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Authors: Margaret Tanner
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there anything you can do properly? Lady Priscilla will hear about this.”
Melanie wanted to remind the housekeeper Michael paid the wages, not Lady Priscilla. A once happy, welcoming house had turned into something ugly.
As it turned out, she didn’t clear the table or help with dessert. Instead, she had to scrub the enormous hearth. All the most unpleasant tasks would come her way.
Annie and Melanie didn’t eat until nine o’clock. It was the same food Michael had been served, but was now dry and cold. Unpalatable or not she ate it all, knowing full well there would be nothing else until breakfast in the morning.
In her quarters it was creepy, dungeon dark. She wanted to leave the candle burning all night, but dared not in case it burnt down too quickly, with little likelihood of getting a replacement. What a dreadful day it turned out to be, and this was just the beginning. Where was James now? Yarning around some campfire most likely. What of Robbie? Would he be lying awake thinking of her? She desperately needed to feel the warmth of his hand, the touch of his lips, wanted to hear him whispering words of endearment as he cuddled her close so she wouldn’t feel as if she had been entombed.
Oh, Robbie, why d id he feel the need to be involved in the fight for miners’ rights? He acted so recklessly sometimes. What if something happened to him? She trembled on thinking about the dangers lying ahead for him if he continued agitating against the authorities. They would crush him and any others like him. Frightened tears filled her eyes. Help him, God, she prayed desperately. Don’t let anything happen to him. It was terrible lying alone in total darkness worrying about the safety of the man she loved.
***
Melanie rose at five-thirty next morning. After sponging her body with cold water from the jug and putting on yesterday’s clothes, she finished her toilette by pinning up her hair in a simple chignon.
Mrs. Smith’s instructions were to have the fire lit ready to heat water for Priscilla’s early morning ablutions. Fortunately, Juliet actually prepared the bath. I’d have tipped the water all over her beautiful, haughty head, she fumed with a resurgence of spirit and a renewal of energy, now the spooky night shadows had been chased away by the soft dawn light.
While building up the fire for the water, she wondered what the day held in store. Juliet had mentioned something about house guests. The men were going out kangaroo hunting while the ladies would be joining them for a picnic lunch. Drawing water from the well, she noticed how the grey sky was already streaked with red, giving promise of yet another fine day.
The air hung heavy with the scent of flowers, the dew covered grass sent out a special perfume all of its own. The baying of dogs and the bleating of distant sheep broke the early morning stillness. From the stable area came the sounds of restless horses.
Michael kept several imported English thoroughbreds for his guests to ride. The kangaroos would stand no chance against such fleet-footed animals. It seemed barbaric hunting them down purely for sport. To shoot them for food was one thing, but to condone wanton slaughter for the enjoyment of a few rich, idle gentlemen was awful. Michael hunted in England, so he obviously saw little difference between kangaroos and foxes.
It took five trips to and from the well to fill up the big iron pots on the stove. Annie and Mrs. Smith had started work in the kitchen by this time. Annie smiled shyly, a nice girl, intimidated by the bullying housekeeper.
In a gentleman’s household like this, there would have once been twice the number of domestic servants, but it proved hard, if not impossible, getting workers of any kind in the midst of gold fever.
What a terrible morning. Melanie was ordered to scrub the kitchen floor. The cold flagged stones dug into her knees, and it didn’t take long for her wrists and shoulders to start aching.
M rs.
Melanie wanted to remind the housekeeper Michael paid the wages, not Lady Priscilla. A once happy, welcoming house had turned into something ugly.
As it turned out, she didn’t clear the table or help with dessert. Instead, she had to scrub the enormous hearth. All the most unpleasant tasks would come her way.
Annie and Melanie didn’t eat until nine o’clock. It was the same food Michael had been served, but was now dry and cold. Unpalatable or not she ate it all, knowing full well there would be nothing else until breakfast in the morning.
In her quarters it was creepy, dungeon dark. She wanted to leave the candle burning all night, but dared not in case it burnt down too quickly, with little likelihood of getting a replacement. What a dreadful day it turned out to be, and this was just the beginning. Where was James now? Yarning around some campfire most likely. What of Robbie? Would he be lying awake thinking of her? She desperately needed to feel the warmth of his hand, the touch of his lips, wanted to hear him whispering words of endearment as he cuddled her close so she wouldn’t feel as if she had been entombed.
Oh, Robbie, why d id he feel the need to be involved in the fight for miners’ rights? He acted so recklessly sometimes. What if something happened to him? She trembled on thinking about the dangers lying ahead for him if he continued agitating against the authorities. They would crush him and any others like him. Frightened tears filled her eyes. Help him, God, she prayed desperately. Don’t let anything happen to him. It was terrible lying alone in total darkness worrying about the safety of the man she loved.
***
Melanie rose at five-thirty next morning. After sponging her body with cold water from the jug and putting on yesterday’s clothes, she finished her toilette by pinning up her hair in a simple chignon.
Mrs. Smith’s instructions were to have the fire lit ready to heat water for Priscilla’s early morning ablutions. Fortunately, Juliet actually prepared the bath. I’d have tipped the water all over her beautiful, haughty head, she fumed with a resurgence of spirit and a renewal of energy, now the spooky night shadows had been chased away by the soft dawn light.
While building up the fire for the water, she wondered what the day held in store. Juliet had mentioned something about house guests. The men were going out kangaroo hunting while the ladies would be joining them for a picnic lunch. Drawing water from the well, she noticed how the grey sky was already streaked with red, giving promise of yet another fine day.
The air hung heavy with the scent of flowers, the dew covered grass sent out a special perfume all of its own. The baying of dogs and the bleating of distant sheep broke the early morning stillness. From the stable area came the sounds of restless horses.
Michael kept several imported English thoroughbreds for his guests to ride. The kangaroos would stand no chance against such fleet-footed animals. It seemed barbaric hunting them down purely for sport. To shoot them for food was one thing, but to condone wanton slaughter for the enjoyment of a few rich, idle gentlemen was awful. Michael hunted in England, so he obviously saw little difference between kangaroos and foxes.
It took five trips to and from the well to fill up the big iron pots on the stove. Annie and Mrs. Smith had started work in the kitchen by this time. Annie smiled shyly, a nice girl, intimidated by the bullying housekeeper.
In a gentleman’s household like this, there would have once been twice the number of domestic servants, but it proved hard, if not impossible, getting workers of any kind in the midst of gold fever.
What a terrible morning. Melanie was ordered to scrub the kitchen floor. The cold flagged stones dug into her knees, and it didn’t take long for her wrists and shoulders to start aching.
M rs.
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