by Karly Lane
Rilee looked up from the computer screen and called, ‘Just a sec.’ Who on earth was this? At the front door she saw someone hidden behind an enormous pot plant. ‘Oh, here, let me get the door for you.’ Rilee opened the screen and stood to one side as the pot plant with legs moved inside.
Having deposited the plant on the kitchen bench, a woman maybe a few years younger than herself turned and smiled a welcome at Rilee. ‘Hi, I’m Shae Fuller. My husband is Mark, the station foreman.’
‘Oh!’ Rilee gave a gasp of recognition. ‘Hi, yes, I’ve met Mark, and I was wondering when I’d get a chance to meet you.’
‘I stayed on a bit longer to help out after my gran’s funeral and just got back last night. I hope I’m not interrupting—I just wanted to pop over and introduce myself.’
‘No, not at all. Would you like a cuppa?’ Rilee busied herself making coffee, sending the massive plant on the bench a glance.
‘I brought a housewarming gift. It’s a fern.’
‘That’s very kind of you. I’m afraid I have a bad track record with indoor plants.’
‘You won’t be able to kill this one, trust me. I’ve had one for three years and it’s still going strong.’
Rilee felt better after hearing that bit of news, but she still eyed the plant doubtfully. She was good with herbs but she usually managed to kill house plants. They took their coffee outside to sit on the verandah; the steps made a surprisingly comfortable seat.
‘So how are you fitting in?’
Rilee glanced down into her coffee cup and gave a small grimace. ‘Well, apart from becoming the laughing stock of the district, fine I guess.’
‘That bad, huh?’
‘Worse. I can’t seem to do anything right around here.’
Shae gave a smile of commiseration. ‘I think it would be a big adjustment coming out here fresh from the city. Don’t be too hard on yourself, everyone makes mistakes at first. You’ll get the hang of it.’
‘I hope so. I don’t get trusted with much, but I look at how much work there is to do around the place every day and it’s mind-boggling how it all gets done.’
‘We’ve been away a few weeks, so it’s made a bit of extra work for everyone, I guess. It’s not usually this bad. I work from home in freelance marketing and communications, which keeps me busy but nowhere near as busy as some women living on the land. I always think back to what my gran’s generation had to do,’ she smiled dryly. ‘She’d have to help pick beans before making breakfast and getting seven kids fed and ready for school, then go back out in the field until it was time to go in and make dinner, as well as take care of all the washing, cooking and kids…’
‘Oh wow.’ Rilee couldn’t imagine that kind of life—she was struggling just trying to collect the eggs. ‘So you come from a long line of farmers then?’ She managed to disguise the disappointment after her brief moment of hope that she’d found a fellow non-farmer.
‘My parents still work the original farm alongside my brothers and their families. Where did you grow up?’
‘Originally Sydney before we moved to the far north coast of New South Wales.’
‘Really? Whereabouts?’
‘A small…community, on a farm.’ Of sorts. Rilee hedged. She really didn’t want to alienate this nice stranger on the first meeting as usually happened once people found out she’d been brought up in a hippie commune.
‘So you were a country girl?’
‘Yeah, I know. You’d think I’d be better at this whole rural thing, wouldn’t you? My parents were vegans, so even though we had chooks, we didn’t use any animal products ourselves—we sold the eggs for extra income.’
‘What on earth did you eat?’
‘Tofu and lentils…lots of lentils.’
‘Are you still a vegan?’
‘God no. I gave that up the minute I left home.’
‘So do you remember the last lentil burger you ate? I’d imagine it’s like an ex-smoker remembering the date of their last cigarette,’ Shae grinned.
Rilee began to smile, until a memory resurfaced. ‘On the train, the day I left for Sydney.’ Her mother had packed her a bag of food for her big trip. She remembered thinking to herself how she was so glad she’d never have to eat another stupid lentil burger ever again. ‘I threw it in the bin the minute I got on the train.’ Rilee felt remorse settle upon her shoulders like a heavy shawl. ‘My mum had made the effort to get up early and pack me a home-made lunch and I couldn’t wait to throw it away the first chance I got,’ she said sadly. It had been years since she’d thought about that day. How could she have been so ungrateful?
