To Rise Above

by Jones, Julianne

  “Magistrate?” Rhiannon heard the fear in her friend’s voice and remembered that Katie had no reason to trust those that upheld the law. She tried to speak – to say that they would go home – but no words would come.

  “Sit down there,” someone produced a stool and Rhiannon watched as they helped Katie onto it. “Did ye know that man?”

  Rhiannon saw Katie nod her head then wince in pain.

  “Did anyone see where he went?” Voices murmured in reply but no answer was forthcoming.

  “What ’appened?” again Lola’s scared face came into view.

  Several people answered at once but it was doubtful that Lola or her friend would be able to make sense of it all.

  “I think the best thing to do now is to get these two girls ’ome.” It was the voice of the groom and Rhiannon was pleased to hear Lola agree.

  “Can you walk do you think?” Lola’s face peered into hers and Rhiannon nodded.

  “Please help me up.”

  In just a few minutes both girls were on their feet and the crowd had drawn back to allow the four to move away from the scene of their attack.

  They were quiet as they climbed the hill to the house, stopping often so both girls could rest. Katie held her wrist, and her face was pale, but she refused assistance. At their back gate, Lola turned to thank the groom but he insisted on seeing all three into the house. As the gate swung open, Rhiannon glanced at Katie.

  “Now we’re for it,” she remarked ruefully.

  And Katie could only nod in agreement.

  Esther Sanford sat with her head down as her husband paced back and forth. The groom explained how he and Lola had received what appeared to be an urgent message to go directly to the post office where it said the girls were in trouble, just moments after the blacksmith and his apprentice had also received a message that required their immediate attention down by the wharf.

  “But the post office is clear the other side of town. What would they be doing over there when they were just shopping for ribbon?” The doctor’s voice was full of pent-up emotion.

  “I’m sorry, sir, I didn’t think. We – I – thought it was genuine.”

  “When did you say you received this message?”

  “I’d been waiting at the blacksmith shop for nigh on half an ’our, sir.”

  The doctor turned to Lola. “And you were with him? You left the girls unattended?”

  Lola’s face turned red as she mumbled a reply.

  “Speak up. I can’t hear you.” The doctor’s voice was quiet but Esther could hear the anger simmering beneath his words.

  “Yes, sir. They ’ad just gone around the corner. They should’ve been safe.”

  “Should have been. But they weren’t.” The doctor pulled at his beard. “Someone must have been watching. How else would they know to send you to the other side of town just moments before Rhiannon and Katie returned to the blacksmith shop?”

  He turned to where both girls were sitting pale-faced and quiet on the sofa. “From now on,” and he fixed his eye on Rhiannon, “neither of you will leave this house without either myself or your mother present. Do you understand?”

  “Yes sir,” both girls whispered.

  “Good. Rhiannon, get your mother to help you get cleaned up. Katie, come into the surgery and I’ll fix your wrist.”

  “What about us, sir?” Renton was about to follow the two girls out of the room when Lola asked her question.

  The doctor faced Lola and the groom. “I’m upset that the girls were left on their own, especially when I gave strict orders for the girls not to go unattended outside this house. However, there is nothing I can do about what has happened today except to be thankful that no one was seriously hurt. But Lola –” The woman’s head snapped up and she looked the doctor in the eye.

  “Yes, sir?”

  “While I am not opposed to your courting, in the future it will be carried out when you’re not working and especially not when you are responsible for Rhiannon or Katie.”

  The woman blushed again. “Yes, sir.”

  “You may go.” As the groom went to pass him, the doctor held out his hand. “Thank you.”

  In confusion the groom took it then quickly dropped it and quitted the room after Lola. The doctor chuckled.

  “I don’t see that it’s a laughing matter.” It was the first time that Esther had spoken since the girls had returned to the house.

  “It’s not and I’m deeply disappointed in the girls. They both knew they were not to go out alone and they disobeyed.”

  “Katie –”

  The doctor held up his hand to stop his wife. “Didn’t you hear what they said? Katie tried to defend Rhiannon but I think I can determine what happened. In fact, I suspect this was all Rhiannon’s idea and that Katie went along with it. If Lola had not decided to stay with her young man and leave Rhiannon and Katie without protection, things may have turned out differently. But then again, three women alone may not have posed much of a threat to such a man.”

  “But it’s not like Rhiannon to disobey.”

  “No. But I suspect she was tired of being forced to remain inside all the time. We forget that she is growing up. However,” and he sighed, “however she will have to be punished. Both of them.”

  “Oh Renton.”

  The doctor leaned down and kissed his wife’s head. “Don’t ‘oh Renton’ me or I won’t be able to carry out the discipline.”

  “What are we going to do?”

  The doctor straightened. “We? I thought you preferred that punishment was my role.”

  “I mean about this man claiming to be Seamus’s father?”

  The doctor moved to gaze out the window. “I don’t know. I’ll see the magistrate again – for all the good that will do. We can’t keep the girls locked up here for the rest of their lives but I don’t know what else to do.”

  “We could move.”

  “Move?”

