The McCalister Legacy Read online

  Halfway through the morning, just as Berry wiped down the final bench, there was a loud knock at the door. Berry frowned as she wiped her hands on a tea towel before heading to the front door. Standing on the verandah was a middle-aged man in a smart grey suit and aviator sunglasses. His dark hair was slicked back and he exuded an air of self-importance.

  ‘Hello, can I help you?’ Berry said.

  The man shoved his sunglasses up until they were sitting on his head.

  ‘Oh, hello. Miss McCalister?’

  Berry nodded. ‘That’s right.’

  ‘It’s lovely to meet you,’ the man said as he extended his hand. ‘I’m Laurie Worth.’

  Berry took his moist hand and then wished she hadn’t as he pumped hers up and down a couple of times before releasing it. It took all of Berry’s willpower not to then rub her palm on the leg of her jeans. ‘Okay. So, how can I help you?’

  ‘I’m a local businessman. I have interests in several of the towns around this area but my home is in Harlington. The town’s buzzing with the news that you’ve come back, so I thought I’d stop by and welcome you.’

  ‘Thanks,’ Berry said with a small, wary smile.

  ‘No problem at all,’ he said, leaning against the doorway. ‘So, are you planning to move back permanently? Or maybe sell the old place?’

  ‘I haven’t made a decision on that yet,’ Berry said, now on her guard.

  ‘Right … right,’ he said and Berry wasn’t sure if he was addressing her or himself. ‘Well, if there’s anything you need, please don’t hesitate to call,’ he continued as he whipped out a business card and handed it to her.

  Berry took the card without looking at it. ‘Thanks.’

  ‘Right then,’ Laurie said after a few moments of silence. ‘Well, I’d best press on as I’m sure you’ve got a busy day ahead. Once again, welcome back to Harlington.’ He finished with a smile.

  Berry nodded and then took a step back. ‘Bye.’

  He paused for a moment as if he were going to say something and then seemed to change his mind. ‘Yes, see you later,’ he said as he turned to go.

  Berry watched him walk down the drive to where his shiny black car was waiting. She didn’t know much about cars, but she would bet her dinner that Laurie Worth’s car was expensive. She glanced down at the business card in her hand: Laurie Worth—Worthy Development.

  Berry shut the front door, screwed up the business card and carried on with her cleaning.

  She broke for lunch—which consisted of the raspberry muffin and chocolate milk she’d bought at the store that morning—sometime after one o’clock. She had grabbed a handful of tea bags from the B&B but quickly realised when she got to Stone Gully that she didn’t have anything to make it with.

  Taking what was left of the milk, she wandered outside into the back yard for the first time since coming back. Ahead of her was the old Hills hoist. For a moment she closed her eyes and blocked out the memory of riding her new bike around it.

  Steadying herself, she walked on. Further down the overgrown garden was a large metal shed, where some of the contents of the house were boxed up. The door was padlocked. There were more structures to her right, though they didn’t seem to be in the best shape. The roof had collapsed on one, and the door of the old chicken coop was hanging off two of its three hinges.

  Past the sheds Berry could go either into the back paddock or follow a path to the small orchard down by the dam. She followed the skinny track, almost overgrown with weeds and dandelions, as the land dipped down towards the huge dam that reminded her more of a lake. A jetty overhung the water’s edge and looked out to a large island in the middle. The winter rains had filled it up and Berry stopped for a moment to listen to the silence of the place. Not far away was the orchard, which mainly comprised almost an acre of Red Delicious apple trees, though at this end her mother had included several other fruiting trees—pears, peaches, plums—which had always been used for the family rather than sales. They were all overgrown and in desperate need of pruning, and the ground beneath was littered with broken branches, twigs and the detritus of years of unharvested fruit.

