As Hayley headed out to feed the chooks she was still excited about the new pen. It was everything she’d hoped for. The orchard was the perfect spot for the birds: they could scratch around the base of the fruit trees and keep the weeds at bay and have plenty of room to explore. Jason had moved on to the fencing and soon Errol and Flynn would have their new, bigger paddock to live in.
Each day she crossed her fingers, eagerly awaiting the discovery of an egg. Going from the seller, it should be any day that they started laying. This morning as she let the girls out of their coop, she discovered one of them still sitting inside. ‘What’s the matter with you? Don’t you want to eat breakfast?’ Hayley asked, watching the chook as it made irritable noises at her. ‘Well, fine. Stay there then,’ she said, giving up trying to coax the bird outside to eat with the others. She made a point of coming back an hour later to check on her and, to her great surprise, found an egg in the hay she’d laid out for them. ‘So, that’s what you were doing?’ she said, feeling slightly stupid for not realising. She carefully picked up the smooth white egg and grinned. It was still warm. Her very first egg. She couldn’t have been prouder if she’d laid the thing herself.
She’d already had breakfast, but she went straight into the kitchen, filled a saucepan with water and dropped in the egg, then stood over the stove to watch it boil.
A little while later, she was seated at the kitchen bench savouring the best-tasting egg she’d ever had in her life. She may have been a tad biased, but it was definitely the best-tasting egg she’d ever hand-grown…or whatever the raiser of hens officially did.
Puss came strolling out of the laundry, three balls of fluff tumbling and tripping along behind her. The kittens were growing fast.
‘Hello, coming out for your morning visit, are you?’ Hayley scooped the three kittens into her arms, their tiny meows now a familiar sound in the house. Puss no longer hovered when Hailey played with them, in fact lately she’d been using the time to disappear, presumably for a few minutes’ peace and quiet. ‘I don’t know how I ended up as the babysitter,’ Hayley said to the kittens as she snuggled them against her. They really were too cute for words. They were also incredible time wasters and Hayley reluctantly put them down, calling out for their mother, who reappeared a few minutes later and patiently took them back into their bed in the laundry.
She’d tossed and turned most of the night after trying unsuccessfully not to think about everything that had happened that day. The drive home had been quiet, both of them preoccupied with their own thoughts. When they’d arrived at Abby Cottage, she’d followed Luke out to check on the cattle and invited him to stay for a while, but he’d declined, saying he needed to get home and finish a few jobs before dark. Although she knew he probably did have work to do, she suspected his sudden desire to get away from her had more to do with that what had happened at the cemetery.
Somehow she’d thought Luke of all people, having lived around his gran, would be a little more open-minded. Apparently in Luke’s case it did the complete opposite. She’d freaked him out. Big time.
Hayley pulled up outside the main house at Lochmanning and tried to shake the slightly guilty sensation she had. She wasn’t sure why she felt guilty; maybe it had to do with implying to Luke the other day that she wouldn’t talk about it anymore. With him, was what she’d meant. She didn’t say she wasn’t going to talk about it with anyone else. Pearl hadn’t seemed particularly surprised by her call, and Hayley wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.
When they were seated together on the lounge in the drawing room, its big windows allowing the morning sunshine to stream in, Pearl reached over and patted her hand. ‘What is it you wanted to talk about, dear?’ she asked, getting straight to the point.
‘I’m not sure where to start,’ Hayley said, feeling nervous. ‘This might sound a little…strange.’
‘I’ve seen and heard a lot in my years, dear. Things only seem strange when we don’t understand them.’
‘Well, I don’t understand anything that’s been happening lately.’
Pearl gave a kindly smile and waited patiently for her to continue.
‘It started a few days before I came here for the first visit. I was out in the paddock and I saw something. It was like a vision.’
‘Tell me about it. What did you see?’ Pearl asked curiously.
‘I don’t actually know if that’s what it was. I’ve never had one before.’
‘Maybe you just haven’t been allowing yourself to be open to them. When I read your palm the other day, I saw very strong lines in your Mercury mound. That means you have a strong psychic ability and a connection to spirituality.’
Well, that wasn’t comforting in the least. Was she going to have more of the damn visions? God, she hoped not; she really hadn’t enjoyed the last one particularly.
‘What was it that you saw?’
‘It was Jane and Edward,’ Hayley said with a slight grimace. ‘I didn’t know it was them until I saw that sketch of Edward hanging in the hallway,’ she added quickly, ‘and I haven’t seen a picture of Jane, but I did find a description in the archive on her indentured records.’
