Father Emery was unable to glean any information about the farm apart from a little note from the bishop that some children from abroad were being cared for in the area. These children, apparently, were orphans or in care in their country of birth, England, and were being given the chance of a new life in Australia.

Matthew processed this information, it wasn't something he knew of in his jurisdiction.

'Well,' Lucien sat opposite him in the office, 'I suppose the best place start is the orphanage at Mount Clear. But I'm surprised Sister Josephine didn't call for me to do any checks on new residents if they have been sent there.'

'I'll leave that one to you, then,' Matthew sighed, 'we are going to try the farm again, but we will be armed. There will be more than just me and Davies this time, and I am going to arrest him for discharging a weapon and threatening police officers.'

'You be careful, Matthew,' Lucien lowered his voice although it was only the two of them in the office, 'Alice will never forgive me if anything happens to you.'

'Ah... yes...ahem... right.' Superintendant Lawson had the good grace to blush a deep shade of red!

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Lucien decided to appear at the orphanage as their doctor, rather than alert them to his true purpose. As he drew up Sister Josephine came out of the front door like a ship in full sail.

'Doctor,' she huffed, 'we haven't sent for you.'

'No, sister,' he beamed at her, 'I heard that there were some orphans from England being looked after in the area, and wondered if you needed them to have their checks.'

'We have no English children here, doctor.' She clasped her hands over her habit. 'No new children at all.'

'Oh,' he scratched his head, 'that's strange. I mean, where else would they send them?'

'I have no idea,' she stared at him through her small, myopic eyes.

'Right, well,' he turned back to the car, 'I'd best be off then.'

'Hmm.' She pursed her lips.

Lucien had no reason to disbelieve her, and left, happy to discount the orphanage from any involvement in what he had seen on the mortuary table, not that he thought they would have, anyway.

He headed up to meet Matthew and the lads at the farm.

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Matthew, Charlie, Bill and the rest of the shift checked their police issue revolvers and set out for the farm.

'Now, listen, and listen good,' Matthew said, 'this man is nuts. He brandished and discharged a shotgun at me and Davies. He declared that children are...what was it Davies?'

'Children are sinful, born of sin, were his words, boss.' Charlie gulped.

'Ri i i ght,' Bill mused, 'and how else are they supposed to be born?'

'Let's not get into a discussion about procreation, Hobart.' The Superintendant muttered, 'let's go and see what the hell's going on.'

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Matthew stood at the gates and looked at the buildings in front of him. As Charlie had pointed out on the first visit, there were crucifixes set into the brickwork on the end walls. He saw the man approach again and swallowed, putting his hand on the handle of his revolver.

'Get lost!' He was told, as the shotgun was aimed at him, 'off my land!'

'I'm on the road, which is a public road.' Matthew informed him. 'Now, I intend to come in and look over this property and ask a few questions about missing children.'

'You have no right!' The man fired a shot to Matthew's left. Matthew refused to be cowed, outwardly, but inwardly he was a worried man.

'I have a warrant to search the property!' He'd had to call in a lot of favours to get the warrant but he hoped it would be worth it.

The man approached and grabbed the paper, all the while pointing the shotgun at Matthew. He read it, scrumpled it up and threw it on the ground, then for added measure ground his foot over it.

'Get lost!' He yelled, 'you have no right to enter this property!'

'You can't prevent us,' Matthew reasoned, That warrant gives us the right, under law.'

'We subscribe to God's law,' he spat out.

Matthew could see they were at an impasse, and daren't push it.

As he was musing on what to do, in spite of having plenty of armed back up, he didn't want a gun battle. Nobody else had come out of the buildings so he didn't know what the opposition was. It could be nothing, conversely, there could be dozens of armed men. He heard a car engine approach and turned to see Lucien's Holden coming towards him. So, it would seem that the orphanage at Mount Clear had yielded nothing.

