5 Peppermint Grove (25 page)

Chapter Thirty-two

The next morning was as bright and sunny as the one before.

“It’s going to be very hot today!” Ruth said to Julia as she came into her room with a cup of tea in hand. “What do you want to do?”

Julia rose up onto her elbows. “Morning, Ju – I don’t know, you tell me?”

“There’s lots that we could do. Go up to Hillary’s – nice shops up there. Try the beach?”

“We better see what Michael wants to do too.”

“Of course,” Ruth said. How could she forget? “Maybe he’d like the beach – we’d better go early.”

“Ruth, this early rising thing is killing me – can we not go later?”

Ruth shook her head. “It’ll be too hot – unless we go much later this afternoon?”

Julia put one foot out of the bed and then the other. “Okay, early start it is. I’ll go in and wake Michael.”

Ruth went into the kitchen and started to mix pancakes. She was a little apprehensive about seeing Michael in the light of day after the words that had passed between them the night before, but she needn’t have worried.

“Morning, Ruth,” Michael said, bounding into the kitchen. He went straight over to the fridge and poured himself some orange juice. “Sleep well?”

“Yes, thanks, and you?”

“Yeah, great – could have been better though!” he said with a naughty wink aimed at her.

Julia didn’t notice and proceeded to fill the kettle with water.

“Ruth says we have to get an early start if we want to go to the beach.”

“Beach sounds good to me,” Michael agreed.

Ruth stalled for a second. “Hey, if you don’t mind the drive, we could go to an inland lake that Steve told me about. He said it’s really beautiful – it’s called Lake Leschenaultia and about an hour along the Great Eastern Highway.”

“Sounds like a bit of an adventure – let’s do it!” Julia said.

Michael shrugged. “Fine by me.”

Ruth packed up some salad and crackers and picnic food. Then she went to the fridge and took out the ice packs. “Pass me the Esky there, please, Julia.”

“The what?” Julia was confused.

“The Esky – short for Eskimo – the cooler bag over on the shelf.”

Julia did as Ruth asked and took out some bottles of cold water and beer from the fridge.

The Great Eastern Highway took Ruth’s car through John Forrest National Park and the town of Mundarring.

“I texted Steve before we left and he said we should stop off at the Mundarring Weir Hotel on the way back – it’s off the road a bit.”

“I’m dying for a swim, Ruth, I’ll happily go anywhere after that!”

Ruth drove on and took a left at Chidlow, a small outback town with an old-world pub and a couple of stores. The car slowed, making its way now through the meandering roads and the peace of the national park.

“Almost here, I think, if my GPS is working right.”

They took a right into a car park and the sparkling waters of the
lake became visible.

“Oh, this is a good call!” Michael said sticking his head between the girls’ seats in the front of the car.

Lush vegetation surrounded the lake, with types of trees that none of the group had ever seen before. An abundance of unusual birds flapped through the trees and onto the water. Herons, geese and swamp-hens cawed and quacked amid the cacophony of screaming children as they jumped from the pontoon into the water. A warm sienna hue laced with gold flowed along at the water’s edge where little children tried to catch the tantalisingly visible fish.

“We should have brought a barbie!” Ruth exclaimed.

“Hey, a picnic is just grand,” Michael and Julia said together and then laughed.

“You are becoming very Aussie, Ruth, with your Eskys and barbies!” Julia joked as she removed the bags from the boot of the jeep.

“Come on, let’s get a nice sheltered spot over by the trees,” Ruth said – she was fitting into the lifestyle well but wasn’t there yet.

The girls had put their bikinis on under their clothes and Michael wasn’t long changing into his shorts. The three waded out into the bath-like water but didn’t have to go far before they could swim out of their depth.

“Come on over to the pontoon – we can dive in!” Michael called.

“My hair is a frizzy mess already!” Julia called back. “You’ll have to go on your own.”

“Yep, it’s all yours, I’m afraid!” Ruth shouted.

The girls went back to their towels and the deck chairs.

“It’s a gorgeous spot – good call,” Julia said while drying off her arms and legs.

