Rose's Vintage (40 page)

‘I
've changed my mind,' Henry announced over a coffee with Rose at Sacred Grounds the next morning.

‘What do you mean?' Rose asked. Henry had left Kalkari the previous afternoon and spent the night at the pub in Eumeralla. Sitting across from her now, he looked thoroughly rested and pleased as punch. She, however, had barely slept a wink thanks to worrying about what he was up to. The coffee she was drinking seemed only to add to her jitters.

‘I'm not going to try to take over Kalkari. It has enormous potential, sure, but anyone can see the passion Mark has for it and where only he can take it. He's really managed to turn it around financially in the past year. Kalkari's not the prospect I'm looking for: I want something I can do more with. Something that's ripe for reinvention. A fixer-upper.' He paused. ‘But I am interested in the valley. I think it's got a lot of possibilities.'

‘Wait, what? You mean you sent me over here as your spy, asked me to dig around for any dirt you could use – made me feel like a
traitor
, I might add – and then just like that you tell me you've changed your mind?!' Rose was furious and relieved all at the same time.

Henry just grinned and sipped his coffee.

Something clicked in Rose's brain. ‘Wait a minute. You never really needed me to spy on Kalkari, did you?' She pounded her palm against her forehead. ‘You could have figured out all this by yourself. How could I have been so dumb as to not realise that?'

‘Well, that's not
strictly
the case.' Henry looked shifty. ‘Look, I was worried about you, moping around all day, wasting your life away. I wanted to give you a reason to pull yourself out of your misery, and I did want to find out more about Kalkari, though you're right, I could have found out what I needed without your help. But having you come over and nose around was a way of killing two birds with one stone.'

Rose whacked him around the head.

‘Ouch! That hurt! Well, if that's all the thanks I get … Look, I'm sorry, Rose, but I knew you'd love it here, and it's clearly done you so much good. Just look at you: you're a different person to the sad sack who left London just a few months ago.'

Relief washed over her, but she was far from ready to forgive him. What were his plans now? ‘So what does all this mean exactly?'

‘We-ell,' her brother paused. ‘Let's just say I've got wind of a steal of a deal.'

‘You're kidding! Bloody hell, you don't half work fast. You've only been in the valley for twenty-four hours. How do you do it?' Rose was incredulous.

‘Oh, you know, just keep my ear to the ground,' Henry winked. ‘Let's just say that a conversation I had in the pub last night was very interesting. I also heard some stories about you.'

‘What stories?' Rose was alarmed.

‘You've been keeping quiet about some of the things you've been getting up to here, little sis.'

‘What do you mean?' Rose's mind raced. Had he found out about her and Mark?

‘A little bird told me that you've been running quite a cafe operation on the weekends.'

‘Oh yeah, that.' Rose felt reprieved. He obviously hadn't heard any real gossip. She wanted to keep her relationship with Mark secret from her brother for the time being. For one, she didn't think he'd be too impressed that she'd fallen for her boss. ‘So Mark doesn't know the real reason I came to Kalkari?' Rose asked hopefully.

‘Don't worry, Rosie. Your secret's safe with me.'

Thank Christ for that.

A load lifted from Rose's shoulders and all of a sudden the day seemed very much brighter.

‘So, spill – where is it?' she asked.

‘You must know the little place just down from Kalkari? There was a fire there recently?'

‘You mean Trevelyn's? Yes, of course I do. I've gotten to know Vera and Violet quite well actually. They're lovely old ladies. They're not selling, are they? They've been there for years.' Rose marvelled at Henry's ability to sniff out a deal but felt a pang for the sisters.

‘Rumour has it they'd think about it.' Henry rubbed his hands together in anticipation. ‘But if you know them, well, that's even better. Where do we find them?'

Rose hesitated. She wasn't sure how Vera and Vi would feel about giving up the land they'd farmed all their lives. On the other hand, she thought, they both seemed so much frailer all of a sudden. The fire had really shaken them up. ‘I'm not sure we've got the heart to go back there,' Violet had confessed to her when they were in hospital.

‘They were here two nights ago; they came to our vintage dinner. We helped manage their vineyards after the fire, and Mark buys almost all their grapes. I'll find out if they're still in the valley. I think they were staying with Mrs B.'

‘Mrs B?'

‘Brenda, the old housekeeper at Kalkari.'

‘Lead on, little sis! Strike while the iron's hot, I always say. C'mon, I'm not getting any younger,' said Henry, draining his cup and getting ready to leave.

He'd always been in a hurry, even growing up, Rose reflected, as they bowled along the road to Eumeralla. Full of plans. It was certainly never dull to be around Henry. Exhausting and bewildering sometimes, but never dull.

