by Dilly Court
It was the middle of summer but the nights were cool, and Jacob built huge brushwood fires every evening when they set up camp. This time they were well equipped and ready for anything that the weather, wildlife, sand-flies or desperate men could throw at them. The ride through what was now familiar country provided a welcome change from the long days spent at sea. Lacking female company, Essie had been thrown back on her own resources and she had kept a journal, filled with descriptions of the sights she had seen and the minutiae of daily life on board. She had made herself useful, helping in the galley or tending to the scalds, cuts and bruises and minor ailments suffered by the crew, but she was glad to be ashore and excited at the thought of seeing Raven and Freddie again.
The first sign of habitation was the familiar smell of eucalyptus and wood smoke. Then, as they reached the top of the rise the camp spread out before them. Huts, wooden shacks, tents and fossickers’ humpies and bark gunyahs stretched as far as the eye could see. It was mid-afternoon and men were working at the diggings. The ground beneath them shook as the steam engine powered the huge rock crusher.
‘I’ve never seen nothing like it in me life.’ Jacob pushed his cap to the back of his head.
‘The lust for gold,’ Falco said, nodding. ‘It consumes men and eats into their souls.’
‘Never mind that. We’ve made it.’ Essie urged her tired horse on with a gentle nudge of her heels against the animal’s flanks. ‘I want to find Raven and Freddie.’ She rode past Tandy’s general store and the liquor shop as she headed to the far side of the camp. Dismounting outside Raven’s wattle and daub hut, she looped the reins around a stunted tree and went to investigate. There was no one at home, which was hardly surprising, but then she spotted Leah, who was hefting buckets of water up the hill from the creek, and she ran down the incline, slithering on the mud in her haste to greet her old friend.
Leah dropped the buckets and threw her arms around Essie. ‘I thought I was seeing things. It is you, Essie.’ She held her at arm’s length, tears sparkling on the tips of her sandy eyelashes. ‘Let me look at you. How smart you are now, dear. You look a proper lady, and there’s me in my old cotton frock and pinafore.’
Essie kissed Leah’s lined cheek. ‘It’s so good to see you. How are you keeping? I hope those sons of yours are looking after you.’
‘Yes, indeed. The boys have been ever so good since you told them what’s what. Especially my baby, Joe. He’s a good boy.’
Essie tried to imagine Big Joe as a baby and failed miserably, but he was definitely the nicest of Leah’s three sons and he loved his ma.
‘Yes,’ she said, smiling. ‘Joe is one of the best. Now let’s get this water back to your hut and we can have a proper chat later.’ She bent down and picked up one of the heavy buckets.
Leah did not argue. She carried her pail up to the shack and placed it on the stoop. ‘Can you sit a while, love? We’ll have a cup of tea and you can tell me why you’ve come back.’ She paused, eyeing Essie with a puzzled frown. ‘Beasley made you rich, so why return to this hellhole?’
‘I have good news for Raven and Freddie. Do you know where I might find them?’
‘No, love. Freddie could be anywhere, although it’s lucky you arrived when you did because I heard that Raven is planning to move on, and he’s gone to Bendigo, but no doubt he’ll tell you himself when he returns to camp.’ Leah glanced up at the sky. ‘It’s getting late and they’ll all be packing up for the night.’
‘You’re right, of course. I’ll go and tell Pa and Falco that I’ll be a while.’
‘Bring them over too.’ Leah peered into the gathering gloom. ‘So that’s your pa, is it? I’d like to meet him.’
Essie had grown closer to her father during the long sea voyage and she wanted to put matters straight. ‘He’s a changed man since he stopped drinking. We’ve ridden a long way today and I’m sure they’d both be most grateful for a hot drink.’
‘The kettle should be boiling. I always stop for a cup of tea before my men get back from the diggings. It’s my quiet time of the day when I sit and watch the sunset.’
‘I’ll be back in two ticks.’ Essie hurried to where Falco and Jacob were unsaddling the horses.
Falco glanced over his shoulder. ‘You’ve met with an old friend, Essie.’