She saw something jump in the distance but wasn’t sure if she was seeing things.

“Ruth, is that what I think it is over there?” She stood very still and pointed to the right-hand side of the trees just behind them.

“Oh yeah – it is – your first wild kangaroo. I had no idea that you could see them up here.” Ruth was agog.

“Don’t move or he’ll jump away.”

Skippy eyed them cautiously. He was hiding behind a tree and licking his paws.

“I guess they scavenge for the leftovers from the picnics,” Julia said.

“He’s cute but so skinny. I hope he’s okay.”

“Ruth – he’s a wild animal. I swear between them and the quokkas you’ll end up adopting something before you go home.”

“I know! I was never clucky like this before, was I, Julia? I don’t know what’s got into me.”

Julia didn’t know what was going on for Ruth either but she was definitely changing.

Michael and the girls stopped off at the Mundarring Weir Hotel on their way back to Subiaco. It was off their direct route back to the city but was such a picturesque winding road that they enjoyed the scenery and unusual landscape.

The hotel had been built over a hundred years before. A red British telephone kiosk nestled against the trees in the car park and the lush landscaped gardens catered for outdoor concerts that were held in the summer. The building was made with red bricks that had been transported from
England. It was lovingly restored in the Victorian style and the three went into the old bar and sat up at the counter. The light from the stained-glass windows shone in sparkles against the rows of spirits behind the bar, giving the old colonial building a magical feel.

“I wonder if they have ghosts in this building?” Ruth said, scanning her surroundings.

“Ruth, don’t start,” Julia said, turning to explain her reaction to Michael. “Ruth is convinced that she had a supernatural experience on Rottnest Island.”

“Was it those blokes you was telling me about?” he said with a laugh.

“Seriously,” said Ruth, “I swear something weird happened in the bedroom. Of course Julia was sound asleep in the bed!”

The barmaid was pulling a pint of cider for Michael.

“Are you guys here to see Paddy?” she asked.

“Who’s Paddy?” Ruth asked.

“He’s our ghost – worked on the weir when they built it – he breaks beer glasses and makes tools disappear.”

“Sounds like Horatio!” Michael laughed. “What do you think, Julia?”

Ruth was intensely interested. “Do you know anything about ghosts on Rottnest Island?” she asked the girl.

The girl laughed. “That place is crawling with them. There’s a story of a housemaid who killed herself – a scorned lover. She was pregnant too – or maybe they just added that to the story to be more dramatic. We have to make our history up in
Australia!”

She put the pint of cider in front of Michael and started to chat to him, asking if he was enjoying
Australia.

Julia turned to Ruth. “I think you’re more interested in these ghosts than finding out about your mother’s history,” she said. “When are we going to check out Peppermint Grove again?”

Ruth was in a daze. “Yeah – I don’t know. Maybe we can call around that way tomorrow – there’s a nice restaurant called Mosmans that I’ve been dying to try. It’s on the river and we can have dinner there if you like?”

“Sounds good,” said Julia
.

It was agreed.

Chapter Thirty-three

Dylan woke up to pleasant sunshine in Malahide. He could pop out to Howth and sail in the Brass Monkey series. He was at leisure to do as he pleased until it was time for Sunday lunch in Craig and Odette’s house. It was such a difficult time for his brother and sister-in-law and he could feel the strain that they were living under.

He decided to check the weather first – he didn’t want to race if there was no wind.

His phone bleeped and he looked at the message. It was from Gillian.

Hi Dylan do u want to do something today? I was thinking of going into town later? Gill

Dylan wondered if he had been cruel inviting her out for drinks the night before. It wasn’t his intention to lead her on – he had hoped that they could be friends and he was meeting the others early so he knew that she would still be in town after work. Obviously she didn’t see it in the same casual way that he did. He certainly didn’t want to hurt the poor girl. He had organised the drinks to see if Craig was available to go out on a Friday night, and watch him in public with his wife. He was still concerned that Craig might be having an affair – there had to be some explanation for his strange behaviour. But maybe he shouldn’t have involved a third party – he had just thought, wrongly as it turned out, that it would make for a more relaxed atmosphere.

