by Dilly Court
‘What you said is true.’ Sadie watched her with a wide grin on her pert face. ‘Who would have thought that Lady Alice would turn out to be one of us?’
‘Who indeed?’ Essie plunged her hands into the rapidly cooling water. ‘I’ll just rinse these through. What have we got to cook for supper this evening?’
‘Big Joe brought round two dead possums. He’d skinned them ready for the pot. Said it was to thank you for what you’re doing for his ma.’
‘That was good of him. So it won’t be poverty stew tonight then. We’ll eat well.’
Later that day, when the stew was simmering on the fire, Essie took a bowlful to Leah and sat with her while she ate, but when she had supped the last drop Leah made to get up.
Essie laid a hand on her shoulder. ‘What d’you think you’re doing?’
‘I feel better now, Essie. I have to get the fire going and start making supper for my men.’
‘No, you don’t. You’ll stay in bed for the rest of the day, and let them look after you.’
‘But I can’t …’
‘Yes, you can. I’ll see to the fire and I’ll fetch some vegetables from your patch to make some soup.’
‘I can’t put you to all that trouble, Essie.’
‘You’d do the same for me, I’m sure. And after that your boys can take over some of the chores. I think you’ll find they’re more than willing to help.’
Leah relaxed a little, but her fingers plucked nervously at the thin counterpane. ‘They’ve never had to do anything for themselves.’
‘Then it’s about time they started pulling their weight.’ Essie patted her hand. ‘Try to sleep and stop worrying. You heard what the doctor said – you have to rest.’ She left Leah in bed and set about lighting the fire.
For the next few days Essie made sure that Leah rested, although it was impossible to keep her confined to her bed. She rose late, her only concession to taking things easy, but she found there was less to do, thanks to a sudden burst of co-operation from her sons. Leah said it was a miracle, but Essie knew better and she was satisfied that her dire warning had hit home. Noah Halfpenny carried on as usual, spending all day in the mine and most evenings drinking with his workmates.
Raven and Freddie worked their diggings every day, returning with tiny nuggets and paper pokes filled with gold dust they had panned from the creek.
Raven was satisfied with their finds, but Freddie was despondent. ‘I’d hoped to strike it rich like you did, brother,’ he said one evening after supper when they were all seated on the veranda enjoying the sunset. ‘As it is I’ll be living off your charity for the rest of my life.’
‘Nonsense.’ Raven sat back in one of the chairs he had constructed from roughly hewn timber, a mug of coffee in his hand. ‘What’s mine is ours, Freddie. You know that. Even if I don’t strike it rich again I’ve left enough money in Coutts Bank to keep us in comfort for the foreseeable future.’
‘It’s all very well for you two,’ Alice said crossly. ‘But what about us? We’re waiting on you hand and foot, living in a shack no bigger than the potting shed at Starcross, and we have no control over our lives whatsoever. I don’t call that fair.’
‘You’re one of the wealthiest women in England, Alice. You don’t need gold dust to make you happy.’
‘No, but I want to go home, and so do the girls.’ Alice waved her hands to include Essie and Sadie. ‘What do they get out of this? Sadie will return to working in the kitchen and Essie will be at her father’s beck and call.’
‘That doesn’t seem right,’ Freddie said thoughtfully. ‘I’ll marry you, Essie, and take you away from life on the river.’
‘Will you adopt me as your nipper?’ Sadie asked, grinning. ‘I wouldn’t mind living in a castle.’
‘Who knows?’ Freddie drained the last drop of coffee and stood up. ‘I’m going for a walk. Are you coming, Raven?’
‘Yes, I need to stretch my legs.’ Raven rose to his feet and the brothers walked off towards the heart of the camp.
‘I can guess where they’ve gone,’ Alice said, sighing. ‘They’ll be downing pints of ale with the rest of the men in the grog shop, leaving us to kick our heels here. They really do have the best of things.’
‘I’ll take the mugs down to the creek and wash them.’ Essie gathered them up and strolled down to the creek. The sun had plummeted below the horizon, leaving purple bruises and streaks of crimson slashed across the azure sky, and the last of its rays glinted like molten gold on the rippled surface of the water.
