Hartley's Grange

by Nicole Hurley-Moore

  He leant his head against the white bark of the tree and sighed, pushing the memories back down and slamming the door shut. He had a million things to do and it was too bright a day to sit around and wallow in self-pity and the gloomy past.

  ‘Jeez, what the hell’s the matter with me?’ he muttered as he stood up and brushed the dust off the backside of his jeans. He walked back along the ridge and towards his house without a backwards glance.

  Let the ghosts sleep – it’s safer that way. Besides, he had better things to think about, Charlotte Somerville for one. They were hooking up that night; at least that was the plan. They had a thing, an arrangement, that they’d hook up whenever neither of them had anything else on. A commitment without a commitment. It was the closest thing Flynn had ever had to a relationship – maybe that was sad but it was all he could manage, and it suited him.

  ***

  Lily blew out a breath and stared down at the cream silk on the table. The pattern was pinned to the fabric, now all she had to do was cut it out. This was the part that always gave her pause, no matter whether she was cutting into hundreds of dollars’ worth of silk or a cotton offcut. She stood back and walked around the table again, just to make sure that everything was perfect.

  She put down the scissors and sighed.

  The last thing she needed was a distraction from trying to build a business up from scratch, but today she just couldn’t concentrate as her mind kept wandering to the past. Perhaps it had something to do with being back in this house again. Even though Violet had done a fantastic job renovating the old place, Lily still caught a trace of her grandparents. And while Violet probably wouldn’t agree with her, for Lily there had been some good times here.

  Violet and their grandfather always butted heads, even before she started going out with Jason McKellan. Lily had tried to be the voice of reason and the family peacemaker, but Silas never wanted to be placated. It was a difficult time when Lily’s parents were killed in a car accident. Up until that point, visits to Violet Falls had been few and far between, though these were happy times on the whole when they occurred. But things became very different when Lily and Violet were taken in by their grandparents. Silas blamed everything and everyone for the death of his only son. He raged against the injustice of it all, which both girls understood and would’ve sympathised with, except for the fact that he seemed to dismiss the death of their mother. Their whole world had been destroyed and yet Silas didn’t seem to see that, so caught up was he in his own pain.

  The girls had gravitated to their grandmother, a kind and gentle woman. Lily knew that her father’s death had affected her grandmother deeply, because whenever she said his name her grandmother’s eyes would mist over and her voice would catch. But she put her pain aside and tried her best to make a home for the two girls. It was through her grandmother that Lily developed her passion for sewing and design. She taught Lily to use a sewing machine, cut out a pattern and even to embroider. It was here in this very room that Lily found some sort of peace, sitting quietly next to her grandmother sewing.

  Added to his grief over the loss of his son, Silas Beckett had held a grudge against the entire McKellan clan, both living and dead. At times it went from general dislike to almost psychotic hatred. Both Lily and Violet had to suffer through endless rants about how the McKellans had ruined the Becketts’ fortunes; it was a load of nonsense, but for their grandfather it was the truth. And then, of course, Violet went and committed the ultimate sin by falling in love with one of them. As it turned out it was the wrong one, but at least now she had found Mac and everything had been set to right.

  Her grandfather’s relationship with Lily was far less tempestuous than with her sister. In fact, half the time Lily suspected that he forgot he had a second granddaughter at all and mostly addressed her with a grumpy indifference. When their grandmother died, Lily had taken over the job of trying to smooth the waters with her grandfather but not with much luck. So Lily had retreated to the one place she could still find a little peace, her grandmother’s sewing room.

  Even when Lily had left with Violet after he’d thrown her out, Silas had never bothered to look for her. She pretended that it hadn’t hurt, but that was a lie.

  It was an awful thing not to be wanted.

  Chapter 6

  ‘Sorry I’m late. Have you been waiting long?’ Lily asked as she hurried forward and clasped Darren Johnson’s hand.

  He shook his blond head and gave her a grin. ‘Nah, I’ve only just got here.’