But that wasn’t his only motive if he was to be honest. He knew that he had got a reaction from Julia when he had given Gillian attention at the quiz. He couldn’t help his fixation on the beautiful brunette and the way that she treated him so terribly made him like her even more. He felt such chemistry with Julia that he wondered what she’d be like, if only he could scratch beneath the surface and get to know the real woman.

He wasn’t going to play with the Gillian’s emotions any more. How could he let her down gently?

He started to text.

Have plans for 2day. Hope u r well. D

There, that was brief and to the point – she should get the message if she read between the lines.

“Why is Dylan coming to lunch again?” Craig asked, banging his fist on the kitchen table. “He’s a big boy and should get a life of his own.”

“Why are you so cross with your brother?”

“It’s easy for him to come around here gloating, with his massive redundancy and no worries or commitments.”

It was Odette’s turn to slam her fist on the table. “Oh, so is that what your family is to you now – a worry and a commitment? Well, thanks for telling me!”

Craig lifted his hands and put them to his head. Sometimes Odette infuriated him more than she could imagine.

“For Christ’s sake, woman, stop turning everything around and being so defensive.”

Odette’s jaw dropped. “You have never called me that in all the years that we have been together!”

She burst into tears,,ran out of the room and up to their bedroom. She threw herself on the covers and sobbed into her pillow. What was going on with her life? She was so miserable – she couldn’t understand these deep sad feelings that were bubbling inside or why she found it so difficult to talk to her husband.

She needed to speak with Julia but it was pointless as she was so far away. Her mother was the only other option. She lifted the phone beside her bed and dialled.

But it was Horatio who answered.

“Hello?”

He always sounded like it was the very first time that he had spoken into a telephone.

“Hi, Granddad, how are you?”

“Oh, I’m here working on a clock for Mrs Leivers – you know, Andrea Leivers who moved into the Kanes’ old house. How are things in
Australia?”

“It’s not Julia, Granddad – it’s Odette.”

“Oh, Odette, sorry – how are you and the kids?”

“We are grand, thanks. I’m glad to see that you are busy – not pining for Julia?”

“She’s left me with a lovely girl – Paola – have you met her?”

Odette chuckled. “No but Mum told me about her – she’s a real gem. I’m looking for Mum – is she there?”

“I don’t know what’s got into her since Julia left. She’s been going out for long spells during the day, although she’s stuck in front of that computer all night. She won’t tell me where she’s going either. I think we need Julia back here to put manners on her.”

“I wonder if Julia will be able?”

“So do I – but Julia is marvellous at sussing people out – look how she chose that smashing Brazilian girl to look after me – I don’t mind telling you they have to be the nicest race of people on this earth.”

Odette laughed – she could just imagine her grandfather’s wicked thoughts. “Behave yourself, Granddad!”

“Ah sure, as your grandmother used to say about Mrs Reilly’s dog that used to chase after every car on our road –
if he caught up with one he wouldn’t be able to drive it!
”

“Granddad, you’re a scream! Will you get Mum to ring me later?”

“I will indeed but, as I said, Odette – she’s lost the run of herself – I blame that bridge myself.”

“Would you like to come out to us for a bit of lunch later?”

“Not at all – thanks for the offer but I want to get this clock fixed for Mrs Leivers. Time waits for no man, Odette. Take care and give my love to the little ones.”

Odette chuckled as she said her goodbyes and put down the phone. Her grandfather’s voice had cheered her up no end. She went into her bathroom and washed her eyes, feeling much better in herself. She heard her husband in the distance going out the front door and pulling it closed behind him.

Never mind. Julia would be home soon and she would help her to see sense.

By the time Dylan arrived, Craig had already returned home without informing Odette of where he had been.

For a while the lunch was a mumble of politeness interrupted only by correction of the children. They were keen to go outside and play – sitting up at the table was more of a punishment than a pleasure.

“Were you sailing today, Dylan?” Odette asked cheerily.

“Yes – it was a lovely morning for it. I might pop out to the club later and see if there are any of the lads left – sometimes they have a bit of a session on a Sunday.”

