Eileen Hare-scott

From a Distance Eileen Hare-scott

Set in England in 1898. When Florence Dewhurst defies her wealthy but domineering and abusive, father regarding an arranged marriage to a man who is almost old enough to be her father, she elopes with Raymond Oakfield, the man she loves who is a tenant farmer on her father's estates. With her mother's blessing, Florence and Raymond go to the Reverend North and his wife, friends of her mother who take them in till they are able to be married. Once married they travel to Whitby where Raymond obtains work on a fishing fleet. But his heart is on the land. They settle into their life in Whitby. Christopher Dewhurst disowns his daughter, and when Raymond hears of the opportunity to obtain an assisted passage to Australia where they can have a tenancy there, Florence knows that as long as they are together she must support Raymond wherever they go, as there is little chance of a reunion with her father. The many friends they have made in Whitby, see them off on their journey to Australia. Their long journey is fraught with problems caused by the weather and limited space on board causing infection and sickness. They had made friends with Margaret and Oliver Bannister, a couple also making they way to the same place Bodalla. However the dreams of Florence and Raymond are shattered before they are halfway there, and Florence finds herself alone and with child when they reach Sydney Cove. Florence comes to know poverty and becomes desperate as her pregnancy comes nearer to the birth. She knows she will be unable to find a job and keep her baby and decides to seek adoption in order to ensure the child will have a good life. Giving the last of her money, the contract is signed. But she grieves for her child and when her life turns around while nursing a wealthy widow in the Hunter Valley. She knows she cannot break the contract, but it is made possible for her to watch her child grow to manhood from a distance rev