Alec was astounded that this big seventeen year old was his Ian. A man, a man, so like himself. He felt a surge inside. He must stay with them all until he could teach them that his past ways were not the best. He must to stay to steer them along the right path. He glanced at Margaret and saw that she had caught his thoughts. They smiled above their son’s head and Meg felt a confidence flow through her. He would do, yes, now he’d fight!
“Well, old man, you look fine,” was Bill’s remark when he saw Alec the next morning. “Wouldn’t have believed it. I can see that Mrs. Fraser is the miracle-worker you said she’d be. He never stopped telling me that I had to get him home to you and he would be fine.”
Murdoch and Mary followed him into the room as Meg brought the tea tray in.
“I am afraid Alec didn’t get much sleep last night. We had so much to catch up on that sleep seemed unnecessary. It was enough just to be together.”
“I daresay, Meg,” said Mary with a chuckle. “Whatever you have done to him, he certainly looks a lot better. That is no reflection on your attention, Bill.”
“The children are spoiling us. Effie brought us breakfast in bed, a thing I have never had, and we had a real sleep in. Mrs. Milne is looking after the shop and we are enjoying ourselves. It is so wonderful to have my man home again.”
Alec just beamed and held her hand and Mary said, “I don’t think any of us had any idea what you went through, Meg, you always put on such a brave front. I don’t think you felt very brave at times though, did you?” Mary poured the tea as she could see that Margaret had forgotten it.
Meg jumped up and laughed, “Well, I am not going to think about that any more. I feel nineteen again, quite light-headed in fact. But Mr. Turner -.”
“Call me Bill. Mrs. Fraser. I’m not used to the Mister bit”
“Well, Bill, we have so much to be thankful to you for. Alec has told me so much about your kindness and devotion. We shall always be grateful and will always have a special place in our home for you. In fact, our home is yours, Bill.” As she said this, she went to the pack and brought out the leather bag and tipped the nuggets out onto Murdoch’s hand. He looked at the golden rocks and was speechless. While he stared at them he handed them to Mary who was equally as stunned.
“Do you mean you struck gold after all, Alec?” as Murdoch said this he looked at Bill.
Bill explained the nuggets and continued, “You see, me and me mate Larry, never made a go of it and then Larry up and died. Right after this, Scotty here almost falls in me lap and he takes over as me mate. I missed the seam when I put the shaft down, but when he took his tumble, Alec unearthed a stack of nuggets and put me onto a seam. I sold the biggest nuggets and then was offered a good price for the claim. We split the money and I gave most of the other nuggets to Alec so he could give them to Mrs. Fraser. You see, he’s me mate, so we split.”
“I now have a fat bank balance, Murdoch, and just had to get here to give these to Meg. But man, what a mate Bill is, I don’t deserve it at all, do I, Murd?”
Murdoch found it all rather much to take in and was so pleased for the Frasers’, who, he thought, did deserve this good fortune.
“Murdoch, you know I am not experienced with money and you know how I get carried away. I think I have learned my lesson, but could you help me sort it all out? Will you advise me? I am so grateful to you, all four of you. You’ve done more for me than any other people I have had anything to do with.”
“We will help all we can. I cannot say I am used to selling nuggets, but we can but try. There is so much you can do with this money, you must plan it so that you can live on it. You must put those nuggets into the bank before they disappear. They must be worth a fortune.”
“Oh, I will do that. Meg can take them there today. But I did want to show her what nuggets look like. I daresay we won’t have others. Perhaps you would like to go with Meg now, then I think we will all feel safe about it.”
“The nuggets can wait Alec. I won’t leave you yet.”
“No, Meg, I think you should go. Murdoch and Mary will go with you. Bill can wait here with me. Won’t you, Bill?”
“Yes, I will, Alec. Then I must head off for Sydney Town, as I’ve plans of me own. I wouldn’t mind being in on this consulting business, Murdoch, if I can, because I want to buy a farm and I think you could help me with that.”
“I certainly will help all I can, Bill, but I am a newcomer too.”
