by Ruth Hay
With this established, the search began in earnest. Jannice pointed out a number of smaller things like a chair and night stand and a tapestry footstool. The proprietor nodded his head and suggested other samples she might consider. Jannice made her way further and further back into the rear saleroom where she had spotted a bedframe with polished brass headboard. She pulled aside several other versions and discarded them as if she were uncertain. The old man stood closer.
“If you are interested in buying larger items, madam, I can promise you a good price and free delivery.
I just received a shipment from a fine Edwardian estate. There’s a lovely chest of drawers and a number of matching pieces. If you will follow me around the corner, I can show you what I mean. These things haven’t been brought inside yet.”
Jannice got the impression he would be glad to sell them as he had no space left in his store. He probably had to choose between selling some older stuff to make space, or selling the newer things right away. His dilemma presented her with an opportunity.
* * *
Vilma saw Jannice emerging from the store empty-handed and commiserated with her.
“Never mind! We have other places to try. Don’t despair.”
“Oh, I am not doing that, by any means at all. I think we should find the park you mentioned and give the dogs a break. I’ve left the wee man with something to think about.”
Vilma was surprised to hear this summary, but happy to follow Jannice’s lead. It was good she was taking charge.
They found the park, set near a river with a good tree area and a fine pond with ducks and geese. Children were playing on swings and roundabouts while their mothers chatted. It was a perfect relaxed country scene and Vilma could not wait to share it with her dogs.
She loosed them from their car seat harnesses after clipping the leash on. They were good about walking together now and she looked around for a quiet spot away from other people where she could play ball with the dogs for a few minutes. Jannice pointed out a slight rise surrounded by trees looking down on the pond, and they climbed up with two eager dogs straining to run free.
Andy’s recent lesson had consisted of obedience training using small treats as incentive. He said the treats were used to establish habits but the real reward was the owner’s praise and approval. Vilma was ready to try this out in an unfamiliar location as it had worked well at Harmony House.
She showed the dogs the ball and threw it into the trees as soon as she unclipped them. She had a second ball in her pocket. Astrid forged ahead and disappeared into the tree cover. Oscar sniffed about for a minute but when Vilma threw the second ball accompanied with the instruction “Fetch!” he also took off toward the trees.
Jannice was duly impressed. “You have a real talent for this, Vilma!”
Vilma smiled. She knew she was a learner and without Andy’s help she would have been in real trouble by now.
The objective was for the dogs to chase the balls until they were tired out. Jannice helped and it was great fun in the fresh air with dogs racing back and forth and clearly enjoying themselves as much as the humans were.
Vilma was beginning to relax and silently congratulating herself on taking on these dogs, when the unexpected happened. This time, it arrived with the cackle of birds rather than the blaring of the rider mower and neither of the women noticed until it was too late.
Suddenly the dogs stopped in their tracks. Their ears perked up as if an important message was being shared. They turned around and raced down the hill toward the pond.
Vilma was astonished. She could see nothing to cause this reaction but Jannice caught sight of a flurry of activity on the grass area that bordered the pond.
“Look down there! The ducks and geese are fighting for corn someone just spread out for them.”
Vilma was off after her dogs but by the time she arrived, calm had been restored in a most unusual way. Astrid and Oscar, acting in synchronicity as if they had done this every day of their lives, had silently run circles around the aggressive geese and herded them into an area away from the man with the corn who had been surrounded. He stood with his mouth open and the bag of corn in his hand while Astrid then detached herself from the geese and moved the ducks toward the safety of the pond again.
Before Vilma could apologize for her dogs running wild, the man shouted out over the quacking protests of the ducks, “Well done! I’ve never seen the like of that little performance. Those two are amazing.
Any sheep farmer in these parts would pay a fortune for that kind of training. Thank you, lady. I could have been attacked there.”
Vilma was taken aback. She had expected a reprimand and instead she was being commended for her training. Of course, she had nothing to do with the dogs’ reactions. She had read about their herding abilities in the Dog Breed books but she had automatically dismissed the information as not relevant to their present situation. With no sheep in the immediate area of London, she thought it would never occur.
She looked over and saw what appeared to be smiles on the faces of the two dogs each with their own assignment. Oscar was crouched down and watching in case one of the geese broke out of the area where he had confined them. He circled around every minute or so to ensure their compliance. The geese had given up and were peacefully feeding on grass. Astrid was on the edge of the pond to ensure the ducks stayed far away mid pond, where she had clearly decided they belonged.
Jannice had picked up the leash before she ran after Vilma and she now handed it to her.
This was the moment of truth. Having completed their instinctive tasks, would the pair return to their mistress?
Vilma drew herself up to a more powerful stance and took from her pocket a small handful of treats which she held out while calling the dogs’ names. To her complete relief, they stood and ran to her, sitting in position to receive their reward. She made sure they knew she was pleased with them while she clipped on the leash. Jannice added her approval and they soon turned back up the hill to retrieve the balls.
