Read The Convict and the Cattleman for Free Online

good gel, almost old enough to marry. Reckon some jackaroo will catch her fancy soon.”
    She barely paused for breath, bringing a loaf of dark bread to the table with a jar of preserves. Bridgit couldn’t find a break to tell Bess she didn’t need to fuss.
    “Your accent says Irish, perhaps Dublin? Been ages since I was there. I wasn’t much older than you look when I was sentenced for turning tricks. Worked as a housemaid for seven years after they shipped me here. I met Natty three years into it. He’d gotten involved in a fight with the wrong man and the bloke ended up dead. We still get a laugh because Natty’ll never get a pardon and I’ve been assigned as his employer for the remainder of his life.” Bess chuckled, as if it was a great joke. “The government allots forty acres to convicts. This is ours. The children were born here. Davy’s the oldest, then Bitty and Margie. There were others, but it’s wild country and those wee mites weren’t fit for it. Some can’t make it out here.”
    Bridgit sensed the sorrow in Bess’s words. Her accident seemed to prove she’d not do well here either. Mr. Andrus insisted he wasn’t angry, but she felt clumsy all the same.
    “Bridgit, you alright, love?”
    “Aye,” she answered, forcing a smile. “You came here on a convict ship as well?”
    Bess made a sour face. “Not a pleasant journey. I decided right away that me home was Australia the moment I stepped on shore. You couldn’t get me back on a bloody ship for any amount of money.”
    Bridgit nodded. “Me neither.”
    “Is Jonah treating you well?”
    “We’ve been through quite an adventure already.” She explained about their nighttime visitor and the snake, watching as Bess’s expressions changed throughout the stories.
    “He’s a good lad, our Jonah. I’ve no doubt he kept you close to protect you from that lout.”
    “He’s quiet. We haven’t discussed much more than rules. I’m a bit out of sorts here.” Bridgit traced a gouge on the table as she poured out her worries.
    Bess waved her hand dismissively. “You needn’t worry about that. Jonah will warm up given time. The poor lamb. He’s torn up about his sister.”
    Bridgit’s gaze met Bess’s face. “His sister?”
    “Yes, Charlotte. Her little girl was born out of wedlock and Charlotte died not three days later. There was nothing anyone could do for her. I tried, the good Lord knows, but women die all the time after childbirth.” Tears appeared in Bess’s eyes and she wiped them away. “Charlotte was as good as they come, never caused trouble for anybody. It was a real shock when she said she was in the family way. Jonah’s worried everyone will find out. It’s not his own name he’s worried about, but what people will say about his sister. They were close. Running the station together, why you never saw a pair more determined to make a success of something.”
    Mr. Andrus would probably be angry about Bess telling her these things, but she couldn’t deny she was curious about him and the baby. “You were there when his niece was born?”
    Bess nodded. “She’s a beautiful thing. Looks a great deal like her mum. Of course, it’d be hard to say if she took after her da, because no one knows who he is. There’s a lot of suspicion at Laurie Lark, but the workers are sworn to secrecy. If Jonah knows, he won’t say the name aloud.”
    It wasn’t easy losing a loved one. No wonder he was irritable; he’d been desperate to find someone capable of caring for his niece, and he got stuck with her.
    Bess interrupted Bridgit’s thoughts. “Say, love, would you like to clean up before we tuck in? We’ve a rain barrel out back and the water stays quite warm this time of year. I could have Davy haul out the hip bath for you.”
    “Could you?” The thought of water, soap and fresh clothing made the long journey bearable.
    “It’s not a problem. I figure that’s why Jonah stopped by. He could’ve passed right on