Doomed Dynasty Pt. 03

"It's all right," said Milly putting out her right hand. Patricia grasped it, and kissed it.

As Milly steered the Chevy down towards the Bridger's ranch house she related how that exciting holiday stay of late 1946 turned into a nightmare, warning Patricia to keep calm as she about to hear something that might upset her.

The Durham family and Milly were driving home to the ranch one evening. It was snowing, and very cold. As they came to a corner a truck came sliding over the road and clipped their car, quite gently in fact. But the car spun on the icy road and slammed into a tree, bringing it to an abrupt halt.

Milly, who'd been asleep in the back seat, escaped with severe bruising but Amos and his mother, Robyn, both sitting on the side of the car taking the greatest impact against the tree, were killed, Amos dying instantly and Robyn went within the hour. Dean suffered severe rib injuries, and was rushed to hospital along with Milly.

One day while Dean was still recovering in hospital, Milly visited a doctor and found that she was pregnant. She had to decide whether to share her secret or to say nothing and return home, finally deciding her loyalty lay with Dean who was ecstatic when told the news, believing he had a family again.

As Milly turned the Chevy turned into the entrance leading to the Bridger's homestead, Patricia sat quietly, realizing something unpleasant was about to be related.

Milly took them back to 1946. She recalled cabling her brother knowing Curtis would handle the arrival of a cable better than her parents, saying that she had decided to stay on for a while. Nothing was mentioned about the victims of the accident or Milly's pregnancy.

A month or so later Dean told Milly they were off late that month for a quick holiday.

Delighted, she asked where and was told Salt Lake City to get married, if she'd have him.

"I flew into his arms," Milly recalled, weeping with Patricia patting her shoulder.

Dean's lawyer managed to get her application for American citizenship fast-tracked, pointing out that his client was a decorated war vet and his liaison with his bride-to-be had commenced when he was stationed in New Zealand during the war. It was true that Dean had been stationed in Wellington during the war but in fact he'd had no inkling of the existence across in the South Island of the Curtis family nor in particular of their young teenage daughter Milly. Milly made a declaration that they had been lovers.

She cabled her parents via Collier and understandably everyone was extremely upset. Collier would tell her in a letter he'd wanted to jump on the first available plane and "knock the bastard's block off." Instead he cabled asking for more details and when called to the Post Office to collect the reply was devastated to learn the full story from Dean. The long message must have cost a fortune to send an international communication in those days was expensive and fairly primitive. Saddened by news of the two deaths and angered by Milly's adulterous affair and with both Milly and Dean having deceived them, Collier threw up his hands, told his parents what they needed to know, and cabled his father's consent. Collier decided to shield even his new wife from the truth. He then had to comfort the weeping Patricia, upset and knowing there was no chance of attending her sister-in-law's wedding as the marriage would occur over the next few days in far off America.

Milly wiped her eyes, and Patricia followed suit, and waited expecting to now hear about the unhappy ending.

Milly said it was a very brief and tragic marriage. Two weeks after the birth of a beautiful boy, the baby developed and embolism and died a few hours later in hospital. Dean was beside himself in grief and two nights later shot himself.

It was a terrible time for Milly, but the community came to her assistance. She had decided to return home after the funeral but on the morning of the burial Dean's lawyer called on her and advised her that Dean had named her as his sole beneficiary. The Bar 2X ranch and all of Dean's other assets were hers. The lawyer said he did not expect any problems with any of Dean's relatives contesting the will because it was a perfectly explicit document.

That evening she cabled Collier, advising him and her parents of what had happened, that she would never return home. Collier simply told Patricia and his parents that Milly was having 'a bit of a down' but was determined to stay in Wyoming forever. His parents were upset that their daughter was unhappy in that far-off land and by the end of the week Collier boarded an aircraft to commence his first visit to Wyoming.

Milly stopped the vehicle and turning opened her arms and Patricia, the softer of the two, fell into them, weeping.

"I'm sorry, Patricia for my part in the deception. My actions were of my own choosing and I suffered the heartbreaks accordingly. It suited me to remain deceitful and it was Collier's decision to withhold the information I gave him. I am indebted to the way that you and Collier supported me emotionally and above all the way you encouraged him to visit me. I now offer you a thousand apologies; being in love and then becoming desperate can encourage people to do some hurtful things. Remarkably, the one good thing about all of this was within days of Collier's first arrival he'd discovered he'd found a second home; he adored being here."

