Leath's Legacy

by Anne Ashby

  He smiled as that realisation struck him. The more time he spent in her company the more he appreciated her complex character. The more he wanted to know her better. His body stirred. The more he fantasised about knowing her a lot better. Intimately better.

  The click of his car door alerted her, and she jumped to her feet only to sit back down to pick up her fallen book and stuff it into her bag. She hurried across the lawn, the bright colour touching her cheeks making her look even more adorable.

  “Hi.” She sounded breathless.

  Kirk allowed his hand to linger on her shoulder where her bag strap slipped as she got into the car. She’d assume his touch was accidental.

  He wasn’t sure what he was doing about these bludgeoning feelings he had for Leath. He hadn’t come up with a plan yet. His mind kept skirting around his desire to own Penny’s property.

  Since meeting Leath, his mother’s insistence they must have Terry’s childhood home had waned. But his mind hadn’t changed. He still wanted that land. And mixing that determination with his growing attraction for the woman obstructing his plan seemed underhand.

  But he’d set those negative thoughts aside for now. It was a good day, the sun shone, he’d done his duty by his aunt, now he’d enjoy the company of a beautiful woman who stirred his blood. With a smile he handed her bag to her and closed her door.

  “I have a couple of errands to do in town. How about I take you to lunch?”

  “You don’t need to. I can grab something while you’re—”

  “But I want to take you to lunch.” He grinned across at her, noting her blushing again. Without any conscious effort, his chest puffed out. He liked her confused look. Her gaze slid from his and her head dipped until her chin hit her chest.

  “I know a great little café. They make all their own food. It’s very good.”

  Leath waited until they’d given their order before sharing what she’d unearthed during the morning.

  “I found out heaps,” the words burst from her. “Nothing fits us into her life, but I feel I’m beginning to know Penny as a person now.”

  Prompting her with questions as she retold stories from various members of the retirement community, Kirk found her excitement infectious. Some had them chuckling while others filled them with moments of poignancy.

  True to his expectations the café delivered an appetising meal, and they tucked in while she continued. “It was interesting, though. The men I spoke to were full of praise and admiration for her while the women, well, it was difficult to get them saying anything at all. They were all very canny.”

  “But then”—Leath’s voice rose—“just when I’d about given up, this little lady spoke to me. Her room was next door to Penny’s, and they often played five hundred together. We walked around the garden and then we sat under the trees. She was lovely.”

  Cutlery clanked onto her plate as it fell from her hands. “Guess what she told me? Guess?”

  Kirk grinned and obediently answered. “Penny was an alien from a planet far, far away?”

  “No, silly.” Leath didn’t appear to mind his flippancy. “She said Penny had had a child.”

  After all he’d discovered about Penny these last few days, Kirk wasn’t shocked at this possibility. “It was obviously prior to her marriage to George,” he murmured. “Did this woman know when? Or give you a name?”

  Leath nodded. “There was a little girl called Margaret. Penny had broken down after watching some movie on TV, crying and saying she was bad, that it was her fault her baby died.”

  Kirk fell silent, digesting this. “The Penny I knew would never hurt anybody, much less a child.” He was adamant.

  “I hope you’re right,” Leath mused. “What a terrible burden to carry.”

  After a few moments silence, during which Kirk finished his meal, he acknowledged Leath’s earlier statement. “You’re right, though. This doesn’t help you much at all. Not if the girl died as a child.”

  “Mrs. Evans couldn’t be absolutely sure, because she said Penny never spoke of Margaret before or after that one time.” Leath’s faint smile showed her disappointment. “She said Penny ‘was a right contrary old bint.’” At Kirk’s sharp look she tacked on, “They’re her words, not mine.”

  Kirk understood Leath’s disappointment. As much as she’d denied the likelihood, she had hoped to find some link today. Kirk turned the conversation away from Penny Maguire and set about drawing his companion out of her discontentment.

  They talked around a variety of subjects, finding things in common as well as issues they strongly disagreed about. Kirk couldn’t remember when he’d felt so mentally stimulated by a woman he was physically attracted to.

  He wasn’t used to sparing with women. It was an exhilarating concept. One he intended to explore.

  ****

  Disappointment at learning nothing to tie her and Robby to Penelope was tempered with the snippets she had gathered about their benefactor. Penny was becoming a real person. Whether she was likeable Leath hadn’t decided yet, but she was becoming less of a stranger.

  While Leath had waited in the car for Kirk to complete his business in Whangarei, she’d texted Joyce with Margaret’s name. Maybe this little extra information might be helpful, even without a full name or date.

  With a contented sigh, Leath closed her eyes and rested her head against the seat back. Afternoon sun streamed in through the window and made her feel dozy.

  With a sharp shake of her head, she concentrated on watching pedestrians hurrying past. Kirk wasn’t going to find her sleeping when he returned. That would smack of an intimacy she couldn’t allow.

  Despite her early misgivings, it hadn’t been a stressful outing at all. Leath had enjoyed herself. No disturbing vibes arose between her and Kirk. In fact, she decided the atmosphere couldn’t have been more relaxed.

