"Like?"
"He and his brother own the company and it's worth billions by all account. The mine out there past Sid's is theirs too and they plan to expand that as well as take out a heap of gold from the new one. It covers all of the old mines like the ones Sid and your grandfather started." He paused and looked at her. "It isn't just a rumor anymore Stacey. They own your favorite water hole."
"No." Dread filled her chest.
"Sorry, but yes. I went so far as to check it out because I knew you wouldn't like to think it but it's true. It has been passed and they own it for one hundred years. We are going to lose it all to a bloody mine that is going to strip out all the gold the old miners didn't manage to pull out and more."
"There must be a way to stop them, surely." Stacey ran her hand over her face.
"No, it's already gone through environment council approval and everything. The least you can hope for is they work around it but even then I reckon the water will get contaminated and you wouldn't be allowed in there anyway."
She thought for a moment while Doc watched her with worried eyes. "Do you know when they are due to start mining the new lease?"
"Apparently they should start in a few weeks. There was some family drama although the press won't say what it was that held them up otherwise they would have been here by now."
"My oh my, you have been searching all the gossip haven't you?" She gave a weak laugh.
"Well, I knew you would want answers so I went searching for you."
His face was tinged with red and Stacey punched him on the shoulder. "Thanks, I appreciate it. Now I have a pub to run and I need to get back to help Jane."
"How is she going?"
"Best thing that could have happened to me the day she walked through those doors. Thank you for sending her over."
"She seemed very nice and was looking to stick around so why not? Glad its worked out for both of you."
Doc stood up and opened the office door. "Let me know if I can do anything for you and take care of that baby."
"Yes sir." Stacey watched him walk out of the pub and headed back to the bar. She could do her own research later when the last of the customers left.
* * *
She lay back on her bed propped up by pillows with the laptop on her knees trawling through the internet learning about Morgan and his life. There were numerous stories of nights out with stunning women on his arm that made her jealous.
One story in particular caught her eye. 'Mining Magnate In Court Broil Over Broken Promise.'
"Hmm, this could be interesting." She scanned the article and laughed. The days of suing for a broken engagement were over weren't they? Obviously not it you were Priscilla Davies, daughter of the Hon. Steadman Davies, head of Telcorp. Must have had her eyes on the big bucks. At least he wasn't married, that was the only saving grace to this whole balls up.
The baby kicked and Stacey put down the computer. She snuggled down in her bed and cradled her stomach, rubbing her hand over the moving child inside her. Just wait until your daddy arrives baby, just wait. He is going to get a piece of my mind and then some.
Chapter 6
"How many rooms was that?" Stacey listened to the honey sweet voice at the other end of the phone line of the woman who had previously brushed her off, booking more of her available rooms for the mine workers who were due to arrive next week. "Okay and whose name should I put that under?"
She wrote in the reservations book while the secretary went through the booking procedure. "Fine and will Mr. Taylor be booking a room as well? Wonderful, tell him I can't wait to see him. Thanks for everything and I look forward to dealing with you again."
There was a tap at the door and Jane poked her head in. "Anything you want me to do while it's quiet in the bar?"
"Make the most of the peace. Next week we will be having a mass influx of visitors staying for months on end. The miners are coming to break ground on the new gold mine and want to house all of their workers here. Can't get the temporary housing approval they wanted. Isn't that a shame?" She grimaced and rubbed her belly as the baby kicked and turned. "Don't happen to know a good cook by any chance do you?"
"Well, as a matter of fact I do but I don't know if he is looking for work. I can call him if you want me to."
"Please do. There is no way in hell I'm going to be able to cope with this unless I get more staff. A cook and a cleaner are a must so put the word out there. The pub is hiring again. Pop will be pleased."
Jane left her to it and Stacey took a mental stock of what was in her pantry and started to fill out a big order. What she couldn't source in town had to come from Brisbane so it needed to be done quickly. Trying to order for that many men was out of her realm so she erred on the heavy side just in case. Better to have too much than not enough.
By the end of the day Jane had secured her a new cook and housemaid with the offer of another barmaid if