Essie rinsed the mugs and was about to return to the hut when her attention was caught by something shining in the pebbles. At first she thought it was a trick of the light, but as she plunged her hand into the cool water her fingers closed over the walnut-sized lump of metal. Even as she plucked it from the creek bed she knew that her luck had changed, and the weight of the nugget convinced her that this was gold. She scrambled to her feet and raced back to the hut, forgetting the mugs in her haste. ‘Alice, Sadie. Look what I found.’
Ignoring the bites from a myriad of sandflies, Alice and Sadie hurried down to the creek, hitching up their skirts and wading into the water as they turned over stones, hoping for similar finds, but darkness fell and they were forced to give up. They returned to the hut and Essie made cocoa, having remembered at last to retrieve the mugs. They sat on the veranda, sipping their hot drinks to the background sounds of cicadas and the scuffling of nocturnal creatures. The daytime noise from the mine and diggings had ceased, but there was a constant drone of voices, sometimes raised in anger and the occasional burst of laughter. The odd shot rang out, but they had grown accustomed to hearing these as miners fired their weapons to warn off would-be marauders. On such a beautiful night it was easy to forget the danger that went hand in hand with gold fever, but as night enveloped them in a velvet cloak of darkness the animal kingdom took over.
‘I’m going to bed,’ Alice said, yawning. ‘I’ve had enough excitement for one day, but your find has made me think, Essie. Tomorrow morning I’m going to have words with Raven. I want him to take us back to Geelong, and if Falco isn’t there we’ll book our passage home on any ship bound for England. What do you girls say?’
Chapter Twelve
For once Raven was in agreement with his cousin. ‘The Diggers’ Rights Society is growing in numbers,’ he said, frowning. ‘Things are going to turn nasty and I’d be happier if you were in Geelong. Falco should be returning soon, and he’ll take you back to England.’
‘I really don’t know why we had to come here in the first place.’ Alice tossed her head. ‘You put us through this, Raven. I think you did it on purpose to amuse yourself.’
‘That’s not fair,’ Freddie protested. ‘What else was he supposed to do? Anyway, you’ve had an experience you can dine out on for years to come. You’ll be invited to all manner of events just so that people can hear about your time in the goldfields. You’ll be a celebrity, Alice.’
‘Yes, I dare say I will,’ Alice conceded. ‘But what about you, Freddie? Why don’t you come home? Gilfoyle should have the appeal well in hand by now. You might even have a pardon. That goes for you, too, Raven.’
Raven shook his head. ‘I dare not risk it again. I’ve less than two years before I’m a free man.’
Freddie hesitated. ‘Then I’ll stay here, too. I’ve got off easily compared to you, Raven, and I was the one at fault. I should have gone to prison or been transported, not you.’
Essie left them to talk it over. This was something the family had to decide and it was none of her business, but to her surprise the thought of returning home was not as pleasing as she might have anticipated. For all his faults, she missed her father, but life in Limehouse was just as hard, if not harder, than living here in Ballarat.
She went into the hut and wrapped some bread, cheese and slices of meat in a cloth, which she intended to take to Beasley. If he had been grateful for the new clothes he kept his opinion to himself, but
she had caught glimpses of him wearing them when she went to take him extra food.
Essie put on her cotton sun bonnet and went to find her basket. It was her turn to go to Tandy’s store for eggs, milk and bread. An enterprising baker, who was a ticket-of-leave man, had built an oven and had set up in business. His bread was not perfect but it was more palatable than damper, and it was the last couple of slices from yesterday’s loaf that she was taking to Beasley. She set off, heading for his gunyah, taking care where she trod. The episode with the snake had made her even more aware of the wildlife she might encounter. She did not know the names of half the creatures that abounded in this wild land, but she had seen all manner of insects and lizards. She was familiar with possums and wallabies and the mobs of kangaroos she had seen moving at incredible speed across the open plain, but they usually kept their distance from the noisy campsite. It was the plagues of flies that made life most uncomfortable, and biting insects created more problems than snakes. Essie knew she would have some regrets on leaving Australia but she would not miss the creatures that aggravated both man and beast.
