There’d been no doubt that his quick response had saved the little girl’s life. The incident was hardly ever mentioned these days, but Jackie knew that the Hargreaves were eternally grateful.
‘Well, Christy’s salad will be a wonderful contribution,’ she said. ‘Please pass on my thanks. Actually, I’ll be sure to phone her.’ Jackie checked her notes. ‘I’ll throw in some leafy greens, but we probably have enough salads. The men aren’t great salad eaters.’
‘Don’t I know it!’ said Kate. ‘You should hear Brad. “Give me a plate of salad,” he says, “and you’ll have to revive me with a piece of pizza under my tongue.”’
Everyone laughed at this and Jackie thought how good it was to be able to relax with friends. Have fun.
‘Speaking of daughters, as we were previously,’ Kate went on, ‘I’m really looking forward to seeing your Flora again, Jackie. We were away last Christmas when she came home. I really missed catching up with her.’
Jackie nodded happily. ‘It’ll be wonderful to have her home, even though she can only stay a few days.’
Kate helped herself to her second piece of date slice, and Jackie envied her ability to eat heartily and stay slim. But then, Kate was always jogging.
‘And I understand we’ll get to meet Flora’s new man,’ Kate said. ‘Fancy our little Flora from Woop Woop snagging an opera star. What’s his name again? Oliver?’
‘Yes. Oliver Edmonds. We’re all looking forward to meeting him.’
‘So, she’s bringing the boyfriend home to meet the family?’ Maria’s eyebrows lifted. ‘That sounds significant.’
‘Yes, I think it’s a big step. Not only is he coming home, but Flora has moved in with him.’ Jackie smiled as she said this. It was important to show every confidence in her daughter, although in truth, she did worry about Flora taking such a huge step with a man neither Jackie nor Hugh had met.
Just the same, it was lovely to know that their daughter had found a man who shared her love of music. Jackie suspected that her motherly pride in Flora’s musical talents was a tad excessive. But after her own humble youth, she took secret delight in her daughter’s success – and Oliver had looked rather handsome in the photo Flora sent.
Everything was turning out well. If only she didn’t have those blasted hidden documents nagging at the back of her mind. Every so often she would remember them and Stella’s words – I have done a terrible thing.
It happened again now and she felt a flash of panic.
‘Jackie, are you all right?’
Prue, ever perceptive, was frowning at her.
Jackie swallowed. Good grief, how long had she been lost in her thoughts? She quickly resurrected her smile. ‘Yes, sorry. I – I was just distracted for a moment. There seem to be so many things to think about.’
Prue patted her hand. ‘Darling, that’s why we’re here.’
‘Yes, and thank you.’ She sent them all a sincere smile. ‘Friends are so important. They really are.’
A small silence fell over the group, almost as if she’d embarrassed them. Jackie blushed. ‘And I have a habit of stating the obvious.’
‘But you’re so right,’ said Prue smoothly. ‘We can choose our friends, but we don’t get to choose our family. I can think of a few rellies I’d gladly disown.’
They all laughed again, even Jackie, although the mere mention of relatives caused another unhappy niggle. She quickly changed the subject.
‘So, I think we just about have the food covered.’ She flipped a page in her notes. ‘I’ve already made the birthday cake and Dulcie Forest is icing it for me. As for dessert, I was going to stick with ice-cream and fruit salad. Hugh’s never been one for really sweet things anyway, so I was planning something like watermelon and mint and ginger.’
This was met by vigorous nods and murmurs of agreement.
‘It’s something Flora can make on the day,’ Jackie said. ‘And Seth’s looking after the drinks.’ She grinned deliberately. ‘So now we get to the fun part – the decorations.’
‘And the music,’ said Maria. ‘You mustn’t forget that. Music sets such a mood for a party.’
‘That’s Flora’s department,’ Jackie told her. ‘She’s been talking to her father by email and she’s compiled a playlist. It’s all in hand. She’s bringing her iPod and a docking station, and I believe she’s sorting out speakers with Seth.’
Prue clapped her hands in delight. ‘Isn’t it lovely when our children grow up and can actually be useful, instead of just costing us money?’