As Rose had expected, they found Vera and Violet at Mrs B's, one of the pastel-coloured weatherboard cottages on the road leading into Eumeralla.

‘It's lucky you caught us. We're off back up the coast tomorrow,' said Vera as she welcomed them in.

‘Rose, how nice to see you again,' said Violet. ‘And who's this handsome chap?' she batted her eyelashes.

‘Vi, stop that! He's far too young for you, cradle-snatcher!' said Vera, going off into a cackle of laughter that ended in a hacking cough. ‘Bloody lungs still not right, gawd save us.'

‘I heard about the fire, Miss Trevelyn. I'm so sorry about that,' said Henry, turning on the charm.

‘Well, thank goodness Rose here was nearby and saw the smoke. Otherwise we'd have been burned to a crisp.' Violet shuddered at the thought. ‘Shall I put the kettle on?'

Henry brightened. ‘I'd love a cup,' he replied. Henry liked tea almost as much as he liked wine.

As they settled themselves in the tiny kitchen, Henry began his sales pitch. ‘Now, ladies, I won't take too much of your time, but I heard on the grapevine – whoops, bad pun – that you might be thinking of selling Trevelyn's. And if you are, I'd like to make you an offer.'

Violet looked surprised. ‘News travels fast, doesn't it? Well, for the right price, and to the right person—' she glanced at her sister. ‘We'd certainly consider it.'

‘Steady on, Vi.' Said Vera. ‘It's true, we have talked about it, but only in very general terms. I'm still not sure about selling up our family home, well what's left of it anyway.'

‘I appreciate what a difficult decision it is,' said Henry. ‘But my intentions are honourable, I can promise you that. I would aim to lease the vineyards to Mark Cameron at Kalkari. I understand Jake is doing a terrific job of managing them at the moment, and don't see any reason to change that.'

‘Go on,' said Vera.

‘I also plan to restore the house – it might make a good business, a B&B maybe. Perhaps even a restaurant?'

‘Mate,' Violet laughed. ‘You'll have a lot of work on your hands to knock it into shape. Have you seen it since the fire?'

‘Perhaps. But I know what I'm letting myself in for. I spoke to a few people last night and I had a poke around there first thing this morning.'

‘Well, it would be nice to see it restored,' said Vera. ‘Even if we haven't the heart for it ourselves. I hate to think of it as a ruin.'

The two sisters looked at each other. Rose could see how torn they were, and hoped that Henry wouldn't push them too hard. They would need time to get used to the idea.

‘I've got a figure in mind.' Henry retrieved a folded piece of paper from his top pocket and slid it over to them. ‘I believe it's a fair one, but take your time. The last thing I'd want is for you to make a decision you might regret.'

Ooh
, thought Rose.
Very smooth.

Vera and Violet had promised to think about the offer, and Violet gave Rose an extra-long hug as they said goodbye.

‘I can't believe you're really thinking of buying Trevelyn's,' said Rose as they hurtled along the Shingle Road. ‘Well, actually, I can believe it, knowing you.'

‘It's a good investment, dear sis. Land around here's dirt cheap compared to Europe. And the exchange rate's on my side too. Just need to get the paperwork in order and it'll all be sorted. You can help keep an eye on it for me. If, that is, you plan to stay on.'

Who had told Henry she might be thinking of staying?

Singing along at the top of her voice, Rose drove home along the winding road back to Kalkari, having dropped Henry at the pub in Eumeralla. She felt light as air. All her worries seemed to have disappeared like a puff of smoke.

She was eager to get back to the house and track Mark down. Now the vintage was over she needed to have a proper talk with him, find out where exactly they stood.

CHAPTER 42

A
s Rose pulled up at Kalkari, she noticed a navy blue BMW parked across the drive, with its driver-side door gaping open. Rose had to turn back to the cellar door carpark to leave her car. Tutting to herself about the careless parking, she walked back to the main house.

Rose heard voices.
Oh God
.
That accent
. She broke out in a cold sweat just hearing it.
Isa-bloody-bella
. Why was she back?

She warily rounded the corner and slowed down, eavesdropping.

‘But of course, if you don't want to make this work … Who knows how things will turn out?'

‘Really, Isabella, don't you think you're being unreasonable? This is not just my future, but your children's too. Have you thought of that? I thought we had discussed everything, settled it.'

‘The children will be well taken care of. I am not worried on that score.' Isabella's voice had a taunting tone.

What the hell is going on?

Realising that – whatever it was – interrupting was probably not the wisest course of action, Rose doubled back to the barn.