Secrets: No Place for Mary

By Alan J Parker

Mary returns to the new life she has forged for herself as she recovers from a serious injury. But as her wealth increases, so do the violent attacks against her.

As Drake struggles to maintain control over her, he realises he has badly underestimated her intelligence.

Desperate to keep control over her life and her business affairs, Mary puts her complete trust in a man she knows might be a spy for Drake.

Feeling totally alone, she gives her love to a fascinating and mysterious American on the run who she knows will break her heart. But it is this man's love and support that prepares her for a battle that lies ahead, a battle that will either establish her name in history forever, or end in her violent death.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alan Parker
• Release date: Nov 13, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201023249

Book preview

Chapter 1 – Injury

Several people arrived at the Police Station at the same time with news of the attack in Mary Metz’s brothel. Jim Matthews left his dinner and was soon on a horse galloping toward Callan House. A crowd outside the front gate was breaking up when he arrived. Publican Dan Frost was standing like a block of granite in the open front door of the house.

What happened, Dan? Jim demanded.

There's been a bad fight in the house, Jim. Morse has taken Mary and Heidi to the hospital. They're both unconscious. The two men and the woman who did it are gone.

Do you know who they were?

I don’t know about the blokes, but I heard Chrisi say the woman was Onion Browne.

Jim's mind began to race. He had seen Olive Browne's name in reports on brothel operators in the goldfields. She had spent ten years in prison for attempted murder. The message gleaned from Police reports had been very clear. Browne was exceptionally violent. Mary had a dangerous enemy.

Do you know if any firearms were used?

Frost nodded. One of the men had a rifle, but Morse didn't give him a chance to use it. I think it’s in the house. That bloke knows what he's doin’, Jim.

Jim took the stairs two at a time. Three well-dressed men were sitting quietly in the lounge with the women. Chrisi stepped away from the bar to meet the policeman.

Is Rachel safe? Jim asked.

Chrisi nodded her head. She was in the One Mile with Sharon. We had no warning. The bastards were in the lounge before we knew what was happening.

Jim could see the early signs of bruising on Chrisi's face. What happened to your face?

Chrisi grinned savagely. I had a fist fight with Onion Browne. She's a tough bitch. I ended up pushin' her down the stairs. That’s where Mary got 'er.

Has Mary had trouble with her before?

Chrisi nodded briefly. Quite a while back. About a year, I think. Mary belted her up.

Jim frowned. I should have been told. Where's the rifle?

Behind the bar. Chrisi walked over to the bar and came back with the weapon.

Jim slid back the bolt of the rifle and saw a bullet in the breech. He slid the bolt home. I'm taking possession of this. Did you recognise either of the men?

Chrisi shook her head, a worried expression on her face. Mary got hurt when she fell down the stairs.

Another guest arrived at the top of the stairs and baulked at the sight of the policeman. Dawn took him by the hand and led him into the lounge.

We'll see what tomorrow brings, Jim said with an optimism he didn’t feel. When he was walking down the stairs he noticed what appeared to be teeth on the steps, but the light was too poor to be certain. Dan Frost was still standing guard at the door.

Do you think the people who did this are likely to come back tonight, Dan?

The publican shook his head. I doubt it, Jim. From what I heard, Morse and Mary did a good job on 'em. The one who had the rifle was out cold in the back of their cart. The other bloke's got a busted knee. The woman's mouth was badly smashed up. They won't be back in a hurry. Frost was looking worried. What's gunna happen now, Jim? I mean, will there be an investigation?

It's not for me to decide. I'll know more tomorrow.

He started to walk toward the front gate, but Frost grabbed his arm. Mary's badly hurt, Jim. If she can't run the house, will Peter Drake shut it down?

Jim pursed his lips in annoyance. The man's main concern was for his profit. He tried to pull away but Frost tightened his grip.

Everyone knows Mary's houses have police protection. You're in the know, Jim. What's gunna happen if she doesn't make it?

Jim reefed away from Frost's grip. I don't know anything about police protection. I suggest you ask the detective.

Dave Johnson's gone, Jim. I don't know the new bloke. But the policeman was already walking away.

Callan House stayed open, but the mood remained cheerless. Chrisi finally closed up just before midnight and sent the girls home with a fist full of money. Trevor and Chrisi sat sombrely in the darkened lounge and slowly drank themselves into oblivion.

