The Millionaire's Redemption (6 page)

Chapter Four

Melbourne
at last. As Holly made her way through Customs at
Tullamarine
Airport
she breathed a sigh of relief. They didn’t have any baggage to collect. Lilly’s pink bag held everything they possessed.

Lilly had been fractious a good deal of the way until she finally fell into an exhausted sleep. This respite gave her a chance to make some decisions. She would ring Mrs. Harris from the airport to see if the bungalow where they used to live was vacant.

After she had changed her English pounds into Australian dollars she found a public telephone and dialed Mrs. Harris’ number. The old lady answered it immediately.

“Hello, it’s Holly Kirwan.”

“Holly, my dear, how are you?” I read about poor Robbie in the
English
papers
my sister-in-law sends me
. I can’t tell you how sorry I am.”

“Thank you. It was awful. I’m back in
Melbourne
now with Lilly. I don’t suppose the bungalow would still be vacant?”

“It is, dear, but the house has been sold. I’m moving to
Queensland
to be closer to my daughter.”

“Oh, no,” Holly cried. “I’m looking for somewhere to stay until I sort myself out.”

“You’re welcome to stay until I go. I’ll be glad of the company. How’s the baby?”

“She’s good, almost walking. I’ll get a taxi and come straight away.”

***

Mrs. Harris waited on the verandah for them, a concerned smile on her motherly face.

“How are you, dear?” She hurried forward and gave Holly a hug.

“I’m okay, How are you?”

“Not too bad. So, this is Lilly? My, she has grown into a sweet little cherub.”

Inside the house, which always smelt of lavender and bees wax polish, Mrs. Harris insisted on making a pot of tea.

“Where’s your luggage?”

“This is all I have.” She found herself telling the kindly woman the whole miserable saga.

“What a disgrace those people are. You’re much better off without them.”

“I know, but it’s so hard on my own. I’m not very brave.” Holly blinked back hot tears, despising herself for being so weak and pathetic but feeling better for having confided in someone.

“Look, dear, after you’ve finished your tea, you can make the bed up in the bungalow. I’ve got plenty of spare blankets and linen you can borrow. In fact you can keep them. I have to get rid of a lot of stuff before I move.”

“Thanks, you’re a life saver.” The same as Justin she thought with a sad little twinge because they would never meet again.

If you don’t mind my asking, are you getting some kind of War Widow’s benefit from the British government?”

“Not yet. I filled out some papers in
England
after Robbie died and his father promised to forward them to the pension people. He took over my affairs because I was too upset to stop him. He said my application could take a long time to be processed because we had been married in
Australia
.”

“It’s been seven months. I doubt if he ever lodged them, dear, given what you’ve told me.”

Of course he wouldn’t have sent them in. She should have realized sooner instead of blaming the government for being slow to pay up. The Kirwans wanted her to be starved of funds so they could say she wasn’t fit to look after Lilly.

“You’re right. How could I have been so gullible?”

“Stop beating yourself up about it. You were vulnerable and they took advantage of it. Write to the Veteran Affairs Department here. I can give you their address. I’m sure they would have reciprocal arrangements with the British pension people.”

“Thanks, I will.” Why hadn’t she thought of that?

Mrs. Harris disappeared and returned within minutes carrying an armful of blankets, sheets and towels. Holly picked up the faithful pink bag, rested it on the hood of the stroller, and followed the old lady out of the house.

The garden
was
the same as she remembered, full of roses, lavender and other sweetly perfumed shrubs. The lawns and garden beds were a little overgrown. Holly shut her eyes and momentarily saw Robbie, stripped to the waist, his blond hair gleaming in the sun, as he pushed Mrs. Harris’ lawn mower for one last time. How young and strong he had looked that morning, a mere five hours before they left for the airport. Invincible, they both thought. Fools that they were. Unbeknownst to them, the angel of death already hovered over Robbie’s head.

“It looks the same,” Holly exclaimed, feeling a sudden surge of optimism. A couple of weeks here until she sorted herself out, and things would get better.

She had known the love of a brave young man, with Lilly the product of their union. How many women lost their husbands and were left with nothing except grief and heartache? She had also met a kind man named Justin. A transient meeting maybe, but he had left an impression on her.

“I’ll leave you to get settled in, dear. If you need milk or anything just come and help yourself even if I’m not there. I’ll give you a house key. Harry still runs his convenience store around the corner.”

“Thanks, I’ll be fine. I’ll never forget how kind you’ve been to us.”

“I’m an old woman, so I couldn’t offer to mind Lilly while you go out to work, but I could manage to see to her for a couple of hours while you go for a job interview. She would be safe with me.”

Emotion surged through Holly. What a kindly soul she was.

As soon as the old lady left, Holly lifted Lilly out of the stroller and sat her on the floor. “You spent your first few weeks of life here, darling, with Daddy and me.”

Lilly
flopped
down on her hands and knees and started crawling around to explore. She shut the door so the baby couldn’t escape and quickly made up the bed. The linen and blankets smelt of mothballs. Lilly could sleep with her in the comfortable double bed where she had been conceived in what seemed another lifetime. It felt surreal.

***

Holly dubiously entered the charity shop run by the Salvation Army. If she could pick up a few clothes for them here, it would save a fortune.

