CHAPTER THIRTEEN
ROUTINES CONTINUE ©
She roused herself from her daydream as Ethel tottered into the room, rubbing her eyes. It was thirty minutes past ten. She realised that she had a few minutes to get her down for a nap before she opened the bar. Scooping the toddler up, she bounced her in her arms as she ran up the stairs. This was one of Ethel’s most loved pastimes and was a ritual at nap and bed time, as she sang a little nonsense rhyme.
Coming downstairs later with a few minutes to spare, she opened the doors of the Inn. Old man Murphy was on the doorstep waiting for his first ale of the day, before he went into town with a list of supplies for his wife.
Being Monday she expected the usuals for liquid refreshments and a few for lunch. She only provided a platter of creamy cheese, sourdough, pickles and onions. But it was all homemade and grown and always well liked by the patrons. Now that she wasn’t taking in travellers at night she had been able to cut down on cooking and a little work. There was only the children’s evening meal to prepare and they were usually happy with her homemade jam or the endless supply of cheese that she was thankful that Alfred had always insisted that she make. Their main meal was still during the day and Louisa always tried to have it ready on the range before the Inn was open, for Alfred and Magnus to serve if she was busy.
She thanked Alfred silently for all his hard work in setting up the business, but also for teaching her how to run it. Although she was eighteen years his junior, he had always treated her as an equal partner in their relationship. Except where child rearing was concerned she thought wryly, then she was on her own.
She didn’t know how long it would take the Magistrate to let her know whether she could apply for the Publican’s License, but he had indicated that she could carry on as she was doing.
So her days were full of the usual, except now she had an ache in her heart, the place she now knew where Alfred resided. She just wished she could feel his arms around her and his quick kisses stolen in the most unlikely of places. With seven children they had learnt quickly that love was always around if you nurtured it. She just wished she could touch him one more time.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THE LETTER ©
The weeks turned into months and Spring arrived with no word from the Magistrate. The Inn was prospering and she and the children were settling into a routine.
Ethel had weaned herself and Louisa felt another part of her life slipping away. Although she no longer needed to have Ethel in her room of a night she decided to keep her there. She didn’t think she would sleep without some noise in her room. Besides the boys already had two to a bed and six in their room.
No one had questioned the details she put on the death certificate and she felt relief that the falsehood would never be found.
The bar had been slow today and while there was no-one to be served Louisa took the opportunity to spend time in the sun in the veggie patch with George. The other children were either doing chores or playing out the front with Ethel. Alfred had gone into town on Jasper, for the mail and some supplies. He had grown up so much in the last couple of months, before his time really. But what choice did they have in the matter?
“Mam, you out there, someone’s come into the bar,” yelled Alfred as he came around the side of the Inn on Jasper.
“Just put the mail on the kitchen table and I will tend to it later,” she smiled at him as he led Jasper into the barn. Brushing the dirt from her hands she felt the warm sun on her neck, as she made her way back to the bar.
The next thing she knew she was calling closing time and ushering the men out the door. That was the main difference between her and Alfred. She always closed on time, no last drinks with drunken patrons for her.
She looked forward to this time everyday, when she could close the doors. A cup of tea would be waiting for her in the kitchen along with her children. They would chat and laugh over dinner, before they headed to bed.
Then the last part of her day would swing into action. She would prepare for the coming day, in the hope, that she would exhaust herself enough to sleep for a few hours at least.
Remembering the mail that Alfred had brought home, she glanced around the room. Where had it been put, she wondered? Getting up, she wandered around the kitchen tidying up the remains of the children’s effort at helping her get dinner. Then she spotted it, on the wood pile. Who had put it there? Lucky the fire hadn’t needed restoking tonight!
Opening the unusual envelope she unfolded the single sheet of paper. It was from a John A Treacher from the Supreme Court Office, letting her know that as Alfred’s widow, she was the beneficiary of all his property.1 What did this mean and how would it affect them?
So much for being exhausted and getting sleep. Her thoughts would not prove for a restful night’s sleep.
1 ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION. (1883, September 11). New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832 - 1900), p. 4961. Accessed 25 March 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223679543
Ethel had weaned herself and Louisa felt another part of her life slipping away. Although she no longer needed to have Ethel in her room of a night she decided to keep her there. She didn’t think she would sleep without some noise in her room. Besides the boys already had two to a bed and six in their room.
No one had questioned the details she put on the death certificate and she felt relief that the falsehood would never be found.
The bar had been slow today and while there was no-one to be served Louisa took the opportunity to spend time in the sun in the veggie patch with George. The other children were either doing chores or playing out the front with Ethel. Alfred had gone into town on Jasper, for the mail and some supplies. He had grown up so much in the last couple of months, before his time really. But what choice did they have in the matter?
“Mam, you out there, someone’s come into the bar,” yelled Alfred as he came around the side of the Inn on Jasper.
“Just put the mail on the kitchen table and I will tend to it later,” she smiled at him as he led Jasper into the barn. Brushing the dirt from her hands she felt the warm sun on her neck, as she made her way back to the bar.
The next thing she knew she was calling closing time and ushering the men out the door. That was the main difference between her and Alfred. She always closed on time, no last drinks with drunken patrons for her.
She looked forward to this time everyday, when she could close the doors. A cup of tea would be waiting for her in the kitchen along with her children. They would chat and laugh over dinner, before they headed to bed.
Then the last part of her day would swing into action. She would prepare for the coming day, in the hope, that she would exhaust herself enough to sleep for a few hours at least.
Remembering the mail that Alfred had brought home, she glanced around the room. Where had it been put, she wondered? Getting up, she wandered around the kitchen tidying up the remains of the children’s effort at helping her get dinner. Then she spotted it, on the wood pile. Who had put it there? Lucky the fire hadn’t needed restoking tonight!
Opening the unusual envelope she unfolded the single sheet of paper. It was from a John A Treacher from the Supreme Court Office, letting her know that as Alfred’s widow, she was the beneficiary of all his property.1 What did this mean and how would it affect them?
So much for being exhausted and getting sleep. Her thoughts would not prove for a restful night’s sleep.
1 ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION. (1883, September 11). New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832 - 1900), p. 4961. Accessed 25 March 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223679543
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