Return to Roseglen

by Helene Young

  Felicity groaned. ‘Again? You gave me a hiding last trip.’ She had so many questions, but she’d save them for later.

  ‘I would have thought you could beat an old lady, Lissie.’

  ‘There’ll be no mercy from me,’ Georgina added.

  ‘And I’d be disappointed if there was. No such thing as a free flight in this family.’

  Mitch laughed. ‘I reckon we’re fifty-fifty at the moment.’

  ‘No, dear. I’m ahead by one.’ Ivy raised her cup of tea, with a delicate finger extended. ‘But who’s counting?’

  ‘Seriously? You two play Scrabble?’ Georgina looked lost for words.

  Mitch grinned. ‘And backgammon and chess.’

  ‘And he helps with the crosswords. Getting quite good at them, aren’t you?’

  ‘She’s taken me on as a project,’ he said in a loud whisper, winking at Ivy.

  ‘Got to keep dementia at bay,’ Ivy said seriously, ignoring Mitch’s playful tone. ‘The research says you have to keep your mind active or you lose it. Just like these ridiculous legs of mine. I do Sudoku, too.’

  ‘Do we still have Monopoly?’ Georgina asked.

  ‘Yes, of course. I haven’t thrown anything out. That will be your problem when I’m gone.’

  ‘I think that’s some way off, Mrs D,’ said Mitch. He nudged Felicity with his shoulder. ‘Remember the first time we played Monopoly? It was that really wet summer and the roads had been cut for weeks.’

  ‘And I was home for Christmas, got stuck and couldn’t get out. You two must have been ten and eleven, maybe?’ Georgina added.

  ‘Yeah. We set up on the dining room table, the three of us, and then Ken turned up and decided he was going to play as well,’ said Mitch.

  ‘Oh my God, I remember it.’ Felicity buried her face in her hands. ‘I had no idea how to play and somehow I kept landing on Ken’s property or ending up in jail.’

  ‘And I was doing everything in my power to bankrupt him, but it seemed like he was going to knock you out. Then you.’ Georgina pointed at Mitch. ‘You started slipping her money. Ken was too focused on winning to see it and while you two were still in the game I had a chance of getting him.’

  Mitch chuckled. ‘I couldn’t bear seeing Lissie’s lip quiver like that.’ His smile disarmed Felicity, reminding her of all the times he’d rescued her over the years. ‘And Ken was such a jerk about it when he realised. It wasn’t like we were playing for sheep stations.’

  ‘Or cattle properties,’ Ivy chimed in. ‘That game went on for hours and we had to eat around the kitchen table. Your father thought it was marvellous, but then he hadn’t had to listen to the lot of you bickering all afternoon. No offence, Mitch, but I was glad when your father came to collect you.’

  ‘None taken, Mrs D. It was one of the highlights of my holidays that year.’

  ‘Was that the same year you broke your arm coming off a horse, Lissie?’ Georgina asked.

  ‘Yeah. Great way to start grade six – with my right arm in a plaster cast.’

  ‘Dad was pretty ticked off at me too,’ Mitch said. ‘He was furious I’d taken you out on one of the new horses. It’s one of the few times he ever used the strap on me.’

  ‘What? That’s a bit extreme. It wasn’t your fault I couldn’t stay on when it started bucking.’

  ‘Nah, he was right. I was showing off. I should have known better.’

  ‘We were only kids. We were just mucking around like we always did.’

  ‘Still, I was a year older. I was way more careful after that.’

  Their gazes tangled and Felicity couldn’t look away. He’d always taken care of her. Now it seemed he was taking care of Ivy as well. Why had she run away from him again?

  ‘I still don’t think he should have taken the strap to you,’ Georgina said, interrupting the moment.

  ‘Nothing wrong with discipline.’ Ivy placed her cutlery lined up on the plate. ‘I’m sure you’d remember Charlie’s belt, Georgina.’

  Georgina laughed. ‘Did you really believe Dad hit me? He was way too soft for that. He used to hit the piano stool.’

  Ivy snorted. ‘I should have known your father wasn’t tough enough. He always indulged you children and left me to do the dirty work.’

  Felicity reached across and squeezed her mother’s hand. ‘We all knew Dad was for the good times and you were for the hard times. He loved a chat, a joke and a game of backyard cricket. It wasn’t until I had Ella and Sean that I really appreciated all that you did for us.’

