We left Radna in the room with a cup of tea and a woman constable. But somebody carelessly left the door ajar. And Jim and I had a disagreement outside the room, in the corridor.
Jim said, ‘I think we’ve found Eleanour and I can’t see why we don’t exhume her. You’re wrong about this, Bart!’
‘I totally disagree, I’ve seen many gravesites and I’ll swear, from your description, that’s not one. It just looks like one, I think. Move on! You’re wasting your time. There’s no smell, the cadaver dog walked over it and didn’t react. Nope, my friend. It’s time to give up on that site. Move elsewhere! And I don’t give up those areas lightly. It’s amazing what’s found in those murder sites. Once, a woman in her death throes, pulled a tiny ribbon off her murderer’s dress and the fingers concealed it until we dug her up. The ribbon matched the perpetrator’s dress. Believe me, mate, I wouldn’t give this advice without good reason. Go elsewhere. Anyway, I think Radna’s too smart to have buried Eleanour that close to the road. Let her go!’
We moved off down the corridor, still arguing.
So Jim Toomey reluctantly agreed and my driver took me home. It was night, but Tessa was on the front veranda, reading, among the bugs, waiting for me.
The next night we staked out the site. Tessa and I were in a Police car with a constable and we were parked where all, except blind me, could view the grave site, admittedly from a distance. It was a long, hot night and nothing happened. Jim wanted to go home, but I wanted to stay all night. There were strong protests but I won. I was wrong. Nothing happened and Tess slept on my shoulder all the way home.
The same for the week, but only us and two officers, closer in. Tessa stuck with me loyally, never questioning my resolve.
‘This is my husband in action as a Policeman, and I won’t ever see that again,’ she said. And running up a big overtime bill at the Beaufort Police Station, I thought.
Don Simmons, the Commissioner, rang me and questioned me very hard. But I was stubborn.
‘I’m right, Don. I’m sure of it. Wear them down is the trick. I won’t let you down.’
The next night Radna and her son turned up but didn’t approach the site. They were cautious and went home after 30 minutes of watching. All our observers were hidden and still. The same the next night and then, on the third night they approached the site. The constable was describing what was happening, torches flashing at the grave site and lightning flashing on the horizon with an approaching storm. Tessa clutched me hard.
Lightning flashing on the horizon, and thunder, and torches flashing at the gravesite, and shouting and chasing, and lightning flashing---- and I could see it all.
I didn’t say anything but quietly looked at Tessa. She was beautiful. Her profile was astonishing and I loved her. I didn’t say anything! It mightn’t last!
We waited and Jim came over and said they’d caught Radna and Peter cold, with shovels, preparing to dig up the body. They’d had a row on the spot and the son had spilled the lot, about how Radna had killed Eleanour with a hammer.
‘I’ve rung the Commissioner and he said he’d never doubted you for a second. It’s been a lesson, Bart. All that stuff I’ve heard. Take them home, Constable, and thank you both.’
We went home and I didn’t say a thing. I let her guide me. I was afraid it would go and then there’d be despair. At least now I had hope.
That night I waited until I could hear Tessa’s steady breathing, then I moved out of bed and sat looking at her, drinking in the perfection of her. I sat staring at her, listening to her breathe until the dawn was nearing. Quickly, I did a tour of the house and then looked out over our property from the veranda. Then back to Tessa who was beginning to stir. I crept back into bed, kissed her softly on the mouth and closed my eyes. I tried to stay awake but soon slept.
28.
The next morning, I was blind again.
Something had happened in my sleep. I was glad that I’d stayed silent and I put on a jolly act for my wife. She was very proud of me over the night’s events and I wallowed in it. But, away from her, I settled to the thought that I’d be blind for the rest of my life. No hope now!
Let’s just concentrate on our baby.
I had no duties in connection with the trial so Tessa and I packed up and drove to our unit in Brisbane, repairs finished. We were seven months into the pregnancy and Sophie came to us.
Tessa was rudely healthy—walks in the park every day, quiet sits on the balcony while she read to me and then she’d lie with her head on my lap, and I stroked her hair and her beautiful face until it was my turn to listen to the heartbeats and feel the kicks when they came.
Then it was time—a magic time. Sophie had Tess and me to look after, and she was great.
Tessadonna clutched my hands as she gave birth and she yelped a bit. And then she’d let go; and then she’d call to me again and grab me again.
‘It hurts, darling!’ she said, ‘Hold tight. I love you! Yow!!!’ And then some German which might have been raw. I recognised a word or two from the Jillaroo School when things had gone wrong. It all went on for quite a while.
And then we were through. I was buggered so I could only imagine how she felt. I was guided away and then guided back to my wife and my son, Richard Barton Peter Gerhardt Corrigan.
‘Hello, darling. Meet your son.’ And she guided my hand to his head and I gently felt it and then put my head down and kissed him. I held them both gently and she softly kissed me all over my face. They let me hold him and it was then that I really resented my blindness. I desperately wanted to see him.
‘He has thick black hair like yours and I think he has your blue eyes and he’ll have beautiful eyelashes. Feel his perfect little hands and feet. He’s handsome, Bart. We scored a winner there. What a wonderful couple we are?’
They didn’t leave Tess in hospital long and, anyway, she didn’t want to be there long. Both Tess and Sophie trained me in the arts, sightless and all, and I never dropped him or submerged him once, not even close. But I never went near any risks.
Tess weaned him fairly quickly, for my sake, I think, so I could bottle-feed him and be part of the rearing process. She’s wonderful isn’t she? And then we went home to Corrigan Cattle, presented him to our two dark friends and we were away—the perfect little family.
