She turned a full three-sixty degrees. Without the sign pointing to the river she would have no idea she was anywhere near water. The road led to this clearing but all around her was bush made up of straggly taller tress and assorted smaller bushes. They were sparse enough to walk between but the random growth made it impossible to see very far ahead.
She set off along the dirt path. After five minutes she stopped and listened. A bird called. The trees rustled in a gentle breeze but there was no other sound. The sun went behind a cloud. Savannah shivered. She wasn’t cold but there were goosebumps on her arms. The isolation pressed around her like a shroud. She had no idea how much further it was to the river or even if this path was really going there. She turned and went back the way she’d come. A surge of panic pushed her on until she burst through into the clearing.
She got back in her car and locked the door before she turned the key. Her heart skipped when the engine was slow to respond. Imagine being stuck out here. The rumble of the motor was reassuring. She took a deep breath and turned her car in a wide circle to face the track out.
A four-wheel drive entered the clearing, drove on past her and pulled up in the parking area. Savannah looked back to see its doors fly open and three children pile out, pushing each other and laughing. The sun came out again. How different the place seemed now. What a coward she’d been not to follow the path all the way to Old Man’s Landing. It was the isolation that had overwhelmed her. How did people stand this kind of life?
CHAPTER
13
Savannah pulled up in front of the supermarket, not sure where she could get a snack. There were no cafés that she’d noticed.
“Hello, you’re still in town,” Faye greeted her brightly when she entered the shop.
“Just out of town actually,” Savannah replied. “I’m looking after my brother’s place.”
Faye leaned closer. “You’re not Jaxon’s sister?”
“I am.”
“Savannah?”
She was startled to hear the woman shriek her name. Faye reached across the counter and grasped her hand.
“Welcome to Riverboat Point,” she said. “I’m so sorry I didn’t realise you were Jaxon’s sister when you came in before.”
Savannah stared at Faye. “How did you –”
Faye cut her off. “Jaxon asked me to look out for you. He told me you’d be coming to take care of the boats and to make you welcome.” She reached over with her other hand, patted Savannah’s and let it go. “He said you had long black hair but I can see a likeness to him now that I look at you properly.”
Once again it hit home to Savannah how Jaxon must have planned all this. He’d been confident she would come.
“What can I help you with today?” Faye asked.
“I’ve got a list of groceries but I wondered if there was anywhere to get lunch?”
“We only have the reheated pies and pasties here.” Faye nodded towards a pie warmer behind her. She leaned close again. “They’re not much chop really but the fishermen like something hot when they come in to buy bait. The tea room’s the best spot. Everything’s homemade there.”
“I haven’t noticed it.”
“Riverboat Point’s best kept secret.” Faye gave a huge smile. “Old Nell Jones and her husband Bob love to cook. They live in an old house on the street behind the pub. It used to be a shop once so they use the front room to serve food. There’s a sign on the gate says Nell and Bob’s Tea Room. You can’t miss it.”
Savannah put a hand to her stomach as it rumbled in anticipation.
“Sounds like you could do with a feed,” Faye said and chuckled.
“Do they serve coffee?” Savannah asked.
“Only the instant kind. Bernie at the pub makes good coffee but only on weekends until the tourist season cranks up. Not worth running his machine at this time of the year. You’ll enjoy Nell’s tea. She brews it in a pot and serves it in china teacups.”
“Sounds good,” Savannah said.
“Give me your list. I’ll get your shopping together while you eat.”
“I don’t want to bother you.”
“No bother,” Faye said. “I’m not busy today and Jamie can help.”
Savannah pulled her list from her pocket. It felt odd to hand it over. Helpers had done her shopping when she’d first come home from rehab. She hadn’t liked it then. Along with the personal washing and the cleaning it was an invasion of her privacy.
“Off you go.” Faye shooed her towards the door.
As Savannah stepped outside Faye called after her.
“Tell Nell you’re Jaxon’s sister. He was a regular customer there.”
Savannah got back in her car and set off for the tea room. Faye’s conversation played over in her head reminding Savannah how little she knew about her brother. They’d been close when they were young but high school had changed so many things. She’d lost her little brother among the carnage that was her life back then. As soon as school was finished she’d left home. After their parents’ death she spent so long in hospital and rehab. Jaxon had only been seventeen then. She hadn’t given any thought to how he must have struggled. He’d gone to live with the family of a close friend so that he could finish year twelve. By the time Savannah had been able to manage on her own he’d finished school and taken up an apprenticeship with an electrician, another family friend.
She pulled up in front of the tea room and pushed her sense of guilt about her relationship with her brother away. Food, she needed food. A pebbled path wound through a tidy cottage garden to the front door. She wondered whether to go straight in or knock but when she reached the door there was a sign declaring, ‘Tea room open, do come in’.
She pushed open the door and a bell tinkled over her head. A couple seated at one of the four tables looked up at her with curious eyes. She shut the door with another tinkle of the bell. They went back to their food. Savannah’s runners squeaked on the polished wood floor.