‘That’s why you looked so shocked that day.’ Pearl nodded as though everything was falling into place somehow.
‘The thing is, I don’t think Jane killed Edward as it was reported. I saw them being shot by a group of men on horses. Also,’ she went on, ‘a few days later I found myself writing a scene that had nothing to do with my current book. It was like I wasn’t even writing it. I think it was about what happened to Jane the day she killed Gilbert Mears. She killed him in self-defence.’
‘Well, that is interesting,’ the old woman pondered.
‘Why would I have seen that? What does it mean?’
‘It could mean a few different things. Maybe the place where you saw it still has a tremendous amount of tragedy attached to it and anyone who has the ability to pick up on this energy may be able to see a glimpse of what happened there.’
‘Like ghosts?’ she said doubtfully. Pearl’s silence was a little disconcerting. ‘You said it could mean a few things, what are some of the other possibilities?’
Pearl tilted her head and studied her thoughtfully for a moment. ‘It could be a memory.’
‘How could it be a memory when it was something that happened two hundred years ago?’
Pearl continued to simply look at her calmly, until the realisation of what she was saying began to sink in. ‘You’re not seriously suggesting…I have some kind of memory of this…that it somehow happened to…’ She couldn’t even finish the sentence, it was too ridiculous. And yet…
‘You?’ Pearl smiled gently. ‘Maybe. Maybe not. Though tell me, have you ever experienced déjà vu?’
‘Well, yes, I suppose, but everyone has at one time or another…right?’
‘No, not everyone. Some people aren’t open enough to recognise that it’s a moment they’ve had before. I’m not saying that’s what this is, but I’d be curious to know how you saw what you did if everything in the history books, so to speak, tells it differently.’
‘I don’t understand.’ Actually, if she were being honest, she was worried she did understand and that scared her even more. ‘Are you suggesting I saw what I did because I was somehow there…back then?’
‘Yes. But I suspect you weren’t there as a bystander. I believe what you were seeing was what happened to you. To Jane.’
‘You think I was Jane. In a past life?’ she said drolly.
‘It’s not as strange as it seems, dear.’
Oh, I don’t know, Pearl. Right about now it’s feeling pretty bloody strange.
‘Just keep an open mind. How many times have you met someone—anyone, a co-worker or a new friend or a complete stranger—and within a few minutes of talking, you feel like you’ve known that person forever?’
‘And because you find some common interests with that person, that means you’ve known each other in a past life?’
‘Yes,’ she said simply and Hayley couldn’t hold back the small disbelieving laugh that escaped.
‘We’re attracted to those people we’ve known before. Good or bad. They always come back into your life. Think back to people you just can’t stand—you can’t explain why they annoy you so much, but they do.’
‘Pearl,’ Hayley started but was cut off.
‘Yes, I know how it sounds. The old lady is losing her marbles,’ she said with a chuckle, and instantly Hayley felt bad, mainly because that’s exactly what she’d been thinking. ‘I’m used to people thinking that. My own family have been thinking it for years. But I know what I know,’ she said, holding Hayley’s gaze.
‘I don’t even look like Jane.’ Hayley knew she was grasping at straws here, but she really was struggling.
‘The body is never the same, only the thing that counts—the soul.’
She couldn’t seriously be considering this? No, she told herself. This was too outlandish. She was not the reincarnation of a convict named Jane Carney. ‘You know, I think I’m happy to say I saw ghosts and leave it at that.’
Pearl eased back in the chair and watched Hayley thoughtfully. ‘Why is believing in visions and ghosts any easier to accept than the possibility we all live many lives?’
She had a point but still…No, it was freaking her out too much. ‘I’m sorry, Pearl,’ she said, getting to her feet. ‘I need to get going.’
‘It’s all right, dear, it’s a lot to fathom. Before you go, bring me the book over there on the desk, the black leather one,’ she said, directing Hayley to the back of the large room to where an elaborate desk dominated the far wall. She found a black organiser, about the size of a small novel, fastened with a silver clasp, and held it up.
‘That’s the one. Bring it over here.’
Hayley watched as Pearl opened it and flicked through, searching for something before sliding out the pen from its holder and scribbling down something. The sound of paper ripping seemed loud in the quiet room. ‘This is for you. If you decide you want to find out more.’
Hayley glanced down at the paper and saw Pearl had written a name and a phone number. ‘Thanks. Although we might have to agree to disagree on the reincarnation thing.’
