"Really, why didn't I see that coming? And I suppose you are going to do my job?"
"May as well. I know as much as you do. I'll call Bran and give him a heads up. He might have to come out himself and sort things out. About time he got out of the office and saw the real world."
They spent the next couple of hours sorting out the change of staff at the mine before Morgan could head into town and tell Stacey what he had found.
* * *
When Morgan walked in that night Stacey was hovering at the reception desk. "Did you find it?"
She held her breath until he answered. "Yes. I suggested to Sid he bring it in here and leave it in your safe until he can send it to a gold buyer." He leaned on the counter and gave her a small smile. "I'm sorry but it was one of my guys, my brother's manager in fact. Not the kind of personnel I was hoping to end up with but you can't always tell what a person is like. I hope we don't have any more trouble of this kind."
"Thanks for sorting it out. Poor Sid was beside himself." Stacey doodled with her pen on the edge of the guest register.
"Well, all is well now. If you'll excuse me, I really need a hot shower before dinner."
Stacey watched him walk up the stairs before going into the kitchen to lend a hand.
"All sorted lovey?" Nigel was slicing the roast for dinner.
"Yes, Morgan found Sid's gold. Thank goodness for that."
"A good man, a good man indeed." He beamed a smile her way.
"Are you in cahoots with him Nigel because if you are, you are barking up the wrong tree. Morgan is not interested in a wife or baby. He made that quite clear so leave it alone."
"No, not a hope my dear girl. Where there is a spark there is a fire and I've seen the way that man looks at you." He put down the carving knife and reached over to stir the gravy simmering on the stove top.
"You light up when he walks into the room, he is the same. You are both too stubborn to see it."
"Drop it. I don't need the heartache."
"Stir this and stop fussing." Nigel handed her the spoon and went back to carving the meat for dinner.
By the time everyone had been fed Stacey was yawning.
"Off to bed for an early night," Jane said prodding her in the back.
"Hmm, I think so. I'm off to Doc's for a checkup tomorrow and if I go with bags under my eyes he will have a dummy spit."
After a warm soaking in the shower Stacey dried off and crawled between the sheets. She lay back against the pillows and tucked the blanket over her belly. Surely Nigel was wrong. Morgan didn't want anything to do with her. He was just worried about what damage she might cause him and the family fortune.
Greedy wasn't something she aspired to be. So long as there was food on the table and she could keep the pub open, Stacey would be happy. If he was by her side it would be nicer but it wasn't going to happen.
The reality of being a single mum had hit her long before he came back to town. His offer of money did nothing to give her any scrap of hope Morgan was thinking of being anything more than a distant memory.
His business came first and foremost and it was plain to see. After some thought, she decided Nigel was dreaming.
Chapter 9
The next morning Stacey helped sort out the linen for the housemaid before her appointment at the hospital. The weather was cooling down and she was looking forward to walking over and getting the exercise.
"You look better now you are getting some rest and your blood pressure is good." Doc wrote on her chart giving her the news. "Glad you are listening to me finally."
"You know I always listen to you, I just don't always take your advice." Stacey sat up and smoothed down her shirt. "I have more than enough staff now thanks to you so I can relax a bit more."
"As you should be doing anyway. Now tell me, has Sid recovered from the robbery?"
"I don't think he will ever recover. It really rocked him you know. Keeps talking about leaving town and moving into the retirement village by Pop. It might actually be the best thing for him." Stacey sniffed and wiped her eyes. "I'll miss him though. It's a shame I couldn't raise the money to buy him out, not that it really matters now because the waterfall and springs are lost to the bloody mines."
"Why don't you look at going home too Stacey? Move somewhere closer to your family and bring up this little girl surrounded by people that love you."
"I have that here Doc. Trying to get rid of me eh?"
"No, not at all. I just want you to be happy and it doesn't look like much is going to go your way here. If Sid goes then you've lost another connection."
"It's my home Doc. I don't have anything to go back to in Sydney." She slid her feet to the floor. "I love it here, always have and you know that. Besides, I've still got you."
"Hmm, I'm not sure that will be enough. Listen, what is this I hear about the old boarding house opening up again?"
"Is it really? I hadn't heard that but I did say to Morgan he might have to look at that if his temporary accommodation buildings didn't get here. I can't take any more workers, we are full to the top."
"I heard there is a manager coming from the city with staff to help run it. It will be nice to see the old town come to life again. Pity the families aren't coming in though. That would really set the stage for a
