‘Xavier never got a proper chance either,’ Hugh said quietly.
‘Oh, darling.’ Jackie rose from the chair and crossed the room to slip her arms around her husband. ‘I knew you’d take this to heart.’
For the first time in all their years of marriage, Hugh shrugged away from her. ‘There’s no other way to take this, I’m afraid. My father wanted to disinherit me. God, I don’t even know if he was my father.’
Soundly rejected, Jackie crossed her arms and tried not to panic. It was hard to reassure Hugh about his father’s claims. She’d never met Magnus Drummond – he’d died before she met Hugh – so she’d only ever seen photographs.
‘You have Magnus’s dark eyes,’ she suggested, still trying to be helpful. ‘Stella’s eyes were blue.’
‘Half the population has dark eyes.’
Despite the stubborn tilt to Hugh’s jaw, there was a haggardness to his face now that frightened Jackie. He might give himself a heart attack if he didn’t calm down. She said quickly, ‘There is a way to ease your mind about the paternity question.’
‘How?’
‘You and Deborah could have a DNA test. They’re pretty simple these days.’
Hugh turned to her, his brows meeting in a frown as he searched her face. ‘How do you know so much about it?’
She would have preferred not to tell him, but she was ready to do just about anything to ease his mind. ‘I had a test done. I wanted to make sure that Charlie was Seth’s son. I never said anything at the time. I was a bit ashamed of myself.’
It was hard to gauge Hugh’s reaction as he stared at her. ‘Does Seth know this?’ he asked, at last.
Jackie shook her head. ‘I sent samples of his and Charlie’s hair. They were easy enough to find. And it works. It just takes a bit longer than the mouth swabs, but –’
‘For heaven’s sake, Jackie. What was the result?
‘Charlie is Seth’s son. There was no doubt about that. Although, if there was ever a custody battle, it might not hold up in court without the mouth swabs. But the results were still quite clear.’
‘Well, I’ll be damned.’ Hugh gave a dazed shake of his head. ‘I can’t believe you would –’ He left the sentence unfinished and stood staring at the far wall as he digested this latest news. Then he shot Jackie another questioning glance. ‘What would you have done if Charlie hadn’t been Seth’s boy?’
‘I don’t know. I don’t think I would have said anything, actually. By the time the results came back, Seth was already so committed to the boy, I realised it wasn’t that important after all.’
To her surprise, Hugh smiled. Perhaps he was thinking of the way their sweet little Charlie had so easily stolen their hearts and become part of their lives.
‘Maybe that’s how your mother felt, Hugh. She might not have known who your father was for sure, but perhaps she decided it didn’t really matter.’
‘Or perhaps, like you, she was just responding to the natural urge of a mother to protect her son.’ Hugh spoke more calmly now and there was even a hint of a smile. ‘A lioness guarding her cub.’
It was so strange to be talking about all of this now, in the office of all places, in the middle of the night. Jackie was aware of the precious hours of sleep they were losing and she longed for bed. But there was an important point she couldn’t leave untouched.
‘Speaking of cubs,’ she said, ‘have you thought how this is going to affect your children? If you’re going to start stirring things up with Deborah, Seth and Flora also have a right to know. Seth especially needs to know what he’s in for. After all, we’re okay, really. We’re on the brink of retirement, but Seth’s grown up expecting to take over the running of this place. Out of all the family, he has the most to lose.’
‘I know, I know.’ Once again, Hugh looked worried and exhausted. ‘And the cruel irony is that Seth loves this life even more than I do. He has a real affinity for the land and the cattle.’
‘And he has all sorts of plans,’ Jackie agreed.
‘Whereas, if I’d had a choice when I was young, I probably would have been an architect.’
Jackie’s jaw dropped. ‘Really?’ She found it impossible to believe that Hugh might have wanted a different life. He’d been such a conscientious cattleman. It was like discovering that Mozart would have preferred to be a goatherd.
All this time and Hugh had never said a word.
‘I think that’s why I kept up the friendship with Ian Kinsella all these years,’ Hugh said. ‘It means I get to talk to him about his work from time to time. To live the architect’s life vicariously.’