This brought another laugh, then they went on to talk about decorations. They quickly agreed that votive candles gave any venue a special ambience.
‘You can set out lots of them,’ said Kate. ‘And it still won’t look like a séance. I have a boxful I’d be happy to bring along.’
‘Yes, they’ll be gorgeous on your verandahs,’ agreed Maria.
‘And you could have – say – three groups of the candles on the big table in the dining room,’ suggested Prue. ‘And you already have those lovely solar lights in the garden.’
Jackie madly took notes. The place really would look lovely, and once again her excitement about this party took hold.
‘So – what are your plans for greenery and flowers?’ asked Kate. ‘I have a mass of hippeastrums coming on. I know they’re ordinary, but they still look good in a tall vase.’
‘I’d love some,’ said Jackie. ‘They might be ordinary in Burralea, but I struggle to grow them out here. If we have yours in vases, I won’t have to pick my few and I can leave them in the garden.’
‘Pity it’s too early for agapanthus,’ mused Maria. ‘I’ll have hundreds soon.’
Kate laughed. ‘Yes, thoughtless of Hugh not to be born in November.’
‘But then he would have been a Scorpio.’ Maria sounded doleful now. ‘You wouldn’t want that. My father-in-law was a Scorpio.’
At the mention of fathers-in-law, another ping of alarm twanged in Jackie’s chest. Why did every conversation seem to lead back to her guilty secret?
‘Well, I’m a Scorpio.’ Prue sat up, dramatically straight-backed with her chest out. ‘And I can’t see anything wrong with me. There’s no sting in my tail.’
Everyone laughed.
‘No, darling, that’s why we love you,’ said Jackie, and she reached for the empty coffee pot. ‘Will I make another pot? Anyone for refills?’
Her friends shook their heads.
‘I’m sure we’re all politely stuffed, thanks.’ Kate slipped on her reading glasses and looked down at the notes she’d made. ‘I was wondering if you wanted any party games.’
‘Oh, I hadn’t thought,’ said Jackie. ‘Games could be fun, I guess. I’m not sure that I know any good ones, though.’
‘And perhaps they’d be hard to manage with lots of guests.’ Maria could always be relied on to be sensible.
A mischievous sparkle had leaped into Kate’s eyes, however. ‘What about a round or two of Truth and a Lie?’
Truth and a Lie? Jackie frowned and tried to ignore the sudden spurt of panic. ‘How – how does that work?’
‘You make three statements about someone and everyone votes on which is the lie.’
‘That sounds like fun,’ said Prue. ‘And it would still work even with your number of guests, Jackie.’
‘We’d have to have statements about Hugh, of course.’ Kate’s enthusiasm was clearly gathering steam. ‘Two true statements, plus a lie. I’m sure Brad knows all sorts of funny stories about Hugh from his uni days.’
‘And Brad’s a lawyer, so whatever he comes up with will be both clever and safe,’ suggested Prue, who also seemed delighted by this idea.
‘I – I don’t know,’ Jackie hedged. Of course she was thinking, again, of the envelope from Hugh’s father that still lay unopened. Instructions pertaining to his will. ‘I suppose if we kept it light. Nothing . . . too dark.’
‘Well, yes, of course,’ said Kate. ‘That’s a given.
But I’m sure Hugh doesn’t have dark secrets anyway.’
No, thought Jackie. Not that he knows about.
She realised her friends were all looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to reassure them.
She said, as calmly as she could. ‘If Hugh has secrets, he hasn’t shared them with me. But I’m not totally sure we need that game.’
‘You’re right,’ said Kate, who’d been watching her carefully. ‘Those things can sometimes get out of hand and Hugh’s such a sweetheart, we’d hate to spoil his night.’
Jackie hoped her smile didn’t look too desperately grateful. ‘Thanks for pushing me to have this meeting, girls,’ she said. ‘I feel really confident about the party now.’
‘It’s going to be fab,’ said Prue, rising from her seat. ‘We all love Hugh and being here to share his birthday will be really special.’