‘Hey, you were a teenager, we all did horrible things to our parents. Go and give her a call and apologise, it’ll make you feel better—I do it all the time to my mum. Half the time she doesn’t even remember it, and then I realise I’ve been feeling guilty for nothing!’
Rilee smiled at the woman’s attempt to make her feel better.
Shae gave a small grunt. ‘I love my family to death and all, but even at twenty-nine and married, I still get phone calls asking me to explain myself and wanting to know when they can expect grandchildren.’
Rilee thought she detected a slight catch in the woman’s tone, but Shae moved the conversation along before she had time to dwell on it. ‘So I hear you’re planning a new venture.’
‘How did you hear about it?’ Shae had been away for much of the time—surely news couldn’t travel that fast?
‘Dan talks a lot about you. From what Mark says it’s hard to shut him up sometimes.’
‘Oh.’ Rilee couldn’t help her surprised delight at that comment.
‘He said the extra-long lunch breaks were great too. For some reason, Dan’s very eager to get home for lunch nowadays,’ she grinned.
Rilee did blush a little at that.
‘So how’s this business going?’
Rilee, grateful for the change in subject, said, ‘I’ve got my business plan almost completed, and I’ve booked an appointment with the real estate agent to look at an office space to rent, so I guess we’ll soon find out if I can get a business up and running.’
‘It sounds very exciting.’
Rilee detected a small reservation though, despite her encouraging words. ‘But…’
‘I only just met you, and I really don’t want to rain on your parade when you’ve put so much work into this, it’s just that I have a feeling you might come up against a little bit of resistance with most people around here. Maybe it’s something you should consider before you invest too much money into this business venture—I’d hate to see you lose all your money over this if it doesn’t go the way you hope.’
‘Did my husband put you up to this?’
‘Up to what?’ Shae frowned uncertainly.
‘The caution about starting a business out here. It’s almost word for word what he said the other day.’
‘I haven’t spoken to Dan; I just wanted you to be aware of what you might be up against.’
Rilee gave a small twist of her lips. ‘Sorry. I guess I’m a bit sensitive about it all at the moment. I figure things will start out a little slow but once word starts to get around, I’m sure business will pick up.’
Shae shrugged lightly. ‘Just so you’re aware it could take a while.’
‘I don’t have anything else to do, so I’ll have plenty of time on my hands.’
‘What kinds of things can you help with?’
Rilee looked up at her new friend, trying to calculate the level of genuine interest in the question. ‘All sorts of things. Fatigue, depression, allergies. Fertility problems, menopause, arthritis—lots of things.’
‘Something for everyone in there,’ she joked half-heartedly.
Rilee could sense something behind the woman’s response but didn’t want to push. Maybe once they got to know each other she’d open up a bit more.
‘Well, I better get moving. There’s heaps to catch up on since we’ve been away.’
‘Tha
nks for the present, and for coming over to say hello. It’ll be nice to have someone around here to have coffee with now and again.’
‘I’m really glad you’re here, Rilee,’ Shae smiled, then headed back down the stairs and climbed into a ute, before leaving via the long dirt driveway.
Walking inside with the empty coffee cups, Rilee figured maybe it wouldn’t be so bad here now that she’d made a friend, and her hopes began to lift a little at the thought.
Eleven
The sound of the front door opening distracted Rilee from her computer screen the next morning. ‘I knew you couldn’t resist that offer for a morning quickie,’ she called, shutting the laptop as she heard footsteps heading up the hallway. ‘Let’s go, big boy—’ Her mouth gaped as she discovered her mother-in-law frozen in the doorway, a hand fluttering around her throat anxiously. ‘Ellen! I’m sorry, I thought you were—’
‘Dan, yes…I gathered.’
