Jessica by Bryce Courtenay Read Free Book Online Page A

Jessica shares most of Joe’s problems around the place, money is the one thing he never speaks to her about, nor to Hester and Meg. But she sees how things are, and she knows money is what’s going to finally drive Joe mad or kill him.
    Jessica just manages to make tea for her boys and cut two corned beef sandwiches for them when the hooter sounds in the shearing shed for their afternoon smoko. Jack’s and Billy’s shearing stands are the last on the board, so they’re first to come outside to take their mug of tea, sheltering from the sun under a bit of tarpaulin Jessica’s rigged up as their spot.
    The boys are all but spent, their shirts clinging wetly to their chests, their necks and faces shiny with perspiration. They sit on the apple crates she’s put out for them and gulp gratefully at the hot, sweet tea in silence. After a while Jack notices that Jessica isn’t yacking away like she usually does. Without looking up from his mug he says, ‘Cat got your tongue then, Tea Leaf?’ Billy glances up at Jessica, and his eyes grow wide with surprise. ‘Shit, what happened to yer neck?’
    â€˜Nothing. It’s nothing,’ she mumbles.
    â€˜It’s bloody tar! There’s flamin’ tar running down yer neck!’
    Jack now looks up. ‘Hell, what’s happened?’ he exclaims.
    But by this time Billy has put down his tin mug. Jumping to his feet, he reaches down and pulls at Jessica’s hat.
    â€˜Ouch!’ she yells. Billy has lifted her hat and her blonde hair sticks to the rim, glued to it by the tar. ‘Who’s done this?’ he demands.
    â€˜Ouch, Billy, let go!’ Jessica yells again as Billy tries to unglue her hat by pulling still further, but more gently, finally yanking it free.
    Jessica snatches at the hat and with both hands plants it firmly back on her head, then she pushes Billy away. ‘Leave off, will ya, I’m all right!’
    â€˜No you bloody ain’t,’ Jack says. ‘What happened, Jessie?’
    â€˜It’s none of your business,’ Jessica says, trying to sound tough.
    â€˜Like hell it’s not,’ Billy exclaims. ‘Who’s done this to you, Tea Leaf? You tell me and I’ll fix the bastards.’
    â€˜It was an accident,’ is all Jessica will say.
    â€˜It’s the tar boys, isn’t it?’ Billy keeps at her. Jessica turns away to hide her tears just as the hooter sounds to call the tar boys back to sweep the board.
    Jack looks down at Jessica and wipes his hand across his mouth. ‘Jessie, I’m taking you over to the big house to get you fixed up. Fetch my horse and yours too, we’ll ride over now.’
    â€˜No, please!’ She looks anxiously back at the shearing shed. ‘I’ve gotta get back,’ Jessica says, knowing that her being out of the shed is bound to come to the notice of Mike Malloy, especially if Jack’s also missing. She’ll be dismissed and Joe will be disgraced. ‘Please, Jack, I don’t want no trouble, it can wait. I’ll be right.
    I’ve gotta go now.’
    â€˜No, hang on!’ Jack grabs her wrist. ‘There’s benzine at the homestead, it should take the tar off. Maybe we should try the engine gas-oil here?’
    â€˜Please Jack! I’ll lose me job!’ Jessica begs.
    â€˜Let her go, Jack,’ Billy says, ‘her hair ain’t gunna get any worse if we wait till the day ends. She’s right, Mike Malloy’ll be out to find her if she doesn’t get back.
    Don’t you worry, Tea Leaf, I’ll sort out the lads later.’ Jessica sees that Jack doesn’t like Billy taking over like this. ‘Billy’s right, Jack,’ she says urgently. ‘Please, I’m late, Jack, it’s me job!’
    Jack looks a bit miffed. ‘Well, you get the horses ready as soon as we break, right?’ he says crossly, sitting back on his apple crate and