“Well! That was something to see. Wait till Andy hears about this!”
“He will be proud of you, Vilma. That was some scene there.”
“Indeed it was but I think that’s enough excitement for today. I’ll get these two back to the car.”
On their way out of the park they were greeted by applause from the mothers and children in the playground who had clearly watched the entire incident.
“Can we pet your dogs?” asked one little boy.
“Oh, I’m sorry! They don’t know any children yet. Maybe another time?”
The mothers approved of this decision and began to talk to the children about asking permission before approaching animals.
Vilma thought the interaction of dogs and children was another hurdle to consider on some other day. She would consult with Andy about that possibility.
She put the car’s windows down completely to cool off the interior and made sure the dogs had a drink of water. While Vilma was strapping the dogs in, Jannice headed back into the Antiques store.
When she emerged it was with the news that she had done a deal with the proprietor and the furniture she needed would be delivered within the week.
“It turns out he had a grandmother from Ireland and we had a good chat about the old country ways.
I think it helped me get a decent price.”
Chapter 9
It turned out that Sunday evening was the preferred time for a shared meal at Harmony House.
They were still using the kitchen dining area with the patio doors open to the small deck and the garden view. Hilary thought the formal dining room downstairs would come into its own on winter nights although gatherings happened there occasionally for favourite television program viewing later in the evenings.
She decided to use the companionable eating time to ask how things were going. It was becoming difficult for even a person as determined as Hilary was, to keep up with all the activities of the
other five and it was good to get a sense of how everyone was settling in to their new circumstances.
She took the measure of the group as they ate from the fish platter cooked to perfection by Honor and Mavis. There was plenty of conversation about food, weather, furnishings, the privilege of individual ensuite washrooms and the peace of the country setting. Every face she observed had lost the strained look she noticed during their monthly meetings at Camden Corners.
What pleased her most of all was the camaraderie among the group. Considering the different life experiences of the women and their different ages, it was remarkable how well they fit together.
She might have congratulated herself on choosing excellent candidates for co-housing, but she was wise enough to admit most of the women had chosen for themselves.
Hilary Dempster was not one to take credit where it was not due and she also had lived long enough to know things change. She surveyed the kitchen atmosphere and was happy for the perfection of this moment in time. More could not be asked.
When slices of the delicious Victoria sponge Eve had concocted had been passed around, Hilary poured coffee and posed her question.
Where a few weeks before there would have been a strained silence for a minute or two, everyone now seemed eager to share their adventures.
Jannice related the events of her entire day in the country with Vilma. She had quite the way with a story and had the table rocking in laughter with her account of the look on the man’s face when the dogs began to round up the geese. She announced the day of the final room reveal in conjunction with Mavis, and stated she had found a suitable online course with Honor’s help and it offered a condensed six month certificate.
“It has also a component of first aid which will be helpful for us here in Harmony House.”
Hilary was delighted to hear how Jannice’s progress incorporated assistance of various kinds from others in the home. People working together was her dream for the co-housing project. Truly she had not expected it to come to fruition quite this quickly.
Before someone else spoke up, she praised Jannice and added the information that she had also agreed to take on the general housekeeping role.
“We’ll arrange to have a vacuum cleaner in cupboards on all the house levels for Jannice, and dusters and cleaning materials can be stored there for everyone’s use. I am sure we will all help out, but if there’s a particular problem in your own room just let us know before it becomes expensive to fix.”
By putting herself into the housekeeping issue alongside Jannice, Hilary felt no one would take the younger woman’s position for granted. It was another item off her list and she hoped she could soon relax and focus on other, personal, matters; namely her son Desmond.
Mavis commented that she was finally having her piano moved from storage to her room in Harmony House.
“Do any of you play? I know Hilary was a music teacher before becoming a principal.”
“That’s true, but it’s many years since I touched a piano. It would be lovely to start again provided it can be behind a closed door.”
Mavis had been thinking about the whole business of the piano. She now wondered if it might be a good idea to install her piano in the ground floor guest room. There was space for it there and the door to the front entrance hall could be closed so as not to disturb any one upstairs.
She posed this suggestion and found it acceptable to everyone.
Eve, who had taken on the task of collecting the mail and distributing it, now picked up a letter she had placed beside her dessert plate and declared it was an invitation from Louise and Dennis Ridley to a neighbourhood barbecue to be held on the following Saturday.
“This will be a good chance to meet the others on the crescent,” said Vilma. “Most of them seem to be out working. The dogs and I haven’t noticed anyone outside on our walks. What does the invite say about bringing food, Eve?”
She read out the details which requested their attendance only, and specified a casual event where mosquito lamps would be operating for their comfort and protection.
