Matilda's Freedom (3 page)

Looking windswept and self-assured, Kit stared down at her and said, ‘We’re leaving the Heads now and passing out into the ocean. You may find it a little rough. Are you sure you wouldn’t like to go below decks?’ His deep voice sent tingles down her spine.

She drew in a short breath. ‘The weather is really quite balmy, and the thought of being below decks doesn’t appeal to me.’ Matilda found she rather liked being with Kit in the moonlight as it afforded a strange intimacy that reminded her of nights around the campfire at home.

Fenella
dipped and swayed as the ocean current took hold. ‘We’ll pass Broken Bay soon, which is the estuary of the mighty Hawkesbury River—or
Deerubbin,
as the Aborigines call it.’

Soon after, sandstone cliffs and a huge island dominated the view on the port side. ‘And, over there, Mount Elliot Island guards the entrance. I always thought it looked like a sphinx, but Governor Phillip says it resembled Gibraltar where his friend Elliot defeated the French and Spanish fleets. So he named it for him.’

Kit’s breadth of knowledge fascinated Matilda. He appeared so at ease, and that gave her a sense of comfort and also excitement—such conflicting emotions, but stirring sensations and feelings she had never experienced before seemed to be his skill.

Feeling safe with Kit by her side, the steady beat of the engines had lulled Matilda into a gentle doze. When daylight broke, there was such a sudden flurry of activity from the sailors as they went about their work that she woke with a start.

‘We’re coming into Newcastle now,’ Kit said, answering her unspoken question. ‘We’re about seventy miles north of Sydney.’

A huge stone breakwater led them into the harbour. Matilda stared in fascination at the odd assortment of buildings grouped around the shoreline, managing to make out a couple of timber churches. There were some other more robust houses but nothing as sophisticated as the buildings she had seen in Sydney.

‘This is the mouth of the Hunter River. From here, we’ve got about another thirty-five miles to go before we reach Morpeth. Are you hungry? The crew usually serve breakfast once we are in calmer waters.’

‘Famished,’ Matilda replied, her stomach rumbling in anticipation.

‘I’ll go below and see what they are offering. Usually they have tea and some bread, and either mutton, or whiting caught from the river. What do you fancy?’

‘Anything, but the fish sounds especially delicious.’

As Kit left to go below, Matilda stood and walked over to the timber railing. She leaned against it and gazed across the river, thankful that the wind was carrying the smell of the engines away. The rising sun had turned the water a dull orange-gold; birds shrieked and wheeled around the boat, eager for a share of breakfast. A pair of pelicans circled them and—spreading their huge feet—landed on the river. Their cavernous beaks clacked in excitement.

Kit reappeared with both hands full of bread and fish, and Matilda tucked in. She thought it was the best breakfast she had ever tasted. ‘It’s very different from the Hawkesbury River,’ she said. ‘The land around The Hunter is more pastoral and a much flatter landscape. No towering sandstone cliffs.’ She hurriedly swallowed down a large crust of bread.

‘That’s an unusual thing for a woman to notice,’ Kit said with a broad grin.

His strong, straight nose highlighted his chiselled mouth and the almost severe planes of his face. His thick dark hair was shorter than was fashionable, and she longed to run her fingers through it. A delicious quiver of excitement and nervous anticipation skittered across her skin.

‘How long is it since you were home?’ Matilda asked, as she watched a group of black cockatoos swoop and land in the branches of a Casuarina tree on the riverbank.

‘Three years.’

‘So Hannah and Beth are how old now?’

‘They were nine and twelve when I left so …’

‘Twelve and fifteen now. Still quite the young ladies.’

‘Yes. They’ve been without a father since Barclay died nearly six months ago. Snakebite. His horse reared and he fell, and when the stockman found him he was long dead.’

‘I’m sorry. How dreadful for you all. Was it a black snake? They are common around the Bathurst area. My father used to say they were only good for one thing—bumping into the sharp end of his shovel.’

My God, but this girl is strange—clinically practical, in fact.

Kit found her manner refreshing and could easily imagine himself being friends with her. In truth, he could imagine quite a lot about her, but it was best not dwell on that in public. Most women he had come across in the past would throw their hands up in horror and scream at the mere mention of a snake.

