hopefully Miss McGuiness had organised some help. Annie stumbled on, following the faint path and the sound of falling water. Suddenly the stream widened. In the shadow of two overhanging boulders, thick undergrowth crowded down to an edge of black shiny rocks. The water was deep and dark. The sun was gone and there were no reflections in its stillness. If this was Bunyip Pool, Annie could see why Lucy didn’t like it. She cleared her throat and called in a wavering and uncertain voice, ‘Minty. Are you there, Minty?’ There was no reply. What did she do now? Find the cave? Where was it? Annie tried to remember Miss McGuiness’ instructions: ‘Between the ro c k s

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behind the spring.’ Inching along the slimy edge, she reached the overhang between the two boulders and saw a shadowy space between them. Water gushed softly out of a hole in the earth down into a small rocky basin and on into another larger pool beyond. Somewhere in the damp dark place behind must be the entrance to Convicts’ Cave. Annie put a hand on each of the rocks and peered through. ‘ M i n t y,’ she called again. ‘Are you there , Minty?’ Then, ‘Leon. Can you hear me? One of you, come on, answer me!’ Suddenly the entrance to the cave was quite easy to see. A sort of platform extended back into a hollow darkness. Somewhere in there must be the Harrisons and Minty. It took every ounce of Annie’s courage to squeeze through the rocks and work her way towards the cave. She forced down her longing to turn and flee down the hill. ‘Minty! Minty!’ she croaked into the darkness. ‘It’s me, Annie! Come back, please come back. It’s dangerous. Leon, Robert, where are you?’ ‘Right here, Annie,’ said a quite matter-offact voice at her elbow. Annie whirled and there was Leon leaning against one of the rocks. Above him, sitting on a boulder and tossing pebbles into the water, was Robert. Mary and Lucy were on the ledge by the spring.

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A sharp, ‘Well, look who’s here,’ re v e a l e d Minty standing alone by the cave’s mouth, watching Annie with unfriendly eyes. There was an uncomfortable silence. Minty had obviously been talking. ‘I’ve been calling you and calling you,’ said Annie. ‘Yes, we heard,’ remarked Mary. ‘You’re quite disgustingly dirty and we’d better things to do.’ Annie brushed her dress impatiently. ‘Why didn’t you answer?’ Lucy spoke solemnly and rather sadly. ‘Minty told us you had found some new friends and didn’t want to play with us any more. She said you wouldn’t come to the cave or the house. Is that true?’ Annie shook her head. ‘No! I’ve just been to the house and I’m here, aren’t I. But ... I ... that is, we can’t ...’ ‘See,’ sneered Minty. ‘I told you! She’s going to make some excuse! Mistress Shanahan doesn’t want to play with old-fashioned kids like us. She’s got new friends now.’ Leon was watching Annie care f u l l y. ‘Let’s hear what Annie has to say,’ he said. Annie’s voice was shaky to start with, then it got stronger. ‘It’s not that I want to stop playing with you. I’ve loved all the times we’ve played together. They’ve been great. You all know that. It’s just ... just ...’ She stopped uncertainly. She

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couldn’t make herself tell the Harrisons what had happened to them all those years ago. ‘Just what?’ asked Robert. ‘ Well. We have to say goodbye.’ Annie swallowed hard. ‘It’s time for us, for Minty and me, to stop coming to Fairleigh.’ Minty snorted. ‘Speak for yourself.’ Annie went on steadily, ‘ ... and none of you should be up here, either.’ ‘Why ever not?’ said Mary sharply. ‘We always come here. It’s one of our secret places. You said you loved caves and things like that. Yo u ’ re just scared because convicts used it. You’re just a pretender.’ Annie sighed. ‘It’s nothing like that ...’ She glanced at their faces, she was getting nowhere. ‘You see, Minty and me, well, we have to move on, or we may not be able to.’ She was tired and shaky and slid down to sit cross-legged on the damp rock. She went on. ‘You kids never get any older, we do. If we keep going back into the past with you, we’re going to miss out on our own time. We’ll be trapped here forever.’ Mary shrugged. ‘You’ve had no trouble going f rom your time to ours, up till now. I think you’re making this up.’ Annie tried again. ‘Look, do any of you remember the other children you’ve played with?’ Robert stopped dropping pebbles; Lucy asked, ‘What other children?’