Mortified, Rilee retied the sash of her silk dressing gown tightly around her waist and crossed her arms protectively across her chest. Well, this was…awkward. ‘Newlyweds,’ she laughed, hoping it didn’t sound as hysterical as she feared.
‘Yes. Well.’
‘Was there something you needed, Ellen?’
‘I was coming to ask if you’d like to have lunch in town today.’
The invitation caught Rilee off guard momentarily, but she recovered quickly. ‘That would be lovely. I actually have to go to the post office, so that works in well.’
‘I’ll just let you get dressed then.’
‘Oh, now?’ She stole a glance at the watch on her wrist—it was barely nine.
‘I have a ladies’ church committee meeting before lunch. You can sit in—the meeting won’t take long and it will be a good opportunity to introduce you to a few people in town.’
‘Oh, okay, I’ll just duck in and have a quick shower then. Help yourself to tea or coffee, make yourself at home.’ As though you haven’t already. Since when did people just walk into someone else’s house without knocking? Irritated by her mother-in-law’s proprietorial attitude, she slammed drawers as she searched for something suitable to wear. What the hell did one wear to a bloody ladies’ church group meeting anyway? Conscious of her guest probably nosing around her house as she showered, Rilee made quick work of getting dry and dressed.
She hurried through her makeup routine and was pulling on a pair of small heels as she hopped down the hallway and out to the kitchen. Now that had to be some kind of record, she thought to herself and wished Dan had been here to witness it.
‘Oh, you didn’t need to hurry that much. You should have taken time to do your hair, dear.’
Gritting her teeth, she forced a smile to her lips. ‘I did do my hair, it’s supposed to look slightly tousled.’
‘Oh. I see.’
Rilee saw the woman’s eyebrow hitch slightly, and Ellen gave a doubtful smile as she stared at her finger-styled damp hair. There was nothing wrong with her hairstyle. She’d worn it like this plenty of times; it was cut like this on purpose. What was wrong with this woman? Surely it was permissible to wear your hair in something other than tied back in a ponytail once in a while?
‘Well, if you’re sure, dear. We’ve still got plenty of time if you’d like to finish getting ready.’
Irritation reared its ugly head once more, and Rilee fought her usual response, which would have been to keep the peace by going back to the bathroom and changing. Not today. ‘Nope, I’m good. Let’s get going.’ She grabbed her handbag from the kitchen bench and headed out the front door, not bothering to see if Ellen was following or not.
It was going to be a long day.
The meeting was held in the back room of the top pub, which was really quite lovely inside. The old pub dated back to 1870 and had been preserved beautifully, and although its original old-world charm had been retained, it had been given a new lease of life with lighter furnishings and white paint replacing the darker shades of reds and greens and velvet furnishings that would have been prominent in the pub’s heyday. The conference room was decorated in shades of buttercup and white and there was plenty of sunshine filtering in through the large windows and French doors which opened out onto the wide timber verandah that surrounded the hotel.
The ladies had added their own little touches to the space, with fresh-cut flowers in vases on the front table and around the room, and a huge morning tea spread on a side table. Minutes from the last meeting were read out by a harried-looking secretary and Rilee tried not to let her attention drift too much, aware of the furtive glances being slid her way throughout the announcements.
Ellen, for her part, sat ramrod straight with her ankles crossed and put to the side, the very image of a June Dally-Watkins star pupil, not batting so much as an eyelid at the obvious interest in her new daughter-in-law’s presence.
The secretary announced she was handing the proceedings over to the committee’s president and Ellen gracefully stood and glided to the front of the room and the small platform where the podium stood.
Rilee stared after her mother-in-law in surprise; she didn’t know Ellen was the president. Clearly she was in her element in this role. Grace and poise emanated from the woman. She still had that condescending tone that rubbed Rilee the wrong way, but here it suited her position. She ran the meeting with all the professionalism and smoothness of a seasoned presenter. The woman could easily pass for the managing director of a company.
‘And so I’d like to introduce you to my daughter-in-law, Rilee.’