‘But you’ve worked so hard at being a cattleman.’
‘Well, yes, of course I have. I had no choice. It was a huge responsibility.’
‘But you didn’t hate this life, Hugh.’ She couldn’t help the pleading note in her voice. Being a grazier’s wife had meant so much to her. She couldn’t bear to think that Hugh had been unhappy.
‘Well – no, I didn’t hate it.’ Hugh’s smile was rueful. ‘Sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything about architecture. I suppose it was just a pipe dream, and it’s all a bit heavy for this hour.’
It certainly was. Jackie wasn’t sure she could take any more surprises. ‘It’s almost four now,’ she said. ‘And you’re only going to make yourself sick if you spend the rest of the night pacing the floor. Let’s go back to bed. We should try to get a bit of sleep, at least. You’ll be able to think much more clearly then.’
To her relief, Hugh didn’t argue this time. Together they left the office, turned out the light and went back down the hallway to their bedroom. It wouldn’t be long before a faint glimmer of dawn showed at the edges of the curtains, but they settled comfortably enough in bed together, spoon-style, as they had so many times before.
With Hugh’s body warm and reassuring at her back, Jackie felt comforted at last. Surely if they supported each other through this, everything would turn out all right?
But there was one question she still needed to ask. ‘We can have the party, can’t we, Hugh? I couldn’t bear to call it off now.’
‘Yes, yes,’ he murmured softly against her neck. ‘You know how I hate to disappoint you.’
__________
When Jackie woke, the sun was shining so brightly through the curtains she had to squint against its glare. For a blissful moment her world seemed perfectly normal, until she remembered Hugh’s discovery and his middle-of-the-night reaction.
Rolling over quickly, she saw that he was already up and had left a mug of tea for her on the bedside table. When she touched it, it was cold.
She wondered where he was, and then, more anxiously, wondered what he’d been up to while she was sleeping. That thought jolted her out of bed. She thrust her feet into slippers, found her silk kimono and pulled it on – anyone might be in the kitchen at this hour – then dashed a comb through her hair and went through to the kitchen to find her husband and make a fresh cuppa.
Hugh was at the kitchen table, calmly eating boiled eggs and toast. He smiled when she came in, so the news couldn’t be all bad.
‘Did you get some sleep?’ Jackie asked as she refilled the kettle.
‘Yes, I haven’t been up long. Maybe twenty minutes.’
She glanced at the clock. It was ten past nine. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept so late. ‘Have you made any phone calls?’ she asked more cautiously.
‘Yes. All done.’
‘All?’ It was hard not to panic. ‘Already?’
‘Yes, Jackie, keep your hair on. I rang Brad Woods first, and I asked him to check the family records to see if they ever received a copy of Dad’s letter.’
‘Right.’ Jackie took a quick breath and told herself to calm down. ‘That’s sensible, I guess. They might even be able to explain why the will was never changed.’
‘I hope so. At least they’ll be able to give me good advice.’ Hugh dipped his spoon into the second egg. ‘And I rang Deb.’
>
‘Before you’ve heard back from Brad?
‘Yes. It didn’t feel right to keep her out of the loop.’
‘I – I suppose.’ An anxious weight settled in Jackie’s chest. ‘How did she react?’
‘Rather strangely, actually. She seemed to think it was hilarious.’
‘Really?’ Jackie’s sense of relief was short-lived. The doubts soon rushed back. ‘Do you think Deborah might have been too surprised to think straight? She might think differently when she gets over the shock?’
‘Maybe.’ Hugh was annoyingly unconcerned as he tipped a spoonful of egg onto the corner of his toast. ‘I asked her to come a day early, before the party. Flora will be here then and we can have a proper family meeting.’
‘Oh, Hugh, that’s a terrible idea.’
‘I think it’s eminently sensible.’
‘But I’ll be up to my ears in preparations.’
His eyes narrowed. ‘I thought you had a team of helpers now.’
‘That doesn’t mean –’ Jackie stopped. If she made out that the party was a huge load of work, Hugh might still want to call it off. ‘I was looking forward to having Flora and Oliver to ourselves for a day,’ she said instead.
