She sighed heavily. ‘Our time is running out, Will. Do you feel it?’
He put his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. ‘I do. We always knew it would.’
She leaned back to look into his beautiful eyes. Searching, delving into their depths to find some inkling to his real feelings. But he was a closed book. An expert at masking his emotions. How would she ever say goodbye when the time came?
‘I can’t bear the idea of you leaving … without us having been together, I mean,’ she added, covering what she had truly wanted to say—that she could no longer bear the thought of him leaving. Still gazing into his eyes she saw the heat and the desperation. She felt it too. Along with the first cracks of her heart breaking.
Chapter 23
‘Conditions in the camp are deteriorating, sir,’ Johnston told Commissioner Rede at their daily meeting. ‘If we keep bringing in more redcoats I’m not sure where we’ll put them.’
‘Understood. But we must protect the camp, Johnston,’ Rede maintained. ‘I’ve petitioned Hotham on many occasions over the last six months about the upgrade to the amenities. But even if we have the new barracks I requested, we still wouldn’t fit them all in.’
Johnston followed Rede outside of the command tent to survey the compound. From one end of the government camp to the other, soldiers and police filled almost every square inch. The men were sleeping in shifts. While their colleagues took the watch, they had their turn under canvas and at shift change they would swap out. Some police officers had found respite in the shade of the few buildings in the camp. While others simply found a patch of ground, hopefully not too hard or wet if there’d been rain, and caught whatever shut-eye they could get in the swelter of the day. All of the men looked undernourished and demoralised.
‘There are just so many of them,’ Rede said, a small measure of despondency creeping into his voice.
‘Hotham continues to order more soldiers to Ballarat since word reached Melbourne about the latest attack on the supply convoy,’ Johnston said.
‘It is justified,’ Rede agreed. ‘But how do we house and feed them all appropriately? Morale is plummeting and there is unrest and unease between the police and soldiers like never before. I feel as though we are fighting a battle on two sides now. We must protect the government camp from the growing instability on the goldfields. My spy in the diggers’ camp says that although no outright declaration has yet been made, he believes an attack of sorts by the miners is forthcoming.’
‘Do you believe them foolhardy enough to attempt a run at the camp itself?’ Johnston asked with scepticism.
‘I’m not going to sit about on our hands and wait to find out,’ Rede insisted. ‘Perhaps it is time to go on the offensive instead of waiting for the rebels to make the first move. Show them that any uprising will be dealt with by the harshest of penalties. Call the commanding officers in here please, Johnston. It’s time to act.’
The Commissioner moved back into the tent and a soldier was sent to find the officers of the government camp. Moments later, Captain Thomas was entering Commissioner Rede’s tent followed shortly afterwards by Police Inspector Evans.
‘I want to run a licence raid today. The likes of which they have never seen before. We know for a fact that many of the diggers burned their licences last night. I want to ensure they know we won’t stand by and take that lightly. Send a message. Send a large party of soldiers with the police. Arrest as many diggers as you can.’
‘It’s a swift and decisive response,’ Captain Thomas agreed. ‘May I make a suggestion, sir?’
‘By all means.’
‘Put Lieutenant Marsh in charge of this raid,’ Thomas said.
Rede eyed the Captain curiously. ‘To what end?’
‘The men talk, sir,’ Thomas told him. ‘I hear tittering in the ranks that Marsh is courting a digger. A young girl.’
‘Men have been known to fraternise before, Captain,’ Rede said, shrugging it off. ‘It’s not uncommon.’
‘True, sir. But I believe her to be quite the troublemaker. It was over her that Marsh and Donnelly fought. And she was at the meeting on Bakery Hill last night.’
‘From what I saw the whole damn town of Ballarat was at that meeting,’ Rede said frustrated. ‘As well as a few from Creswick and Bendigo. Did she burn her licence?’
‘I’m not sure, sir.’
‘Well, she’ll be picked up in the raid if she did,’ Rede continued to brush it off.
‘Sergeant Donnelly tells me the girl is one of the main instigators of the uprising,’ Inspector Evans added.
