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“Does that satisfy you, Counsel?” the judge put to the counsel for the defence, who shook his head, his lips set in grim lines.
“Your Honour, I request leave to call one more witness.” When the judge assented, the lawyer turned toward the Billabong party, a smirk having replaced his scowl. “I call Mrs Norah Meadows to the stand.”
Norah squeezed Wally’s hand briefly before standing, edging out of the audience and entering the witness stand. After swearing to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, she was asked for an account of the situation involving McGill.
“It was a quiet day on the run,” she started, keeping her eyes on the defence counsel, “and I was reading a book on the front lawn. When I heard a noise, I turned to see the accused and his associate walking up to the main house, and so I crossed the lawn to join them.”
“No-one else was home?” the defence asked.
“No-one, except for my brother, my small son, our guest and the housekeeper,” Norah replied. “The accused asked me if I would sell them some meat; I refused politely, on the grounds that we do not sell meat. Upon being asked how he and his associate had gained access to the property, the accused told us that a gate had been left open on the out-station.” She could feel her heart beating faster, and out of sight she twisted her wedding ring on her finger, a nervous habit that seemed to calm her. “It was then that my small son, who is not yet three, came outside from his midday nap and I picked him up.
“The accused commented that my son was a ‘nice chap’, to which my son took notice and expressed his distaste at the visitors. Their manner changed instantly; the accused demanded that I go and make them food, and in the meantime they would deal with my son. I refused, and told them in no uncertain terms that they were not to approach my child.
“My son curled into me, in an attempt to remain as far away from the accused and his associate as possible, and here the accused actually tried to snatch the boy from me. I fended him off and he grabbed at my wrist — I was injured from this action, and my wrist is still sore and bruised, as the doctor will attest to — and our housekeeper arrived on the scene.” Norah took a steadying breath, eyes cutting away from the defence counsel for the first time, to look towards the Billabong party. Wally was leaning forward, his forearms on the railing, and his brown eyes were equal parts angry and worried.
She looked back, taking another breath. “Our guest, from whom you heard earlier — Master Richard Yorke — had heard the commotion and summoned my son’s dog to hand, before trying to find my brother. My son’s dog is loyal, Counsel, and upon hearing my son’s scream of terror, immediately latched onto the perpetrator, which happened to be the accused.” Quiet laughter ran through the Court, and the judge called for silence. “My brother arrived on the scene, commanded the dog to remove himself while our housekeeper brought iodine. The accused was treated and then sent off our property. That is the story.”
Counsel for the defence seemed to be ruminating, watching Norah with steely eyes that unsettled her. She looked straight back, not yielding one inch of ground. Eventually the counsel said, “No further questions,” and returned to his desk. The counsel for the prosecution had no questions either, and Norah was dismissed. She returned to her seat, settling in beside Wally with a sigh of relief. His hand found hers and squeezed it tightly, and she was comforted by the warm pressure.
Later, on the way home to Billabong after the trial, the two of them were in the back of the car, Jim driving with Tommy in the front. David Linton had elected to travel in the other car alone, so they would all hit the station at relatively similar times. As the car slid through the open country road which led to Cunjee and thence to Billabong, Norah unbuckled her seat-belt and slid across to Wally, strapping herself in beside him. Her head went down on his shoulder, and she felt him slide an arm across her shoulders.
“Was it very bad, Nor?” he whispered.
“It was all right at first,” she murmured, “but then that lawyer started looking at me as though I were fresh meat, and I had to look away. I don’t think I’ve been that scared since the day McGill came to the house.”
Wally’s arm tightened around her shoulders, and he muttered something under his breath before speaking louder so she could hear. “Nor, you should never have been called to bear witness in any case. I was about ready to jump out of my seat and object to you being grilled like that.”
Norah took a deep breath, and Wally seemed to hear, and she knew he could feel her shoulders trembling ever so slightly at the memory of standing up there in front of the whole Court. He turned his head to kiss her temple, whispering, “I love you, allanna — it’s over now.”
She nodded, taking his warm strength as love and care settled over her again. The counsel for the defence had shaken her, but she would always bounce back, with the help of her family and friends. Now, she had to look forward to Jim and Tommy’s wedding next week.