‘Can you ride?’

‘Yes, of course.’

‘Emily said she was certain you could. Are you sure we shouldn’t find a carriage when we get to Morpeth? It’s a good thirty miles to Wollombi.’

‘No, we don’t need a carriage. It would be a ridiculous waste of time and expense. I could ride almost before I could walk.’

‘Astride?’

‘Of course.’ He smothered a chuckle at her indignant snort.

A mixture of feisty tomboy and shy debutante,
all wrapped up in one delightful package.

He had heard there were women who rode astride, but he’d never come across one.

‘Do you have a riding habit?’

‘No!’ She rolled her eyes this time. ‘I ride in breeches and boots exactly as you do.’

Kit looked her up and down, searching for evidence of breeches or boots. In her travelling costume, she appeared practical but not unusual.

‘No!’ She chuckled and turned her smiling face up to him. Matilda’s cornflower eyes sparkled at him in the sunshine. ‘My riding clothes are in my bag. I’m not wearing breeches under my skirt.’ The slight flush of her cheeks seemed to be from something other than the wind, but it was soon carried away by a peal of laughter.

‘I’m thrilled you thought to bring them with you.’

Blonde hair blowing in the strong breeze, her complexion shone. Her eyes met his with a mixture of good humour and defiance. ‘Are you sure you wouldn’t like to go inside? We won’t reach Morpeth for another couple of hours.’

‘No, I’m quite happy out here. I like watching the water and the landscape.’

‘Once we arrive, we’ll take rooms at the Rose, Shamrock and Thistle. It’s the inn on Robert’s Wharf named after the first three steamers that travelled on this route. That will give you an opportunity to change and freshen up, and we might even have another breakfast if you think you can manage it.’

She nodded her agreement and then asked, ‘And after we’ll leave for Wollombi?’

No matter how hard he tried, his eyes were drawn like a magnet back to her. Her unusual looks against the backdrop of the morning sky and tree-lined banks showed her as a part of the land, and so Australian. She seemed a new breed of woman, and one he liked very much.

‘It’s really up to you. If you are not too tired after your night above deck, then I’d like to make a start today. It is going to be a long ride and we need to leave as soon as possible. I’m hoping we’ll be able to cover the distance to home in one day, but if you find it too tiring we’ll spend the night at one of the inns. It’s a well-travelled route, so they’re spread all along the Great North Road.

‘I’m sure I’m up for the challenge,’ Matilda said with a defiant flick of her windblown hair.

Kit stood outside the stables, drumming his heel impatiently and examining the two horses he had hired to carry them to Wollombi. He was probably asking rather a lot for her to be ready so quickly, but they had a lot of miles to cover.

This was the final leg of a long, long journey. Halfway around the world, in fact, although travelling though America and Canada would have to wait until next time. Strangely enough, he wasn’t disappointed.

He tightened the girth on the bay mare and adjusted the saddlebags. At the sound of footsteps, he turned and blinked—twice.

Her long legs flashing and the heels of her knee-high leather boots ringing on the sandstone pavers, Matilda crossed the courtyard. She was dressed in a pair of men’s breeches. As unconventional as she looked, he’d never seen anything quite so alluring, and she put the French
chahut
dancers to shame. The dark jacket she carried over one arm contrasted sharply with her white, loose cotton shirt. The material billowed in the morning breeze, outlining her breasts for a tantalising second before floating down to hug the curves of her luscious body.

His blood warmed as she got nearer and he saw the way her breeches hugged the sculpted curves of her thighs.

‘Good morning. I hope I haven’t kept you waiting.’ She turned to greet the horses and threw a smile at him over her shoulder.

Merde
.

The outline of her buttocks as she turned away from him took his breath away. She was not even remotely self-conscious and looked more comfortable now than in the tartan dress she’d worn on the evening they’d first met. Her supple fingers caressed the neck of her bay mare, and the horse whinnied its approval.

Kit could understand why.

‘If you can take the reins, I’ll secure your bag. I’m glad you had the foresight to only bring a few clothes. I can collect the rest of your belongings next time I return to Sydney.’