  ‘Oh, that’s a relief. Well, I suppose you’ll want to see the shop.’ Lily pulled an old-fashioned key out of her handbag and headed for the front door. ‘Come in. Structurally the place seems to be sound but it’s in dire need of sprucing up,’ she said as the lock clunked open.

  ‘Have you decided on what needs fixing?’

  They walked into the shop and Lily placed her oversized bag on the old glass counter.

  ‘I know what I’d like to do, but it really depends on how much it will cost. I’m afraid my budget is fairly tight. I would love to say fix the whole place but I know that’s not going to happen.’

  Johnno nodded. ‘So what did you have in mind?’

  ‘I definitely need the kitchenette and bathroom updated. And if you come through here,’ Lily said as she walked towards the back of the shop, ‘maybe, you could redesign this stockroom into a couple of decent-sized dressing rooms.’

  ‘Sure. And the kitchenette?’

  ‘Oh, it’s just through here. See, the kitchen and the bathroom are on either side of the back door.’

  Johnno stuck his head around the door of the rundown kitchen area. ‘It’s not big, is it?’

  Lily gave him a smile. ‘I think that’s an understatement. So, is it doable?’

  ‘Anything’s doable, for a price. What are you going to do with upstairs?’

  ‘At this point, I’m just going to paint it and turn it into my stockroom. And then the attic will be my second workroom.’

  ‘You have another workroom?’ asked Johnno.

  ‘Yes, at Violet’s place.’

  ‘You don’t mind if I just have a nosey about, do you?’

  ‘Not at all. I’ll wait for you in the front,’ Lily said with a nod as she started to retrace her steps. Walking over to the window, she peeled off a bit of the old newspaper and spent the next few minutes staring out onto the main street. It was a cold day but the sun was shining, which made the temperature easier to bear. Lily glanced at her watch; it was ten minutes past nine. The street appeared to be fairly busy for that time of the morning, especially midweek. After about ten more minutes, Lily heard Johnno’s footsteps over the bare wooden floor.

  She turned around and smiled. ‘All set?’

  ‘Yeah, I’ll go back to the office and work out some options and prices for you. Give you a ring later this afternoon.’

  ‘Great, thanks, Johnno,’ Lily said as she opened the door and waited for him to pass.

  Once he stepped onto the footpath he turned back and waited for Lily to lock the door.

  ‘I meant to ask, what sort of style did you want?’

  ‘Well, even though the shop is old, I want the bathroom and kitchen to be sleek and modern. The rest of the place can be a nod to Victorian sentimentality, but I like my amenities contemporary. Nothing too pricey, just clean and classic.’

  ‘Alright,’ Johnno said, ‘but you do know that there is probably a heritage overlay on this place?’

  ‘What does that mean?’

  ‘Well, nothing too serious, except a bit of bureaucratic bullshit with Council permits. It shouldn’t be too much of a problem because it’s inside, but you will need permission to restructure. Anyway, leave it with me, and I’ll let you know.’ He went to turn away but thought better of it. ‘I’m glad you’re back. Do you know the old saying? “There’s always a Beckett in Violet Falls”.’

  ‘Well, thanks, Johnno. And it looks like the town now has three if you include my s
ister and niece,’ Lily said with a self-conscious laugh.

  ‘Talk to you later,’ he said with a grin.

  ‘Looking forward to it.’

  ***

  A strand of hair had worked its way out of her ponytail. Lily tucked it back behind her ear as she ran up the steps of the old bandstand in the middle of the botanical gardens. Once she made it to the top, she bent over and tried to catch her breath. The air was icy and with each exhalation her breath turned into a mist. Lily tried to fit a run in each morning. She liked being alone with her thoughts, and some of her best designs had materialised at these times.

  Some mornings she’d do a straight run from Violet’s house, along the creek and finish with a circuit of the gardens. Other days she’d head out in the opposite direction over the old bridge towards Mac’s place. And if she was feeling really pumped she’d run all the way to the falls.