‘Indeed I have and she’s asked you both over for a cup of tea. I’d like you to meet Leah, she’s a wonderful woman.’
‘All in good time, mia cara. First we must see to the animals, and then we will join you.’
Essie retraced her steps and climbed onto the stoop to sit on the bench next to Leah’s rocking chair. She had almost forgotten what it was like to live in camp. The reality was appalling, particularly when compared to the utter luxury of the house in Curzon Street, not to mention the splendid mansions belonging to Alice and Sir Henry. The tiny house in White’s Rents was a palace compared to the one room shared by the Halfpenny family. The total lack of comfort and privacy was something she had chosen to forget, but now it came home to her and was all the more shocking.
Essie sipped tea from the tin mug that Leah passed to her. ‘Have your boys had any luck at the mine?’
‘Some,’ Leah said, gravely. ‘But not enough to retire on. I think the chances of finding nuggets like the one Beasley left to you are very slim. Maybe if we moved on to Bendigo or another site we might be lucky, but Noah is getting too old for such a hard life. He’s crippled with rheumatics and sometimes he can hardly get out of bed.’
‘I’m sorry to hear that, Leah. You deserve better.’
‘We’ve got three fine sons who’ll look after us in our dotage,’ Leah said, chuckling. ‘At least, that’s what I keep telling them.’
‘Joe will take care of you.’
‘I’m not complaining.’ Leah rose to her feet. ‘Your pa and the other man are heading this way. I’ll add some water to the pot.’ She glanced over her shoulder with a wry smile. ‘We have to be mean with the tea. Old Tandy charges what he likes for his goods, the villain.’
Essie stood up as Falco mounted the steps, followed by her father, and she made the necessary introductions. Leah was as gracious as any society hostess and her obvious pride in her home, humble though it may be, touched Essie’s heart and made her choke back tears.
Falco was his usual charming self and Jacob was instantly at ease and was on excellent terms with Leah from the moment they met. He settled down over a mug of tea, recounting incidents during their sea voyage that made Leah laugh, even though they were at his expense. Essie was surprised and pleased to discover that her father had developed a sense of humour and had a genuine talent as a storyteller. But all too soon she realised that the sky was darkening and she could hear the tramp of booted feet as the men returned from the mine and the diggings.
‘We’d best let Leah get on with supper for her family,’ Essie said tactfully. ‘And we ought to build up the fire ready to cook something for ourselves.’
Falco kissed Leah’s hand. ‘A pleasure to meet you, signora.’
‘And you, sir.’ Leah giggled like a schoolgirl. ‘What lovely manners he has to be sure,’ she said in an aside to Essie as Falco leaped off the stoop. ‘Such a gentleman even though he is a foreigner.’
Jacob bowed from the waist. ‘We recognise a lady when we see one, Mrs Halfpenny.’
‘Thank you, Mr Chapman,’ Leah said primly. ‘Perhaps you’ll have time to meet my Noah and our boys. It’s always nice to speak to someone from home.’
‘It would be my pleasure.’ Jacob bowed from the waist. ‘Maybe tomorrow, but now I must see what I can do about grub. I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.’ He followed Falco, their figures merging swiftly into the deep shadow.
‘Are you planning to stay long?’ Leah asked anxiously.
Essie shook her head. ‘No, I’m afraid not. I’ve come to give Raven some good news, and I hope that he and Freddie will return to England with me.’
‘Then I’ll just have to make the mo
st of your visit.’ Leah gave her a brief hug. ‘Now I’d better see to my men’s supper or I’ll have a riot on my hands.’
Essie returned to Raven’s hut, arriving at the same time as Freddie. He enveloped her in a warm embrace.
‘Essie, for a moment I thought I must be dreaming, but you’re real and you’re here. I can’t believe it.’
She extricated herself from his grasp. ‘Falco is here, too.’ She held her hand out to her father. ‘And this is my pa, Jacob Chapman. Pa, I’d like you to meet Freddie, or should I say the Honourable Frederick Dorincourt?’