Immediately all sets of eyes in the room were on her as Rilee realised she had been lost in thought. She gave a nod of hello and sent an awkward smile around the meeting, wishing she’d been told beforehand to expect this mass introduction. Thankfully the meeting was declared over and it was time for morning tea.
Ellen made her way across to her, a long-legged blonde in tow. The woman was attractive, sleek like a thoroughbred, with elegant long nails and silky smooth hair that fell below her shoulders.
‘Rilee, may I introduce you to Priscilla Montgomery, a dear friend of the family,’ Ellen purred with a warm smile at the blonde beauty, the kind she had never given Rilee.
‘Hello, Priscilla. Your parents were big Elvis fans I take it?’
Arctic blue eyes drilled into her and Rilee felt chilled to the bone. ‘So this is the woman who finally captured Daniel’s heart.’
Daniel? She’d asked Dan if he was ever called Daniel, and he’d said only his mother called him by his formal name, and usually when he was in trouble. Well, his mother…and Priscilla. ‘Apparently so,’ Rilee smiled.
‘I hear you’re into this new fad of herbal medicine.’ Priscilla regarded her haughtily down her long nose and Rilee thought the thoroughbred comparison was just right.
‘It’s actually been around for thousands of years, so it’s not exactly new.’
‘Hardly a replacement for modern medicine, though. Surely people are wary of putting their health into the hands of people who replace medications with vitamins and herbs?’
‘It’s not supposed to replace modern medicine, it’s used to complement it, and it’s more than just herbs.’
‘You’re going to have a hard time convincing anyone around here to agree.’
‘I’m surprised by that—it’s quite accepted back in the city, not to mention all around the world. With so many new discoveries about the long-term effects of so-called safe drugs, most people want to make an informed decision about their health. I guess it’s just taking a bit longer to reach out here.’
The smug smile disappeared. ‘You might want to rein in your superiority complex, country people don’t much like being told they’re backward,’ Priscilla told her coldly.
‘I didn’t say anyone was backward. I merely pointed out that most other places don’t have the same fear of naturopathy that a lot people around here are showing. It seems strange.’
‘It may help to keep in mind that yo
u are the stranger here, not the other way around.’
Rilee counted to ten and held back the desire to snap at the woman, certain that her fate would be well and truly sealed if she made the mistake of alienating the entire committee in one morning. Forcing a smile to her lips, Rilee excused herself to go and get a cup of coffee. She could turn the other cheek with the best of them, and if that meant ignoring the stuck-up blonde with the horsey face, so be it.
‘I see you met Priscilla,’ said a voice beside her.
Rilee turned and met a familiar face. Finally, thought Rilee with a sigh, someone friendly. ‘Hi, Edna. Yes, I’ve just had that particular pleasure.’
‘Don’t let her bother you. She’s always been Ellen’s favourite. Until you came along and upset the applecart, that is.’
‘Her favourite?’
Edna lifted her eyes from the huge slice of chocolate cake she’d just loaded onto her plate and gave a mischievous grin. ‘Priscilla was supposed to be the next Mrs Kincaid. You’ve swooped in and taken her promised husband.’
Twelve
On Sunday Dan surprised her by suggesting a picnic down by the creek that ran through part of the property. In some places it was no more than a narrow waterway carved through the paddock like a ditch; in other places it widened and timber bridges had been built in order for livestock and equipment to cross. But her favourite part was some distance from the homestead, where the tree line became denser and the creek formed a type of waterhole oasis. Either side of the waterhole the creek trickled over gravelly rock, making a babbling, gurgling background that was soothing. Large flat rocks edged the water and huge gum trees and other native species formed a shady, secluded escape from the real world. The thought of getting away alone with her husband was too tempting to resist. Even though their house wasn’t next door to his parents’, it was within view, and maybe it was her overactive imagination but she could swear it felt as though every move she made was being judged and notched up against her on some kind of tally sheet.
More than once she’d told herself she was becoming paranoid, but no matter how hard she tried to pretend she was leading her own life, the fact was that everything seemed to go through Jacob and Ellen first.