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‘Over the years, the other kids like Minty and me who’ve played at the old Fairleigh.’ ‘I don’t know of any other childr e n , ’ announced Mary. ‘We are very particular with whom we mix.’ ‘ Try and r e m e m b e r. Think back. Before Minty.’ Leon spoke slowly. ‘I do, I think. Was there a boy?’ He went very pale. ‘What are you trying to say, Annie?’ Annie looked down at her hands, they were scuffed and bleeding but she hardly noticed any pain. ‘You see, there have been lots of children like us,’ she whispered. ‘Some of them — one of them, at least, never returned.’ ‘I don’t believe you,’ said Mary. ‘Are you accusing us ... that’s a terrible thing to say.’ Minty spoke. Her voice was high and tight. ‘Nobody’s got any proof what happened to that kid. He could have just taken off, or anything.’ ‘So a boy really did disappear, and while playing with us. Is that what you’re saying?’ asked Robert. ‘There’s no proof,’ snapped Minty. Annie was searching for the right words. ‘It’s true. No trace of him was ever found. And no one’s sure what really happened. He could have been lost in the bush, or in a cave like this. Not many people would believe he was caught in a ... a time thing. It’s just that he could ... I mean, I

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know you wouldn’t ...’ Her voice faltered. Leon straightened his back and sighed sadly. ‘Ahh, I see. But if it is true, and he was with us, then we must never take that chance again. Our meetings with you will have to stop. Now. Besides, you are right of course, Annie. No one can grow in two times at once. Our time is a hundred years before yours.’ He looked down and murmured, ‘We hadn’t realised that we might harm you, Annie. I ... we’re so sorry.’ Annie protested. ‘Oh no! I never thought that ... I know you’d never mean to harm us. We’ve been so lucky to know you. It’s just that ...’ she shrugged, falling silent. Lucy looked miserable. ‘But we all had such fun together. And sometimes we don’t have anyone.’ Mary said softly, ‘We have each other, Lu.’ Robert cut in sharply. ‘You said “dangerous” Why is it especially dangerous in this cave?’ Annie hesitated, reluctant to go any further. In the end she stammered, ‘Because ... because people, quite a lot of people have been lost in this cave. And, if either Minty or me ...’ ‘ You mean “Minty or I,” snapped Mary nervously. ‘Oh hush, Mary,’ said Robert. ‘Go on, Annie.’ ‘Yes, well, if either one of us goes in there with you, we would fall down a big hole and be lost forever.’

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No one spoke for a while and then Leon said, ‘Like us, you mean, Annie? Are you trying to tell us that’s what happened to us?’ ‘I’m afraid so,’ murmured Annie. ‘I don’t really understand it all.’ ‘You’re talking nonsense again, of course,’ accused Mary, but she sounded frightened. ‘We often go into the cave. It’s quite all right. There’s no hole there. None of us has disappear e d forever.’ There was a long silence. Then Annie cleared her throat. ‘But there is a hole now. And we will disappear,’ she whispered. ‘It’s what I said,’ said Leon steadily. ‘If there’s even the slightest chance that Annie’s right, then she and Minty mustn’t go anywhere with us any more, especially into the cave.’ Minty broke in angrily. ‘Why do you always listen to Annie?’ Her voice rose on the old whining note. ‘She doesn’t know everything.’ ‘I agree with Leon,’ said Robert stoutly. ‘We always knew we couldn’t keep you with us forever. We knew this day would come. Now we have to say goodbye to both of you.’ ‘Hey!’ shouted Minty. ‘My life’s my own. I don’t have to do what Miss Know-it-all Shanahan says.’ And she whirled and marched deliberately towards the overhang of the cave. ‘Stop, Minty. No further,’ said Leon firmly. ‘This is our time and you are not part of it.’

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Minty looked at him desperately. ‘But I want to be Leon. You are all the best friends I’ve ever had. No one really cares for me back there. Take me with you,’ she was pleading now. ‘If I’m with you, I’ll be all right.’ No one answered her. The Harrison children gathered round Leon. To Annie they had that remote, almost indiff e rent look that she had noticed on the first day. Finally, Robert spoke gently to Minty. ‘We can’t take you, Minty. You must stay with Annie. We’ll try and remember you both, really we will.’ Lucy turned her face into Mary’s skirt, ‘I hate this,’ she whispered. ‘Why does everyone nice have to go away?’ For once, Mary had nothing to say. Leon looked straight at Annie. His eyes were dark and sad. ‘I know how hard this must have been for you, Annie,’ he said softly. ‘And, I’ve got a good idea about the things you haven’t said. Perhaps it will help us to sort things out one day. I promise, I ... we ... will try hard never to forget you.’ ‘I won’t forget you either,’ whispered Annie. ‘You’ll be part of all my memories of Fairleigh. We’ll look after it the way you’d want it.’ Minty’s voice broke in sharply. ‘What you do’s up to you, Annie Shanahan, but you can’t stop me from going with them.’

