“Now put the teat in his mouth. I already tested the temperature. It’s ready to go.”
“Okay. If you say so.”
Sebastian sucked his milk, eyes rolling back in his head.
“Ooh, you were starving.” She laughed at him before looking up at me. “Go read your search summary. I didn’t do a full report. I can if you want though.”
“Thank you so much for helping me find him.”
“You didn’t tell me you were researching Ben’s family history.”
What?
My gaze shot to hers before I sat, grabbing the envelope and ripping it open.
Benjamin Sebastian Lovatt
Born - 9th of March, 1868 in Hampshire, England
Mother - Emmeline Louisa Beauchamp, seventeen years
Father - Sebastian William Lovatt, eighteen years
Guardian - Marybeth Amalie Hutch
Marybeth, you beautiful woman. She’d done as I’d asked, surpassing her role as loyal servant. She’d always be my friend.
No formal education
Worked as a stable hand on Beauchamp Estate until July, 1888
Farrier for Holdsworthy Stud from August 1888 to December, 1896
December, 1896 to September, 1897. A period of nine months where he didn’t appear to be employed.
Travelled to Sydney on The Iris, September 1897, arriving January, 1898
Settled in Rockhampton, August, 1898
Oh! My baby had come looking for his daddy. My muscles tensed and I slid forward to the edge of my seat.
Worked as a jackeroo on Lewis Station, August, 1898 to 1915
Married Geraldine Martha Hunter, May, 1900
Two children - Henrietta Martha Lovatt, born 6th of February, 1901, and June Louisa Lovatt, born 12th of April, 1902
Died 13th of August, 1915. Cause of death: crush injury (trampled by bull stampede)
“Bull stampede. God, how horrific.” My baby. Nausea curdled in my gut as I blinked away tears.
“Yeah. I didn’t add in the rest of the family history because you only asked for info about his life specifically. But I can tell you his girls went on to marry. The youngest one married a Locke and gave birth to Ben’s grandfather.
“So Benjamin Lovatt is Ben’s great-great-grandfather?”
“Yup.”
“Holy shit.”
I’d slept with my husband’s great-great-great-grandfather.
My eyes sprang open even wider when I realised something else.
Emmeline was his great-great-great-grandmother.
But that wasn’t all. I’d recognised Ben when we’d met. I’d known him because we’d been in each other’s lives before.
Ben Locke and Sebastian Lovatt were one and the same.
Our souls wove through time in a loving dance, drawn together again and again.
As I scanned Ronnie’s features, I understood that Ben wasn’t the only soul I’d crossed lives with.
Marybeth.
Whoa.
Sebastian
Rockhampton, Australia
18th of December, 1882
The clip-clop of the horse’s hooves announced my arrival into Rockhampton. The day was mine to do with as I pleased. A weekly occurrence I rarely took full advantage of. Today, I’d chosen to borrow my fellow worker’s steed to travel into town from Ironstone Mountain. Rockhampton post office was the address I’d listed on a letter sent to my father upon hearing of my employment at the mine. I decided to check if he’d replied.
A bell rang on the door as I entered the small office.
“Good day to you, sir.” The postmaster wiped a hand along his counter, watching me approach.
“Good morning. Would you have any mail for a Sebastian Lovatt?”
“Let me have a look for you.” He bent behind the counter and papers and boxes shuffled before he stood, holding an envelope. “I remember this now. It came about a month ago.”
He placed the letter on the wooden surface. I picked it up. It was from my father. Fifteen years. It had been fifteen years since I had seen him.
“Thank you, kindly. Have a good day.”
“You are welcome.” He nodded before turning away.
I held the envelope, crossing the street to the nearest establishment serving liquor. Finding a table at the rear, I fell into a seat. Hands trembling, I opened the envelope.
Dear Sebastian,
I cannot tell you how happy I was to receive your letter. Not knowing of your fate has been incredibly draining on my spirits. I miss you terribly.
Gold, you say? I pray that you find what you are searching for. I am glad that you have secured work and that you are finally free to live as you choose.
I remain here at the Beauchamp Estate, although I find it hard to keep up with the physical work. Memories of you surround me and that brings some comfort in my old age.
To answer your questions, Miss Emmeline never married the earl. He was escorted from the property just hours before the wedding was to proceed. I cannot tell you the reason why. Just know that Mr Beauchamp put his daughter’s needs ahead of any arrangement he had procured. For that, he deserves respect.
I dropped the pages on the table.
Why had he not put her needs first from the beginning? What could have caused the earl to be removed so abruptly? Had he hurt her? Had Mr Beauchamp discovered that the earl was embezzling money or stealing from him? No, Father would have told me something like that. It could only mean he had hurt her in some way. My hands clenched in my lap as I ground my teeth.
I picked up the letter again.
She gave birth to a little boy on the ninth of March, 1868. His name is Benjamin Sebastian Lovatt.
You are a father, Sebastian.
Gripping the paper tightly, I read that line again. And again. Ten times I read it to make sure I had it right.
I am a father.
I have a son.
I blew out a breath. Would I ever get to see him? My mind spun a thousand scenarios, all of them involving embarking on a journey across the seas. Would I choose to endure the voyage again? Yes. Only this time as a free man.
I continued reading.
Marybeth, Emmeline’s former chambermaid, is raising him alongside her own child. He helps me in the stables. He is just like you were, but a little
