Tarrapaldi

Nathaniel looked at Harrington. “Dennis, do you believe in telepathy? That some people can communicate in their minds, without sound?” Harrington smiled. Very few people, below the officer class, addressed him by his first name. It was a custom reserved for friends who considered themselves equal, and he was pleased to see Nathaniel was shedding the convict mentality. It would make negotiating with him easier. “I’ve heard some of the blacks can do it. But I’ve never seen it proved conclusively.” “Uh huh.” Nathaniel took a deep breath. “Well I have. And I’ll prove it to you later. For the moment, I’m going to ask you to believe I have just been ‘talking’ to Tarrapaldi. “She’s with your betrothed and her trackers right now,” Nathaniel said. “She’s holding them a ways back so you and I can talk in private. She said to tell you your betrothed and the baby are fine, so you don’t have to worry. But Tarrapaldi says your lady is very headstrong and is insisting she’s going to keep following you. We need to know what you want to do.” “Claire? A baby? You’ve got your signals mixed, my friend,” Harrington said. “Claire doesn’t have a baby.” “Well not yet she hasn’t. But Tarrapaldi said she’s pregnant.” “Pregnant? No. She can’t be. We’re not married.” “Hey.” Nathaniel held both hands up. “Don’t blame me. I’m only passing on the message. And I shouldn’t have to tell you this. But being married is not a requirement for a woman getting pregnant.” “Pregnant? – Oh, no.” Harrington paced around in a full circle, wringing his hands, before stopping in front of Nathaniel. “Oh, my God. Look, I know this gold and land is important, but I have to talk to her. Can we go back to where they are? I’ll talk to her. Find out what’s going on. Then we can decide what to do next.” “Sounds fine to me,” Nathaniel said. “You’re not going to be much use to us as agitated as you are now.” * * * Richard stopped Andrew from leaping to his feet and challenging Nathaniel when he rode up on their brother’s horse. Nobody stopped Claire from leaping to her feet and racing to embrace Harrington when he swung down from Waratina. “Thank God you’re all right,” she said. “I was starting to get really worried, what with your tracks having disappeared and all.” “Never mind about me, Claire,” Harrington said, disengaging her arms from his neck and holding her off to look her up and down. “I’ve just been told you’re pregnant.” Claire stepped back as though she’d been slapped. “Pregnant? Who told you I’m pregnant?” “He did.” Harrington indicated Nathaniel by inclining his head. Claire glanced at Nathaniel before turning back to Harrington. “How would he know? I’ve never seen him before in my life.” “He said Tarrapaldi told him.” “Who the hell’s Tarrapaldi?” “She’s the black who’s been keeping you here while Nathaniel and I had our little chat.” Harrington said. “I still don’t know who the hell she is though. That’s her spear in the ground over there. And I’ve heard her voice. But I haven’t seen her. Those two,” she indicated Andrew and Richard, “have been trying to tell me she’s a he.” “Tarrapaldi a he? I don’t think so.” Nathaniel held out his hand when Claire turned to face him. “Let me introduce myself. I’m Nathaniel Johnson. And this,” he pointed to where Tarrapaldi was stepping out of the bush, “is Tarrapaldi.” “Oh, my God,” Claire said. “She’s completely naked. Give her your coat, Dennis.” Harrington chuckled. “Why? I doubt very much she’d want it.” “But she’s naked. Has she no shame?” “No. Not even the tiniest skerick” Nathaniel said. “In fact, she thinks we’re disgusting for wearing these stinking clothes. But she’s too polite to give any indication of repulsion.” Tarrapaldi stopped ten feet upwind of the whites and smiled. “How do you say, ‘Hello, my name is Tarrapaldi’?” She then imitated Nathaniel while he spoke the words, her words riding over the top of his, only a heart beat after he said them. “Good grief,” Claire said, her face going red. “She speaks English beautifully.” “No, she doesn’t,” Nathaniel said. “She has a knack for mimicking people. She asked me to say those words so she could introduce herself.” “I didn’t hear her say anything to you.” “She said it in our minds. We communicate telepathically. That’s how she told me you’re expecting.” “But how did she know? I haven’t told anyone. Did she read my mind?” “I don’t know. Give me a minute and I’ll ask her.” “So you are pregnant,” Harrington said when Nathaniel turned to Tarrapaldi, “and you didn’t tell me.” “This isn’t something we should discuss in front of others, Dennis.” Claire said, taking his hand and leading him off. “Don’t take the Lieutenant too far, Miss.” The tone of his voice caused everybody but Richard, to look in Andrew’s direction. Both the boys were standing in front of their horses. Both of them had the guns in their hands pointed at Nathaniel. “We’ve a few questions we’d like you to answer, Mister,” Andrew said. “And we’ll start off with; where’d you get the horse you rode in on?” “He’s not mine,” Nathaniel said. “He was lent to me by a man named Billy Pike, so I could get here in time for this meeting with Lieutenant Harrington.” “Where’s Billy now?” Richard asked. “He’s up the way. On the rim of the valley with Tarrapaldi’s father and sister, Tunggaree and Muchuka.” Both boys looked shocked, but it was Richard who spoke first, and in the Dharug tongue. “Is it true you’re the daughter of Tunggaree?” “It is true,” Tarrapaldi replied in the same language. “And who are you?” “We’re the brothers of Billy Pike, the man who owns that horse.” “I know Billy Pike. He is with my father and sister even while we speak.” “Is he all right? Will you take us to him?” “He’s helping my father keep Muchuka out of trouble. When we have finished our business with the officer, we will be going back to them,” Tarrapaldi said. “You’re welcome to travel with us if you choose.” “What’s going on, Tarrapaldi? What are they saying?” Nathaniel asked. “They’re asking to come with us to see their brother, Billy Pike.” Nathaniel looked at Harrington, who was talking to Claire quietly, but firmly. “Harrington won’t agree to that. He’ll want them to take Miss Claire back to town.” Tarrapaldi turned in time to see Claire stamp her foot and wag her finger in Harrington’s face. “The officer may want her to go back, Nathaniel. But that doesn’t mean that’s what’s going to happen.”