DR. DUNN'S BUGGY WAS parked at the front of the hospital when Jim arrived. When he opened the front door, a nurse beckoned him to follow. The dimly lit corridor opened out into a well lit ward, the smell of disinfectant and urine competing for dominance. Dr. Dunn was standing beside a bed making notes in a book. Heidi lay asleep in a bed, a blanket pulled up to her chin.

Jim looked around at the other beds, but he couldn’t see Mary, and he felt his gut tighten into a cramp.

Mary's in a separate ward, the doctor said. I know what you’re going to ask, and I have no answer for you. She has a severe haematoma to the back of her head. My best guess is a brain injury is causing her lack of consciousness. There is nothing else I can tell you. Peter Drake knows about the attack. That’ll save you the trip.

Jim nodded mutely and turned away. He didn’t want the doctor to see the rage building inside him. It was fortunate he didn’t know where Olive Browne lived. He rode home slowly, his fear for Mary churning in his gut. He knew he needed Sarah's calming influence.

JIM WAS WOKEN SEVERAL times during the night by angry, thrashing nightmares. In the morning his first stop was the hospital where he was intercepted by the Matron.

There's been noo change in Mary's condition, Constable, she stated firmly in a strong rural English accent. There'll be noo speakin’ to her.

She was a big, strong woman with a determined countenance. Jim judged her to be over sixty, and he suspected there would be no arguing with her. He decided to make a plea for Sarah.

My wife has known Mary for several years. She’d like to sit with her. It may be the last chance she can spend time with her.

The Matron nodded. Visitin' times are from nine till three, she said calmly.

Jim stopped at home long enough to talk to Sarah, then continued on to Callan House to interview Chrisi. He found Morse standing guard at the front door.

Chrisi's asleep, Morse said, correctly guessing the reason for the policeman’s visit.

Jim found himself relaxing in the man's presence. He recalled someone saying he’d been a soldier. There was an understated strength in the man, hinting at a life only strong men could live.

There's no change in Mary's condition, Jim said. I have a rough idea what happened last night. Can you tell me what you remember?

Morse shrugged. I took a rifle from a young man and dragged Onion Browne over to their cart. I didn't see the fight inside the house.

Do you know where Onion Browne may have gone?

Morse shook his head. I reckon those three are already leaving the goldfields.

Jim stared at the man in frustration. Morse had lived in Gympie for years. He had contacts everywhere, and Jim was certain the man could tell him more.

I need to know more. Has it occurred to you that Mary might not survive?

I understand your need to ask these questions, Morse said, but I need to see the broader picture. My loyalty is divided between Mary who I like and Peter Drake who I respect. I need to find a balance that serves them both. The prosecution of these people would focus a harsh light on these premises. The people who did this will flee for their lives, the events of last night will slowly be forgotten and Callan House will continue on, with or without Mary. That is the broader picture.

Jim was seething with anger and frustration, but he could see Morse's point. Mary and Heidi were the obvious victims, but the closure of Callan House would create even more victims. Women would be thrown back into circumstances many of them were trying to escape.

I understand, he said, trying to keep his tone calm. Can you let Chrisi know the Matron says Mary can have visitors during the day.

After the policeman left, Chrisi came down the stairs. I heard you talking to the copper, she snarled. Does Mary know you serve two masters?

Morse looked into Chrisi's angry eyes. Most of us serve more than one master, he said quietly. The man who takes away our shit tin serves us and the Council. The nurses who tend Mary and Heidi work under the Matron's rules and the rules of the doctors who visit. I protect Mary and the people who work for her, and I serve the man without whom this house would not exist in its current role. I expect the policeman faces a similar conflict, serving both his superiors and those he's employed to protect.

Chrisi shook her head and went back upstairs. She had seen a side of the man she hadn’t known existed. She doubted she could ever fully trust him again. She decided to wait for Harry to come to work. He’d be happy to take her to the hospital.

THE REACTION OF THE men in the goldfields who had come to love Mary was swift and savage. Onion Browne was dragged screaming from her hovel and beaten almost unconscious. She was later seen leaving the goldfields alone in her cart. The man with the injured knee was beaten to a pulp and almost lynched until cooler heads prevailed. The dandy had fled and couldn’t be found.

Jim kept Drake informed and visited Callan House with Cliff Huth, the new detective, but the secretive and timeless nature of the sex industry had closed ranks, and no-one would make a complaint. Dr. Dunn sent Heidi home with bruising to the side of her head, but Mary remained unconscious and unresponsive.

Sarah sat with Mary in the mornings, and Chrisi took over in the afternoons. A small canvas hose fed water into Mary's stomach to keep her fluids up, and the nurses were helpful and sympathetic, but the expression on their faces told Sarah what she feared. They didn’t expect Mary to survive.

