Morgan's Law (21 page)

The last meeting before the roadshow was another drawn-out affair, full of interruptions and questions that took the discussion off track and made the whole process somewhat trying for the committee. It was a vital meeting, however— if they failed to get local support for the shares there would be little hope of the roadshow being a success.

Sarah was sitting in the front row, where Tash had put her, and was finding it difficult to restrain her impatience with the endless digressions.

Finally, Tash stepped in. ‘People, if we can just keep to the proposed roadshow now and save the other questions for later, then we'll all get out of here hopefully before midnight. I know there're lots of concerns and I'm working on a way to get communications up and running so we can all keep up to date with what's going on—which leads me to my other announcement tonight.' She spoke calmly but with an authority in her tone that managed to quiet the last murmurs of the audience. ‘We are privileged to have with us Sarah Murphy, who's stepped up to help us put together our proposal for this roadshow. As most of you know, Sarah works for a leading advertising agency in London, and for us to have someone of her expertise working on our project is a real boon. To hire someone to do what she's doing would cost a lot more than we can afford.'

Sarah felt the attention of the entire room on her and tried for a nonchalant smile, lifting her hand in a brief wave, while feeling as though she'd like to slide onto the floor and under her chair.

‘As you all know, we've been busy researching this whole concept to make our cooperative a viable and profitable venture. We need to raise a million dollars before we can even think about getting Cott & Co off the ground.' The low hum of voices began once more, but Tash went on. ‘That doesn't include any of the running and production costs; it's simply to prove we have some capital and something to take to the banks.'

She waved down the noise before continuing. ‘We've also begun to finetune this progress committee. We've got a lot of collective farming and business experience with the people we have on board so far, but we've had to outsource a few people with experience, which isn't easy considering we need it all done pro bono! We've managed to enlist the help of Max De Santa, who has a great deal of experience with business law, and Terry Mapperson will advise us on financial matters.'

‘We've been advised that because we need to raise such a large amount of money and we haven't really got anything to show for it as yet, we need to make ourselves attractive to potential shareholders by becoming a limited liability company rather than a co-op. As a company we can register on the stock exchange in five years' time and make money for our shareholders—which is all of us here. We all want to profit from this venture, so changing from a small cooperative to a shareholder-based company makes a lot more sense.'

Sarah felt a shift in the hall as a hundred different conversations broke out at once.

‘No one said anything about turning this into some corporation,' a man yelled from the back of the room.

‘Shareholders? I don't want to work for a bunch of greedy shareholders! I thought we were supposed to be working for our community,' someone else called, sparking a flare of indignant agreement throughout the room.

‘If everyone can calm down for a minute, I'll explain,' said Tash in her usual capable way. ‘Guys, if this is going to work, it has to be professional. We can't continually hold meetings and vote on every little detail—nothing would ever get resolved! Forming a board, with members who can be accountable for their actions, is the only sensible way this is going to work. Yes, we've brought in outside help, but it's because their expertise is vital in making this thing work. Tom Jeffery, are you a qualified lawyer? What about someone who can wade through the red tape and write up a decent grant proposal? Anyone here willing to take a million dollars of our hard-earned money and risk it messing with stuff we know nothing about?

‘No? Well me neither. That's why I brought in people who do know how to handle it. This board will still continue to run with as much community involvement as possible—that won't change. This whole thing is about saving Negallan, and that hasn't changed either. We just have to go about it a lot smarter, which brings me to the roadshow.'

For the next hour Tash explained the purpose of the trip, to gather support and sign up people from the surrounding districts as shareholders. Shares would be offered to the Negallan community over the next few days and then they'd be offered to people in a wider area who could also benefit from the Negallan gin reopening.

By the end of the meeting, tensions had simmered down a little, although it was clear most people were concerned about the idea of involving outside shareholders and would need time to mull it all over before they committed.

‘It's over!' Tash declared dismally back at the Royal later that evening. ‘I blew it.'

‘It's not over,' Sarah countered.

‘You saw them in there tonight. They freaked out over the shareholder thing. We're screwed if the locals don't get on board with this—it'll all have been for nothing.'

‘It just took them by surprise. Once they have time to think it over, and read through the material we handed out, they'll calm down and see it's the only sensible way to go.'

‘And if they don't? How am I going to convince them the board's right?'

‘You get someone they respect to make the first move,' Jack said from behind the bar. ‘Once someone prominent endorses it, they'll all jump on board.'

‘Is that all?' Tash said, throwing her hands in the air.

‘Well, after tonight, that should be next to impossible!'

Sarah watched as Tash despondently left the room. She shifted her gaze across to meet Jack's. ‘She's wearing herself out.'

Jack nodded his head in agreement as he continued to tidy up the bar. ‘Always been the same. Throws herself into everything she does a hundred and ten percent. But once she gets a notion in her head there's no talking her out of it.'

‘She'll be devastated if it falls apart now.'

Jack gave a dry chuckle as he put the last glass away. ‘Defeat isn't in that girl's vocabulary. She might suffer a few setbacks here and there, but I'll tell ya right now—if my girl believes in it, that gin will be up and running someday.'

Sarah heard the quiet pride in the man's voice and felt a tug at her heart. This stocky, gruff man loved his daughter and had an unwavering faith in her abilities. It stirred an emotion long dormant inside her. Gran had been like that; it didn't matter how impossible something had seemed to Sarah, Gran would just hug her tight and tell her she could do it.

