Read Online Skins by Sarah Hay - Free Book Online Page A

sometimes there was more than one. And the circles were getting smaller. She envied her sister for even though she didn’t like Matthew, he at least shielded her from the eyes of the others.
    In the first few days she really believed what she had said to Mary. That some vessel would pass by and they would sail east or west. She didn’t care in which direction they went just as long as they were safe. But it was drawing close to winter. There would be no ships then. And Anderson wouldn’t be taking them anywhere. She had overheard Jem and Manning. They said Anderson had threatened to kill Jansen for his boat.
    She untied the twine that fastened a tammar skin around her shoulders. She took it off and laid it on the rock. She pulled up her sleeves, noticing the black grime under her fingernails. She cupped her hands and buried her face in the cold water, bringing the blood to her cheeks. After drying her face with a piece of rag, she pulled a comb through her hair. Usually she and her sister did each other’s hair but today Mary had stayed in the tent. She wasn’t hungry and she seemed more listless than usual. Dorothea knew it was easy to feel like that on the island. For often it seemed there was nothing to do. Time expanded and the only way to fill it was to watch the ants as they trickled through tiny pathways, crossing over sticks and leaves, from one side of the clearing to the other. Then other times there was food to prepare and plates to clean and firewood to collect and no sooner had they lit the fire in the morning than they were stoking it up for the night.
    Hopefully, though, she wasn’t with child. Dorothea tied her hair with a thin strip of leather. She met Dinah and Sal as they headed into the bush with snares for trapping tammar. If they saw her they showed no sign for they quickly vanished without a twig snapping or leaves rustling.

    It was a clear, sharp morning. The sky had deepened to a dense blue. Black birds called to each other and wattle birds warbled and squabbled. The sea rumbled faintly in the distance. Smoke from the chimney hovered above the hut. Jem and Manning, unkempt wisps of hair framed in the golden light, sat cross-legged in the dirt facing each other with a skin on the ground between them. Jansen and two of the men from his boat were on the other side of the clearing. He seemed to be drawing something in the sand with a stick.
    â€˜Why aren’t you sealing?’ she asked Jem.
    Her brother looked up, squinting. He was making a sheath for his knife like the one Manning wore on his belt. He put down the knife he had been using to punch holes with and shaded his eyes.
    â€˜Anderson’s gone to the mainland in the other whaleboat.’
    â€˜Why?’
    â€˜For grasstree gum.’
    â€˜Why?’
    Jem sighed and frowned, taking the knife again to the skin.
    â€˜Got a leak that’s why. Stop asking me questions.’
    â€˜So who’s gone with him?’
    â€˜Don’t know. Isaac I think and a couple of the others.’
    Mary came slowly around the side of the hut. Her hair was flattened on one side and her head was lowered. She looked up and smiled weakly when she saw her sister. Her eyes seemed darker than usual, or perhaps it was her skin that was paler.
    A pot of water simmered in the fireplace. Mary sat down. Dorothea made tea from the ti-tree leaves they had collected. When Mary took the cup the sleeve of her gown slipped up, revealing red streaks that ran up her arm from her wrist.
    â€˜What’s that?’
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜On your arm.’
    Mary turned it around. Then Dorothea noticed the weeping sore between her thumb and forefinger.
    â€˜How did you get that?’
    Mary shrugged.
    â€˜How long have you had it?’
    â€˜Oh, I don’t know.’ She pulled her hand away and turned her head. ‘It doesn’t matter.’
    â€˜What’s wrong with you? Give it here and I’ll clean