May, in turn, was worried about Nan. She was drinking more and more and the effects were becoming more difficult to conceal. She often did not come home in the evening until May was in bed, and she would hear her bumping into the furniture and knocking things over, swearing to herself until she managed to find her way upstairs. It was increasingly difficult to rouse her in the morning and she came to work later and later; then she would go to the pub again at dinnertime and spend the rest of the afternoon asleep. May worked longer hours in an attempt to make good the work Nan should have done, and tried to keep her away from customers or anyone in authority, but it was getting more and more difficult.

* * *

Gus had settled happily into his new life. His work as receptionist was not demanding and he enjoyed the opportunity to meet new people. They came from all over the world and all areas of the surrounding countryside and from all walks of life and, in the egalitarian ethos of Australia, they were usually quite happy to chat about their work and the places where they lived. It gave Gus the chance to develop a perspective on how the colony was growing and the new possibilities that were opening up. He recognised that he was not going to be satisfied in the long term with the job he was doing, but until something better presented itself he was happy to jog along from day to day.

Mark, one of Victoria’s brothers, was home from school, learning the hotel business from his father, and they got on well. Victoria herself reintroduced him to the circle of friends he had met on his first visit and he joined in their sports and games. With the arrival of spring, the cricket season started again and Mark began to teach him how to play. Another friend had a small yacht and Gus enjoyed sailing round the bay and adapting what he had first learned at the Industrial School under Captain Thomas to the new technique. More than anything, it was having leisure time to devote to sport – something he had only sampled briefly in Sunday afternoon football games – that he relished.

Kitty and her brother came in one day to tell him that the family was moving on. It seemed Melbourne was already well supplied with cobblers so they were going to try their luck in the little town of Chiltern, which had sprung up in the wake of the gold rush. It was a disappointment, but Gus consoled himself with the knowledge that it was less than a day’s journey and he would be able to visit when he had time off.