Which was true. Having Flora come home with Oliver was so exciting. ‘They’re going to be here for such a short time and we won’t have much of a chance to get to know Oliver.’
‘Well, I’m sorry, Jackie, but I think there are bigger issues at stake right now than getting to know Flora’s latest boyfriend.’
‘Except I think this pair might be quite serious,’ Jackie muttered almost under her breath as she rinsed out her mug with freshly boiled water and reached for a teabag.
If Hugh heard her, he didn’t let on, and she felt a spurt of annoyance. But she quickly suppressed it. There was enough justifiable tension in the air without her adding to it. However, this latest development meant there would be two more for dinner on the night before the party. She hoped the chicken casserole she’d already prepared and frozen would stretch.
‘I’m going to check my emails,’ she said, over her shoulder, as she headed down the hall to the office, carrying her tea.
Over the past few weeks, she’d thoroughly enjoyed turning on her computer each morning and checking her emails, seeing the party acceptances roll in. Today, to her delight, there was a new email from Flora. She clicked on it quickly.
From: Flora Drummond
To: Jackie Drummond, Seth Drummond
Subject: Dad’s party
Hello, my lovelies. I’m afraid I have some disappointing news. Oliver’s not going to be able to make it for Dad’s party, after all. Something’s come up, an important gig he can’t really get out of.
I’m sorry, of course, but nothing will stop me from coming home. I’m so looking forward to seeing you guys and to giving Charlie a big special hug from Aunty Flo. BTW Seth, I saw a little girl the other day who is only two years old and she has a 1/32nd-sized violin. I didn’t know they could make them smaller than 1/8th. It was SO cute, but I promise I won’t bring one home for Charlie. Not this time, at any rate.
Mum, are there any special goodies you’d like me to bring from Melbourne? The delis down here are amazing. What about those divine Haigh’s chocolates I brought home last Christmas?
Love to you both and to Dad,
Flora xxxx
Jackie stared at the screen in dismay. Something felt wrong about this message, but she wasn’t sure what. It was like one of those silly fears that lingered after waking from a bad dream. Perhaps it was the vagueness of Flora’s excuse about Oliver – the brevity and the things she hadn’t said. Her daughter’s emails were usually so chock-a-block with details.
As she closed the screen, she drew a deep sigh. She’d been so looking forward to this party, but now she was feeling more worried with each passing hour.
What else could go wrong?
29
On Monday evening, Tammy settled onto her favourite cushion on Alice’s back step, ready for a chat.
‘So what’s news?’ Alice asked, handing her a steaming mug of homemade chai latte and hoping to steer the conversation well away from her own sorry situation with Seth.
Tammy grinned. ‘My news is all about Ben the Pie Man. We’re seeing each other.’
‘Wow!’ Alice feigned surprise, although this wasn’t really unexpected. Tammy had been eyeing Ben off for ages. ‘When did this happen?’
‘Oh, a few days ago.’ Tammy’s grin would have outshone the Cheshire Cat’s.
Alice made herself comfortable on a cushion facing her friend, and settled back. After a shitty weekend, she willed herself to relax on this beautiful warm evening. She’d turned out the main lights and had lit candles, and their glow was soft and enchanting as their scent mingled with the aroma of the two women’s spiced drinks. Down among the lilly pillies along the back fence, the tiny lights of fireflies darted and blinked.
‘Well, you certainly look happy,’ she told Tammy.
‘Oh, I am. Very. Ben’s –’ Tammy paused as if she was searching for exactly the right word, but then she gave a shy shrug. ‘What can I say? He’s simply lovely. And that’s not a word I’d usually use to describe a guy – but he’s sexy and fun and just plain nice.’
‘That’s wonderful.’ Alice raised her mug in salute. ‘Here’s to you and Ben.’ She took a sip of her drink and tried not to think about another man who was ‘simply lovely’.
‘So have you found out why a surfie type has moved to the mountains of Far North Queensland?’ She couldn’t help asking this. Tammy had mentioned once before that she suspected Ben was running away from something and, as Alice had made a similar move, the question was close to her heart.