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‘No,’ said Leon quickly, ‘but I can. You can’t follow if we’re not here. Goodbye, Minty. Goodbye, Annie. It’s been splendid fun ...’ Suddenly the small amphitheatre was empty, the four Harrisons were gone. Faint sounds echoed and drifted in the dusk. Then they also faded. Even the sense of another pr e s e n c e , another time, was gone. Minty and Annie were completely alone. Only bushes crowded the edge of the silent pool. For a minute Minty stood quite still. Then, ‘No!’ she screamed. ‘No ... no ... no ... no! Wait for me.’ And she turned and flung herself into the waiting gloom of the cave. No birds sang, nothing else moved. Annie stood frozen in horror. Suddenly, out of the depths of the cave came a cry of pure terror. ‘Annieee ... Annieeee ... ’

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DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, FOREVER Annie couldn’t move or speak. The scream tore through her body and echoed over and over in her head. Breathing and feeling returned, but she remained riveted to a small rock on the edge of the pool. Her heart was still beating, her hands and feet still moved, but her brain was numb. Her first instinct was to rush after Minty. It took a fall into a shallow rock pool to bring her to her senses. Cold water seeped through the cotton of her dress, sharp rocks scraped her shins and cut the palm of her right hand, but her mind began to work again. Miss McGuiness’ warning, ‘Stay out of that cave!’ echoed in her head. Shaking with shock and fear, she forced herself to think clearly. Help would come soon now. She prayed that

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was right. The main thing was to keep calm. But what about Minty? Where was she? Was she badly hurt? Was she lost down there in that darkness? That didn’t bear thinking about. Clearing her throat, Annie managed a wavering ‘Minty?’ No answer. She tried again. Still no answer. About four feet away to the left, Annie could see that the ledge had broken away. Beyond it again there was total darkness. She went down on her hands and knees and began to inch t o w a rds that darkness. Her insides tre m b l e d and she thought she might throw up, but she reached the edge of the chasm. She coughed and repeated her cry, ‘Minty? Are you down there?’ Everything was silent. She reached out a hand — nothing but cold air. Below her was empty blackness, going down and down. Her dress was soaked, chilling damp seeped into her body, but after a while she could see shapes through, blackness. And the hole was there, waiting at the cave’s entrance. Again and again she called. ‘Minty ... Minty ... Please answer me. Please be there, please be okay!’ Still silence. Annie lay there feeling sick and frightened. The trickling water echoed louder and louder. Her teeth chattered with cold. She found a pebble and dropped it into the hole. It seemed a long time before she heard the faint ‘plop’ as it hit a pool, far below.

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‘ M i n t y,’ she sobbed. ‘Please God, where ’ s Minty?’ Minutes ticked by like hours. Should she stay? Should she run for help? Were the men really coming? Was she doing any good here? Annie desperately wanted to leave. Then out of the darkness came the faintest whisper, ‘Annie!’ Louder, ‘Annie! Help me!’ ‘ M i n t y,’ Annie shouted. ‘Oh thankyou, thankyou, God. Minty, I can’t see you. Where are you?’ ‘Here. You’re right above me, I can see you against the light.’ Her voice was very weak. ‘I can’t move Annie. Help me.’ Annie slid forward on her stomach and peered over the ledge, willing her eyes to cut through the blackness. There seemed nothing at first, then she sensed rather than saw a pale shape clinging to the side of a sloping mound about six metres below. ‘Minty,’ Annie called. ‘Yes! I think I can see you. Are you okay?’ What a stupid question. She tried again.‘Are you hurt?’ ‘I can’t move properly.’ Minty was whimpering in fright and pain. ‘I can’t move an arm and a leg.’ With concentration, Annie was able to see more. A great ridged mound sloped away into the chasm, probably a collection of old stalagmites melded into one. Near the top of the ridge a stalactite had merged, forming a sort of pillar.

