by Janet Gover
At last, Kayla set her free.
‘We’re going to the creek now,’ she said. ‘We don’t need you or any of your horses.’
‘Thank God. Just make sure they don’t poison the water or do something equally stupid.’
‘Don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on them.’
As the convoy headed to the creek, Liz took a long deep breath. It had been a tough day, but if she was entirely honest, perhaps not as tough as she might have expected. There were two more days to go. She just had to keep thinking about the money, that was the point of this. It wasn’t enough money to get Willowbrook out of trouble, but in her mind, she had already spent every cent of it.
She heard a deep whinny from the stables. After the morning of posing, Deimos deserved a bit of fun. And so did she.
Soon Liz and her horse were running across the gentle slopes of Willowbrook. The horse was eager to gallop and she was happy to let him. The feel of the wind in her face and the eager colt beneath her helped clear away the day’s cobwebs. When they were both feeling more relaxed, she pulled him to a walk, and once again her curiosity got the better of her. She turned Deimos towards the creek and the cluster of people around the crossing.
The models were in the water, their expensive clothes floating around them. Also in the water was a black gelding. Mitch’s horse. And Mitch was sitting on him.
Liz guided Deimos into the shade of a river gum, well away from the activity. She left him tied there and found herself a place where she could watch without being seen. Ken was in full swing, calling directions to the models. They moved as he instructed while Mitch remained aloof.
Voices floated her way. ‘I can see why Ken wanted him rather than a professional model. He’s just gorgeous and so rough.’
‘Yeah. The way he looks on that horse … He’s a natural too. So much more real than any model could be.’
‘He could put those cowboy boots under my bed any day of the week.’
‘Yeah. There’s no way he’s gay. It makes a nice change.’
‘Ken will be disappointed.’
At the water’s edge, Ken lowered the camera briefly. ‘Now, girls, it’s time. You want that gorgeous man. This shot is all about sex. Come up. Ramp it up.’
In the creek, the girls began to rise up out of the water. The wet clothes clinging to their bodies were virtually transparent. Their graceful arms reached up. Even from a distance, Liz could feel a crackling sensuality about the images that were being created.
Mitch was looking at the models, and although Liz couldn’t see clearly, every line and angle of his face was already imprinted on her mind. She could imagine the light in his eyes. What man could resist such beautiful women as they looked up at him with raw sensuality? One of the girls placed a hand on his thigh, her slim fingers and bright red nails stark against the blue denim. Liz closed her eyes, but she could still see his handsome face. She could see it change as desire took him. She could see the light of passion in his eyes.
Once he had looked at her like that.
Enough. She turned to go, but Mitch must have caught the movement. He glanced in her direction and their eyes met.
Liz felt as if her breath had been torn out of her body. She hurried back to Deimos, threw herself into the saddle and headed to the homestead.
CHAPTER
18
The bar was crowded when Mitch walked in. It seemed all of the people from the photo shoot were there, all talking and drinking. With their city clothes and their loud voices and extravagant gestures, they stood out like a backyard dunny. No-one was ever going to mistake them for locals. Behind the bar, the harassed-looking barman saw Mitch and raised an eyebrow. Mitch didn’t come in very often, but tonight he had a good reason for being here.
Ken appeared at his side. ‘Mitchell, you gorgeous man. So glad you could make it. I’m not sure what this place has in the way of Champagne, but shall we have some? To celebrate your entrée into the modelling world.’
‘I’m fine with a beer, thanks.’
‘Oh, all right. Whatever you want. You deserve it.’ Ken waved at the barman. ‘You were wonderful today. Exactly what I needed.’
Mitch did his best to ignore the flirtatious look on the photographer’s face. He glanced around the crowd, searching for the one person he’d come to see. Instead, he saw the models who had been draped over his horse earlier in the day. They waved and smiled in invitation.
‘Go on, then,’ Ken said. ‘Go play with the girls. But seriously … you could have a modelling career if you wanted one. I could get you started. No strings of course.’
Mitch shook his head and reached past Ken to grab the beer being thrust at him by the barman. ‘Thanks, but no thanks. Not my thing. Although I did enjoy today.’