Tammy nodded. ‘Ben was surprisingly open about it.’
‘That’s the Tammy factor.’ Alice smiled. ‘I’m sure you have a way of getting people to open up.’
‘I’ve certainly heard some doozies from my customers. Then again, they’re victims in my chair and I have a pair of scissors in my hand.’
Tammy laughed at her own joke and Alice joined in, but she wished she felt happier. She’d had the most miserable weekend, even though she’d tried really hard to distract herself from thoughts about Seth. On Saturday morning she’d gone to the Burralea markets and had bought several early Christmas presents for the offspring of friends in Brisbane. Then in the afternoon she’d gone to a singing workshop held in the village hall.
It was a lot of fun and although Alice wasn’t a marvellous singer, she could hold a note, and she’d enjoyed blending her voice with others. Kate Woods had been there, and other friendly locals, and Alice had felt quite uplifted for a couple of hours.
Afterwards, though, she’d returned to her flat and remembered little Charlie lying in a nest of cushions on her bed, remembered Seth sitting in her lounge room, staring at her in pained disbelief as she explained her sad story. And the reality of never seeing Seth or Charlie again hit low and hard.
Yesterday she’d driven down to Cairns, ostensibly to check out the second-hand shops, but mainly because she’d just needed to keep busy.
‘I can tell you Ben’s story,’ Tammy offered. ‘I know he won’t mind.’
‘Well, only if you feel comfortable.’ Alice couldn’t pretend she wasn’t curious and she knew Tammy was dying to tell her.
‘We were right about the surfing. Ben lived on the Gold Coast.’ Tammy even managed to sound like a storyteller now, adding a once-upon-a-time tone to her voice. ‘He grew up there and he was a mad-keen surfer, and he had a job as a plumber for one of the big construction companies. But he also managed to get himself tangled up in the party-drug scene.’
Tammy shot Alice a significant glance. ‘He did time.’
‘So he was dealing?’
‘More like supplying friends.’ After a beat, Tammy hurried on. ‘Anyway, while he was on the prison farm he worked in the kitchen and he started to learn about baking. He really liked it. Liked
it much better than plumbing. And anyway, he wanted to make a fresh start, break away from the old gang. So once he was out, he got a job in a bakery and finished his apprenticeship. And as soon as he could, he got away from the coast. He says there are too many people down there who know him, who keep trying to lure him back to the dark side.’
‘Or bully him into it?’ suggested Alice.
‘Possibly, although he wasn’t with that heavy bikie scene.’ Tammy shrugged and smiled. ‘Anyway, he loves it here, and that’s music to my ears. He says he plans to stay. The rent on his shop’s reasonable, the locals are so friendly and word’s starting to spread that his pies are great.’
‘They certainly are.’ Alice smiled. ‘And I love a story with a happy ending.’
‘Well, it feels more like a happy beginning than an ending at this point. But you never know.’ Tammy drained her mug and set it down. ‘That was so yummy. You’ll have to give me the recipe.’
‘Happy to.’
Tammy eyed Alice curiously. ‘So how are things with you? How’s your business going?’
‘Oh, it’s chugging along okay. Luckily, I don’t have a lot of competition from any big furniture stores, and the people up here and the tourists seem to like hunting for second-hand bits and pieces.’
‘Especially the lovely things you seem to find. I’ve been checking out that tall green vase in your window. It’s gorgeous.’ Before Alice could respond to this, Tammy asked quickly, ‘How’s Seth?’
Thud.
‘He’s fine.’ Alice hoped she sounded convincing.
Perhaps not. Tammy rolled her eyes.
‘You know what I mean, Alice. How are you and Seth?’
‘We’re –’ Alice looked away, out into the dark night beyond the reach of her candles. ‘There’s no me and Seth. We’ve broken up.’
‘No!’ Tammy sounded truly horrified. ‘God, no, Alice, I don’t believe it.’
‘Well, I’m afraid it’s true. It was my decision,’ she added quickly before Tammy got the wrong idea.
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