Elizabeth and Elizabeth by Sue Williams

Author:Sue Williams
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Published: 2020-11-19T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

A DANGEROUS GAME

Elizabeth Macarthur

1ST OCTOBER 1814, PARRAMATTA

The words in John’s letter send an icy chill into Elizabeth Macarthur’s heart.

She knows she’s been treading an increasingly fine line between making him feel he’s being informed about everything going on in the colony and avoiding giving him anything he can use against the Macquaries. Following the rebellion against Bligh, John had assumed the newly created role of Colonial Secretary, and had seen himself as almost the de facto ruler of New South Wales. As a result, he resents Governor Macquarie’s appointment and is angry that he’s not granting him more land for his sheep. His rancour is growing with the failure of a number of his enterprises over in London, to do with seal and whale fisheries and trading in sandalwood, and he patently disapproves of what he sees as the Governor’s leniency towards the convicts. His anger is mounting, and now he’s drastically ramping up the pressure on Elizabeth.

He seems resolute to try to discredit both the Governor and his wife, and cause trouble for them in London. But Elizabeth wants no part of it. She loves him, of course she does, and generally trusts his good judgement and commitment to do his best by their family. At the same time, she sees how much the colony has flourished under their leadership—despite the grand buildings of which she still disapproves. She has grown fond of Betsey. And she is extremely grateful to Mr Macquarie for his many kindnesses. He could, had he so chosen, made her life hell in the colony. Instead, he treats her with courtesy, respect and, yes, even gratitude for her friendship with his wife.

She’s avoided responding to each of John’s suggestions that she spy on them and pass on any potentially damaging information. But he seems determined not to leave it be, and she’s well aware of how dangerously obsessive he can be.

In his latest missive, he takes a different tack, saying that since she is now so close to Betsey she should casually broach the subject of their sheep and ‘lament that the flocks should remain stationary’. Then she should ‘cautiously’ hint that they’d been on the point of being granted lots of extra land and servants by Bligh’s predecessor, Governor King, and if Mr Macquarie were to abide by the same plan, John is in a position to make them both rich.

John argues there is no reason for the Governor not to agree. One of Mr Macquarie’s chief rivals for the New South Wales governorship, the hard-nosed Hugh Elliott, also believes that John should be allowed to have more land for his sheep as a valuable source of revenue for the colony. According to John ‘everyone’ is in favour of him being given more land so Mr Macquarie has no reason on earth to refuse him.

Elizabeth finishes reading the letter and sighs heavily. In her last letter to John, she’d told him about the birth of the Macquaries’ son, and the incredible excitement throughout New South Wales at the news.

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