Whispers Through the Pines

by Lynne Wilding

  ‘I’m serious. How much?’

  Jessica put what she considered to be an outrageous price on the painting and, to her amazement, he didn’t flicker an eyelid.

  ‘Consider it sold, pending Tania’s approval. I’m sure she’ll love it and,’ his eyes twinkled, ‘it’ll make a great anniversary present.’

  ‘Okay, but see here, don’t think that you, buying a painting will soften me to remaining in the practice.’

  ‘My dear Jessica,’ he began, his eyebrows lifting and then slowly settling, ‘if anything, I’ve just confirmed, by buying your painting, that you indeed have potential in that field.’ He added, a touch grumpily, ‘But damn it, you’re giving up so much. David and I have been thinking, talking. You’re only a junior partner in the firm. We’d like to offer you a full partnership which would, naturally, include a larger percentage of the company’s profits and other benefits.’

  She gave a throaty laugh and shook her head. ‘Oh, Max, I’m sorry. I’m just not interested. I’ve found a new life here, which I want to explore to the fullest.’ Then she gave him a long, considering look. ‘I know you find that hard to understand. Sometimes I don’t quite understand it myself. But,’ her chin set with determination, ‘I have to try. I want to make this lifestyle change work for me.’

  Max sighed disconsolately and rubbed his chin. ‘Well, you look a lot better than the last time I saw you, so something must be right for you here.’ He crooked an eyebrow at her again and asked intuitively, ‘Is there a new man, perhaps? Will he be part of your new life?’

  Jessica smiled. She had no intention of telling Max too much about Marcus, just in case he somehow tried to use the information to adversely influence her. ‘I hope so. But we’re not discussing our futures yet.’ Her smile widened. ‘We both have divorces to settle.’

  ‘Aahhh, yes, about your divorce. We’ve talked a good deal about strategies. How to delay the proceedings. But that may not suit if you and your new man want to marry as soon as your divorces are final. I think I’ve come up with a compromise which might stop Simon from trying to clean you out financially. You know he’s desperate for funds for his little project, and impatient to get it started. He may settle for a lesser amount to get on with what he wants to do.’

  Jessica straightened, interested. ‘So tell me?’

  ‘Your Perth properties, the two you jointly own. I had them valued last week, and they’ve really jumped up in value. Close to a million dollars nett could be realised if they were sold quickly.’

  Jessica’s eyes widened. ‘That much!’

  ‘If you offered to sign them over to Simon, I believe he might go for it. After all, a million or thereabouts in the hand could be more valuable to him than the possibility of the same or a little more perhaps two or three years down the track, especially with the legal fees and the time involved. It’s a good deal for him,’ he looked at her, ‘and for you.’

  Jessica thought about Max’s suggestion for maybe half a minute. She hadn’t been looking forward to prolonging the divorce proceedings. She wanted to end the relationship as cleanly and painlessly as she could, yet keep her inherited funds intact. ‘Do it. Make his representative in Perth an offer.’

  ‘Okay.’ He sipped the last of his tea, then put the cup back in the saucer. ‘Now, about our offer, the full partnership. Will you think about it, please?’

  Max had just given her what might be an acceptable way out of her stalemate with Simon, so she deemed it wise to reply diplomatically. ‘All right, I will, but I’m not making any promises.’

  Max’s nod told her he was satisfied with that, for the moment.

  Alison and Lisa sat in stunned silence as they listened to the tape Marcus had made when he’d hypnotised Jessica. As they heard Sarah’s voice come through, mother and daughter looked at each other and then at Jessica with a mixture of apprehension, awe and disbelief which, slowly, turned to acceptance.

  Over the week the Marcelles had been on Norfolk, Jessica had filled Alison in on how Sarah had invaded her life, almost taken it over, and she’d seen Alison’s scepticism first-hand until…Showing her the notes she had made and the Anson Bay painting, together with the tape, finally made her sister a believer. However, as Jessica observed Alison’s concentration on the tape—it was the third time it had been played—and saw her struggling with the concept of another person, from a time long gone, speaking through her sister.

