by Di Morrissey
‘Of course I have. He made some brilliant films but he’d be getting on, wouldn’t he? I thought he was English.’
‘He is. Been living here in Wellington on and off for years, he’s seventy. Made a big TV series recently in the UK. He loves Isabella. He’s going to draft a script treatment.’
Dani was a bit stunned. ‘Well, you don’t waste any time when you get an idea. I assume Garth is getting paid?’ she said none too subtly.
‘I’m coming back to see him – and you I hope – in a few days. I’d like to get the council on side to help with infrastructure. This film will put the valley on the tourist map, all kinds of opportunities. So don’t say much. We’ll make a big announcement, get media coverage once the ink has dried. Call you when I’m back.’
Dani called Lara. ‘I don’t know what to think about this. I guess I’m feeling a bit jealous. I feel so connected to Isabella, I’d hate to see her ripped off again.’
‘I have to say it’s a damned good movie idea,’ said Lara thoughtfully. ‘And Russell Franks, he’s got a pretty amazing track record. Hope he’s not past it.’
‘Roddy said he’d just done some big series in the UK.’
‘That rings a bell. Look, darling, if it happens, and God knows how easily these things fall over, then it’s a bonus. Have you told Jason Moore?’
‘Not definitely,’ said Dani slowly. ‘It was only a rumour from Garth and it all seemed a bit unlikely . . . well, sudden. But Roddy is going for it, hammer and tongs. So now I think I should tell Jason it’s happening.’
‘Perhaps I should talk to Roddy and see if I can get involved,’ said Lara suddenly. ‘Do the “making of doco” or something. Maybe that’s why I’ve come back here!’ said Lara with a laugh, but Dani could tell she was serious.
‘Just wait, Mum. He’ll be here in a few days so we’ll talk to him then.’
Dani sat at the bare desk in ‘her’ office as Jason leaned back in a chair, his hands clasped thoughtfully under his chin. ‘Why don’t I like the idea?’ he said, as much to himself as to Dani.
‘I felt the same, a proprietary thing, I think. But won’t it be good publicity for Birimbal?’
‘Possibly. If the film is any good. But that could be a year or more away. We should cash in on the fact it’s going to be made as it gets people familiar with the location. Our big aim is to make people understand what kind of a project we’re setting up.’ He paused. ‘Getting Russell Franks is a bit of a coup though. Who would play Isabella?’
They amused themselves for a few moments running through names of the world’s top actresses.
‘I assume your friend plans to film here in the valley and not in California or someplace,’ said Jason.
‘Here definitely. That’s why he wants council help,’ said Dani.
‘Has he asked you to help him in any way? Could divide your focus a bit,’ said Jason straightening and giving her a direct stare.
‘No way. My mother is keen though. She worked in TV.’ Dani wanted to get off the subject of Roddy. She’d alerted Jason, it was up to him and his company to decide what to do, if anything, about the Isabella movie. ‘I’ve started painting but I’m hoping Carter Lloyd will set a date to take me out to Isabella’s original home site. He’s such a busy man.’
‘I’d like to come along. I know the country but not its history,’ said Jason. ‘Let me know. Carter is a pretty impressive man, knowledgeable and very charismatic. Maybe he should be in the movie!’ He escorted her to the door. ‘Nice bit in the paper about you and your mother returning to find your family roots.’
‘That’s my mother’s idea. My escape to the country to find my artistic soul seems to have set off a chain of events,’ said Dani.
Jason opened the door into the reception area where Miss Lawrence sat at her desk busily typing at her computer. ‘Anything to do with family history can be a can of worms,’ he said quietly. ‘Let’s not go there. Keep me posted about the trek to find Isabella’s home.’
Roddy arrived unannounced on Dani’s doorstep, which irritated her. He quickly smoothed her ruffled feathers by giving her a hug, waving a bottle of expensive champagne and holding up crossed fingers.
‘We’re that close to signing off.’
‘Does that mean money? Going public? What’s your next move?’ she asked.
‘Courting council,’ he answered promptly. ‘I’ve got the location manager coming up to do a recce for suitable spots to film. We’ll have to build Isabella’s house, find sulkies and drays. That museum is a resource goldmine.’
