The Heather to the Hawkesbury

by Sheila Hunter

  “I can’t seem to feel my legs at all, Doctor. What’s wrong?”

  After the examination the doctor said, “I imagine they call you Alec or Sandy. Yes?”

  Alec confirmed he was known as “Alec”

  “Well, Alec, you’ve certainly had a bad fall, but it will be a while before we know how bad, so you just lie still and let Bill look after you. I don’t want you getting yourself upset, but when you feel up to it you and Bill can talk and get things sorted out.”

  Bill and the doctor left the tent and went out of range.

  “I just don’t know what to say, Bill. I’m afraid he’s a cripple for life. Try to find out if he has any family and whether we can get him to them. There is little I can do, but he will need constant care and you cannot do it.”

  “How much can I tell him, Doc?”

  “I really don’t think it matters, man, he’s little use to himself like that. I know that sounds hard, but what can anyone do?”

  People like Alec often die of pneumonia unless they have good nursing.”

  “You tell me what I’m to do and I’ll do what I can.”

  Dr. Landsdowne gave Bill a quick run-down on the required nursing care and left him standing thoughtfully overlooking the valley. He turned and went back into the tent to find that his new/old friend had fallen into a deep sleep.

  Over the next few days Bill tried to ward off too many probing questions, but the day came when Bill thought it time to tell his story and hear Alec’s, if he would tell it. Bill had asked few questions during this time, so was quite curious to piece the stories together. They had grown close during this time, Alec quickly realising that without Bill he could do nothing. As it happened Alec began his story without any prompting. He told Bill of Margaret and their children, his job on Forrest’s farm, he even told him about his leaving, and the letter, and for the first time felt shame in the telling of it. “You see, Bill, I just didn’t think. In fact, I didn’t think much about anything at all. I can see that I’ve just had ideas and acted on them. I haven’t been much good to Margaret. She’ll be wondering where I am now. Tell me, Bill, how long have I been here?”

  Bill heaved a big sigh and said, “Well, Alec, here it comes, over two years.”

  “Two years! Oh, no Bill not two years. How, how can that be?”

  Bill was filled with compassion as he watched the tears stream down Alec’s face. It was a situation that Bill felt unable to cope with. After some uncomfortable, interminable minutes, Alec turned to Bill.

  “Tell me,” he said, “tell me all about it.”

  So Bill told him all he knew as gently and kindly as he could. Alec’s eyes did not leave Bill’s during the telling and all he said as the story ended was “Thank you, Bill” and extended his hand to take Bill’s in his.

  Alec lay there, a jumble of thoughts shooting through him. “Margaret! Margaret with no money. What would she have done all this time? Murdoch would help, but what a burden for him. Oh, why did I always act first and think after? Why -why -why? What can I do?” His thoughts were agonising to him.

  “Bill, what will I do? What can I do?” came sobbing from him.

  “Don’t worry old man, we’ll come up with something.”

  Bill left Alec alone, thinking it the best thing. He knew that only time would heal. He wasn’t really sure in his own mind how to sort it all out anyway. He picked up his tools and climbed down the ladder to the mine he knew there was a mess to clean up after the fall and began digging, his mind working on all aspects of the situation, this would take a some time to get through, but it’ll be worth it...

  After few days later Bill came into the tent. “Ready for tucker, Scotty?”

  “Bill, I wish I could get it like I used to,” and laughed at his mate’s blank look. “Yes, I’m beginning to have bits of memory back. It’s so hard to sort it out. Just like dreaming of being two people.”

  Bill looked down at the pale man in the bunk, his once red hair a sandy white, his small, wizened body hardly seen below the blankets.

  “It’s good to know that it’s coming back anyway. Just don’t try and one day it will all be there.”

  “One day, yes, one day,” came the sour voice. “will I have a ‘one’ day? What’s to become of me? I can’t stay here. I won’t be a burden! What about my family? I still can’t write to them. What would I say? It tears me apart wondering about them. What must they have thought of me? I only intended to be away for a few months.”

