Chapter 25

CHAPTER

25

Bree was ready to go back to the law, just for a few hours. To help Matt.

But first, she had a call to make. She hadn’t spoken to her parents for a couple of weeks, but now she needed to ask a favour of them.

‘Hello, Bree. How are you?’ There may not have been censure in the voice, but Bree heard it anyway.

‘I’m fine thanks, Mother. How’s Father?’

‘He’s well, thank you.’

‘That’s great.’

‘And how is your business venture going? The … alpaca farm?’

‘It’s going well, thank you, Mother. I’ve had the herd shorn and the first fleeces are off being spun now. The yarn will be ready in a couple of weeks. Would you like me to send you some? I know you don’t knit, but perhaps you’d be interested to see what it’s like.’

‘Yes, thank you. That would be lovely.’

The civilities properly handled, Bree got down to the purpose of the call. ‘Mother, I have a favour to ask. To help a friend here in Wagtail Ridge.’

Silence on the other end of the phone.

‘He’s having a custody issue. There’s nothing to it, no grounds at all. I think a firmly worded letter will put an end to it. I will write that for him. But—’

‘You need to put it out under the firm’s letterhead to give it weight.’ Her mother had always been one to cut right to the chase.

‘Yes. I know I’m not technically part of the firm any more, but it would help.’

‘Actually, you are still part of the firm.’

‘I am?’

‘Of course. It’s a family firm and you are still part of the family, even if you have deserted us. And you remain a solicitor. It seemed pointless to remove you from the firm. When you are ready and decide to return, everything is here waiting for you.’

Bree bristled. Even now, her mother refused to believe she wasn’t coming back. Margaret could not understand anyone wanting a life other than one of wealth and power, even if it was at the cost of their hopes and dreams. And she’d never believed Bree was capable of making her own decisions and running her own life. A lawsuit—yes; her life—never. It was clear that Margaret expected Bree to fail and come running back to her parents. She shouldn’t be surprised and it shouldn’t hurt. But it did. Every time.

Bree put the pain and anger to one side. An argument wouldn’t help Matt, and she had long ago given up any hope of changing her mother’s opinions. ‘Then are you willing to have me use that position to help my friend? It would be pro bono.’

‘Whatever you want is perfectly all right by your father and me.’

‘Thank you.’

As the call ended, Bree wondered if Rose had told Margaret she was planning to move. But that was something for another day. Right now, Matt needed her.

***

When she arrived at his office, Matt was, as usual, at his desk. Bree had deliberately chosen this time of day because Vicki would be at school. The little girl didn’t need to hear any of this.

‘I’m here to help you with Vicki’s grandparents,’ she announced as she dropped into a chair opposite him.

‘That’s really good of you. But I can’t ask you to get involved in this.’

‘You didn’t ask, I’m offering. If you don’t want me involved, that’s fine. Tell me so and I’ll step back. But you need a solicitor and that costs money. Or, in my case, it’s going to cost you the very best lasagne Jake has ever cooked at the pub and the best wine Deb has hidden under the bar.’

Matt almost laughed. ‘Thanks.’ He sounded much better than he had yesterday. He nodded and opened the desk drawer.

The letter he put in front of Bree was several pages of intense legalese, the sort of letter solicitors write when they want to not exactly threaten but rather intimidate someone. The sort of letter that usually worked. But this one was different on one key point.

‘It’s strange that they don’t say what they want. They claim you have cut off their access to Vicki, and they will start proceedings against that. But they don’t say what would be an acceptable out-of-court solution. That’s most unusual. I would expect them to say that proceedings can be averted if you return to the free access they had before.’

‘What are you thinking?’

‘I don’t know. This seems very unrealistic. There’s nothing here that a court would take too seriously. It seems to me to be an opening salvo to judge how you respond. Do they have anything else to threaten you with? Apart from what we talked about yesterday.’

She saw him hesitate. Or she thought she did.

‘No. I just think that Sally hasn’t dealt with losing Kim. And that’s what’s driving her. It’s as if she wants to use Vicki to get back the daughter she lost. It’s really sad. She is a nice woman—or maybe I should say, she was. I thought we got on well, until recently.’

‘I’ll reply to them. I’ll go home now and write the letter. I’ll email you a copy, then if you’re happy, I’ll have it sent via my parents’ firm to give it more weight.’

‘Thank you.’

‘Then we need to give it a few days. If we don’t hear anything more, we can be pretty sure it’s not a serious threat.’

‘And if we do? What’s likely to be their next step?’

‘I honestly don’t know. From what I’ve seen and what you’ve told me, there really isn’t a next step. Not one a family law specialist would suggest. I really think you can relax about the legal side. This will go away. As for Sally—’

‘I’m still hoping that she’ll get some help. I’ve suggested that to Brian but I can’t do more than that. All I can do is keep Vicki safe.’

‘I’m sure you will.’