Dr. Dunn came to the hospital twice each day. He would peer into Mary's eyes and test her for reflexes. Sarah tried to remain optimistic, but as the days passed without any improvement a sense of despair seeped into her soul. She feared she was going to lose Mary.

The following Tuesday morning Sarah was knitting in a chair beside Mary's bed when she saw Mary's head move. In an instant Sarah was on her feet. She was holding Mary's hand when Sarah saw her eyes flutter open.

Hi sweetie. Can you hear me? Sarah whispered desperately.

Mary heard Sarah's voice as the room slowly swam into focus. Her tongue and throat were dry and something was making her gag.

A nurse strode over to the bed and examined Mary briefly, then deftly slipped the hose from her throat. I'll be fetchin' the doctor, she said in a soft Irish lilt.

Sarah raised Mary slightly and put a mug of water to her parched lips. Mary’s head was throbbing and she had trouble swallowing and almost gagged, but the water made her feel better.

How long? Mary croaked.

Sarah bit her lip to stop herself from crying. She was gripping Mary's hand, afraid to let go. Five days, she said. The doctors say you have a brain injury. Chrisi's been here every day.

Mary took stock of her situation. Apart from a throbbing headache and an ache in her right shoulder, she could feel a general weakness down her left side.

Several minutes later Dr. Dunn strode into the ward. Welcome back, Mary, he said jovially. You've had a lot of people worried.

Sarah stood back as the doctor tested Mary's vision and her reflexes. She had trouble raising her right arm because of a broken collar bone. Sarah watched Mary wriggle her toes and raise her legs, but her left leg barely moved. He asked Mary to hold onto his hand as he pulled away. Her right hand gripped well, but her left hand simply slipped off. Sarah felt fear clutch at her throat.

You’re an intelligent woman, Mary, the doctor said, so I’ll give you the facts as I see them. You've suffered a brain injury, and there is weakness to the left side of your body. It's something you’ll have to learn to live with, but there are cases where some strength has returned with effort. You also have a broken right collar bone which will heal. I want to keep you here until I'm certain your bodily functions are not impaired. He smiled at the impatience in Mary's face. I'm afraid this period is essential. You have suffered a life-threatening injury. It's important to have patience.

Mary nodded. It was easier than talking. Her eyelids began to lower as tiredness swept over her mind.

The doctor looked across at Sarah. I expect she’ll sleep for quite some time. This is a good time to go home to your family. The worst is over now.

Sarah stood holding her knitting. Mary was already asleep. Thank you, Doctor Dunn.

The man nodded and pulled the blanket over Mary's arms as Sarah burst into tears.

JIM LOOKED UP ANXIOUSLY as Sarah walked into the Police Station.

Mary woke up, she said. She’s sleeping now. She’s lost strength in the left side of her body.

Jim placed his head in his hands, shaking with anger and relief. Sarah put her arms around his shoulders. She knew he blamed himself for the position Mary was in.

I made a dreadful mistake, Sarah, he said angrily. Sometimes I wish I'd shot that baker Charlie Green. He stood and held Sarah in his arms. I have to go to Callan House. Heidi and Chrisi need to know.

Chrisi's throat constricted in fear when she saw the policeman riding toward the house. He had given up trying to get a statement from her. She and Heidi walked downstairs to meet him at the front door.

Mary's awake, he said. She has some weakness on her left side.

Chrisi's legs folded, and she sank to her knees, sobbing in relief.

Dan Frost was waiting at the fence gate as Jim was leaving. How is she, Jim?

She woke up this morning. She has some weakness on her left side.

Come in for a drink, Jim. On the house.

Jim shook his head and mounted his horse, The wife's expecting me home. Thanks all the same.

Trevor crept out the front door, his eyes wide with fear. His face lit up with the news, then he sagged against the doorway and began wailing in relief.

Jim stared briefly at Trevor, then hurriedly rode away from the brothel. He wanted to put distance between himself and the strange, crying man.

Chapter 2 – A Future Direction

On Thursday morning when Doctor Dunn started his hospital rounds, he came to Mary's bed first and read from the book of medical notes at the end of her bed. I expect you'll be going home tomorrow, he said.

Thank goodness. I've been going mad lying here. She saw the doubt in his eyes. I know what you're thinking, she said, unable to hide the slur in her words. I'll manage. I have plenty of help to run Callan House.

