by Lyn Denison
“She has?” Asha grimaced. “All good, I hope.”
“Oh, yes. Mother and I chat on the phone regularly and she’s been singing your praises.”
“Vivienne’s far too kind. I think my shares went up when I discovered the journals, which, by the way, was simply pure luck on my part.”
“Ah, yes. The journals.” Rosemary sat down and indicated for Asha to do the same. “I’m really looking forward to reading them.”
“Asha’s typed them up for us,” Vivienne said as Asha sat down. “So we don’t damage the original journals. I’ve finished reading them, and Peri took the second part to read last night, so you can begin on Part One, where Richard and Georgie leave England.”
“Wonderful! And such a good idea to transcribe them, Asha. I’ve been dying to read them since Mother rang to tell me about them. I can’t believe they were hidden away in a secret compartment. Sounds like a movie plot.”
Asha laughed. “It does, doesn’t it?”
“Have you worked out who might have put the books in the box and why?” Rosemary asked and Asha shook her head. “We’ve all been speculating. It may have been for safekeeping, which points to Georgie putting them there. The journals end in 1897, when Georgie and Margaret came down from Charters Towers to Brisbane, and Vivienne tells me Georgie lived on until 1950. However, as they were in the false bottom of the box, it does look as though the books were hidden away.”
“Would Georgie’s wife have put them there?”
“I wouldn’t have thought so.” Asha frowned. “Georgie mentions the music box as a gift Richard gave to his wife, Susannah. Perhaps Susannah put them there, or one of the children. And it would have had to have been after the mechanism that played the music was removed. That poses another question. Did the mechanism actually break, or was it removed on purpose so the books, et cetera, could be hidden?”
“It’s quite a mystery,” Rosemary said.
“If my Internet server hadn’t been down, I’d have had a chance to look into the family before they left England. I know Vivienne wanted the book to cover the family in Australia, but I’m curious about their life in England, too, especially since Georgie refers to it in his journals.” Asha told Rosemary excitedly. “And the old photo with the books is unusual, too, in that not many families in the mining villages would have had the money to spend on photographs. The Bolam family Georgie mentions living at The Hall were well off apparently, so perhaps they had the photographs taken. I’ve looked in my reference books, and the fashions in the photo are in keeping with the date on the back. It appears to be Richard’s family at his sister, Mary’s, wedding. That’s one of the things I want to check, a marriage between Mary Chaseley and Enoch Bolam.”
“I just can’t wait,” said Vivienne.
“And it’s really amazing,” Asha continued enthusiastically. “The journals, I mean. Especially when you consider children would most probably have had only limited schooling in the mining villages. This would have been so with Richard and Georgie, but Georgie mentions in one of the journals that his father saved one of the Bolam children from drowning, and in appreciation, the Bolams allowed the Chaseley children to be tutored with their own children.”
“When will you be able to do this research, Asha?” Vivienne asked, as excited as Asha.
“They tell me the problem with my server will be solved by this afternoon. Fingers crossed.” Asha held up her hand.
“Perhaps Peri could help when she gets home from work,” Vivienne suggested. “She’s a whiz with those computer things.”
“Ah, it’s okay, Vivienne,” Asha said quickly. “The problem’s with the Internet provider rather than the software.”
Vivienne looked perplexed. “I just can’t understand all this modern technical jargon.”
Rosemary chuckled. “At least you recognize it as technical jargon, Mother.”
Asha’s gaze went from mother to daughter, and she could see the resemblance between them now. She remarked on it. Vivienne looked pleased and Rosemary laughed.
“The acorn, as they say, hasn’t fallen far from the tree with my mother and me. I just hope I look as wonderful when I’m Mother’s age.” Rosemary paused and looked at Asha with studied casualness. “And what about you, Asha? Do you resemble your parents?”
“I suppose I look a little like the photos of my mother. She died when I was four years old. But I think I get my coloring from my father. My half sister, Michelle, is the image of her mother. My stepmother, that is.”
“And you’re a librarian as well as a qualified genealogist?” Rosemary said.