“Hello, young lady.” A man with snowy white hair and a face full of wrinkles stood in the doorway opposite. “Have you come for lunch?”
“Yes, please.” Savannah salivated as the smell of baking food reached her.
“I’m Bob. Welcome to our tea room. Take a seat wherever you like.”
She looked around and chose a table.
“We’ve got some of Nell’s pasties just out of the oven,” Bob said, “or there’s quiche or vegetable soup.”
“Oh.” Savannah had thought there’d be a menu.
“Or you can have all three if you’re hungry.” Bob chuckled.
“A pasty please.” She didn’t normally eat pastry but the smell coming from the kitchen was irresistible.
“Something to drink?”
“Could I have a pot of tea?”
“Coming right up.”
Bob left and Savannah glanced around. There was a lace curtain at the small window, tablecloths on all the tables and a small vase of flowers in the centre of each. It reminded her of childhood visits to her grandparents.
The chair she’d chosen placed her with her back to the couple. The room wasn’t very big and their proximity made her uncomfortable. In the city she enjoyed Asian food and was often in places where she would be jammed up close to other customers, but here it felt an invasion of privacy, hers and theirs.
“Where is she?”
Savannah looked up as a woman bustled through from the house. She was small and round with softer wrinkles than Bob’s but the same snowy white hair. A colourful apron with a bib covered her clothes. Her husband was close behind her.
“We’ve just had a call from Faye.” The older woman’s eyes sparkled. “She tells me you’re Jaxon’s sister.”
Savannah stood up, conscious she was the centre of attention.
“Yes,” she said. “I’m Savannah.”
“It’s so lovely to meet you, Savannah. I’m Nell.”
“And you know me already,” Bob chirped beside her.
<
br /> “Jaxon told us to keep an eye out for you but you’re not how he described.”
“He hasn’t seen me for a while,” Savannah said. “I’ve given up on the long dark hair phase.”
Savannah flicked a look at the seated couple who were watching the exchange with interest. The woman had a piercing look, her companion’s was brooding.
“You must call in often,” Nell said. “Jaxon did. We loved to see him, didn’t we, Bob?”
Bob nodded and smiled.
“We’d better feed the young lady, Nell,” he said. “She looks hungry.”
“Of course,” Nell said. “You make yourself comfortable and we’ll be right back with your lunch.”
No sooner had they bustled out than the woman seated at the other table spoke.
“Hope you don’t mind but we couldn’t help overhearing,” she said. “You’re Jaxon’s sister?”
“Yes,” Savannah said. Had the whole town been expecting her?
“We’re Belinda and Ashton Palmer.” The woman rose and came across to her table. Gold bangles jangled on her arms and several gold chains hung around her tanned neck. “We’re your sometimes neighbours.” The skin around her mouth stretched in a tight smile and her brow remained smooth.
Savannah knew that look. Belinda had used botox and yet she’d be only a few years older than Savannah. Ashton nodded at her from his seat. His lips lifted in a half smile before he went back to his food.
“Nice to meet you,” Savannah said.
“We’re usually only here for the odd weekend,” Belinda said, “but we’re staying for a week or so this time. We must catch up.”
“Yes,” Savannah said remembering the signs on the Palmers’ gate.
“Are you busy this afternoon? I could pop over. It’d be nice to have some female company.” She glanced towards Ashton who was intent on his food. “Gets very lonely out there by the river.”
“I’ll be home,” Savannah said. She felt relieved she wouldn’t have to negotiate the Palmers’ gate and dog.
“Great. Do you drink sparkling?”
“Yes,” Savannah said. She didn’t add not much and not usually during the day.
“I’ll bring a bottle.”
Bob returned with a tray loaded with food and a teapot in a knitted cosy.
“You enjoy your lunch,” Belinda said. “Ash and I will be on our way soon. I’ll see you this afternoon. We’ve left the money on the table, Bob.”
“Thank you, Belinda. See you next time.”
Bob set some cutlery in front of Savannah then a plate with a pasty covered in golden flaky pastry. Savannah pursed her lips as saliva shot into her mouth. He followed it with a pot of homemade tomato sauce, a teacup on a saucer and the teapot.
“We thought you might like this,” he said with a big smile and placed a plate with two cream-filled cupcakes next to the teacup.
Savannah couldn’t imagine how she’d fit one of them in let alone two, but they looked delicious and she didn’t want to spoil Bob’s hospitality.
“Thank you,” she said.
“Bye,” Belinda waved as she and Ashton left.
Savannah turned. Belinda swept her with a penetrating look then briskly turned away.
“Now this is on the house,” Bob said once the door shut behind the couple.
“Oh, no, I couldn’t …”
Bob put up his hand. “Nell and I insist. It’s our welcome to Riverboat Point gift. Enjoy,” he said.
By the time Savannah arrived back at the supermarket her stomach felt fit to burst. She had managed to eat all the food Bob and Nell had put in front of her. It had been delicious but eating two cream cakes on top of the pasty had been too much.