  But today she wasn’t thinking about dresses or fabric. Today she was going over the figures Johnno had quoted her the night before. His charges were a bit higher than she had anticipated, though she probably shouldn’t have been surprised; everyone in town, including Mac and her sister, insisted that Johnno and his crew were the best.

  Lily leant on the balustrade and looked out over the gardens, bathed in early morning light. She could cover the costs, just. Things were certainly going to be tight and she may have to take up Violet’s offer of working on some of the upcoming events she had booked. Lily felt bad about that – she hated that she’d actually take a wage from Violet when normally she’d help out for free, but if she wanted to open her own business there seemed to be little choice.

  She blew out a long breath before jogging back down the steps and making her way through the gardens, feet pounding on the damp crushed pebble path. She needed to adjust her business plan and figures, be a little more savvy. Edwina Partell bought the backbone of their supplies from a small fabric warehouse in Melbourne called Stitch. Lily had got on very well with Stitch’s owner, so perhaps if she went and spoke to Maria she’d be able to source the fabric she needed at a discount. The same went for any beads and embellishments; there were a couple of places she knew in Melbourne that were great value for money. And if she couldn’t get everything she needed, there was always the internet.

  As Lily headed back home, an ember of determination began to glow inside her. She would put every cent and every bit of herself into making her business not just reality but a success. No matter what, she was determined to make it happen.

  Buoyed by her resolve, Lily grabbed a quick shower and a slice of toast before she jumped into Violet’s car and headed off to Melbourne. Her day was spent in a flurry of hunting through endless bolts of material, making connections and sourcing the best deals she could find.

  After a long day and a long drive, Lily pulled back into the driveway at home, feeling both elated and exhausted.Violet stepped out onto the verandah and waved. Lily grinned back as her sister came down the steps and over to meet her.

  ‘How was it?’

  Lily opened the door. ‘It was good.’

  ‘So did you manage to get everything on your list?’

  ‘And then some,’ she said as she handed Violet a fistful of canvas shopping bags with STITCH written on the front. ‘Can you take these?’

  ‘Yep, I’ve got them.’

  ‘But more importantly, I stopped at our favourite deli.’ Lily reached over to the passenger seat and grabbed a cardboard box.

  ‘Oh, you got the cheese pastries, didn’t you?’

  ‘Sure did.’

  ‘I love those!’

  ‘I know and that’s why I bought them.’

  ‘Ooo, gimme, gimme, gimme!’

  Lily laughed as she handed the box to Violet. ‘Somehow, I don’t think they’re going to last to dinner.’

  ‘Are you mad? As if that was even a possibility.’

  ‘Aunty Lily – you’re back!’ Holly called out as she ran along the verandah and down the steps.

  ‘Hey sweetie,’ Lily said as she wrapped her up in a hug. ‘Did you have a good day?’

  Holly rigorously nodded her head. ‘Ah-huh – can I help?’

  ‘Of course you can.’ Lily walked around to the back of the car and opened up the hatchback. She pointed to a couple more fabric bags. ‘Do you think you could manage them?’

  ‘Sure can,’ Holly said as she took the bags.

  ‘Hey kiddo, guess what – Aunty Lily brought us back cheese pastries from our old deli.’

  ‘Oh, they’re my favourite!’

  Violet chuckled. ‘That’s exactly what I said.’

  ‘So anything exciting happen since this morning?’ Lily picked up the last of her purchases.

  Violet shook her head as all three of them headed up the stairs. ‘You’re forgetting where you are. Nothing ever happens in Violet Falls.’

  ‘Nothing then?’

  ‘Well, nothing other than that Holly has decided she wants to learn dancing. Just so I don’t forget, she’s been mentioning it every five minutes.’

  ‘Kylie and Amber are doing lessons and they said it was great. Kylie thinks it would be fun if I could go too. You think it’s a good idea don’t you, Aunty Lily?’

  Lily chuckled. ‘Oh, don’t drag me into your dark and devious plots, sweetie. It’s up to your Mum.’

  Holly let out an exaggerated sigh as they walked up to the front door. ‘That’s what Mac said.’

  ‘You’ve already talked to Mac about it?’ Violet asked in surprise.

