The Goldminer's Sister

by Alison Stuart

  ‘I won’t lie to you, Mrs Trevalyn.’

  ‘You’re needed. Have you the courage to face them?’

  ‘My brother is down there,’ he said. ‘I would face the devil himself to save him.’

  Her fingers tightened on his arm. ‘Then come with me.’

  Alec thrust his hands deep into his pockets and hunched into his jacket, prepared for the reception he would receive at the mine. Seeing him coming up the hill, the men gathered in the courtyard turned and arranged themselves in a line barring his way, arms crossed and belligerent expressions on their faces.

  ‘What are you doing up here, McLeod?’ one demanded. ‘We’ve been told you’re banned from this mine.’

  ‘My brother is trapped down that mine, I have every right to be here.’

  ‘Word is you’re not fit to set foot on the mine workings,’ a second man said.

  ‘I have worked with you day and night for the last twelve months, John Brierley. Have I ever given you cause to doubt my competence?’

  Brierley’s expression folded. ‘No, but—’

  ‘When this is over, when the whole story is known, then you can pass judgement on me, but not before … not now. Let me through.’

  Muttering, the men parted and Alec entered the Maiden’s Creek Mine.

  Flora McDonald stood at the door to the crib hut, a mug of tea in her hand. Even in the poor light he could see the lines of exhaustion on her face. All her fight and fire seemed to have died and she just looked at him.

  ‘What news is there, Miss Donald?’

  ‘None. They’ve been working day and night and they’ve cleared some of the rubble. Someone reported hearing a tapping yesterday but there’s been nothing more.’

  ‘Tapping?’

  ‘Yes, like a pick on rock, apparently.’

  Alec thought of the Knockers and their warnings about mine collapses. ‘Human?’ he said.

  ‘That’s what they said.’

  He turned to Brierley and the others. ‘Is this true?’

  Brierley nodded. ‘Aye, but we’ve heard nothing since.’

  A wave of relief swept over Alec. So, there was hope that some or all of the trapped miners had survived, but they’d been down the mine for three days and air would be thin.

  ‘There’s a lot of people very angry with you, Mr McLeod,’ Flora said. ‘They’re saying the collapse was your fault. Was it?’

  Alec sighed. ‘It’s easy to pass blame, Miss Donald. I would hope that you might find it in your heart not to believe the stories you’re hearing.’

  ‘I’m not a miner, but I believe you’re a good man, and your brother likewise. I am praying for you both.’

  He touched his fingers to his hat. ‘Thank you. We need your prayers.’

  ‘What are you going to do?’

  ‘I’m going to see if I can be of any help. Even if it’s just the digging. I can’t sit by and do nothing,’

  ‘Do you want something to eat before you go down?’

  Alec accepted the mug of tea she held out to him and drank it without taking breath, his hangover forgotten. No one stopped him as he strode across to the mine. The adit yawned before him, dark and uninviting, as if the very mine he had carved from the earth had turned against him. He took a lantern from the entrance and made his way down the long, familiar tunnel, his boots sloshing in the mud and water.

  The cavern glowed with light and seemed to be filled with men clustered around the shaft, hauling out buckets of waste and debris. The silence in which they worked gave the scene an otherworldly feel. No one noticed him until he stepped into the light, then, one after another, the men turned to look at him.

  ‘What are you doing here, McLeod?’ Williams, the assistant foreman stepped forward.

  ‘I’m here to help,’ Alec said.

  The men looked at each other and someone handed him a shovel.

  ‘You can help with loading the trolleys,’ Williams said.

  Alec worked without a break, grateful both for the physicality and the mindless repetition. It gave him time to think, to work through the problems of the mine rescue. Even if all he could do for the moment was manual labour, at least that was useful.

  He was so lost in his work that it took a moment or two to realise that one of the boys who pushed the trolleys was tugging at his sleeve.

  ‘Mr McLeod, there’s a woman here to see you. Says it’s urgent.’

  Alec laid down his shovel and brushed his filthy, bleeding hands against his trousers. Eliza?

  Outside, he blinked in the daylight, even though the morning was grey and dank with a tedious drizzle, slicking the muddy cobblestones. He turned his face up to the sky, allowing the cold darts of rain to wash away the dirt, but the fresh air and rain left a residue of helplessness that would not be assuaged until the men were free of the mine.

