Mary's Guardian (18 page)

***

‘It’s so sad,’ Elizabeth said mournfully as the family reached home. ‘He was such a good man. Just like Dan, really. And he was even younger than Dan. It could have been him, you know, getting sick helping all those people. Dan was helping too, and it would have been just terrible to…’

‘Now, I think it’s time we had a little talk about Dan, love.’ Mary cut her daughter off. ‘Are you able to take Thomas out with you for a bit, Will?’ She turned and looked pointedly at her husband.

William looked from Mary to Elizabeth and smiled. ‘Right, I think Thomas can help me strip some of the corn. What about Billy?’

‘He’ll be fine here. It’s time for his nap.’ Mary had a determined stance about her and William could see his daughter was in for a very serious talk. He watched Elizabeth as she began to settle her two-year-old brother. Her shiny light brown hair was caught back in a ribbon, her cheeks rosy, and her voice soft and cooing as she spoke gently to Billy, drawing a broad grin from him. It was easy to see he adored her. She had grown into a lovely young woman, level headed and sensitive. William was very proud of how she’d matured through all their experiences in the past few years, including her own traumas. He hoped Mary could see her for what she was and wasn’t about to treat her as too much of a child. But he was going to trust his wife to deal with their daughter as she saw fit. It was her place to help Elizabeth grow to womanhood and despite the differences in their nature, William knew there was strength and wisdom in Mary that Elizabeth could learn from. He nudged Thomas on the back and the two of them headed outside.

‘It’s about Dan, isn’t it?’ Elizabeth said to her mother as she patted Billy to sleep.

‘Sort of,’ Mary responded, settling herself in a chair. ‘I know how much you respect Dan and how he’s been so…helpful for you over the years.’ She took a deep breath, trying to approach the subject carefully, which wasn’t easy for her.

‘I love him, Ma.’ Elizabeth took her mother by complete surprise.

‘What?’

‘I said I love him. And I know he loves me too. He hasn’t said so, not exactly anyway, but I know that he does.’

‘Really, Elizabeth, you’re far too young to be talking like this. Dan is a man almost thirty. You’re just a…’

‘Don’t say I’m a child, Ma,’ Elizabeth cut in. ‘Please don’t say that. I’ll be fifteen in a month or so. I do know my own mind. I’ve known for a long time that Dan was the man for me. I want to marry him. And you needn’t worry,’ she added quickly. ‘There’s nothing going on. Dan wouldn’t think of doing anything wrong. Not that loving me would be wrong.’

‘Now, just a minute, young lady. I know you’re not a child but really, Elizabeth, you couldn’t possibly understand what men are like. Oh, bother, I didn’t mean to say that. I know you’ve had enough experience of men to know that they can be very frightening.’ Mary was flustered now. She wanted to approach this with Elizabeth in the best possible way but she knew she wasn’t doing very well yet. She was quite shocked when she looked up and saw Elizabeth grinning.

‘Ma, I know what you’re worried about and you don’t need to. I do know what men are like. I see what goes on. I’m not blind. But Dan is different. He would do anything to protect me. And he wouldn’t do anything to hurt me.’

‘I see that, love. But that’s a long way from thinking about marriage.’

‘And we won’t be thinking about marriage for a little while yet. We’re just friends now. Honestly. You’d have no concern about Dan at all if you just got to know him a bit more. He’s the most honourable man imaginable. We’re not going to run off and get married behind your back or do anything else behind your back. Dan hasn’t even mentioned marriage.’

‘Well, I’m relieved to hear all of that.’ Mary sighed and let her shoulders relax a little.

‘And you’ll be the first to hear about it the minute he does ask me to marry him.’ Elizabeth grinned. ‘Which he will one day…soon,’ she added, her eyes gleaming.

‘I see.’ Mary was lost for further words, which felt rather strange for her and she squirmed on her chair and nodded at Elizabeth, still quite taken back by their conversation which hadn’t gone at all as she’d thought it might.

‘She’s grown up, hasn’t she?’ Mary whispered to William that night as they lay in their bed.

William grinned into the darkness and took her hand. ‘I thought you might conclude that after your little talk.’

‘Well, actually, she did most of the talking.’

‘Hmm, and were you happy with what you heard?’

‘I suppose I was, yes. Mostly.’

‘You don’t sound so sure.’

‘It’s just a bit of a shock really, to suddenly find our little girl so grown up. I’m not sure I’m ready for it.’

