time will tell by fiona mccallum - chapter sampler

7/22/2019 Time Will Tell by Fiona McCallum - Chapter Sampler

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Time

Will Tell


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First Published 2014First Australian Paperback Edition 2014ISBN 978 174356808 8

TIME WILL TELL 2014 by Fiona McCallum

Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilisation of this work in wholeor in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now knownor hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, orin any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the writtenpermission of the publisher.

This book is sold subject to the condition that shall not, by way of trade orotherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the priorconsent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in whichit is published and without a similar condition including this condition beingimposed on the subsequent purchaser.

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in anyform.

This is a work of ction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are eitherthe product of the authors imagination or are used ctitiously, and anyresemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments,events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Published byHarlequin MiraAn imprint of Harlequin Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd.Level 4, 132 Arthur StreetNORTH SYDNEY NSW 2060AUSTRALIA

and TM are trademarks of Harlequin Enterprises Limited or its corporateafliates. Trademarks indicated with are registered in Australia, New Zealandand in other countries.

Printed and bound in Australia by Grifn Press


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Chapter One

Emily Oliphant and her best friend Barbara stood on the verandah,

staring out into the still country evening. Birds rustled in thetrees, settling themselves for the night, and a multitude of insects

chattered and sang in the summer air.

What a gorgeous evening. And what a really lovely spot, Em,

Barbara said with a sigh.

It is, isnt it? Emily reached down to pat her border collie pup,

Grace, who was at attention by her feet. I could stay here forever.They were out the front of Emilys house the house that would

be hers if she accepted the Baker brothers proposal. She thought

of all shed been through in the last two months leaving her

husband, meeting Barbara, saving Grace. And now, finally, settling

into a home of her own. Could she find the courage to do this too?

Seriously Em, you can do this the house, everything. Dont

let fear stop you. And dont worry about your mother.

Emily nodded. Her friend was right; being offered the house

was one hell of a Christmas present. And not too shabby as a

thirty-second birthday gift either.Forget what Enid had to say

about it. This is my life.


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Well, Id really better go before they send out a search party,

Barbara said, kissing Emily on the cheek.

Im so glad you stopped in. The two friends hugged, neitherwanting to be the first to let go. As always, Barbara had turned up

at just the right time.

Finally they broke apart, and Barbara made her way down the

steps and over to her car. See you Saturday, she called.

Dont forget the tinsel, Emily called back sardonically.

No fear there. And the champagne; were going to celebrate.She got in the car with a wave of her hand.

Emily watched until Barbaras tail-lights were out of sight. She

smiled wryly. Her mother would indeed have a fit when she found

out she was buying the run-down old place.Thankfully it didnt matter what Enid thought. It was to be

Emilys home and no one elses.

As she stared out into the last fading light of the warm

summer day, her head began swimming with possibilities, risks,

and calculations. The chance to buy the house really was a huge

opportunity, if a little daunting well, very daunting. But it wasmeant to be, wasnt it? A home of her own.

A home that was as much Graces as hers, she thought, looking

down at the small black and white dog beside her. Grace was a

typical border collie except for the missing white ring around her

neck. Emily still found it hard to believe it was only six weeks

since the day she had picked her up as a tiny puppy it felt like

Grace had always been a part of her life. And Barbara; theyd

become firm best friends almost instantly. She was so blessed to

have met her. Along with Grace, Barbara had been her saviour;

her rock, her voice of reason.

She bent down and ruffled Graces ears. The puppy looked up


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Time Will Tell 3

at her with love and adoration. Emily smiled. That look would

melt anyones heart. Well, except her estranged husbands.

At the thought of John Stratten, her face clouded. Thankfullythe bully was now out of her life. Hed completely ripped her off

in the financial settlement, but at least he was gone.

Come on Gracie, lets go inside.

They made their way down the hall, Graces claws clicking on

the bare f loorboards punctuating Emilys thoughts.

Why didnt I leave him sooner?Her mother had told her that once she had made her bed she

had to lie in it. If only she had ignored her. It was the twenty-first

century for Christs sake, not the nineteen-fifties! How could I have

been so damned gullible?

But of course Emily knew. It had nothing to do with gullibil-

ity and everything to do with that old chestnut that shaped yourlife growing up in a small country town: what will people say?

What could possibly make a woman like her give up a marriage

to one of the wealthiest farmers in the district?

She cast her mind back to the afternoon she had finally decided

to leave him. Johns threat to shoot Grace had been the last straw.

A shiver ran the length of Emilys spine. At least she had saved herfrom the brute.

Forty thousand dollars?! It wasnt fair. Perhaps if shed known

she was going to be offered the old house to buy she might have

fought for more in the settlement.