  ‘Alec!’

  He brought his attention to the sturdy figure standing in the doorway of the crib hut. Netty Burrell stood aside to let him enter. He looked around, relieved to see they were alone. Realising he hadn’t eaten for a long time, he picked up a hunk of bread, some cheese and a piece of cold meat.

  She faced up to him, her hands on her hips. ‘Where is she?’

  ‘Who?’ he said, taking a bite of the rough meal.

  ‘Eliza.’

  He frowned. ‘I don’t know. I haven’t seen her since last night.’ He ran a hand through his hair, trying to force his clouded brain back into working order. ‘Why do you ask?’

  ‘Because she left her travelling bag with me yesterday evening and I was expecting her to return to spend the night, but she hasn’t come back. I’ve been up to Cowper’s house and the Harris woman says she hasn’t seen her since yesterday evening when she came here. I thought maybe she was with you?’

  Alec caught his breath. Had Netty really thought to find Eliza warming his bed? That would have been very pleasant and a twinge of regret passed through his mind. He had been in no state to woo a woman last night.

  ‘No. She came, gave me a lecture and said she was going to speak with her uncle. That’s the last I saw of her.’

  Netty sat on one of the benches. ‘I have a bad feeling, Alec,’ she said. ‘We need to look for her.’

  Alec worked through the possible scenarios. All of them left him with a sense of dread.

  He had a choice: continue in a menial role at the mine or go and look for Eliza. There were plenty of willing hands at the mine but Eliza was on her own.

  ‘They can manage without me here, so I’ll go and look for her.’

  ‘I don’t know if he’s got anything to do with it, but Jack Tehan was here last night. When he saw the mine inspector was here, he took off. Said he was going back to Shenandoah.’

  Before Alec could respond, the door opened, admitting a damp Flora Donald.

  ‘Miss Donald, have you seen Eliza Penrose?’ Alec asked.

  Flora’s lips tightened. ‘Aye, she was here yesterday evening with Mrs Burrell. Asking about you. She headed to the gate, so I assume she went in search of you. Gone missing, has she? Well, I’ve enough to do without fretting about the likes of Eliza Penrose,’ she said with a sniff. ‘Mrs Burrell, that soup is burning.’

  Netty jumped up and hurried to the pot that bubbled over the fire, uttering an unladylike curse as she did so.

  Alec slipped out the door, hunching against the rain as he crossed the courtyard. The small crowd at the gate lacked the energy to throw anything more than hostile glances at him as he passed. He stopped at his house to wash and change before crossing the valley to Cowper’s. As he neared the house he could see the silhouette of the mine manager through the windows of the front room. He was seated at the table, no doubt enjoying his breakfast. Alec had nothing to lose so he firmed his stride, letting the brass knocker on the door fall with a firm rap.

  Mrs Harris answered. Like everyone else, the woman looked like she hadn’t slept in days, her face drawn and her eyes sunk in dark circles.

  ‘I want t
o speak with Cowper.’

  A well-trained servant, she met his gaze without blinking. ‘He’s not here,’ she said.

  ‘I beg to differ. My apologies, Mrs Harris.’

  Alec pushed past her and she hurried after him, her hands fluttering in distress as he threw open the door to the parlour.

  ‘Mr Cowper, he—’

  Cowper stood as Alec entered the room, dabbing at his moustache with his pristine serviette.

  ‘How dare you—’

  The sight of the man’s swollen nose and black eye gave Alec a perverse sense of satisfaction. He leaned both hands on the table. ‘Where is she, Cowper?”

  ‘Who?’

  ‘Your niece, Eliza Penrose. Where is she?’

  Cowper shrugged. ‘She’s not here. I don’t know why you would think—’

  ‘Because when I saw her last night, she was coming here and now she has disappeared.’

  Cowper glanced at the woman hovering behind Alec. ‘Disappeared? Have you seen her, Mrs Harris?’

  ‘No, sir. The Burrell woman was also here this morning looking for her. You were still abed and I didn’t want to disturb you.’