‘So you need permission to do all this stuff?’ Dani was beginning to understand why he was so keen to get Patricia behind the plan.
‘I want the whole district to get involved. Maybe we’ll build a small period township and make Isabella’s house solid, not a mock-up, turn it into a B&B later. The whole thing will be a big tourist drawcard. The movie will bring bucks to town . . . a hundred crew and cast have to be housed and fed for a couple of months. Too bad the Birimbal development won’t be finished . . .’
‘That’s residential housing, of a very special kind, not the sort of thing for short-term lease,’ said Dani quickly. ‘That was one of the criteria for the village homes. But I’m happy to introduce you to Patricia.’
‘Do it informally, have us over for coffee so I can pitch the whole thing so she can go in to bat for me in council,’ he said.
Dani knew Roddy would be turning on all his persuasive charm with his silver tongue. But she reckoned Patricia was a practical woman who wouldn’t be easily swayed. ‘It seems a win-win situation for the area so I’m sure the council will be supportive.’
‘I’m hoping they’ll stump up some money, perhaps do a few targeted, exclusive fundraising events from those businesses who’ll benefit most,’ said Roddy.
‘Ah, that’s different. I have no idea about that,’ said Dani.
‘I’ve done some homework. The council is pretty cashed up and they have a budget for tourism and I believe a theme park was mentioned at one stage . . .’ he stopped. ‘I won’t bore you with all this. Come on, I thought we’d share the champagne and I’d take you out to the beach for a swim and lunch.’ He leapt up and gave her a quick kiss.
‘Let me tidy up my stuff in the studio. God, I’m hopeless aren’t I? I was going to finish that picture this afternoon,’ she chided herself.
‘You’ll feel refreshed and inspired. Shall we take the champagne with us?’
‘Let’s go,’ laughed Dani.
Dani didn’t get home till dark and probably wouldn’t have returned from Roddy’s glamorous penthouse apartment at the beach if she hadn’t had to feed Jolly. It had been a lazy afternoon – they’d gone to the beach for a surf, returned and shared the champagne, though Dani noticed the expensive bottle had been returned to the wine rack and he’d opened a mediocre bottle from the refrigerator. But they’d brought back gourmet deli food from the cafe at the beach, eaten on his balcony, then, after the champagne, Roddy opened a bottle of chilled white wine. So it seemed quite natural that he kissed her and led her into the shaded bedroom with ice-white linen and a pristine ensuite. There was nothing personal in the place that she could see, other than papers and files on a desk.
She recalled what Helen had said about Roddy being good for a fling and she grinned to herself. The sex had been nice, and it was good to feel attractive and have someone to share things with. Not that Roddy was interested in what she was doing.
She missed her son. She hoped Tim would adjust quickly when he made the move to Cedartown with Lara. She’d have to cool the relationship with Roddy when Timmy was around. She’d introduce Roddy slowly and casually to her son. Nevertheless, she’d been intrigued listening to Roddy’s extensive plans for the Isabella movie which, if his whole scheme built around the film came off, would be an enormous undertaking for the town.
The following week Helen and Barney insisted on hosting a barbecue picnic at Chesterfield as an official welcome to La
ra and Tim. The weather was warm enough for the kids to head to the river for a swim while the adults lounged around the pool after lunch. Max and Sarah had brought along Les White who’d be Tim’s teacher. Angela and Tony had invited another couple who had children at school with Toby and Tabatha so Tim would know a small group when he started the following week at Cedartown Primary School.
Dani began to relax as she watched Tim, Toby, Tabatha, Max’s sons Lennie and Julian, and the other kids race to the river with the dogs while Barney towed his boat behind the tractor down to the landing, promising the kids a spin up the river later. It was a relief to her as Tim’s initial reaction to The Vale hadn’t been overly enthusiastic.
‘We’re in the country, Mum! Like waaaay out! Who am I going to play with? What am I going to do? How early do I have to get up for school?’
He’d deliberately found fault with almost everything, but Dani held her tongue and her temper. ‘This house is so old! What happens if something goes wrong? We’re all alone here. Toby told me there’re snakes out here.’