  “One more stop.” Kirk jumped into the car and reversed into traffic. “Then we’ll head back.” Pulling into another park, he smiled apologetically as he exited the vehicle again. “I’ll only be a minute.”

  “Take your time,” she assured him. “I’m in no hurry.”

  Only moments later he rejoined her, and soon they were turning onto State Highway One and heading south. Leath sank further into the soft leather of her seat with a happy sigh. “I think I could learn to hate cities,” she murmured. “It would be great to be able to avoid all the noise and traffic tearing everywhere.”

  She rolled her head until she could see his profile. “You’re so lucky to be able to live in Greene Valley.”

  “Lucky?” he barked. “You’ve got to be joking?”

  Leath stiffened, astonished at the rancour in his voice. “But...then why...?”

  His hooded glare cut off her words. His fingers tightened on the steering wheel until she could distinguish the white bone of his knuckles. Then she realised. He’s only at Greene Valley because of his father. Her heart swelled with a mix of pity and admiration.

  “Not a farming lad at heart, after all?” Her teasing note might shift his mood.

  “Not bloody likely.” The words forced their way past clenched teeth.

  Hoping to ease the anger rippling through him, Leath queried, “I bet you just couldn’t wait to get away to university?” She’d seen his capping photo on his parents’ wall so knew he’d acquired some sort of degree.

  “What exactly do you do, anyway?” Leath realised she didn’t have a clue, except his business took him to Auckland at regular intervals.

  Relieved to see some colour returning to his slackening fingers, Leath waited. After manoeuvring the vehicle past a slower car, Kirk threw a sharp glance across at her before answering. “Software design.”

  “Ahh,” Leath dragged out.

  “‘Ahh’ what?” Kirk’s face had lost some of its tension.

  “Now I understand how you have so much money to throw around,” she dared to murmur. “I decided you must be the lucky lotto winner—you know, the one who won eighteen
million—or something.”

  She couldn’t be sure whether he was trying to hold in a laugh or if he was genuinely choking. Thankfully his control of the car never wavered. Erring away from a contentious subject—her land—Leath queried, “How long has your father been ill?”

  A shrug was the stiff reply.

  “It’s very good of you to come home.”

  “Good? Good?” He jerked the car off the road and into a rest area so abruptly her head bounced back against the headrest. At least by the time he slammed on the brakes, she’d braced her body to stop the seatbelt from cutting her in half.

  “I’ve only been home a few months. Dad’s been ill for God knows how long. I should have been here ages ago instead of gallivanting around overseas.” His voice broke. “I should have been here long before he forgot who I am.”

  Leath jumped out of the car seconds after he did, but hesitated to follow him as he stalked across the empty rest area. Chewing her lip she turned in the opposite direction. He needed space.

  A small creek meandered alongside the road, and Leath followed its route a little way before veering back toward the car. His apologetic look as she neared the picnic table where he sat drew her closer. Tentatively she sat down opposite him.

  “You know the worst thing?” Kirk didn’t wait for any response. “Before Cade sent for me, I hadn’t been home for almost five years.”

  Leath hoped she’d smothered her surprise.

  “I worked for a few years after uni, got my student loans paid off and then decided there were far better opportunities overseas.”

  He scrubbed a hand around the back of his neck. “I never intended to stay away forever, but I wasn’t ready to come home. I resented Cade calling me. I resented having to give up a great job in London. And coming back to a one-horse place like Greene Valley...” He stared out over the green paddocks full of dairy cows. “I resented the mere thought of having to live there again.”

  “Mum had never let on. All the times I talked with her, I never doubted when she told me Dad was out on the farm somewhere, or at a meeting, or the bowling club.”

  His hollow laugh pierced Leath’s heart, and she yearned to reach out to him. The rickety table between them denied her the chance.

  “Imagine the bombshell when I did arrive home and Dad greeted a stranger.”

  Another break in his voice was more than Leath could stand, and she stretched over the table and clasped the fist knocking at the rough wood, forcing it still.

  “He’s always been so strong, so fit. It never entered my head he wouldn’t be around for years. Hell, I left home when I was eighteen and never thought of coming back. I hardly thought of my parents, except to give them a call every now and then.”

  Leath could sympathise. She hadn’t been different. Desperate to leave home and be independent, she’d flatted with friends since the early days of her training.

  “I guess life’s supposed to go like that, Kirk,” she whispered. “I did much the same, and I was living in the same city as my parents.”

  Kirk lifted his head and their eyes met. Compassion and understanding mirrored between them. Her hands became sandwiched between his as they sat deep in thought, each remembering happier times.

  With a huge sigh, Kirk lifted their clasped hands and rubbed Leath’s knuckles against his cheek for a moment before releasing them.

  “Guilt keeps clawing at me,” he admitted. “That’s why I wanted Penny’s land. It seemed like something I could do for Dad now, the way he is. I thought he might understand I’d got his home back for him. And he might forgive me.”

  He gaped at Leath, his shaken voice echoing his revelation. “Your land became a way to assuage my guilt about missing all his last good years, and for neglecting him, blithely leaving the others to cope.”

  “You didn’t know.”

  “I should have known,” he snapped. “Don’t you see? If I’d been around, I would have known.”