‘Indeed?’ Rede said, taking more notice now. ‘Donnelly said that?’
‘He was quite adamant, sir, before he left for Melbourne this morning,’ Evans responded.
Rede leaned back in his chair thoughtfully and turned his attentions to Thomas. ‘You’re his commanding officer. Do you believe Lieutenant Marsh would be tempted into desertion by this girl?’
‘I couldn’t say, sir,’ Thomas said honestly. ‘He has always been one of my finest officers. But he has been challenging authority lately. He questions the manner in which the licence raids are delivered and was overheard saying that we are not at war and therefore should treat these civilians with more care. He and Sergeant Donnelly have traded insults, and fists I believe, more than once.’
‘It hardly makes Donnelly a reliable source then does it,’ Rede countered. He steepled his hands, put them to his lips in thought. ‘Very well then. Send Lieutenant Marsh to lead the licence raid. Ensure he knows he must go in with them and not just stand on the sidelines. That ought to put paid to any allegiance with the miners.’
‘Yes, sir.’
***
Assembled with police and soldiers by the now heavily guarded entrance to the government camp, Will’s senses were on high alert. Commissioner Rede and Assistant Commissioner Johnston sat mounted on their horses, watching proceedings as Captain Thomas announced the coming raid.
‘Commissioner Rede has requested a contingent of soldiers lead the next licence raid on the Gravel Pits goldfield. We need to show a strong united front and prove to the rebels that we will not sit idly by whilst they burn their licences in protest.’
He walked down the line. ‘Lieutenant Marsh.’
‘Sir!’ Will stood to attention at the end of the row of soldiers who seemed all too eager to be included in some action for the first time.
‘Lieutenant Marsh shall lead the raid alongside Assistant Commissioner Johnston,’ Thomas said.
Will blinked. ‘Captain Thomas, is it not the jurisdiction of the local police to—’
‘Are you questioning my orders, Marsh?’ Captain Thomas barked, spinning on his heel to glare at him.
‘No, sir.’
‘Good,’ Thomas said. ‘I’d hate to see such a fine officer written up for insubordination twice in as many months.’
Will was trapped and he knew it.
‘Assistant Commissioner Johnston will take the raid to the Gravel Pits with the police,’ Thomas instructed the troops in a loud commanding voice.
‘Lieutenant Marsh will call for the licences to be shown and then take the mounted troops through the fields and into the camps to chase the runners. Commissioner Rede and I will lead the foot soldiers down the hill to the plateau to the south. We must show the rebels they cannot win this game. Move out!’
Will’s gut churned as police and mounted soldiers moved out of the camp. He had to lead the soldiers and police into the Gravel Pits section of the goldfields. Indy worked the Eureka lead. His only hope would be that she didn’t see him and that she would never find out. But well aware of the phenomenal speed in which gossip travelled around the diggings, he knew he had more chance of striking gold than word of this raid not reaching Indy Wallace.
***
The small contingent of soldiers joined the larger troop of mounted and foot police that marched down the hill, with Will in the lead, Johnston beside him. The only blessing Will
felt was that Donnelly wasn’t amongst the police raiders.
When they arrived at the Gravel Pits mining lead, the diggers stopped working, eyeing with confusion the unusually large contingent of soldiers numbered in with the police. The miners crossed glances with one another, unsure of what to do.
Will took a deep breath. ‘Gentlemen! Present your licences please.’
The diggers didn’t move forward as requested, but instead joined together in a line, hands in pockets, a united front.
Not good.
‘Present your licences,’ he called again.
Still nothing. A nervous sweat trickled down his back. He was a soldier and had been into battle more times than he could count, advancing on a foe without a second thought. But this felt different. These men, these miners, were not his enemy. They were not the enemy of Britain. He refused to sound an advance without provocation and even then he swore he would keep the raid controlled and efficient without need for brutality or bloodshed.
‘Gentlemen, we do not want any trouble. Present your licences and disperse this assembly.’
