“Yes,” Jack said. “She’s upstairs, sleeping.”
“I must speak with her before I leave,” Edward said.
“I don’t think it’s wise to keep discussing last night with her,” Jack said.
“I have something else to discuss with her, Jack,” Edward said. He now wished he’d done it sooner, and then maybe Heath would still be alive.
***
Abbey woke with a start and sat bolt upright in bed. She was hyperventilating and wet with perspiration. She’d been having a nightmare about being pushed from the roof of the Hall with a baby in her arms. When she realised where she was, she knew it wasn’t just a bad dream. After she calmed down, she got up and slipped on a dressing gown that Mrs. Hendy had left her, before going downstairs.
***
“I was told by Dr. Boxborough that Ebenezer Mason’s physician, Dr. Mead, committed suicide,” Jack said to Edward. “Is that true?”
“Yes, it is, unfortunately. Dr. Mead had a note delivered to my home. The note stated that by the time I received it, he would have already committed suicide. I went immediately to his home with a police officer, but it was too late.”
Abbey had been approaching the drawing-room doorway on her way to the kitchen to get a drink, and she overheard what Edward Martin said. Jack looked up to find her standing in the doorway with a look of disbelief on her face.
“Abbey,” he said, hoping she hadn’t overheard. “Should you be out of bed?”
“Did I hear correctly?” she said to Edward. “Did you say that Dr. Mead had committed suicide?”
“Yes,” Edward said. “I’m afraid it’s true.”
Abbey looked at Jack. “I was at the doctor’s surgery in Clare on Saturday morning. Dr. Mead was filling in for Dr. Ashbourne.” She blushed, thinking about the visit, and her hand went unconsciously to her abdomen.
Jack understood. He thought she deserved an explanation. He looked at Edward. “Dr. Boxborough told me that Dr. Mead blamed himself for Ebenezer Mason’s death. Is that true?”
“Yes, it is,” Edward said. “He’d been giving Mr. Mason a potion for” He cleared his throat. “For a problem.” Vernon had explained what the problem was in the note, but Edward didn’t feel it was necessary to divulge this detail. “Dr. Mead had come to the conclusion that this potion was the cause of internal damage.” Edward looked uncomfortable. “He also blamed himself for what,” he said, glancing at Abbey, “for what Mr. Mason did to you and to other women.”
“What exactly do you mean?” she asked at the risk of further humiliation. She had to know.
“Apparently, Dr. Mead was giving Mr. Mason an opiate to help him cope with the stress of running the mine. He didn’t know until a few days ago that Mason was using it to drug women so that he could, um, take liberties with them.” Edward looked down at his shoes. “Dr. Mead had suspected something wasn’t right, but when he found out for sure, he couldn’t live with the guilt.”
Abbey sank down onto the sofa, utterly devastated as she recalled the conversation she’d had with Dr. Mead. She couldn’t believe that he had known all along that the drug he had given Ebenezer Mason had allowed Mason to violate her. No wonder he’d said he knew she was a decent girl and that what had happened wasn’t her fault. It was his fault!
“Dr. Mead did an autopsy on the elder Mr. Mason,” Winston said. “He came here to report to the younger Mr. Mason that his father had died from heart failure.”
“In his note, he said that Mr. Mason did die from heart failure, but the origin may have been the ingredients in the potion he’d given him, which quite possibly caused tissue damage,” Edward said.
“He could have been wrong,” Jack suggested, thinking that Dr. Mead’s death would be a terrible loss to the community.
“Yes, but it was obviously plaguing his mind.” Edward looked at Abbey. “I know this is all a terrible shock to you, and you’ve been through a very traumatic ordeal, but I have some official business to conduct with you, Miss Scottsdale,” he said. “Are you up to having a discussion now?”
Abbey looked up, her mind half in a daze. “Yes,” she said, a little vaguely.
“Perhaps it can wait, Abbey,” Jack said protectively.
“No, Jack. Heath said some rather strange things to me, and I’d like them explained,” Abbey responded.