Chapter 21 - Alec’s new life
Alec recovered from the fever he arrived with, but remained a very frail man. It became the habit for all to meet in his room frequently and share their doings. Alistair was one of Alec’s first visitors, making a painful effort to see the man he had been so resentful of. They greeted each other with a love and understanding that neither would have dreamt possible when they had last met. Painful experiences taught a lot. These two who thought they had so little in common now found much to talk about. Alistair shared openly his reasons for their journey north and spoke of lessons learned with pain.
Alec found he was better able to speak of death, and Meg’s future, with Alistair than with Murdoch, for he found it difficult to open up to him. Murdoch always appeared to be so sure of where he was going and what he was doing that to someone like Alec he sometimes seemed a little remote. Not remote really, but just not able to understand someone like Alec who at times appeared to blunder through life. As Alistair had admitted his mistakes, it encouraged Alec to see him in a new way. Because of his talks with Alistair he was able to speak to his children in a manner he had not been able to before. He had always been fun and ready for a romp with them, but now he was able to understand them and share their problems as he never had before. So the wild Alec became the kind, understanding and considerate Alec, the funny Alec. He hadn’t lost his sense of humour and was ever joking with visitors as though he hadn’t a trouble in the world. Even though he was much better than when he came home, he didn’t really improve in health. Meg fed him the best food she could get for him and tried to build his small frame up, but he remained very frail.
The families loved Alec even more than they had done. They had always enjoyed his love of fun and no one had ever taken him very seriously, but now he was quite a new man. He was someone to whom they could confide, someone with whom they could sit and share little worries. Alec had time for them all.
When it was fine and warm, Ian carried his father out onto the verandah in front of the shop, onto a comfortable especially built reclining bench seat. There he would hold court, people stopping to speak to him whenever they came to the shop or drove by. He was always surrounded by his friends. Meg watched him carefully noted when he showed signs of tiredness and never hesitated to enlist the help of a brawny farmer to carry him to his to bed.
What a Christmas they all had together! The Four families together again, but oh so different from Skye. What a lot they had to celebrate! Fergus and Elspeth came down from Sydney, taking extra time off from the warehouse and announcing that he would stay for Hogmanay[10] and not go back until after New Year. So, on the Festive Day they gathered on Macdonalds’ side verandah that had been cleared of beds and belongings and they set trestles up and loaded them with all the good food that this new land had provided for them. Food that they had never seen in Scotland. They were now used to the wonderful fruit and meat that Australia excels in, but Mary thought they would never really take for granted the beautiful peaches; apricots; plums and berry fruit that grew so prolifically in the area. Her table had fowl, mutton, beef and a bush turkey, all grown on the Park. Mr. Forrest saw that his workers all had a great feast for Christmas time.
Apart from the food, the family celebrated the wonder of being together again. Mary tried on this day not to think of her baby Johnnie and little Eliza Fraser lying in the churchyard of the Riverbend church, but it was hard. As she walked to church that morning she had glanced in the direction of the little headstones marking the two graves and smiled when she th
ought of her little son, once again feeling his arms about her neck. She had shrugged the feeling off, knowing that one must not live in the past, but try to come to terms with the living.
She had noticed Meg look in the same direction as she too entered the church. Even in her new-found happiness Meg could not forget a missed little one. A mother couldn’t. Dear Meg, she was so happy now that she had her Alec back again, even such a frail Alec as she now had. Meg was determined that she would make Alec well and keep him with her as long as it was possible. Already she had made Alec feel how important he was to the family and how necessary it was for him to stay alive to be there with them all, to be counsellor and mate.
And Caroline, what a change in Caroline! She had always been overshadowed by Alistair, but Alistair in his new role as schoolteacher seemed now to be able to bring Caroline right out of her shell and blossom. She encouraged her husband in his new life and together, they were making such a success of all they attempted. As there were so many children in the school Caroline had started teaching some of the very little ones their letters and numbers.
“Then there’s me,” said Mary to herself. “Somehow, all the others have made such a success of all they attempt and I just go along, working with a heavy heart, not coming to terms with this land at all. What is wrong with me? Am I just downright selfish or something? I can never seem to even like the place.” She stopped and looked again over to the little cemetery.