  “Now, it’s no use going on about that. You won’t help yourself get any better if you do.”

  “I’ll never be better Bill, and you know it. What use can I be to anyone?”

  “You shut up. You’re me mate, aren’t you? You leave the worrying to me and just get better. By the way, you’ll be all right if I go up to the assay office this afternoon?”

  “Yes, Bill, I’ll still be here when you get back,” he said bitterly, then with an effort more brightly, “You got some good specs?”

  “Well, I have some, but will tell you all about it when I get back”

  Bill returned just before dusk and headed straight for the tent.

  “Alec,” he said eagerly, “we’re on our way home.”

  “What ! What do you mean?”

  “I told you, you were me mate, Scotty, and you are. When you fell down the shaft and knocked the buckets, there was quite a fall from the side of the shaft and I found some nuggets there. I took them up to the assayer and I sold them. Not only that, one of the big companies has bought the claim, so you and I are going home, mate. With money from the gold and money for the claim, we’re rich, boy.”

  “But the claim’s yours, Bill, it’s not mine.”

  “Well, I went right down below the seam, Alec, and you found it for me. I always meant you to have Larry’s share anyway so we split it even, mate.”

  “Bill!” came the exclamation.

  “And I’ve bought a spring cart and we pack up and leave for home as soon as we can. Think you can make it? I’ll make you a bunk on the wagon and you’ll be quite snug under the cover and will ride back to the Hawkesbury like a king. I’ll drop you off with your Maggie and kids and then it’s home to old Sydney Town for me.”

  “Do you mean it? I don’t have to go empty-handed back to my girl?”

  “No, old timer, you’ll go back better off than that there prodigal son.”

  Bill was as good as his word. Within twenty four hours they were packed into the wagon and with two good horses were on the way.

  Alec was never very forthcoming about his trip south, but spoke a lot about Scotland. Bill too, talked incessantly, mostly about his life as a youngster in Sydney. His grandfather had come out in the third fleet in 1792. He had been convicted for stealing a shirt from a hedge around a parson’s house. He and his friends each got seven years transportation. Apparently, James Turner as a go-ahead young man, for he soon made good and with in a surprisingly short space of time became an inn and toll keeper in Parramatta. He married a convict lass and they had eight children.[9] Their son, Thomas, was Bill’s father. He became a farmer and did well. Bill had never been interested in farming, for it seemed such hard work and for little so little gain, he had reasoned. Now that he had capital, his mind turned constantly to farming and he was glad to talk it over with Alec.

  Alec was one of those people who was very knowledgeable about his way of life, but never seemed to be able to pull off any of the ideas for himself.

  “I just didn’t go about anything the right way, Bill. Murdoch really valued my opinions, but I always seemed to make a mess of things for my family. Bill, what do you think they’ll do when they see me?” This question recurred most often in his conversation.

  “We’ll just have to wait and see,” was all he would get from his friend.

  Long weeks later the dusty wagon pulled up at Macdonald’s door. Bill climbed off the wagon seat and hitched the horses. On the verandah he called out, “Are you there, missus?”
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br />   Mary came to the door and eyed the stranger warily. “Yes, what can I do for you?”

  “Are you Mrs, Macdonald?” enquired Bill.

  “I am,” said Mary. “Is it my husband you’re wanting?”

  “Well, yes. I would like him to come, Mrs. Macdonald. Would you send one of the children to fetch him if he’s not far from home, and then could I have a word with you?”

  Mary turned and called Malcolm and Duncan who were eating their midday meal in the kitchen.

  “Duncan, run and get Father. This -er -”

  “Turner’s the name, Mrs. Macdonald, Bill Turner.”

  Mary was very curious about this secretive stranger and asked him inside, telling Malcolm to pour tea for him. Within five minutes they could hear Murdoch and Duncan come through the yard and soon introductions were made.

  “You look as though you’ve travelled far, Mr, Turner.”

  “I have that, Mrs. Macdonald. I’ve come from Ballarat, from the diggings.”

  “I hope you did well,” said Murdoch.

  “Quite well,” said Bill, sizing these people up and liking them.