“Did he mention his late father’s will?” Edward asked.
“Yes,” Abbey said. “I thought he was babbling nonsense.”
“What he said may have sounded far-fetched, but I think I can explain,” Edward said. “Ebenezer Mason left behind a will that had not been changed for some years. The will stated that his wife, at the time of his death, was to inherit his estate.”
“Heath said something about that,” Abbey said.
“The will did not specify the name of the wife, and as he’d married you the day he died, that means you have inherited everything.”
Abbey gasped. Heath had been telling the truth. “No wonder Heath was behaving so strangely,” she said.
“Are you saying that Abbey now owns this house and the mine?” Jack asked incredulously.
“Yes, that’s right,” Edward said. “Mr. Mason had considerable holdings: a great deal of land; livestock; various cottages on the estate, some of which are tenanted; money in the bank; some shops and buildings in town, and of course, the Burra Mine.”
Jack blinked in disbelief. “I gather Heath had known about this since his father’s death,” he said, beginning to understand why the man had behaved so oddly with Abbey.
“Yes, and to say he was not happy about it would be a gross understatement. Of course, he had expected to be his father’s beneficiary after Meredith Barton had passed away, and he would have been, had his father not married again before he died.”
Jack glanced at Winston, who looked uncomfortable, thinking of Miss Barton’s death. After witnessing Heath trying to kill Abbey, it was not difficult to believe that he had killed Miss Barton, as well. “Did Heath say what his intentions were towards Abbey?” he asked Edward.
“Intentions?” Edward said, not certain he should admit to knowing about Heath’s plans.
“Obviously, he wouldn’t have told you that he might try to kill Abbey, but his initial visit to her was rather hostile. He then appeared to have a complete change of heart. I was puzzled by his conversion, but never imagined he’d become homicidal.”
“Is that why he suddenly wanted to marry me?” Abbey asked Edward directly. “So that he could, through marriage, legally acquire his father’s fortune?”
“Quite likely,” Edward admitted guardedly.
“Why didn’t you notify Abbey that she’d inherited the estate immediately after Mr. Mason’s death?” Jack asked skeptically. “Isn’t that your legal obligation?” He was beginning to suspect that Edward and Heath may have collabourated on a plan.
“I had twenty-eight days in which to notify Ms. Scottsdale of her inheritance, and plenty of papers to file in relation to the estate in that time.”
“That gave Heath time to ‘court’ Abbey, didn’t it?” Jack said pointedly.
Edward flushed. “I was hoping to give him time to accept the reality of the situation. But, understandably, he was finding it difficult, especially after I informed him that he had no legal recourse. His father had left him a very small bequest of one hundred pounds. You have to understand that it was a delicate situation.”
“Indeed,” Jack said. “But when Heath realised he couldn’t manipulate the situation to his advantage, Abbey almost lost her life.”
Edward looked uncomfortable again. “If there’s any way I can be of service to you, Miss Scottsdale, you simply have to ask. In the meantime, there are quite a few papers to be signed at your convenience, turning everything over to you.” He paused. “Congratulations,” he added. “You are now a very wealthy young woman.
”
Abbey thought about all that entailed. “I’m now a woman with a lot of responsibilities,” she said, overwhelmed by it all. Truthfully, she felt quite unable to cope. She wanted to crawl into a corner and be left alone until she could begin to make sense of it all.
“My best advice would be to sell the mine,” Edward said.
Abbey found it difficult to comprehend that she suddenly owned the mine where her father had lost his life.
“As for the Hall,” Edward added. “It’s a lovely home, but it’s a big responsibility.”
Abbey looked at poor Winston. She imagined selling the Hall, which would put him and the other staff out of work and without homes. How could she do that to them after all their years of service?
After Edward left, Abbey was very quiet. Jack didn’t say anything. He knew she needed time to think about all that had happened and her sudden change of fortune. He could barely comprehend it all himself. Just a short while ago Abbey had been destitute and homeless.