  “You couldn’t have changed anything though, Kirk. Being here wouldn’t have changed the outcome,” Leath said gently.

  He slumped forward. “Knowing that doesn’t help.” His face twisted as he forced himself into a standing position. “It just makes me so mad. Sometimes I get so angry I feel I’m going to explode—”

  Leath felt his rising tension even though he was beyond arm’s reach. She was loath to see it take control of him again, but uncertain how she could prevent it. They took a couple of steps toward the car then stopped.

  “He still has some good days, Kirk. Enjoy those and don’t let yourself pray on the future. At least you’ve a chance to make peace and say your goodbyes.”

  He stared across the paddocks, but Leath doubted he saw anything. She stayed quiet at his side, wishing she could find words to ease his angst. After a while his arm snaked around her shoulders and she looked up into his troubled eyes.

  “You never had any chance to prepare for losing your parents, did you?”

  A boulder lodged in her throat. One moment her parents had been cruising along the Southern Motorway. A split second later they were both dead. A policeman had imparted the shocking news.

  Sniffing, she shook her head. There had been no goodbyes.

  “I can’t believe I’m blubbering on about Dad being ill, when you lost both your parents in such tragic circumstances.”

  Leath tried to shrug. She’d got over the shock and pain. It was the hollow emptiness creeping back to haunt her whenever she was at her lowest. He didn’t know her parents weren’t the only ones she’d lost. Peter had quickly changed, distancing himself when she had most needed him.

  “I’m so sorry for your loss.” His whispered words could have sounded trite, but the expression accompanying them drew tears to her eyes.

  When his hold tightened around her shoulders, she found herself turning naturally into his arms. The warmth from his closeness melted the chill invading her at the reminder of those darkest of days two years ago.

  But as she gained strength from his closeness, she hoped she might also be instrumental in helping ease some of Kirk’s pain. Rubbing her hands up and down his back she tried to express solidarity.

  “Thanks for listening to me,” Kirk mumbled as they drew apart.

  His face took on a ruddy colour as he looked everywhere but at her. “I admit I get myself all screwed up about the whole Dad thing, but there’s no-one I can talk to. I could never let Mum guess how I sometimes feel. And Cade and Jenny must be so peeved at me for expecting them to carry the can for so long—”

  “I’m sure they’re just happy you’re here now.”

  “Yeah, right,” he muttered. Grimacing at her raised eyebrows he conceded. “Yeah, okay, I guess they haven’t been too scathing.”

  “When they really needed you, they sent for you. And you came. Why should you think they’re riled?”

  He shrugged.

  “It wouldn’t hurt to ditch the guilt, Kirk, its only dragging you down.”

  With an obvious urge not to recommence their earlier discussion, Kirk shuffled his feet a couple of times in the sandy soil.

  Presented with a golden opportunity to steer the conversation away from its emotional element, and cement her own point of view, with a saucy smile Leath quipped, “And it’s not going to shift the Robsons’ stand on selling their place.”

  This time his face twisted in an ironic smile. “You’re sure about that?”

  “Oh yes,” she replied with an answering smile. “Absolutely sure.”

  “Well, you can’t fault a body for trying.”

  “But now it’s time to get-over-it.” She stressed the last words.

  “I guess I have to.”

  In accord they returned to the car and were soon on the road again.

  “How much do you know about Alzheimer’s?”

  Surprised Kirk revisited the subject again, Leath admitted to a lack of experience. “I’m a paediatric nurse,” she replied. “The absolute other end of the spectrum.”
<
br />   She paused before plunging right in. “But I do have a friend who works with the elderly. Would you like me to talk to her?”

  “Maybe.” His glance was as non-committal as his answer. “Mum has books and leaflets but reading them isn’t the same as talking to someone. The Internet isn’t much better.”

  “Doesn’t Mary have a support network to help her?”

  He didn’t reply.

  Leath sensed his unwillingness to approach these people. Why, she wasn’t sure.

  “I’ll have a talk to Jo and see if she can suggest some strategies which you could try. Maybe we’ll come up with something your mother’s not aware of.”

  “You’d do that?”

  “Of course.” Leath became aware of shaky ground under her and tacked on, “I like your father.”

  Kirk’s expression bothered her as he turned his head. Didn’t he believe she’d help because it was the right thing to do? Because she had the networking ability to help? She looked away, biting her lip.

  Damn. For the first time since getting into the car this morning trepidation caught hold of her. She’d let her emotions impinge on a normal conversation. They had an hour’s drive ahead of them and—

  “Mum seems to cope so well. But if there was anything I could do to help ease her burden...”

  Phew! Leath slumped into her seat. He hadn’t been suspicious of her offer. She’d misread him.

  With a quick thankful prayer, she swallowed and joined in a discussion about the dreaded disease inflicting his father.

  They’d passed the Ruakaka Beach turnoff when Leath’s chirping cellphone broke up their lively debate on the current government’s law-and-order policies.

  “Go ahead,” Kirk responded to her apologetic look.

  Leath recognised Joyce’s voice. “Can you talk? Am I interrupting anything?” The excitement in her tone caused Leath’s fingers to tighten on the little phone clasped to her ear.