Abbey was baffled, but at the same time her heart was leaping with joy. “Winston didn’t tell me he called,” she said. “Do you suppose he changed his mind about seeing me once he got to the front door?”
“I doubt it. But Winston has become very protective of you, Miss. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had turned Mr. Hawker away, thinking it was for the best.”
“Oh, Mr. Holbrook. What do I do?”
“Are you in love with Mr. Hawker, Miss?”
“Yes,” Abbey admitted without hesitation. It felt good to say it out loud. “But he and Clementine Feeble are getting married.”
Alfie looked even more confused. “Did he tell you that, Miss?”
“No, she did,” Abbey admitted sadly.
“Mr. Hawker strikes me as an honourable man, Miss. If he were getting married to Miss Feeble, I think he would have told you that himself.”
Abbey smiled. “You are right, Mr. Holbrook.” She spontaneously kissed his cheek, causing him to blush.
***
Abbey knocked on the front door, but there was no answer, so she entered the house through the backdoor. The kitchen was empty, so she headed for the living room. That too, was empty, and the house was silent.
“Jack,” Abbey called.
“Abbey, is that you?” Sybil was coming downstairs. When she saw Abbey in the living room, she just stared at her for a moment.
“Hello, Mrs. Hawker,” Abbey said a little nervously. She hoped Sybil was glad to see her.
“Abbey,” Sybil said smiling. She went towards her and threw her arms around her. “You came back.”
“Yes,” Abbey said, realising that Jack must have told Sybil that she had called earlier. “I was looking for Jack.” After speaking to Alfie, she was almost bursting to see him.
“He’s not here,” Sybil said.
Abbey was disappointed.
“Sit down, Abbey,” Sybil said. “I think we need to have a talk. Jack has told me that you’ve opened the Hall to unwed mothers.”
“That’s right,” Abbey said tentatively.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were carrying Ebenezer Mason’s child?” Sybil asked bluntly.
Abbey’s head dropped, and she became emotional. “After all you’d done for me, I didn’t think you deserved to bear any of the burden of my shame.”
Sybil blinked in surprise. “What sort of nonsense is that?” she said crossly. “You were the innocent party, a victim of what that horrible man did to you. And you needed me, Abbey, so what in heaven’s name made you think I wouldn’t have given you all the support and help that I possibly could?”
“Clementine said I would have humiliated you,” Abbey said without thinking. She hadn’t meant to implicate Clementine, but she thought Sybil deserved the truth.
Sybil tut-tutted. “Clementine was just jealous because she knew my son had fallen in love with you.”
It was Abbey’s turn to blink in surprise. “Jack loves me?” she whispered.
“He’s been moping around here for weeks and driving me mad. I was just about to ask Elias to get my buggy ready so I could go and get you.” Sybil looked at Abbey seriously. “Do you love him, Abbey? Tell me the truth.”
Abbey’s eyes welled, and she nodded. “Is he still planning to marry Clementine?”
Sybil looked surprised. “Don’t you know? Oh, of course, you wouldn’t.”
Abbey’s heart sank. “Are they already married?”
“Clementine did marry my son, but it wasn’t Jack. It was Tom. As we speak, they are on their honeymoon.”
Abbey was startled and then momentarily elated before she had another dreadful thought. “Is that what’s wrong with Jack?” She imagined his heart had been broken.
“He wasn’t in the least bit upset about Clementine and Tom. In fact, he gave them his blessing.”
Abbey was still confused. “He was distant with me when I was here earlier. I thought he wanted me to leave.”
“He’s my son, but he’s a fool sometimes. He thinks you’ve found your life’s purpose, looking after the unwed mothers you’ve taken in. Like most men, he’s got more pride than good sense sometimes, so he hasn’t asked you to come home.”
Abbey smiled and dabbed her tears. “I wanted to do something worthwhile with Ebenezer Mason’s money. I’ve virtually given the mine to the workers and opened Martindale Hall to the sort of girls who were once his victims. I’m happy with what I’ve done, but my heart belongs here.”
Sybil smiled. “Then welcome home, Abbey. Now you go and find my son, and I’ll rustle up something nice for supper.”