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Minty was lying on her stomach, one arm crooked around this pillar. The other lay useless by her side. Her body followed the slope of the rock away into the darkness. If she let go of the pillar she would slide down into that darkness. ‘Help me, Annie,’ Minty was sobbing with terror. ‘I can’t hang on for too long.’ ‘Hold tight! You’ve got to! There’s help coming soon now.’ Annie prayed again that this was true. ‘I’m so scared. Don’t go away, Annie. I’m so scared.’ ‘I’ll stay. Soon the men will be here. It won’t be long now. Just hang on.’ She made her voice sound confident. ‘Geoff and the others should be nearly up the hill. They’ll get you out. Just hold on.’ The terrified weeping went on and on, then it stopped. ‘Minty!’ shouted Annie, cold horr o r sweeping over her. ‘I couldn’t find them, Annie.’ It was a faint whisper. ‘Where did they go? Mary, Robert, all of them. Where did they go?’ Annie gulped with relief. ‘Just back to their own time, Minty, I suppose.’ There was silence for a moment, then Minty’s voice echoed upwards again. ‘Did they ... the Harrisons ... did they fall down here?’

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‘Shshsh, don’t think about it, Minty.’ ‘Did they?’ persisted Minty. ‘I suppose they did, a long time ago. They must have come in here once too often and the floor collapsed. It’s all over now. Don’t think about it.’ ‘Oh God, how horrible. To die like that. I don’t want to die too, Annie. I don’t want to.’ Annie gritted her teeth. It made her sick to think of the terrible accident that had taken her friends. She forced herself to speak firmly. ‘Listen. You’ll be okay, and soon too. I’ll just go and see if the rescue party is coming.’ She started to slide backwards, away from the edge, but Minty’s voice rose hysterically. ‘Don’t leave me alone, Annie. Please don’t leave me alone!’ Annie struggled to keep her voice steady. ‘I have to show them where to come, Minty. They’ll be looking. I won’t be long. I’ll keep yelling so you can hear me.’ ‘It’s so awfully dark down here, Annie. Like one of those black holes in space. It’s all black and there’s no bottom to the blackness. They must have fallen and fallen for e v e r. It’s so horrible. Annie! Annie! Are you still there?’ ‘I’m still here, Minty. Think about something good, think about getting out. The men shouldn’t be far away now.’ Minty’s voice took on a sing-song note.

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‘Annie, if I let go I’ll just slide and slide away — down, down, down, down where the others went. But I’ll never catch them. I’ll just keep falling and falling and falling ... forever and forever and ...’ ‘Minty! Stop it! Don’t go on like that. Help is nearly here.’ ‘I don’t want to fall, Annie.’ ‘Then don’t.’ Panic made Annie sharp. ‘I’m going to the edge of the cave now to see if ...’ ‘Don’t leave me, Annie.’ ‘I’m not leaving you. I’m going to show the men where to find you. I’ll keep talking and you’ll hear me and the men will have you out in no time. Okay? Minty, do you hear me? I won’t be long.’ T h e re was no re p l y, just a faint chanting, ‘Down, down, down.’ It was almost dark outside. The first stars were shining and away to the north the moon had started to rise. Annie took deep breaths of fresh air. The world looked so normal after the cave. She swung her arms and legs to get rid of the pins and needles and called out to let Minty know where she was. In the half-darkness, it wasn’t easy to edge her way back along the rocks. Twice she nearly slipped into the black waters of Bunyip Pool. Thorn bushes crowded close to hold and tear at her skin. Annie fought against panic, against the

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thought she might be trapped here forever. Then she heard the men’s voices. ‘Oh, thank God! Thankyou, thankyou.’ She tried to shout but, as though caught in a nightmare, her voice wouldn’t work properly. Suddenly she broke f ree. ‘Geoff! Here, Geoff. Help! Hurry, hurry, Minty needs help right away.’ G e o ff’s answer was the best sound Annie could think of. ‘I hear you, Annie. We’re coming. Keep calling. We’re nearly there.’ Annie shouted back to Minty, ‘Did you hear that, Minty? They’re here! They came ... they really came. You’ll be out in no time. Hang on!’ Then to Geoff and the rescuers, ‘Over her e , through the two rocks. Be careful. The hole’s right there. Minty’s hanging on down below.’ After that everything seemed to move q u i c k l y. There were men and voices and suddenly her Dad was hugging her. People were e v e r y w h e re. All Annie could think of was showing them where Minty was lying. After that, she remembered Claire wrapping her in a warm blanket and the wonderful taste of hot chocolate and feeling very, very sleepy. It wasn’t easy getting Minty out of the hole but the men had a strong rope and were practised in rescue work. Annie managed to stay awake long enough to learn that Minty was safe. She was suffering from concussion and her left leg and wrist were broken.