  ‘Dad hated conflict,’ Georgina added. ‘Used to run a mile from an argument. Like Lissie. Been in the back of any wardrobes recently?’

  ‘Ha.’ Felicity raised an eyebrow. ‘One day I’m going to find Narnia and you’re going to be sorry.’

  ‘You let me know when you get there. Send the Snow Queen back for me. Another drink, anyone?’ Georgie was already raising her hand for the waitress.

  ‘No, I’d better go and get ready for this interview,’ Felicity said.

  ‘Interview?’ Mitch asked.

  ‘The doctor’s surgery up the road,’ Ivy said. ‘She’ll be perfect. They’d be mad not to hire her, with all her experience.’

  ‘Mum, you don’t know that.’ Felicity fanned herself as Georgina laughed at her discomfort.

  ‘Good luck, then,’ Mitch said with a nod.

  ‘I should have brought my resume with me. It’s in the car back at the Denzells’.’

  ‘My car’s outside. You want a lift?’ Mitch asked.

  Felicity was still trying to get her body temperature back to something respectable. ‘That would be lovely. Then I can bring the car back here and Georgie and Mum can do the shopping while I stress.’

  ‘Good thinking.’ He pushed his chair back. ‘Shall we?’

  Felicity gathered her bag, her heart pattering a little faster. ‘You’ll be right to get her to the footpath, Georgie?’

  ‘Yoo hoo, I’m right here.’ Ivy waved her hand. ‘I’ll be fine. Shoo.’

  Mitch’s four-wheel drive was out front. ‘So how did the morning really go? Ken’s pretty angry.’

  ‘You’ve seen him?’

  ‘From the other side of the road. He called me the other night, too. He’s not happy with Ivy and has convinced himself that I’m in cahoots with her. Threatened legal action, the works. Don’t tell Ivy.’ He shot her a quick glance.

  ‘He did say we should ask Ivy about why she’d invested with you.’

  ‘Did he now?’

  ‘And I am curious.’ Felicity didn’t like the way Mitch looked away. Surely he wasn’t ripping off an old lady?

  ‘Of course you are. Look, I’m sorry, but can we leave it for now? Ivy’s made her decision and it’s her call. There’s nothing untoward. That’s all I can say.’

  ‘Really?’ Felicity pursed her lips.

  ‘Trust me. I’d never do anything to hurt Mrs D.’ He caught her gaze and held it. ‘Or you.’

  That was a bit rich since he’d broken her seventeen-year-old heart, but Felicity was smart enough to simply nod. Her mother did owe her answers, but right now she was too stressed and had no spare brain power.

  ‘Okay,’ she said. ‘I’ll ask her myself, but first I need to focus on this interview.’

  ‘I thought you’d take over managing the property?’

  ‘I’m not sure there’s much left to manage, even if it rains. Ken’s sunk his claws in pretty deep. Funny that I used to idolise him when I was little. He’d throw me in the air and I never felt as though he’d drop me. He changed when he went to university. Then there was that incident when he left me at the cave.’

  ‘And I was stupid enough to take a swing at him.’

  ‘It was sweet that you stuck up for me. Between him and Georgie I always felt so torn about taking sides.’

  ‘Piggy in the middle you used to call yourself.’

  ‘And I was. The middle of everyone, torn here, torn there. Sometimes I felt like a scrappy bone the dogs
fought over.’

  ‘Nothing has ever been scrappy about you, Lissie.’ He smiled across at her and it was impossible to ignore the look in his eyes.

  ‘Thanks. You always stuck up for me.’

  ‘Except when I needed to most.’

  She felt the flicker of awareness flare. ‘And then I left.’

  ‘But I understood why.’

  ‘Did you?’

  ‘Yeah. I was a dickhead. Spent the rest of my life wishing I’d been smarter, braver.’ He indicated and pulled into the kerb. ‘Here you are. I’ll see you tonight. Good luck.’ He raised his hand as if to touch her face, but it fell away.

  ‘Thanks. See you later.’ Felicity couldn’t quite meet his eyes. There’d been too many emotions today, too many darned hormones. She was so over this change-of-life nonsense playing havoc with her usual composure.

  ‘And, Lissie?’ Mitch said, forcing her to turn back with the car door ajar. ‘It’s good to have you home. I’m sorry about Todd.’

