Head for the Hills, page 35
“That went well.” He reached over and patted her leg. “How are you holding up?”
“All right.” She sighed again. They’d been at an afternoon tea talking to residents and Dennis had offered to go with her, which she’d been happy about.
“You don’t sound pleased.”
“I am.”
“You’re not worried about that chap who said a man should hold the esteemed position of mayor, are you? He’s obviously a friend of Colin North’s, the way he was sprouting on about needing a university in the Hills.”
“No.”
“You were quite sharp with him.”
Margot frowned. “Was I?”
“I was impressed. You normally back down when someone confronts you like he did.”
Margot had listened politely to the man’s diatribe for a minute or two and then had spoken about equal rights in twenty-first century Australia and the financial implications of trying to build a university in the Hills. “I thought I rebutted quite well.”
“You did, but with more force than you usually do.”
Margot shrugged. “You’ve all told me I’m too much of a shrinking violet so I’ve been practising various techniques.” She glanced at her husband. “In the mirror.”
He laughed.
“Anyway, I’m not bothered by old-fashioned thinkers like that man. Hopefully they’re a dying breed. It was something else that came up just before we left. I was chatting to a woman who’d been a friend of Gunter’s wife and we were reminiscing about the great picnics we had at the Brosts’.” Outside her window tall gums flashed past along the winding road and between the gaps in the bush she caught glimpses of the rolling valleys, dotted with cattle or vines and the odd dam. “It was such a beautiful property. It truly breaks my heart to think the cottage could be replaced by a hotel and the garden by driveways and parking bays. If only we could have bought the place.”
“You really have to let that go, Margot.”
“It’s odd that we didn’t get a chance to put forward our vision for the property though. Roslyn said all bidders were given the opportunity.”
Margot turned back from the view and looked at her husband. He had sunglasses on and he was focused on the road so she couldn’t see his eyes but she saw the twitch in his jawline. He was clenching his teeth.
“We discussed ballpark figures,” she said. “But you never told me what our final offer was.”
Dennis remained silent.
“There would have been a lot of money tied up in the Audi bid. What did we offer for Gunter’s?”
“Doesn’t matter now anyway,” he snapped. “You know we could never match the offers that were being made.”
Usually when Dennis was gruff she backed down but she was learning not to do that.
“What was our offer, Dennis?”
He was gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were turning white.
“Dennis?”
“Oh, for goodness sake, Margot.” He slapped one hand on the wheel so suddenly it startled her. “We didn’t put in a bid.”
Her mouth fell open as her brain tried to make sense of what he’d just said. Outside the midday sun belted down with such ferocity the landscape shimmered but inside the chill that ran through Margot had nothing to do with the perfectly tuned air conditioning.
Dennis glanced her way. “Money was tight trying to lock in the dealership and I knew we’d never get Gunter’s place so there was no point.”
“You lied to me?” Margot stared at the man she’d been married to for almost thirty years. She’d never doubted him and now she wondered how often he’d done it before.
“I didn’t lie but you assumed our bid had gone in and I let you continue to think that.”
“That’s deception, Dennis. You lied by omission.” The pain of his betrayal carved through her so sharply she gasped. “You know how badly I wanted that property.”
“And that wasn’t realistic, Margot. We’ve got enough on our plate without it.”
“It was for Emily,” she snapped.
“Why would we go into so much debt for Emily? She’s got her own place and she and Cam are doing okay.”
“We are living on a property I inherited. We got a good start from my parents.”
“The block wasn’t worth very much back then and we borrowed a lot to build the house and the additions you’ve wanted since.”
“You wanted them too.”
They pulled into their garage. Dennis stopped the car and turned to her. “Look, Margot. Taking on the Audi dealership was a much better business proposition. One of us has to think with our brain instead of our heart. If we’d bought Gunter’s place the house would have needed a lot of work and it would be years before Em and Cam could pay us back.”
“The vines would have been income.”
“Yes, but it would have all been too messy. And did you even ask Em and Cam if it was what they wanted?”
“We talked about it the first time Gunter was thinking of selling.”
“Things change. I’m fairly sure Cam wants a place closer to their business. They’re open six days a week. If they move he doesn’t want it to be far.”
Margot shook her head. “I still can’t believe you lied to me.”
He swore under his breath, something she disliked.
“You’ve got to move on, Margot. The campaign for mayor is more important.”
“Now I’m beginning to wonder how much you’re truly supporting me with that.”
“I’m here, aren’t I?” He threw up his hands. “I should be at work.”
“Go to bloody work then, Dennis!” she shouted and fuelled by incandescent rage she stormed into the house.
She filled a glass with water but her hands shook so much she had to use both to guide it to her mouth. She drained the glass, thumped it down on the bench and began to pace. What was happening with the people in her life? Her sister, her good friend and now her husband. People she’d trusted and relied on and they’d all been deceitful in their own way. Geraldine had become chummy with Roslyn and she even wondered about the loyalties of her own children.
