Rain Music (21 page)

Toni laughed. ‘It seems that he never told his wife about any of those appointments. Well, she knows about them now, so I expect I'll see him on time, every time, in the future.' Toni sat down again. ‘Ned, I meant to ask you sooner. Are you having fun
with the Bish's box?'

‘What is the Bish's box?' asked Bella curiously.

Ned quickly explained about the box and the letters inside. ‘Sister Evangelista paints terrific word pictures of this place as it was more than a hundred years ago. For a nun, she seemed like a pretty spunky woman.'

‘I don't think you should describe a nun like that,' said Toni with a smile.

‘I'll look forward to reading those letters, too, when I visit this hideout of yours, Ned,' said Bella.

Ned gave Bella a noncommittal look. He hadn't asked her to stay with him and he knew that time spent with her would only lead to arguments. But since Bella knew he'd asked Toni out to the river house, he couldn't think of an excuse to refuse to extend his sister the same courtesy. He felt trapped. He was tempted not to mention the two intruders as he didn't want to put Toni off, so he said nothing. Besides, he'd seen nothing more of the two men, so he had the feeling that it was probably just a one-off event. Maybe, he thought hopefully, Bella would find Carlo's place too rustic and remote and be quickly bored.

The table was silent for a moment until Ned finally said, ‘I'm not sure you'll like it out there, Bella, but if you really want to come, we'll have to leave town by eight sharp, tomorrow morning. Have you got a four-wheel drive?'

‘No, just a small hatchback.'

‘Perhaps you could leave it at the motel and we can travel out together in my car. It's more suited to the rough tracks.'

‘Bella, you can leave your car at my place, if you like,' said Toni.

‘That would be terrific,' said Bella. ‘Then it's settled. Do let me know if there's anything special I need to get in the way of supplies.'

‘No. I did a huge shop last time I was in town, so the house is well stocked. But Bella, I hope you're not expecting anything too glamorous, and there's nothing much out there to do, so bring a book.'

There hadn't been much choice about inviting Bella to the river house, but maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all. Perhaps when Bella accepted that he was adamant about not returning home for his father's ceremony, the subject would be dropped and they could have a few companionable days together. Perhaps.

Outside the restaurant, Toni asked Bella, ‘Are you sure you don't want to come round to my place and have dinner with us tonight?'

‘Thank you, Toni, but it's not necessary. I'll be eating three meals a day with Ned for the next week! Besides, after that lunch, a piece of toast will do me tonight.' She briefly hugged Toni goodbye, and kissed Ned on the cheek. ‘Tomorrow at eight. I'm looking forward to having a few days with you, Ned,' she said, as she climbed into her car.

Ned waved her goodbye and then he and Toni drove back to Toni's place.

‘All right with you if I ring my mother?' he asked when they arrived. When Toni nodded, Ned walked out onto the verandah so as not to disturb Toni and rang Josie. Yes, he told his mother when she answered, he had been very pleased to see Bella and he had asked her to come and stay with him for a few days. His mother seemed to be happy with that piece of news. She talked to him about his concert and his progress with his composing, but she made no mention about his returning home. Maybe, Ned thought, after he'd hung up and was gazing out at the small clouds congregating in the distance, Josie had resigned herself to the fact that he would definitely be a non-starter, and had given up asking. Oddly enough, this thought made Ned feel quite uncomfortable.

Ned and Toni did little that afternoon except sit relaxing together on Toni's lounge, talking quietly. Toni was full of admiration for Ned's performance the night before and was very complimentary. She seemed completely normal, so Ned put aside his doubts and just enjoyed her company. With his arm around her, he said, ‘So you're still happy to come out to Carlo's place next weekend?'

‘Of course. I'm quite curious about what's out there.'

‘Bella might still be there.'

‘I don't mind. I like your sister.'

‘Good, and even if she is still there, it won't stop me from driving into town to collect you.'

‘Ned, that's silly. I know how to get to the Golden Mile, so why don't I meet you there? I could even leave my car at the roadhouse
and let you drive me the rest of the way to Carlo's. I think that might be the easiest plan.'

