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
A shadow crossed the doctor’s eyes. ‘No, not the last one, but I don’t think even the best of hospitals could’ve saved him. There’s a new hospital in Sale, a good day’s coach ride from Shady Creek. When he’s strong enough let’s see about that option.’
They reached the Britannia Hotel and the path that led to a small weatherboard cottage halfway up the hill.
Bowen stopped and pointed at the neat little cottage. ‘That’s the doctor’s house, kindly provided by the burghers of this town. I’ll leave you here, Hunt. You are more than capable of seeing to your patient.’
‘He’s not my patient.’
Bowen’s mouth quirked into a smile. ‘Oh, but I think he is.’ He patted Caleb’s shoulder. ‘We’ll talk tomorrow.’
‘Nothing to talk about,’ Caleb said, but the little doctor had already turned away.
Caleb watched him climb the path, his Gladstone bag bumping against his leg.
‘Nothing to talk about,’ he repeated under his breath.
Fourteen
Fourteen
Adelaide sat at the kitchen table, a full cup of tea cooling in front of her. She looked at the unedifying liquid and up at the clock on the mantelpiece. It showed nearly eleven, but she had no desire to go to bed. Her mind still reeled from the day’s events and despite the knowledge she had to work on the morrow, she knew sleep would not come easily.
An uneasy silence had settled over the town. Unlike many of the other mines that comprised the goldfields, the proximity of the Maiden’s Creek mine to the town made the incident personal. An injury to one of their own affected the whole town deeply.
Netty, at Caleb’s insistence, had gone to bed and Caleb sat with the injured man. Adelaide glanced out the open back door to where the light from a lantern spilled from Mick’s shed. She got up and made fresh tea, then carried two pannikins down the path to the shed.
Caleb sat on a hard wooden chair, his feet stretched out in front of him, crossed at the ankles. He wore his waistcoat unbuttoned and a clean shirt, open at the neck. He leaned back, arms behind his head, and for a moment she thought he must be asleep but he jerked upright at her gentle knock.
‘I brought you tea,’ she said. She handed him the pannikin.
A smile quirked the corners of his mouth. ‘You know how much I do love a good cup of tea,’ he said.
‘It’s hot and wet. Be grateful. How is he?’
Caleb shrugged. ‘I’ve dosed him with laudanum. He’ll probably sleep till morning.’
‘And you?’
‘I’ll sit with him tonight. Tomorrow is another day.’ When she didn’t move, he said, ‘Are you going to ask me for an explanation?’
‘We all have our secrets, Caleb.’
He gave a hollow laugh. ‘Hardly a secret, now.’