  “But I have something for you and need your help.”

  “What is it, man?”

  “I’ve got Alec Fraser in the wagon.”

  All four Macdonalds said, “Alec Fraser!”

  “Yes, and a broken, sick man he is, too.” Bill quickly outlined the story.

  “Dear Lord, we never thought of a thing like that. We didn’t know where he got to. We couldn’t make out where he was.”

  “I must go to him Murdoch,” and Mary almost ran to the wagon.

  “Alec, Alec, dear silly Alec,” said Mary, as she jumped up on the wagon and knelt beside him.

  “Where’s Margaret, Mary? We went to the house and she’s not there. Oh, I’m so glad to see you, oh, Mary, I am so sorry and look at the mess I’m in. What’s to do?”

  “Hush now, Alec, we’ll get things sorted out. Margaret is living at the store now, she’s quite a business woman.”

  “Will she forgive me, Mary?”

  “Of course she will. You know Meg is the easiest person we know.”

  Murdoch joined them in the wagon and looking at the small, sick man, he found it hard to control his voice. “Alec,” was all he could say and he took the sick man’s hand in his. He felt the heat surging through Alec and he could see that the colour in his cheeks

  was not a healthy one.

  “I’ll ride to the store, man, and tell Meg. Bill will bring you up slowly. Mary and Malcolm will go with you to show you the way.”

  Turning to Duncan he said, “Son, you are in charge here and we don’t know how long we will be.”

  Duncan said “Yes Father,” and I’ll saddle Brownie and bring her round.”

  “I’ll ride bare back, son, so hurry along.”

  As soon as the mare was brought round he jumped on her back and sped up the road towards Riverbend. Bill looked after him. He took his hat off and scratched his head. “He can ride all right. You wouldn’t know she was not saddled.”

  Duncan said proudly, “He can that, sir, and he had never ridden a horse until he came here. He took to horses and I love them too.” Duncan turned to his mother and said “Bye, Mother, we’ll be all right. You stay at Aunt Margaret’s until you fix everything up. I’ll make sure everything is done here.”

  Mary waved, but said nothing.

  Murdoch entered the store and was relieved to see no customers. He said, “Effie, dear, look after the store, will you, while I speak to your Mother.”

  “Yes, Uncle Murd, is there anything wrong?”

  “I’ll tell you later when I’ve spoken to your Mother. Is she in the house?”

  “Yes, just call out. She’s not long gone in.”

  “Are you there, Meg?” called Murdoch as he reached the neat, clean kitchen.

  “Yes, Murdoch, come in. You’re just in time for tea. Sit down.” Murdoch came round the spotless, well scrubbed, white pine table, took the teapot out of Meg’s hands and said, “Sit down, dear, I’ve something to tell You.”

  “Oh, Murd, is it Alec? You’ve heard something of Alec?”

  “Yes, dear, he’s on his way here. He’s sick, Meg, in fact, I think he’s very sick, so sit down and I will tell you all I know.”

  He quickly told her the story that Bill Turner had told him, Jennet and Effie came in as the story began and when Murdoch finished they came to their mother and held her hands tight. By this time they were all sobbing.

  Margaret said, “Oh, Murd, I didn’t think he would want to leave us to fend for ourselves. I thought he must have been dead to be away so long and yet all this time I knew he wasn’t. I couldn’t understand it. Please bring him to me and we will look after him, won’t we, girls?”

  They all went through the shop when they heard the wagon. Murdoch called, “Malcolm, run and ask Mrs. Milne to come and look after the store, if she will. Explain what has happened. She will know that Margaret won’t want the store this afternoon.”

  Margaret had scrambled into the wagon. She fell on her knees beside Alec and no one heard what they had to say to each other, but they remained entwined for some time.

  Chapter 20 - Homecoming

  Murdoch came to the rear of the wagon and said, “Meg, dear, can you get a bed ready for Alec? I’ll carry him in if you go and turn it down.”

  He helped Meg down and she ran into the house and quickly prepared a bed for Alec then Murdoch carried him in, Bill followed with his bags.

