by Janet Gover
Come to think of it, she had given the pub a miss last year as well. And the year before? She wasn’t going to let her mind go there—it made her sound too much like a hermit, sad and lonely. That wasn’t who she was.
Was it?
Extremely conscious of how little cash she had in her wallet, Liz took a deep breath and followed her sister into the pub.
It was busy but not particularly crowded. Liz immediately spotted some familiar faces: horse breeders and trainers. One or two of them raised an eyebrow on seeing her, and then smiled to cover their surprise. She nodded her greetings and raised a hand, trying not to show that their reactions made her feel awkward. Surprisingly, a few people greeted Kayla too. In fact, her sister seemed more familiar to the locals than she did. But of course, Kayla must have come here during the photo shoot with her big city friends. They would have had plenty of money to toss around and anyone with money was always welcome in the pub. Even as she thought that, Liz admitted to herself it was unkind and uncalled for. The people of Scone were a friendly bunch; she was the one who wasn’t.
‘How about we grab that table in the corner?’ She pointed to the table furthest from the bar. ‘It’ll be quiet.’
‘Good idea. Then we can talk about my plans for Willowbrook.’
That wasn’t what Liz had been hoping. She wanted to avoid thinking about that as much as possible. Was it really the only thing she and Kayla had to talk about?
You get the table, I’ll get us a drink,’ Kayla said. ‘Beer?’ Without waiting for an answer, she went to the bar.
Beer wasn’t the only thing her sister brought back. Liz’s heart sank as she watched Mitch follow Kayla across the room, two glasses in his hands.
‘Look who I found,’ Kayla said cheerfully.
‘Hi, Liz.’
She didn’t respond, didn’t look at him. She couldn’t look at him.
‘I should leave the two of you to catch up.’ Mitch began to step away.
‘No. Stay,’ Kayla insisted. ‘We’ve got plenty of time.’
Liz could feel Mitch looking at her. Those deep brown eyes of his would be looking into her heart, as they always had. He’d know how she felt.
‘No. I think it’s better if I go now.’ He put the glasses on the table and returned to the crowded front bar.
‘What the hell was that?’ Kayla dropped into a chair.
‘What was what?’
‘You know what I mean. You were so rude to Mitch.’
Liz reached for her beer and took a swig. ‘Shall we order some food?’
‘Don’t change the subject.’
‘I don’t have to explain myself to you, Kayla.’
‘In this case you do.’
‘Just because you had a crush on Mitch when you were little …’
‘Yes, I did, but that’s got nothing to do with it. I’m his friend. He doesn’t deserve to be treated like that. Especially not by you.’
‘It’s none of your business.’ The words came out just a little too loud. Heads turned their way.
‘He loved you, Liz.’ Kayla’s voice dropped to a whisper. ‘I think he might still love you.’
‘No.’
‘What happened? It’s something to do with that day—the crash. You know I can’t remember it. Why won’t you tell me?’
Liz sat in silence. She and Kayla had been close once. As girls, they had talked about everything. If there was anyone she could talk to about this, it should be Kayla. But she had never talked about this, not with anyone. And she couldn’t talk to Kayla about it either, because if her sister knew what had really happened that day, she would walk out the door and never come back. Despite their estrangement, Kayla was all Liz had left, and she didn’t want to lose her.
‘Hello, Liz!’
She looked up. The face smiling down at her belonged to one of the local stockmen. They’d met a few times at the show and other work events.
‘Hi, Jack.’
He swayed slightly. He’d obviously been at the pub quite a while. ‘I just wanted to say what a shame it is about Apollo. That was a good horse. I’ve been riding one of his offspring during the mustering. A bloody fine bit of horseflesh.’
‘Thanks,’ Liz muttered, not wanting to encourage him.
‘I remember watching your dad on that colt, years ago. Now he was a horseman, your dad. He and that colt were destined for great things—’
‘Jack.’ Mitch appeared at the man’s side. ‘I’ve been looking for you. I wanted to talk to you about the King of the Ranges. Are you entering this year?’