‘Fair enough. Talk to Kayla. She’s organised this whole shoot. She’ll see that you get a proper fee. And if you ever change your mind …’ Ken winked broadly, ‘Kayla also knows how to find me.’
‘Sure thing, mate. Speaking of Kayla, do you know where she is?’
‘She’s here somewhere.’ Ken waved a hand vaguely at the packed room.
‘I’ll go look for her. See you around.’
As Mitch made his way across the room, he found one of the models in his path. She looked up at him, blue eyes unnaturally big in her pale face.
‘Well, hi,’ she said, batting her eyelids in a far too obvious way. ‘I was hoping you’d be here tonight.’
‘Hi …’ He searched for her name.
‘I’m Loraine.’
‘Of course. I’m sorry.’
‘No need to apologise. How about you and I find somewhere quiet and have a drink?’
The invitation in her eyes was as clear as it was unappealing. He’d come here to see someone else. And even if he hadn’t, he liked a woman with a bit of meat and muscle on her. A woman he could hold tightly without fearing she might snap. And he’d long ago given up one-night stands.
‘I’m sorry, but I’m meeting someone.’
The full lips pouted. ‘Lucky girl. If you change your mind, I’ll be here for a little while yet.’
Mitch spotted the face he was looking for. She was standing in a relatively quiet corner, talking to one of the few locals in the pub tonight. He paused until he caught her eye, and then tilted his head to indicate the pub’s rear door. She nodded. He stepped out of the noisy bar into the relative quiet of the empty beer garden and a few seconds later, Kayla joined him.
‘I’m so glad you came,’ she said, kissing him on the cheek. ‘I was really hoping we’d get a chance to talk.’
Mitch took a step back and looked at the woman in front of him. It seemed just yesterday they had all been kids together: Mitch, Lizzie, Kayla and Jen.
‘You look terrific, Kayla. It’s been far too long.’
‘Yes, it has.’ Kayla took his hand and led him to a nearby table. ‘Gosh, Mitch, it’s hard to know where to start.’
‘Let’s start with you. I didn’t realise you worked with models and … whatever that’s all about.’ He waved a hand at the bar and the people inside.
Kayla grinned. ‘I don’t really. Actually, I’m a wedding planner.’
‘A what?’
‘A wedding planner. Mostly for people with a lot of money and not much time. Not much taste either, sometimes.’ Kayla grinned. ‘I love it. I’ve just bought a flat in Sydney overlooking the harbour.’
It was hard to imagine Kayla owning a flat in the city. Before this week, she had remained a small girl with plaits and a short, fat pony.
‘Well, it obviously suits you. You look terrific. I bet those blokes down in Sydney are queueing to ask you out.’
Her laugh was much as he remembered it. ‘Well, I am seeing someone. He’s a chef, which is probably not good for my waistline. Enough about me, what about you? I saw the models watching you today. Are you sure you want to waste your evening with me?’
‘I’m sure.’
‘All right then. Tell me e
verything. I was surprised when I saw you by the creek the other day. Where are you living now?’
‘I renovated the old church …’ He stopped speaking. Something wasn’t quite right. ‘Kayla, you do know that I bought the four hundred hectares that you and Liz sold off a few years ago? The old church and the river flats.’
The look on her face was all the answer he needed.
‘Liz never told you that it was me.’
‘No. I came up and signed the paperwork. At that time, things between Liz and I were … well, not good. I don’t think I looked beyond the corporate name on the paperwork. She didn’t say anything about who was buying it and that was the last time I was here before this all started.’ Kayla frowned. ‘Don’t get me wrong, I am really glad it’s you living there. It sort of keeps it in the family. But I don’t understand why Liz didn’t tell me.’
Mitch understood. At least, he thought he did. But it wasn’t for him to explain that to Kayla. If Liz wanted to keep their past a secret, even after all these years, he would respect her wishes.