Freddie grinned and shook hands with Jacob. ‘Freddie will do nicely.’ He turned to Falco, slapping him on the back. ‘And it’s good to see you again, Captain. But why are you here, Essie? Have you run out of money already?’
‘No, it’s nothing like that,’ she said, smiling. ‘I’ve missed you, Freddie.’
He threw back his head and laughed. ‘You didn’t travel halfway round the world to tell me that.’
‘No, of course not, but I need to see Raven. Leah said something about him moving on to Bendigo.’
‘That’s right. He left over a week ago to put in for a licence to open up a mine at Bendigo.’ Freddie held her at arm’s length. ‘Never mind him – it’s wonderful to see you again, Essie. Life here wasn’t the same after you left.’
‘Will Raven be away for long?’
‘I can’t say,’ Freddie said, frowning. ‘It must be something very important to bring you all this way. What is it?’
She eyed him thoughtfully. ‘I really wanted to tell you together, but I can’t leave you in suspense. The good news is that you’re a free man.’
Freddie grabbed both her hands in his. ‘The appeal went well?’
‘Yes, because we had new evidence, but I’m afraid your freedom came at a price. Starcross Abbey was badly damaged in a fire that Smeaton started.’
‘Smeaton?’ Freddie stared at her in surprise. ‘I don’t understand why he would do a thing like that. We’ve always treated our servants well.’
‘He was sacked for allowing everything to go to rack and ruin. It must have been his way of getting his revenge, but he was caught in the flames and badly burned.’
‘Great heavens! He should go to prison for arson.’
‘He was arrested, but he died of his injuries, Freddie. He must have been afraid for his eternal soul because he made a deathbed confession and admitted everything. It’s a long story, but it means that you are free men and I’ve come to take you home.’ She tucked her hand through the crook of his arm. ‘Falco and my pa are seeing to supper, so let’s go and sit on the stoop and I’ll tell you how it all came about.’
Freddie’s reaction was exactly as she had imagined it would be. He was shocked and stunned and then elated to think that he was able to return home without a stain on his character. They ate the meal prepared by Falco and Jacob, washed down with a bottle of wine that Falco had secreted in his saddlebag, although Jacob opted for tea.
‘Lady Alice will be pleased to see you again, Freddie,’ Essie said earnestly. ‘It was she who insisted that you must be told in person.’
‘I can’t believe that she married old Bearwood.’ Freddie drained his mug and held it out for a refill. ‘But if she’s happy then who am I to say anything?’
‘Quite right,’ Essie said firmly. ‘It’s her business, and she seems content with her lot. But what about you, Freddie? Will you return to Starcross?’
He frowned thoughtfully. ‘That’s something I need to discuss with Raven. After all, he’s the heir to the title and the estate. I’m just the younger brother.’
‘Will he rebuild Starcross?’
‘I certainly would, although I’m not sure about Raven. He was never particularly interested in the estate. In fact I think he considered it to be a bit of a burden, and he certainly didn’t care about inheriting the title. He never used it, as far as I can recall.’
‘But Starcross Abbey is beautiful, or it was before the fire. I’d hope that Raven has enough money to restore it to its former glory.’
‘My brother will do his duty, but strictly between us four, I’ve never seen him happier than he is here in Australia. You’d think the years of being a prisoner would have affected him, but I think in an odd way he’s enjoyed the experience.’
‘What will you do now, Essie?’ Falco asked. ‘It sounds as if Raven might be gone for days or even weeks.’
Essie glanced at each of them in turn. The flickering flames of the campfire threw their features into sharp relief and darkness folded its velvety arms around the small group. Each of them held a special place in her heart and she felt close to all of them.
‘I’m going to set off for Bendigo in the morning,’ she said, after a moment’s reflection. ‘Raven needs to know that he’s a free man and it’s up to him to decide whether or not he wishes to return to England with us.’ She turned to Freddie. ‘What will you do?’
He stretched lazily and grinned. ‘Do you really need to ask? I’m going home.’