Jackie hugged her, then hugged Maria and Kate. Their optimism was contagious and when she stopped thinking about that envelope, she felt as upbeat and confident as she had when she’d first come up with the party idea. It was going to be wonderful and she was foolish to be so fussed about the old bits of paper Alice had found behind the mirror. She would probably laugh about it later and realise she’d tried to make Mount Everest out of a molehill.
She was feeling much calmer when Hugh’s Pajero appeared around the bend.
‘Speak of the devil.’ Prue was grinning as he drove up to the front of the homestead.
The women were ready to leave, but they gathered at the top of the steps and watched as Hugh got out of his vehicle and extracted Charlie from his special seat in the back. Jackie thought how good he looked – her handsome cattleman in his favourite blue shirt and jeans and R M Williams boots. His hair was silver, his face a little more lined, but his physique was as trim and athletic as ever, and to Jackie he looked perfect with his little grandson in his arms.
Of course, her friends wanted to fuss over Charlie and the little boy bore their attention gallantly.
‘So how are the party plans?’ Hugh asked them.
‘Brilliant,’ declared Prue. ‘It’ll be the social event of the year.’
‘Yeah, right.’ Despite his smile, Hugh looked mildly embarrassed. ‘A lot of fuss for an old codger.’
Their friends dismissed this with laughter and waves of their hands and soon they were calling goodbye, and getting into their cars, driving away.
Hugh set Charlie down and kissed Jackie’s cheek.
‘You look happier,’ he said, studying her with narrowed eyes.
‘I am,’ she said. ‘You were right about getting help. I was silly to try to do everything on my own.’
She could see the relief in his eyes. Then he took Charlie inside while she went to gather up the afternoon tea things.
14
‘Hey, Alice, are you almost finished for the day?’ Tammy, the hairdresser, put her turquoise-tinted head around the doorway to Alice’s workroom.
‘Yep, I reckon I’m done.’ Alice had been sanding the last leg of an English oak side table and she sent Tammy a smile as she dropped the sandpaper onto her workbench.
‘Fantastic.’ Tammy produced a bottle and two wine glasses from behind her back and held them up with a gleeful grin. ‘It’s wine o’clock on a Friday, after all.’
Alice glanced at the clock on her wall. It was five o’clock and her official closing time was five-thirty. ‘You usually work late on Friday nights, don’t you?’
‘I know. I can’t believe I got to close early today.’ Tammy waggled the glasses. ‘That’s why I need to celebrate.’
‘And I’m not likely to get another customer at this hour.’ Washing her hands at the sink, Alice told herself it was fine to enjoy a quiet drink on the back steps while she left the shop open till closing time.
It had rained for most of the morning, but the afternoon sun had left the broad timber steps warm and dry.
‘Ooh, I love your floor cushions.’ Tammy beamed at Alice’s latest purchases, cushions in bright tropical aqua, pink and lime green stacked in readiness by the doorway.
‘I found them at the markets.’ Alice had bought the cushions after Tammy’s last visit. Just as Alice had predicted, the hairdresser had popped into the shop to not-so-subtly probe her about Seth Drummond.
Naturally, Alice had assured the girl that she and Seth were not an item and, as compensation for the lack of gossip, she’d offered wine. The two of them had ended up chatting for ages about where they’d lived and worked and about moving to Burralea. About previous boyfriends – Tammy had a particularly colourful history. About Ben in the pie shop – Tammy was convinced he was a man with an interesting past.
‘Why would a surfie type move to the mountains unless he was getting away from something?’
They’d even talked about their dreams for the future.
To Alice, chatting companionably with Tammy as the daylight faded, their conversation had definitely felt like the beginning of a friendship. And she’d decided that a scattering of floor cushions and a candle or two could transform her back steps into a congenial entertaining area.
Now, as Alice lit citronella candles and the pink glow of sunset settled over the back garden, Tammy lowered herself happily onto the top step with a cushion beneath her and another at her back. She wriggled her hips. ‘Very comfy. You’d better be careful, or I might set up camp here.’
Tammy unscrewed the bottle of sauvignon blanc and poured it into the two glasses.
‘Would you like some cheese to go with that?’ Alice asked.
‘Not really, thanks.’ Tammy patted her trim waist. ‘Once I start on cheese I can’t stop. As it is, I’m going to have to run twice as far in the morning to work off this wine.’