  There had been several sessions with Alison, during which her sister had bombarded her, and gently bullied her into telling all about her relationship with Simon. How and why it had deterioriated, and his affair with the hospital’s matron. And through it all, Jessica believed that Alison, who’d also seen Simon, somehow blamed her for their split, though she never said so out loud. Still, Jessica sensed it in her glances, her tone of voice and that hurt Jessica more than she’d believed it could. She needed her sister’s understanding, even if Alison couldn’t give her her open support.

  Marcus had been a tower of strength during the Marcelles stay. He and Nan had entertained the family at Hunter’s Glen. Marcus had taken Andrew for rides on his motorbike and taken the time to show Lisa the convict settlement, answering the many questions she’d fired at him.

  Jessica had also developed a sneaking suspicion that, while Alison might disapprove of her separation from Simon—her sister was conservative to her boot straps, she did approve of and like Marcus. Today the three men, Marcus, Keith and Andrew, were on an all-day fishing trip, which made this the ideal time for Jessica to play the tape.

  ‘It’s totally unreal,’ Lisa said, awed. She looked about the verandah. ‘A spirit in this room. Wow!’

  ‘I’m still struggling with it all,’ Alison admitted, with a shake of her head. She looked at Jessica. ‘You must have been almost out of your mind with fear.’

  ‘Fear that I was going crazy. Yes! But now I can recognise when she’s coming, and I know that Sarah isn’t out to hurt me. She wants me to do something for her.’

  ‘What?’ Lisa wanted to know.

  ‘She hasn’t told me yet.’

  ‘It’s all very weird. Why did she choose you?’ Alison, the busybody, had to ask.

  ‘Marcus and I have talked about that. We’ve concluded that when I came to the island, she sensed a weakness in me because of my breakdown. I believe she thought I’d be an easy subject to control.’

  Alison snorted derisively. ‘She didn’t know you very well, did she?’

  Jessica’s responsive smile was a touch secretive. It was better not to divulge some things. Alison had no concept of Sarah’s spiritual strength. Quite possibly, it wouldn’t have mattered whom she’d tried to influence, that person would not have been capable of resisting her and, therefore would have adhered to Sarah’s wishes.

  ‘You know, Aunt Jess, you should write a book about Sarah. It’d make a cool read.’

  ‘A book.’ Alison, who before she’d married Keith, had worked as an assistant editor in a small Perth publishing house, gave her daughter’s idea some thought. ‘Lisa’s right, it has the potential to be an interesting story. And it’s true. You have your notes, you know about her family’s history, there’s the painting, the tape…’

  Jessica looked taken aback by the idea. ‘I’m not sure. I’ve never written anything other than legal briefs.’

  ‘Oh, do it, Aunt Jess, please. For me,’ Lisa pleaded, then added, ‘for Sarah.’

  Jessica shook her head. ‘I don’t know but…I could try.’

  ‘Sure. You should. Besides, what have you got to lose other than the luxury of some of your time?’ Alison encouraged.

  ‘You’d have to wait until the story has an ending,’ Lisa said, with the aplomb of one who knows how such things work.

  ‘I’m not surprised that Simon couldn’t cope with what was going on. He was always twitchy about supernatural stuff,’ Alison admitted as she studied the painting of the four men’s faces.

  ‘I understood that. Still, I could have
had more support from him instead of the constant sniping, and his attempts to undermine me mentally. Now he wants to use Sarah against me to get the money I inherited from Dad.’

  ‘He isn’t!’ Alison sounded shocked.

  ‘He’s threatened to have me declared mentally incompetent.’

  Alison threw back her head and laughed. ‘Stupid bugger. He doesn’t stand a snowflake’s chance in hell of doing that.’ She studied Jessica for a moment. ‘Maybe you were right. Maybe you and Simon have, as you said, “run your race”.’ And then, ‘You’re not worried, are you? About the mental thing.’

  ‘Marcus says I shouldn’t be. Max, too. With my notes and Marcus’ evidence, they both believe Simon’s plan won’t work. Sue Levinski’s behind it, I reckon. I’m sure she’s egging Simon on. However, good old Max has come up with a counter plan, so we’re hoping that the property settlement can be agreed to soon. Then things will start to go forward.’ Secretly she was pleased by Alison’s recent admission. It was the first instance she’d had that her sister thought she had done the right thing.

