Colleen McCullough - The Touch

### From Publishers Weekly

After last year's The October Horse, the final installment in her series set in ancient Rome, McCullough returns to her native Australia to chronicle the adventures of Scotsman Alex Kinross, a headstrong and handsome former boilermaker's apprentice in Glasgow, now rich and the founder of an eponymous town in New South Wales. It is the late 19th century, and Alex, who has settled in Australia after finding gold both in America and Down Under, can find no suitable bride, so he sends to Scotland for one. Elizabeth, the backward 16-year-old beauty he marries, takes an instant dislike to him: he's no paragon of sensitivity; he bears an unfortunate resemblance to Satan; and neither his brilliance, his money or his influence can persuade her to love him. Elizabeth bears him two daughters-she almost dies giving birth to the second-and forges a deep friendship with the redoubtable Ruby Costevan, a former madam and Alex's longtime mistress. But poor Elizabeth just can't be happy, until she meets Ruby's half-Chinese son, Lee. Lee returns Elizabeth's regard tenfold, but because he's as upstanding as he is beautiful, he makes himself scarce to avoid upsetting Elizabeth or Alex, whom he loves. When he can bear it no longer, Lee decides Alexander must be told-but at what price? Frontier speculation, domestic strife, industrialization, a terrible rape and a brutal murder: all these mold and buffet the Kinross clan until a final, tragic act of generosity promises to end the pain. Though they are frequently at the mercy of the novel's complex plot, McCullough's characters win sympathy with their spirited striving for love and honor.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

### From Booklist

Ever-popular McCullough returns to her beloved Australia in this tale of intrepid pioneers looking for riches and gold during the second half of the nineteenth century. Alexander Kinross left Scotland when he was 15, goaded by the ill treatment doled out by his family and the minister. He goes to America and makes a fortune, then brings his rare gift for sensing where gold will be found to Australia and demonstrates good business sense by keeping what he mines. He goes into partnership with a Chinese immigrant and the owner of a brothel, creates a mining town called Kinross, and, now in his mid-thirties, writes to Scotland asking for a cousin to marry. Elizabeth Drummond, 16, who has never left her small town, is now forced by her strict father to travel to Australia and marry a man she has never heard of. The tale of this determined and wealthy entrepreneur and his marriage, family, love affairs, friendships, and all the dynamics of his town coalesces into a fantastic and exceptional saga about the lively personalities and explosive situations that shaped Australia. *Patty Engelmann*
*Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved*

Synopsis:

Not since The Thorn Birds has Colleen McCullough written a novel of such broad appeal about a family and the Australian experience as The Touch .

At its center is Alexander Kinross, remembered as a young man in his native Scotland only as a shiftless boilermakers apprentice and a godless rebel. But when, years later, he writes from Australia to summon his bride, his Scottish relatives quickly realize that he has made a fortune in the gold fields and is now a man to be reckoned with.

Arriving in Sydney after a difficult voyage, the sixteen-year-old Elizabeth Drummond meets her husband-to-be and discovers to her dismay that he frightens and repels her. Offered no choice, she marries him and is whisked at once across a wild, uninhabited countryside to Alexanders own town, named Kinross after himself. In the crags above it lies the worlds richest gold mine.

Isolated in Alexanders great house, with no company save Chinese servants, Elizabeth finds that the intimacies of marriage do not prompt her husband to enlighten her about his past life or even his present one. She has no idea that he still has a mistress, the sensual, tough, outspoken Ruby Costevan, whom Alexander has established in his town, nor that he has also made Ruby a partner in his company, rapidly expanding its interests far beyond gold. Ruby has a son, Lee, whose father is the head of the beleaguered Chinese community; the boy becomes dear to Alexander, who fosters his education as a gentleman.

Captured by the very different natures of Elizabeth and Ruby, Alexander resolves to have both of them. Why should he not? He has the fabled Midas Touch a combination of curiosity, boldness and intelligence that he applies to every situation, and which fails him only when it comes to these two women.

Although Ruby loves Alexander desperately, Elizabeth does not. Elizabeth bears him two daughters: the brilliant Nell, so much like her father; and the beautiful, haunting Anna, who is to present her father with a torment out of which for once he cannot buy his way. Thwarted in his desire for a son, Alexander turns to Rubys boy as a possible heir to his empire, unaware that by keeping Lee with him, he is courting disaster.

The stories of the lives of Alexander, Elizabeth and Ruby are intermingled with those of a rich cast of characters, and, after many twists and turns, come to a stunning and shocking climax. Like The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCulloughs new novel is at once a love story and a family saga, replete with tragedy, pathos, history and passion. As few other novelists can, she conveys a sense of place: the desperate need of her characters, men and women, rootless in a strange land, to create new beginnings.

THE TOUCH

By

Colleen McCullough

Copyright 2003 by Dr. Colleen McCullough

FOR DR. KEVIN COOREY

who manages to keep me alive;

with love and gratitude to a terrific bloke.

Part One

18721885

One

A Change of Fortune

YOUR COUSIN Alexander has written for a wife, said James Drummond, looking up from a sheet of paper.

The summons to see her father in the front parlor had fallen on Elizabeth like a blow; such formality meant a lecture for transgression, followed by a punishment appropriate for the offense. Well, she knew what she had doneover-salted this mornings porridgeand knew too what her punishment was bound to beto eat un salted porridge for the rest of the year. Father was careful with his money, hed not spend it on a grain more salt than he had to.

So, hands behind her back, Elizabeth stood in front of the shabby wing chair, her mouth dropped open at this amazing news.

He asks for Jean, which is daftdoes he think time stands still? James brandished the letter indignantly, then transferred his gaze from it to this youngest child, light from the window pouring over her while he sat concealed by shadows. Youre made like any other female, so it will have to be you.

Me?

Are you deaf, girl? Aye, you. Who else is there?

But Father! If he asks for Jean, hell not want me.

Any respectable, decently brought-up young woman will do, judging by the state of affairs in the place he writes from.

Where does he write from? she asked, knowing that she wouldnt be allowed to read the letter.

New South Wales. James grunted, a satisfied sound. It seems your cousin Alexander has done well for himselfmade a wee fortune on the goldfields. His brow wrinkled. Or, he temporized, at least has made enough to afford a wife.

Her first shock was dissipating, to be replaced by dismay. Wouldnt it be simpler for him to find a wife there, Father?

In New South Wales? Its naught but harlots, ex-convicts and English snobs when it comes to women, he says. Nay, he saw Jeannie when he was last home, and took a strong fancy to her. Asked for her hand then. I refusedwell, why would I have taken a shiftless boilermakers apprentice living in the Glasgow stews for Jeannie, and her barely sixteen? Your age, girl. Thats why Im sure youll do for himhe likes them young. What hes after is a Scots wife whose virtue is above reproach, whose blood he shares and can trust. Thats what he says, at any rate. James Drummond rose to his feet, brushed past his daughter and marched into the kitchen. Make me some tea.