Chapters (53)
- Cover
- About Alison Stuart
- Also by Alison Stuart
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Prologue
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Author’s Note
- Acknowledgements
- Preview of The Goldminer's Sister
Netty stared at her. ‘You mean Caleb?’
Adelaide dropped her hands. ‘Of course I mean Caleb. If it wasn’t for him, I would have gone with Richard. I would have believed his lies and his blandishments when all the time it was about money.’
‘Has it occurred to you, Adelaide, that you are a wealthy woman?’ Netty enquired with a studied tone.
Adelaide thought about the true implications of the solicitor’s letter. ‘Yes, I suppose I am. Danny can go to school in Melbourne …’ No more long hours as a postmistress, no more Maiden’s Creek. They could move to Melbourne, live in a nice house. The possibilities began to stretch out before her … Except …
As the realisation washed over her, all the fears and insecurities that dogged her all her life came back. She turned away, running her hands through her disordered hair before turning back to face her friend. ‘Netty, how can I be sure? What if Caleb only wants me for the money?’
‘Take it from me, Caleb has had a fancy for you long before Richard Barnwell turned up,’ Netty said with barely concealed anger. ‘He loves you for who you are, not for who your father was and the money that’s waiting for you and the lad. He would take you in rags.’ Netty sniffed. ‘I should give you a good shake to bring you to your senses.’
‘Forgive me, I’m just tired.’ Adelaide dashed away a tear that trickled unbidden from her eye. A tear of happiness or just a relief from all the tension?
Netty folded her in her arms. ‘You’ve been to hell and back in the last few days. Give yourself a bit of time. Remember, Danny’s only with us today because of Caleb. He’s saved the lad’s life twice. If there’s going to be a third time, you’ll want to hope it is Caleb by your side. It’s yourself you shouldn’t doubt, Adelaide. Now go and make yourself respectable. You’re still our postmistress. There’s folks anxious for news and Sergeant Maidment has urgent telegrams to send to Melbourne.’
Adelaide took a deep, steadying breath and, pausing only to check that Danny was still sleeping peacefully, she donned her sombre dress, scraped her hair back in a tight bun and opened the door to the post office, once again the respectable, if slightly battered, widow Greaves.
Thirty-Nine
Thirty-Nine
At the Britannia, Caleb found Posy waiting for him.
‘Thank heavens,’ she said, all but tugging at his sleeve. ‘The men from Blue Sailor just brought in a new patient. He’s bad, doctor.’
‘Where is he?’
‘They’ve put him in the parlour. Yorkie’s none too pleased, but they didn’t want to move him any further.’
Caleb rolled up his sleeves and collected his bag from the surgery.