“That’s a good warning,” stated Honor. “I have some excellent mosquito repellent if anyone wants to try it. The little beggars seem to like my blood as a bedtime snack.”
Eve went to make a note about the BBQ on the wall calendar and the group, apart from the designated table clearers, began to disperse.
“Oh, I almost forgot to tell you!” Vilma turned around to announce that she had purchased a Netflix account and it meant anyone with a device could access it within the house.
“I’ll show you how it works. It’s really easy and you can watch documentaries as well as movies and entire series of new television programs.”
“That will be handy especially in the winter months. Thank you, Vilma.”
Hilary watched contentedly as the kitchen slowly emptied. It was hard to believe how fast the group of women had gelled into a cohesive band. She noted Eve’s hair had grown and she did not wear the folded headscarves every day. Vilma looked even more svelte and healthy with a high colour in her cheeks that owed nothing to cosmetics. Honor spoke frequently to Mavis while she was doing garden work and the report was that she was very content with her accommodations and her business was progressing very well. Honor, too, looked more spry than previously.
Was all of this too good to be true? Where was the proverbial fly in the ointment? Perhaps the social event next weekend would reveal some unseen cracks in the façade.
Don’t you dare tempt fate, Hilary Dempster!
With this admonition in mind she went off to make herself a note about a laundry shedule and garage storage issues to be discussed at their next communal meal.
Much as she denied its existence, there lingered in the back of her mind the fear that things had gone too smoothly. Harmony House was becoming a fantasy come true.
“It’s impossible! I cannot do this. I will not do this. I’ve had enough to put up with and I can’t go on.
Do you hear me? I can’t!”
It was impossible for Dylan to ignore her. She had all the fire of an impassioned fourteen year old girl in distress and there was no one within hearing range who could have missed her anguish. Heads were turning all over the office and it was not difficult to identify the source of the loud, miserable voice. She was not tall, although her long fair hair was piled high on her head so as to show off the dyed green ends. She was standing on a chair and stamping her feet for all the world like a young child having a tantrum.
Dylan kept his cool. He had seen it all before. Kids could only take so much before they freaked out and Faith had good reason. He reached out his hand and waited until she finally dissolved into heaving sobs at which point she slumped onto his shoulder and he helped her to sit down again.
“Look, I know how you must feel,” he began.
“How do you know? How could you know? Did your mother just die and leave you?”
“I apologize, Faith. That was a thoughtless thing to say. What I should have said was that everyone here has the greatest sympathy for you. We can all see your distress and we want to help you.”
He nudged the Kleenex box closer to her right elbow. She ignored it.
“The only help I want is to be left alone! Let me go home. I need my things around me. I promise to be good. I can look after myself. I’ve been doing it since Mom got sick and had to go to the hospital. You can send someone to check up on me.”
The longer it took to make her case, the more calm she became. He let her talk on until she ran out of steam.
“There must be someone else who can help? I have friends. Can’t we ask my friends’ mothers to take me in? I won’t be any trouble. Honest! I keep my room clean. My Mom always said I was a weird throwback. A neat freak at times……………..”
The last sentence was the one that undid her resolve to show a logical approach to the issue. There was too much pain. Her Mom was not coming home and everyone knew it.
He offe
red the Kleenex box again and this time she grabbed a handful and mopped up her face, removing drops of smeared mascara from her cheeks, along with nose drips and the remains of a red lip colour that must have been layered on for Dutch courage. What now appeared under the ravages of salt tears, was a pale complexion, dark eyebrows and light brown eyes with glettery green eyeshadow that had been chosen to match her hair tips. He could have seen her as pathetic; a little girl trying to hide her feelings of abandonment. But he knew better. Faith Jeffries had held it together for months during her mother’s last illness. With no father in evidence, she had singlehandedly made it to school, (most of the time), taken the bus to the hospital practically every evening, and lived on sandwiches when the money her mother left in the kitchen drawer had run out.
She told no one she was on her own. She fooled her teachers, her friends and her neighbours. It wasn’t until her mother passed away that the nurses made enquiries about her care and Children’s Services were contacted.
Dylan was her counsellor. He tried a foster home, reassuring her it was a temporary measure. She lasted two days before she ran back home. He found her a place in a hospital where she could get the psychological help she needed. She refused to cooperate and when she was returned to him, she made veiled reference to the fact she would rather die than continue to be tossed about from pillar to post.
At this point she should have been committed for her own safety, but he chose to delay the obvious recommendation as she had been declared a Ward of Court and the judgment was about to be made for her disposition.
This involved a search for family members and the reading of her mother’s will.
It was this event, held in the judge’s chambers which had pushed his client over the edge and the result was before him.
She had calmed down slightly but a huge sigh that originated in her depths escaped every now and then despite her best efforts. He had to do something. Lyn would understand. She knew his compassion for waifs and strays.