Abbey looked startled. “Jack told me you haven’t been in the kitchen for weeks,” she said.
“That’s true enough, but I’ve suddenly got my appetite back, and it’s Sabu’s day off. Now off you go. He can’t have gone far.”
“Before I go, Mrs. Hawker, I have something to tell you,” Abbey said.
Sybil frowned, hoping it wasn’t bad news. “What is it?”
“As you probably know, I’ve inherited all of Ebenezer Mason’s holdings, and one of the buildings he owned was the Masonic Hall in Clare.”
“Really,” Sybil said. She wondered why Abbey was mentioning it.
“I had a look inside,” Abbey said. “I think it would make a wonderful place to put on plays. I also discovered that St. Barnabas is getting new seating, so they are throwing out all their old pews, and they’re in quite good condition. They’d make good theatre seating with some cushions, wouldn’t they?”
“Yes,” Sybil said, trying to imagine the pews as seating in the hall.
“I thought you could contact your theatre friends from the city and look into the possibility of putting on plays at the Masonic Hall. Perhaps you could even train some local actors. What do you think?”
Sybil eyes were round with interest. “I don’t know that there is any talent amongst the locals, but I suppose you never know.” Her mind was racing with possibilities. “There isn’t a stage in the Masonic Hall, however, and you can’t put on a play without a stage.”
“I spoke to a local carpenter in Clare, and he said he could build a stage and also build sets if you gave him directions. His wife is a painter, so she could paint the sets he made. We could probably order some curtains from the city.”
Sybil’s features lit up. “You’ve thought of everything, Abbey,” she said excitedly.
“I’m sure I haven’t thought of everything, but you could easily work out the rest. I just wanted you to know that the Masonic Hall is at your disposal. If you want to start a local theatre company, it would be a lot of hard work. But if anyone could get something going, it would be you. You’ve got a lot of experience in the theatre. It would be a shame to waste it.”
Sybil planted a kiss on Abbey’s cheek. “You’ve made me so happy, Abbey.” Her features were alive with excitement as she bustled off to the kitchen.
***
Jack stood leaning on the fence railing. Ernie and Wilbur had left some hay in the paddock, and the sheep were feeding close to the fence. Josephine stood out amongst them with the red ribbon around her neck. Jack thought he might as well remove it. He doubted that Abbey would ever be back. She hadn’t even asked to see the lamb when she’d visited, which was proof that she’d lost interest. Pushed to the edge of the flock, Josephine was within a few feet of where he was standing. Her innocent expression reminded Jack of Abbey and the first time he’d met her.
Not that he needed reminding.
She’d been in his thoughts, day and night, since the day he’d picked her up off the ground in Clare and carried her into Sharp’s Employment Agency. She’d looked like a vagabond, but he’d instinctively known there was something special about her. He tried to recall the moment he’d fallen in love with her. He believed it was when she’d become emotional over Josephine b
eing separated from her mother.
“Josephine,” Jack said aloud. “Why couldn’t things stay as they were? Why didn’t Abbey come back to us? I love her, you know, and you love her, too, don’t you? But she doesn’t need us any more.”
“Yes, I do,” Abbey whispered in a voice husky with emotion.
Jack swung around to find Abbey standing behind him. “Abbey! What are you doing here?” he asked, astonished.
“I …” Abbey faltered, losing her nerve again. “I want to come home, Jack,” she said. “I love you, and I want to stay here with you.”
“You do?”
“Yes, I do.”
“But what of your life at Martindale? You sounded so excited about what you are doing.”
“I’ve done the best I can with the estate. I think I’ve put the money where it will do the most good. But being mistress of the Hall is not the life I want, Jack. If you had asked me what I wanted to do with my life, I would have told you that I want a future with you, here at Bungaree. But is that what you want?”
Jack knew Abbey was worried that he was still in love with Clementine. “I ended my relationship with Clementine on the night of the dance, before I came to find you, because it’s you that I love,” Jack admitted. “I didn’t know if you felt the same way, but I couldn’t plan a future with anyone else.”
Abbey’s eyes were shining with tears, but she broke into a broad smile. “I love you, Jack Hawker.”