  “You’ve mentioned before that you have a dream of moving upriver and settling on your own land. You’ve not been happy working at the hospital since this new doctor has arrived. The girls aren’t safe here. Why not move to some place such as where that Samuel McKinnon has settled and start afresh away from this awful man?”

  “Esther, do you know what you’re saying?”

  “I think I do. I’ve thought about it ever since that man turned up. And prayed too. I think this is the best solution.”

  “But to move?” He waved his hand around. “Are you prepared to give up all this?”

  “All this.” Esther looked around. “They are only things. They mean nothing compared to Rhiannon and Seamus and Katie.”

  The doctor crossed the room and knelt down in front of his wife. “Are you sure?”

  She nodded, a smile on her face.

  He picked up the hands that lay in her lap and clasped then between his own. “In that case, my dear wife, I’ll be doing some serious praying. But meanwhile I better go and attend to Katie’s hand. And don’t expect her to do any heavy housework for a few days. I suspect it’s badly sprained and she’ll need to rest it.”

  The doctor swung his legs out of bed, careful not to disturb his wife. Crossing to the window he pulled aside the curtain and gazed out. Outside he could hear the waves crashing on the rocks below but it was too dark to make out the ocean. But it was out there. Sometimes calm. Sometimes angry. But always there. What would it be like to leave it?

  He still couldn’t believe that his wife had suggested moving inland. It had been his dream since almost the first moment they had set foot in the settlement of Newcastle but Esther, struggling with the lack of civilisation in this once secondary penal settlement had pleaded with him to relinquish his dream. And now she was the one suggesting it!

  Father in Heaven, what would You have us do? he prayed silently and waited. There was no reply – no sound apart from the crashing of waves below and the screech of an owl far away. But he returned to bed with more peace than he
had had when he had first lain down on it several hours ago.

  Whatever God told them to do they would do. It was all in His Hands now.

  Chapter Four

  “Teacher, Teacher!” The young boy burst into the classroom, breathless and his face red from having run up the hill.

  Samuel noticed with some amusement that it was not yet half an hour since he had dismissed his class. While Robbie McElwain was one of his keener students, he didn’t think he was quite so keen that he would return to school at the end of a day.

  “What is it, Robbie?”

  “There’s a big box that’s just come for you. Came up the river it did. Thought you’d want to know.”

  Samuel nodded. “Thank you.”

  “Well don’t you want to see what’s in it?”

  “I know what’s in it.”

  “You do?” The small boy seemed amazed.

  Samuel reached out and ruffled the boy’s hair. “Yes I do. It’s filled with books.”

  “Books,” the boy breathed the word with reverence. Then, “Shall I help you bring it up, sir?”

  “Well now, I think I’m going to need some help. But it might take more than the two of us to cart it up here.”

  “I could ask Johnny and Paul. They’re my friends.”

  “Okay then. You ask them and I’ll meet you – where did you say the box is now?”

  “It’s at the inn, sir.”

  “Okay, I’ll meet you there.”

  Books. Samuel shared his young friend’s awe. They’d arrived several months sooner than he had expected. He wouldn’t have thought there had been time yet for the order to reach England let alone to have been dispatched and unloaded in the colony. But he wasn’t about to complain. He had a great need of books in his classroom and it was a blessing that they’d arrived so quickly.

  Arriving at the inn, Samuel was surprised to see a crowd gathered until he remembered that more than just his books had been brought in on the boat. Letters, packages, and boxes such as the one he was now eagerly waiting to catch a glimpse of had been transported via bullock team from the Green Hills Landing – their one connection with the outside world until the Great North Road that was being built by convict labour was completed, linking them to Windsor and beyond by road.

  Several people in the crowd greeted him by name and one or two young ladies smiled encouragingly at him. He greeted everyone, trying not to show anything that might be misconstrued as partiality. He suddenly wished he was married – it would make this post easier if he didn’t have to run the gamut of female emotions and wiles.

  “Teacher, there it is.” Robbie was again at his side and pointing to a wooden box that had been set down beside one wheel of the cart on which it had made its journey. It was smaller than he expected. Did that mean that a number of the books he had ordered had been unavailable? How was he to run a school without sufficient books?

  “Shall we carry it up to the schoolhouse for you now, sir?”

  Samuel looked into the freckled faces of Johnny and Paul, Robbie’s friends. He now felt a little foolish that he had asked for their help – he could’ve carried it himself – but he nodded his head and Johnny and Robbie hoisted the box onto their shoulders and began the walk back to the schoolhouse, Paul trailing behind.

  “Ye boys right with that load?” a large man with a beard flowing past his chest asked as they passed him. Then he looked at Samuel and laughed. Samuel gave an embarrassed smile and hurried after the boys. It may not include all the books he had ordered – perhaps the rest were coming – but it was better than nothing.

