Hartley's Grange Read online

  First published in 2016

  Copyright © Nicole Hurley-Moore 2016

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. The Australian Copyright Act 1968 (the Act) allows a maximum of one chapter or 10 per cent of this book, whichever is the greater, to be photocopied by any educational institution for its educational purposes provided that the educational institution (or body that administers it) has given a remuneration notice to the Copyright Agency (Australia) under the Act.

  Arena Books, an imprint of

  Allen & Unwin

  83 Alexander Street

  Crows Nest NSW 2065

  Australia

  Phone: (61 2) 8425 0100

  Email: [email protected]

  Web: www.allenandunwin.com

  Cataloguing-in-Publication details are available from the National Library of Australia

  www.trove.nla.gov.au

  ISBN 978 1 76029 203 4

  eISBN 978 1 92526 899 7

  Cover design: Christa Moffitt, Christabella Designs

  Cover photographs: Rob Lang; Landscape © Shutterstock

  For Ciandra, Conor and Alannah

  Contents

  Acknowledgements

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Acknowledgements

  A huge thank you to my wonderful editor Louise Thurtell, Siobhán Cantrill and the whole Allen & Unwin team.

  Thanks to Tracy Stuart for all her knowledge about fires and I’d also like to thank the CFA for all their hard work in keeping us safe, especially through the long hot summers.

  To Robyn at Beehave – a shout out for the endless supply of inspirational shoes.

  I would also like to thank my awesome children Ciandra, Conor, Alannah and my mother, Jennifer, for all their humour and support. And lastly to my husband, Christopher, who always encourages me and reads every one of my stories even though romance isn’t really his ‘thing’.

  Chapter 1

  It was officially the worst day of Lily’s life. This year was meant to be the one in which everything came together and she climbed the next rung in her career. But she’d barely got past the first week of January before it had started to go belly up.

  It would almost have been comical if it hadn’t been so tragic, she thought as she squinted through the windscreen at the wet road ahead. But she wasn’t going to cry – she wouldn’t give them the satisfaction.

  Lily tapped her foot on the brake as she negotiated her small red hatchback through another sweeping bend. God, even the weather was out to get her. The late autumn storm seemed to have blown in from nowhere.

  This morning felt like a million years ago. She’d woken up feeling great, thinking today was the day she’d be told the promotion she’d long sought was hers. But instead, everything had fallen apart. As if being betrayed professionally wasn’t enough, she’d also been deceived by the one person she’d thought she could count on.

  The life and career she’d spent years building up lay in tatters.

  Damn it! It wasn’t meant to be like this, but after the day she had just had, she wasn’t surprised. After finishing her college certificate in applied fashion design, Lily had managed to nab a coveted internship with the up-and-coming fashion label Edwina Partell. It was a dream come true – or at least if would have been if it wasn’t for her supervisor, Samantha Worth. The trouble had started after the year-long internship was up and Lily had been offered a job as a junior designer. As time went on, and Lily became more successful, Sam began to bully, backstab and undermine her every chance she got, all culminating in this morning’s fiasco. As much as Lily loved working for Edwina, she couldn’t let this slide and had to walk away.

  But it wasn’t just her career that had ended up in the toilet – how could Pietro do that to her? She’d trusted him with everything, and now there was nothing left. She’d been blindsided on both fronts.

  She tapped the brake again to slow the car down as the rain started coming down in bucketloads. The once-familiar landscape around her looked blurry and alien, the stormy grey sky bleeding into the dull green of the wet bush.

  And what was she doing? thought Lily. Was she facing her problems like an adult? Uh-uh, she was running home with her tail firmly between her legs. Running to the one person who could always make her feel at least marginally better: her big sister, Violet.

  The rain was torrential now and Lily could barely see a couple of metres ahead. Perhaps she should pull over and wait for the storm to ease off, she thought, but she was so close now; in another fifteen minutes she’d be home. Surely it was better just to keep going and get out of this crazy weather.

  Home: that was a word she hadn’t equated with Violet Falls for quite some time. Still, at the moment it was the only home she had.

  Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, a grey blur appeared in her vision and she slammed on the brakes just as a grey kangaroo flew in front of the car. As she swerved to miss the roo, her tyres skated all over the wet road. In a millisecond the back end of the car swung out and began to spin towards the edge of the road.

  Time seemed to stretch as Lily felt the accident unfold. Over the noise of the pouring rain she vaguely registered the crunch of the tyres sliding over gravel before the world outside spun 360 degrees once, and then once more. She wanted to scream but instead hung frozen on the steering wheel and prayed she didn’t end up dead in a ditch. The car shuddered as the back hit something with a loud bang, but the impact slowed the car’s spin.

  Lily dragged in a breath as the car stopped moving and sat trembling in the driver’s seat, her hands clenched on the wheel. The car was on the gravel shoulder on an odd angle to the road and was facing the wrong way.

  Through the windscreen she could see the large kangaroo standing looking at her from the middle of the road for a second before hopping off into the bush.