‘That’s something you’ll have to ask Liz. Anyway, I turned the old church into a home. I added to the yards and stables. I’m training there. I take in outside horses and I breed a few of my own. And during the season, I work for some of the studs. Mostly as a breaker, but I help with the foaling too. Whatever they need. Whatever they’ll pay me for.’
‘That’s great. I’m so pleased for you. I remember when we were kids, that was all you ever wanted.’
He shrugged. It wasn’t quite all. There was something else he’d wanted even more. He’d come so close, and then it had been snatched away by one tragic mistake.
‘So, what’s this photography thing at Willowbrook? I would never have imagined Liz being involved in something like that.’
‘She’s not really. It was all my idea.’ Kayla hesitated. ‘Did you know that she had to get Apollo put down?’
‘No. That’s a shame. He was a great horse. But I guess he was getting on.’
‘Losing Apollo and the money he brought in was the last straw, with the drought and everything. The place isn’t doing well financially. Liz needs to find ways of making money. This opportunity came along and I took it.’
‘You took it? I didn’t think Liz let anyone make decisions about Willowbrook except for her.’
‘I didn’t give her the choice. I don’t want to see the bank foreclose, and that’s a very real possibility.’
‘It’s that bad? Losing the place would break her heart.’
‘I know. This shoot is bringing in some money. Not a lot, but enough to cover a few bills. And I’ll add my fee to her payment. She doesn’t have to know that. It will keep her afloat for a while and give us a chance to try to figure out a long-term strategy.’
Mitch was struggling with the implications of Kayla’s words. Lose Willowbrook? The property had been in the Lawson family for generations. Sam Lawson had hired Mitch as a young stable hand the day he left school. He’d taught him so much in just a couple of years. The thought of Liz walking away from Willowbrook was almost painful for him—and that was nothing to what it would feel like to her.
‘I don’t know what to say. I wish there was something I could do, but Liz and I … well we don’t see each other.’
Kayla shook her head. ‘One of these days one of you will tell me what the hell happened between the two of you. But at this point, that’s the least of my worries. I’m trying to find a way to help her, but you know what she’s like. Totally stubborn.’
Mitch reached for the beer that had sat forgotten on the table. He took a long drink to give his mind a few minutes to absorb what he’d heard. Then he put the glass down with a solid thump.
‘Just now, Ken told me I have a fee due for today. I didn’t realise that. I guess it’s not much, but can you add that to Liz’s payment? Without her knowing.’
‘I can …’ Kayla spoke slowly. ‘But are you sure? It’s the best part of eight hundred dollars. That’s a lot of money to give away.’
Mitch was sure. ‘What else can I do to help?’
‘Can you stop her being so pig-headed? Can you get her to listen to reason? And maybe even accept that I might have an idea worth considering?’
‘Of all the people in the world, I am probably the last person she will listen to.’ It was a hard admission to make. It was even harder to see the sadness and sympathy in Kayla’s eyes.
‘I know. I’m really sorry. I always thought the two of you …’
He looked down as she laid her hand on his. ‘So did I, Kayla. So did I.’
CHAPTER
19
Kayla wondered if she had gone too far with Mitch.
The two of them had sat at the pub late into the night, and she’d told him exactly how things were for her sister and Willowbrook. It didn’t feel like betraying a confidence. Mitch was family—or as good as. Kayla knew why she and her sister had drifted apart, but she had no idea why Liz and Mitch were not together. She could sense a deep sadness in him when he talked about Liz, but he’d never been one to let his emotions show. Or to betray someone he cared about. Or to reveal a secret.
Mitch was, however, a smart man and he knew the horse industry. Kayla had decided to get his opinion on the problems that beset Willowbrook. When he agreed that there was no easy way out, she had felt her heart sink a little more. Near midnight, when they had finally parted with promises to stay in closer touch, only one thing had changed. Kayla had begun to think that she cared more about Willowbrook than she liked to admit.
Now, standing in the dawn light on the last day of the photo shoot, she looked up at the house and felt tears prick her eyes. In the soft yellow glow, the homestead’s faded glory was masked and the place was quite simply beautiful. Or maybe it was her memory that was repainting the faded timbers and cleaning the mould-stained stone. All she saw was the elegance of the structure. The graceful lace of the cast-iron balcony railings. The humour in the stone animal faces peering through the carved vines on the edges of the fountain.
