welcome. Each day she became a little more frightened and desperate when she received no replies from the letters she sent about the “Governess Wanted” advertisements in the newspapers. Even more alarming was the amount of advertisements from governesses wanting work. She had so many to compete with, many more than she expected.
When she had listened, totally enthralled in Miss Maria Rye’s speech back home in England, she’d been led to believe that Australia was crying out for the want of decent educated young women – women who in turn would educate the children of the growing wealthy families the colony produced. She’d spent days in the local library studying up on the rise of the colony from its convict beginning to the successful and prosperous place it was today. Miss Rye’s scheme to send out teachers and governesses seemed sound and Nicola had quickly spent what money she had on purchasing a ticket to Australia. At the time she felt assured she’d made the right decision. After all, what was there left for her in Wakefield? Her parents were dead and the last job she’d held as a governess had ended when the little girl she’d been instructed to teach had died of fever.
But now, she wondered how prudent she’d been. Her money pile grew shorter each day, and for the last few days she’d cut down on food to stem the amount being used. Soon, all she’d have left would be the First Mate’s half crown and she was loathed to use it. She wasn’t desperate yet...
Thinking of food made her stomach grumble. The slice of bread and weak cup of tea she had this morning wasn’t enough to last all day, but she tried not to think about it. A bowl of warm soup this evening would be worth the wait and if her landlady took pity on her she might spare her a bit of cheese to go with it. The weight had fallen off her in the last weeks. Her poor diet resulted in the sharp jut of her bones, the lack of shine to her hair and her clothes became ill fitting.
Once at the top of the hill, she paused to catch her breath. The wind, being less encumbered by large buildings here, battered her, nearly ripping her hat from the pins securing it. Dust from the dirt road whirled in the gutters, coating everything in sandy grit. Tired and hungry, Nicola took a step, facing the gale head on. It wrapped around her, thrusting her skirts against her legs, imprisoning them. Within the time it took to walk a couple of steps, a wave of dizziness swamped her. The warmth drained from her face. She put out a hand on the shop wall to regain her balance. Strength seeped from her legs, her knees buckled and she collapsed against the wall.
Closing her eyes, she took several deep breaths, willing herself to overcome the faint. She’d never been one to swoon and always lived a healthy active existence. Her hectic life before never gave her the chance to be ill or suffer a delicate disposition like her mother…
Nicola tried to regain her feet, but the effort took strength she didn’t feel she had.
A black carriage pulled up further along the road. A stout gentleman climbed down the carriage steps and after donning his tall hat hurriedly walked towards her. “Miss? May I be of assistance?”
She turned to him like a child seeking its mother. “Oh, y-yes…”
“Are you ill or have you been attacked?” He looked about for an assailant.
“Not attacked. I-I felt faint.”
“Come, lean on my arm.” He took her elbow, supporting her weight easily. His large grey side-whiskers and friendly blue eyes helped to calm her. He reminded her of her grandfather long buried in a small graveyard in Wakefield, Yorkshire.
“Thank you.” She managed a quick shaky smile.
“Do you wait for family?” He scanned the area as if expecting someone to come and claim her.
“No. No one at all.” She blinked back the tears that blurred his round profile. In all her life she’d never been as emotional as she’d been in the last weeks; even saying goodbye to her homeland hadn’t wrenched the tears as quickly as they formed now.
“Do you live close by? I can take you.”
She swallowed past the tightness in her throat. “I shall be quite all right in a minute. Silly of me to not eat properly this morning.”