“Yes. And Michelle’s doing Arts at the University of Queensland.”
“Your parents must be proud of you both.”
Asha looked across at Vivienne’s daughter. “I suppose they are. Dad’s not one for saying much, but Mum’s great.”
“I know your father has sports stores, and Mother told me your parents are divorced. Did your stepmother remarry?”
Asha was beginning to wonder if Peri and Rosemary were sisters. And lawyers. They both seemed to enjoy interrogation. She found herself smiling wryly and Rosemary stiffened.
“I didn’t mean to pry,” she said quickly.
Asha shook her head. “That’s okay. Really. I’m staying here in your mother’s house. It’s only natural that you’d be wary. So, to answer your question, no, my stepmother hasn’t remarried. She went back into the workforce when she and my father were divorced. She started out doing clerical work, but now she runs the office of a large timber company near where we live. Office Manager, she laughingly calls herself.”
The mantle clock chimed and Vivienne glanced across at it. “My goodness! Is it that time already?” She turned back to Asha. “Rosemary and I are going down to a local coffee shop for morning tea. And I’m going to stop off on the way back so I can post this copy of the journals off to Grace. Why don’t you come along with us?”
“Oh, no. But thanks. I don’t want to intrude. You must have lots to talk about, seeing as Rosemary has just arrived home.”
Both women laughed.
“Mother and I talk all the time,” Rosemary said. “Do join us, Asha. I’d love to hear more about Uncle Georgie’s journals.”
Half an hour later they were seated in a trendy little coffee shop overlooking the river. Rosemary glanced at her watch. “Should we wait a few minutes before we order? Peri should be here any minute.”
Chapter Eleven
Asha stilled. Peri was joining them, too? Her nerve endings danced in anticipation. But what if Peri turned and walked away when she saw Asha? Peri had been studiously avoiding her, Asha knew, and the heavy weight of despair hung over Asha. She’d have to find a way to talk to Peri. Asha suddenly realized Rosemary was watching her, her sharp eyes probing. “It’s a wonderful view, isn’t it?” She said the first thing to pop into her mind.
Distracted, Rosemary turned to look out over the river where the huge ocean liners now docked, and Asha wrinkled her nose.
“Of course, it’s not as nice as the view from the verandas at Tyneholme,” she added with a smile.
Rosemary laughed and shrugged. “Still, it’s nice to go out for coffee. Very bohemian I always think.”
“Here’s Peri now,” Vivienne said and they all turned to watch her approach.
Asha wanted to remain calmly nonchalant, but she couldn’t stop herself from turning to gaze at Peri. Her heartbeats tripped all over themselves as she watched her move down the aisle between the clusters of tables.
She had obviously been at work. She looked every inch a successful businesswoman. She was wearing a light gray skirt that hugged her hips, and a dark blue tailored jacket with the sleeves pushed up her arms to halfway between her wrists and her elbows. High heels showed off her long, slender legs. Her fair hair was clasped back at the nape of her neck.
A warmth washed over Asha and her mouth went dry. In that moment, watching Peri walking toward her, Asha knew, for better or worse, t
hat she had fallen desperately in love with Peri Moyland. She wanted together like her maternal grandparents who were married for nearly sixty years, and like Georgie and his Margaret. Asha wanted together forever with this woman. A great sadness gripped her and she shivered slightly. She knew there wasn’t the chance of forever in any equation that contained herself and Peri. And as her stepmother had said, it was so complicated.
Regardless of that, she had to face facts, she told herself firmly. Until that wonderful night in Peri’s arms, Asha would have said Peri was straight. Maybe she felt the need to experiment and Asha was simply there and available. No. She’d never believe that. Peri had said that wasn’t the case. No, Peri in Asha’s arms was nowhere near experimental.
But then how did Peri see it? The question intruded with a brutal attack on her self-possession. Perhaps … no, it was definite. That night hadn’t meant anything to Peri. It was blatantly obvious she regretted it. Otherwise, why was she so quick to believe Asha had dated her brother? Peri must know Asha could have no romantic interest in Jack. That had to be a convenient excuse to put something Peri regretted behind her.