  Stone Gully Farm had once been four times bigger than its present fifty acres, but over the years and generations, slices of it had been sold off to keep the creditors at bay—which is why in her father’s day, the sheep-running aspect had been scaled back to almost nothing and he had pursued other avenues. He’d planted half an acre of olive trees next to the apple orchard. Added to that, there had been a small flock of sheep, chickens and even a few grape vines. Stone Gully Farm was a hodge-podge of different ideas, none of which had truly paid off. Her father had tried so hard to run the place but ultimately had failed. If it wasn’t for Uncle Dave and her maternal grandparents the farm would have been lost not long after her parents had died. He was a barrister and worked long hours but never complained when the children came to live with him—in fact, he had insisted on it. Uncle Dave was a bachelor, and Berry often wondered if he would have settled down and married if he hadn’t devoted his life to his nieces and nephew. He had given them a sense of family, stability and belonging. And for that Berry would be eternally grateful.

  Berry wandered through the apple orchard, running her hand across the trunks as she passed each one. The trees were gnarled and in need of pruning but they were still here, they had endured—just like her. There was something comforting in that.

  ‘How did it go today?’ Andrea asked as she and Berry sat in front of Cumquat Cottage’s open fire.

  Berry sipped her Earl Grey tea and sank back into Andrea’s comfortable couch. ‘Okay. I managed to clean a couple of rooms and air out the place. There’s still a lot to do, and regardless of what we end up doing with it, it still needs a new kitchen, bathroom and several coats of paint.’

  ‘A lot of work ahead.’

  ‘That’s the way it’s shaping up.’

  ‘And pretty pricey, I’d say.’

  Berry let out a sigh. ‘Yeah, I guess it will be. Uncle Dave will be funding the improvements but I’m determined to pay him back.’

  ‘So, what do you do—I mean work wise?’ Andrea asked.

  Berry sighed. ‘I haven’t decided. I worked as a waitress and a barista while I went to uni, but now that’s finished I have to start looking for something more permanent.’

  ‘What did you do at university?’

  ‘I started out in Teaching but I quickly discovered that it wasn’t for me, so I switched to a BA, focusing on literature and history. Which means that now I’m a really well-educated waitress,’ Berry added with a grin.

  Andrea reached for her cup and took a sip before asking, ‘What about your dreams or passions? I only ask because I suppressed my dreams until only a few years ago. I always wanted to move out of the city and have a quaint B&B but my head wouldn’t allow it. So, for years I stayed in a job that I didn’t love. I was a good accountant and the last firm I worked for were great, but my heart wasn’t in it.’

  ‘Well, I think that’s the problem—I don’t really have a goal to aim for. Not like my sister Jess, all she wants to be is a writer and I think that’s what she’ll do. I’ll support her any way I can so she achieves what she wants.’ Berry couldn’t admit it aloud, but she had never allowed herself to have personal dreams and goals because she needed to look after Jess and Tom, and their welfare and happiness were the only things that mattered to her.

  ‘Do you always take care of your brother and sister?’

  Berry nodded. ‘Yes, I made a promise.’

  Andrea gave her a small smile. ‘Well, just remember that you need to look after yourself as well.’

  ‘You know, sometimes I feel like I’m treading water, like I’m waiting for something to begin but I don’t know what.’

  Andrea reached over and squeezed her hand. ‘It’ll come. All I’m saying is, when you decide what you want to do, don’t wait until it’s too late to go for it.’

  ‘Wise advice,’ Berry sai
d.

  ‘Well, I’m a very wise woman,’ Andrea said with a wink. ‘Now, I don’t know about you but I’m starving. Why don’t we pop over to the pub for dinner?’

  Berry put down her cup. ‘Sounds like a plan.’

  Saturday night at The Queen’s Arms was a lot like a Friday night—a few souls in the bar and a handful of people enjoying a meal.

  ‘Does it get busier than this?’ Berry asked as they settled at a table near the fireplace.

  ‘Yes, but this is off season. There’s just enough local traffic to keep the doors open. Once we hit spring, things begin to liven up.’

  ‘Same as the B&B?’

  Andrea nodded. ‘Yes, but I do get a few bookings. You know, couples wanting to explore the orchards and wineries around this area. And there’s nothing nicer than sitting in front of an open fire, sipping hot chocolate when it’s cold outside.’

  ‘Wait, what’s this about hot chocolate and why am I only finding out about it now?’

  Andrea laughed. ‘Best in town … um, maybe in the entire area.’

  ‘You’ve been holding out on me,’ Berry said with a grin.