She reached Beasley’s hideaway in record time. ‘Beasley, are you there? It’s Essie. I’ve brought you some bread and cheese, and a couple of slices of mutton.’ She waited for a few seconds, giving him time to wake up if he should be taking a nap. ‘Beasley, it’s Essie.’
A movement inside the gunyah confirmed his presence and she lifted the bark flap, peering inside. The sight that met her eyes made her take a step backwards. He was lying curled up with his head resting on his arm, but it was the wound on his head and his bloodstained face that made her cry out in horror.
‘What happened?’ she gasped. ‘What have they done to you?’
‘They was looking for me gold.’ The words came out in a hoarse croak, and she could see that his lips were cracked and bleeding.
She had brought water in a leather canteen and she held it to his lips. He drank thirstily. ‘I’m done for, Essie.’ His breathing was ragged and his eyes dull and cloudy.
‘No, you’re not.’ She stroked his bald head, trying not to recoil at the sticky feel of the blood that oozed from a long gash. It could only have been caused by a blow from a machete such as the miners used to clear the scrub. ‘I’ll fetch Dr Pardon.’
‘No use. Too late, I’m going to me Maker, girl.’
‘Don’t say that. You’ll feel better if I clean you up and get some salve for your wound. Perhaps you could eat something.’
‘I’m dying, Essie.’ With a huge effort he moved his cramped limbs, reaching for something tucked underneath his belly. ‘This is yours. Take it and go home to England, girl. Don’t stay here.’ He produced a small bundle wrapped in a piece of filthy cloth.
‘What is it?’ Essie eyed it warily.
‘It’s what they was looking for, girl. I want you to have it. Take it and get away from this godforsaken place.’ Exhausted and gasping for breath, he fell back onto the earth floor.
Essie peeled off the material and was almost blinded by the glare of the fist-size nugget. ‘It’s gold. It must be worth a fortune, Beasley. I can’t take this.’
‘Yes,’ he whispered. ‘It’s yours. You deserve it.’ He closed his eyes and was suddenly still.
Essie shook him, panic-stricken. ‘Beasley, say something. Speak to me.’ She leaned over and kissed his rapidly cooling cheek. ‘I’m so sorry you had to suffer like this. Don’t die, Beasley.’ She put her arms around his crippled body and held him.
‘It’s no use, Essie. He’s gone.’
The sound of Raven’s voice made her look up. ‘They murdered him for his gold,’ she said on a sob. ‘They attacked him and left him to die like a wild animal.’
He helped her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her, stroking her hair, as if he were comforting an unhappy child. ‘That’s how it is here,’ he said softly. ‘The goldfield is a brutal place and I was at fault bringing you here.’
She drew away. The temptation to lay her head on his shoulder and allow him to comfort her was overwhelming, but self-preservation made her retreat, salvaging a little of the dignity she had almost completely lost. ‘He wanted me to have this, but it seems too much.’ She bent down and retrieve the gold nugget, thrusting it into Raven’s hands.
He stared at it, shaking his head in wonder. ‘You know, this is worth a small fortune.’
‘That’s why I can’t keep it. He must have someone somewhere who needs it more than I do.’
‘He was a loner, Essie. Men like Beasley are always on their own. You showed him compassion and he wanted you to have his treasure, so take it. Go home and build a new life for yourself. It’s what he would want you to do.’
‘He died because of that lump of metal,’ Essie said, shuddering. ‘It’s tainted.’
‘He was dying anyway. He knew he hadn’t got long to live but he obviously intended that you would be his beneficiary. As to the gold being tainted, that’s superstitious nonsense.’ He thrust it back at her. ‘Take it and put it to good use, as he would have wished. You owe him that at least. Falco should return shortly and Alice is desperate to go home. Return to London, Essie, and live like a lady.’
‘It seems that I have no choice, but how will you manage on your own?’