There were several people lined up at the supermarket checkout and a man behind the counter was serving them. Savannah glanced around but couldn’t see Faye. She decided to wait. Once more she scanned the noticeboard. Jaxon’s notice was still there. There were a couple of people offering to babysit, another to do housework, a houseboat for sale, an appeal for an old caravan to be used as a spare room and several other requests or offers. Her gaze stopped at the note from someone called Mandy who was trying to get a few locals together to keep fit. ‘Can’t do it on my own,’ she’d written.
“Hello, Savannah.”
She turned at the sound of Faye’s shrill voice.
“You found the tea rooms okay?”
“Yes.” Savannah was pretty sure Faye already knew that since she’d phoned to check up.
“Nice lunch?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve got your groceries packed up,” Faye said. She waved her hand towards a box and bags on the shelf behind the counter. A bunch of flowers, their stems in a plastic bag, sat on top of the box. “The flowers are from us.”
“There’s no need.”
“We don’t get many new people here.” The man had finished with the customers and had joined in the conversation. “Jaxon’s been a great addition to our community. His family are most welcome.”
“This is my husband, Charlie,” Faye said.
“Nice to meet you, Savannah.” He shook her hand warmly and she stuttered a response. She would never have picked him as Faye’s husband. He appeared so much older.
“You too,” she said feeling bad about her earlier churlishness.
“Jaxon’s done a lot for the community and his business is going from strength to strength.”
Charlie looked at her as if he expected her to say something.
“You don’t know how long he’s going to be away, do you?” Faye filled in the space.
“No.” Savannah looked from one to the other.
“He’s always been so reliable,” Charlie said. “We hadn’t realised this trip away was going to be longer than a week.”
“He said he’d help with the upgrade of the community hall,” Faye said.
“That can wait but –” Charlie started.
“He’s been coaching our Jamie at tennis,” Faye cut in.
“Tennis?” They’d played as kids. She didn’t know Jaxon still played.
“Jamie doesn’t have a lot of friends,” Charlie said.
“He has … special needs,” Faye said softly. “He enjoyed having a hit with Jaxon.”
“I’m very sorry,” Savannah said. “I don’t know how long he plans to be away but I’m sure he’ll be back soon. He won’t want to leave me in charge for long.” She smiled. She’d spoken with a conviction she didn’t feel.
“Oh well, say hello from us when you speak to him next.” Charlie turned to pick up her box. “I can help you to the car.”
“I’ve thought of a few more things I need.”
“Just bring them over,” Faye said. “I’ll add them to your tally.”
Savannah sped off to find cheese, dip and crackers. If Belinda was going to bring champagne they would need something to go with it even though she didn’t feel the slightest bit hungry now.
What a crazy morning it had been. From her embarrassment at her poor management skills to her panic at being alone at Old Man’s Landing to being overwhelmed by friendly people here in town. To add to the mix was her confusion over Jaxon. If he was so well liked and his business was booming why would he up and leave on an extended holiday? Charlie had said to say hello. She’d say more than that when she got the chance.
Savannah paused, her hand hovering over a packet of water crackers. What if something had happened to him? Instantly she dismissed the thought. He’d been way too well organised for someone who’d met with an accident. He’d meant to go away. It was the why that had her puzzled.
CHAPTER
14
Ethan looked at his watch. It was already mid-afternoon and he was in need of the parts he’d ordered yesterday. He wiped his hands down the sides of his jeans. He was filthy from head to toe. Today’s jobs had been particularly messy. He’d had trouble with the bolt in the header’s oil sump and when it had finally come loose so had the pool of oil. Most
of it dropped onto him.
The smell of it reminded him of Afghanistan and the workshop in Tarin Kot during his first deployment. One night towards the end of a sixteen-hour shift, the team had been working to get a light-armoured vehicle ready to go back out on patrol. They’d had a particularly busy time with several long shifts in a row. The fatigue had started to play tricks with his brain and he had borne the brunt of the oil spill. By the time he was able to get to the shower the dark liquid had seeped into every nook and cranny. His bloodied knuckles had stung as he’d tried to scrub away the oil and the smell had stayed with him for days.
Today was the same but to a lesser degree. He had oil soaked in patches on his clothes and a blood-encrusted little finger on his right hand from when his spanner had slipped. At least he could take a break. In Tarin Kot there were no breaks until the job was done and the workshop clean. The pressure wasn’t quite the same here, not till harvest at least.
He wasn’t ready to move on to the next job and there was little he could do to the header until he picked up the parts. He’d have to take Blake’s ute again and leave his bike here.
“Hello?”
Ethan spun at the sound of a female voice.
A woman stood before him. She wore jeans and a windcheater. Her long fair hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Her eyes looked clear and bright. She didn’t wear make-up.
“I’m Jenny,” she said and thrust out her hand.
Ethan looked down at his own grimy hands then held them up.
“Nice to meet you,” he said. “No offence if I don’t shake your hand.”
She smiled. It was an easy, warm smile.
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