Page 26 of Lizzie’s Spirit

Over the following days, more than once did Elizabeth, in her rambles within the Governor’s Park, meet Captain Antill.

His address was truly that of a gentleman, and his manners she very much admired.

She wondered at this new intimacy, of conversing so pleasantly and so easily with such a man.

These were new sensations that she had not felt before, and these aroused in her some longing that she could not name.

Idly, she wondered what it would be like to be admired, respected, and, perchance, favoured by a gentleman.

She knew Mr. Darcy admired her—he had said as much—but that admiration, she was sure, only resulted from her care of the regimental wives on board the Hindostan .

Could she dare wish for admiration for her person, her character, or even her impertinent wit?

But the chores of the day beckoned, and she cast aside such ruminations.

***

At the orphanage, she reviewed the accounts.

She would need to send their cart to the commissariat for the rations due to the girls and staff, in addition to some clothing and cotton longcloth, for many of the girls were poorly attired, almost naked to her eye, but, as she saw on the streets, many others were similarly clad.

Although she initially thought the government stipend allocated to the institution to be generous, she since found common goods and foodstuffs to be very expensive.

With boots at two shillings sixpence a pair, her girls, as she thought of them, would remain barefoot—at least, winters here in New Holland were mild, and there would be no snow.

How strange, now in January the temperature ofttimes reached five and eighty degrees or even higher, whereas at Longbourn the shutters would be closed and fires blazing to keep the ice and snow from creeping under the doors and leaking lintels.

Ha! she laughed. They had taken the seasoned firewood to the dower house; Mr. Collins could either buy at great expense good, dry wood or more expensive coal or do with a slow-burning, smoking fire reluctantly combusting unseasoned timber just cut from the woods.

The thought was uncharitable, but of Mr. Collin’s sensibility, she cared little.

Behind the orphanage, a large garden ran down to the Tank Stream in very nice order, having been planted with all kinds of vegetables, such as peas, beans, broccoli, cabbage, turnips, carrots, and potatoes.

The gardener, an elderly emancipated convict, was a kindly man and more than willing to supervise the girls in tending to his delight.

There were also fowl, geese, and ducks, and a neat yard in which a Berkshire sow, currently in pig, was installed.

Of the fowl and ducks, they collected the eggs, which were added to the porridge each morning to make a nutritious repast. Eggs from the market outside their door were two shillings a dozen and butter five shillings a pound: too expensive for the orphanage.

They kept six cows, which the governor allowed to graze on some pasture near his House—they were supervised by some of the girls aged ten to twelve years, a much coveted assignment that was rostered so all could take time outside of the building.

“Sgt. Monogan, I’ve prepared a list of goods required from the commissariat.

Take your wife, Harshita, with you to supervise three of the older girls.

I believe Henty, Phoebe, and Anna are suitable—but please take care, as they are young and comely and may attract the wrong attention of soldiers or dock workers.

However, they will soon go off to a household and need to become accustomed to the world outside. ”

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied, saluting smartly.

Elizabeth no longer corrected him, saying that his salute should only be for officers, not a lady such as herself.

He would agree and then immediately salute her again.

“I’ll put Buttercup to the cart; she needs the exercise—the lazy thing—perhaps grown too fat on Colonel Macquarie’s pasture. ”

“As you will, Sergeant. But please don’t dawdle.”

Elizabeth returned to her ledgers and accounts. The previous matron had kept indifferent records, and Elizabeth was spending considerable time to discover whether a fraud had been committed against the institution or mere negligence resulted in incoming monies not matching outgoing .

“Miss Bennet!” cried Harshita as she hurried into the office. “Phoebe’s gone; we don’t know where! ‘Twas only a moment, I swear, when I turned away to return some stained cotton cloth to the clerk, she was there, and when I turned back, she was gone.”

