Chapter 4

CHAPTER

4

On Saturday morning, the mobile library was open for business, set up next to the Wagtail Ridge hall. Library day had become a regular social event and a handful people were settling in for a picnic in the park nearby. Matt had taken up a spot on the hall steps, waiting while Vicki collected her books. He had his phone in his hand, telling himself it was in case someone saw the ‘back in ten minutes’ sign on his office door and chose to ring instead. He wasn’t checking his phone and email every half-hour any more, not as he had been for the past week. Bree Johnston hadn’t been in touch and his hopes of making the sale were fading. He’d been so sure.

I’m not as good a judge of these things as you were, Kim.

He closed his email, as Vicki emerged from the library, her arms full.

‘Look, Daddy. Miss Lou found me alpaca books.’

After meeting ‘the alpaca lady’ a week ago, Vicki had pestered the librarian, Lou, for books about alpacas. Lou had come up trumps, as she always did.

‘Daddy, did you know that an alpaca can be happy if it’s only got three legs?’

‘Ah. No. I did not know that.’

‘There’s one in this book. And pictures of it and everything.’ Vicki held up the book, open to a page of coloured photographs.

Matt didn’t actually see an animal with only three legs, but that didn’t matter. ‘It just goes to show that not everyone is the same, and we can all be happy, even if we’re a bit different.’

‘I’m going to tell Granny and Grandpa about the alpacas when they call me tonight. I can do that, Daddy, can’t I?’

‘Well, you know Granny and Grandpa like to hear about what you do at school. And with your friends. Maybe you shouldn’t tell them until the alpaca lady decides if she’s really going to come here to live. Not just yet.’

Kim’s parents kept in regular contact with Matt—or more precisely, with Vicki. It was hard for him. Every time he saw them, all the pain of losing Kim came back. But Vicki didn’t feel that. He’d never try to keep her grandparents away from her, even if, of late, things had become—

‘When are the alpacas coming, Daddy? I want to see them.’

That was the million dollar question. Well, not million dollar.

The Gums wasn’t that expensive.

‘I don’t know, honey. Ms Johnston may be looking at other properties. She might find a place she likes better than the Ridge. She might not come here at all.’

‘She’ll come. I know she will.’

Matt wished he had Vicki’s confidence. Since Bree’s visit, he’d had only one email from her, asking a few questions, which he’d been able to answer that same day. Then nothing. Should he send another email, giving her a gentle push? He’d been pretty hopeful, but he may have misjudged the woman with the amazing hair and startling eyes.

Vicki would be disappointed if the alpacas never came to town, just as he would be disappointed not to make that all-important sale. And, if he was honest, not to see Bree again. She had been interesting. Not that he’d ever say that out loud. If he did, it wouldn’t be long before the Wagtail Ridge grapevine swung into action. And it wasn’t that kind of interest. He’d found and lost the one woman in the world for him. That wouldn’t stop the ladies from trying to matchmake, and that thought filled him with dread—he would never find another woman like Kim. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t appreciate a female friend, and another woman in Vicki’s orbit would be good for her. Because Matt was certain of one thing. If those alpacas did ever come to The Gums, he would never keep Vicki away.

The phone rang.

‘Hello, Mr Ambrose—Matt. It’s Bree Johnston here.’

‘It’s good to hear from you, Ms—Bree.’

At the sound of the name, Vicki looked up, a wild grin on her face. Matt held up a hand to tell her to stay still.

‘Would it be possible to visit that property again?’

‘Yes—when would you like to come?’

‘Well, we’re actually already on the way. We would probably be there in about an hour, if that’s convenient.’

He briefly wondered who ‘we’ was. ‘Of course it is.’

‘Excellent. We’ll see you then.’

When he ended the call, Vicki was bouncing up and down in front of him. ‘Are the alpacas coming today?’

‘No, honey. That was Ms Johnston. She wants to take another look at the property this afternoon.’

‘She’s going to buy it, isn’t she, Daddy?’

‘I hope so, but she might not. And either way, there won’t be any alpacas there yet.’

‘Can I come with you to look at the place where they’re going to live?’

‘Honey, you know you can’t come on business visits like that. I’ll ring Mrs Bridge to see if you can go visit her while I’m out. You can play with the cat.’

‘Please, Daddy!’

When she looked at him like that, his heart melted. Vicki had her mother’s eyes, those same deep blue pools that looked at him as if he was some sort of superhero. As though he could fix anything. Well, he wasn’t and he couldn’t. He had been unable to save the woman he loved from a terrible illness, and every time he looked at his beautiful daughter, he was reminded of that failure.

‘I don’t think so, Vicki. Now, I have some work to do before Ms Johnston arrives, so we have to go back to the office. But you can take your alpaca books with you to visit Mrs Bridge.’

***

When his client arrived a few minutes early, it seemed to Matt the office brightened with her presence. It wasn’t just the brilliant colours of the patchwork jacket she wore or the sparkle of the large number of silver bracelets clinking on her wrists, Bree Johnston seemed to exude energy and enthusiasm and warmth. It was very much like having a small sun walk into the room.