Move, dammit, Will urged in silent desperation. Don’t make me do this.
He was about to move his horse forward to talk with the men in the hope of keeping the peace when one shot rang out, then another and another as the police began firing above the heads of the crowd that had gathered.
‘Joe! Joe!’ came the familiar yell from miners.
Suspicion and confusion had turned into panic. Despite Will’s best efforts to contain the raid, all hell broke loose as miners and onlookers ran from the gunfire and the mounted police who now stormed unchecked through the diggings. He spun his horse and glared back at the line of soldiers and policemen.
‘Who fired?’ he yelled but it was too late. Another shot rang out and diggers who’d burned their licences, or didn’t have one to begin with, hid in mineshafts and tents to avoid arrest. ‘Hold!’ he yelled, watching the chaos from his position on his horse.
He hated himself. All around him police and soldiers were attacked with bottles and rocks. Will ducked a flying liquor jug just as a large and furious miner reached up to grab at him, but he managed to kick him off.
Commissioner Rede, who had come down from the camp to watch, moved in quickly and read the riot act as if it would make any difference to the mayhem.
‘Present arms!’ Rede called.
Soldiers took up position on one knee and aimed rifles into the scattering crowd.
‘No!’ Will yelled and rode quickly over to where Rede stood. ‘Sir, they are surrendering. Look. There’s no need for more guns.’
Thankfully, he was right. A group of miners who’d been rounded up were tied together and led away. Others stood by, fuming, but no longer attacking the police who raced by.
‘Stand down,’ Rede called to the soldiers and police.
Will heaved a sigh of relief. The situation could have escalated, but thankfully the miners had seen sense and desisted once the riot act had been read. He surveyed the group of arrested men. It was a large catch. He’d done his job. Bully for him, he thought sardonically as the prisoners were led away towards the government camp and jail. He wiped the sweat from his brow and slumped in his saddle, suddenly drained of all energy. And then, from behind, he heard the voice of the one person he had hoped to avoid.
‘Enjoying yourself, Lieutenant?’
He closed his eyes and swore.
Almost wishing someone would shoot him then and there, he turned his head slowly, finding her standing on the road between the Gravel Pits and the Eureka Lead. He steered his horse in her direction and as he got closer, he could see that she appeared uncommonly calm. If she yelled and screamed, hit him perhaps, he would be able to deal with that. But this look of stone cold disappointment—it cut him damn near in half.
‘Of course I’m not enjoying myself,’ he said, keeping his voice low so his troops wouldn’t hear. ‘I’m under orders.’
‘Where have I heard that before?’ she queried, sarcasm dripping. ‘Oh, of course. Donnelly.’
Will’s breath caught. She’d compare him to Donnelly? A man she hated with every part of her. ‘I’m a soldier, Indy. I have to do as I am instructed to do. Do you want me to choose you and your principles over my allegiance to the Crown?’
‘It’s not about me,’ she shot back, some of her well-known fire leaking through. ‘It’s not about choosing me. It’s about choosing to do what is right. Not blindly following orders.’
‘You really don’t understand, do you?’ he snapped, feeling acutely his irritation over the whole situation. ‘I have a duty to uphold. Why can’t you see that?’
‘All I see is a grown man cuckolded by an autocratic world bully.’
‘Christ,’ he said through gritted teeth. ‘Everything is black and white with you. You haven’t been out there in the world enough to see that life isn’t that simple. You don’t always get to do what you think is right. Sometimes you have to do what you must to survive.’
He was well fired up now. His adrenaline was still pumping from the raid and while his temper didn’t loosen often, when it did he had a hard time reining it in again.
‘Oh, that’s a load of bullock shite if ever I heard it,’ she said, the Irish in her words showing just how angry she really was. ‘And don’t talk to me like I’m a child, Lieutenant.’
‘Well, you’re acting like one,’ he shot back. ‘It’s true I did not want to lead this raid but I don’t answer to you, Indy. I can do no right by your lofty standards and I am tired of defending myself to you.’