She stopped pacing and drew herself up. It was midday and she had time for a quick bite to eat before her planned meeting with a group concerned about a bypass road that had been proposed to run through their properties and after that she was catching up with some parents of young ones who wanted an upgrade of their nearby playground.
She’d continue by herself if she had to, focusing on the needs of the community without those she’d thought would be by her side.
thirty-nine
Dinner at Roslyn’s
Roast Chicken, Tossed Green Salad, Hot Chips
Strawberries & Ice Cream
Roslyn sat on the pool steps with her feet in the water and a glass of wine in hand while Amber and Tom swam. The day had been pleasantly warm and while the two younger ones had worked the day shift they both had the evening off so Roslyn had invited them for dinner. She’d bought a cooked chook from the new supermarket, thrown a bag of frozen chips in the oven and tossed some ingredients from her garden together for a salad.
It was Sunday and should have been their first family dinner for the year but Nick and Kayla were with her family for a special anniversary and Emily and Cameron had the weekend off and had headed to the beach with friends. Geraldine had decided to take things a bit quieter for a while since her diagnosis and from Margot there’d not been a word.
Roslyn had had a quick chat with Dennis over the side fence a few days prior. She’d given him some of the abundance of zucchinis and tomatoes she was still harvesting. He’d said Margot was being kept busy with her campaign and had things on all weekend. Roslyn wasn’t sure if it was an excuse or not. Dennis hadn’t dallied for further conversation and Roslyn had decided to have her own small gathering for dinner.
“You should come in, Roslyn,” Amber called. “It’s great in here.”
“I’ve already had a swim today.”
Amber floated closer to Roslyn while Tom made an attempt to swim laps.
“Thanks for inviting us.”
“You know you’re welcome anytime.”
Amber sat on the step beside Roslyn, the wet tank top clinging to her body accentuating her growing bulge.
“I’d tell you not to work so hard but I’m sure I’d be wasting my breath.”
“I saw the doctor this week. She says I’m all good. I’ve got to keep working while I can. Get some money behind us.”
“Surely you’ve got some breathing space now with the money from the car.”
“She’s giving it back.” Tom had stopped swimming and was trying, not very successfully, to float.
“Shut up, Tom. I told you not to say anything about that.” Amber kicked out with her foot, splashing him.
He sank, scrabbled away and bobbed up further down the pool. “I told her she was stupid.”
“Why are you giving it back?” Roslyn asked gently.
Amber’s face was screwed up in a tight frown as she continued to glare at Tom, who’d gone back to swimming laps.
“I didn’t think it was fair. That poor lady had to sell her son’s car to pay for his funeral. Neither of us knew it was worth so much. I’ve got a good car and a new phone – I think she should have the rest.”
“It’s very generous of you.” Roslyn pondered just how generous and how decent Amber was being.
“Kayla helped me write the letter. I didn’t want to ring and trip over my words and I wasn’t sure quite how to say all that I had to say. We put her place as the return address.”
“You could have used my PO Box.”
Amber glared in Tom’s direction. He was trying to float again. “I wanted to keep it quiet.”
Roslyn nodded. “Fair enough.” She completely understood wanting to keep charitable acts to yourself. “How about I put the chips in the oven now? Tom looks like he’s working up an appetite.”
“Not sure he deserves food now.”
Roslyn chuckled. “Let’s forgive him.”
“Have you forgiven Margot yet?”
Roslyn was halfway to her feet. She glanced in the direction of her sister’s house and straightened. “Sisters can be complicated.”
“Some of the girls at the Hub have said how nice she is. They really like it when she does the cooking classes. When I said I lived out the back of Margot’s sister’s place they didn’t know who you were but I said you were the better sister.”
“That’s very kind of you.”
“Not kind. It’s the truth. I reckon she’s got a split personality or something.”
“She seems to be under a lot of pressure. Sometimes that can affect the way people behave.”
“There you go letting her off the hook again.”
Roslyn smiled. “I’ll put the chips in the oven. There are drinks in the bar fridge. You and Tom help yourself.”
She glanced in the direction of Margot’s place again as she went inside. Split personality was one way to describe her sister’s current state but Roslyn didn’t think that Margot’s cantankerous behaviour was due to any medical condition. Now that Roslyn had had some time and space from her sister, the hurtfulness of their last encounter had abated. Unkindness was not normal behaviour for Margot.
Roslyn was quite sure taking the lead on opposing the hotel and also campaigning for mayor had a lot to do with Margot’s Jekyll-and-Hyde conduct and she felt a twinge of guilt over it. Rightly or wrongly, Margot felt Roslyn had betrayed her and as the older and perhaps less melodramatic sister, she needed to do something about that.
Amber stretched out on the sun lounge and closed her eyes. She enjoyed her job at the pub and living at Roslyn’s was so easy and comfortable she wished she could stay. If only her life was a fairytale and wishes came true.
A drip of water splashed her leg. She opened her eyes and Tom was there, rubbing himself dry with a towel. He shook his head and his shaggy hair splattered drips over her again.
“Hey,” she growled.
He grinned and did it again.
She sat up, brushing at the drips on her legs. “Piss off!”
“Haven’t heard that in a while,” Tom teased.