The two women increased their grip on each other and wailed in a great released of emotion.

"Hey, are you two coming out of that vehicle," called a broad-faced blonde woman of forty something, her lips parted by an enormous smile. "Hello, Milly dear. At last we meet Patricia, how wonderful."

Patricia climbed out of the pickup and was enveloped in a perfumed bear hug by Martha who was more than a head taller.

Rarely, thought Patricia, had she seen such an open, welcoming expression as she saw on Martha's face. No wonder her husband had fallen for this American charmer. Any man would be in peril if she turned her eyes on him.

"My dears come inside. Lukas has gone off somewhere but I've got a special bottle of wine for this very occasion. Ladies let's get talking."

Well before it was time for Patricia to return home she found she was very happy; her grief over Collier had just slipped away. She felt she had truly regained Milly as her sister-in-law and now had a very wonderful new friend in Martha. Even better, she knew that in a few weeks she would be seeing them again at the wedding.

The parting at the airport was lengthened by the late arrival of Patricia's aircraft, so there was time to talk about her visit and share thoughts about her.

Ponto remained impassive while Cody told Lukas that looking at the scene of the sad faces of the women in front of them, dabbing their eyes, he could almost hear someone singing 'When the Next Teardrop Falls'.

"Curtis certainly picked a real lady for his wife," commented Lukas, who'd enjoyed many long chats with Patricia about literature, opera and international affairs.

One evening when Martha, excusing herself from one the highbrow discussion to go out to make supper, Patricia said to him: "You know, I think I should tell you something I suspected about Curtis and Martha."

Lukas hushed her and said, "Let it be Patricia. Let's say nothing to spoil the magic of their times together."

Patricia felt a great peace; she'd had a release of something deep inside her.

* * *

Matt couldn't believe the change in his mother on her arrival home. She seemed brighter and far more relaxed, more like she'd been when he was a young teenager. He was tremendously gratified, realising as well this would make it easier for his mother and Courtney to live in the same homestead.

* * *

On a rainy mid-morning in August, Vikki watched a woman drive up in Matt's Land Rover and dash across the street towards her. The owner of the Riverside Café knew who she was, though they had not been introduced.

"Good morning. I'm Courtney Sterling, Matt Curtis' fiancée," she said, removing her black Stetson and leather jacket, putting both on the coat-stand just inside the door.

"Hello, I have been waiting to meet you. Welcome to the café. Coffee?"

Courtney waited until Vikki returned with a cup of coffee and a hot scone, which was left untouched.

"Matt has engaged you to cater for our wedding, although I don't know why. I thought he would have given the job to The Settlers' Retreat. He just went ahead without discussing it with me."

"Oh dear, men! Of course he should have consulted you, it's your big day. Never mind, just ask the hotel to do your catering. I hope you have a fabulous day."

Startled, Courtney took out a handkerchief and gently blew her nose to try to overcome her confusion. She decided to ease back. "Oh, I had not anticipated that reaction. I honestly don't quite know what to say. I would love to hear why Matt let the contract to you."

"Matt and I go back a long way. I was a tearful little girl on my first day at school and I was left standing there at morning playtime alone in my misery. Then this boy came close to me and said, 'Big girls who go to school don't cry.' I'll always remember that. Matt was that boy and he became my first friend at primary school. We are still close."

Resisting the impulse to ask how close, Courtney said that invitations were going out to 280 people, so she thought that it would take the full resources of the hotel to cater for that large number. "That's why I was surprised that he engaged you."

"Well, all he said was 'Want to do the wedding?' and I nodded. I asked him about the expected number of guests, and he shrugged and replied that I should get the details and discuss the menu with you. I anticipated you would come in when you were ready, and here you are."

Perplexed that Vikki was so unbothered at being confronted, Courtney tried another tack. "I've stayed at The Settlers' Retreat and found their dinning room to be rather good for a country town. They could be difficult to match."