‘There are snakes at Chesterfield too. Wear shoes and keep your eyes open,’ said Dani calmly. Though she had exactly the same fears as Tim, she wasn’t going to show it.
At least Tim’s first few days at school went smoothly. She was so grateful that Toby had taken him under his wing, being in the same class. After her freedom at The Vale she was still adjusting to the routine of driving Tim into school and picking him up at Chesterfield in the late afternoon.
To give Dani a bit more time for work, Tim went home with Tabatha and Toby. Helen made them afternoon tea and they hung out with Barney in his massive shed where a horde of guinea pigs had escaped and made it home. Tim helped Toby with his chores of feeding Pig, the old sow, checking the chickens and ducks, playing with the wallaby which had recovered but refused to leave, or picking beans and other vegetables. Tim always had a parcel of produce or homemade biscuits from Helen when he got in the car to go home.
Lara was staying with Barney and Helen at Chesterfield for a week as the Clerks had arranged for some roof repair work to be done at Cricklewood before she moved in.
Dani had worked out a sequence of pictures to paint that she believed would reflect the beauty and spirit of some of Isabella’s country. There were still gaps in the whole story as she was waiting to read Garth’s manuscript, which Roddy had promised to lend her. She gathered her sketches together and called out to Tim.
‘I have to go into the office in town, do you want to come in after school and meet Jason Moore and see where I’m working?’
To Dani’s surprise Tim was rather intrigued with the project models so Jason set him up at a computer to take a virtual walk through Birimbal village.
‘When is it going to be ready? It looks so cool, I’d like to live there,’ said Tim to Jason, with a pointed glance at his mother. ‘Look, Mum, you can ride a bike everywhere and there are little pocket parks all around, as well as the big park. There’s a dam and a lagoon and what’s this bridge thing?’
‘That’s a walkway with a viewing platform for people to sit and watch the wildlife on the wetlands around the lagoon and the natural bushland. Birds and wallabies and whatever lives there,’ explained Jason. ‘Every little neighbourhood is linked by foot and cycle paths with lots of trees and landscaping. Even the animals have their own vegetation pathways between the various stands of bushland so plants and animals aren’t displaced.’
‘Is that where stormwater is being integrated as well as making some areas more private with the bushland corridors?’ asked Dani.
Jason nodded. ‘And on the outskirts of each village there are small farmlets. Either for hobby farms or people wanting to sell their produce.’
‘Where do the cars go?’ asked Tim peering at the houses set back from the roadside with large front gardens.
‘The garages are at the back of the homes with alleyways for services,’ said Dani. ‘I’ve always thought the idea of having the garage lumped at the front of the house such an eyesore.’
They left Tim playing with the scale model of the village set out on a long glass table in the boardroom as Dani went through a series of sketches she’d made of Isabella’s country with Jason.
‘I’ve done Kelly’s Crossing – as I’ve been there. The river, the view from the lookout over the river and valley, plus that beautiful house you renovated, or re-designed, on the river,’ said Dani showing him her pen and ink and watercolour roughs. ‘Carter says he can take us up to the original home site next Tuesday. Wear strong shoes.’
‘These look great, Dani. I’ll be there. Maybe Ginny will want to come too. My girlfriend,’ he explained. ‘She’s coming up for a week.’
‘I’m sure that’ll be fine with Carter,’ said Dani, but she was put out as she wanted to have Max and Carter explain the significance of the area and she didn’t want it to be a touristy hike.
That night Dani tacked her sketches on the studio walls and studied them. Looking at the landscapes she really felt as if she was sitting by a little creek in the middle of the timbered hills in the lowlands of the valley. It was a place where she felt embraced and protected by the distant high green ridge edging the sky. She felt satisfied as much by the familiar country as the artistic interpretation. She imagined not a lot had changed since Isabella’s time. More farmhouses, cleared and fenced land, but the majesty and beauty of the area were still there. She wished she could summon up the ghost of Isabella to talk to her. What had happened to her? What had Garth unearthed?