She felt warmth and heard the laughter of childish voices. Her own and Lizzie’s. Now she could only wonder when Liz had last laughed, or been happy. So much love. So much loss. She blinked away the tears.
‘Let’s go, girls and boys.’ Ken’s voice was a welcome return to reality. ‘We are shooting inside the house today. Now, I don’t want anyone wandering around. There’s a layer of dust in those rooms and I don’t want it disturbed by any of your great clodhopper feet. It’s pristine and decayed and lost and beautiful and that’s how it’s going to stay until I say otherwise.’
As Ken hurried past, followed by his entourage, Kayla saw Liz standing at the gate leading to the horse yards. The day had barely started, and already she looked angry. Cursing Ken’s lack of tact, Kayla walked over to her.
‘Good morning,’ she said brightly. ‘The old place really does look lovely in this light, doesn’t it?’
‘I was going to ask you to keep them out of my office, but I guess I don’t have to. Those rooms probably aren’t dirty enough or sad enough to be beautiful.’
‘Liz. He didn’t mean it like that.’
‘Didn’t he? So you’re saying I’ve got no reason to be ashamed that he thinks my home is dirty and sad and lost. Maybe you think I am too.’
Kayla opened her mouth to deny it, but stopped. There was some truth in what Liz said. Kayla really did believe her sister was unhappy. Lost? Maybe that too.
‘I’m just saying—’
‘No. I don’t care. I’ve got work to do. Horses need feeding and exercising. While I’m working, make sure that lot don’t damage anything. And if they’re gone when I get back, so much the better.’
Liz stormed away. Kayla didn’t bother trying to call her back. She’d cool off. In the meantime, the best thing Kayla could do for all of them was make sure this final day went well.
Kayla found Ken and his models on the main staircase. From there they moved upstairs. The
hallway was dark and when Kayla hit the light switch, nothing happened.
‘Sorry. I’ll see if I can find a new bulb.’
‘Don’t worry. I like it like this. I can spotlight that place where the timber is cracked. Now, girls, see the broken line of that crack? I want the same broken line in your bodies.’
Kayla left them to it. She walked to a door halfway down the hall and hesitated, her hand hovering over the door knob. How many years had it been since she was last in this room? She took a deep breath and turned the handle. The door swung open to reveal a shockingly empty room. She stepped inside. The posters were gone. The bright yellow walls had faded and dulled and the curtains were grey with dust. The bed remained, pushed into a corner and covered with a dust sheet. Kayla remembered that bed. She had come home from her last year at boarding school and found it already in place. She’d grown too tall for the child’s bed she’d previously slept in and Liz had replaced it. That was about the same time her parents’ double bed had disappeared from their room. Kayla had always had a sneaking suspicion that one had been sacrificed to buy the other, but she had never asked.
Two dust-covered cardboard boxes sat on the floor next to the bed. Kayla opened the first. Inside, a few books lay on top of a bundle of cloth. She picked up the top book and opened it.
Happy Birthday, Kayla, with love from Mum.
The book was My Friend Flicka. This copy had been Kath’s and she had passed it on to her youngest daughter. And just like her mother, Kayla had loved this book. Kayla and her mother had been so alike. They both loved reading and nice things, cooking too. Kayla had been learning the recipes from Kath’s handwritten book when everything changed. Well, she had the book now, and her boyfriend was a chef, so maybe she could pick up where her cooking lessons had so abruptly ended.
She removed the other books without bothering to look inside. She remembered each and every one of them. They had all been gifts from her parents. Underneath the books she found strips of once brightly coloured felt. She lifted a couple out. They were the show ribbons she’d won as a child. As she tried to straighten the ribbons, the aging fabric tore under her fingers. Looking at it closely, she saw moth holes and frayed cotton where the gold braid was coming away. She dropped the ribbons and books back in the box and left the room, wondering why Liz had kept these things when she’d removed all other traces of her sister from the room.