  Lily hiccupped and sniffed, and then she did the one thing she’d sworn all day that she wasn’t going to do: she cried. The sobs were a mixture of terror, fright and the relief of not being dead.

  Lily wasn’t sure how long she sat gripping the steering wheel but she barely registered the car door being jerked open. A cold blast of air blew over her but all she could do was hang on, her forehead resting on the wheel, and just keep breathing. In, out. Somewhere in the distance a voice was talking to her, but as much as she tried, Lily couldn’t make out the words.

  She shook her head in an attempt to clear it.

  ‘Miss, miss, are you hurt?’

  ‘Um, no … no, I’m not hurt.’ She felt surprised to hear her own voice as she lifted her head slowly.

  ‘Are you sure? Do I need to ring for an ambulance?’

  Lily wiped the tears away with the back of her hand before clutching onto the security of the wheel again. ‘No, I’m fine – thanks.’

  ‘Lily? Lily Beckett
, isn’t it?’

  She turned her head towards the source of the question and looked into the handsome face of Flynn Hartley.

  ‘Yes,’ she said as she felt another tear slide down her face. Damn it, she just couldn’t help it. ‘Sorry.’

  ‘Nothing to be sorry about. You’ve had a close call but everything is going to be okay, I promise,’ he said, squatting down by the open door. He seemed to be oblivious to the rain bucketing down.

  ‘I’m fine, I just need a second.’

  ‘Take as long as you want, but how about letting go of the wheel and sitting back in the seat?’

  Lily released the steering wheel and sat back. ‘Ouch.’

  ‘What’s up?’ Flynn said, his eyes narrowing. Lily wasn’t sure if it was because of the rain drenching him or out of concern.

  ‘I must have hit my shoulder somehow,’ said Lily, reaching up to hold her right side.

  Flynn gently touched her arm. ‘Let’s have a look, then. Can you move all your fingers and your hand?’

  Lily gave her fingers a wiggle. ‘Yeah.’

  He ran his hands down her arm. ‘Well, nothing seems to be broken, but I still reckon we should get you checked out.’

  ‘Really, there’s no need – I’m fine.’

  ‘So you keep telling me,’ he said with a slight smile. ‘Come on, let’s get you out of there and back to town.’

  Lily frowned. ‘Can’t I drive?’

  Flynn leant back and glanced towards the rear of the car before shaking his head. ‘No way can you drive this, I’m afraid – the back end is crumpled. I’ll drive you in and then call the garage to come and pick it up. They can do the mechanics and the panel beating for you.’

  ‘Alright, thanks. I mean, that’s really kind of you.’

  ‘Don’t worry about it. Is there anything you need to take with you now?’ He peered past her at the jumble of bags and boxes stacked Tetris-style on her back seat.

  Lily followed his look and gave a shrug. ‘I’m running away.’

  ‘Yeah, I reckon you are. Are you ready to go? Come on then,’ he said as she nodded, standing up and holding out his hand to her.

  Lily grabbed her handbag from the passenger seat before taking Flynn’s hand and clambering out of the car. She swayed on her feet for a second but his arm snaked around her waist and steadied her.

  ‘Mine is over here.’ He guided her through the rain to his ute and got her settled. ‘Is there anything else you need before I lock your car up?’

  Lily shook her head.

  ‘Okay, back in a tick.’

  Lily watched as Flynn jogged over to the car. A couple of minutes later he was sliding into the driver’s seat, bringing with him the smell of rain, wet wool and an underlying scent of crisp aftershave. She glanced over and saw that his dark hair was plastered to his head and he was drenched to the skin.

  He looked at her as he turned on the ignition. ‘Rotten day, hey?’

  ‘I’ve had better. So has the roo, I’m sure. Sorry you got so wet.’

  He gave her a quick grin. ‘It’s nothing. Now, let’s get you home.’

  Lily looked out the side window as the car took off down the road. Silence fell between them and the constant sound of the rain on the windscreen seemed to highlight it rather than fill it. For a moment she thought she should say something, but her mind was filled with replaying the accident over and over again. The minutes ticked by as the wet bush slid past.

  ‘Listen, are you sure you don’t want me to swing by the hospital?’

  Lily jumped, startled by the sound of Flynn’s voice. ‘Thanks, but I think I just want to get to my sister.’

  ‘If you’re sure.’

  She nodded as she turned back to the window. Yes, she was sure. The small rural township of Violet Falls may not feel like home, but her sister and niece definitely did. Violet had been there for Lily ever since she could remember – from the faded memories of a once happy childhood, through the awful time of their parents’ death in a car accident and having to come to this place to live with their grandparents. Life with their grandparents had been okay while their grandmother was alive, but after her death their grandfather had become more and more cantankerous. Violet had butted heads with him more than once until finally, when he discovered she had fallen pregnant, he tossed her out. There was no way that Lily was going to stand by and let her sister go it on her own, so when Violet packed her bags and left, so did she.

  It had been difficult but they had made a life for themselves in Melbourne – well, they had to, especially once little Holly arrived. But Violet had protected, supported and held them together through it all, and today Lily needed to borrow a bit more of her strength.