Her eyes went wide with shock. Her mouth dropped open but nothing came out. He could see the effort it took her to hold back her emotions. Knowing Indy like he did, he knew the tears that welled were more likely from fury than distress but all the same he felt wretched for having put them there.
He followed her gaze to where the group of arrested miners were being dragged away. Her pretty face, usually so lively and animated now appeared tired and worn down. Her bottom lip quivered a little before she bit down to stop it.
‘How could I have been so wrong about you?’
The smallness of her voice tugged at his heart.
‘Indy …’ he started, finally getting a hold of his temper. ‘Please. I had no choice.’
Her eyes slid to his but she stayed quiet for the longest time. The betrayal, so evident in the dark blue, would haunt him forever.
‘There’s always a choice,’ she said and he heard the sadness beneath the anger. ‘And clearly you have made yours.’
With that she turned and walked slowly away from him.
‘Indy,’ he called after her.
‘Lieutenant!’
Captain Thomas’s call had him turning away from Indy for a moment. The officer waved for him to follow him back to camp. Faltering, Will turned back to watch Indy retreating from him. Another choice. Follow her and try to make her understand? Or continue to do his duty and complete the raid? It was the proverbial rock and hard place.
‘Yah!’ he yelled in frustration as much as to spur his horse into action. He’d have to deal with Indy later.
At a dangerous speed he rode out of the goldfields. He’d almost made it to the road when a shot rang out. He heard the bullet whistle past his ear. His horse spooked, but being an excellent horseman he stayed seated.
He wheeled the horse in a circle, searching for the culprit, waiting for the next bullet to hit its mark. He saw no one with a weapon aimed at him, so set his horse off down the road again. People jumped out of his way as he galloped furiously to catch up to the raiders and their unlicensed catch of the day.
***
Indy turned back once. Allowing herself just one last look at Will riding away from her. Back to the government camp. Back where he belonged.
‘They’ve gone and done it now,’ an old fellow Indy knew only as Samson stopped beside her. His pipe hung out the side of his mouth while he lit it. He exhaled a puff of smoke. ‘Y
ou’d do well to stay away from that soldier boy, Miss Indy. There be trouble waiting there for ye.’
‘Don’t worry about that. I’ll not be seeing the likes of him again.’
A heaviness overtook her as she stood by the side of the road. It squeezed at her lungs until she struggled to breathe. Her eyes stung as for the first time in years she felt the prick of tears threaten.
Diggers in the Gravel Pits gathered to deal with the wounded from the raid. No one had been shot, thank God, but there were still minor injuries to be seen to and bail to be raised for the poor unlicensed miners who’d been carted away. Indy saw none of it as she walked in a daze back to the Eureka fields.
When news got about that the soldiers and police had fired at the diggers there was uproar. Rede had read the riot act. Next would be martial law. Gossip spread like wildfire and more and more people converged on the Gravel Pits goldfields. The tides were turning and the time to act was fast approaching.
‘To Bakery Hill!’ someone called, and the group swarmed to the usual gathering place. More miners and townsfolk fell in to the procession as they passed.
Still caught up in her anger and desolation over Will, Indy followed Sean to Bakery Hill. The noise of the crowd was incredible and Indy gazed about her, overwhelmed by the shouting and the fury. In the midst of the yelling and demands for vengeance, someone climbed upon a log and the crowd hushed momentarily—such was the charisma of Peter Lalor. He couldn’t have been much older than Will she guessed, but he had a commanding way about him that drew people in.
‘Liberty!’ he called and the roar of the crowd was deafening.
Not in the mood to join in with the jeering and jostling of the angry mob, she sat at a distance. She was stunned by the attendance. They had to number ten thousand by now. Diggers were coming in from other leads in other towns. Creswick, Bendigo, even Castlemaine. They talked of the delegation Lalor had sent to Melbourne to speak with Governor Hotham and their failure to get a decent response from him. Decent response? Lalor would have been better off going himself, since it was no secret the men who had been sent had all but been booted out of Government House for their lack of decorum and respect.
The Girl From Eureka Page 25