I did all my duties and worked with Harold on the property as best I could. Tess had her hands full.
29.
One morning the busy breakfast was happening. I’d bottle-fed Richard and then was putting him over my shoulder for a burp, but he beat me to it and spread his undigested milk all over my front as well as my shoulder. I was still pretty unskilled in all of this. I was not impressed but Tessadonna thought it was hilarious.
She took him and said, ‘Go and have a shower, darling. I’ll hold the fort here until normal transmission can be resumed. What a wonderful part of parenthood? I suppose your appetite has gone?’
‘Well, he did his best. I’ll give him that!’
I had my shower and bent down to dry my feet, conceitedly not bending my knees. It was a daily test.
When I straightened up, I could see.
Dimly and foggily at first but quickly clearing.
I stood and looked in the mirror and there I was, just as handsome as ever.
It was coming and going and I waited until I had ten continuous minutes of clear sight.
Now I was sure.
I’d been there a while and Tessa called to me.
‘I’m ok,’ I called back. ‘Be there soon.’
‘Please,’ I murmured to myself. ‘Please let it last, not for me but for them, for her.’
I’d tell her this time and I’d even tell Richard.
I dressed speedily and went to the kitchen where the clean-up had been completed and Tessa was singing softly to him.
I held the lintel, leaning in the doorway, and smiled with the joy of it. Richard spotted me and gave some squeals, kicking his heels a bit. Tessa didn’t turn. She was beautiful—the graceful arch of her neck, the honey blonde hair falling down her back, her lovely chin, her absolutely wonderful profile and her graceful figure, now through the plumpness of pregnancy. How was she mine?
‘Yes, darling. Daddy’s back, all clean just like you.’
He continued to squeal and she turned to find what the fuss was and then she saw, and I have never seen anyone more beautiful in my life.
She flew to me, crying furiously and held me, kissing furiously. She couldn’t talk and neither could I. He was still squealing so I walked us over and picked him up and we squashed him in our embrace.
She pulled me into our bedroom and pulled me down on the bed. We put the child on the bed and I wanted to stare at him but then my wife began to prepare for love. Tessa took him to his cot in the nursery next door and then we made love with me being the partner, as long ago, no longer slightly wondering what she wanted to do next, and fumbling a bit.
And, in all of this, neither of us spoke a word, until we reached our peak and the words of love and passion began to pour out. I don’t know how she did it, but she was my lover while crying and laughing furiously, at the same time. It was a joyful time.
****
And the great love affair among the Corrigans began. Tessa was besotted with her new husband, holding my face and staring unbelieving into my eyes. I stared back, not able to get enough of her beauty.
I, in turn, was besotted with my son. I’d gone six months without seeing him so I held him every waking minute of the day, until Tess gently eased him away. He stared back. When he was asleep I stood beside his cot and stared at him, gently touching his hair or his hand or his foot. Fascinated.
And then the three of us held together, laughing and giggling and just being the Corrigans. No room for anyone else. How could anyone love each other so much? But we did!
Tessa, still unbelieving, kept watching me, waiting for my sight to go again, despite my assurances. She loved me hard and continuously… afraid.
She didn’t spread the word, afraid, and I accepted that. I’d accept anything.
But I was sure that I’d passed through whatever it was that had afflicted me.
She wanted me to go to a doctor or specialist but nobody was going to poke around these precious instruments of mine that had gone and then returned. I didn’t want to know what had gone wrong, but I doubted they’d be able to tell me anyway. They hadn’t before.
We had some slight disputes over this, but I never yielded and Tessa’s stirred reaction to this was to plonk Richard in his cot, and then jump my bones. It was good!
Richard loved the sea and I didn’t mind being with Tessa in a bikini. We held him between us and he squealed with laughter even when copping a little wave in the face. Corrigan Constructions built some magnificent sand-castles. He slept soundly all the way home.
When he was 14 months we agreed that it was time for us to present our handsome child to the people of his country---his mother’s country. After all, given the right circumstances, he could be the ruler, although unlikely now. So Tessa spread the word of my recovery to all. There were some excited responses and some resentful ones, about not being told earlier, but she smoothed everyone’s feelings and they understood.
We flew to Bassenburg du Mont, where David greeted us. He’d arranged a presentation of Richard from the Royal balcony, but Tess and I had discussed this on the way. There’d be no holding him high above the unclean masses---we took him down to the village streets and strolled among the people. Richard was a bit bewildered at first, and the people were wary. Then he wriggled in my arms until I put him down and he tottered across to another little boy standing at the side of the village street and then our boy was one of the people.
Soon Tess scooped him up, ‘Come, baby, you’re a bit too close to the ground here.’ There was a bit of manure lying around, which Tessa had frowned at. Not in her day!
People put up their hands in greeting and Richard tried to give them tiny high fives as he did with me at home.
We went to the inn. Tess and I had a drink while Richard joined some other little kids for play. He needed that. Then Tessa spotted a yawn and I carried him up to the castle on my shoulders and then in my arms. He was fast asleep by the time we put him down. She changed him into his pyjamas and then we stood, over his cot, holding each other, staring down at him, so proud of our handiwork and a long, long way from the bush and brown snakes.
We stayed three months, with Richard joining playgroups, and then we returned home.
It happened. Not long after, Tessa announced another child and the same procedure passed----child born, a boy named Peter, and lots of other names, and reared in great happiness and presented to the people of Bassenburg du Mont, a little older this time.
Tessa was not relaxing about my eyes so I did consent to go to an eye specialist in Vienna, simply because I loved her. The result was exactly as predicted; he couldn’t give much information whatsoever. But he did think it was permanent.