Lucy who seemed at this moment to be transformed into an extremely strong mad woman. He removed the offensive weapon and calmly asked for an explanation for this unusual display of violence.
Yes, quite out of character for Lucy, thought Anne Forbes. This must be serious. She led Lucy out to the shadehouse and waited for her to settle down and control herself. Lucy then explained quietly what had happened. Mrs Forbes said confidently, âI agree Peggy should be taken from the influences of the native (fullblood) men. Sheâs too good for the likes of them.â She helpfully suggested that Peggy be sent to the Moore River Native Settlement, north of Perth, where all the half-caste children and young people were trained and educated in skills that would be useful to them when they entered the wider community.
âThere would be a better selection of young men, more suitable for a girl like Peggy,â said Mrs Forbes.
But once again Lucyâs hopes and desire to control her daughterâs destiny were thwarted. For during those brief encounters Peggy shared with her lover, a spiritual affectionbetween the two was born; an affinity which lasted till her death. No other love could replace that.
Patricia finally pacified her friend, then went out to the shadehouse to speak to her mother. Mrs Forbes and Lucy were seated in the coolest spot, talking softly and rationally now. Not realising the seriousness of the situation, Patricia pleaded and begged them not to send Peggy away. Her tearful pleadings fell on deaf ears, for the decision had been made.
Lucy rose from the chair and walked sadly towards the door.
âSend âem Peggy down to my camp, I can watch âem all the time. Canât run around,â asked Lucy.
At the camp, voices were raised, abuses, insults were hurled back and forth. Lucy took her warda and flayed into Danny. Other members of the clan followed suit.
Early the next morning, before sunrise, a very sore and bruised Danny was taken by his parents in a horse and cart back home to Jigalong.
The following week Lucy and a very distraught Peggy who had to be forced into the back of the mail truck, still weeping unrestrainedly, travelled to Kingsley.
Sgt Andy Miller was pleasantly surprised when he met the mail truck that evening. Here was a beautiful seventeen year old woman with slightly waved jet black hair hanging to her shoulders. When she looked up there was no mistaking those beautiful green eyes just like âthe Irishmanâ. The only thing different from her father was her light olive skin.
It wasnât so long ago, well it didnât seem that long, when he and others having a drink at the Kingsley Arms had tried to persuade Mick not to marry Lucy but wait for a more suitable woman, preferably a white one.
And now here was Lucy taking real drastic steps to prevent her own daughter from marrying a man she considered unsuitable. Tomorrow morning she would travel by train hundreds of miles southwest to the Moore River Native Settlement. It seemed like history was repeating itself.
A week later mother and daughter arrived at their final destination, the Moore River Native Settlement.
Eight months later Peggy Muldune gave birth to a healthy six pound baby girl with thick black hair and large dark brown eyes. As she held her baby in her arms, she said weakly, âHer name is Katherine Bridgid Muldune, but call her Kate.â This was the only time all three Muldune women were together. Twenty-four hours later Margaret Bridgid Muldune was dead. The sister-in-charge of the hospital told Lucy that her daughter died of âthe feverâ. But her friends and workmates said she died of a broken heart, in other words she just pined away for the handsome young Aboriginal stockman with curly sun-bleached hair and flashing smile, the man she left on Mt Dunbar Station, hundreds of miles northeast of the Settlement, a place she was destined never to see again.
Lucy went