My
latest novel is titled, Where Rainbows End, and is set in 1850s
Australia.
I
set the novel in an area of the Southern Highlands of New South
Wales, where I used to live.
Pippa,
the main character of the story, creates a home in a valley in the
middle of the wilderness, or as Australians call it ‘The Bush’.
The
inspiration to place her in this area was easy for me to do as
several villages of the Southern Highlands still have a lot of
historical buildings still standing.
One
village, used a lot in the book, is Berrima. This town was once a
bustling place in the 19th century, but unfortunately it was
overlooked when the railways came to the district. Without the
railway, the industry fell away and so did the population.
What
remains is a quaint snapshot of a bygone era, and the perfect place
to set my book.
I
did a lot of research at the local historical society to help with
getting the information I needed and poured over many old photos.
Berrima
1912
19th
century Berrima
A
slab hut – something similar to what Pippa would have lived in when
first building the stud in the valley.
The
White Horse Inn – still standing since Victorian times, and the same
inn Pippa visited.
Where
Rainbows End:
Where
Rainbows End
Blurb
“I’m
not a man, but that won’t stop me. Just you wait and see.”
It’s
1850 and the Noble family have arrived in Australia to start a new
life after scandal drove them from their native England. Headstrong
Pippa Noble is determined to reclaim their honour by making her
father’s plans for a successful stud farm a reality.
Pippa
is immediately spellbound by the untamed outback landscape, although
she learns the hard way about the unforgiving nature of the bush –
sometimes with devastating consequences. When circumstance leads to
Pippa tending the new farm alone, it is the steadfast friendship of
neighbouring country estate owner Gil Ashford-Smith that helps her
through.
Then
an unexpected visitor from England arrives, putting Pippa’s dreams
in jeopardy. But she refuses to let go. She will hold onto her
family’s land and make her mark, even if it means losing everything
else …
Excerpt:
‘Miss
Noble!’
She
whipped around at the urgency in Robson’s voice and blanched at the
strain on his face. He skidded to a stop in front of her and pointed
to the ridge. ‘Bushfire. From the west. I’ve sent Colin to saddle
a horse and ride up to the road to see how far away it is. But we
must prepare.’
Pippa’s
mouth went dry. ‘Bush … Bushfire?’
Esther
hurried back to them, her hand clasped against her chest. ‘Oh, my
dear lord. What will we do?’
Robson
took off his hat and scratched his head, his expression revealing his
concern. ‘We must fill every bucket and wet down the buildings,
starting with the grain store. I’ve already got Peter and Barney
digging a hole to bury feed and harnesses. The water in the creek is
too low to last for long. We’ll need to put valuables in the sawpit
and cover it with wet sacking.’
Pippa’s
mind went blank. He talked too fast for her to absorb his meaning.
‘Robson, please, what are you saying?’
He
took a deep breath and then glanced away sharply as Colin galloped
across the valley floor, the hoof beats thundering. ‘Miss, try to
understand. If the fire gets into the valley, it’ll wipe out
everything in its path. We must bury what we can. Once the fire
reaches, if it
reaches the valley ridge, we’ll all have to escape from the other
side, and there’s no track there, so we can’t take the wagon.
I’ll get the horses saddled. The ladies must pack only lightly.’
‘Escape?’
Esther swayed just as Hilary and Davy joined them.
Running
his hands through his hair, Robson’s eyes implored Pippa to take
action.
But
she couldn’t move or think clearly. Bushfire. Escape. ‘It … it
may not even come this way, Robson.’
‘I
hope to God it doesn’t, miss.’
She
swallowed, but her throat was suddenly dry. ‘But you think it
will?’
He
looked up at the large gum trees, their top branches swaying in the
warm breeze. ‘If the wind doesn’t change, the fire will sweep
over that ridge and head straight for us.’
‘But
it’s not summer yet. You said bushfires came in January or
February.’
‘Miss,
we’ve had very little rain, and dead grass will burn whether it be
the middle of winter or summer. We were spared fires last year, but
all it takes is one spark to set the bush alight, and this wind will
not help us.’ He shifted from foot to foot. ‘Please, miss, we
cannot waste time talking. We must prepare—’
‘What
of the horses? The mares are due to foal within weeks, they mustn’t
be scared into bolting.’
‘I’ll
get Peter to take them to the far side of the valley. If the fire
breaks the ridge, he’ll take them out and head towards Mittagong.’
He gave another nervous glance at the widening plume of smoke on the
horizon. ‘Please, Miss Noble, we need to act now.’
‘Yes,
go. Do what must be done.’ Pippa waved him away and turned to her
family. On seeing their scared and worried expressions, she hid her
fear and straightened her shoulders. ‘Come, we must do as Robson
says. Pack lightly or bury what you cannot carry. Quickly, now!’