  Alison sighed a long, regretful sigh. ‘You really are determined to stay here, aren’t you?’

  ‘I’ve got a couple of good reasons to.’

  ‘What about us? We’re going to miss you, you know.’ Alison said, unable to control the catch in her voice.

  ‘I’ll come over for visits. Perth isn’t that far away. You can expect to see me a couple of times a year, I should think. Besides, I’ve friends in Perth whom I don’t want to lose touch with.’

  ‘It won’t be the same,’ Alison said glumly.

  ‘Gee, Mum, don’t put the guilt trip on Aunt Jessica,’ Lisa said with a teenager’s candour. ‘She’s got her own life to live, and if this is where she wants to live it, you should be happy for her, instead of trying to make her feel bad.’

  Alison rolled her eyes towards the ceiling. Then, impulsively, she gave her daughter a hug. ‘Such pearls of wisdom from one so young! You’re right, Lisa.’ She glanced at Jessica. ‘If this is where you have to be to be happy, then you must stay.’

  Jessica smiled. At last, finally, Alison’s blessing. It meant a lot to have it, more than she cared to analyse at present.

  ‘Aunt Jess, can we go to Slaughter Bay? I’d like to see where Sarah first appeared to you.’

  Alison and Jessica laughed in unison.

  ‘My God, you’re a little ghoul,’ Alison murmured as she ruffled Lisa’s black hair affectionately.

  Jessica glanced out the verandah window. It was a perfect autumn day, not a cloud in the sky. ‘Oh, all right.’ She gave in and picked her car keys up off the table.

  Sarah watched them walk up the slope towards the big pine. The two women were obviously related. Though the older one was plumper and had different colouring, there was sufficient similarity of features to mark them as being kin. The youngest one, a girl, had to be Jessica’s sister’s daughter, for they were remarkably alike.

  A sense of frustration such as she hadn’t known for aeons surged through Sarah. She wanted the strangers to go away, to stop pestering Jessica and taking up her time, so she could have her to herself again. Though it was only weeks, it seemed forever since the night she had appeared to Jessica on her verandah and they’d spoken. That had wearied her so much and, afterwards, her powers had taken an unconscionable time to rebuild.

  She was ready to reveal the last part of her story to Jessica, for only then would she be free to be with Will. Aahhh, yes, she longed for that and had wanted it for what had degenerated into a true eternity.

  As she listened to them chatting amongst themselves, for a second or two, their closeness—something she had never known in her short life other than in her friendship with Bridget—made her envious. It would have been nice, had there not been the chasm of time, to have Jessica for a friend. Yes, that would have been nice. She shrugged the melancholy thoughts aside and then smiled a mischievous smile. Perhaps she should give them a sign that she was close. She would. Spying a fallen log close to her, she concentrated solely upon it and, using her kinetic energy, made it move enough to begin to roll down the slope towards them.

  In the lead, Lisa saw the moving object first and jumped out of the way. ‘Look out!’

  Jessica and Alison had maybe twenty seconds to move out of the log’s way as, gathering speed, it hurtled down the slope until, with a loud crash, it was stopped by two pine trees.

  ‘Jesus, what caused that?’ Alison shrilled.

  Lisa and Jessica looked at each other and smiled.

  ‘Sarah, most likely,’ Jessica responded, trying not to grin at the apprehension on Alison’s face.

  ‘You’re kidding me, aren’t you?’

  ‘No, Al. This is her place. Maybe she thinks we’re trespassing.’

  A white-faced Alison stared at her sister. ‘Does she? Bloody hell!’ She did a smart about-turn. ‘Then let’s get out of here and leave her to it.’

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  ‘Read this,’ Simon said as he handed the fax to Sue.

  Sue read the businesslike paragraphs offering Simon the properties and their inclusions which he and Jessica jointly owned, as his share of the divorce settlement. She gave the paper back and looked at him. ‘It’s a bribe, a sweetener. If you accept their offer, she gets to keep everything else.’

  ‘I’m aware of that.’