‘Really?’ Tammy had mentioned running a couple of times now. Alice was more of a walker. ‘Where do you run?’
Tammy shrugged. ‘Nothing too serious. Down to the lake and back. You should come. It’s fun. A great stress release.’ She lifted her glass. ‘Here’s cheers.’
‘Cheers.’ The wine was crisp and cool. ‘Very nice,’ Alice said.
‘Mmm. Not bad.’
‘How’s your week been?’ Alice asked.
‘A bit quiet. Ben said he’s had a quiet week, too. I told him not to panic. All he needs is a couple of busloads of tourists to come through and he’ll be run off his feet.’
Alice took another, deeper sip of her wine. She’d eaten very little for lunch and the wine seemed to slip into her veins quickly. She wondered if Tammy was keen on Ben the pie man. He was certainly rather cute. But before she could ask, Tammy leaned forward, her eyes narrowed with sudden purpose.
‘Now tell me, Alice. You avoided giving me a straight answer last time. But I’m curious. For God’s sake, why have you convinced yourself that you shouldn’t see Seth Drummond again?’
Zap. The mere mention of Seth’s name made Alice jump. She’d been working hard to erase him from her memory and she really didn’t want to talk about him. But she suspected Tammy wouldn’t give up easily.
Shooing at an insect that was trying to fly into her glass, she struggled to dredge up an answer that would satisfy the girl’s curiosity. Unfortunately, she couldn’t get past the bald truth.
‘Seth’s a single father,’ she said, keeping her eyes on her glass.
‘Yes, I know,’ responded Tammy, who of course knew everything about everybody. ‘So what?’
‘That’s not really my scene.’
Tammy frowned at this. Alice, needing fortification, took another hefty sip of her wine.
‘Isn’t Seth’s kid still just a toddler?’
‘Yes, but he’s pretty little. Sixteen or seventeen months.’
‘And isn’t his mother in England?’
‘Yes, I don’t know the full story, but I think she was out here backpacking.’
Tammy pulled a face. ‘Is she coming back to Australia?’
‘Apparently not. She’s married.’
Tammy s
tared at Alice blankly. ‘So you don’t have a problem.’
Alice sighed. On the surface, her excuse sounded pathetic. ‘I do, actually. I’m not very good with little kids.’
This was dismissed with an easy shrug. ‘Jeez, it’s not as if Seth would bring his toddler on a date.’
‘No, but –’
‘But the guy’s red hot, Alice, let’s face it.’ Now Tammy flapped the neckline of her T-shirt to emphasise her point. ‘And he’s obviously interested in you.’
‘How would you know?’
‘I saw the way he was looking at you.’
‘You saw us for what, all of five seconds?’
‘I saw enough. Christ, Alice, you’d have to be blind not to notice.’ Tammy’s expression was almost pitying. ‘And it’s not as if seeing a guy means you have to jump in and start caring for his offspring.’
‘No – I know.’ Alice rubbed an anxious finger around the top of her glass. ‘But – as he hasn’t actually asked me on a date, none of this is really an issue.’ She didn’t add that she’d more or less given Seth the cold shoulder for the very reason that she didn’t want him to get too interested.
Needing to change the subject, she checked the time again. It was almost five-twenty. ‘I think I may as well shut up shop.’
Tammy acknowledged this with a nod, drained her wine and reached for the bottle to refill her glass.
‘I’ll be back in a tick.’ Already on her feet, Alice hurried away.
The shop had old-fashioned double doors with three panes of glass in each panel and bolts at the top and bottom. She was slipping the top bolt into place when a ute swerved into the parking space directly in front of her. She sensed something familiar about the vehicle and her heart gave a crazy kick.
It kicked again as Seth Drummond climbed out of the driver’s seat.
‘Hey,’ he called. ‘Sorry I’m late. I meant to get here earlier.’
Alice drew a quick, very necessary breath. The smell of damp, hot bitumen reached her, combined with the jasmine that climbed her shop’s awning. Dusk was falling quickly. Already the sky was turning purple and a flight of flying foxes swooped and darted overhead.
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