  Cowper frowned. ‘If Eliza has, indeed, gone missing, then this is a matter of concern, but as you well know, McLeod, Maiden’s Creek is a dangerous place to go wandering at night.’ He tossed the serviette down. ‘To be frank, I cannot worry about a foolish woman at the moment. Now get out of my house before I summon the police. And this time I’ll ensure Maidment locks you up.’

  Alec cast the man a withering glance and straightened. ‘Is that your answer for everything, Cowper? Get other people to do your bullying for you?’ He paused, scanning the man’s bruised face for some sign of compassion. ‘Do you really not care that your niece is missing?’

  Cowper glared at him. ‘Of course I care, but she is a grown woman and not my responsibility, as she is wont to tell me.’ He pointed at the door. ‘Get out, now.’

  The front door slammed behind Alec. He paused for a long moment, looking up and down the valley, seething with anger.

  How could Eliza just vanish?

  He had no wish to walk through town again so he took the side path that led to the road just north of the town’s boundaries. The mud beneath a small stand of trees had been churned and sodden droppings indicated a horse had been present in recent days. In any other circumstances he would have thought nothing of it, but a flutter of dirty white pressed into the mud caught his eye. He stooped to pick up the slip of cambric with a fine lace edging, and rinsed it in a puddle. His breath caught as he traced the embroidered initials in the corner: EP.

  He sat on a fallen log and turned the handkerchief over in his hand. Had Eliza dropped her handkerchief deliberately? Whose horse had waited for her in this lonely place? The sense of dread returned and he turned his face to the rain.

  Where is she, God?

  Twenty-Seven

  1 August 1873

  Eliza woke and lay quite still. Despite being wrapped tightly in the blankets, she had never felt so cold. She stared at the small patch of daylight beyond the iron gate and caught her breath as a shadow, too broad to be Tehan, blocked it.

  The lock on the door rattled. Whoever it was gave a grunt of exasperation. He grasped the bars and shook the gate. Eliza scrabbled back against the cave wall, her stomach roiling as she recognised Jennings.

  ‘Just bidin’ my time, pretty lady,’ he said. ‘Had to wait for Black Jack to leave his post.’

  ‘Go away,’ she said, ashamed at how high and tight her voice sounded.

  Jennings laughed, a chilling sound. She cringed as he gave a commentary on what he intended to do with her when he had his chance.

  ‘Get out of here, Jennings.’

  At the sound of Tehan’s voice, she let out her breath.

  ‘Think you’re going to have her all to yourself, do you?’ Jennings retorted, but to Eliza’s relief he backed out of the cavern and stumped away.

  Tehan unlocked the door and set down a plate with more bread and cheese and a pannikin of hot, black tea. He looked as rough as she felt, his eyes bleary and lost in dark shadows. She wondered if he had slept at all as he watched over her.

  ‘Sorry about Jennings,’ Tehan said. ‘I just went to fetch some victuals.’

  ‘Sorry is not really good enough,’ Eliza said, conscious that she shook from head to foot. ‘You didn’t hear what he was saying.’

  ‘I did.’

  ‘I presume you know he was one of the thugs you sent that waylaid us,’ Eliza said.

  ‘I’ve told you, I had nothing to do with that.’ Tehan sounded indignant. ‘That was Cowper’s work. Contrary to what you might think, Jennings is in his pay, not mine.’ He waved at the food. ‘I thought you might be hungry.’

  Her rebellious side told Eliza to knock the plate from his hand, but the sensible side prevailed. She took the plate, sitting down on a sturdy wooden box.

  After a couple of mouthfuls, she looked up at him. ‘What do you mean Jennings is not in your pay?’

  Tehan took a long moment to answer. ‘Jennings has been Cowper’s man since the Bendigo days. Whenever he wanted someone … persuaded to his way of thinking, he would send Jennings.’

  ‘But Cowper brought you here. You’re as much his man as Jennings.’

  Tehan drew in a harsh breath. ‘It suited me to come to Maiden’s Creek and I’ll be honest with you, Miss Penrose, I’m not going to deny that I haven’t been complicit in some of your uncle’s dealings, but I don’t do the dirty work and I most certainly had nothing to do with Jennings and his crew holding you up on the Shady Creek Road, or the business up at McLeod’s place.’