“It’s alright for the idle,” Craig snapped. “What are you going to do with yourself, Dylan – apart from rubbing it in for those of us who have to work to keep this miserable economy afloat?”

Odette glared at Craig. There was no need for this kind of rudeness.

“I’m thinking of going away for a while so maybe you won’t have to see that much of me soon!”

Odette was taken aback. “Where? Why?”

“I’m checking out opportunities abroad. I’m too young to retire and I have contacts in London who are keen to start a new project.”

Odette
breathed a sigh of relief. “At least London isn’t that far away.”

“Not far enough,” Craig muttered under his breath.

Odette got up and started to clear the plates away. She thought it best to leave the brothers alone to work out their issues. She felt so alone. It was just as well that Julia wasn’t the one emigrating. She would be counting the days until she returned.

Chapter Thirty-four

The next day was glorious but a misty haze seemed to indicate that it would not be as hot as the day before. Ruth arrived home from work at three and told Julia and Michael that she would have to do full hours the following day.

“That misty haze is smoke moving up from the bush fires down south – that’s why it’s not so hot today,” she informed the other two.

“It was hot enough for me,” Julia said. “Michael and I took a walk in King’s Park this morning – it was gorgeous.”

“Right.” Ruth poured herself a cold drink from the fridge. “I’ll just take a quick shower and then we can set off for Peppy Grove. I wonder if Brian is working today?”

“Well, you have his business card so why don’t you give him a ring?” Julia suggested.

“Julia Perrin! You want me to call him?” Ruth was amazed. Julia never went after a man – ever!

“Why not? It would be a bit of fun.”

Ruth wasn’t sure if this was a good idea – it might give Marty an idea that she wanted to hook up and make a foursome – she would have to make it clear that was not her intention. “
Okay then.”

Ruth rummaged through her bag and found the card that Brian had given her on the day they had first visited Peppermint Grove.

She dialled his number and waited. She was through to the voicemail of Brian Nugent. If she left her name and number he would call her back. She turned off the phone.

“He’s not answering. Let’s just pop down there and we can go for a walk along the Esplanade. We
never went into the yacht club either.”

“Okay then, let’s go,” Julia agreed.

The three hopped into Ruth’s car.

“Where exactly are we going?” Michael asked.

“Peppermint Grove is where Ruth’s mother’s friend lived and we are trying to find out about him.”

“Girls, you are mad in the head! I thought we were going to some snazzy restaurant!”

“We won’t be long there,” Ruth assured him.

Michael was observing the houses that flitted by.

“Wow, these are massive!” he exclaimed. “I’d love to plonk one of these on Howth Hill at home!”

“Most expensive suburb in
Perth!” Ruth informed him.

They wound around the same roads as they travelled a few days before until they came to Number 5,
Peppermint Grove Road. There were lots of cars parked outside today and Ruth was feeling anxious about calling into the site. She recognised Brian’s jeep parked at the front beside the pillars. Her heart beat rapidly – she felt bad but must not let Julia have an inkling of her feelings.

Just as they stepped out of their car, Brian appeared at the gate. 

“Hey there!” he said.

“Hi, Brian! You jumped off Rotto pretty early next morning!” Julia said, stating the obvious, and couldn’t believe that she hadn’t come up with a better line.

“Yeah, I had to come on site. We’re working seven-day shifts on this project and I need to do checks.” Brian looked Michael up and down and then held out his hand. “Brian Nugent.”

“I’m Julia’s brother, Michael.”

“Good to meet you.”

They shook hands firmly.

Brian turned to Ruth. “I was talking to another neighbour yesterday and she was able to tell me more about the Walters family – it was really interesting!”

“Oh, I’d love to hear!” Ruth beamed.

“We’re going for something to eat,” Julia interrupted. “We’re thinking of trying Mosmans for dinner if you’re free to join us.”

“Eh, not tonight, sorry – have to go in to the office – but I could meet you tomorrow? I usually go to the Lucky Shag after a day in the CBD. I’ll be there about six. I can tell you what I found out then, Ruth.”

