‹ Prequel: Going Bush
Going Bush 2: Suburbia
82
Ibby had sat with Taylor for a long time, long after his breathing had returned to normal. He disappeared about the time that Taylor assumed breakfast would be ready, soon returning with a knife from the kitchen and using it to cut his wrists free. Taylor groaned in relief, finally able to rub them. He stopped when he saw how badly they were cut.
He gave Ibby an appreciative smile, before Ibby indicated for Taylor to get up. He watched as Ibby went to unhook the chain completely, but just shook his head when Ibby looked at him expectantly.
Ibby tried a few more times, but Taylor wasn’t willing to move. Eventually – but looking worried – Ibby handed Taylor the chain and left. As soon as he was out of sight, Taylor began rummaging in the hay by the back wall.
It didn’t take long to come up with Natalie’s necklace. He untangled it from the hay it had fallen into, then sat back against the wall with it playing through his fingers.
It was one he hadn’t seen in a long time. Last time he’d seen it, it had been tucked away in a jewellery box in their closet. Whoever had retrieved it had made sure that he’d be aware of the lengths they’d gone to in getting it. They’d been in his home. In his bedroom. In his wife’s closet.
He rubbed his face tiredly, feeling the tears spring up again. He hoped with everything that he had that Isaac had made it to Natalie first.
*
It must have been sometime well after breakfast that Taylor heard footsteps again. When the gate opened he looked up to see the woman with Ibby close behind her.
He quickly hid the necklace in his fist as he crawled up onto his knees.
“I had Ibby watch the whole thing,” she said as she stepped in, “I don’t take kindly to strangers on my property.”
Taylor frowned a little, wondering what she meant by that. With Ibby not knowing English he knew he couldn’t have relayed anything sensitive.
“Nathaniel asked me to leave you be for a couple of days. He neglected to tell me what state he’d left you in. You’re lucky Ibby was here.”
“Yes Miss,” Taylor wholeheartedly agreed.
She paused, before walking closer. Leaning over she detached the chain from his collar, and not expecting the movement he fell back into a sitting position by the side wall again.
“He’s scared you,” she realised, coiling the chain around her wrist before going to replace it on the wall.
Taylor’s eyes watched her feet but he wouldn’t look up.
“I’d like you to tell me what happened. Ibby did tell me, but of course he doesn’t know what was said.”
Taylor closed his eyes. He hadn’t thought this would come up so fast.
“Come with me to the study. We’ll talk,” she turned to leave.
“Miss, I respectfully decline,” Taylor said softly, not daring to raise his gaze.
She stopped and turned back.
“Excuse me?”
“I respectfully decline,” Taylor repeated, knowing she could hear him clearly, “I can’t talk about it.”
There was a moment of awkward silence.
The woman said something to Ibby in Spanish, and he replied in a quiet tone.
“You will,” she directed to Taylor before leaving the stall.
He gave Ibby an appreciative smile, before Ibby indicated for Taylor to get up. He watched as Ibby went to unhook the chain completely, but just shook his head when Ibby looked at him expectantly.
Ibby tried a few more times, but Taylor wasn’t willing to move. Eventually – but looking worried – Ibby handed Taylor the chain and left. As soon as he was out of sight, Taylor began rummaging in the hay by the back wall.
It didn’t take long to come up with Natalie’s necklace. He untangled it from the hay it had fallen into, then sat back against the wall with it playing through his fingers.
It was one he hadn’t seen in a long time. Last time he’d seen it, it had been tucked away in a jewellery box in their closet. Whoever had retrieved it had made sure that he’d be aware of the lengths they’d gone to in getting it. They’d been in his home. In his bedroom. In his wife’s closet.
He rubbed his face tiredly, feeling the tears spring up again. He hoped with everything that he had that Isaac had made it to Natalie first.
*
It must have been sometime well after breakfast that Taylor heard footsteps again. When the gate opened he looked up to see the woman with Ibby close behind her.
He quickly hid the necklace in his fist as he crawled up onto his knees.
“I had Ibby watch the whole thing,” she said as she stepped in, “I don’t take kindly to strangers on my property.”
Taylor frowned a little, wondering what she meant by that. With Ibby not knowing English he knew he couldn’t have relayed anything sensitive.
“Nathaniel asked me to leave you be for a couple of days. He neglected to tell me what state he’d left you in. You’re lucky Ibby was here.”
“Yes Miss,” Taylor wholeheartedly agreed.
She paused, before walking closer. Leaning over she detached the chain from his collar, and not expecting the movement he fell back into a sitting position by the side wall again.
“He’s scared you,” she realised, coiling the chain around her wrist before going to replace it on the wall.
Taylor’s eyes watched her feet but he wouldn’t look up.
“I’d like you to tell me what happened. Ibby did tell me, but of course he doesn’t know what was said.”
Taylor closed his eyes. He hadn’t thought this would come up so fast.
“Come with me to the study. We’ll talk,” she turned to leave.
“Miss, I respectfully decline,” Taylor said softly, not daring to raise his gaze.
She stopped and turned back.
“Excuse me?”
“I respectfully decline,” Taylor repeated, knowing she could hear him clearly, “I can’t talk about it.”
There was a moment of awkward silence.
The woman said something to Ibby in Spanish, and he replied in a quiet tone.
“You will,” she directed to Taylor before leaving the stall.