  ‘Yeah, he said that it was up to you. But he said maybe he’d talk to you about it – just like he did with Tiger and the other kittens.’

  Lily bit back a laugh as they went inside. She reckoned that there would be dance lessons in the near future. Violet was a strong woman but let’s face it, there was no way she could resist the combined efforts of both Holly and Mac.

  ***

  ‘Thanks for coming early,’ Charlotte said as she opened the door of her sleek modern townhouse.

  ‘Not a problem, you said it was important.’ Flynn stepped into the small hallway and headed towards the open-plan living area. The interior matched the outside of the building, a blend of clean lines and contemporary furniture. The only softness came from the colourful artwork on the walls and a large vase of orange gerberas on the coffee table. Flynn always found Lottie’s place a bit on the sterile side, but everyone likes different things – whatever floats your boat, he supposed. ‘So, what’s up?’

  ‘Have a seat,’ Charlotte said as she gestured to the grey leather couch. ‘Would you like a drink?’

  ‘Shit, Lottie, what the hell’s the matter? You’re acting weird.’ Flynn sat down on the couch. As he stared at her, he could have sworn she blushed.

  ‘Um, I know that we’re meant to be going out to dinner, but I really needed to discuss something with you.’

  ‘So, get to it. What’s up?’

  ‘God, why does this sort of stuff have to be so hard?’

  ‘Okay, that’s ominous,’ Flynn said as he leant forward. ‘Just spit it out, Charlotte.’

  ‘I think we have to re-evaluate where we stand,’ she said as she sat on the arm of the opposite chair.

  ‘Okaaay,’ Flynn said, a frown deepening on his forehead. He leant back and stared hard at her.

  ‘Look, this has been fun and I’ve really enjoyed the time we’ve had, but I’m ready for something more.’

  ‘Listen, I don’t think I can—’

  Charlotte held up her hand. ‘I know, I’m not asking you to.’

  ‘But I thought that was the attraction? A relationship with no ties, no commitment.’

  ‘It was at first, but you must know that’s not a relationship by any standard,’ Charlotte said as she pushed her long red hair back over her shoulder. ‘I’m not trying to be cruel, but I’m at a point in my life when I need something more. I need a real relationship, Flynn, something that has a shot at a future.’

  ‘I thought this wa
s what you wanted.’

  ‘It was, but not anymore – that’s why I’m walking away. It’s self-preservation, really. I want to fall in love, I want to be someone’s everything, and that’s not you – we both know it. I need commitment, and commitment isn’t your thing.’

  A chill went through his body and all of a sudden Flynn felt very alone. It was his own fault; he should have seen this coming. He’d dropped his barriers a fraction and now he was paying the price. Charlotte was walking away and he didn’t blame her. Resignation settled in his gut like a stone: everyone always left.

  He pushed himself up from the couch and gave her a small smile. ‘It’s okay, Charlotte, I understand.’

  Charlotte jumped to her feet. ‘Listen, Flynn, I like you so much but you never let me in. If I thought there was a chance …’ Flynn’s eyes met hers and Charlotte shook her head and sighed. ‘Yeah, that’s what I thought.’

  ‘I’ll see you around,’ he said as he started walking towards the door. ‘Take care of yourself, Charlotte.’

  ‘Flynn.’

  He looked over his shoulder. ‘There’s nothing else to say, Lottie – let’s just leave it at that.’ Without another word, Flynn let himself out.

  Chapter 7

  The weeks slipped by quickly and for Lily there didn’t seem to be enough hours in a day. Autumn had disappeared and been replaced with a cold and rainy winter – not that Lily took much notice; she was consumed with work. Even though her plan was to make bespoke dresses for her individual customers, she knew that she would also need samples that were not only examples of her style but could also be used as floor stock.

  She’d been lucky with her shopping trips to Melbourne when it came to sourcing all the supplies she needed for her designs. Maria from Stitch had been excited by Lily’s new venture and given her an amazing discount on the fabrics, which was fantastic, as every cent counted.