“Sounds good,” Julia answered. “We’ll see you there.”

He strode off to his Jeep and they jumped into the car and took the short drive along the esplanade until they came to the nicest restaurant on the river.

The entrance was along a boarded jetty – it felt like embarking a ship or yacht. A lone guitarist played to the small gathering of mostly couples at scattered tables along the window. It was a bright building and the large windows maximised the capacity for the punters to take in the exceptional view. A plethora of sailing ships raced about a kilometre away out on the water. It was only five o’clock but these were the early business-sailors who liked to mix work and pleasure. There were plenty of opportunities to do so, as Ruth was beginning to discover the longer she lived in Perth.

The restaurant was starting to fill up and Ruth assured them that they were fortunate to get a table. It would be heaving by the time they started their main course.

The tables were minimalist with starched white linen napkins and solid jarrah wood surfaces. They sat on beige mock-suede uprights and had an unspoilt view of the marina and boats in the bay.

“This place reminds me a little of Aqua in Howth,” Julia said, scanning the menu. “Some nice fish dishes on the menu too.”

“Yes, it does have a feel of Aqua alright – without the fishing boats,” Michael agreed. “So what do you want to order?” Ruth asked.

“Scallops for me.” Julia had made her mind up quickly.

“I think I’ll go for them too,” Michael said.

“I’ll have the crab and parmesan aranchini!” Ruth declared.

The waitress filled all of their glasses with iced water and Michael suggested a bottle of white wine that they all agreed upon.

“So this Brian chap seems to have certainly clicked with you two girls?” said Michael after the wine arrived and was poured. “Which one of you fancies him?”

Ruth was shaken by the question. She looked at Julia who smiled coyly. Ruth had tried to get him out of her head but after seeing him again she realised that she was attracted to him. But Julia was on holiday and she didn’t often find a man that she was attracted to.

“Eh, Julia likes him.”

“I guess we’ll be going to the Lucky Shag then – what’s that place like?” Michael asked Ruth.

“It’s a bar down at
Barrack Street Jetty – lots of people go there after work. Sometimes there are musicians – Steve brought the office crew there on the first Friday after I arrived and they had a DJ.”

“Eat up!” Michael said as the food arrived. It was beautifully displayed on white china.

They hadn’t much room for dessert but shared a selection of house-made ice-creams and sorbets.

“What do you want to do tomorrow, Michael, while Ruth is at work?” Julia asked her brother.

He shrugged. “It’s just so good being with here, I don’t mind.”

“You should take a trip out to Fremantle prison,” Ruth suggested. “You can’t go home without visiting it.”

“Have you been?” Julia asked her.

Ruth shook her head. “No, but I will go – I’m not in a hurry and I’ve been told that the tour is really good.”

“Okay, that’s it sorted,” Michael agreed.

“You can take my car. Actually, leave it in Subiaco before you come back in to meet me and we can all have a few drinks in the Lucky Shag tomorrow night.”

“That sounds like a plan,” Michael said, raising his glass of wine. “So we’re off to prison tomorrow, little sister!”

Chapter Thirty-five

Carol rose early as she had done since Julia had left for Australia. She was so excited and having the most wonderful few days with her new male friend. He was staying in the Marine Hotel at Sutton Cross so she would slip into something casual and go and meet him before breakfast. She didn’t want her father knowing about her friend or he would surely have words to say about him.

This was no fling either. She had found in Gerry a man that fed her mind. She relished the lack of complications that an affair with a man who was in the autumn of his life had to offer. She was no spring chicken herself but with her maturity came a sense of confidence and security that she was relishing.

The day was cold but bright and she looked forward to taking Gerry into Dublin to show him her home town. He had come down from the North on the train and so far they had only been around Howth and taken a trip to Malahide. It was a day for the open-top bus and the Guinness Hopstore. She had lived in Dublin all of her life and had never done either. She might be playing less bridge since Gerry arrived but she was seeing a whole new world on her doorstep with endless possibilities.

After breakfast they hopped on the DART and went into
O’Connell Street where the Dublin Bus Tour started.