Long into the night, thoughts and ideas on how to make Cott & Co work plagued her mind, until eventually she fell into a restless sleep in the wee hours of the morning.

Nineteen

Burrapine loomed in front of her as she drove up the next morning. Dogs barked and somewhere nearby she heard the drone of a tractor. As she walked towards the door, Carmel came out onto the verandah, wiping her hands on a tea towel.

‘Hello, love, what brings you out here bright and early?'

‘I called Keith earlier—didn't he mention I was coming out to see him?'

‘No, but then he was up and gone at daybreak. Is everything all right?'

She looked worried and Sarah quickly reassured her everything was fine, she was just after some advice . . . more or less. ‘He said he would be back here for morning tea about this time.'

‘Yep, like clockwork that man is, you could set your watch by him. Come on inside, he won't be long.'

Sarah liked Carmel. She was a no-frills, down-to-earth woman who seemed comfortable with her lot in life. Sarah admired the quiet way she went about handling the extreme array of personalities in her family, putting out spot fires as tempers ignited and soothing ruffled feathers. It was obvious that she was the glue that held the Morgan family together.

‘It's quiet out here this morning,' Sarah said, glancing around.

‘Ruth and Albert had an early appointment in town.'

Sarah took a seat at the table as Carmel moved back across the kitchen towards the sink. ‘I hear you had a couple of visitors,' said the older woman.

Sarah glanced up, expecting to see some kind of censure for not bringing her mother out to meet them, but all she saw was polite curiosity. ‘It was a little unexpected. I wanted Mum to come out and meet you all, but she doesn't really like surprises. It's taking a little longer for her to come to terms with Gran's past.'

‘I can understand that. We all deal with these things in our own way. You tell her she's welcome to come by when she's ready. I know Albert would love to see her.'

Sarah gave a small smile, but secretly doubted Jocelyn would be returning to Negallan any time soon. She hoped Albert didn't get his hopes up.

‘You've had tongues wagging in town with that boyfriend of yours turning up.'

Sarah felt embarrassed. ‘He doesn't know when to give up.'

‘He must have had a lot to apologise for to come all this way.'

‘Let's just say he doesn't like the word
no
.'

Carmel gave a small chuckle. ‘Still sounds pretty romantic to me. Can't imagine many men travelling all that way to declare their undying love. It's just like some Hollywood movie.'

Sarah noted the faraway look in the older woman's eye and bit back an amused grin. Somehow she couldn't picture big gruff Keith Morgan in the lead role of a chick flick.

‘I wish I could give you news of a happy ending, but unfortunately it's taken me this long to figure out just how wrong he and I were together.'

‘Ah, well, it must have been nice to see your mum at least.'

‘Actually it was.'

‘You sound surprised?'

‘I guess I am. We haven't always had the closest relationship, but this visit . . .' Sarah shrugged uncomfortably.

‘I don't know. I saw a side I haven't seen before.'

‘It tends to shock children to realise their mothers are also
women
, even though they've given up their name to become plain old Mum.'

‘So I've discovered,' Sarah said wryly.

‘You seem to have settled into life around here,' Carmel said as she put on the jug and took out some cups and plates. The smell of a freshly baked cake filled the room and sent Sarah hurtling back to her childhood and Gran's cosy kitchen.

‘Tash asked for my help and I've really enjoyed being useful.' She hesitated. ‘It's been amazing watching how this thing has taken off. The committee has accomplished so much in such a short time. I think it's in good hands.'

‘It's a lot of money to raise. I don't think they're going to get the response they're hoping for—not around here. Most families are wary about sinking hard-earned money into something that isn't a sure thing. People are doing it very tough. It's a lot to ask.'

‘But the payoff in the end—surely that's worth the gamble?'

‘Not to a family who lives without the prospect of a good season to pay back the bank. The bills keep coming in, regardless of whether the crop has come off or not.'

The back door slammed and both women looked up as Keith Morgan came into the kitchen, slapping his dusty hat against his leg before hanging it on the hat hook. The Morgans may once have been well off, and certainly the old house was evidence of this, but for the last couple of generations it had relied on blood, sweat and undoubtedly a few tears to keep it running. She had to admit that Keith and Trent, difficult as it was to warm to them, worked hard to keep their legacy running.

‘Right on time,' Carmel said with an affectionate smile for her husband.

He crossed the room to place a brusque kiss on Carmel's cheek. ‘Did Trent say he was going anywhere today?' he asked.

Carmel shook her head. ‘Why?'

‘Can't find the young bugger anywhere. He won't answer the radio and his ute's gone.'

‘I didn't hear him leave. Probably gone in to pick up something from town.'

‘Goofing off, more like it,' Keith muttered, and turned to Sarah. ‘So you wanted to talk about something?' he asked, taking the proffered teacup in his meaty hand. Sarah couldn't help but notice the contrast of delicate bone china resting in calloused hands with dirt beneath the nails—working hands.

‘Can we talk somewhere . . . private?' she asked, sending Carmel an apologetic glance. She wasn't sure she could go through with this with the older woman hovering nearby.

‘Why don't you two go out to the verandah? It'll be cooler out there, and quiet,' Carmel added, and Sarah sent her a grateful look as she followed Keith out the back door.

They settled into the chairs on the verandah, both staring out over the paddocks before them. The breeze was barely moving the long green tips of the crops growing in a carpet as far as the eye could see.