At this moment, Sgt. Monogan entered the room. “We searched, ma’am, but she has well and truly vanished. She always was a silly girl.” He looked remorseful, knowing he had been tasked with the responsibility of caring for the girl.

“It’s done,” said Elizabeth peremptorily. “Shut tight the building, and send for the girls with the cows. Sergeant, gather your men, and we shall find this foolish girl!”

Gathering her straw bonnet, Elizabeth and the soldiers exited the building into the market square.

The commissariat building was not far away, down by the hospital wharf on the western side of the cove.

Leading her company, she marched determinedly down a dust-sprung George Street, past the large houses of the wealthy merchants seeking an elevated respectability that only the aristocracy in England could claim.

“Miss Bennet, can I assist?” Mr. Darcy called to her, where she was standing in the street opposite the wharf with her hands on her hips, glaring at those people who walked around her. He had just returned from Mr. Robert Campbell’s residence, further along Sergeant Major’s Row.

“Indeed, sir,” she responded tartly, “please excuse my manner, but I’ve lost a girl, Phoebe Norton. She was sent to assist with collecting stores from the Commissariat but has disappeared. Whether she was abducted or acted on her own will, we don’t know. Sgt. Monogan was the last to see her.”

“Her description? I can help you search.”

“Of course. Dark hair, tall but less than me though on a bigger scale, well-formed, unmarked face, good teeth. Wearing the grey skirt of the orphanage, though her blouse would be of white cotton or with a blue stripe. Do you recall, Sergeant? ”

“No, ma’am, I ain’t one for women’s garb.”

“Enough, we shall find her.” Darcy turned to the soldiers.

“You, each one, take a row and enquire if it’s likely she has passed or entered the buildings.

She may be along the shore, so don’t neglect that.

Miss Bennet, ‘tis not safe for a gentlewoman to enter the Rocks, but I fear she may have been encouraged to visit there. Would you forgive my impertinence if I asked you to accompany me?”

Elizabeth felt her ire rising as Mr. Darcy took control. But of course, he was judge-advocate—his role was to order men about. And, yes, she would feel more secure under his protection. Taking her silence for consent, Darcy continued:

“There’s an inn, the Waterman’s Arms run by an ex-convict, Sarah Wood. ‘Twas I who renewed her beer licence, as she appeared of reasonable character. Let us start our search there—but pray the girl has not gone further and entered the Black Dog Inn, a truly disreputable place.”

They turned up the lane by Surgeon John White’s house. The Waterman’s Arms was a small, mean building, and Darcy stooped low to enter through the door.

“Well, well! Mr. Darcy, come to visit my fine establishment.” A rather large, corpulent lady stood beside a keg of ale.

“Shall I pull a pint, sir? ‘Tis the best you will find in Sydney.” Her eyes widened as Elizabeth entered behind him. “Oi, this ain’t no place for quality. Well, to my amazement, Miss Bennet from the orphanage—the previous hoity-toity matron would never step in here!”

Elizabeth pressed forward to relieve Mr. Darcy of the need to address the woman.

“Indeed, Mrs. Wood, yours appears to be a fine establishment—though I have scant leisure to enjoy its comforts.” She smiled, but her countenance was hard, the smile not reaching her eyes: “I’ve lost one of my girls: Phoebe Norton.

You may have seen a young, comely lass with dark hair and good teeth. ”

Just then, a giggle came from a corner of the dark room, barely lit by light coming through the filthy windows. Elizabeth marched to the corner, pushing past some seamen who rose to block her way. Darcy growled, and they retreated to an ale-stained table set against a lime-washed, crumbling wall.

A cry of affront, and Miss Bennet returned, pulling a recalcitrant Phoebe by the ear.

Darcy could not but be amused by the scene.

Phoebe, though not as tall as Miss Bennet, was a solid, broad girl; most likely, she was heavier by at least a stone.

But Miss Bennet nevertheless dragged her along, uncaring as to the outrage expressed by the girl at her mishandling.