  She was about to ask Andrea about what she would recommend on the menu when a commotion broke out in the bar.

  ‘Are you calling me a liar?’ a gruff voice sailed through the air.

  ‘Now, Ned, I didn’t say that. You just took it the wrong way,’ came a placating tone.

  Berry looked over at the bar and tried to pinpoint where the fuss was coming from.

  ‘You know the story and it’s as true as we’re standing here. My grandfather saw it when he was a nipper. Everybody knows it.’

  Berry glanced at Andrea, who in turn rolled her eyes and leaned closer over the table.

  ‘That’s Young Ned. Let’s just say he’s one of Harlington’s characters.’

  Berry looked back to the bar and saw the profile of an old man with white hair that hit his shoulders.

  ‘Young Ned? The guy has got to be in his seventies,’ Berry said as she glanced back to Andrea in surprise.

  ‘That’s because his dad goes by “Old Ned”—he is ninety-three years old and still spritely,’ Andrea explained.

  The conversation continued in the bar with whoever had offended the old man now trying to settle him down. ‘Now, now, Ned, I didn’t mean it. Come on and I’ll shout you another beer.’

  Berry heard a bit of mumbling before Young Ned turned back to the bar. ‘Bloody young whippersnapper, you’re talking through your hat. You got no respect for town history.’

  ‘Come on, Ned, I didn’t mean to upset you. Here, the pint’s on me.’

  As peace appeared to settle over the bar, Berry made her way over to order dinner and a round of drinks. As she paid for the food she made the mistake of looking over at the other side of the bar, catching Young Ned’s eye. He put down the beer he was drinking, got off his bar stool and made a beeline for her. Berry hightailed it back to Andrea but Young Ned almost beat her back. For an old guy he could move fast.

  ‘Evening ladies,’ he said with a nod of his head.

  ‘Hello Ned,’ Andrea said with a smile. ‘This is Berry McCalister. She’s staying with me at the B&B for a few days.’

  ‘McCalister, I know that name,’ he said as he studied Berry. ‘I seem to remember that there was a bit of bad business years back.’

  Before the conversation could take a turn down a road that Berry didn’t want to go, Andrea jumped in. ‘So, what was all that about in the bar?’ she asked.

  Young Ned screwed up his nose. ‘That young Tarant kid just asking dumb questions. Asked why my grandad didn’t go after the vein,’ he harrumphed.

  Berry looked at Ned and then to Andrea, without a clue of what he was on about.

  ‘Sorry, Berry,’ Andrea said. ‘Ned’s talking about the gold his grandad discovered when he was a boy.’

  Ned looked at Berry. ‘Oh, doesn’t the young lady know about the Harlington Vein?’ he asked expectantly.

  Berry smiled and shook her head. ‘No, I’m afraid not.’

  Without another word Ned grabbed the nearest chair and sat at the table. ‘Well, it all started when my grandad was a little nipper. I’m not sure when exactly, back around 1906 give or take a few years. He was only little—five or six, maybe—and one day he wandered off from home and got lost in the bush. The town was in an uproar and searched for him day and night. When he turned up two days later he said he’d seen a big golden vein running through rock. Some people thought he was making it up but others believed him. Problem was that he couldn’t remember where he’d seen it, he was so little, you know. Over the next few years the townsfolk went out to try to find it but no one ever did. But he saw it, he said he did and I believed him. It’s out there, just waiting to be found, I can feel it in my bones.’

  ‘So, there was gold in the area?’

  Andrea nodded. ‘Oh yes, all through here was dug up during the gold rush.’

  ‘Well, I hope one day you do find it,’ Berry said.

  Ned nodded sagely. ‘It’s not about what’s it worth—it’s proving to everyone that my grandad was right. You understand that, don’t you, missy?’

  ‘Yes, I get it,’ Berry answered. ‘I really do.’

  ‘Oh come on, mate, you left your beer on the bar. I wondered what happened to you,’ Nate Tarant said as he appeared behind Ned’s chair and placed his hands on his shoulders. ‘Hi Andrea. Berry, it’s good to see you again.’