‘Yeah, think I might.’
‘Come on, let me buy you a round and we can talk about it.’
‘All right then.’
He led the drunk stockman away.
‘See? That’s what I’m talking about,’ Kayla said. ‘Mitch is still looking out for you, and you treat him like dirt. There has to be a reason. Why don’t you just tell me?’
Liz stared at her glass until she couldn’t stand it a moment longer. ‘I’m not hungry any more.’
Without a glance at either her sister or Mitch, she walked out of the pub. She got as far as the car park before her stomach started to churn and she gasped for breath and leaned against Kayla’s car until she felt as if she could stand on her own two feet again. It was a long walk home, but that seemed to be her only option.
She’d reached the main road when she heard the sound of an engine behind her. Kayla pulled the little red sports car up next to her and waited until she got in. The two sat in silence for the rest of the drive to Willowbrook, the tension between them thick. As they turned down the drive to the homestead, the car’s headlights picked out the shape of the house against the dark blue velvet of the sky.
‘When you look at it like this, it’s almost like it used to be,’ Kayla said softly.
‘But that’s just an illusion,’ Liz said. ‘Nothing is like it used to be.’
Kayla pulled up in front of the house and the sisters got out. She hit the switch on the key fob, and with a flash and a beep, the car locked.
‘You’ve become a city person,’ Liz said. ‘I never lock the cars out here.’
‘Some habits are hard to break.’ Kayla headed inside.
Liz watched her departing back then walked to the kitchen. The brown envelope lay on the table where she’d left it. She stared at it for a few minutes, and then opened it. Without reading a word of the contract, she reached for a pen.
If she was ever going to start trusting people again, she had to begin with her sister. And besides, when it came to saving Willowbrook she didn’t have any choice. If this didn’t work Willowbrook was lost, and so was she.
Liz scrawled her name on the bottom of the contract, then got to her feet and walked out the door and along the path leading to the stables, seeking the comfort she always found there. She stopped at Zeke’s stall and stroked his greying muzzle. He nudged her gently, just in case she had a treat for him.
‘Sorry, old friend, no treats tonight.’
She stepped into his stall and buried her face in his neck, soaking in the warm, earthy smell of him. This was the point at which she would so often settle into the straw to sleep. But not tonight.
Her mind was too filled with pictures of Mitch. Not so long ago, he’d been in this stall, feeding Zeke. He’d probably groomed him too, with those strong, gentle hands of his. And he’d certainly seen Liz sleeping in the straw. What had he been thinking as he watched her? Did the memories haunt him too? How did he seem so unmoved by everything? Did he ever lie awake at night, thinking of her and the what they had once meant to each other? Had he forgotten their dreams?
Liz patted Zeke on the nose, trying not to remember all the times she and the horse had ridden next to Mitch, matching stride for stride over the hills and plains of Willowbrook.
There was no rest for her here tonight. She left the stables and walked back to the house, very aware that her sister was sleeping there. Much as she loved this la
nd, and Willowbrook Stud and growing up here, there were times she wished the memories would fade.
CHAPTER
30
The moon is full for the Show Society dance. The old wooden hall is looking particularly cheerful, decorated with balloons and coloured streamers. The people inside are cheerful too. It hasn’t been an easy year, the summer has been hot and dry and the region has been plagued by bushfires. But it rained last week, and now green is beginning to show through the brown. There will be winter feed and that is cause for celebration. Everyone is ready to let their hair down.
Kayla nervously brushes her hands over her new dress. The dress is a copy of one from a magazine. Kayla and her mum made it together. The dress in the magazine was black, but Kayla doesn’t like black, so her dress is in pretty pastel shades. Kayla’s taken extra care with her appearance tonight. She has painted her nails in pretty pink sparkles. Her mother has helped with her hair, and has even allowed her to wear light eye shadow and pale lip gloss. She’s eleven and this is the first time she has ever worn make-up.
‘You look so pretty,’ Kath tells her, as if sensing her nervousness.