At daybreak next morning, Essie was getting ready to saddle up and set off for Bendigo when she heard the sound of approaching hoof beats. Despite the wide-brimmed hat that obscured most of his face, she knew who it was even before he drew his horse to a standstill and she ran to meet him.
‘Good God, Essie.’ Raven dismounted and seized her by the shoulders, peering at her as if he could hardly believe his eyes. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘I was just about to set off to find you,’ she said breathlessly. ‘How are you, Raven?’
‘Never better.’ He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. ‘I don’t have to ask how you are, you’re blooming. Being a rich woman suits you.’ He released her abruptly. ‘I must see to my horse and then you can tell me what you’re doing back in Ballarat.’
‘I’ll stoke the fire and put the kettle on. We put some porridge in the hay box last night so it should be ready to eat, if you’re hungry.’
‘Starving,’ Raven said, smiling. ‘Ever practical, Essie. It’s good to see you again.’ He patted his horse’s neck and led it down to the creek.
‘Did I hear Raven’s voice?’
Essie turned to see Falco standing on the stoop. ‘Yes, he’s seeing to his horse and then he’ll join us for breakfast. Will you wake Freddie and my pa?’
‘With pleasure. I must admit I am relieved that he’s returned. I’m still saddle sore from our journey here and I wasn’t looking forward to another long ride.’ Falco disappeared into the hut, leaving Essie to make tea and take the porridge pot out of the hay box. She went to join Raven, who had watered his horse and was rubbing him down with a handful of straw.
He shot her a curious glance. ‘Well, are you going to tell me why you’re here? Surely you haven’t spent all your fortune and come back in the hope of finding more gold?’
‘No, of course not. I’ve come to tell you that you’re a free man. Your name has been cleared and you can return home.’
He continued his task without a pause.
‘I thought the appeal had gone against us.’
‘It did, but the real villain was your butler, Smeaton.’
He paused, turning to look at her. ‘What has he got to do with anything?’
The words came tumbling from her lips as she related the series of events that had taken place in his absence. ‘So you see,’ she concluded, ‘it’s over, Raven. You’re exonerated and so is Freddie. You can come home.’
He straightened up, looking her in the eye. ‘I’m truly grateful to you and Alice for everything you’ve done, but I intend to remain in Australia.’
She stared at him, momentarily at a loss for words. ‘What did you say?’
‘I know it must come as a surprise, but this is where I belong.’
‘No, Raven. You’re needed at Starcross Abbey. Didn’t you hear what I said? The whole east wing was burned to the ground.’
‘Go back to the hut and I’ll follow in
a minute. We’ll talk about it then.’ He led his horse back to the shelter of the trees, leaving Essie little alternative but to return to the shack.
Falco was making the tea, and Freddie emerged from the hut, wiping soap off his newly shaven face. He came to a standstill, and Jacob sat on the stoop with one boot on and the other clutched in his hand. They all looked up expectantly.
‘Well?’ Falco said loudly. ‘He seems to have taken the good news in his stride. What did he say?’
‘He’s going to stay in Australia. Raven doesn’t want to go home.’ Essie looked to Freddie for help. ‘Talk to him, please.’
‘I had a feeling he was going to do something like this.’ Freddie looped the towel over the railing. ‘I’ll have a word, but I know my brother – once he’s made up his mind, there’s nothing anyone can say or do that will change it for him.’ He strolled down the steps and went to join Raven.
‘Well, what do you make of that?’ Jacob shook his head. ‘Not that I blame him. I wouldn’t mind staying here myself.’
Essie stared at him in amazement. ‘Really, Pa? You’d like to try your hand at mining?’
‘Yes,’ Jacob said simply. ‘I would.’
Essie was about to follow Freddie but Falco laid his hand on her arm. ‘Leave them, mia cara. Let them sort it out between them. It’s family business.’
She wanted to get Raven on his own, but in the end she had to wait until Freddie, Jacob and Falco had gone to the diggings. Raven had helped himself to the last of the porridge and was sitting at the table. Essie pulled up a stool and sat opposite him.
‘Why don’t you want to go home, Raven? What will I tell Alice?’