  ‘Thanks. It’s good to be home.’ She smiled, looking straight into the deep blue depths of his eyes, and knew it was the truth.

  By the time they arrived back at Roseglen there’d been barely enough time to cook dinner. And now was not the time for a hot flush. Felicity finished piling potatoes on the dinner plates and fanned her face with one of the asbestos heat mats. She knew from past experience that her face would be red, perspiration beading on her forehead and top lip.

  ‘You all right?’ Georgina asked with a smirk, adding a sprinkle of chopped parsley to the plates.

  ‘Nothing that won’t pass.’ Felicity fanned harder.

  Georgina snickered. ‘For the record I think he’s pretty hot too.’

  ‘Oh, shush! It’s got nothing to do with Mitch,’ she hissed back, trying not to giggle.

  ‘Nothing quite so charming as a good-looking fella listening attentively to an old lady’s rambling story, eh? He even looked interested. How does he do that?’ She’d finished wiping the plates’ edges and pushed them towards Felicity. ‘Here, go and impress him with your cooking. Way to a man’s heart and all that. Maybe that’s what happened with Todd. I take it you still think three veg and mash are cordon bleu dishes?’

  ‘You are such a bitch,’ Felicity shot back, but then smiled reluctantly. Cooking was not her forte. She led the way to the dining room. ‘Here you go. Beef bourguignon, Georgina style.’

  ‘It smells wonderful.’ Ivy leaned forward and inhaled, closing her eyes.

  ‘Beats the heck out of frozen dinners,’ Georgina added as she slid into the seat next to Mitch. That left Felicity sitting opposite him. She wasn’t sure what was worse – next to him, where every little movement made her start, or opposite him, where she couldn’t avoid eye contact. Another flush was working its way up from her toes.

  ‘Nothing tastes better than food cooked by someone else,’ Mitch said, picking up his fork. ‘And this looks great.’

  ‘You’re very welcome, Mitch.’ Ivy inclined her head. She managed to look regal despite the age spots, wrinkles and sagging skin. The tilt of her jaw hadn’t changed. ‘Best you eat up before I slaughter you at scrabble. These two will have no hope. Bet Georgina can’t remember the last time she played.’

  ‘It’s a little hard to play English games when most of my colleagues weren’t native speakers of that language. But don’t let that worry you, Ivy. I won’t have forgotten the art of the triple-word score,’ Georgina said.

  ‘You used to pass up all sorts of good words chasing the ultimate prize. Death or glory, Charlie used to call it.’

  ‘Pretty sure I was the reigning champ before I left.’

  ‘Winning’s not everything,’ Felicity replied, feeling fifteen years old again.

  ‘Yes it is,’ Georgina retorted. ‘What’s the point in being second best?’

  ‘Plenty of good people are never winners,’ Mitch said. ‘Someone’s got to come second. Or last.’ He picked up the wine bottle and topped Georgina’s glass.

  ‘True, but that doesn’t have to be me,’ Georgina replied.

  ‘God gave you gifts and you should use them to the best of your ability, whatever the outcome,’ Ivy said, covering her wineglass to prevent Mitch filling it. He waved the bottle at Felicity, who’d barely touched hers, and she shook her head. Only hope she had of not disgracing herself was staying sober.

  ‘But people have different gifts,’ Mitch continued. ‘Charlie was the best cattleman I’ve ever worked with, but I don’t think he had a competitive bone in his body. Always happy to share knowledge, to teach, to demonstrate a better way of doing something. He didn’t see things as win or lose.’

  ‘He took the easy road,’ said Ivy. ‘Always compromising.’

  ‘Most of the time. He took a stand on the caves.’ Mitch looked like he was going to say more, but Ivy’s head shot up and she stared at him. Was that guilt in her eyes?

  ‘And a fat lot of good that achieved,’ she said. ‘He should have used the resources available to Roseglen years ago. Water, tourism. It was a lost opportunity.’ She turned her smile on Georgina as Felicity filed the comments about the caves away for later. She still hadn’t asked her mother about Mitch’s development.

  ‘This is quite delicious, Georgina,’ Ivy said. ‘Have you been on another one of your extravagant holidays in France?’

  Georgina shook her head. ‘You can still turn a compliment into a slap in the face.’ Her mother bristled as she continued. ‘As it happens, I have been to France and done another cooking course with a master chef. How else do I spend all the money I’ve accumulated? Cooking relaxes me.’ She glared at Ivy who shrugged and continued eating in silence. Mitch caught Felicity’s eye and winked.