  ‘Hello Nate,’ Berry said as she glanced up at him. She felt an extra beat of her heart that caught her by surprise. Their eyes locked for a moment before she looked away.

  ‘I didn’t realise that you knew each other,’ Andrea said.

  ‘We crossed paths yesterday,’ Nate explained before looking back down at the old man. ‘Anyway, come on, Ned, let’s go and finish that beer.’

  Ned stood up and gave a nod. ‘Ladies,’ he said before he let Nate lead him away.

  ‘Bye,’ Berry and Andrea said in unison but it was Berry who caught the glance that Nate sent as he looked back over his shoulder.

  ‘Well, thank goodness for Nate,’ Andrea said with a smile. ‘If he hadn’t distracted Ned, he would have sat here for the next two hours telling us about gold fossicking. Don’t get me wrong, I like him, just in contained doses.’

  ‘So, do you believe in the gold story?’

  Andrea shrugged. ‘I don’t know, maybe, but sometimes family legends aren’t always founded in truth.’

  ‘I guess,’ Berry agreed as the waitress walked up with a smile and bearing two loaded plates.

  Andrea looked over towards Nate and gave a small nod. ‘He’s such a nice lad, so different from his father.’

  ‘Is he?’ Berry picked up her cutlery and looked at Andrea, expectantly.

  ‘Well, one doesn’t like to gossip …’

  ‘But go on anyway,’ Berry said with a grin.

  Andrea laughed. ‘It’s just that I’ve never warmed to him. Which of course means absolutely nothing—if we all liked and agreed with everyone it would be a bland sort of world. He tends to be the standoffish type. You know what I mean—a bit cold.’

  ‘I don’t know him or the family now, but I’m pretty sure that Nate’s father was a friend of my dad’s.’

  ‘That’s interesting, he always seems such a loner. I guess I could be wrong. The rest of the family are lovely. You didn’t hang out with his family at all?’

  Berry shook her head. ‘No, from what I can remember Nate’s sisters are about the same age as my brother Tom. Nate was a few years older than me. So, let’s face it, there wasn’t much incentive to hanging out with a scabby-kneed kid when you’d just turned into a cool teenager.’

  ‘So, was there a big age difference between you?’

  Berry looked over at Andrea and smiled. ‘It seemed so at the time. I think the year we left he’d just started at the high school in Castlemaine. I used to see him every now and again, you know, across the paddocks, but he a
lways seemed so much more grown up. He was never interested in talking to little old me.’

  Chapter Seven

  Later that night, Berry was distracting herself with a book when her phone rang. She smiled as she picked it up.

  ‘Hey Uncle Dave, how are you going?’

  ‘Good. I just thought I’d check and see how you were faring up there.’

  ‘I’m okay,’ she said a little too brightly.

  ‘That doesn’t sound very convincing. What’s up, Berry?’

  She sighed. ‘It’s nothing, really. It’s just, well, coming back is a little harder than I thought it would be.’

  She heard him sigh. ‘I wish you’d waited a couple of weeks. I would have taken the time off and headed up there with you. I should have known better than to let you go by yourself.’

  ‘You didn’t let me do anything,’ Berry said with a laugh. ‘My mind was made up.’

  ‘Hmm, yes, and we all know how … determined you can be,’ Dave chuckled. ‘So, how are you doing, really? Are you okay?’

  ‘Yes. The first time going to the house was a bit rocky but it’s all right now. It’s going to be hard for a while for all of us—we’ve all lost so much here, including you. But I think that with time and work, we can move on, and fixing the house is just the start.’

  ‘And how’s that going?’

  ‘I’ve been cleaning it up and making a list of things that have to be done. It’s going to need a damn good renovation.’

  ‘What are you thinking?’

  ‘Hmm, new kitchen and bathroom, and a total paint job inside and out for starters. Some of the outbuildings look as if they need repair, and one of the water tanks needs replacing,’ Berry said.

  ‘What about the floors?’

  ‘I haven’t looked under the carpet yet but I was thinking about pulling it up and polishing the wooden boards.’

  ‘That’s a good idea,’ Uncle Dave said. ‘Well, draw up a list and we’ll get things started. Maybe you can inquire about finding some local tradesmen who can take on the job.’