  Robbie and Johnny dropped the box on to the floor of the schoolroom and crowded around as Samuel prised open the lid. Picking up the first book, he recognised the title. It was one of his own. As he continued reaching for books and stacking them on the floor it occurred to him what had happened. Karen, his sister, must have packed up and sent all his books that he’d left behind. How had she known that this was just what he needed? It was doubtful that she had as yet received his letter about his intentions to teach school in Wallis Plains. It took months for letters to travel half way around the world. He had taught in Port Macquarie for a little while. Perhaps she had sent them then? But then how was it that they carried this address? It didn’t look as if the parcel had been redirected.

  He shrugged. Karen may not have known but God had known and God must have prompted her to send them. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw in the bottom of the crate a slip of paper with his sister’s handwriting.

  “I don’t understand a word of this, sir. Is it a foreign language?”

  Samuel folded the letter and placed it in the pocket of his waistcoat to read later and looked at the book that the small boy held out to him.

  “Yes, it’s Greek. And,” pointing to another one, “that one is in Latin.”

  “Will we study Greek, sir?”

  “I don’t think so. But you’ll certainly study Latin.”

  “You mean one day we’ll be smart enough to understand all this?”

  “I hope so. That is, if you work hard and I’m a good teacher.”

  “You’re a good teacher, sir.” And three heads nodded in unison.

  “I thank you for your vote of confidence. Now, how would you like to help me place these books on the shelves?”

  Again three heads nodded in unison. For the next half hour they were busy stacking and rearranging books on the small set of shelves that Samuel had erected near the front of the classroom and which until now had held his Bible and a few copybooks. After the boys had gone home he stood back and surveyed the shelves.

  God bless you Karen, he thought, And Thank You Lord for prompting her because I’m sure this must be of You.

  Remembering the letter in his pocket he decided to first fix himself a light meal before sitting down to read it. That way he could eagerly anticipate the pleasure of it for a little while longer.

  “You have a letter from Samuel.” Rhiannon held the sealed letter out to Katie.

  Katie looked at the letter but didn’t immediately reach for it.

  “Katie, what’s going on?”

  “I don’t know what ye mean.” Katie held out her hand for the letter but Rhiannon held onto it.

  “Are you going to read it?”

  “What a question!”

  “Well are you?”

  Katie tugged at the letter in Rhiannon’s hand. “Give it to me.”

  Rhiannon let go of the letter and Katie immediately slipped it into the pocket of her apron and made to slip pass Rhiannon but her friend stepped in front of her.

  “Katie, tell me that you’re going to read it. And answer it.”

  “What difference does it make to ye?”

  “A lot. Samuel McKinnon is my friend too.”

  “Then ye write to him.”

  “I will. But it’s you he wants to hear from.”

  “Did he tell ye so?” Katie’s voice rose in anger.

  “No. He’s asked how you are and that’s all. But I can tell that he’s hurt that you haven’t replied to his letters.”

  “I’ve replied.”

  “A few lines are not a reply.”

  Katie flushed. “Have ye been reading my letters?”

  Rhiannon gently put her hands on Katie’s shoulders. “Of course not. But I care about you and about Samuel and I don’t like to see either of you hurting.”

  Katie shrugged and turned her face away.

  “I don’t know what’s going on but I want to help.”

  “It’s nothing.”

  “It’s not nothing. Ever since that night he came to say goodbye, you’ve avoided mentioning his name and you only read his letters when I force you to. Has he done or said something to hurt you?”

  Katie was silent.

  “Well has he?”

  Rhiannon’s voice was fierce and Katie looked at her friend in surprise.

  “Why does it matter so much to ye?”

  “Because he�
�s a special friend. And because – well because he loves you.”

  “Don’t be daft.”

  “Didn’t he propose?”

  “To keep me from going back to the Female Factory.”

  “Is that why you’re angry with him?”

  “No.”

  “Then why?”

  “Because he promised to be my friend and then he didn’t even say goodbye the day he left me at the wharf with yer father.” The words burst from Katie as if they’d been waiting to be said for a long while – which in fact they had.

  “So that’s it.”

  Katie turned her face away and started sobbing.

  “Katie.” Rhiannon waited until Katie raised her eyes to look in her face. “Tell him. Let him know what he did wrong. He didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m sure of it. He cares about you.”

  “Ye don’t hurt people ye care about,” Katie retorted as she pushed past Rhiannon and made her way down the hall.

  “Oh Katie,” Rhiannon whispered as she let her friend go. “It’s the ones we love that we hurt the most. Surely you of all people know that.”

  Rhiannon’s Journal

  March 15, 1830

  The magistrate has located the minister who married Seamus’s parents, and as incredible as it seems, the man claiming to be Seamus’s father is not the man that was married to Seamus’s mother. I can’t begin to describe how happy we were to hear this. However, we have also learnt that the minister may have information as to the whereabouts of Seamus’s true father. It would seem that we are given a little hope only to have it taken away from us and for us to be left in an even worse state than we were before. I wish this new information had never come to light. At least before there was a chance that with the way Seamus’s ‘false’ father was acting that he would have been arrested and we would have been able to keep Seamus, but now it is all so unsettled. And I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all.

  The light from the hall was momentarily blocked as Renton Sanford entered the room. Looking to where his daughter sat reading he spoke, “Rhiannon, I’d like you to come for a walk with me.”