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‘When?’

‘When?’ Fleur repeated, confused.

‘Yes. I’m guessing this isn’t an isolated event simply after ice-cream.’ He peered at her over his spectacles.

She blinked at the scrutiny. ‘Well, the truth is, Dr Parsons, I feel nauseated most mornings these days. Usually when I wake, but the queasiness can hang around. I’m sure it’s nothing.’

It was his turn to chuckle. ‘Fleur, my dear. How are your monthlies?’

She stared at him. Then her mouth slackened in surprise.

‘Haven’t seen one in a while, I’m guessing?’

Now her mouth opened but she didn’t know what to say because her throat was so dry and all the words felt jumbled in the shock of what he was intimating. No, not intimating – telling her.

She cleared her throat. ‘Surely not?’ she asked in a small voice.

‘Well, as I’m presuming you know how it happens, I’m also presuming that ring on your finger was given to you by the young man in question. You’d better be suggesting to him that he come up with a wedding day, and fast.’ He laughed. ‘I met him. I liked him. He seemed moonstruck with you.’

‘When?’

‘At the police station. He came in with the Coglins, for some reason, rather banged up, and I asked him to let me check his wounds. I lanced a blood blister that was keeping his eye closed. Anyway, we talked and Henry came up in conversation, then you did and . . . well, he struck me as a reticent fellow but when it came to you, his eyes lit. I wish you much happiness, Fleur.’

‘Dr Parsons, you won’t—’

‘Not a soul, my dear Fleur. If you hurry, no one will be any the wiser.’

But now she’d missed Tom. If he wasn’t home for six months, their baby would be nearly due. Would he want them? Could she convince him this child was his, and not Jimmy’s?

She began to cry, no hard sobs but a leaking of tears that wouldn’t stop as they dampened the pillow. She had no idea when she finally fell asleep and delivered her from her sorrow.

Fleur was up early. She had no choice but to wear the special green dress she had bought especially to see Tom. He had once whispered to her that green was the colour that was missing in the outback.

‘We have silver greens, and greyish greens, and even blueish greens,’ he’d explained, twirling her hair through his fingers. ‘But my mother used to talk about the grass on her travels through Europe being this sort of luminous green, full of rich chlorophyll.’

She loved that Tom used words like this, and she wanted to smile imagining what sort of expression would appear on Jimmy Coglin’s face if she mentioned chlorophyll to him. It wasn’t about being superior; it was about knowledge and a love of learning and acquiring new information.

‘This green – she talked about it a lot and one day I want to see it. We’ll go together.’ He’d smiled into her eyes.

Fleur had searched and found a dress that was deep emerald, with a small floral print in a lighter shade and spots of black, like tiny flecks of ink beneath the flowers. The long sleeves were cuffed and at her neck, a length of the same fabric formed the collar and tied into a neat bow. She had known immediately that dress was for Tom but she had no choice but to wear it now because she’d managed to get yesterday’s dress rather grimy with all of the changes of seats and the dust. She could wear it with her neat black brogues as John had advised. Tom would never see her in the green he dreamed of, and she breathed out her frustration and melancholy, determined to not force her mood on anyone else.

She arrived into the parlour before most in the family had stirred – even Frieda hadn’t arrived – but it didn’t take long for others to start emerging.

Eva swept in, wearing a silken day dress. It seemed rather fancy for Farina but Fleur admonished herself that she didn’t know what was appropriate or not for the region.

‘You look lovely, Mrs Bell.’

‘Thank you, dear. You, however, don’t look as though you’ve slept.’

Fleur gave a soft sigh. ‘Not much, but I’m very grateful for your kindness and the bed. Thank you.’

‘What do you plan to do?’

‘I shall go home. Um, I gather there may be a returning train today?’

Eva nodded as John arrived and not too far behind him, his brother, Bruce.

‘Fleur is taking the morning train back to Adelaide, John. Perhaps you could accompany her to the station before our visitors start arriving?’ Eva urged. She looked back at Fleur. ‘I’m hosting a welcome for John, although I suspect it shall probably be more of a farewell to my boy, who is travelling to England.’