That’s what I want to talk to you about, he said. I'd ask you not to mention this to Peter Drake. He may not appreciate my comments. The doctor cleared his throat and continued. You are a very strong and determined woman, Mary, but you're in a very dangerous business. Only the strongest survive.

He paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully. There is not a great deal of medical literature on your condition, and some of it is contradictory. What I do know for certain is that regardless of how successful you are at overcoming your disability, as you age the weakness will return to some degree. Some further complications are likely.

I understand, she said. I'll have to plan for it.

Doctor Dunn shook his head. Listen to me, he said impatiently. You have to get out of this business. You're intelligent and resourceful. Go to Brisbane. Get yourself a degree. You could do it easily.

Mary smiled thinly at the doctor. We both know the attitude toward female students at university. She could see the worry around his eyes, but she couldn’t leave her girls. I'll give your idea some thought, she said. Who knows. Perhaps there's a place for me in business.

Even as Mary said it, she felt herself being drawn to the idea. Callan House attracted men who could advise her. Several of her guests had already said she would be good in business.

Good idea, Dunn said enthusiastically, patting her hand and immediately regretting it. This was Mary Metz. Giving her a patronising pat on the hand was a risky thing to do.

MORSE BROUGHT MARY back to Callan House on Friday afternoon, a week and a day after the attack by Onion Browne. Mary's left leg dragged noticeably as she walked, and she leaned heavily on Chrisi who led her into the warmth of the kitchen where afternoon tea was waiting. Rachel climbed up onto her lap and played with a new doll Chrisi had bought her while Morse hovered in the background.

Trevor stood stiffly in front of Mary, his teary eyes wide in love and sympathy. In a brief lull in the conversation, he spoke up, his voice quavering. You look very frail, Mary. Do you think you should have stayed a little longer in hospital?

The doctor told me I could go home when I could pee and poo by myself, Trevor.

The tense atmosphere was broken by the laughter of the women and the tittering of Trevor.

Mary looked across at Morse standing silently by the wall. I need exercises to strengthen the left side of my body, Morse. Can you work out something for me, please? She could feel a tiredness seeping into her mind, and she still felt very weak. I need to go to bed.

Nanny helped Mary to her feet and walked her slowly to her bedroom. Morse followed close behind, watching intently. Mary lowered herself onto her bed and lay with her eyes closed, soaking up the noises of the house. She woke up fifteen hours later.

She called out once, and Nanny was there in an instant. The slur in her voice and her difficulty in swallowing were almost gone, but the weakness on her left side remained. She was enjoying a second cup of tea when Morse appeared in the kitchen.

What you did last week took great courage, Morse, she said. That man could have shot you.

Morse shook his head. I think I was a bit rough on the lad, marm. I don't think he was the sort of fellow who could pull the trigger on a man.

Mary laughed. Thank you for being there for me, Morse.

The quiet man nodded. If I might suggest, marm, you walk five minutes at a time every hour. Try to walk as properly as you can without limping. You might find it very difficult at first, but it becomes easier with time.

She smiled warmly at the man. There was a depth of honour and courage in him that was impossible to plumb. You've had a similar problem, haven't you, Morse?

Yes, marm. After I was wounded at Balaclava, I was told I'd never walk again. When I began to walk, I was told I couldn't expect any improvement. When I started to run, the nurses used me as an example to inspire others. It all depends on how much you want something, marm. I wanted to walk again, and I refused to stop trying until I could. It's as simple as that.

Thank you, Morse, she said warmly. You shall be my inspiration.

Mary rose from the kitchen chair and began to walk to her study. She forced her left leg and arm to move as normally as possible, but her leg still dragged. Progress was agonisingly slow, and she could feel Morse's eyes on her back. She gritted her teeth against her growing impatience, turning her anger into determination. When she finally reached her study, she slumped into her chair exhausted. It had taken a full five minutes just to take forty steps.

After a short rest, she carefully walked across the room and opened the safe, and a pile of cash tumbled out onto the floor. Mary laboriously placed the cash on her desk, trying only to use her left hand. Finally she sat down and began to work. It soon became clear that the financial risk in opening Callan House was paying off handsomely.

Chapter 3 – Stability

Mary knew that by opening Callan House, she had become an attractive target for criminals, and that further attacks were bound to follow. Using his military experience, Morse took steps to make the house safer. At night a man he personally selected stood guard at the front door while he patrolled the grounds. Harry trained a second guard dog, and the animals were tied up under vulnerable windows during the night.

