Hawkins' Grove

Lillian Langley is a young single woman living with her family in the highlands of Tasmania, she ends up with child. Disowned by her father, she flees the family farm where she is waylaid by two masked men. While escaping she falls over a cliff. Because of her injuries, her clearly marked trail is found leading to the river where it is presumed she has drowned. Everyone believes her deadEstranged from her family after she discovers she is pregnant, Lillian boards the stage for Hobart. The stage is held up by two masked men. Lillian flees and falls over a cliff. Her trail to the river is found where it is presumed she has drowned.The aborigines find Lillian and Jim Hawkins, the stage coach driver,sees to her recovery with the aid of the local doctor. Lillian insists that her family not be told of her survival as she fears for her life and the life of the child she carries.Also, the added fact that she will be shunned by society even more because of her disfigurement from her injuries when she fell over the cliff. She becomes friends with Jim Hawkins and accepts a proposal of marriage from him even though she does not love him. He gives her a home, keeps her secret, raises her daughter Matilda, and their son William.After eighteen years, Matilda, who has been in England to further her education arrives back in Gladstone where she is seen by Frank O'Connor. He is a suspect in the stage coach hold up all those years ago. Frank, a little worse for wear after spending most of the day in the saloon sees Matilda and swears he has seen the ghost of Lillian. He informs Lillian's brother, Robert, who immediately becomes suspicious. Robert's father is on his death bed and the farm and all that goes with it will soon be his, what he dosen't need is a ghost from the past hindering his future plans. Robert sets about confirming what he fears and puts in place a plan to make sure that the ghost stays a ghost.