  Lily had thought that she would never come back to this speck on the map. But last year her grandfather had died and left his granddaughters a shop in the main street and the old family home. Violet had seen it as a new start and moved here with Holly. Good thing too, as she not only started up her own business but found the love of her life, Mac McKellan. Well, Lily should be thankful that at least Violet’s life was beginning to pan out. Just as her sister’s life was looking more than rosy, hers had nosedived, crashed, burned and exploded into tiny pieces.

  The bush gave way to farms and paddocks as they neared the town. After a few minutes they were driving past a mixture of old miners’ cottages and 1930s bungalows, punctuated by the odd triple-front brick house or a new building. The road widened as they went down the main street, which was a remnant from the days when mobs of sheep and cattle were herded along it on their way to market. On both sides of the street were a line of shops, the majority of which were old terraces with balconies and verandahs that jutted out over the footpaths. They drove on for another few minutes.

  ‘Almost there,’ Flynn said as he headed through town.

  ‘Thank you again. You’ve been wonderful and I really don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t come along.’

  ‘Hey, no need to keep thanking me. Anyone would have done it.’

  ‘Maybe – but I am grateful,’ Lily said as they pulled into Violet’s driveway.

  ‘I’ll stop by the garage and get them to pick up your car.’ Flynn brought the ute to a stop. ‘Alright?’

  Lily nodded and gave him a little smile. ‘That would be great. I know you said that I should stop thanking you, but thanks again,’ Lily said as she pulled her handbag onto her lap and opened the door.

  ‘No worries.’

  Lily gave him a brief nod and a wave before hurrying up the wooden steps that led to the front door. The door flew open before she even had a chance to knock. Violet Beckett stood in the doorway with a frown on her pretty face.

  ‘Lily? Is that Flynn? What’s he doing here? What are you doing here? Is everything alright?’

  Lily stepped into her sister’s arms. She opened her mouth to speak but the words got stuck, her eyes blurring as the first sob escaped her lips. Violet tightened her hold and held Lily close as she cried onto her shoulder. From somewhere behind her she heard Flynn’s deep voice.

  ‘Hey, Violet. I don’t exactly know what happened but Lily had a bit of a bingle on the road into town.’

  ‘A bingle?’

  ‘Yeah, she tangled with a roo and lost.’

  ‘Oh my God!’

  ‘She’s not hurt, just shaken up, I think. I wanted to get her checked out by a doctor but she insisted on coming here. I’ll get the boys at the garage to tow the car in,’ he said.

  ‘Thanks, Flynn, that’s great of you. I’ll take her to the medical centre.’

  ‘Good,’ he said as he went to turn away. ‘Take care, Lily, and don’t worry – today can only get better.’

  Lily looked up from her sister’s shoulder and gave him a watery smile. ‘Thanks.’

  ‘Not a problem.’ With that, Flynn gave a nod and headed back to his car.

  Chapter 2

  Lily sat ensconced in Violet’s overstuffed couch sipping a cup of tea. The air
was warm but she still felt a little cold and shivery. Outside the storm had waned and left behind a dull day with some drizzly rain.

  Violet sat opposite her with a frown on her face.

  ‘I’m alright, Violet. I just had a shock,’ Lily said as she put her cup down on the side table. ‘You don’t have to stare at me like that, I’m not going to shatter.’

  ‘So what happened? Why were you coming to Violet Falls on a Wednesday afternoon and in the middle of a storm?’

  Lily fiddled with the edge of the dusty pink throw that hung over the arm of the couch. A minute slipped by as she tried to find the right words. How do you explain that your whole world, everything you counted on, was a lie?

  ‘Lily?’

  ‘It’s a complicated mess, but basically I’ve left my job and Pietro.’

  ‘No!’

  Lily nodded her head. ‘Yes, I have. You remember I told you that Sam was going to show my designs to Edwina? Well, she did, and then she took the credit for them. She stood there and lied through her teeth.’

  ‘No way! But I thought she said she was going to help you?’

  ‘Yeah, and the joke was that I actually believed her. God, I’m such an idiot! So after a pretty ugly scene at work, I needed a bit of support from the guy I share a life with. I went by Pietro’s studio and found him wrapped around one of his current models.’ It was a strange relief to finally tell someone what a complete and utter shit her now ex-boyfriend had turned out to be.

  ‘No!’

  ‘Yes. He even had the nerve to use the old You don’t understand, this isn’t what it looks like. I mean seriously, Violet – it was exactly what it looked like.’

  ‘Oh, honey … I’m so sorry.’

  Violet walked over and sat down. She put her arm around Lily and gave her a hug.

  Lily sucked in a breath as pain spiked in her shoulder.

  ‘Oh my God, you have hurt yourself. Why didn’t you say something?’

  ‘It’s just my shoulder. I must have banged it in the impact.’

  ‘What did you hit?’

  ‘I’m not sure – maybe a telegraph pole or something after the car spun around a couple of times,’ said Lily with a wave of her hand.