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The two girls were carted down the hill on stretchers. Minty was taken off to hospital in someone’s truck and Annie and her Dad, who was holding her very close, went back to the house with Geoff and Claire. It was all rather hazy but Annie remembered being warm and clean with all her scratches fixed up and sinking into a bed with smooth white sheets and a red f l u ffy blanket. After that she didn’t think of anything for quite a while. Claire insisted that Annie spend at least two days in bed. It was rather nice to give in and have the time with her Dad, to tell him the whole story and discuss plans for the future. ‘Oh, Annie,’ he murmured, hugging her close. ‘I wish you’d told me.’ ‘I know, I should have.’ She didn’t know what else to say. She couldn’t be sorry she’d met Leon and the others, but she was sorry she’d hurt her Dad. ‘Well,’ he squeezed her hand. ‘You’re safe, that’s the main thing. And I suppose, in your place, I’d have done the same.’ He laughed. ‘But no more of this past stuff, think about the future.’ Annie nodded her agreement. ‘And what about Claire?’ she asked shyly. Ned grinned and said that if it was all right with her, he’d just keep working on it. There was no hurry.

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‘That’s fine with me,’ said Annie. Word got around that Minty and Annie had found the Convicts’ Cave. Minty was still too sick for visitors but little groups of kids arrived at the Clarkes’ green and white house in Dale Road to listen to all the details. Annie was careful not to mention the Harrisons and the strange things that happened up at Fairleigh. The tale of her search for Minty, and of the accident in the cave, was enough to excite plenty of comment. One evening after the last of them had gone, Annie lay in bed reading a special article on Fairleigh in the local paper. The front page featured a faded picture of the Harrison family. They were grouped on the stone steps by the side garden. Robert had his cricket bat over one shoulder and Lucy, holding a doll, stood next to him. Leon was glancing back with that thoughtful smile Annie knew so well. She peered closer and grinned. Mary looked as though she’d just been bossing everybody around as usual. A separate insert of Captain Harrison looked like an older Leon. Annie sighed. They were another lifetime away. It was like trying to recall people you’d met on a holiday last year. But Annie wanted to remember. She climbed out of bed and went to the window. It was just after dusk and away in the distance she could see the dense patch of

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trees that must be Fairleigh. After a while she could make out the nursery tower and behind it the hill that led to Convicts’ Cave. Annie swallowed back her tears. She was glad she’d gone back into the past and met the Harrisons. As Geoff said, it was a very special kind of experience. But it was even better to be living now and looking forward to the future. ‘Goodbye, old Fairleigh,’ she whispere d . ‘Goodbye, Robert and Mary, Lucy and Leon. I won’t forget. I promise I won’t. ‘

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15

FAIRLEIGH

ÔTHE WAY IT SHOULD BEÕ Minty recovered eventually, but she made no attempt to join in with the community, or at school, or to make new friends. The only person who could get through to her was Miss McGuiness. At fifteen Minty left school and went to live with Miss McGuiness. When the old lady died, Minty inherited the little cottage, with the chooks, the loquat tree, and the memories of old Fairleigh. The final restoration of Fairleigh took four years. The house sparkled and shone with all its old splendour and the gardens were a mass of blossoms around smooth, green lawns.

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In the spring that it was completed, there was a costume ball to celebrate the reopening. Annie went with Tom and Megan and the rest of their c rowd. The first dance was an old-fashioned waltz that they’d practised at school. When the music started, Tom clicked his heels and bowed to Annie, then they swung off round the dance f l o o r. For a moment she was back at that d ressing-up day over a hundred years ago, when she and Minty, with the Harrison girls and Leon and Robert, had dressed up and played elegant ladies and gallant gentlemen. The music changed, the memory faded and Annie went on with the ball. Later that evening, she found herself upstairs in the old nursery. The wallpaper was bright with different animals. Books and games filled the shelves and the rocking horse, lovingly repaired by Geoff, rocked gently backwards and forwards on the polished floor. The room had a just-occupied feeling. Annie smiled and softly touched the place where the Harrison family measurements still showed on the doorjamb. Memories came flooding back. Then suddenly, clear as a bell, she heard Leon’s voice behind her. ‘I didn’t forget either, Annie. I didn’t forget.’

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