  ‘So whereabouts was the course?’ he asked.

  Georgina turned to him and the thin line of her mouth relaxed a little. ‘In Provence. Me and five other wannabes. One other Australian and two couples who were apparently close friends from England. I don’t think those four went home quite the way they’d arrived. That’s what you get for shacking people up in gorgeous cottages, plying them with great food and even better wine. Too easy to be seduced. Mind you, the scandal of it all was wonderful.’

  ‘So who seduced you?’ Mitch asked an instant before Ivy opened her mouth. Felicity smiled into her wine. She was sure Ivy had been about to ask the same thing, but coming from Mitch the question was playful.

  ‘Sadly for me, no one. The chef may have been a genius, but with all that garlic I wouldn’t have gone near him even with a face mask on. The other woman was good company but, like me, was there to cook not cavort.’

  ‘Nothing wrong with good family recipes,’ Ivy added, her humour restored. ‘You should find your grandmother’s recipe book. It’s in the pantry, somewhere on the top shelf, all handwritten.’

  ‘I don’t think Georgina needs a recipe book. My housekeeper’s a good cook,’ Mitch said, ‘but this dinner leaves hers for dead.’

  ‘You have a housekeeper?’ Felicity asked.

  ‘Yeah. From when Dad was still with me. I couldn’t leave him for long stretches so it was easier to hire someone. You remember Deb Masters. She used to come out five days a week. By the time Dad went she’d been working for us for almost ten years. When we’re mustering she works with the camp cook to keep everyone fed. She’s well over sixty. Such a trooper.’

  ‘Over sixty is hardly old, Mitch,’ Georgina said, her lips pursed.

  His smile widened and he shrugged before loading his fork again.

  ‘Well, good for you,’ Felicity said. ‘I’m sure she appreciates it.’

  ‘Been hoping you’d propose, more like,’ Ivy said, with an arch of her eyebrow.

  He laughed at that and Felicity’s stomach did a forward roll as he replied. ‘No, I don’t think she’s expecting that at all. I reckon she had such a rough life with that husband of hers she’s happy now he’s gone to be beholden to no one.’

  ‘Maybe she could do some work for you, Mum?’ Fe
licity suggested.

  ‘She already does by default. Mitch is forever bringing around dinners or scones. Not that her scones are all that good, but beggars can’t be choosers.’

  ‘Mum! That’s beyond rude. And ungrateful.’ Felicity could still be shocked by Ivy’s rudeness.

  ‘Mitch understands. Honesty is the best policy. It works for the CWA and church committees. At what point am I going to be allowed to say what I really think?’

  Georgina spluttered, half laugh, half protest. ‘You’ve never filtered your thoughts! I remember you telling Mitch’s mum that he wouldn’t grow up to be handsome if she didn’t fix the cast in his eye.’

  ‘Well, I was right. And he did grow up to be handsome, just like his father.’

  Georgina was grinning at Mitch’s obvious discomfort. Was he blushing? No mean feat for a man burned dark by the northern sun.

  ‘She’s just buttering you up for the trouncing tonight, Mitch,’ Felicity said. She didn’t remember him having a cast in his eye. She remembered him with sun-bleached brown hair, a steady blue gaze and the same slow smile that could turn a day to gold.

  ‘You don’t think he’s handsome?’ Ivy was just starting to hit her straps.

  ‘I’m not going to embarrass our guest anymore by discussing him like he’s a piece of prime beef.’

  ‘He’d get top sale price,’ Ivy said, laughter lighting up her face. ‘You could probably still breed him as well.’

  ‘Mum!’ both girls chorused.

  ‘It’s the wine,’ Mitch said, nodding as she drained her glass. ‘She usually only has half a glass.’ His colour was back to normal, his smile fond.

  ‘You did give me rather a lot.’ Ivy looked surprised at the empty glass.

  ‘There’s more than one way to win Scrabble,’ Mitch replied, scraping his plate clean and smiling at Felicity. ‘It’s all tactics.’

  For a moment she was lost in his smile. Then Ivy banged her plate as she placed her glass unsteadily back on the table and the moment was gone.

  ‘So I don’t suppose there’s dessert as well?’ her mother asked.

  ‘There may be some apple crumble. Felicity pulled that one together.’