As
the others turned and ran back to the house, her mother stepped
forward and gripped Pippa’s arm. ‘This valley, the stud, is all
we have, Pippa.’
‘Yes,
Mother.’ Distracted, Pippa nodded, looking beyond her towards the
scurrying men.
Esther’s
hand clenched Pippa’s arm like a vice. ‘No, listen to me!’
Pippa
stared at her, shocked.
‘You
must not let all that we have slip from our grasp. Not now we are
finally finding our way out of the depths of despair. I’d not
survive another disappointment.’
‘I
promise I won’t let that happen.’
Her
mother’s gaze remained fixed on hers. ‘If we lose the stud, that
will be the end of us. The Nobles will be finished forever.’
‘I
know. I’ll do everything I can to prevent it. Trust me.’ She
kissed her mother’s cheek and gently pushed her in towards the
house. ‘Go help pack. Take only the most important things and
hurry!’
Robson,
bless him, sprang into action. He ran about issuing orders that
everyone instantly obeyed; even her mother showed extreme courage and
did as she was told without complaint.
Pippa
knew all kinds of fear. The fear of being turned out of their house
when her father squandered their money, the fear of being unloved and
rejected by Grant, the fear of being in the middle of a vast ocean on
an insignificant ship. Yet nothing eclipsed the fear she was
experiencing now.
The
terror seemed tangible, as though she could taste it, reach out and
touch it. She wasn’t one to panic and hated being vulnerable, but
as the wind carried the smell of smoke and the sound of crackling
wood, her throat closed up through pure dread.
Astounded
by the enormity of losing everything she’d worked for and dreamed
of, Pippa stood trance-like, unable to move or think. The noise and
confusion around her dimmed.
‘Pip.’
Davy tugged at her skirts, his face pale.
For
a long moment she stared at him. She didn’t realise she was
frightening him until his bottom lip quivered.
‘Will
we die, Pip?’
Wrenched
out of her daze, she blinked as his words sank in. ‘No … No,
darling.’ His hand inched into hers and she squeezed it tight.
‘We’ll be fine. I’ll take care of you.’
A
shout made her jump. Colin rode like the devil towards them, waving
his hat in the air. Everyone stilled and then quickly joined Pippa
and Davy near the creek as Colin pulled up his horse to a skittering
halt before them.
‘Well?’
Robson demanded, his body tense as he ran towards them.
Colin
winced as he swallowed, his lips dry and face coated with dust. ‘It’s
heading this way about four or five miles from here, maybe a mile
more, but that’s all.’ He sagged in the saddle. ‘It’s coming
from the direction of the Merediths’ property.’
Time
froze for a second and then everyone started talking at once.
Millie
stared in horror at Pippa. ‘Oh, no. Amelia and the baby, and
Douglas.’
‘They
might be safe. Don’t worry.’ Pippa patted her arm and then looked
to Robson for direction.
‘It’s
closer than I thought.’ He frowned, rubbing his fingertips across
his forehead. ‘Right, we’ve got to leave the valley now. Colin,
bring the work horses here for the ladies to ride.’
‘Can
we not fight the fire, Robson?’ Pippa felt her heart would explode
from the pain of losing it all. ‘I mean, we’ve got water at our
feet. Can we not—’
‘Miss,
a few buckets of water will not stand up to a bushfire. You’ve
never seen one before. It’s a wild beast feasting and growing in
front of your very eyes. There’s no stopping it.’
Her
frustration burst into anger. ‘I will not lose this place! I will
stay and fight.’
‘Don’t
be silly, Pippa,’ Millie scoffed, returning to her side with a
large canvas bag bulging with clothes. She took Davy’s hand. ‘We’ll
do as Robson says. We must get out of harm’s way. Nothing is worth
putting yourself in danger.’
A
rifle shot echoed across the valley, sending birds screeching from
the trees.
Pippa
wheeled around to stare at their entrance into the valley, but no
vehicle or horseman came dashing out of the trees at the base.
Robson
scanned the slopes, shading his eyes with his hand as the sun burnt
down relentlessly. ‘Someone needs help. It’s a signal.’
A
shiver of trepidation ran down Pippa’s back. ‘Father,’ she
whispered.
‘No!’
Esther jerked. ‘He’s in Berrima.’
Hilary,
eyes wide, stepped closer to her mother. ‘But what if he had
started to journey home?’
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Australian born AnneMarie Brear writes historical novels and modern romances. Her passions, apart from writing, are reading, researching, genealogy, roaming historical sites, buying books and gardening. She is an author of historical women’s fiction, contemporary romance and several short stories and is currently living in England.
AnneMarie Brear on the web:
http://www.annemariebrear.com
http://annemariebrear.blogspot.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/annemariebrear
Twitter @annemariebrear.