Face it. She told herself. She’d broken her own rule, the one she’d made after Tessa, about never again letting anyone close enough to hurt her. A deep, aching pain grew inside her. She suspected this hurt, even though her relationship with Peri had ended before it had begun, would far outweigh what she’d felt after Tessa. Asha could barely contain a moan of despair.
She coughed softly and then realized with dismay that Rosemary Chaseley was watching her again. Had the she seen the pain Asha clutched inside her? Asha made a show of studying the drinks menu. Latte. Cappuccino. Herbal tea. Frappe. The words spun before her eyes.
“Peri!” Rosemary stood up and gave Peri a huge hug. “You look great. I knew a few weeks with Mother would do you the world of good.”
“I’m fine, Rosie, and welcome home.” Peri returned the hug. “It’s great to see you again. I was so surprised when Viv rang me to tell me you were finally home.”
Chairs were moved, and with horror, Asha looked up to see Peri sitting opposite her, far too close for Asha’s peace of mind. She knew her knees would almost be touching Peri’s. She shot a quick glance at her before drawing herself back a little, hoping Peri wouldn’t notice.
Peri was adjusting her sunglasses, the darkness of the lenses disguising her expression, so Asha had no way of knowing what she was thinking.
“Hello, Asha,” Peri said lightly before turning back to Rosemary. “How long are you staying, Rosie?” she asked, and Vivienne laughed.
“I’d like to know that, too.”
Rosemary relaxed back in her chair. “Ah, now that’s part of my big surprise. You’re looking at an old retiree.”
“You’ve given up your job?” Vivienne exclaimed, amazed. “I know you’ve been talking about retiring, but I thought you were just thinking about it.”
“I’ve been thinking about it for a long time, Mother.” Rosemary caught the eye of the waitress. “I’m financially secure now, so I had no excuse. I went ahead and did it. So here I am, a lady of leisure. Although I’ll probably take on some consulting work occasionally, just to keep my hand in, as they say.”
“Bravo!” exclaimed Peri. “You’ve been working too hard for too long.”
“Now look who’s talking,” Rosemary teased.
Peri smiled and nodded. “Touché. But although I’m back at work I’m not putting in the hours I used to.”
“And you’ve discovered a secret,” Rosemary said lightly.
Peri’s face colored slightly. “A secret?”
“That while you were away the business moved on very well without you,” Rosemary explained.
“Oh. Yes. I guess I can’t dispute that. It did. I realized now I should have had faith in my staff.”
The waitress joined them and they all decided on what they were having. Asha had no idea what she ordered. All she recalled was the fleeting touch of Peri’s knee as she passed Vivienne the menu.
“Oh, and scones,” Vivienne added as the waitress went to leave. “With strawberry jam and cream. Nothing like Devonshire tea,” she said as Rosemary laughed.
“You and your scones, Mother. You know they won’t be a patch on the ones you make.”
Peri and Rosemary exchanged a few family memories of Vivienne’s scones until the waitress returned with their orders.
“So what do you plan on doing in your retirement?” Peri asked, adding sugar to her coffee.
Despair swelled inside Asha. After that first quick glance, Peri hadn’t so much as looked at Asha.
Rosemary ran her hand through her short hair. “Firstly, I’m going to treat myself to a well-earned rest for a while and spend some time with Mother.” She leaned across the table and gently squeezed Vivienne’s hand.
“That’s wonderful, Rosemary.” Vivienne beamed at her daughter. “But are you sure it won’t be too boring for you after your job, and Melbourne?”
“Once a Brisbane girl, always a Brisbane girl. Don’t you agree, Asha?” Rosemary drew Asha into the conversation.
“Oh, yes. Definitely,” Asha said quickly. She’d been surreptitiously watching Peri lift her latte up to her lips to sip her coffee, and she drew her attention back to Rosemary and made herself smile at Vivienne’s daughter. “I’ve only been living an hour away at the Gold Coast and I’ve missed home.”
“There you are then.” Rosemary spread her scone with jam and added a dollop of cream. “I thought I might catch up with a few friends I haven’t seen in ages. If they remember me,” she finished wryly.