In a second, Jack had leapt forward and wrapped his arms around her. “Do you mean it? Do you really mean it, Abbey?”
“Yes, I’ve missed you so much. I thought you didn’t come to see me, that you didn’t care, but Mr. Holbrook just told me he saw you at the Martindale estate.”
“I was there, twice, but Winston said you didn’t want to see me,” Jack said.
Abbey was confused. “I don’t know why he told you that. He and Mrs. Hendy were very protective of me for the first few weeks. I can only believe Winston thought he was doing the right thing.”
“I didn’t understand why you wanted to stay there, Abbey,” Jack said. “I wanted to look after you here at Bungaree. You’ve no idea how quiet the house has been since you’ve been gone. No one visits. William and Martha are busy with the baby, and Tom has gone” Jack realised that Abbey wouldn’t know about Tom and Clementine. They’d left the area very quietly to avoid any gossip.
“Your mother just told me that Tom and Clementine are now married and sailing to England.”
“My mother?”
“Yes, I just spoke to her. Jack, I stayed at the Martindale estate because I had to grieve the loss of my baby in private, and I didn’t think you’d understand because of the baby’s father. I also had so much to sort out in my mind. It may seem strange, but I had to face my demons, and they were in that house. It’s a different house now. All of Ebenezer Mason’s belongings have been auctioned off to buy cribs and baby clothes to help the girls. The Hall is finally a big home, but it’s not my home. Bungaree is my home, and you are the heart of this place.”
“Bungaree didn’t come alive until you came to live here, Abbey. You made it a home, and I’ve missed you more than I can ever put into words. My mother has even been cross with me for moping around. She’s just lectured me for letting you get away.”
Abbey laughed.
“How could I have been such a fool?” Jack asked.
Abbey threw her arms around him. “As long as you’re my fool,” she said before their lips met in a gentle kiss.
A few moments later Josephine baaed, drawing their attention.
“Oh, look at her, Jack,” Abbey said smiling. “She’s beautiful.”
Jack put his arms around Abbey. “Not as beautiful as you,” he said, squeezing her.
***
Just after the New Year, Jack and Abbey got married in St. Michael’s church on a Sunday morning. Elsa and Marie were bridesmaids, and Sybil gave the bride away. Winston, Mrs. Hendy and Louise were present, and so were William, Martha, and baby Gerald.
Abbey came into the church in the wedding dress that Sybil had worn to marry Jack’s father. She was leading Josephine on a lead with a big red bow around her neck. The local neighbours who filled the church all laughed, while Jack smiled with delight. He hadn’t known of Abbey’s intentions, but she knew he’d find the idea enchanting, so she’d had Ernie and Wilbur get Josephine ready.
“What is the meaning of this?” Father Quinlan asked, not sure he approved of an animal in his church.
“This lamb is the reason I fell in love with the future Mrs. Jack Hawker,” Jack explained.
“Oh,” Father Quinlan said. “If you say so.”
“I do,” Jack said solemnly.
“I do, too,” Abbey said, giggling, as she walked up the aisle.
“Now, please behave, you two,” Father Quinlan said. “I haven’t asked the questions yet.” He hadn’t had a drink in a month and was feeling quite nervous about performing the ceremony completely sober. He desperately wanted everything to run smoothly.
When Abbey reached Jack at the altar, he leant forward and kissed her sweet lips.
“We haven’t got to the part where you can kiss the bride, either,” the priest said in frustration. When they ignored him and kissed again, he slammed his Bible shut. “I give up,” he said, raising his eyes heavenward and cursing his timing for giving up the bottle.
Jack and Abbey laughed, and a moment later, the priest laughed, too.
“Are we ready now?” he asked.
“Definitely,” Jack said, beaming at Abbey.
The End.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to thank Sally Hawker of Bungaree Station for her help and hospitality when researching this book.
Sally and George and their family are the fifth generation of Hawkers to live on Bungaree Station.
I would also like to acknowledge that the construction of Martindale Hall began in 1877, and the building was completed in 1880. Edmond Bowen commissioned the building, and the architect was Ebenezer Greg.
At present, Martindale Hall is owned by the National Trust.
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Shadows in the Valley Page 46