‘Well, she hasn’t grown up suddenly, love. It’s just with so much else going on, she’s done it quietly and we’ve not always noticed.’

‘Do you have as much faith in Dan as she obviously does?’

‘Yes, Mary, I do,’ he said decidedly.

‘Well, I’ll trust your judgment, Will. I always have, haven’t I?’

‘Mostly,’ he said lightly and chuckled. ‘And you have two small boys to mother for quite a few years yet so I’m sure you’ll have plenty to keep you occupied.’

‘I’m sure I will.’ Mary nodded into the dark. ‘Raising your sons is a dream come true for me, you do know that, don’t you?’

‘I do, love, and you’re doing a fine job.’

‘Time will tell, William. Time will tell.’ Her voice slurred as she drifted into sleep and snuggled into his back.

Windsor, December, 1810

William and Mary stood with a large crowd in the square on Green Hills. The union jack flapped in the light wind behind Governor Macquarie as he addressed the people. He was outlining his plan for the establishment of new townships along the Hawkesbury River. He commended the settlers for the progress they’d made and their contribution to the colony despite the hardships they’d endured due to the flooding of the river. He announced that Green Hills would hereafter be named Windsor. The settlement developing around Richmond Hill to the south west would be officially named Richmond. The area above Mulgrave Place, where the original farming allotments had been made, would be officially called Pitt Town, and the small settlement developing on the opposite side of the river would be Wilberforce. The positions for these towns were chosen because of the higher ground they offered and settlers would be assigned extra land for their houses, gardens, stock and corn yards, in proportion to how much of their farms were currently within the influence of the floods.

There was a murmur through the crowd, expressions of approval, excitement about new prospects, and pride in the acknowledgement and renaming of the communities they’d worked so hard to build and maintain.

‘Can we get a sweet, Pa?’ Thomas pulled on his father’s leg. William had noticed that around the outskirts of the crowd a few sellers had set themselves up, adding to the celebration and taking the opportunity to make a few pennies from their home cooking and their gardens.

‘In a few minutes, Thomas,’ William patted down his son’s hair. ‘I think the Reverend’s going to say a prayer.’

There was a hush as God’s blessing was called down on the new townships; beacons now of the growing success of the colony, promising hope for the future that had often been doubted in the past but now seemed secure.

‘Pity that’s come too late for poor Joe and Ellen,’ William remarked quietly as the crowd applauded and began to break up.

‘Yes, it’s disappointing they couldn’t get here today but Ellen’s very worried about Joe. He’s not been well at all these past months. He can hardly keep a bite down, she says.’

‘Since he’s had to give up the bit of land they had he hasn’t the heart for anything,’ William said quietly, feeling a deep pain for his friend.

‘They’re hardly managing on the little the older boys bring in and the help of friends. It’s very sad, Will.’

‘It is, lass. Joe and I had such great hopes, but it seems our children will have to fulfil most of our dreams now.’

‘It seems so for Joe, but don’t you go talking like you’re on your last legs, Will. I won’t have it. We’re doing all right, aren’t we?’

‘Yes, we’re doing well enough, love,’ William said reassuringly. ‘With this reassignment of land for us higher up in Pitt Town, we’ll have enough acres to assure our survival. We’ll build a new cottage and do some new gardens. We’re among the lucky ones.’

‘It’s not luck that you’ve worked so hard, Will.’

‘Perhaps, but we are fortunate to have survived the floods and still be here to take up this new opportunity.’

‘Will Dan come back to work for us?’

‘No, he’s taken a lease on a small plot of his own. He’s got his own plans for the future, has that boy.’ William grinned.

‘And the way he and Elizabeth keep huddling together these days, I have a feeling that they’re making their plans together.’

‘I’ve no objection to that, love.’

‘Hmm, seems I’m the only one uncertain about it all.’ Mary’s tone was thoughtful. ‘But whatever happens with Elizabeth, our boys need you for quite a while yet…and so do I.’ She leaned into his shoulder and grasped his arm firmly.

‘Right now they need me to find them a sweet, I think.’ He jiggled Billy, who was wriggling in his arms. When he looked down at Thomas he saw his pleading face. ‘And perhaps while I buy them something, you might find us a nice jar of jam at one of these stalls, eh?’ He kissed Mary lightly on the forehead and gave in to his son’s tugging.

***

In April the following year Mary was doing her best to console Ellen after Joe passed away.

