Today is the day! Thomas has been granted a hut. We can get out of this tent.
Packing his possessions, so as to be ready when he returned, she thought, I wonder if I will ever have possessions of me own?
It didn’t take long to set up the hut, as they didn’t have much to show for their time in the colony.
It was just one room, but it could be divided to accommodate living and sleeping arrangements. I will still be cooking outside but we have a solid roof over our heads. I have windows as well, I can open them to let in fresh air.
It was just one room, but it could be divided to accommodate living and sleeping arrangements. I will still be cooking outside but we have a solid roof over our heads. I have windows as well, I can open them to let in fresh air.
They sat over the rum Thomas had bought home with him, before opening the windows to the night sky and watching the moon travel over their hut before they drifted off to sleep.
The next morning she woke with a start and rushed out the door, making her way to the bushes past the campfire.
Holding her hair away from the bush, another wave of dry retching overtook her. Surely I can’t have anything else to bring up! How long will this last? How will I tell him?
The next morning she woke with a start and rushed out the door, making her way to the bushes past the campfire.
Holding her hair away from the bush, another wave of dry retching overtook her. Surely I can’t have anything else to bring up! How long will this last? How will I tell him?
“Elizabeth, where the hell are you? Where is my breakfast?” bellowed Thomas, from inside the hut. Wiping her mouth on her sleeve, she hurried to get back inside.
“It won’t be long Sir, just had to use the privy,” she replied, as she came around the bush swallowing the bile in her throat again. On entering the hut she had to steady herself against the door. Just breathe, I can’t tell him yet, I don’t want to leave ’ere.
“Elizabeth, what is wrong?” asked the Lieutenant. “You are pale and I think you have been doing more than just relieving yourself.”
I should have been more careful, he didn’t want a babe! Could I get rid of it? How could a convict bring up a baby without a father? He will send me to the factory.
“I’m with child!” she blurted, running back out to her favourite bush! So much for breakfast!
“It won’t be long Sir, just had to use the privy,” she replied, as she came around the bush swallowing the bile in her throat again. On entering the hut she had to steady herself against the door. Just breathe, I can’t tell him yet, I don’t want to leave ’ere.
“Elizabeth, what is wrong?” asked the Lieutenant. “You are pale and I think you have been doing more than just relieving yourself.”
I should have been more careful, he didn’t want a babe! Could I get rid of it? How could a convict bring up a baby without a father? He will send me to the factory.
“I’m with child!” she blurted, running back out to her favourite bush! So much for breakfast!
Rising with a look of confusion Thomas followed. It wasn’t long before he found her, on her knees, behind an innocuous spindly bush. It was the guttural retching sounds that gave her away!
Approaching slowly, his nostrils flared with the acrid scent of vomit. Stopping away from her, breathing through his mouth, he called, “Are you all right?”
I’m just dandy! Do I look all right? Here I have just ‘shot the cat’ and you are asking me if I am all right, you great oaf?
“Yes, I am fine, I will be back directly and pour your tea.”
“Take your time Elizabeth. When you come in, I think we need to talk” he replied, retreating to the hut.
Blinking on entering the room after the brilliant sunshine of the late March day outside, Elizabeth noticed the teapot, two dainty cups - where had they come from? - and a bottle of rum on the table. Sipping from his pannikin of rum,Thomas looked up motioning to her to sit across from him.
“Well Betsey my dear, I gather we have a situation to attend to? Do you want tea or rum?” he asked gently with a smile.
Approaching slowly, his nostrils flared with the acrid scent of vomit. Stopping away from her, breathing through his mouth, he called, “Are you all right?”
I’m just dandy! Do I look all right? Here I have just ‘shot the cat’ and you are asking me if I am all right, you great oaf?
“Yes, I am fine, I will be back directly and pour your tea.”
“Take your time Elizabeth. When you come in, I think we need to talk” he replied, retreating to the hut.
Blinking on entering the room after the brilliant sunshine of the late March day outside, Elizabeth noticed the teapot, two dainty cups - where had they come from? - and a bottle of rum on the table. Sipping from his pannikin of rum,Thomas looked up motioning to her to sit across from him.
“Well Betsey my dear, I gather we have a situation to attend to? Do you want tea or rum?” he asked gently with a smile.
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