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Jean, Mattie and Alice sat round the table at the Blake's house, trying to drink tea as if nothing was going on, and their men were having a beer in the pub.

Jean was the most god-fearing of the three women, but even she had doubted her faith lately. Alice had no belief, she was a scientist and Mattie wasn't bothered one way or another, but had been brought up in the Catholic faith. However, none could understand what was going on. The little boy that Alice and Lucien had autopsied had come from somewhere and the only place seemed to be the farm with the angry gunman. It saddened them all, even frightened them, that a human could do that to another human, a child.

Realising that neither was going to get anything done of any consequence that day they had decided to stay together and wait. Waiting with company was infinitely better than waiting alone.

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Lucien got out of his car and strolled nonchalantly towards Matthew. His service revolver was tucked in his trouser waistband.

'Superintendant!' He called, cheerfully, 'fancy meeting you here.' He clapped Matthew on the shoulder as if he'd been surprised to find him there.

'Doctor,' Matthew followed his lead, 'just shooting through?'

'Could be.' Lucien grinned, 'thought I'd stop and see what's going on.'

'Nosy, doc,' Matthew grinned, 'that's what you are,' hoping to get the gunman off guard by their casual banter.

'Well, can't let you have all the fun, Superintendant.' They were startled from their conversation by the sound of the shotgun and a shower of sand and soil flying up to one side. 'Bloody hell!' Lucien jumped.

Several officers drew their weapons and Matthew took the chance to charge through the gate. Two shots from the shotgun meant he had the time to get to the man before he had chance to re-load. He barrelled into the man, knocking him clean off his feet and throwing over onto his face. The shotgun flew out of reach, but Charlie, who had followed with no thought for his own safety, kicked it further away anyway. The two officers handcuffed him looping the chain through the gate so he would not be able to get away and got back into the car to drive up to the house and outbuildings. They followed Blake in his Holden and the rest of the cars up the long drive.

All had their weapons drawn and went in pairs or groups into each doorway,

'Police! Stand still! Raise your hands!' Shouts throughout the buildings. Matthew followed Lucien through a door, a plain cross carved on it. Inside it was like a church, but not as ornate as Sacred Heart. A plain altar stood at one end with choir stalls either side. There were some boys, maybe eight of them, young, aged probably between five and ten who had been intoning a psalm. They stopped as soon as the two men, wielding guns appeared, but didn't appear shocked, just, almost resigned. They couldn't see an adult, a choirmaster. Lucien lowered his gun and went over to them.

'Lads,' he spoke softly, 'is there anyone else here?'

Mostly, the boys just stood there, struck dumb by the sight of two men from outside charging in, but one, older than the others nodded to a curtain at the side of the altar.

Lucien tiptoed over to the curtain and listened,

'You'll be the best one,' a man's voice, eerie, whining, cajoling. He pulled the curtain aside to see a priest holding a child's hand, a small boy, no more than six, Lucien thought. He shuddered as he saw the priest pull the boy's hand towards him and launched himself at the pair, delivering a swift uppercut to the man of the cloth, sending him flying backwards, letting go of the child who Lucien scooped up in his arms and held tight.

'Son,' he whispered, soothingly, 'are you alright?'

The little lad looked at his rescuer with wide brown eyes,

'It's ok, son,' Lucien smiled gently, 'nobody is going to hurt you, I promise.'

The boy gulped, that was what they all said, but seeing tears in the doctor's eyes he actually believed him. He put his scrawny arms round Lucien's neck and started to sob, deep heart wrenching gasps for air. Lucien stroked the unruly dark curls on the child's head and whispered soothing words.

'Shh...' he managed to control the tears of anger and sorrow.

Matthew watched him then headed to the curtain. Seeing the priest on the floor rubbing his chin he immediately understood what Lucien had stopped and strode over to haul the man up and frog march him out of the building to find a copper with a pair of handcuffs, his being round the gate at the end of the drive.