“Ah, I heard she’d taken that place in hand, stopped any hanky-panky with seamen and the like messing with her girls.

A strong one, Miss Bennet. You’ll have your hands full with her, if I dare say it, Mr. Darcy.

” Sarah Wood gave him a wink, thrusting her ample bosom forward.

Darcy coughed, his hand covering his mouth, but a blush spread up his neck and face.

He turned to the men seated at the bench at which Phoebe had been sitting.

“You’ve heard the order from Governor Macquarie: that girls from the orphanage are not to be messed with.

Spread the word: the next offender will receive fifty lashes at my order.

You’re lucky I am in mind to be merciful.

Now, be about your lawful business, for otherwise, as judge-advocate, I shall be about mine! ”

Darcy followed a hollering Phoebe down the lane and onto George Street.

Sgt. Monogan appeared as if by magic, and together, he and Miss Bennet dumped Phoebe unceremoniously onto the cart amongst the sacks of grain, bundles of clothing, and miscellaneous pallets.

Pulled by an equally belligerent Buttercup, she was taken back to the orphanage .

Darcy entered the building and found Miss Bennet sitting at her desk.

She looked up at him, tears in her eyes.

“Oh, why do they do it, Mr. Darcy? Phoebe is but fifteen years old, a full life ahead, yet she’ll throw it away for some flattering words and a cup of cheap gin.

Should I keep her here in the off chance she may learn some sense, to seclude her from the town so she may acquire the habits of religion and morality? I fear it’s a hopeless task.”

“Non est ad astra mollis e terris via —the road from earth to the stars is not easy . You chose a hard road, Miss Bennet. There will be some paths that you find insurmountable, but some, such as the route up Table Mountain will be difficult, but the reward at the end of the journey makes it all worthwhile. I recall, if I may, a mountain nymph taking delight in her being on the top of the world! Please, ma'am, don’t take it all upon yourself.”

“You’re too kind, sir. Your seeking Phoebe in the inn was well done; it seems you understand young girls better than I, who would have searched the inlets of the shore before seeking the girl in such a disreputable establishment—where there’s no difficulty believing neither her rectitude nor her understanding would preserve her from falling an easy prey; and, as my dear sister Mary is apt to say, Phoebe’s loss of virtue would be irretrievable. Foolish, foolish girl.”

Elizabeth’s shoulders slumped. All seemed so easy when viewed through the lens of youthful pride and inexperience. But now? Again, she could take inspiration from dear Mama, whose courage had risen with every attempt by circumstances to intimidate her.

She gave a short, embarrassed laugh. “You must think me a naive fool, sir, to take on the role of Matron, responsible for some hundred girls, with so little experience. But, as I believe you already know, there’s a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. I am committed; here I shall remain.”

Darcy knew Miss Bennet had found the disappearance of the girl extremely disturbing; he saw a mix of emotions cross her face: despair, worry, hope, resignation…

“I’m glad you will stay, Miss Bennet, at least for the present, for otherwise my journey here is in vain.

I intended to meet with you following my visit to Mr. Robert Campbell.

He’s a successful merchant, having built warehouses at Dawes Point, nearby to which stands his own house.

He was a supporter of Bligh and, because of it, suffered damage to his business interests.

The factions are still deeply divided, but Campbell will have it all in the past. He wishes to give a dinner for the commodore with many leading persons of the colony invited.

It will be an exclusive evening, and his table and entertainments are excellent.

He heard you were a gentlewoman and, being desirous of good company, will have you attend.

But your being a single woman in government employ made it difficult for him to invite you directly.

Therefore, Miss Bennet, would you give me the honour of attending the dinner on my arm? ”

Elizabeth was both pleased Mr. Darcy made the invitation but also disappointed he had done so only at the request of Mr. Campbell.

Of course, she would attend. Society had been limited since she arrived, and a pleasant evening of entertainments in the company of some of the best society that Sydney could offer could not be refused.