‘I could see it happening, Mary. I felt so helpless. He was so discouraged about how it’s all gone out here. Once his health started to fail, it really was the end of his farming. I’m sure it’s a broken heart he’s died of, even though the doctor said he had much more wrong with him than that. Whatever will I do without him?’

‘I’m so sorry, Ellen. What can we do to help?’

‘Oh, we’ll manage. Robert’s working hard for Daniel Bridge now. He does his gardens and any maintenance he needs. It’s a big house he has up on the hill, much bigger than we’re used to, so there’s plenty for Robert to do and Mister Bridge pays him well. And our Joey’s been sending money from Sydney when he can. I doubt he’ll come back here. He seems to have found his place in the Surveyor General’s Office. Though I won’t be surprised if he gets to do some of the exploring he’s dreamed of some day.’

‘I hope so, Ellen. We all need to follow our dreams. We’ve done our best to make some of ours come true, haven’t we? We want the same for our children. It’s good to see your boys getting on.’

‘Yes, but I’ve still the other five and poor little Tommy’s only two, bless him. He’ll not know his Pa at all, will he?’

‘Only as you speak of him, Ellen, and I’ve no doubt you’ll help him to know Joe was a fine man.’ Mary bit her lip and turned away. It was so hard to think of Joe gone from them. She couldn’t begin to imagine what life would be like without Will. ‘And who will look after you?’ she asked sadly.

‘The boys will still look out for me. Robert is good with his hands. He’ll do any fixing I need around the place. I can manage the garden we have and it’ll produce plenty for us. We’ve little to look after now that the fields have been leased out. And the younger ones all help.’

‘Will you have enough money coming in?’

‘Well, Daniel Bridge has said that when I’m up to it I can do some domestic work for him. Some washing and mending and such. He lost his wife two years ago now, poor man, so he needs a bit of help and he says he can’t abide some of the younger women he’s hired. No common sense, he says. He has one daughter who does some cooking for him but she’s married now herself and has a little one on the way. I feel sorry for him, really. He’s a banker in Windsor and he’s very busy. Coming home to a lonely house must be awful for him. He’s been very kind to us. He knows what it’s like to lose someone.’ Ellen’s eyes filled and she wiped them with her sleeve.

‘And you have us, remember.’ Mary reached for Ellen’s hand. ‘Will and I will help however we can.’

‘I know that, Mary. We’d not have got by without you two all these years and I’ll need you still.’

The friends hugged again and shed more tears.

***

Mary came out of the butcher’s shop in Windsor one morning late in November to find a crowd milling around the street. It was almost the hottest part of the day and she was keen to get home and get the chops she’d just purchased into a pot. It wasn’t often she had store-bought meat. William was still good at trapping small animals around the property and Thomas was becoming quite a hand at it, even though Elizabeth was still appalled. But the butcher shop had a good array of slaughtered beef now and every once in a while William would agree that they could afford a few neck chops. Even though they needed quite a few hours cooking, with lots of onions and carrots and potatoes in the mix, they made a lovely stew. Her mouth watered at the thought of it. And the boys did love to chew on the bones. The crowd in front of her was making it difficult to hurry and when she heard shouting coming from the midst of them she couldn’t resist pushing her way amongst the people to see what was going on.

‘Can you believe this?’ a stout woman said as Mary got close to the front.

‘What’s he doing?’ Mary’s mouth fell open when she saw a man standing in the middle of the road with a woman a few feet behind him, attached to the end of rope, which was tied around her waist.

‘He’s selling his wife!’ The woman said, her voice stunned and disapproving. Mary looked about, disbelieving. Most people were just staring at the couple with their mouths hanging open.

‘Don’t be daft,’ Mary scoffed. ‘A man can’t sell his wife!’

‘So who’s going to start the bidding?’ came a shout from the short stocky man. He held up his end of the rope as if displaying what he was offering and looked around the crowd expectantly.

‘That’s Ralph Malkins, isn’t it?’ Mary asked, still thinking this must be some sort of prank.

‘It is, and apparently he and his wife have been fighting for years.’ The woman beside Mary leaned in to her and said between her teeth. ‘She screeches like a banshee, those who live around them say. And she’s not averse to throwing whatever’s at hand at him, either.’

‘That’s no reason to be selling her.’ Mary was indignant. ‘I don’t hold with such brawling in the home but this is ridiculous. Surely he can’t be serious?’ She looked more closely at the woman with the rope around her waist and saw that her face was rigid with rebellion. Her fists were perched on her hips as if she was daring her husband to go right ahead with his auction of her.

