Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
What had he said?
For the nth time that morning, Dan asked himself that question.
One minute everything had been going so well — or so he’d thought — and the next she’d closed down. The warmth and fun had disappeared from her eyes in an instant.
He’d racked his brains and come up with only one thing. He’d asked the question and the next instant the evening had suddenly soured and come to an abrupt halt.
Don’t you miss it?
The question had felt innocuous at the time. Just something polite and interested. He did want to know. And, for some reason, she hadn’t wanted to tell him.
‘Daniel!’
Dan turned to his mother across the café table from him. ‘Sorry, I was miles away.’
‘Yes, I know that much. What I don’t understand is why you insisted on bringing me out for breakfast when your mind is clearly elsewhere.’
He grimaced. ‘Because I want to be here with you, not…’ He shrugged.
He couldn’t quite bring himself to say he didn’t want to be elsewhere, because he did want to be with Augi.
But that wouldn’t be much good because he knew he still wouldn’t be able to find out why she’d ended their date looking like she’d lost more than she’d gained.
Luckily Kate was once again distracted from his lack of conversation by someone greeting her and stopping to talk.
He was convinced his mother knew absolutely everybody in the village.
In Kāpiti probably, too. And Wellington.
Hell, why stop at that. She probably knew everyone in New Zealand.
She was the type of person his US friends used to imagine was a typical New Zealander.
Someone who seemed to know everyone else. And in her case, they were right.
It had taken them three times as long to walk down the street as it did when he walked by himself.
Everyone stopped to talk to her. If she didn’t know them, Kate made it a point to stop and talk to them, and welcome them to the area.
If there was ever an informal mayor of the village it was his mother.
He could just picture it.
She got up and hugged the woman before turning back to Dan.
‘That was Karen. I haven’t seen her in ages,’ she said by way of explanation.
‘Uh-huh’, he said.
She gave him a sharp look. ‘What are you smirking at?’ she asked before taking a sip of her coffee.
‘I was just wondering if you’d ever thought of standing for mayor.’
Kate made a dismissive sound, and looked out the window.
‘No way. I had enough politics working in the Ministry of Education to last me a lifetime, thank you very much.’ She broke out into a wide smile as one of the waitresses approached.
‘Hello, there! I haven’t seen you for ages. How is your mother?’
Dan sighed and sat back. That would be another ten minutes he’d never see again. He got out his phone and began scrolling. He nearly passed the message, and had to scroll back quickly. Augi.
He leaned forward, both arms on the table as he focused on it.
‘Have an update from Michigan lawyers. Can we meet?’
He quickly replied in the affirmative. He didn’t want to lose the advantage. He suggested half an hour’s time at her place, assuming she must have changed her work plans.
She agreed, and he slipped the phone back in his pocket and sat back with a big grin.
Brilliant! He didn’t need to try to manufacture another date, or try to figure out what he’d done wrong and how to make sure he didn’t do it again. She’d reached out to him. Good times.
‘You look pleased with yourself,’ said Kate after she finished her conversation with the waitress.
‘Perhaps because I am,’ he said. ‘I’m with my Mum, and my sisters are just the other side of the counter creating something wickedly wonderful for their customers to eat, and I’m looking forward to starting my job.
’ He looked outside, searching for anything else to add to the list of why happiness was spilling out of him. ‘And the sun is shining.’
‘Hm,’ grunted Kate thoughtfully, shooting the passing waitress a smile. She added some sugar to her coffee before responding. ‘Have you heard from Augi?’
Dan snapped his head around. What the hell? He cleared his throat. ‘Why do you ask?’
She shrugged. ‘No particular reason. Just wondered.’
‘As it happens, I have.’
‘Oh,’ said Kate, taking a casual sip of her coffee. ‘That’s nice.’ She sat forward, arms folded, as if awaiting further information.
Dan was saved by the entrance of Lucy who began a rapid conversation with Kate, asking her if she could introduce her to someone who was having problems with reading for their children. Kate looked at Dan.
