During the Scottish autumn of 1891, Irishman, Lucan Hayes, a coal miner, loses his wife to childbirth. In his darkest hour, he meets prostitute Meg-Anne Dunn. This brief encounter would alter their lives forevermore.
Lucan must find a way to rais...
Rain poured down. It went on forever and was something Lucan hadn't experienced before. In Ireland and Scotland, it rained more often than not, but lightly. Here the heavy downpour filled a bucket in less than an hour. The creeks flooded and the town was cut off from the rest of the world.
"Rains like this most years. Called the monsoons though this one's been different." Thaiter cut a slice of corn beef and put it in his mouth. "It rained a bit before you came. Early November last year and hasn't done much since. Normally from November to March we see a lot and it's generally over by April." He shrugged and continued to eat.
Lucan glanced out of the window. It was too dark to see even though it was only twilight. Both Covey and Riley were sitting on the floor playing with some wooden blocks. "Can't say I remember it raining like this back home," Lucan said. "It was snow storms instead."
Thaiter nodded and looked up when he heard a knock on the door. Lucan opened it. Jacko came in shaking water everywhere. "Shit. Sorry about that."
Thaiter shrugged and went back to his plate of food.
"What's up, Jacko?" Lucan asked as he sat down on his chair.
"The dam's burst and Moffat needs some men to repair it. He wants to start when the rain eases."
"You want somethin' ta eat?" Lucan indicated one of the vacant seats for Jacko to sit on.
Jacko grinned, pulled off his oilskin coat and nodded. "Yeah, wouldn't mind."
Lucan pushed the plate of meat towards him and said, "So what's Moffat need?"
"Without the dam the battery can't operate so the word is they want every volunteer possible," Jacko picked up the knife as he spoke.
"Volunteer?" Thaiter huffed. "You're sayin' the tight bastard's not going to pay anyone."
Jacko shrugged and took a bite of meat. "No dam none of us will have jobs, Thaiter. The way things are going with the banks and all it's a case of we scratch his back and he'll scratch ours."
Lucan nodded and lifted his shoulders in a shrug. "I've got no problem with it."
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The rain eased three days later so the town's men made their way to the dam wall.
"We need some people to dig, others to cut more logs and let's see if we can salvage anything from the old dam." Bluey Jackson divided the men into groups. Because Lucan was good at swinging an axe, he and Thaiter worked all day cutting and shaping new logs to be used in the wall and as struts. It was wet muddy toil but everyone came together so the work progressed fairly quickly.
"There's hot food and drink up at the house if anyone wants it," John Moffat cried out.
Lucan downed his axe. "What ya reckon, Thaiter? That sounds pretty good ta me."
"Wonder if they got any ale on."
"You and ya fuckin' ale." Lucan laughed and shook his head. "And ya know Moffat won't have any of it at his house."
A wide grin spread across Thaiter's face. "Well, hopin' won't hurt, will it?"
Lucan slapped his uncle on the back. "Come on, me guts cryin' out for somethin' ta eat."
Under the verandah of the house a long table had been set up with bread, bowls, spoons and cups. A large woman was filling the plates with stew. As fast as she filled them, they were emptied. Lucan and Thaiter took some bread and a bowl each. They gathered with the other men to eat. Lucan wolfed down his stew and lined up for seconds.
When he sat back down Thaiter nudged him. "Ain't dat Covey's school teacher?"
Lucan looked to where Thaiter was pointing. Lillian Rowles was pouring tea from a large pot into the cups of waiting men. "Yeah, that's her," he said and went back to eating.
Thaiter elbowed him again. "She's a fine-lookin' woman, Lucan." He raised his eyebrows when Lucan glanced up at him. "A man could do worse than have a wife who's a teacher and looks like dat."
Lucan studied Lillian Rowles once more. Her dusty red hair was pinned loosely on top of her head, strands fell around her face and every time she bent to pour the tea, she had to brush it away. He remembered her doing this often. She smiled at something one of the other women said. Lucan ran his eyes over her. She was tall and very slim. Her high-necked blouse was covered with a pinafore which was pulled tightly in at her waist, enhancing her figure. Lucan watched her smile. Her face was thin and elegant. There was grace about her, something he hadn't noticed in many of the other woman in Irvinebank. He thought she probably wasn't suited to the harsh environment.
"Well, what ya reckon." Thaiter nudged his head in Lillian's direction.
"What is this, eh?" Lucan laughed. "Tryin' ta find me a woman?"
Thaiter's hearty laugh rang out. "Well you get yourself into some moods at times, Lucan. I reckon it's probably the lack of female company dat's causin' it."
Lucan spooned food into his mouth and glared at Thaiter. "So now ya know what I need, hey?" He grinned and glanced at Lillian. "One thing I can say, Thaiter. You've got good taste but, I can't see that one being interested in a labouring man with two lads." He chuckled. "And...if ya remember rightly we've met once before and I'm sure she wasn't too impressed."
Thaiter roared with laughter again as Lucan laughed. He looked toward Lillian to find her staring at him. She smiled, and then spoke to a man who held out his cup toward her.
Lucan frowned, finished his stew and decided he wanted a cup of tea. He collected a mug from the long table and waited.
"Hello, Mister Hayes."
He nodded. "Miss Rowles."
Her fingers touched the back of his hand as she took the cup from him. Lucan jerked as his body reacted. Damn Thaiter for pointing out how long it had been since a woman had touched him in any way.
"How do you like it?" She smiled waiting for him to answer.
Lucan took a second to register what she meant because his mind was elsewhere. "Black thanks."
"No sugar?" she said as she poured the tea looking up at him through her wisps of hair.
Lucan's heart skipped. "No thanks." When he sat, he rested his forearms on his knees and held the cup with both hands. Thaiter had moved and was now sitting with a group of older men. Lucan sipped the hot tea and found himself looking at Lillian. He sighed and cursed Thaiter for planting the seed that he needed a woman and perhaps that woman might be Lillian Rowles.
Top Photo - Irvinebank dam in full flow. Wet season. Dry season it doesn't spill over the wall.
Middle Photo - copyright Queensland State Library - Irvinebank dam and battery dated 1906