‘That’s all right, dear. Live and let live is what I say,’ she said, closing the book with a snap. ‘You were just as hard-headed about it all during the signing of the Magna Carta and again during the fourteenth century. It’s just your way,’ she said with a patient smile.
Hayley paused, eyeing the old woman who looked back at her as calm and reasonable as though they’d just been discussing something as mundane as the current stock prices. She honestly believes she isn’t crazy. ‘Thank you for the cup of tea, Pearl.’
‘Any time, dear.’
Hayley’s smile dropped as she almost ran into Del as she stepped through the front door.
‘Hayley? Is everything okay?’ Del asked, taking in Hayley’s worried frown.
‘Yes, everything’s fine,’ she said, summoning a smile. ‘I was just visiting with Pearl.’
‘Oh. I see,’ the woman noticeably relaxed. ‘That explains it.’
Hayley’s eyes widened at Del’s knowing look. ‘Has Pearl ever mentioned…reincarnation to you?’ she asked a little reluctantly. She didn’t want to think Pearl was crazy, but if that were the case, maybe it would be easier to dismiss her outlandish theories.
‘I thought that might be what was going on,’ she said with a crooked grin. ‘She’s been talking about it a bit lately. I remember the first time I met her, she was younger of course and maybe a little less eccentric, but even then I wondered what kind of family I was marrying into.’ Del paused and eyed Hayley thoughtfully. ‘You know, I don’t necessarily believe everything Pearl believes in, but there have been things she’s said that I can’t explain. I refuse to let her read my cards now—but there are people who swear by her ability.’
‘You said you don’t have cards read anymore…why did you stop?’
A flash of emotion crossed Del’s face. ‘Not long after Luke was born, I fell pregnant again,’ she said quietly. ‘Pearl did a reading for me and saw something. She didn’t tell me what it was, but I knew it was something bad. Two days later I miscarried and for a long time I blamed Pearl, like she’d somehow jinxed me. I knew it was silly,’ she hurried to explain, ‘but after that, I don’t know…I guess I have a wary respect for her ability. It scares me, if you want to know the truth…I think that’s why I try to play it down. I don’t understand what it is and I don’t want to. It’s part of her and I can’t change that, but I don’t have to partake in it or encourage it. If she’s said something to upset you, I can have a talk to her.’
‘Oh no,’ Hayley quickly assured her. ‘I think Pearl’s wonderful. It just took me by surprise, that’s all.’
‘That’s our Pearl, she doesn’t mince her words. She means well though. Actually, Hayley, now that I’ve got you here, there’s something I’ve been thinking about lately and I wanted to run it past you,’ Del said, indicating a white settee outside and taking a seat. ‘When Abby Cottage came up on the market, I was giving serious thought to buying it,’ she said, without preamble.
Hayley’s eyes widened. ‘You were?’
‘Yes, but before I could even get myself organised, you slipped in and snatched it up,’ Del grinned as Hayley cringed. ‘It’s all right, I really didn’t need the extra stress anyway,’ she assured her. ‘The thing is, accommodation is the one thing Lochmanning’s missing. Patrick and the boys don’t particularly want to go down that track, and quite frankly we’ve got more than enough on our plate with the bar and restaurant and the reception centre. Not to mention all this fuss over biosecurity,’ she added gravely. ‘And yet being able to provide accommodation for our customers would make a lot of sense.’ She paused, studying Hayley silently for a moment. ‘Have you thought about re-establishing the B&B side of things at your place?’
Hayley was surprised by the question. ‘Well, I’ve thought about it…as something I could do down the track. But I wouldn’t use the cottage itself, so that really only leaves the caretaker’s cottage.’ The previous owners had let out the spare room in the main cottage, but Hayley valued her privacy too much to consider sharing her house in that way.
‘Look, this is just me thinking out loud, nothing more, but if you were to open again, we could look at using the cabin as part of a bridal package, providing accommodation close to the venue. It would be ideal.’
‘I wouldn’t even know where to start,’ Hayley admitted.
‘I’m happy to help out wherever I can. Anyway, have a think about it. Maybe we can both come up with some ideas.’
Hayley nodded, ‘I’ll definitely think about it,’ she promised. The extra income would be welcome, and her mind was already mulling things over as she took her leave and headed home. She’d gone over to Lochmanning with one problem and was returning home with no sensible answers and a new business venture. Life was certainly never dull around here.