“You haven’t been this annoying for a while.”
He sat on one of the other poolside chairs. “You looked too content lying there.”
“I was.”
Tom shrugged and looked back at the pool. “You’re lucky, being here.”
“I know. Wish I could stay.”
“You moving out? Maybe Roslyn would let me live here for my last month.”
“Geez, jump in my grave, why don’t ya.”
“Looking out for number one.”
The pool gate clanged and Roslyn approached carrying a tray with glasses of iced water. “You two need to keep your fluids up,” she said as she handed them one each.
“Thanks, Roslyn,” Tom said. “I totally get why Amber’s going to hate leaving here.”
“No rush to do that.” Roslyn’s steady gaze was almost a physical force holding Amber to her seat.
“Can’t stay forever.” Amber sipped the icy water. “When I was at the Hub the other day the woman who helps people find accommodation said there was a flat that would soon be vacant and my name was at the top of the list for it.”
“I see.” Roslyn’s face was stiff beneath her sunglasses.
“Sounds like a dump compared to the cottage,” Amber joked. “But it’s in Mount Barker, close to the Hub and not too far from shops and a small park.”
“Not far from Jesserton either then.”
“No. I can keep my job at the pub and at least the flat’s mine for as long as I need it.”
“It’s a good start,” Roslyn said. “I’m pleased for you.”
“You gave me my first start.” Amber swallowed some water to try to shift the lump that had formed in her throat.
“We didn’t exactly begin as friends though, did we?” Roslyn chuckled.
Amber shook her head, smiling as she recalled the first time they met. “But we are now.”
“Indeed we are. And you know you’re always welcome here, even if it’s just for a swim.”
Roslyn tapped her glass against Amber’s and they held each other’s gaze a moment. Amber was pretty sure the determination she saw in Roslyn’s look mirrored her own.
“So when Amber moves out…what will you do with the cottage?”
“Shut up, Tom!” Amber held out her glass, threatening to tip the icy contents on his head.
forty
It was a warm January night when Margot was finally able to convene the town meeting to update everyone on her hotel research. She’d chosen the small hall across the road from The General Providore for the meeting, hoping that at seven pm on a Tuesday evening there’d be enough in attendance to make Fred’s front dining room too small but not so many that they needed the larger hall at the Lutheran church.
She didn’t know whether to be pleased or concerned when the hall began to fill with not only locals but a few people from surrounding towns. The butterflies in her stomach flapped a little harder when she saw the various contenders for council were among the crowd, even Cameron who’d thought he wouldn’t be able to make it – although at least he was a supportive contender; she wasn’t sure about the others. And then the butterflies threatened to rise up her throat when she noticed the two men who were running for mayor, Brett Moss and Colin North, were also taking a seat. Not together – they were on opposite sides of the small hall, but she did wonder whether they’d colluded and decided to divide and conquer.
They were both nice enough men, although she found Colin rather fond of the sound of his own voice and Brett a little too smooth-talking for her liking. She’d met them at a council presentation earlier in the month and then run into them at various times as they’d been attending functions and events, getting out and about to meet as many people in the short time before the election as they could.
She scanned those gathered again. Dennis wasn’t here, of course. She was still angry with him so she’d rather he wasn’t in the audience to add to her unrest. She’d seen two of his golf mates come in though. Sam she didn’t mind, but Grant she could have done without. Geraldine had planned to come but she’d had an upset tummy. She still ate the odd sneaky treat, and that meant she’d have a bad day or so. Margot wanted to take her in hand and help her prepare delicious food that was gluten free but she just hadn’t had the time.
She noted Thelma, Fred, Greg and Sarah from the post office were there and so were Kev and Sandy, along with the man who was managing the new supermarket. Lots of familiar faces but no Roslyn. Margot hadn’t expected her sister to come. They’d hardly spoken since the day they’d run into each other at Geraldine’s, although Margot had heard plenty of praise for her sister and Gunter’s Legacy from several different people. Roslyn had tried to make contact twice this week but Margot had shut her down.
As she took in the crowd, the butterflies were flapping so hard in her stomach she’d have almost welcomed Roslyn’s steadying presence. Instead of chatting to fifteen or so people about her findings, as she’d thought would be here, there were more like forty, and when Tess Brown walked in with a couple of her cronies Margot truly thought she would vomit. She took the calming deep breaths she’d been practising then moved to the front of those gathered, straightening her shoulders and lifting her chin. If she was to be mayor she had to get used to this.
Roslyn slipped quietly into the back of the hall and edged along the wall to a space in the corner. She’d heard from Nick that Dennis wouldn’t be at tonight’s meeting. He’d muttered something about his dad having a prior commitment. Nick himself couldn’t be there and Henry was unwell so Emily wasn’t coming either, and Roslyn had been surprised to see Cam walk in ahead of her. She’d thought he was working late. Geraldine wouldn’t be here. She’d been feeling poorly for a couple of days. Roslyn suspected it was probably to do with the pasty she’d bought from the Sheffield bakery. Geraldine was still coming to terms with what totally gluten free meant.