‘You go, Mum, sounds like your expertise is needed. I don’t want to stand between a child and reading.’
‘Thank you darling. Breakfast was a lovely idea. But it sounds like this woman is quite upset and I think I can help.’
‘Then go, Mum.’
She rose and kissed him on the cheek. ‘See you at home later.’ She beamed broadly. ‘You know, I love saying that after you’ve been away for so long.’ She patted him on the arm as if to reinforce her words and was gone on a whiff of Chanel No 5 and a flick of her crimson silk scarf.
He was proud of his mother. Not only had she always been an inspiring and loving mother to her family, but now he could see that she was the same to her community.
He finished his coffee and got up. He hadn’t planned anything for his Saturday other than to spend time with his mother, but now he felt excited. Maybe this would be his second date.
With a wave to Lucy who was busy in the kitchen, he paid and walked out into the sunshine.
He walked past the library and glanced across at the house Augi had said she liked.
The position was good, high on the hill, and he knew the views would be great.
But it looked quite ordinary to him. As a boy he’d thought it looked cool and had even imagined living in it when he was grown up.
But now he saw it through a different lens.
It wasn’t as ornate and full of character as MacLeod’s Cottage.
Nor was it as modern and impressive as Lucy’s friends — Megan and Ryan’s — house.
It looked, well, simple in design but solid enough to weather any storm.
He shrugged to himself. Maybe that was part of the attraction.
It was a house to protect its inhabitants.
But, he thought, it wasn’t one to hide them in, which surprised him.
Maybe there was something in Augi, after all, that yearned to break out of the secret life she led.
One thing he knew for sure, he wouldn’t find out by asking her directly.
His phone vibrated in his pocket, but he didn’t look at it. He was half-afraid that she might have come back with a different place and time. And he really wanted to see her now.
Within five minutes he was walking up her path. He knocked on the door and she immediately opened it.
‘Daniel! But I texted you to say we should meet later at the library.’
‘Sorry, I had my phone on silent.’ He couldn’t bring himself to lie exactly. ‘Are you busy?’
She shrugged and in that movement he knew that his ‘gut’ instinct was correct. She didn’t have anything on, but was trying to keep a distance between them, despite the fact she needed him for something.
‘So,’ he nodded toward the house. ‘OK if I come in?’
She opened the door wide. ‘Of course. I’ve just made a coffee, if you’d like one.’
‘No thanks. I’m all coffee-d out. Just come from breakfast with Mum at Lucy’s café. She’s a good cook, my sister.’
He walked inside. The curtains were open now it was daylight, revealing a tiny back garden that was in complete shade despite the sunny day.
He glanced at Augi, wondering why she stayed in such a tiny, dark house when surely she could have found a sunnier spot.
But then he remembered Kate saying that she didn’t have much money because she chose to work part-time and for the community and stay in the small village of MacLeod’s Cove.
Hiding, he thought. But what from? The thought unsettled him.
‘We’ve heard back from the Michigan lawyers’, said Augi, indicating a chair for Dan. He sat down. ‘Lucy handed it all over to me to follow up as she wasn’t getting anywhere.’
‘They’ve contacted you about the trust?’ asked Dan, eyes wide.
‘Yes. Lucy was beginning to get concerned that it didn’t really exist, that it was a cover for something else. But it is real. It was established in 1946.’
‘But that’s great!’ Dan paused. ‘Isn’t it? Or does it mean Mum’s homeless?’
‘They refused to send us a copy of the actual trust deed itself because we’re not the trustees.
Although, as no one seems to know who they are, goodness knows where that leaves the trust. But they have told us the contents which is that Ngaire was granted the right to live in the cottage for her lifetime — or eighty years, whichever was longer. ’
Dan frowned. ‘Eighty years puts us right about… now. But do they know Ngaire has passed away?’
Augi shrugged. ‘I haven’t told them. And I don’t intend to. I’d rather be one step ahead and figure out who owns the house before they start thinking of evicting Kate.’