  Simon ran a hand through his hair, and then removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose—a familiar gesture when he was deep in thought. In a way, he had to admire Jessica and Max. It was a clever play, and he could see the advantage in accepting it. He didn’t enjoy the hassling, the juggling for a bigger share to fund his geriatrics project, even though his legal representative was the one doing the hassling on his behalf. He’d got over his initial anger towards Jessica, and her call to end their marriage, and found the subsequent negotiations regarding the property settlement demeaning.

  And if he were honest with himself, which he could be on rare occasions, it was unfair to Jessica. Her fortune was hers, she’d had it before they met. She was the one who administered it, bought and sold shares, etc., and who’d built it to the level, at which it now was. He had had nothing to do with it.

  He glanced furtively at Sue, then looked away. The situation he now found himself in was his fault too, no one else’s. If he hadn’t fallen for Sue’s charms, he’d still be at Cassell’s Cottage with his wife and with access to her money. But all that was past tense now. It was time to move on, time to get set up the way he wanted to be.

  ‘What are you going to do, lover?’

  ‘I don’t know. I want to think about the offer, study my options.’

  ‘Well, if you want my opinion, I’d tell her fancy-pants solicitor to go to hell.’ This was Sue at her bitchy best. ‘You’ve earnt that money with what you’ve had to put up with from her. You shouldn’t let them cheat you out of a fair share of it.’

  ‘We’ve been through this before,’ he said wearily. ‘Can we give it a rest?’

  Streetsmart Sue recognised the disapproval in Simon’s tone. Weak bastard. She turned on her heel and went into the bedroom. He’d do it, he’d go along with what Jessica wanted. Simon had his good points, he was a nice, kind man, even if he was somewhat self-centred, but he also had his weaknesses, and one was that he wasn’t confrontational. She’d fight to the last breath to wrest that rich bitch’s money off her, but not Simon. She could tell by the shifty expression in his eyes that, eventually, after some pretended anger and humming and harring, he’d agree to their terms.

  That disappointed her so much that within seconds she reached the point of barely suppressed rage. Sprawling face down on the bed, she gathered the quilt cover in bunched fists and pressed her face into it. Damn Jessica Pearce! She’d win because Simon didn’t have the stomach for the fight! Oh hell, damn him, too.

  She sat up and ran her tongue across her dry lips. What she needed was a drink! In five minutes she was dressed. She wa
lked back into the living room and searched for her keys.

  ‘What’s this? Where are you off to?’

  The look she gave him was not particularly affectionate. She was too angry to pretend. ‘Like you, I need some thinking time.’ She put her hand on the doorknob and twisted it. ‘See you later, lover.’

  ‘Marcus, I’m getting concerned.’ A frown creased Jessica’s forehead. ‘It’s over three weeks now, and Sarah hasn’t made contact.’

  They were sitting on the verandah-cum-studio, with their coffees, watching a rain squall wash over the meadow and out to sea. As the rain stopped, it left behind a grey sky with just enough light for Jessica to continue painting, if she wanted to. But, for the moment, she was content to sit and talk and look at the man she had fallen in love with. He was the calm after the storm. Her safe anchorage. He had become and would always be her rock.

  ‘I shouldn’t worry. Your family and Max have been buzzing around for a week. Sarah didn’t have much opportunity to make her presence known while they took up your time.’

  ‘I suppose…’ Jessica allowed herself to be convinced.

  ‘I take it Max was disappointed when you gave him your final “no” at the airport?’ His expression serious, Marcus gave her a quizzical look as he added, ‘You’re sure, aren’t you? I mean, really sure?’

  ‘I am. Max wasn’t happy, and David won’t be either, but they’ll get over it. The barrister who’s been doing my case load is working out well, so Max said. If that continues, in a year or two, they’ll offer him a junior partnership.’ Her features were confident as she said, ‘Believe me, I don’t carry any sense of guilt that I may have left them in the lurch or,’ she grinned, ‘that I’ve created a void in the profession. No one’s indispensible in the legal world.’

  ‘I’m glad. Now I can tell you my news. I’ve been approached by Stan Campbell, he’s the man behind the political arm of our legislative assembly. He wants me to run for a position in the assembly at the next election and, if I make it with a high percentage of votes, I may become a minister straightaway.’