“Come on, Mary, you’re standing there in a daze. Are you back at home again?” Elspeth slipped up beside her and put her arm around her waist. “Come on, lass, we have a hungry family to feed.”
After their huge meal the older girls decided to give their parents a rest and offered to clean up afterwards. They shoo-ed them out onto the verandah at the front of the house and brought them tea. The men settled themselves around Alec, who lay on the wheeled stretcher that Murdoch had made for him with Duncan’s help. The women sat and chatted about all the things that had happened to them throughout the year.
“They will be getting our news at home soon,” said Mary. “Meg, what a happy time for them to get your news of Alec. Happy I mean, that he is here with us, not that he is sick.”
“Yes,” said Meg eagerly, “not that Alec is sick. I think he is quite well now, don’t you Mary? I think he is looking much better.”
“You cannot deny that, dear. You are looking after him very well. I must admit that I thought you wouldn’t have him for long when he first came home, but these weeks in your care have made a difference.”
“He is going to be even better, too. I am determined that he will be quite better. I don’t think he is worrying so much about being a burden either. He was thinking that he should die quickly to get out of our way but I am sure we convinced him he necessary to us. He has fast become everyones confidante, and he knows that people seem free to discuss whatever is troubling them.”
“If anyone can make a success of Alec’s health, it will be you, Meg,” said Caroline. “You really are wonderful, the way you can run the shop and tend Alec.”
“But he is no trouble at all. He needs little attention. The children love him so that they are fighting to do things for him, the little ones especially. I thought it would wear off, but they never seem to think of him as an invalid. He is their precious father who needs their attention. As I said, he’s not ill now, he just can’t walk.”
“Dear Alec!” said Caro.
“What are you women talking about down there?” called Fergus.
“We have a great idea. Come and listen to it.” said Fergus.
“You have, you mean,” said Alec.
“But you all agree, don’t you?” laughed Fergus.
Elspeth joined in, “You have to watch this husband of mine he is always getting us involved in his great ideas. What is it now, oh honourable task master?”
“We are going to celebrate Hogmanay, a real Hogmanay! We want to celebrate in fine style and have a celebration New Year. What about it lassies? Will we have a dance and song night in the old style, a proper ceilidh[11] ?”
“What a grand idea,” Elspeth clasped her hands. “We can make all our Scottish dishes and invite our friends and neighbours and show them what we do at home. What do you think, Mary?”
“Yes, I think it a very good idea. Oh Murdoch, it will be like home again.”
“Not quite, lass. It will be very hot for dancing a reel, we will have to hope for a cool evening, but I daresay we need not wear our hot clothes. Yes, I do think it a good idea. I am sure we could have it in Mr. Forrest’s barn. There isn’t much there at the moment and I am sure the boss will be only too happy for us to use it. Mrs. Forrest will want to be in it as well. Yes, let’s do it. There is a lot we have to be happy about, isn’t there? A few old traditions would be a good thing in this new land. We could show the neighbours what we Scots can do.”
The young people threw themselves into preparing the barn for the dance. In fact, the whole town was quite excited about lt. Mrs. Forrest took over the supervising of all arrangements and soon had the women baking for hours to feed the hungry dancers. As many Scottish recipes were used as possible and Cornish, Devonshire, Yorkshire and Irish women found themselves cooking dishes they had never heard of before. The Scottish women were given the task of making those that needed that special traditional touch, and so the supper table was loaded with delicacies that were absolutely mouthwatering. Mrs. King, the cook at the Park, had surpassed herself in making dishes that even the Scottish people had heard of but had not seen. “We have never had these ingredients,” said Mary. “We have heard of them, of course, but they didn’t come our way.”
They felt that there had never been such a New Year’s Eve. Mary, and Elspeth looked their families over as they gathered in their finery to go up to the dance.
“You will do us credit! Won’t they, Mary? My! Girls, you do look pretty and so grown-up, we will have to keep the boys away,” laughed Elspeth.