‘Apparently he’s as easy roused to violence as her,’ Mary’s companion whispered with a roll of her eyes. ‘I think there’s been times she’s been black and blue with it.’

‘How dreadful.’ Mary wasn’t sure which of the couple now stomping around in front of them she felt most sorry for or most annoyed with.

‘Come on, you lot! There must be someone could do with a cook and washerwoman,’ the man yelled again, yanking at the rope and causing his wife to jerk along behind him.

‘Shame, shame,’ came a call from the crowd. ‘Shame on you both.’

‘Can she cook?’ another cry came and a few heads turned, searching for the owner of the voice.

‘She’s good at the cookin’ and she does a reasonable job of the washin’ as well,’ Ralph shouted, a silly grin plastered on his face.

‘And what’s she like in the cot?’ a guttural boom came from behind Mary, at which there were gasps and guffaws all around.

‘So why are you tryin’ to get rid of ‘er?’ A woman in the front row called, her tone suggesting she was feeling very sorry for the wife.

‘Cause I’m too much woman for ‘im, that’s why,’ the wife shrieked, piercing the air. She wriggled her hips and spun about as much as was possible given the rope that attached her to her husband.

At this a few men cheered. Women made clucking sounds of disapproval, and some of them began shaking their heads, huffing and puffing as they pushed their way out of the crowd and headed home.

‘I’ll give yer ten pounds for ‘er.’ One large man pushed his way forward and held up his hand, as if bidding for a cow. All heads spun to the leering face, sure they could see him drooling.

‘Give over, man,’ Ralph bellowed. ‘She’s got plenty o’ years in ‘er yet.’

‘An’ years you’ll regret the loss o’ me,’ his wife screeched and leaned forward to shove him in the back.

‘Fifteen, then.’ The buyer rubbed his hands through his unruly beard, threw back his head and laughed raucously.

‘Sixteen, an’ she’s yours,’ came the reply.

‘I do believe they’re going to go through with it,’ the woman beside Mary nudged her lightly. ‘That’s Tom Quire, so it is. I think he’s actually going to buy Missus Malkins. Wait till I tell my John about this.’ When Mary stared at her in amazement she quickly added, ‘Not that he’d think o’ doin’ the same, mind. He wouldn’t be without me for the world. He’d starve to death in a week.’ She almost giggled at the last and then went silent as she looked back to the scene being played out in front of them, which for most people gathered was gravely disturbing.

‘Done!’ Ralph dragged his wife towards the successful and only bidder, and handed over his end of the thick rope that now strained against his wife’s hip as she dug in her heels and glared at the back of her husband’s head.

‘You’ll regret this, Ralph Malkins,’ she spat. Then she looked her buyer up and down and grimaced. ‘You’d better be treatin’ me better than this swine, or you’ll get the same treatment I gave ‘im.’

‘We’ll see about that, won’t we now?’ Tom Quire said, leering at his purchase greedily.

‘An’ if you can pay sixteen pounds for me, then yer can afford a little more for some cloth for a new dress,’ she said haughtily, now seeming to be enjoying the interchange. The crowd was stunned to silence as they watched the deal finalised.

Quire laughed again, this time lasciviously, clearly relishing the challenge ahead of him. ‘I suppose yer could do with some prettyin’ up.’ He handed Ralph a bundle of notes and, oblivious to the scathing remarks from the crowd, he pulled hard on the rope and led his purchase down the street.

While many in the crowd stood gaping and passing comment to each other, still hardly able to believe what they’d seen and for the most part considering it an abomination, Mary pushed her way free and hurried towards home. She didn’t want her chops spoiling in the growing heat and she could hardly wait to tell William what she’d witnessed. Surely there’d never been the like of it in the colony before.

‘And it ought to be a lesson to us all,’ Mary said soberly as she completed the story that evening while William and Elizabeth enjoyed the last of the stew. Mary hadn’t had a moment alone with William since she’d arrived home that morning. He’d been off in one of their farthest fields for hours and when he’d come in she’d contained herself till she’d bathed and bedded the boys, knowing such tales were not for their ears. When William and Elizabeth did not comment she went on. ‘Marriage is a very serious business and it seems to me that men and women don’t always know what they’re getting themselves into when they march off to the church. It’s no light matter at all.’