"I'm really not interested in competing against anyone Miss Sterling," Vikki said evenly. "I will present a wedding breakfast to a standard that the hotel has never achieved, and never will. I am a master chef by trade and have been in charge of catering for small art gallery openings to big events catering in excess of 1000 people to a sit down dinner. But that's beside the point, you don't want me involved with your wedding and that's fine by me."

"Oh, no; not at all. I'm so sorry. I was just caught by surprise. I knew nothing about you and I honestly thought that Matt had landed you with a job that might overwhelm you. I now rather think that's not the case. I'd like to start again: Hello Vikki, I'm Courtney Sterling. Please call me Courtney. My what a lovely café you have here."

"Hello Courtney. My God, it's true. The gossip around here is that Matt has found a stunning beauty from Wellington. This is the first time ever that I've known the gossip to be true. How do you do!"

They looked at each other and both burst out laughing.

"Look if it's convenient why don't you pull up a chair and tell me your menu ideas," Courtney said.. "I'd like to hear them."

During the days leading up to the wedding, farmland and bared hills were toasted by the sun and dried by the unrelenting warm airflows off the ranges. It was typical February weather for Marlborough with urban people enjoying some of New Zealand's best weather, farmers becoming increasingly grumpy and uneasy as the drought took hold.

As wedding guests descended on Miranda, numerous reunions occurred, none being more robust than Milly's arrival, with Cody, Lukas and Martha. The party from Wyoming had spent the previous two days at the Sterling's home. They accompanied the bride-to-be and her parents and chief bridesmaid Elizabeth to the Curtis's home.

Just as Patricia had been on her return from Wyoming, these VIP visitors were astonished at the transformation of Aberdeen. The old-style architecture had been retained but the new extensions had been integrated well and inside the home was spacious, light and beautifully colour-coordinated.

"My, your architects and colour consultants have performed a great service for you," Martha said.

"Architects, colour consultants? No the design and décor and furnishings are entirely Courtney's work and the builder just drew up the plans under her supervision," Patricia announced proudly.

"Well, I'd be darned!" Milly exclaimed. "Big nephew has certainly found himself a little gem. Where are they?"

"They've gone tramping for a couple of days but will be home tonight," Patricia said. "They just wanted a couple of days to themselves."

"Hope they were chaperoned?" commented Milly, drawing some giggles.

Before the couple had left on their tramp, Patricia had spoken to Matt about pre-wedding day arrangements.

"You can't stay here on the night before the wedding as it's traditional for the bride and groom not to see each other until the at the church on their wedding day," said his mother. "You'll have to stay somewhere else perhaps for both nights."

"The pub?"

"Yes, of course," said Patricia, not hearing him properly and assuming he would be sleeping at the farm. She was solving an accommodation problem; two of the bridesmaids could sleep in Matt's room and another on the sofa in his study.

Returned from their tramp and enjoying the lively reunion with the houseguests from Wyoming, Matt phoned his best man Merv Higgs at the hotel. Matt told him he'd be spending his last two nights of freedom at the pub.

"Oh that's great. I have a twin room so you can have the other bed. You better get down here as soon as you can," he urged. "Some of Courtney's mates have arrived and are getting stuck into the grog in the house bar, and there's one to spare. Looks a real goer, like all of her friends."

"Well, I don't know about that," Matt replied. "I'm almost a married man."

Merv laughed. "Who said anything about shagging, though that might be on, No, these sheilas are singing their little hearts out. We've having great fun. Get down here as soon as you can. Bye."

Matt packed a small suitcase, changing into his drinking gear, and picked up the black linen hanging bag containing his hired morning suit and accessories. He went to find Patricia to say goodbye.

"Courtney says she's got so much to do that it's best I bugger off or did she say go off? Can't remember."

Eying him dressed in a striped rugby jersey, shorts and sandals, Patricia said in surprise, "Are you going to do work at the farm?"

"Maybe I will, maybe I won't," replied her son, truthfully.

Milly and Martha covered his face in lipstick and Courtney brushed them aside to add her contribution.

"Where are you off to?" Cody inquired hopefully.

"Oh here and there," replied Matt, heading out of the door. He gave Cody a huge wink.

Just before 10:00 Cody answered one of the many phone calls that had been coming to the house. He managed the call without requiring assistance.

