Free The Silent Frontier by Peter Watt Page A

could not remember a Christmas before that he had enjoyed so much. Most of his Christmases had been spent on the dusty tracks outside one little town or other west of the Great Dividing Range.
    Ale and rum flowed throughout the day, while Bridget and Kate worked in a sheen of sweat to keep up to the demand by the hungry and thirsty men. A rich plum pudding covered in yellow custard took them into the evening when Frank Duffy, the publican, broke into nostalgic songs of old Ireland, bringing forth tears to the eyes of both the tough Michael Duffy and his gender cousin, Daniel. Only old Max Braun seemed to be immune to the sentimentality and sat quietly sipping his tots of rum.
    When Lachlan finally staggered home from the evening he found Mrs Woodford uproariously drunk, sitting with therest of the boarders around the dining room table. It was the one day of the year she allowed alcohol in the boarding house and the empty sherry bottle on the table testified to her indulgence. Lachlan was greeted warmly by his friends and reeled up to his room to collapse on his bed.
    There was no work during the Yuletide break and the men in Lachlan’s team luxuriated in the days away from the gruelling work site. Early in the new year, Lachlan found himself drawn to Hyde Park, where he wandered amongst the holiday-makers enjoying the open air. He was always on the lookout for Amanda and was rewarded one day when he saw her strolling with a tall young man at her side. Lachlan felt his heartbeat increase, watching the two walking together. Then for a moment the young man at Amanda’s side disappeared, seemingly to fetch something for her, and Lachlan hurried across.
    ‘Hello, Miss Lightfoot,’ he said and she turned to face him under her parasol.
    ‘Oh, hello, Mr MacDonald,’ she responded in a startled way, glancing around her quickly. ‘Happy new year.’
    It was clear Amanda appeared uncomfortable in his presence and Lachlan suspected strongly that it had something to do with the young man.
    ‘You must know that I am in the company of a dear friend,’ she said, averting her gaze. ‘I don’t think that it is appropriate that you and I be seen together.’
    ‘I am just a friend greeting you a good day,’ Lachlan answered, concealing his hurt. ‘I hardly think that is inappropriate.’
    ‘Well, Sir Percival Sparkes will be back soon and it might be better if you take your leave,’ Amanda replied, this time looking him directly in the eyes.
    ‘I was hoping to see you. I had a small gift for you – atoken of meeting you. I realise Christmas has passed but I would like you to have it anyway.’ He reached into his pocket and produced a pearl at the end of a gold chain. He held it out and placed it in Amanda’s hand. She stared at the pretty piece of jewellery, her mouth partially agape in her surprise.
    ‘I cannot accept this,’ she said quietly. ‘It must have cost a small fortune.’
    ‘It is nothing,’ Lachlan retorted, attempting to shrug off the expensive item, which had cost him his entire winnings from the wager he had inadvertently won against himself.
    ‘One day I will be a famous explorer like John McDouall Stuart who I have read has just returned after his journeys into the centre of South Australia. Then I will be rich and buy you more pearls.’
    ‘Mr MacDonald,’ she said, ‘I do not want you to have the wrong idea, but both society and my situation dictate that we can only ever be acquaintances. Sir Percival is my beau and it is possible that we may wed in the future. He has prospects in his family business and we have known each other for many years.’
    ‘And I am nothing more than a labourer you know very little of,’ Lachlan said, the bitterness edging his reply. ‘I do not intend to remain a labourer for the rest of my life.’
    ‘I believe that you are a highly intelligent young man who will one day make something of your life,’ Amanda replied sadly. ‘But, for now, you must find your way as