  She studied him, not sure whether to believe him or not. ‘So how do you keep him in line?’

  ‘I’m not sure I do. Maybe it just suits him for the moment.’

  ‘That’s not very reassuring.’

  ‘I know. That’s why I kept watch last night.’ Tehan pointed to the rifle propped against the wall just inside the cavern.

  Eliza swallowed. ‘He’s that dangerous?’

  ‘I didn’t want to take any risks.’ He stood up and walked to the iron grille and stood looking out at the mine workings beyond the adit.

  He turned back to her and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small object which he held up by its chain. It glinted in the early morning light and her heart gave a leap. ‘Yours, I believe.’ He tossed the locket to her and she caught it, pressing it to her heart.

  ‘Thank you, but why are you returning it?’

  ‘Call it a gesture of good faith,’ he said. ‘Took a little persuading for Jennings to hand it over.’

  She wanted to dislike Tehan but he made it very difficult.

  ‘McLeod said you knew about Will’s plans. Did you tell my uncle about them?’

  Tehan shook his head. ‘Cowper already knew about them. Your brother must have discussed it with him in better times. But you know they’d fallen out? It didn’t take much to work out who Penrose had left them with and your uncle sent Jennings and his crew to search McLeod’s house. When they didn’t find them, Cowper guessed McLeod had passed them on to you and you would have them with you when you left for Melbourne.’

  ‘So what does Cowper hold over you?’

  Tehan gave a snort of laughter. ‘He did me a turn on the Bendigo goldfields but as you and your brother both know, he expects repayment for his favours, and at the end of the day, I need the employment.’

  ‘So when my brother employed you, you were already working for my uncle?’

  Tehan cleared his throat. ‘Cowper wanted to know what was happening up here so, yes, he suggested it might be in my interests to get on the right side of your brother. He was paying me and your brother was paying me, so life was pretty sweet.’ He shook his head. ‘But Cowper wanted more—wanted me to start stealing the gold for the Maiden’s Creek Mine. Just small amounts at first. Not so your brother would get alarmed, but he’d begun to suspect. Asked if one of the
men may have been salting it away.’ He paused. ‘He started asking too many questions.’

  ‘Did you kill him?’

  Tehan’s eyes flashed. ‘No. I told you—I haven’t killed anyone.’

  ‘But my uncle has?’

  Tehan shrugged. ‘Not one to get his own hands dirty. As far as I know, your brother’s death was an accident.’

  Eliza let that pass. ‘But you forged my brother’s will?’

  Tehan pushed himself off the wall. ‘Why would you say that?’

  ‘You signed as a witness … you and Mary Harris, and I know for certain that my brother’s signature was a forgery.’

  ‘And I am the son of a convicted forger?’ His tone was bitter but he didn’t deny his involvement.

  Eliza took a sip of the lukewarm tea. ‘You’re in deep trouble, Tehan,’ she said. ‘Forgery, theft and now kidnap. I could help you. I could put a case forward—’

  He gave a snort of laughter. ‘And what case would that be? I come from bad stock, Miss Penrose. My father was a convict. I am stained with his crime. That’s why I left Tasmania. There’s no court in this land would look favourably on me.’

  ‘But if, as you say, you haven’t killed anyone, they won’t hang you.’ She paused before voicing the thoughts that had churned through her mind all night. ‘But I know what my uncle intends for me. What will it be … lost in the bush or a trip down an abandoned mine, or maybe a snake or spider bite?’

  For the first time, the bravado seemed to leach from the man. He swallowed, his eyes darting to the open door. ‘I’m not a killer of men or women. For what it’s worth, you have my word that you’re safe enough with me. I won’t let either your uncle or his men harm you.’ He paused and glanced outside. ‘But I’m only one man and even I don’t know who here is loyal to me.’ He straightened and held out his hand. ‘Finished?’

  She handed him the empty plate and mug.

  ‘Uncle Jack, Uncle Jack …’

  The familiar voice brought Eliza to her feet. ‘Charlie!’ She made for the door but Tehan caught her around the waist as Charlie came racing into the adit.

  ‘Wait outside for me, Charlie.’ Tehan thrust Eliza back into the cave and slammed the door. She rushed at the door but he snapped the padlock shut.