Abbey kept glancing at the damaged portrait of Ebenezer Mason that stood on the floor near the fireplace. She wanted to smash it to pieces and burn it, but the fire wasn’t lit, and she didn’t have the energy.
“Will you remove that portrait from the room?” she asked Winston when he came into the room carrying a breakfast tray. “I don’t ever want to see it again.”
“Yes, Miss Scottsdale,” Winston said, putting the tray down and retrieving the portrait.
“Please, call me Abbey, Winston,” Abbey said wearily.
“Yes, Miss. I mean, Abbey,” Winston said. The lack of formality was going to take some getting used to.
“And I want you to go to bed for the rest of the day, Winston. After you’ve had breakfast, of course. You don’t look like you’ve slept all night.”
“But …”
“No, buts, Winston. Please go to bed.”
“Yes, Miss Abbey.”
“Just Abbey,” Abbey said with quiet warmth.
Winston nodded and left the room.
“I can’t eat breakfast, so I’m going to lie down again,” Abbey said to Jack.
“You should try and eat, Abbey, otherwise you’ll become ill.”
“I can’t think about food right now,” she said, shaking her head.
Jack didn’t know what to do for her.
“I must get back to Bungaree. I’m sure my mother is worried about both of us. Will you come with me?”
“No,” Abbey said without hesitation. “I need time to comprehend all that’s happened.”
“I understand that,” Jack said. “But you could do that at home.” He just wanted to look after her.
“This is my home now,” Abbey said, looking around the room in awe. “At least for the time being.”
Jack was stunned. “Are you going to stay here in this house?” he asked. After all that had happened within the walls of the Hall, he thought she’d want to get away as quickly as possible.
“Of course. It’s legally mine now.”
Jack was absolutely baffled. “I’ll go then,” he said. He stood up. “If Sergeant Brown wishes to speak to me about Heath and what happened, tell him to come and see me.”
“I will,” Abbey said.
Jack headed for the door. It didn’t feel right leaving Abbey, but what else could he do?
“Jack,” Abbey said.
“Yes?” he asked, hoping she’d changed her mind.
“Thank you for all you’ve done for me.”
“Are you sure you won’t come home to Bungaree with me, Abbey? I think it would be best if you were with people who …” He wanted to say, with people who love you, but he wasn’t sure it was the right time. “People who care about you,” he said.
“I just want to be by myself,” Abbey said. She knew she sounded cold and distant, but she couldn’t help it.
Jack made no comment. He left the house in a daze. As he walked down the road towards the gate, he glanced back at the house. He had the feeling he’d never see Abbey again.
CHAPTER 29
Six weeks later
“Would you like a glass of white wine with your fish, Mrs. Hawker?” the waiter asked.
“Yes, that would be lovely, thank you, André.” Clementine purred in utter contentment. “Have you seen my husband? He was supposed to meet me here in the dining room.”
“Isn’t that Mr. Hawker talking to Mr. and Mrs. Richards by the ship’s railing?”
Clementine looked through the dining room window. “Yes, that’s him,” she said, smiling lovingly. She thought her husband of just a week looked handsome with a sea breeze ruffling his hair. Her gaze was drawn to the endless blue horizon, where the Indian Ocean met the azure blue sky, and she thought about how she wasn’t going to miss the parched land, the dust, or the flies in South Australia. They were on their way to England, where they planned to spend two months in the Lake District before embarking on a cruise of the Mediterranean, stopping off in Southern Italy for an extended honeymoon. As far as Clementine was concerned, life couldn’t get any better, and married life aboard an ocean liner for several weeks would suit her perfectly. She couldn’t believe she had ever wanted a life as a farmer’s wife. Luckily, her new husband had decided that he no longer wanted to be a farmer and had sold his land to his brothers, who had split it between them.
“Sorry for keeping you waiting, darling.”
Clementine had been distracted by her thoughts and was startled. “Don’t be, darling. I’ve taken the liberty of ordering fish for the both of us, and two glasses of white wine.”