‘The same way I’ve coped with what life has thrown at me for the last five years,’ he said with a wry smile. ‘Not that I haven’t appreciated the comfort of having my meals cooked for me and clean clothes, as well as female company, but I’ll manage.’
She tucked the heavy nugget beneath the food in her basket, but the knowledge that Beasley had died hungry and unloved still haunted her, bringing fresh tears to her eyes. She turned away so that Raven would not see how much the death of a relative stranger had upset her. ‘I have to go to the store,’ she said hastily.
‘Are you mad? You can’t walk round with that lump of gold in your basket.’ He took her by the shoulders and started her back on the path toward their hut. ‘Hide it with the nugget you found yesterday. You can’t trust anyone when such a large fortune is at stake, even those close to you.’
‘Are you talking about yourself?’
‘I might have been, before I struck it rich. I want you to profit from this venture, Essie. You were dragged into it by my headstrong cousin, and you’ve borne it all bravely and without complaint, which is more than I can say for Alice and Freddie.’
She turned to look him in the eye. He seemed to have been part of her life for ever, and it was hard to believe that she had known him only a few short months, but the feeling that this was the beginning of the end engulfed her like a London particular. She would return home and never see him again.
‘I didn’t choose to come here, it’s true,’ she said slowly, ‘but I wouldn’t have missed a moment of it – not the sea voyages, nor the difficulties we met on the way. I’ve had the time of my life and I’ll never forget any of it.’ The desire to cry was almost too much to bear, but she thrust her hand into the basket and lifted out the heavy nugget. ‘Perhaps you’d hide this for me. I have to go to the store to get the things we need or the others will want to know why I came back empty-handed.’
‘You trust me with this?’
‘I’ve trusted you with my life so far. What’s a lump of yellow metal compared to that?’ She walked away, knowing that he was standing very still, staring after her. She could feel his presence whenever he was near – it was a sixth sense she had developed without even realising it was happening. And now it was all coming to an end. The great adventure for a girl from Limehouse would soon be over and she would have to return to the river and her loved ones. But the truth was that the people she truly loved were here, in Ballarat. If Sadie was like a little sister then Alice was an older cousin; spiky and difficult but beautiful and charming, and good company when she was not in one of her moods. Then there was Freddie – she loved Freddie, but not in a romantic way. He was like a second brother – he could never replace George in her heart, but
she felt close to Freddie, for all his faults, or maybe because of them. Then there was Raven – handsome, clever, unpredictable and strong. It was only now, with the threat of being parted looming ever closer, that she realised how much he had come to mean to her. Even with her newfound wealth they were still worlds apart, and soon there would be many thousands of miles separating them. Her steps were heavy and her heart ever heavier. She was in mourning for the poor, tortured creeping man, and for the hopes and dreams she was about to leave behind in Australia.
It seemed that once Raven had made up his mind there was no stopping him. That evening after supper he announced that they would be leaving for Geelong first thing in the morning. There was no argument, and no questioning his decision. Freddie was to remain in camp to make sure that squatters did not move into the hut, and all that was left to do was to pack their few belongings and be ready to set off at dawn.
Essie slipped away, leaving Alice and Sadie in a frenzy of excitement at the thought of going home. She knew she ought to feel the same, but it was difficult to be enthusiastic about parting from people she cared for deeply, and Leah was one of them. She found her on her own, seated in the rocking chair that Joe had made especially for her. There was no sign of Noah or his sons, but that was to Essie’s advantage.
‘You’ve come to say goodbye,’ Leah said calmly.
Essie sank down on the stoop, dangling her legs over the edge of the wooden platform. ‘How did you know that?’
‘You was never going to stay long, Essie. And with all the goings-on here, it’s probably best that you go now. Nothing has been the same since the murder at the Eureka Hotel and the riots that followed. Goodness knows how it’s going to end. Noah and the boys bolted their meal in order to get to a meeting this evening, and I’m afraid they’re going to get drawn into the troubles.’
‘Will you be all right, Leah? You could come with us.’
Leah shook her head. ‘Ta, love, but my place is here with my family. I wouldn’t leave them even if I could, but you got to go, for your own sake.’