‘I can't wait to have another weekend with you, Toni. I really like being with you,' said Ned softly.

‘I'm pleased you feel that way, Ned,' answered Toni, and she smiled gently at him. She looked as though she wanted to say something more, but didn't. Instead she leaned across and kissed him.

*

Ned put some
music on in the car and played it very loudly as a means of avoiding conversation. But after they had been travelling for some time, Bella touched his arm.

‘Ned. What about
your
music? Don't you have anything of yours I can hear? What about the new material you've been working on?'

‘Well . . . it's not really ready. I've just been fumbling around with a few ideas . . .' He paused, not wanting to sound like he hadn't done anything. ‘I mean, it's early days, and these things have to gestate first . . . but okay. I can put some music on, just some of my ideas, if you want to listen.'

In a way, Ned wanted to get Bella's feedback on his work. She wasn't as musical as he was, but she knew his work well, she was practical and she never held back her opinions.

As the music started, she said, ‘Is this the only copy? What kind of instruments
do you have to work with?'

‘I rather lucked out with musical equipment. Carlo has a bunch of it. I gather he likes to hold parties. His keyboard has been useful for laying down a few different backing tracks, and he has a set of drums, so I've just made some rough tracks. It's hardly professional, but you'll get the general idea.'

‘I won't ask about a storyline or anything, I just want to get a feel for the sound,' said Bella. She leaned back and closed her eyes, listening intently.

Ned drove on, trying to clear his mind and imagine he was hearing what he'd written for the first time. He thought there was a freshness, a vitality, that was new and different from his previous work. As different as night and day. And he realised that this was literally true. Previously he'd done most of his composing at night, whereas up here he'd spent most of his creative time outdoors by the river or sitting higher up on one of the terraces, strumming chords, searching for images and lyrics, making notations. In the evening he'd sat at the keyboard, polishing and transcribing what he'd done during the day. Now there seemed to be more strength and less tentativeness to his music. It appeared that the dedication and application without interruption had allowed him to be more creative than he'd realised.

As the music finished, Bella turned to Ned.

‘Wow. I'm impressed. I can just see it all, the landscape and the stories I've heard about this place. Your work is so evocative. It makes me think of the ocean and pristine beaches, the coral reefs and the lush tablelands, the humid rainforests with their rare plants and animals as well as the people of this region and their unique stories,' Bella paused and cocked her head. ‘I can imagine the driving force of a surging waterfall and the peacefulness of these wide open spaces. I think I can even hear hints of an Irish ballad, as well as the oriental flavour of a gong, and the muted peal of a bell.'

Ned was impressed by Bella's subtle understanding of his work. ‘Thanks, Bella, that's certainly positive. And you're right, I am trying to tell people who have never been here something about the scenery and history of this area. I want to link them all together in a narrative involving places and incidents
that are part of this amazing region. But the music is only half the picture. There has to be a theme and a story that's the driving force bringing all these ideas together. And that's the part that I'm finding the hardest.' He paused. ‘I find it difficult to talk about what I'm trying to do until it's gelled, and I still can't get it all to come together. But I'm pleased that you like what I've done so far.'

Bella touched his arm. ‘It's really wonderful, Ned.'

‘Thanks, Bell,' Ned said, genuinely smiling at her for the first time. She held his smile for a moment and then they both gazed out of the window for a while in a companionable silence.

‘I've missed talking to you in the past few months, Ned,' Bella said gently. ‘Remember when we were kids, how we talked, how you explained things to me?'

Ned smiled. ‘No,
you
explained them to
me
. You were always very definite about things; how they were, how they should be, what you were going to do. I just listened.'

Bella chuckled. ‘That was just a little girl laying down how she saw the world. And you never disagreed or corrected me. You let me believe that what I thought was how it was.'

‘Why not? Your little-girl fantasies would soon dissolve when confronted with the harsh realities of growing up. I didn't want to be the one to tell you that's not how things are and disillusion you,' said Ned. ‘I knew you'd find out soon enough.'