“Perfect,” Tom said, planting a lingering kiss on her pale pink lips.
Clementine’s thoughts flashed back to the night of the dance in Manoora, and to the first time Tom had kissed her. It had been a complete surprise to both of them. She’d been so angry with Jack at the time. Tom had drunk several quick beers to settle his nerves after the horrendous trip with Jack in the buggy and had apparently been feeling the effects. When Clementine had returned to him after arguing with Jack, Tom had grabbed her and planted a passionate kiss squarely on her lips. Mortified by his actions, he had immediately apologised, begging forgiveness. He told her he’d been unable to resist as, even in the midst of anger, she had never looked more beautiful.
After the initial shock that Tom would have said and done such a thing, Clementine had realised how much she’d enjoyed the kiss. They ended up having a wonderful night at the dance and had decided almost immediately that they both wanted to leave Australia, so Tom had sold his land to his brothers. After getting everything settled, which took a few weeks, they had received Jack’s blessing and set off for Port Adelaide. When they had reached the port, they had been married in a simple ceremony before boarding the Fair Star, bound for England.
***
Sybil went out onto the balcony and saw Jack sitting on the bench under the blue gum tree. He cut a lonely figure, but instead of feeling sorry for him, Sybil was exasperated. It was Saturday evening, and they’d just had a quiet dinner together. Very quiet. Since Abbey had gone, the house had less life in it than the graveyard at St. Michael’s. Neither of them felt much like talking.
Sybil had been wondering where Jack had gone, as the one thing he had said at dinner was that he had already been to check on the livestock that evening. In the last few weeks he’d often disappeared—preferring to spend time alone—and Sybil was losing patience. She’d allowed Jack to handle things his way, but enough was enough.
Sybil went out into the garden and approached Jack. He was staring off into space, obviously miles away with his thoughts, and didn’t notice her approaching.
“Jack!” she said sharply.
He jumped. “Mother, don’t sneak up on me like that,” he said crossly.
“That I can sneak up on you at all says a lot about your state of mind.�
�
“What are you talking about?”
“You know full well, and I’ve kept quiet long enough. This moping about can’t go on any longer,” she said. “Either you remedy the situation, or I will.”
Jack frowned at her. “You’ve been doing a bit of moping yourself, Mother,” he said. She hadn’t been near the kitchen in weeks, and he’d often caught her sitting in the living room, staring listlessly out into the garden.
“I’ve not been as bad as you,” Sybil said defensively. “Don’t you think it’s about time you took action? Sitting around here with a face like a wounded dog is getting you nowhere.”
Jack looked uncomfortable. “I’ve been to Martindale Hall twice, Mother, and both times I was told that Abbey wouldn’t see me. So, there’s nothing I can do.”
“I should go there and demand to see her,” Sybil said impatiently. She’d wanted to go on numerous occasions, but Jack had put her off, insisting that Abbey had asked to be left alone.
“Abbey knows where we are, Mother. If she wanted to see us, she’d come here.”
Sybil couldn’t argue with that logic. She growled in frustration and went back to the house. Obviously, Jack was right. If Abbey had wanted to see them, she would have visited by now. Sybil was actually quite hurt that she hadn’t. Jack had told her about the inheritance, so she had accepted that she’d lost Abbey as a paid companion, but she was sure that Abbey must be recovered from the pain of recent events by now, so why hadn’t she been to see them?
***
Abbey was a bit nervous when her carriage pulled up outside the house at Bungaree Station on Sunday afternoon. It felt like she’d been away for a lifetime instead of a few weeks.
After jumping down, Alfie opened the door for her. He hadn’t known quite what to make of Abbey when he’d first met her, but he’d come to respect and even admire the young woman in the past few weeks.
Two weeks into her stay at the Martindale estate, Abbey had gone for a walk, heading in the direction of the stables. It was the first time she’d felt like going outside, and the sunshine had felt good on her skin. It had felt as if her burden of grief were finally lifting.
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