Matt came out from behind the desk to perch on the front near Bree. ‘Thank you. Now, when can I buy you that slap-up dinner at the pub?’

‘I haven’t done anything yet. Let’s get this letter out there and see what happens before we celebrate.’

‘Okay. How does Friday sound?’

‘A bit optimistic. I wouldn’t expect to hear anything by then. But that doesn’t mean you can’t buy me dinner. By the way, Nan called me earlier. She says her offer has been accepted.’

‘I’m glad she told you, because I couldn’t without breaking confidentiality. But yes, it looks like all that is going ahead.’

‘So we can celebrate that on Friday instead. I’ll see if Nan is going to come up. And if she does, there’s a good chance Mike will appear, unless he’s off working somewhere.’

‘I’ll get a babysitter for Vicki.’

‘No. Bring Vicki as well, if you want. Nan would love to see her. She’s very fond of her. So am I.’

‘She’d enjoy it. But I am still going to take you out for dinner soon. Just the two of us.’

Bree’s heart did a little skip, but she shook her head. ‘Don’t say another word. As of now, you’re my client. Ethics, you know.’

‘But if I’m not paying you?’

He was far too close and his smile was way too appealing. She was struggling to keep her focus on ethics and while she might not be a practising solicitor any more, some rules were so strong, they were hard to break. It was time she left.

‘Ethics is about more than money. Let’s give it a couple of weeks. If this has gone nowhere, I might be persuaded to consider you no longer a client.’ A couple of weeks seemed a very long time. She got to her feet and left before anything more could be said.

Writing the letter didn’t take much time. When she was happy with it, she sent it to Matt, who replied immediately that he was content for it to be sent. Then she picked up the phone and dialled a very familiar number.

‘Fuller and Johnston. How may I help you?’ Her former assistant sounded as efficient as always.

‘Ken, is there any chance you want to do one more paralegal job for me?’

‘Bree? It’s good to hear from you. How are you? How’s life on the farm?’

‘I’m fine, thanks. Life on the farm is great. And you?’

‘We all miss you around here.’

She missed some aspects of her old life too. ‘Ken, I have a letter I need sent. On the firm’s letterhead. Apparently I’m still on the books as an associate, so it’s okay.’

‘Sure. Anything you need.’

‘Okay. Stand by. I’m emailing the letter now.’ She hit send.

‘And I’ve got it.’ Ken asked a couple of questions about what Bree needed done and promised it would go this afternoon.

After thanking him and hanging up, Bree went back outside. Maggie had taken the day off, so the place was silent as she approached the paddock. She could see her girls, some grazing, some dozing in the sun. As always, her lips curved into a smile.

‘Hello, girls. How are you? Are you looking for some company?’

Obviously not. One or two cast a glance at her, but otherwise they ignored her, holding their heads high and their faces turned away with that look of superiority and disdain that alpacas do so well.

Bree shook her head. The girls might not be in the mood for company, but she was. For the first time since moving to The Gums, she felt lonely.

And why was that? This was all she had ever wanted, a place like The Gums. A life marked by freedom, not rules and laws. The only demands on her were those of the animals she had chosen to have, not judges and clients and other lawyers. She had friends in Wagtail Ridge. Or, if not friends yet, people who were fast becoming friends. Her business was still in its infancy, but so far was going to plan.

So why was she feeling deprived of human company?

Was it intellectual? Perhaps writing the letter had brought her back to the challenges of the law. She’d always been good at meeting those challenges head on and enjoying the intellectual thrust and parry of courtrooms. Surely she wasn’t missing that.

Perhaps it was something else. Something to do with her new and only client.

She liked Matt. No—more than liked. She was drawn to him. She admired the father he was to Vicki. She sympathised with the grief he obviously still felt for Kim. She admired the honest way he conducted his business, small though it was, compared to the sleazy behaviour she’d seen over and over again in courtrooms. His was possibly the most open and honest face she had ever seen. She liked the way he too had found peace and comfort walking with her, leading an alpaca through the bush. She loved the way he’d joined in the knitting club.

Loved?

No. She didn’t love him. She couldn’t love someone she’d only known for a couple of months. Couldn’t love someone she’d only kissed a handful of times. But those kisses … They had meant something to her. And to him, perhaps. But it could go no further while she was acting on his behalf.

There was something not right about this suit. She was more than willing to believe that Sally was overreacting. Some solicitors would be happy to feed her fantasy and take the money, but the contents of that letter would never be enough for a court to remove a child from her father’s care.

Was there something else that Matt hadn’t told her? He’d seemed hesitant when she asked and that wasn’t him.

The sound of an engine approaching down the driveway interrupted Bree’s thoughts and she looked up. The van from the spinners was about to deliver the yarn from the first fleeces collected here, on her own property. She hurried to meet it, longing to hold those first skeins of yarn and know that her dream was coming together.

And maybe when this business with Sally was done, she might permit herself another dream as well.