‘Why are you so disenchanted?' asked Bella. ‘Is it Ash? Brendan saw her the other day, by the way.'

‘Ashleigh? No.' He paused. ‘Is she okay?'

‘Do you care?' Then, obviously seeing the angry expression on Ned's face, she quickly said, ‘Sorry, Ned. I was fond of her. I've never understood –'

‘Bella. Not now, please.'

‘That's what you always say,' said Bella, becoming frustrated. They had seemed to be really connecting and now he was shutting down again. ‘You always want to escape from any conversation that might require having to explain yourself.'

‘I just want to get on with my life. And for the moment my life is music,' Ned said, gripping the steering wheel.

Bella was silent for a moment, but eventually said, ‘Okay, let's go back to your music. What exactly is the issue? Do you have writer's block?'

‘I'm not sure. Maybe I'm just frustrated because I know what I want to do with my music, but no matter how hard I try, I can't get it right. I feel like the captain of an empty ship at the moment, setting out on a journey into uncharted waters. I know I'll need a crew beside me at some stage – an arranger, orchestrator, director, conductor, recording engineer. I have a sense of what's needed overall: music and lyrics, a great story, wonderful characters, a plot that engages the audience, unforgettable moments where the story pauses and a song lands to illuminate that moment. The audience needs to know quickly where we are, when it is, who it is about. I need a hook that identifies this, and a theme that links it all together, and I can't seem to find that hook.'

‘You mean something that was there once and is still there now? Like a river, say?' said Bella. ‘Or a mountain.'

Ned glanced at his sister. ‘Maybe. Hmm. A river. That might work.'

The two of them sat silently for a few minutes until Ned suddenly turned his vehicle into the carpark in front of the Golden Mile Roadhouse.

‘I want to stop here for a few minutes. I don't need to pick up any supplies, I got the few items I needed in Cooktown, but I want to let my friends know that Toni will probably be leaving her car here next weekend. Come on in, I'd like you to meet Frederick and Theresa.'

When they entered the roadhouse, Theresa immedi
ately shouted out a greeting and Frederick came over to shake Ned's hand.

‘Good to see you, mate,' he said.

Ned gestured to Bella. ‘Frederick, this is my sister, Bella. She'll be staying with me for a few days.'

‘G'day,' Frederick said, shaking Bella's hand. ‘You'll like it out there, Bella. Bit remote, but really lovely. At night you can see a million stars. Make the most of it before the rainy season starts.'

‘How long do you reckon we've got?' asked Ned.

‘Oh, maybe a little while yet, but there's no doubt that things are heading that way,' replied Frederick. ‘You two got time for a coffee before you set off for Carlo's?'

‘Sure have,' said Ned.

Ten minutes later, the four of them were seated around one of the tables in the roadhouse, drinking cups of hot, freshly brewed coffee.

‘This is delicious,' said Bella. ‘This roadhouse seems so remote. Do you enjoy being this far away from civilisation?'

‘We do,' said Theresa, nodding. ‘There're always interesting people passing through, usually on the way to Cape York or heading south towards Mareeba or Cairns. Surprising the number of people who want to take a trip as far north as they can go and tell their friends they've been to the top of Australia. Mind you, the season for travellers is almost over. Not long now till the road becomes impassable, even for four-wheel drives.'

‘Because of the rain?' asked Bella.

‘Sure is. It comes down in sheets and you can't drive on the dirt roads. The rivers flood. It wasn't that long ago that Cooktown was cut off from the rest of the country in the wet. Now that the all-weather road has been put through, that doesn't happen. Not that many people go to Cooktown in the rainy season.'

‘Ned,' said Bella, ‘you aren't staying here in the rainy season, are you?'

Ned shook his head. ‘No, I intend to be well out of here by then, don't worry.'

As they drank their coffee, Bella looked around the roadhouse. Interested by Frederick's goldfield memorabilia, she excused herself and went over to have a closer look.