She hadn’t heard from Roddy since their lazy day of lovemaking at the beach. She hoped it was because he was busy with the film project and not because she’d told him her son had moved in with her.
The days were getting longer and so late one afternoon when Tim came out of his room complaining that the computer had crashed again – ‘It’s the stupid electricity out here’ – Dani suggested he go outside and explore.
‘Go down to the creek, Barney says there’re eels in there.’
‘What would I do with them?’
‘Kids catch them for fun and let them go. Some people used to eat them in the old days, I think.’
‘Yuk. Mum, how come we don’t eat stuff like Ma and Helen cook? Roast things, puddings, barbecued fish and sausages.’
‘What’s wrong with stir fry and the lovely quiches I get from Claude?’ asked Dani, stopping what she was doing to stare at him.
‘Aw, nothing. But it’s restaurant food, like Dad gets.’
‘My, you are acclimatising to country home-style cooking,’ she remarked. ‘Next you’ll want a cow so we can milk it for breakfast.’
Tim gave her a disgusted look and wandered out of the house.
It wasn’t till Dani realised it was almost dark that she wondered where Tim was and rushed outside calling him. Then she heard a faint ‘cooee’ echoing from the creek. It didn’t sound like Tim. Would he even know how to send a cooee call? She hurried in the fading light and could see figures across the creek in the paddock.
‘Tim? Tim? Are you there? Are you all right?’
‘Over here, Mum. Come on over. Cross where the rocks are, it’s shallow,’ shouted Tim.
Relieved, she got to the edge of the stream and peered across to where Tim was standing with a person she couldn’t recognise and two horses.
‘What are you doing?’ she called. ‘Wait, I’ll take my shoes off.’
‘Mind how you go, there are sharp rocks,’ came a woman’s voice.
The water came to Dani’s mid calves, drenching the bottom of the cotton pants which she’d hoisted up her legs, as she made her way gingerly across the creek.
‘Mum, this is Kerry. She lives over the hill and these are her horses. Aren’t they cool? I’ve been playing with them.’
Dani reached out to shake hands. The woman was small, wearing trousers, a baggy shirt and a battered straw hat. Her features were hard to see in detail, but she looked to be in her forties, maybe older. ‘Ah, my
neighbour, how nice to meet you at last.’
She nodded and seemed uncomfortable but Dani realised it was more shyness. ‘Er, yes. Are you settled in over there all right? Need anything at all?’
‘No, thanks, we’re very comfortable.’ Dani suddenly remembered the furniture and the vase of flowers. ‘I’m very grateful for the furniture, it’s lovely. Would you like to come over for a cup of tea sometime?’
‘Busy with the farm at present, thanks. Your lad here, he likes the horses. Told him he could give them a carrot or apple. Quiet old things.’
‘Can you ride them?’ asked Tim.
‘Did once. Jumpers. Followed the circuit,’ she said and gave the horses a fond look. ‘Not any more. Well, best be going.’
‘Thanks, Kerry,’ said Tim. ‘See you round.’
The woman gave a nod and walked away into the near darkness.
Dani noticed she had a limp. ‘What a strange woman. Talks in shorthand.’
‘She wasn’t like that with me, Mum. Told me a lot of stuff. About the horses – Juniper and Bomber – she won cups and ribbons in shows. Wanted to go in the Olympics but had an accident. Can we get carrots and apples for them, please, Mum?’
Dani thought Tim’s interest in the horses would fade. But he was down whistling them before school and when he got home. The horses didn’t cross the creek but came trotting from the trees at Tim’s whistle and soon began to wait for him each sunset.
She told Claude and George of Tim’s new passion when she next called by the Nostalgia Cafe to pick up her weekly order of quiche and lemon custard flan.
‘Well, darling, he must have riding lessons then,’ said George. ‘Always comes in handy if you can handle a horse.’
‘Don’t tell me you ride,’ said Dani.
‘He certainly does,’ said Claude. ‘He looks divine in all that sexy polo gear. I watched him play with the social set.’
‘I don’t think Tim is going to get to the polo stage. Well, not for some time,’ said Dani.
‘Who owns the horses?’ asked George. ‘I’d love to ride again. Such beautiful countryside.’