Dan went cold. He couldn’t bear to think of this happening. ‘So what happens after the eighty years?’
She scanned the email. ‘After that, the property reverts to John Kowalski’s closest living relative.’
Dan leaned closer. ‘Closest living relative,’ he repeated. ‘Not a named beneficiary?’
‘No.’ Augi shook her head. ‘No names at all. Just that. Whoever is closest in descent to him gets to inherit the house.’
Dan was quiet for a moment, frowning as he thought, turning to the shadowy garden. He turned back to her, not finding the answer in the lilies and mossy fence which bordered the next house.
He turned to her. ‘But that’s really unusual, surely? I mean why didn’t he name them — his children, or if he didn’t have any, his siblings’ children? It sounds like he didn’t know their names. Or, if he does, he doesn’t want the trustees to know who they were. Maybe in case they contested it?’
‘There is one other thing the lawyers said. That clause about “closest living relative” replaced an earlier version where he named a man who I think must be his brother.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes — but much later. The trust was amended in 1967 to reflect that change.’
‘That doesn’t make sense,’ he said slowly. ‘Ngaire never saw Johnnie again after the war. You said you couldn’t find anything to suggest he’d been back to New Zealand post-war. No one has.’
‘I know,’ Augi said. ‘Which means the amendment wasn’t about reopening anything with her.’
Dan stared at the page, his thoughts racing. ‘So why change it then?’
‘That’s the question,’ Augi said quietly. ‘Why revisit a trust twenty-one years later? Why not just let it stand as it was?’
Dan shook his head. ‘It doesn’t make sense.’
‘It suggests uncertainty. Like Johnnie didn’t know who that person was.’
‘That’s weird.’
‘It is weird. Which is why I contacted you before I spoke to Kate. I wasn’t sure…’ She winced. ‘But I feel uncomfortable at the same time.’
‘No,’ said Dan, leaning forward, resting his arms on his legs, wanting to reassure her. ‘You did the right thing. Lucy reckons Mum seems to be a lot more settled of late, since Jen’s life has sorted itself out.’
‘And you’re home.’
He grunted dismissively. ‘I’ve probably made her worse. Made her worry.’
He stilled as he felt Augi’s hand on his. ‘No. I’m sure you wouldn’t have done that. She’s happy you’re home, that much is clear.’
Dan couldn’t think of a thing to say, except stare at her. Slowly he moved his other hand and placed it on hers. She didn’t pull away.
‘And I’m happy I’m home, in a way I never imagined.’
Only then did she slip her hand away, with an embarrassed nod.
He hoped she understood that she was part of the reason he was happy.
The blush of pink which flooded her cheeks suggested she probably did.
He sat back. It seemed you didn’t have to spell everything out.
If someone understood you, they understood you.
‘Anyway,’ said Augi, in a too-bright voice, ‘all we have to do now is find the unnamed person who is closest to Johnnie Kowalski of Michigan.’
‘Otherwise Mum will imagine the worst. That the cottage could be taken away. Any clues?’
‘I’ve checked Ancestry and there was a brother, as the trust suggested. I’m guessing we’re going to have to broach the subject with Kate about contacting his relatives.’
He nodded. ‘How about you come round to the cottage and we’ll discuss it with Mum?’
‘OK,’ she sounded relieved. ‘I think we have to do this. But I’m glad you agree. I don’t think she should continue to ignore it. It’s not going to go away.’
He rose. He felt like this was a cue for him to leave and he didn’t want to outstay his welcome. He needed her to know that he wasn’t going to crowd her out.
‘I think Mum knows that. Why not come round later today, after you finish work, and we’ll tell her together? Oh no, hang on, I think Mum’s out the rest of the day. How about tomorrow morning?’
She nodded and followed him to the door.
Last time he’d left the house, the front door had closed before he’d even reached the car. He carried on to the car, closing the gate and only then turned around. This time she stood in the open door and gave him a small wave which he returned.
When he drove off, he looked in his rear-view mirror and she still stood in the porch, her eyes trained on him.
He took that to be a good sign.