Heidi ran the operation upstairs while Mary did the accounting, paid the bills, ordered supplies and arranged for running repairs. Callan House quickly settled down to become one of the most profitable businesses in town.

Mary’s accounting was always precise and fully documented, and every Monday Harry and Morse took an envelope stuffed with money to Drake's office. They would return with a letter rarely differing in content, wishing Mary a speedy recovery and reminding her that Chrisi was the key to her operation. Each letter ended by urging her to keep as little cash as possible on the premises, and offering to bank it for her.

Mary knew that with a man like Peter Drake, trust must always have a boundary, beyond which the trust itself became a risk. She recalled with bitter embarrassment the day a bank teller refused to open an account in her name without a responsible male's approval. Drake had quickly offered to open a bank account for her, but she suspected he would find a way to access her account. His influence in the town was like the tentacles of an octopus, and she didn’t want to run the risk of paying for his expensive dreams. A chequebook on one of his own accounts had been the compromise. When it came to the split of the net profits, her part would remain inside the safe in Callan House.

Mary was troubled by Chrisi's report that Morse served two masters, her and Drake. She needed Morse badly, and she reasoned that if he had been able to switch his loyalty from Drake to her easily, he could just as easily switch his loyalty to someone else. She was convinced he was a man of profound integrity, and felt it was important to earn his loyalty rather than to simply expect it.

Putting her fears aside, she gave Morse the task of devising a secret safe. The plan Morse chose was simple and devious, similar to a safe he had seen in one of the great houses of the world where he had accompanied Colonel Callan. Following his advice, Mary ordered a high quality filing cupboard from Sydney. A lever concealed inside the cupboard allowed it to pivot off the wall, exposing a tall shallow safe Morse had set into the wall. No-one else knew of the safe, and slowly it began to fill.

Nick Munro made friends with Trevor who had been ordering expensive perfumes for the girls. Trevor once showed him around upstairs during the day, but Mary knew Nick valued his pennies too much to spend them on an expensive woman. Despite his optimistic manner, Mary sensed there was a sadness about the storekeeper, as if he had lost something valuable and didn’t quite know what it was. Mary decided that his love of money prevented him from appreciating the value of human companionship.

Mary set herself a punishing exercise routine. With Harry's help, she started gardening again. It was intended more as exercise, but Mary quickly realised how much she missed her garden. The ground behind the house was stony and less fertile. Any garden she made here would never match the abundance of her old garden on the flood plain near the river.

Each morning she would keep gardening until Harry arrived with Rachel. After breakfast, she would sleep until early afternoon, exhausted by the effort of gardening. She would then meet with Heidi to update her ledgers and sort out problems that inevitably arose among the girls. Mary insisted only she could dismiss those who didn’t fit in, and set aside two hours each week to interview prospective workers. They had already been vetted by Chrisi and Heidi. If they did not want the woman, she didn’t get an interview.

From opening time to 9pm on Friday and Saturday nights, Mary would sit in her study while guests filed in to pay their respects. It was something the girls came to call ‘Mary holding Court'. Occasionally Mary would be introduced to men who had learned her name from the other side of the world.

She kept a pad and pencil close by during her Court sessions, and she soon had a growing record of valuable business advice. She always wore pieces of expensive clothing she had been given by her guests, and kept on display valuable gifts she’d been presented.

Under the guidance of some of her guests, Mary ordered books directly from booksellers, and crammed her spare time with study. Her knowledge grew rapidly as her library expanded. Eventually she used house funds to buy furniture for the Drawing Room for those nights when she had too many visitors to fit comfortably in the study. Callan House was finally complete.

CHRISTMAS DAY IN 1884 was a major event for Callan House. Chairs and tables were hired and placed in the backyard. Eight women were rostered on, but twenty-three turned up, many of them viewing Callan House as a second home to their shared hotel rooms or crowded family homes.

Sixty-eight men turned up at various times throughout the day, most bringing bottles of wine or spirits. Some carried gifts for their favourite girls, and several men presented gifts to Mary.

Mary wore a bright yellow dress with light green sleeves trimmed with lace, and moved slowly among her guests to conceal her limp. At twenty-one years of age, she was over six feet tall, statuesque and beautiful.

Trevor joined in the festivities wearing a pair of outlandish bright orange pantaloons and a pink long-sleeved shirt. His clothing smelled of perfume and scented creams, but by 1pm he was so drunk Morse had to carry him to bed.

Most of the grog had been supplied by the men, and during the day little money changed hands. Just before dark, mosquitoes forced everyone upstairs, and Heidi finally ushered out the last