The second person who walked into his office was an older woman who had to be a relative. They were too alike, not only in dress and appearance, but the women radiated the same energy.

‘Matt, this is Rose Fuller, my grandmother. She wanted to have a look at The Gums too.’

Rose’s hand was small, but her handshake was firm. ‘I hope you don’t mind my coming along.’

‘Not at all. Pleased to meet you.’ He hid his excitement. If Bree had brought a relative to look over The Gums, it meant she was seriously considering the purchase. His much-needed sale was looking likely again and that was good news indeed.

As he had on the previous visit, Matt drove to The Gums. Bree and Rose’s inspection of the property was even more thorough this time. He hung back, leaving them to it, but remaining available to answer any questions they might have. There weren’t many. After about an hour, the two women paused out of his earshot for a conversation. His every instinct told him this was the moment when the sale would be made or not. The salesman in him wanted to step forward and do his stuff, extol the virtues of the property one more time, or expand on the advantages of the region. He’d spoken to the owners after Bree’s first visit and they were quite willing to drop the price slightly to make the sale. He should be negotiating with the women. That was his job, what he did with every potential customer. But a small voice at the back of his brain was telling him that Bree was unlike his other customers, unlike most of the people he’d ever met. So he stayed silent, knowing there was nothing he could say that would sway Bree’s mind in one direction or the other.

At last, the women approached him.

‘On the subject of price …’ Bree began.

Matt’s heart sang. He’d made the sale. We’ll be all right for another year, Kim.

‘I have a little leeway,’ he said and the negotiation began.

***

While Bree and Matt haggled, Rose strolled over to sit on the front steps of the house. She sighed with a quiet contentment. This was a good place for her granddaughter. Margaret had been right about one thing. Rose had actively encouraged Bree to break away from a life that she—‘hated’ was perhaps too strong a word—but a life she was never going to find fulfilling. And this place had a good feel to it. Margaret had always scoffed at Rose’s belief that some places were simply waiting for the right person to come along. Bree never had. Rose loved her daughter, but had never understood where her tight, unemotional side had come from. Certainly her father had never been like that. A brilliant lawyer, William had never lost his gentle side despite the things he’d seen and heard in his work. Margaret had been born without that gentle nature.

Bree, however, was a different matter. Bree was more Rose’s daughter than Margaret had ever been. Somehow, her granddaughter’s free spirit, glorious imagination and creative soul had survived the rigours of her childhood, a fact for which Rose was happy to take some of the credit. Bree had grown into a young woman with a brilliant mind and a great deal of honour.

Rose watched her granddaughter discussing the finer details of the purchase. Bree didn’t need to argue too much about the price—her grandfather had left her a considerable inheritance. Rose was also still part-owner of the family law firm, which brought her in a ridiculously high and undeserved income. She had offered to invest in Bree’s venture, but Bree wanted to go it alone if she could. Just another reason Rose was proud of her, although she’d always be there to back her up if necessary.

Rose watched Bree and the real estate agent shake hands. It was done. She smiled as she got to her feet. Bree was also smiling as she stood, hands on hips, and turned in a slow circle, surveying the place that would soon be hers. Her face was shining.

‘This deserves a celebration,’ Rose announced. ‘Matt, it’s lunchtime and I’m hungry. Is there somewhere we can get something to eat, and maybe a glass of something bubbly to seal the deal?’

‘There’s a very nice pub in the Ridge,’ Matt said through his wide grin. ‘It’s sort of a meeting place for the whole town. If you’re going to be living here, Bree, it’s a good place to start to get to know people. I could take you there now.’

‘That sounds great, Matt. Thank you.’

Rose liked the Wagtail Ridge Hotel the moment she saw it. The two-storey brick-and-timber structure stood on the corner of the main road. Its paint was a little faded, but it looked welcoming, and as they walked up to the main door, Rose heard the gentle hubbub of voices inside. The interior matched the exterior. Not particularly prosperous, but well cared for. The owners had pride in their establishment. That mattered more than new paint or fancy furniture.

‘Bree, Rose. This is Deb Fraser,’ Matt introduced them to the woman behind the bar. ‘Deb and her husband Shane own the pub.’

‘Nice to meet you.’ Deb smiled in a welcoming manner that Rose liked.

‘Bree has been looking at The Gums,’ Matt said.

‘That’s a nice place. It would be good to see it occupied and some horses back in those paddocks again.’

‘Not horses,’ Bree said with a grin.

Deb frowned for a second, then understanding dawned in her eyes. ‘You’re the alpaca lady that Vicki has been on about.’

‘Vicki?’ Rose asked.

‘Matt’s daughter,’ Deb said. ‘She can’t stop talking about the alpacas coming to live in the Ridge.’

‘Well, maybe soon,’ Bree said.

‘Any chance of some lunch while we finalise a few details?’ Matt asked.