  “I’ve sent for Mrs. Milne, Meg. We’ll take Bill with us for the night. Alec will only want you and the children tonight we’ll come to see you in the morning.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Turner. I am so bewildered that my manners are wanting. You will come to see us in the morning, won’t you? Murdoch and Mary will look after you. I can’t take it all in yet, but I will be more organized when you see me then.”

  Murdoch rode back beside the others in the wagon, leading his horse. The boys helped Bill unhitch the horses and feed them. Bill was then free to tell them all he knew of Alec but didn’t mention the gold or money. He felt that that was Alec’s privilege to tell. In the meantime Mrs. Milne had taken over the store for the day and with Effie’s help they left Meg and Alec to catch up on all that had happened during the lost two years, and Jennet to look after them. As Meg washed him and tended him carefully, she found it hard to keep back the tears. His battered emaciated body was a pitiful sight. He read something of her thoughts and said, “I’ll not trouble you dearest. We must face it you know. I had to get back to you. I couldn’t go without explaining what I did and why I did it. My darling, I wanted so much for you and the children. I didn’t intend to go for so long, you know. Mary tells me that you never got the letter. What must you have thought of me. Oh, love, how could I have done it to you?”

  “Hush, love, I knew you intended nothing but good for us. I thought you must have died, but yet couldn’t really feel that you had. I just knew that something had stopped you from coming back. It was so hard to keep on believing though.”

  “It must have been a bleak two years, lass. I nearly went out of my mind thinking of it when I came to my senses. Oh, love.”

  “Let’s not worry about that now, Alec. We will make up for lost time.” Then she asked, “Alec, can you move at all?”

  “Only my arms and head, love. I am like a baby. And we will have to face the fact that I cannot live for long. We must not fool ourselves. I heard the doctor talking to Bill and he doubted whether I would live long. He said that people like me usually go off with pneumonia and I haven’t liked to tell Bill that I have felt bad these last few days. I get sweats and I don’t think that’s good.” He smiled,

  “Meg dear, I have something to show you.”

  “Can it wait, dear? I would like Dr. Kenny to see you as soon as he can come.

  “No, love, I want to show you this. Please take the leather bag out of my pack. Bill put it in there.”r />
  Margaret took all of his few possessions out of the pack and at the bottom she found a heavy wash leather bag. She brought it to him and he took the gold nuggets out and put them in his hand.

  “There, lass, that’s what I went to Ballarat for, but, of course, I had no idea that I would get them this way.” He then told her the story of how Bill found the nuggets. “Bill insisted in giving me a half share of the money he got for the claim too. It is deposited in the bank for you. Did you ever think of having so much money in the bank, Meg?

  Well, you have now, and with the money these nuggets will bring, I can leave you secure, lass.”

  On saying this he seemed to shrink back into the pillows. Meg was alarmed at his pallor now and quickly put the nuggets into the bag and back into the pack. She went to the shop and said, “Jennet run for Dr. Kenny and ask him to come when he can.”

  “Alec,” She sat beside Alec and caught up his hand. “I am not going to give you up without a fight and fight I will. Dr. Kenny will tell me how to look after you and if these nuggets are going to be of any use, they will buy help to make you as well as we can get you.”

  Her optimism was short-lived as Dr. Kenny could only endorse what Alec had heard the Ballarat doctor tell Bill, but he thought that with careful nursing they could get him over the fever that was affecting him now, but could not promise further than that.

  The little children, Jamie and Kate, were burning with curiosity to see their father and it was difficult for Meg to keep them away. She could see that Alec would settle down better if they all came in to sit quietly while he looked them over. They found the white-haired invalid hard to recognise as their fiery-haired, boisterous father. Alec wanted only to feast his eyes on each loved one and wonder at their growth in two years. Just on dusk Ian came racing in from the farm and falling on his knees, he held his father.

  “Father,” Ian held his father close and repeatedly cried, “oh Father,” and with tears running down his freckled face, he said, “Father, we are so glad to have you home again, we missed you so.”