Emily sighed. At the time shed just wanted to get it over with,

to get on with her life and never have anything to do with him

again. She had hoped that feeling would last; that when twelve

months had elapsed it would just be a matter of the divorce papers

being signed and rubber-stamped.

She paused in the hallway and looked around her. The old

place had so much potential. Shed love to turn it into something


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4 Fiona McCallum

worthy of Home Beautiful. But her meagre funds would barely

cover updating the kitchen even the most basic design.

The Baker brothers were only asking for ten thousand up frontand then ten thousand per year for twenty years and the costs

associated with subdividing, however much that would be. It was

a bloody good deal in anyones book, but still felt precarious to

Emily in her current situation.

She had approximately forty-seven thousand dollars in savings,

but no job, and nothing on the horizon thanks to the Global

Financial Crisis and a couple of years of drought since.

But she was going to stay positive. Fake it till you make it,

Barbara had said not so long ago. She had to have faith that it

would all work out. Really, what else did she have?

She could see now that Barbara had really been gently telling

her to stop feeling sorry for herself and get her act together. It was

something Emilys gran might have said if shed been born fifty

years later than she had. As it was, Granny Rose would have been

more likely to say something gentler, like: Put on a happy face,

dear. No one likes a sourpuss.

With that thought Emily hoicked up her shoulders and carriedon into the kitchen.

She filled the kettle and waited for it to boil. She really had to

start believing that good things could happen. Like her cousin

Elizabeth turning up with a friend who just happened to be anarchitect and a qualif ied builder; what were the odds of that?

Jake would be able to give her a good idea of how much the

house would cost to fully renovate. Hed certainly indicated it was

worth looking into. And he wasnt just humouring her or being

polite. He was genuine the gift and proceeds from the jam he


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Time Will Tell 5

had sent were proof of that. It was such a pity that he lived so far

away in Melbourne.

She looked across at the old Bushells coffee jar on the kitchentable. It was an almost identical match for the original jar from the

nineteen-thirties. Even the tone of the faded red tin screw-top lid

was the same.

The night before she died, Granny Rose had given Emily

her button jar. The thought of how serious Gran had been her

insistence that she take good care of it still brought a sad smileto Emily two months on. The Alzheimers had made her wise old

gran say the strangest things.

The jar was precious to Emily too. It had been since shed first

seen it as a four year old. Shed always loved the bright colours and the

rattle it made when gently shaken. Shed especially loved the weird

tradition that buttons were constantly put in on top, but none everremoved, nor the contents ever tipped out and rifled through. Since

Grans death, she had felt a sense of comfort whenever she held it.

And she felt dreadful that in just a few months it had got broken.

She still had no idea how the jar had fallen from the bench to the

floor in the middle of the night. It would remain one of lifes

mysteries.Emily forced thoughts of Gran aside she was getting too

melancholy thinking about her and wondered if she should

phone Jake again. Shed rung him earlier to thank him, but had

got his voicemail. She could try again later.

No, that would be weird and stalkerish. Youve already left one message,

she told herself. But Im really grateful to him. The replacement jar

was such a thoughtful gift.

The roaring kettle distracted her and she set about preparing a

mug of Milo.

At the kitchen table sipping her drink, she looked around the

large space and wondered who else she could ask for advice about


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the purchase. Her dad would be her first port of call hed already

helped her repaint the inside of the house and sand the floorboards

but he wasnt in the actual building game, so he wouldnt knowabout how much things would cost.

Suddenly Emily yawned. It was only eight oclock, but it had

been a big day; with the funeral for Barbaras father-in-law and

the Bakers visit afterwards. She was weary, but her brain was still

spinning a little too fast and her thoughts were too disconnected.

She needed some down time to let it all seep in.She would have loved to soak in the tub for a while, but still

didnt like the idea of lying naked and vulnerable in the bathroom

outside on the back verandah.

As she brushed her teeth and waited for Grace to have her last

pee for the night, Emily found herself daydreaming of a plush

ensuite, right off her bedroom, with plenty of heating for thecold winter months. When the time came, and funds permitted.

That would be a long way off, she thought pessimistically as she

followed Grace inside and closed the kitchen door behind them.

She said goodnight to Grace, who was settled on her bed in the

corner of the kitchen, and made her way slowly and heavily down

the hall to her bedroom,turning off the lights as she went.She changed into her summer pyjamas and climbed into bed.

She ignored the small wad of paper from the Bakers that contained

the conditions of the purchase she was way too tired to study

it again and picked up her book. But she couldnt focus on that

either.

