Sentence of Marriage by Shayne Parkinson

lunch.’
    ‘That was only because you said you were sick of—’
    ‘And that Harry laughed at me! You did too, didn’t you?’
    ‘No! I didn’t laugh at you! And Harry didn’t mean any harm.’
    ‘You set it up between you, didn’t you? So you could make fun of me. You all hate me!’ She turned her face back to the pillow and started sobbing.
    ‘No we don’t—please don’t cry.’ Amy went over to the bed and put her hand on Susannah’s heaving shoulder, but Susannah pushed the hand away.
    ‘Go away!’ she screamed. ‘I’m going to tell your father about you two—I’m going to tell him right now! You go and get him.’
    ‘But—’
    ‘Don’t argue! Go and get your father.’
    ‘All right,’ Amy said with a sigh.
    Harry was back in the shed when Amy went outside. ‘Where’s Pa?’ she asked.
    ‘Over in the back paddock with John, they’re moving some stock. What do you want him for?’
    ‘Susannah wants him.’ Amy sighed. ‘You and I are in trouble now.’
    ‘Oh,’ Harry said, looking unconcerned. ‘What are you in trouble for?’
    ‘The same as you—because she got frightened by the chook. She thinks we did it on purpose.’
    ‘Silly bitch,’ Harry muttered.
    Jack and his older son were persuading some cattle to go through an open gate when Amy reached them. ‘Susannah wants you, Pa,’ she said.
    ‘What for—can’t it wait? We’re busy here.’
    ‘She’s a bit upset.’
    ‘What about?’
    ‘She saw a chook being killed, and it gave her a fright. She’s having a lie-down.’ It sounded a rather feeble reason to summon her father. ‘Actually, she’s very upset,’ Amy amended.
    Jack groaned. ‘Can’t you settle her down?’
    ‘I tried—I made her worse, I think.’
    ‘Well, she’ll have to wait until we’ve got these cows moved. Give us a hand, Amy.’
    Amy went over to the far side of the cows and the three of them worked together for a few minutes, then she and her father walked up to the house together.
    Amy took the rooster outside to pluck, carefully saving the feathers in a bag to be used for stuffing pillows. She took it back into the kitchen to finish preparing, then when it was in the oven she started the ironing; she was fairly sure she would be doing it by herself that day, and it had been delayed long enough.
    ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with her,’ Jack said when he came into the kitchen again, closing the passage door. ‘You two aren’t getting on very well, are you?’
    ‘No,’ Amy admitted.
    ‘I thought you’d be pleased to have a mother again, not squabbling with her over chooks or whatever she’s going on about.’
    ‘I’m trying, Pa, I really am.’
    ‘She’s looking a bit worn out, too, you might have to help her more around the place.’
    ‘Help her—Pa, I don’t mind doing everything if that’s what she wants, I’m used to doing it all. But she gets so annoyed with me when I try explaining anything.’
    ‘Well, you’ll have to sort it out between yourselves. You just do what she wants and try to keep her happy.’
    Amy sighed. ‘I’ll try.’ She bent over the ironing to hide the irritation she knew must show on her face.
     
    *
     
    It was unfortunate that Lizzie chose that particular morning to pop over to visit. ‘Ma wants to borrow some baking powder. She’s making scones and she’s run out.’
    ‘Help yourself,’ Amy said, indicating the cupboard where she kept baking needs.
    ‘Madam Susannah not helping you?’
    ‘She’s having a lie-down.’
    ‘Did I hear my name?’ Susannah said, coming into the room from the passage.
    ‘Lizzie was just asking after you,’ Amy said quickly. She flashed a warning glance at Lizzie, but her cousin was looking instead at Susannah.
    ‘I was just rather surprised,’ Lizzie said very deliberately, ‘to see Amy doing all this ironing by herself.’
    ‘What’s that to you?’ Susannah asked.
    ‘I don’t think it’s right, that’s all.’
    ‘Lizzie,’ Amy warned,