Kayla feels her heart beat a little faster as they walk into the hall. Lizzie immediately vanishes into a crowd of her friends. Kayla doesn’t think Lizzie looks pretty tonight. She is wearing a dress, which is unusual for her, but it’s a plain blue denim dress and not at all pretty. At least, not to Kayla.
‘Oh, Kayla, you look really terrific.’ Her best friend Jen appears.
‘So do you,’ Kayla says as she detaches from her parents.
‘We’re going to have fun tonight,’ declares Jen as she leads the way to the section of the bar where they’re serving soft drink. Jen is no longer the frightened little mouse Kayla met on her first day at school. She’s older than Kayla, and having turned twelve a few weeks ago, she now considers herself almost a teenager. Jen is basically a kind-hearted girl, but she’s always up to something and there are times she drives her parents and teachers to despair. Although the two girls are very different, the friendship forged on that first day has never faltered. Not even Kayla’s crush on Mitch is going to spoil her friendship with his sister.
Taking glasses of orange cordial from the table, the two girls head for the open side door of the hall. Outside, there are traces of light in the evening sky. People are milling about under the lights strung between the trees. Kayla looks around, searching for one particular face. He’s not there. She can’t see Lizzie either.
Jen and Kayla walk around for a little while, talking softly about important things like dresses and boys, but Kayla never stops looking for the only person she wants to see tonight.
‘I have to wee,’ Jen says. ‘Be back in a minute.’ She vanishes in the direction of the brick toilet block behind the hall. Kayla ignores her friend’s departure, because she’s just spotted Mitch ducking between the trees on the edge of the party area. He seems to be heading to the stables, and he’s carrying something.
Without a second thought, she starts to follow him.
‘Here she is.’ Her father’s voice intrudes and his hand falls on her shoulder. ‘Kayla, this is Mr Walker. He works at the bank.’
‘Hello, Mr Walker,’ Kayla says. She doesn’t want to talk to this man. She wants to find Mitch, but her mother has taught her not to be rude.
‘Hello, Kayla. My, don’t you look pretty.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Kayla likes her nice things,’ Sam says. ‘Not like her sister. You practically have to drag Lizzie out of the stables. But not Kayla. She’s the smart one too. Liz is never going to leave Willowbrook, but Kayla has a different future. University, I think, and a business degree. I think she and her sister will balance each other very nicely. Liz will run the stud while Kayla keeps an eye on the business side of things. The place will be in safe hands for the next generation. You’d like that, Kayla, wouldn’t you?’
‘Yes, Daddy.’ She is barely listening to him. She thinks she has seen someone in the moonlight at the far end of the stables. It has to be Mitch.
‘Well, that’s a fine thing. Education is important,’ says Mr Walker. He doesn’t pat her on the head, but it feels as if he has.
‘Glad you feel that way, I’ll probably be coming to you for a loan to pay those university fees.’ Her father claps his hand on his companion’s shoulder.
‘I’ll do my best.’
Kayla wriggles slightly in her impatience to be gone.
‘I guess you don’t want to stand here with us old people,’ Sam says. ‘Off you go now and have fun.’
Kayla smiles and nods and walks away very fast. It takes her a couple of minutes to wind her way through the crowd of partygoers, too many of whom seem determined to speak to her. At last she steps between the trees and her way is clear. There’s no sign of Mitch, but she has a good idea where to look. She runs between two buildings until the end of the stable block is in sight. There is a security light and it shows an open door. Kayla stops running and stands still for a few minutes until she is breathing normally again. Her heart is racing, but even at her age she knows that is nothing to do with running. It’s because Mitch is there.
Carefully, she straightens her dress and finger combs her hair. She presses her lips together the way her mum showed her. She wants to look her best. She wants Mitch to say she looks pretty. If he does, she can tell him that she loves him. Then he’ll kiss her, the way the people kiss in the movies that her mum watches. It will be her first kiss and that’s perfect, because she never wants to kiss anyone except Mitch. Well, she will probably still kiss her mum and dad, but that’s different kissing.