‘I don’t have any belongings for you to collect. This is all I have.’

Kit settled her meagre possessions into the saddlebag and turned back to her. ‘Let me help you.’

She stared down at him from her horse.

When in heaven’s name had she mounted?
He hadn’t heard or seen her doing it.

The mare sidestepped on the uneven ground; Matilda pulled it up sharply.

‘Are you sure you can manage?’ He had given Richard Bainbridge his word to look after the girl, and the last thing Kit wanted was to see her lying facedown in the dirt half a mile outside Morpeth.

‘I’m fine. She’s just a little bit skittish. Once we get outside the confines of the town and we can give them their head, they’ll settle.’

Kit mounted, and together they clattered across the cobbled yard and onto the street. The sleeping town nestled beneath a red and pink streaked sky. Thin wisps of cloud grazed the horizon, promising a rain that hopefully wouldn’t come until they were safe and sound back at home.

Matilda rode as if she had been born to it. Her hair was plaited in a simple braid and hung down her back almost to the waistband of her breeches. Twisted blond hair swayed seductively every time she rose in the saddle, like a beacon lighting the way to paradise. Today was going to be a long day if he couldn’t think of something to take his mind off his companion.

‘This horse is still a little skittish. Shall we pick up the pace?’ she asked.

Kit nodded in agreement and kicked his horse into a canter. Side-by-side, they travelled down the wide dirt road and left Morpeth in a cloud of dust behind them.

‘Tell me about your mother and sisters. Knowing something of them will make it easier when we get there,’ she said as they followed the well-worn road that wound out of Maitland.

‘Where would you like me to start?’

‘Actually, you said you hadn’t seen your family for three years. Maybe it’s too difficult to talk about.’

It wasn’t difficult, but to be honest, Kit wasn’t certain what he would find when he got home. The brief communication he had received from Bainbridge had brought him back from Europe, but there had been little other news in Sydney. ‘I don’t doubt my sisters have grown and probably changed, but they are still just two young girls. Life has been difficult for them, and I expect it will get harder. Wollombi is a busy little town, but the farm is a few miles from its centre and can be a lonely place. At least the girls have each other for company.’

‘And your mother?’

‘My mother dedicates much of her time to my sisters, or at least she did in the past. I expect a lot of that has fallen to Bonnie now. She will have been rushed off her feet, and that was the reason I was so keen to find someone to come and assist us, the reason why you were such a godsend.’

‘I had the distinct impression that my uncle and aunt were setting me up. Had you told Richard and Emily about your plans?’

‘Setting you up? Why?’

‘Well, they seemed to know what you were going to say and that you would offer me the position.’

‘I told them when I had spoken to them earlier in the day that I intended to come straight home, and how concerned I was about my family situation. Our meeting was simply good fortune. I believe it was meant to happen, as though we two people were in the right place at the right time.’

At that stage, however, Kit hadn’t anticipated the degree of his good fortune. Matilda was lovely—not conventionally beautiful but still immensely appealing. Her oval face and lightly tanned skin looked as smooth as polished amber, and there was nothing frail about her trim, lithe body.

Richard and Emily’s suggestion had been a good one. Matilda would be an asset to the household and the property.

‘Let’s ride a little faster shall we? How much further is it to Wollombi?’ Her impatience pleased him. He wanted to be home, too.

‘Now that we’re past Maitland, we’ll cut across country and follow the bush roads. There are plenty around here. People hate paying the tolls on the Great North Road, so the paths cut across country and are clearly marked. They’re also quicker.’

Matilda dug her heels into her horse’s flanks, and it responded instantly. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one she had that effect on.

After another hour or so, they stumbled upon the banks of a crystal clear creek. Kit suggested they stop to water the horses and stretch their legs as, at the rate they were travelling, they would make Wollombi easily before dark.

He’d thought Matilda would slow him down. If anything, he was making better time than he had done in the past.

She ran her fingers through her hair, separating the tightly-bound braid and shaking it free. An intense desire gripped him as he imagined inhaling the warm scent of that silken curtain. He averted his eyes and rummaged through his saddlebag, producing two apples, a piece of cake and two tin cups. He offered an apple to Matilda.