Fifteen minutes later a vehicle making the distinctive grinding noise like Matt's Land Rover arrived outside, and drove off seconds later. It was only then noticed Cody and Lukas were nowhere to be found. By midnight Courtney and Elizabeth had gone off to bed and Patricia and Martha were a little concerned. Cody and Lukas had not returned.

Milly took control. She went out of the room to make a phone call and returned with a huge smile. "They're safe, sound and probably getting drunk. I phoned the hotel and the duty manager confirmed that there are two Yanks there, both in cowboy hats, and surrounded by a bunch of females hanging on to their every word."

"Goodness I hope they will be safe," ventured Patricia. "Some of our local girls have a bit of a reputation you know."

"The manager also said Matt's there."

"Oh," said Patricia, relieved. "If Matt's with them they'll be quite all right."

Martha and Milly exchanged glances, raising eyebrows.

"You go to bed mum," Milly said. "Martha and I are off to the hotel."

"Be careful my dears. I understand it can get pretty rough there on Friday nights."

"Oh goodie," Milly squeaked. Grabbing the keys of her mother-in-law's car she said to Martha, "Slap on some lipstick, gorgeous and we're off. You're going to a party the likes of which you've never seen before."

They found a parking space some distance from The Settlers' Retreat, and heard the throbbing din before reaching the premises.

"We're house guests, room twenty-eight," announced Milly creatively to the huge man baring their entry. Milly eyed him unwaveringly and he pulled the door open for them without asking for further verification.

"Sorry about the din," he apologised. "Hope you ladies get a good night's sleep."

As the door closed behind them Martha grabbed Milly by the hand and giggled, "You've missed your vocation. You would make a great con artist."

They entered the public bar and Martha was surprised, almost shocked. She'd been to a few rowdy drinking holes, as she called them, but nothing like this. Men leaning against the long wooden bar were quaffing huge glasses of beer. Some were drinking beer straight out of quart bottles.

"Welcome to New Zealand. You're looking at a good old Kiwi country bash," Milly screamed into Martha's ear. Scream she had to, because the noise of the shouting and raunchy heavily amplified music was deafening.

Milly, eyes shining in excitement, returned with two glasses of amber liquid. "Try this," she shouted. "You'll not have had it before. It's called Pimms Number One Cup that our dear Kiwi blokes charmingly call Leg Opener Number 2. Their version of Number One is any drink with gin in it."

Martha beamed, enjoying that disgusting disclosure. She'd decided that she was ready to party, having already downed several drinks during the afternoon followed by wine with dinner. She grabbed Milly by the shoulder and pointed to a corner of the room, where a man lay half straddled over a woman, his hand obviously going towards a place that clearly identified him as being no gentleman. "Pimms Number One is beginning to work," she observed dryly.

Milly shrieked with laughter and pulled Martha through the revellers towards where people were watching something.

A great shout went up and a quite well developed young woman was hoisted on to a tabletop, naked to the waist.

"Cripes," said Milly in awe. "That's one of Courtney's bridesmaids. I thought they had gone to bed."

"A bit like at home in my younger days, except there's no fight." Martha had just said that as there was an eruption around the table where the strip had taken place. An angry red-faced young man had been trying to pass the stripper her bra and blouse when they were grabbed from his hand. As the young man went to recover the items of clothing, a punch was swung at him and a fight was underway.

Milly and Martha watched the two men battling away, most of the punches failing to connect. One of the brawlers picked up a chair. But before he could smash it on to his opponent a big fist dropped down on to his head, and he disappeared towards the floor.

"God Matt's dropped him," Milly squealed, flushing greatly.

Martha looked and saw Matt, standing and laughing, placing his arm around a slim blonde. Courtney had black hair.

"Matt's having a little rest and recreation before his big day," commented Milly dryly. "She's one of Courtney's friends. Come on, we'd better camp down at this other end of the bar. I can't see our men in this crowd but they'll be here somewhere."

"Look, there they are," Martha pointed.

The two women pushed through and found two hard faced women wearing Cody and Lukas' hats.

"I'll kill Cody if that white Stetson is soiled," hissed Milly. "I gave that to him for his birthday last month."