At last she’s ready. Trying to calm the butterflies in her stomach, Kayla steps through the door. It takes a minute for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. She looks around but there’s no sign of anyone. Then she hears noises from one of the stalls. The stall door is open. That’s not right. Stall doors are always closed. That must mean Mitch is in there. Waiting for her.
She steps forward, her eyes lowered to make sure she doesn’t step on any horse dung in her lovely new sandals. Then she looks into the stall.
Mitch is there. He is lying on a horse blanket that covers a bed of straw. And Lizzie is with him. As Kayla watches, Mitch takes Lizzie into his arms and kisses her. Like they do in the movies. Like people do when they are in love. And Lizzie is kissing him back. Her hands are around his shoulders and their bodies are pressed close together.
How can Mitch love Lizzie? She is usually dirty and smells of horses. And she wears jeans and looks like a boy most of the time. Mitch and Lizzie are friends. They ride together and compete against each other at shows. But that isn’t what being in love is about. Being in love is about holding hands and kissing. And that isn’t what Lizzie and Mitch do.
Except, of course, it is. It is what they are doing right now. Mitch shouldn’t be kissing Lizzie. He should be kissing Kayla.
She backs away. They must not see her or the tears that are now streaming down her face. As she gets close to the open stable door, she starts to run. She doesn’t go to the hall. She doesn’t want anyone to see her, certain they all know what a fool she is. Instead she runs to the car park and sits next to her parents’ car, wishing she was old enough to drive so she could go home. She never wants to see Mitch again. Or Lizzie. She hates both of them.
CHAPTER
31
The noise woke Kayla. Strange that after all these years in the inner city it should be the bush that was noisy. Her Sydney flat was well insulated and air conditioned and high. She seldom heard any of the city’s noise, and when she did it was familiar and muted. But sleeping in her old room with the windows open to let in the fresh air was a different matter. She heard the birds welcome the dawn, and she heard the horses, too, nickering. She guessed that they were looking for their breakfast. It was all so familiar and yet so strange.
At last she got up. After a quick shower, she dressed for the day. Her jeans were
designer and her shirt was too. She guessed she would have to buy some work clothes soon. Well, she was in the right place for it. After brushing her hair, her hand reached automatically for her make-up kit. Then she stopped. Make-up? Out here? What was she thinking? She ran her finger over the small scar above her left eye. Without make-up, she could see it quite clearly. It was a souvenir of the day that had changed all their lives. A day that had started with her waking up in this very room. She didn’t remember anything at all about it, or much about the days that followed. She’d been told she was in the car when it crashed. She recalled being in hospital for what seemed a long time. And she had the scar on her temple. The doctors had told her that the memory of that day might never return, or that something might unexpectedly bring it all back. There were times she wished she could remember that last morning with her parents, but a small part of her brain kept telling her not to even try to remember the crash and what she must have seen and heard in that car.
She caught her hair into a ponytail and left the room.
The house was deserted. A cup and plate sat in the drainer by the sink, but they were quite dry. Kayla glanced at her watch. It was only eight thirty. Liz must have left very early this morning. The brown envelope lay on the kitchen table, the contract on top of it. There was a pen there too. Kayla put the kettle on and found a mug and the tea bags. While the kettle boiled, she sat and flipped to the last page of the contract and looked at Liz’s signature. There was no going back now.
She sent a text to Pascale then opened her laptop. There was a lot to do. She needed to find workmen who could start right away: painters, carpenters, gardeners. Then she needed to source all the things the events themselves would need. Wine for a start. She knew of a few nearby wineries that might do a deal in exchange for a chance to have their wines served at high-end weddings. As for food, there would be local caterers she could call on. Or maybe Lachie would agree to do some of the catering. Strangely though, the thought of Lachie at Willowbrook didn’t feel right. She hadn’t felt that way about Ken coming up—there was no issue letting him see the part of her past that she so seldom talked about—but she wasn’t dating Ken. Lachie would hate Willowbrook. He would dismiss Scone as a one-horse town and go home to the city as fast as his sports car could take him. He wasn’t going to like her spending so much time up here on this project. But she’d deal with that problem later.