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'Doc,' Matthew pulled him to one side, 'we need to find all the children, take Davies and Ned, somehow we need to get them back to town.'

'Right,' Lucien nodded, his eyes were dark with fury but he knew his priority was the children. Matthew could deal with the adults. He looked at the other boys in the choir stalls, all still standing in stunned silence. Sister Josephine was going to have her hands full for a while before they could place the boys somewhere appropriate. He spoke to the boy who had indicated the curtain.

'What's your name, son?'

'Robbie.' He still eyed him warily, but the sound and subsequent sight of their tormentor being marched out by a policeman went someway to reassuring him.

'My name's Dr Lucien Blake,' Lucien smiled, 'we're here to help you. You are safe now. Are there anymore of you?'

'Yeah,' Robbie murmured, 'in the school.'

'Show me.' Lucien stood back, 'the rest of you come too, I want you to stay with me until we get you to Sister Josephine.'

'Sister Josephine?'

'She runs the children's home. She may look a bit stern, severe, but I promise you, on my life, she will not hurt you.' Lucien would have to have a word with the nun, she could be a little too firm sometimes but, he was sure she would be so horrified at what these boys had been through she would do whatever he asked.

It was a rag tag trail of humanity that followed Robbie to the school building, where another six boys were being drilled in bible studies. The man who was leading the class had a thin cane which he laid across one child's back when he faltered at his reciting of a parable. As he raised his hand to strike a second time Charlie grabbed his wrist and pulled his arm behind his back,

'You're under arrest, assault, kidnapping.' The man gasped, so intent on his treatment of the boy he hadn't noticed the two officers and Blake enter. The boys turned slowly and their eyes widened. One of them ran over to Robbie and flung his arms round him.

'S'ok, Keith,' Robbie patted his shoulder, 'the cavalry's arrived.' He turned to Lucien, 'my baby brother.'

Lucien smiled, 'Right,' then called to the other boys, 'come on lads, time to go.'

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Outside Lucien looked at his little band, not dissimilar to the boy who had lain on the table, dirty, undernourished, huddled together. How was he to get fifteen small boys to Mount Clear? He could get maybe six of them in his car but the other nine... the police cars would be filled with the men they'd rounded up. He took them to the gate and looked about. In the distance he could see a man on a horse, coming towards them. He waved.

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Craig and Jane Bennett had heard the gun fire from their farm and had gone just far enough to be able to see a lot of policemen at the fence to the other farm. As the fuss had appeared to die down Craig had said he would ride over and see if there was anything he could do.

He leant down from the horse and spoke to Lucien,

'We have a truck,' he said, 'I can get the rest of the boys in there and follow you to wherever you want to take them.'

'Thank you, that would be wonderful.' Lucien was still carrying the little boy he had rescued from the clutches of the priest and he noticed that he was now completely relaxed. Lucien pulled him back from his shoulder and noticed that he'd cried himself to sleep.

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Sister Josephine came out of the front door, what did the doctor want this time?

'Sister Josephine,' Lucien opened the car doors and the six boys he's squeezed in climbed out, 'I'm afraid I'm going to fill your house with boys.'

She pulled him aside, 'Are these the boys you were looking for?'

'Yes,' Lucien looked at her, gone was the cheerful grin he usually employed, now he looked sad and almost tired, disappointed. 'They were being, well...used. They need some care, feeding, clothing... most of them have been beaten, some have been abused.'

She paled. She knew there were such goings on, she had always clung to the belief that it didn't happen in the church, refused to believe it, because that would diminish her faith in man, which was sorely tested sometimes.

'Bring them in doctor,' she sighed, 'let's get them a hot drink and perhaps some toast, to start with.'

'Thank you.' Lucien shook her hand. Robbie came up to him,

'Doctor, Sid's still asleep.' He nodded towards the car.

