In the Land of the Long White Cloud

“When I came to Christchurch years ago, I cried because the town had so little in common with London. Now I’m thrilled by this little town because I will be surrounded by people and not ruminants.”
    Leonard laughed. “Oh, Queenstown has quite a bit in common with London, you’ll see. There’s stuff happening here, Mrs. O’Keefe. You feel progress here, like you’re on the frontier. Christchurch is nice, but there it’s more about keeping up old customs and being more English than the English. Just look at the cathedral and the university. They think they’re becoming an Oxford over there! But here everything is new; everything’s on the up-and-up. The prospectors are a wild bunch, though, and raise a bit of rumpus. It’s unthinkable that the nearest police station is forty miles away. But these boys bring gold and life to the town. You’ll like it here, Mrs. O’Keefe, believe me.”
    Helen already liked it as the wagon rumbled down Main Street. It was unpaved just like in Haldon, but the street here was filled with people: a prospector was arguing with the postman because he had apparently opened a letter for him; two girls were giggling andpeeking into the barber shop where a handsome young man was getting a haircut; the smith was shoeing horses; and two miners were talking shop about a mule. And the “hotel” was being repainted. A red-haired woman in an eye-catching green dress was overseeing the painters and cursing like a sailor.
    “Daphne!” The twins squealed simultaneously, almost falling from the wagon. “Daphne, we brought Miss Dav…Mrs. O’Keefe!”
    Daphne O’Rourke turned around, and Helen found herself staring into that familiar catlike face. Daphne looked older, maybe a little worse for wear, and was heavily made up. When she saw Helen on the coach box, their eyes met. Helen was touched to see that Daphne blushed.
    “He…hello, Mrs. O’Keefe!”
    Leonard could hardly believe it, but the ever-confident Daphne curtsied before her teacher like a little girl.
    “Stop the horses, Mr. McDunn!” Helen called. She hardly waited for him to rein in the horses before she jumped down from the box and wrapped her arms around Daphne.
    “No, really, Mrs. O’Keefe, if someone sees…” Daphne said. “You’re a lady. You shouldn’t be seen with someone like me.” She lowered her eyes. “I’m sorry, Mrs. O’Keefe, for what I’ve become.”
    Helen laughed and embraced her again. “What have you become that’s so horrible, Daphne? A businesswoman. A wonderful foster mother for the twins. No one could ask for a better student.”
    Daphne blushed again. “Perhaps no one has enlightened you as to my…line of business,” she said softly.
    Helen pulled her close. “Businesses work on supply and demand. I learned that from George Greenwood, another one of my children. And as for you…well, if there had been a demand for Bibles, I’m sure you would have sold those.”
    Daphne giggled. “With great pleasure, Mrs. O’Keefe.”
    While Daphne was greeting the twins, Leonard took Helen to the O’Kay Warehouse. As much as Helen had enjoyed seeing Daphne and the twins, she wanted more than anything to fling her arms around her own son, Fleurette, and her grandchildren.
    Little Stephen hung on to her skirts right away, but Elaine displayed more enthusiasm when she saw the pony.
    Helen looked down at her red hair and her lively eyes, already a deeper shade of blue than most babies’.
    “Definitely Gwyn’s granddaughter,” Helen said. “She didn’t get anything from me. Watch out, she’ll be asking for a couple of sheep for her third birthday.”

    Leonard McDunn scrupulously went over the accounts from his last purchasing trip with Ruben O’Keefe before assuming his new duties. The police station had to be painted and the jail supplied with bars with help from Stuart Peters. Helen and Fleur helped furnish the cells decently with mattresses and sheets from the warehouse.
    “Not going to put in any flower vases?” grumbled Leonard. Stuart was likewise impressed.
    “I’m keeping a spare key,” the smith teased. “In case I have guests in town.”
    “You can test it out right now, if you like,” Leonard threatened. “But seriously now—I’m afraid we’ll already be filled up tonight. Miss O’Rourke is planning an Irish evening. What do you bet half her customers end up beating up the other half?”
    Helen frowned. “But it won’t get dangerous, will it, Leonard? Watch