Was she about to open a can of worms by trying to buy the old

place? It sure would be easier just to stay renting and trying to find

a job. But wouldnt she then be letting herself down; not fulf illing

her full potential?

Perhaps she didnt have any unfulfilled potential. Her mother

had certainly never seen her as more than wife material. And John


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Time Will Tell 7

had never let her help out on the farm. That had been her dream;

for them to stand shoulder to shoulder and run the place together,

as a true partnership. But he hadnt even let her do the books.Oh for Gods sake,stop feeling sorry for yourself, Emily! When havent

you been prepared to work hard for something?

Barbara was right; she could do this. She had been brave enough

to finally leave John, and shed be brave enough to do this too.

Somehow shed make it happen. On her own.

One of Grans sayings came to her now: Nothing come byquickly is ever as satisfying as that which has been waited for or

toiled over.

She was right. Yes, bit by bit, slow and steady wins the race,

and all that.

Emily banished the quotes from her head and picked up Donald

and Trevor Bakers handwritten offer. Her whole body began totingle with excitement. She reread it carefully and was making

notes and listing questions to ask of whom she wasnt yet sure

when her mobile chirped into action beside her. Her heart rate

doubled as she saw Jakes name lit up on the screen. Oh! She took

a deep breath and pressed the button to answer.

Hi Jake, she said cheerily.Hi Em.

I got your parcel this afternoon. Thanks so much. It does seem

rather a lot of money for just some jars of homemade jam.

Well, its very good jam.

Thanks. And thank you so much for the jar I cant believe

you found one the same.

I hope its the right one. The antique dealer seemed to think

there werent many variations.

Its perfect. Thank you again.

My absolute pleasure. Now I would love to chat, but I dont

have long. I actually called to ask you a favour.


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8 Fiona McCallum

Oh. Okay.

Im in Whyalla working on a project with a friend of a

friend. Bit of a long story. I was wondering if I could come andstay for the weekend. You did say you dont do anything special

for Christmas, right? Im sorry about the short notice.

Of course you can stay Id love to have you! As soon as the

words left her mouth, Emily blushed. She was glad he couldnt see

her embarrassment at her poor choice of words.

Its just I have to be here again next week were workingright through while most businesses are shut but Id rather not

spend the Christmas weekend here on my own. I hate to impose,

but this project has come together in a bit of a rush, he added,

sounding a little breathless.

Jake, really, you wouldnt be imposing. Im just having Mum

and Dad and Barbara and David here for lunch Christmas day, andyoure very welcome to join us. Its just casual. And absolutely no

presents are being exchanged, she added.

Emily had always hated the awkwardness of being given a gift

and not having one to offer in return. It had almost become a

phobia. When she had invited Barbara, she had put the no gifts

rule on the table and had been relieved when Barbara had agreed,albeit reluctantly.

Okay. Well, perhaps I can have a bit more of a look at that

house of yours if you like to earn my keep, Jake offered.

Your timing would be perfect actually; theres been a bit of a

development on that front.

Oh?

Yes, the old brothers who own it have offered to sell it to me.

Wow, thats great.

Its a bit of a long story, but I really would appreciate your

opinion on the structural aspects of the house, and any other

advice you can offer.


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Time Will Tell 9

It would be my pleasure.

So when should I expect you and do you have someone with

you or are you on your own? She hoped it was the latter.No, its just me. And Saturday Christmas day if thats okay?

Say mid-morning?

No problem at all.

And Im really sorry to have to cut this short, but Im being

collected for dinner and my hosts have just arrived.

Okay. See you Saturday then. Drive safely.Thanks very much, Em, I look forward to it. See ya.

Me too, Emily said quietly, but she suspected the call had

already been disconnected.

Her heart rate subsided to a thud of nervous excitement. Wow,

Jake wanted to visit alone; without Elizabeth! And for Christ-

mas, no less! She couldnt wait to see him. This would make theday a bit special.

Emily was no longer tired, and in fact couldnt imagine how

shed get to sleep at all now. She mentally ran through her list for

Christmas; what she still had to do, what ingredients she had on

hand and what she had left to buy.

When the reminder of the expense seeped in, she picked up herbook. Shed found reading fiction the best antidote to the pres-

sures that regularly threatened to overwhelm her.

Especially the thought that she wouldnt be in this mess if shed

listened to her mother and continued to lie in the bed shed made

her marriage to John Stratten.

For a moment she wondered what her husband was doing for

Christmas. Had John arranged to see his parents, or would he be

spending the Christmas weekend alone on the farm? She cut off

the thought before letting herself feel any sympathy for him he

deserved everything he got.


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