'Thank you, Robbie. This is Sister Josephine, take the rest of the boys and go with her, I'll bring Sid and join you in the refectory.' The truck with the rest of the boys had arrived and although the nun raised her eyebrows under her wimple she just nodded and took the scruffy group into the home. Lucien collected the sleeping child from the back seat of his car and carried him in. He passed him to another sister and then asked to use the telephone.

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'Dr Blake's...oh hello, Lucien.' Jean answered the kitchen phone, she listened.

'Right, they're here, as it happens, we'll be right there.'

She turned to the nurse and pathologist,

'We're needed at the orphanage. Fifteen boys, Alice, Lucien needs you to help him examine them, Mattie, you are to assist.' She went to collect Amelia from the pram, 'come on miss, you'll have to come too.'

'So what's going on?' Mattie asked as Alice reversed out of the drive.

'Lucien didn't say, but he sounded angry.' Jean sat in the back, her arms wrapped round her daughter, a sinking feeling in her stomach.

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They sat in Sister Josephine's office drinking tea, exhausted.

Lucien and Alice had examined every boy, catalogued any injuries or signs of abuse, Mattie had taken names, ages, heights and weights, Jean had helped bathe and dress them as Amelia crawled around the room. The baby distracted the boys from thinking about their experiences and in some cases had them giggling at her crawling off with an item of clothing.

'So, Sister,' Lucien put his cup down, 'I know resources are tight but I have no idea what else to do.'

'Dr Blake,' she sat with her hands on the desk, fingertips to fingertips, 'I understand. I fail to understand how they ended up there. We would have been happy to take some of them, had we been asked.'

'We'll find out, Sister,' he sighed, 'Superintendant Lawson has the men at the station and will be interviewing each and every one of them, and at least one is to be charged with firing his shotgun at the Superintendant and Sergeant Davies.'

'Goodness!' She gasped, 'I hope they're alright.'

'Shaken, very shaken, but unharmed.'

She offered up a prayer and crossed herself.

'Meanwhile, I'll see what we can do about getting some extra food for you and anything you may need, please ask.'

'Thank you, doctor.' She almost smiled, 'I think we shall manage, but I will let you know. Is there anything you want me to look out for?'

'Well, if any become withdrawn or don't eat properly. You may get some bed-wetting, particularly from the younger ones, but they mustn't be punished for it. Also any violent behaviour, especially if someone crosses them. I'll come up once a week, and we'll try to find suitable homes for them.' Lucien ran his hand over his head. 'Can you think of anything else, Dr Harvey, nurse?'

'I think you've covered it all,' Alice nodded, 'but we still don't know the name of the little lad who died.'

'Perhaps Robbie will know.' Mattie suggested, 'he seems to be the leader.'

'Right, I'll go and speak to him.' Lucien stood up and left the office.

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'I suppose a pauper's grave for him, then.' Matthew sighed. He was tired, they still hadn't finished interviewing the men from the farm, it was hard work.

It transpired that the gunman, who still refused to give his name, because 'god knew who he was,' had offered to set up a seminary and take in these boys. The bishop had thought it a good idea, and in principle it was. A school where the boys would be taught, fed and clothed and encouraged to join the priesthood. In practice, it was a completely different story. The warped sense of propriety and religious fervour that had come with the offer had meant that the boys were force fed the scriptures, beaten for not learning fast enough, starved and abused for minor misdemeanours. So Matthew now had to sort out the charges, apportion blame and fill in enormous amounts of paperwork. What a bloody mess!

'Actually Alice and I, and Jean are thinking we could pay for him to have a proper burial,' Lucien sighed as he sat in the chair opposite his friend.

Matthew looked up, 'Add me into that.'

'Sure?'

'Yes, I hope that if that had been my child, so far away from home, somebody would do that for him.' He really must have a word with Alice, something ached deep inside him and had done since this whole thing started.

'Jean thought the plot next to mother.' Lucien said almost dreamily. 'She said she'd look after him.'