Mary glowed with pride. Murdoch looked so tall, slim and brown after his years now in the sun. Malcolm, Duncan, Ian and Donald were not far behind him in height, nor were Fergus and Hamish. “Fergus, I do wish Mother could see you. What a different person you are. Not the the skinny, sick, pale man who left Scotland. I am proud of my family.”
“It is a grand country to get well in, Sister. Could anyone not get better in such a place?” retorted Fergus.
Murdoch looked at Mary and smiled, giving her a quick hug. “No one could be unhappy in such a place, eh lass?”
Mary only smiled back and said, “Let’s be off. The dancing will start before we get there.”
They all walked up the neatly tended road to the barn, such a different road to the one they trod over two years ago when the weeds had grown apace while Mr. Forrest had been overseas for the year. There were now well-trimmed hedges along the farm roads and the place had a much loved air about it.
Murdoch paused and looked over the paddocks, the pastures running down to the river, the Blue Mountains towering above them. “I thank God we came to the wonderful farm and found such a boss as Mr. Forrest. I thank God we had sense enough to not go poking for gold that we most probably never would have found. I thank God we came to this land in the first place. I thank God.” It was almost a festal shout. He was so obviously moved that they all stood in silence, watching him and feeling what he felt. Murdoch repeated his cry of his first ‘Forrest Park’ morning, “Isn’t it grand to be alive? Come on everybody, why are you standing there mooning at the scenery? Let’s go dancing.” He took Mary’s hand and ran up the roadway. “Come, we are going to have fun” he cried.
“You big boy”, laughed Mary, trying to keep up with him. The children ran too, leaving Fergus and Elspeth to saunter along watching them.
“They seem so happy, don’t they, Ellie?”
“I think they are, truly are, I mean. I still think that Mary hasn’t woken up to that fact yet. It will hit her one day. I do wish she wouldn’
t live in the past.”
“Wise old Elspeth, you always know what everyone is thinking, don’t you?”
“Old, yourself,” she laughed. “Come on, I want the first dance with you.”
“I would like to see anyone take that away from me. You’re mine my girl,” said Fergus, whirling her around and giving her a quick kiss.
“Come on, you two. What kept you? Mother, I want the first dance.”
“No, you don’t, young Hamish. I have spoken for your Mother for the first dance. You go and find a nice young lassie of your own,” said Fergus.
The barn looked beautiful. The young people had spent all the day decorating the rafters with ferns and greenery of all kinds. Sandy McNabb was tuning his violin and looked as though he was ready for the first reel. He drew his bow across his instrument and bent his back as he started into a rousing Scottish tune. Soon, there was a floor full of people giving themselves to the music, laughing, dancing and calling that infectious whooping sound that the folks felt necessary to their fun. The music tempo was exhilarating and people who had never heard the Scottish rhythm were compelled to take part and learn the steps of those very beautiful dances. The old musician alternated the reels with other more recognisable tunes for the English ears and so each was able to learn the others methods of social exercise. The young people soon picked up the steps and very enthusiastically shared the fun with their parents.
Alec bemoaned the fact that his dancing days were over and Alistair sat by his side as they watched with interest their offspring stepping out with gusto. Both men urged their wives to participate in the dancing, assuring them that they did not wish them to miss out on the fun. Alistair had never been much of a dancing man, but Alec had, as you could expect such a man to be. At first it almost hurt to see the others swing almost through the steps, but he hastily took himself in hand and told himself that he was very pleased to be there at all. He did appreciate all the family had done for him. This wheeled stretcher thing that Murdoch had made allowed the family to push him to church and to functions that otherwise he would miss. He always had been a gregarious man and he especially liked to know what was going on around him. He wasn’t a gossip, but rather, a mine of information about the affairs of the district. Alistair had never been a popular man with his fellow adults, but the new Alistair had a great rapport with children, so it was not so surprising to find him surrounded by some of his pupils. As Alec’s cronies were continually coming to speak with him, Alistair moved away from the stretcher, his little circle of friends moving with him to let Alec entertain his friends in comfort.
The Heather to the Hawkesbury Page 15