28 DAY CHALLENGE CHAPTER 23 - Guilt and Promotion

Hurrying home after visiting the barracks to obtain their monthly stores allocation, Elizabeth shivered as the bitter wind swept her along.

Why do I feel guilty? Why am I so fortunate? I was just a convict like these other poor souls. Here I am being protected by one of the same as most of me fellow convicts regard as the enemy. The NSW Rum Corps!

If it hadn’t been for the administration of Grose and Paterson in these past couple of years, Thomas and the other soldiers would not have been so lucky with all the land grants. They just think of this place as a penal settlement, not a place for free settlers. The trade of rum has grown during the time of the NSW Rum Corps and they are now firmly set in their ways.⁠[1] But at least Thomas sees that there is a future here, a future for our younguns’.

“Elizabeth, where have you been?” Thomas scowled as she heaved the parcels on the table. “The children have been awake for at least an hour and I think Thomas needs changing.” 

“Well, I guess I had better change him then, sorry I lost track of time and found myself wandering the long way home.” 

“Hrrump! Well I have to go into work, a message just came from the barracks, that weasel Hunter wants to see me.” 

I wish he wouldn’t call the Governor names. He isn’t that bad. He doesn’t have what it takes to control the Corps though. Everyone can see they are just too strong for him and will continue doing things their way. He has a vision though, he knows there is land worth looking for and exploring, if he lasts long enough here though. I don’t think he is going to be getting a very favourable report back in England.[⁠2]

“Well me wee baby Thomas, you do smell awful. No wonder your Papa wanted to get to work so quickly. I wonder what the Governor wants of him, though? Let’s get you changed quickly and go outside to play with Issy, shall we?” 

Later that evening Elizabeth heard Thomas long before he got to their house. Doesn’t sound like anything bad happened today, by the sound of his singing!

Standing in the doorway with his quirky grin splitting his face from ear to ear, she noticed the different embellishment on his shoulders. 

“For Lors sakes Thomas shut the door! It’s cold or hadn’t you noticed? Thomas, what are they?” 

“Well me dear, do you mean these things on me shoulders? You may now call me Captain Thomas Rowley,” sweeping her up into his arms and swinging her around the room, “where’s the rum, we have some celebrating to do.”⁠[3]

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1 The History of Sydney, Early Colonial Sydney 1790-1809, http://www.visitsydneyaustralia.com.au/history-6-early-col.html

2 The History of Sydney, Early Colonial Sydney 1790-1809, http://www.visitsydneyaustralia.com.au/history-6-early-col.html 

3 B. H. Fletcher, 'Rowley, Thomas (1747–1806)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/rowley-thomas-2614/text3605, published first in hardcopy 1967, accessed online 3 February 2018.