Matthew swallowed and blinked, 'Right,' he cleared his throat and went back to his paperwork, to hide the tears he didn't want to shed in the station.

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The remaining men from the farm were left to stew overnight in the cells. Hobart was itching to get at them and much as Matthew wanted to let him he knew he couldn't, because having to arrest a copper for murder was not a good thing, even though he would be ridding the world of the depths of humanity, the scum of the earth.

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It was a week before all the evidence and paperwork was tied up ready to be sent to Melbourne and court. They had a trial date another week away which Matthew and Lucien would have to attend.

Lucien was quiet for much of the time at home, still seeing his patients but he spent a lot of time playing with Amelia and was having trouble sleeping. Jean understood, and when she awoke in the early hours to a cold side of the bed she knew he would be outside in the garden, looking at the stars, sometimes sitting, sometimes lying on the grass but the one thing she was grateful for was that he did not resort to drowning his sorrows. When they made love it was with a tenderness she had known was there before but was even more so now.

He undressed her, kissing each little part of her with soft touches of his lips, trailing his fingers down her skin as each tiny part appeared from beneath her dress, then her slip. She did similar things to him, feeling the muscles of his chest relax under her tongue as his arousal became evident. Her touches soothed and roused him in equal measure until, naked, he lay her on the bed and used his fingers to bring her close to the edge before entering her and taking her on a voyage to worlds hitherto unknown to man or beast. They would fall asleep wrapped in each other until he crept out and put on his robe before heading out to the garden. Jean knew it would take time, a lot of time before he felt able to stay in the bed for a whole night, but that was alright, she loved him and he loved her and together they would come through this.

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The little boy's funeral was attended by the Blake's, Matthew and Alice and Charlie and Mattie. His small coffin was laid in the ground next to Genevieve's grave and Lucien arranged for a small headstone to be added, stating his name was Brian Jackson, his age, eight years, and that he was loved by all that knew him. They did not ask any of the boys to attend feeling it would be too traumatic for them but if anyone wanted to see where he was buried they would take them.

Sister Josephine was surprisingly gentle with the boys, she alerted Dr Blake to any issues she had and he in turn was as good as his word when he said he would try to get her additional supplies of food and clothes. Word got round that some orphans who had been ill treated had been taken in at the orphanage and donations of clothes were dropped on the doorstep, or passed to Jean to be taken up when she passed, which she did, often. The green grocer and the butcher offered meat and vegetables, mainly left over stock from the end of the day, but it was all good food, just wouldn't keep to be sold the following day.

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Two days before their men were due to go to Melbourne to give evidence in the case, Jean Alice and Mattie sat in Alice's living room.

'Ladies,' Jean smiled, 'I don't know about Matthew or Charlie but Lucien is not able to sleep properly, at the moment. I am thinking of going to Melbourne with him, to stay until the case is over.'

Mattie looked at her. It was easy for Jean, she was married to the doctor, neither she nor Alice were married to their lovers.

'Matthew struggles too.' Alice sighed, 'he seems to be having nightmares, but he won't say what they're about.'

'How is Charlie sleeping?' Jean turned to the nurse who flushed a deep red. 'Mattie, I do know, you know.'

'He's not.' Mattie played with the locket around her neck. 'He dozes off and wakes almost immediately, almost as if he is afraid something will happen.'

'Where are they staying?' Alice turned her ring around and stared at it, 'Matthew hasn't said, and I don't want to ask him.'

'I am about to confirm their bookings at the Scott's Hotel.' Jean smiled, 'better than they would get if they had to go through police procedures. I thought a little comfort would be good for them.'

'Oh.'

'Separate rooms, doubles.' She added.

'Right.'

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I felt that some support from their partners or whatever you want to call the girls, would help Lucien, Matthew and Charlie get through the court case. Naughty I know.

Such a difficult chapter to write and I have wondered if I should have pursued this line, but once started...