Asha sensed Peri’s eyes were on her, and she let herself glance across the table at her. What was Peri thinking about? Was she seeing them as Asha was? Bodies naked, legs entwined, the deep, drugging kisses. Asha’s lips parted and she moistened her dry lips with her tongue tip. Peri’s head went down, her fingers rubbing at the faint smudge of lipstick on her cup.
“You know, I’m nudging fifty, and I see downhill all the way from now on.” Rosemary laughed.
“Go on with you. You don’t look thirty,” Vivienne told her. “And you’re only as old as you feel.”
“Thirty is stretching it, Mother.” Rosemary sighed. “I’ve been feeling much more than my age lately. And in the past year I’ve lost two colleagues to heart attacks. It’s pretty sobering.”
“My stepmother was saying much the same thing not long ago,” Asha said and Rosemary paused, her cup halfway to her mouth. Asha saw her swallow.
“Was she?”
Asha nodded. “She’s been working for the same firm for about nine years or so, and she thinks it’s time she took a break. She’s been talking about wanting to travel for ages.”
“She never went overseas with your father when he was on the Australian Cricket team?” Vivienne asked.
“She usually stayed home with Michelle and me. We all went to England on one tour, but it was pretty hectic and Michelle was only about three or four, so it wasn’t much of a success. I did get to go to Lords, though. That gave me a certain amount of clout at school, especially with the boys.”
“I’ll bet it did,” Rosemary remarked, while Peri seemed to find her coffee cup fascinating.
“I had quite a business going at one stage,” Asha continued with a quick laugh. “I’d introduce the boys to Dad and they’d pay me with books, CDs, or by buying me hamburgers. Business was brisk until Dad got suspicious and put a stop to it. I was grounded for a month.”
They all laughed with Asha and then Vivienne exclaimed in surprise.
“For heaven’s sake, there’s Penny Jenson.” She stood up and leaned on her cane, waving at an elderly woman at another table. “Will you excuse me for a few minutes, girls? I have to see how Penny’s getting on since she had her hip replaced.” She walked off and Rosemary shook her head.
“Mother looks so well.”
“She is usually,” Peri said. “She’s sensible about what she can and can’t do
. She’s remarkable for her age.” She grinned at Rosemary. “So it must be genetic.”
Rosemary pouted. “And my clean living has nothing to do with it?”
“Maybe a little,” Peri conceded.
“The best way I found to gauge it is to see how you’re faring at school reunions,” Rosemary said.
“You went to that school reunion you were talking about last year?” Peri asked and Rosemary nodded.
“Oh, yes. And no one was more surprised than I was when I ended up thoroughly enjoying it.” She chuckled. “There we all were, forty-something matrons with over eighty grandchildren between us. Not that I did anything to help that total.”
“Did you ever consider getting married, Rosie?” Peri asked softly and Rosemary shrugged.
“No.” She sipped her coffee.
“What about that persistent suitor Richard always talks about? Neville Harding, wasn’t it? He sounded very keen. And I do believe I heard he was free again.”
Rosemary groaned and gave Peri a playful shove. “I can’t believe Richard was so unkind as to tell that story. I’ll never forgive him.” She turned to Asha. “My brother takes great pleasure in telling the story, ad nauseam, of the tenacious Neville. When I was in my teens I couldn’t get him to believe I found him to be a very unattractive man. Thank heavens he eventually married someone else.”
“As Richard tells it he divorced her,” Peri said with a grin. “And married again and divorced number two. Now I hear he’s been deserted by number three.”
Rosemary wrinkled her nose. “Then I’d best keep a low profile in case he hears I’m back in town.”
They all laughed with her.
“Did Viv tell you Lance and Janet are expecting a baby?” Peri asked and Asha looked back at her, but her dark glasses still hid her expression. Then Peri reached up and took her sunglasses off, then rubbed at her eyes tiredly. “They suit each other, you know, Lance and Janet. More than Lance and I ever did.” She grimaced. “Pity I didn’t realize that before we booked the church, wouldn’t you say?”