‘Sure, but it’s a limited menu today. Jake’s off.’

‘Jake is the regular cook,’ Matt said. ‘He’s very good. Today is a library day so Jake is helping his wife Lou out with that.’

‘He sounds like a busy man. I hope he’ll have time to do the work I need.’

‘He will. He always does.’

‘Great. In the meantime, the menu looks pretty good to me.’

Lunch, when it arrived at their table, was nothing to be ashamed of. Matt had crumbed pork. Bree’s salad was generous and fresh, while Rose contented herself with a sandwich and a rare, for her, serving of sweet potato fries. Good fries they were too.

Rose didn’t take much part in the conversation, letting Matt and Bree finalise the deal. Rose was far more interested in the feel of the bar and the people in it. The ebb and flow of chat between them. The familiar and friendly greetings as people came and left. This, she decided, was a nice town. Bree would be happy here.

But Rose would miss her granddaughter dreadfully. For the first time, she began to fully realise how much. The two of them got together at least once most weeks and usually one day on the weekend as well. Rose didn’t have many friends. She was in her seventies. Some of her friends had died or moved away, and at her age, you didn’t make new friends easily. Her isolation during the Covid pandemic had made everything worse, leaving Rose feeling cut off from life and sometimes lonely. In all the ways that mattered, her granddaughter was her best friend. She’d never say anything to Bree, though, or try to hold her back. Rose had lived her life the way she wanted and now was Bree’s time, not hers. Although she was sure she’d manage to find an excuse to visit from time to time. As often as she was welcome.

Rose was still pondering this idea when another couple entered the bar. This time, the crowd’s reaction was different. There were no greetings from the other diners and Deb’s welcoming smile was hesitant. But it was Matt’s reaction that surprised Rose most of all. He froze, then frowned.

‘Can you please excuse me for a moment?’ he said, recovering, and left his lunch to intercept the couple as they crossed the room.

Rose didn’t try to eavesdrop but pretty much everyone in the lounge heard part of the conversation that followed.

‘… should have let me know you were coming. Please, next time …’

‘… in a bar on a Saturday. With some woman … be with our granddaughter.’ The woman had quite a piercing voice.

‘It’s business.’ Matt’s voice was firm.

Bree and Rose exchanged a surprised look, but kept their faces carefully neutral when Matt returned. Alone. The couple left the bar.

‘I am so sorry for the interruption.’ Matt didn’t retake his seat. ‘I’m afraid I’m going to have to leave. Something unexpected has come up.’

Rose could still hear the tension in his voice.

‘Of course,’ Bree said. ‘We can deal with the paperwork next week. Thank you.’

‘It’s been a pleasure.’ Matt held out his hand and Bree took it.

Then he shook Rose’s hand.

‘It’s only a short walk from here to my office where you left your car. I hope that’s all right.’

‘It’s fine,’ Rose answered. ‘We’ll have lunch and then head back to Sydney.’

‘Yes. Good. Thank you. I’ll … I’ll be in touch.’ Matt hesitated as if there was more he wanted to say, then left.

‘That was strange,’ Bree said quietly. ‘A bit rude. I wouldn’t have thought Matt was like that.’

Before Rose could reply, a voice behind her said, ‘Those are his in-laws. Well, were his in-laws. His wife’s parents. But she’s dead now.’

As Rose turned to the speaker, it wasn’t the words that surprised her most. Rose had pink streaks in her hair that occasionally slipped gently into a shade of purple or even blue. She found it cheerful to play with her hair colour and she’d never been afraid of people’s reactions. But the woman standing behind her had short, thinning hair of the most startling shade of orange. The sort of orange that would have stood out in a crowd of natural gingers. The sort of neon orange that was usually associated with glow-in-the-dark safety vests.

‘Oh,’ Rose said.

‘It was such a terrible tragedy,’ the orange-haired woman continued, barely pausing for breath. ‘For Matt and his poor little daughter Vicki. He’s doing his best, poor soul, but those in-laws of his … Since Kim’s death, they have been interfering a lot. Always up here. They have no boundaries, really. None at all.’

As the words ‘pot’ and ‘kettle’ were forming in Rose’s brain, Deb’s husband Shane joined their little group. ‘Excuse me. Hello, Val. Why don’t you and Peter take that table over by the window? I’ll bring your usual over for you in a minute or two.’

A man in his sixties took Val’s arm and led her away. From the look of him, he was her husband and well used to dragging her away from similar circumstances.

‘I’m sorry about that,’ Shane said as soon as the woman was out of earshot. ‘That’s Val, our postmistress. She’s not a bad person, but she is a terrible gossip, and always on the lookout for new faces.’

‘It’s fine.’ Bree waved his concern away.

‘I hope it hasn’t put you off our small town,’ Shane said as he went back to the bar.

‘It would take more than one gossip to do that.’ Bree smiled at Rose and lifted her glass of soda water. ‘I think I’ve found it, Nan.’

Rose lifted her glass as well. ‘Then here’s to your new home.’