How demeaning having to buy second hand clothes. She flicked through the racks. She couldn’t fine much in size six, but finally chose a black skirt, a navy pair of slacks and four blouses in an assortment of colors and material. They were in good condition. She would have to mix and match, in an endeavor to make her wardrobe appear more extensive.

Now for Lilly’s wardrobe. The smell of old books and a musty damp fur kind of smell permeated the air. Thankfully, the baby clothes were in excellent near new condition. Their total bill came to sixty dollars. A bargain for the amount of stuff they bought
-
-
two quite large bags filled to the brim.

Harry, the elderly owner of the convenience store, smiled when Holly entered the shop. “Hello. Are you back with Mrs. Harris?”

“Yes, I’m staying in the bungalow until she moves.”

“She told me about your husband being killed. I’m sorry, love.”

“Thank you.” She bit her trembling lip, not knowing what else to say. “Could you keep an eye on the stroller if I leave it here?”

“Yeah, take one of the trolleys. You can sit the little one in it.”

A quick glance around confirmed her worst fears; things were expensive. She could only afford to buy the basics.

After paying for her groceries, she had a hundred dollars left to last for goodness only knew how long. It was the last of the money she had drawn out of her bank account a couple of days before leaving
England
. That’s when she discovered the true extent of Bob Kirwan’s treachery. Robbie’s army pay and the special allowance she received because of his death had been tied up in a special trust account for Lilly.

Why had she signed all those papers without reading them first?  She didn’t begrudge Lilly having the money, but they needed some of it now. She had nothing to show from nearly two years of marriage, except for Lilly, poignant memories and a few photographs.

***

Holly’s fingers trembled as she dialed Glen Fern’s number. Their future depended on this call.

“
Glen
Fern Private
Hospital
,” said a husky female voice.

“Hi, I’m Holly Kirwan. Justin Devereux suggested I ring Glen Fern. I’m looking for a job and he said you might have a vacancy.”

“I’ll put you through to our recruitment department.”

Holly heard a click, followed by a male voice.

“Owen Hamilton speaking. Mr. Devereux told me to expect a call from you. How about coming in for an interview tomorrow, say ten o’clock?”

“Thank you, I’ll be there.”

Relief flooded over her. Justin had proved to be an honorable man who kept his word. A job interview. She gave a little excited skip.

“There you are, dear,” Mrs. Harris said. “I told you everything would work out fine. I’ll mind Lilly for you.”

“Are you sure? I mean, she can be quite a handful.”

“I can cope for a couple of hours, even if I have to take her for a walk in the stroller to keep her occupied.”

“Thanks, you’re a life saver. Um, Mrs. Harris, I feel terrible about this when you’ve been so kind already, but could I leave it for a few days before I pay you some rent. I had to buy clothes for myself and Lilly at the Salvation Army charity shop.”

“How humiliating for you. It makes my blood boil, to think a young war widow with a baby has to buy second hand clothing. It’s a disgrace,” Mrs. Harris said fiercely. “You get that letter written and into Veteran Affairs. Don’t worry about the rent. Pay me when you can.”

“But Robbie served in the English army and I’m out here in
Australia
.”

“I’m sure they would have reciprocal arrangements, the paperwork might take a little longer to process that’s all.”

***

Holly dressed in the black skirt and the blue silk blouse for her interview. She brushed her hair and let it hang loosely about her shoulders. Thank goodness she remembered to bring her resume back from
England
with her.

Lilly was quite happy to stay with Mrs. Harris.
The cat fascinated her
;
she
strok
ed
it and shriek
ed
with glee whenever it meowed.

Holly
caught a train to the hospital, which was less than thirty minutes away. A brisk walk brought her to an imposing heritage building. The massive front doors were made from multi colored leadlight panels. A huge basket shaped chandelier hung in the foyer. It seemed more like a luxury hotel than a hospital. She nervously walked over parquetry floors to the reception desk.

“I’m Holly Kirwan. I have an appointment with Mr. Hamilton.”

The attractive young woman in her designer clothes made Holly feel shabby in her charity shop garb. Sophistication would have to be this fashion plate’s second name.

“Take the elevator up to the third floor. Mr. Hamilton’s office is off to the right. You can’t miss it.” She gave Holly, a long, speculative
stare
.

“Thank you.”

The elevator, a rounded, clear- glassed affair, had lots of shiny brass work. When
Holly
stepped out on the third floor, her feet literally sank into the soft burgundy carpet. Luxury personified.

She knocked on a door with ‘Owen Hamilton’ printed in gold lettering.

“Come in,” a male voice instructed

As she entered the room she only had time to notice a large desk with a flat screen computer on it. A tall young man came towards her. She took his soft, pampered hand. He had obviously never done a day’s manual labor in his life.

“Well, Holly, so you’re Justin’s friend.”

Because she didn’t know what Justin had said about her she decided to keep her answer simple. “Yes, I am.”

Owen Hamilton looked to be about thirty. Immaculately dressed in a navy designer suit and pale blue shirt, he wore a diamond stud in one ear. His spiky brown hair had blond tips. By the slight swagger and cheesy smile, she instinctively knew this man thought he was God’s gift to women.

He tightened his grip on her hand a fraction, jamming her fingers together. “How long have you known Justin?”

“Not very long,” she tried not to sound too evasive.

Owen stood with his legs splayed and hips thrust forward in an intimidating, predatory stance.

It was the strangest interview she’d ever attended. He briefly scanned her resume, but seemed more interested in her breasts than anything else.