Saturday morning dawned bright and blue as the children and Fitz set off early for the Highlands. Song was staying back in Sydney and planned to keep an eye on the Chalmers’ residence. Kensy and Max had suggested he might like to orchestrate a meeting with their housekeeper, Rosa. Kensy had deliberately left her towel there on Friday afternoon so he’d have an excuse to drop round and snoop.
‘This is a pretty place,’ Kensy said as Fitz turned into a tree-lined street and pulled up outside the Bradman Museum.
‘The Highlands are about as close to England as you’re going to get in Australia,’ the man said. He scratched at his turkey neck, but it did nothing to relieve the itch underneath.
Max hopped out of the car and called to Van. The Chalmers had just parked a few spots further down.
‘I can’t believe I have to spend the whole day with Ellery,’ Kensy moaned, watching the girl hop out of their car.
Fitz grinned. ‘Gee, Kens, anyone would think the poor girl was the devil incarnate, hearing the way you speak about her.’
‘You said it, not me.’ Kensy squeezed her eyes and groaned. ‘She does my head in. And next time she’s rude to Curtis, I swear I’m going to punch her in the nose.’
‘Probably not a good idea, Kens,’ Fitz said with a wink. He fetched his rulebook from the glove box and shut the door.
Kensy rolled her eyes and almost jumped out of her skin when there was a thump on her window. Ellery’s long dark hair was pulled back into a high ponytail by a big white bow which perfectly matched her white jeans, white runners and white T-shirt with the word ‘Angel’ emblazoned across the front in silver sparkles.
‘Hurry up! Mum’s taking us to the shops!’ the girl yelled, rapping on the window again.
‘Angel? That’s a joke,’ Kensy muttered before exiting the car and plastering a huge smile on her face. ‘Hi! You look amazing!’ she said, immediately wishing she hadn’t because that was just mean.
‘Hi Kensy!’ Van called loudly. ‘Love your boots.’
Kensy looked down at the pair of RM Williams boots Song had bought the day before. He’d arrived home with what looked to be half the shop to make sure the kids were appropriately dressed for their weekend in the country. ‘Thanks,’ she said, flushing bright red. ‘I, um, love your cricket cap.’
Max chuckled, shaking his head. ‘Wow, you two are really something.’
‘Not another word,’ Kensy grouched, and slunk off to join Ellery at her car.
‘See you later, Tins,’ Dash said. ‘Remember to pick up some of that washed-rind goats brie from the deli. You know how much I love it.’
‘Of course,’ Tinsley murmured. How could she forget? The last time she’d missed it on the grocery list, he’d carried on like a petulant three-year-old whose favourite toy had been left behind.
The girls hopped into Tinsley’s car and headed into town. They shopped at the supermarket then the butcher, the florist and the bakery with a final stop at Ellery’s favourite stationery store. Loaded with supplies, they were soon on the road, passing through Moss Vale and Sutton Forest. Before they reached the village of Exeter, they turned left into the poplar-lined drive of a property called Cherry Tree Farm. Kensy thought it sounded like something from a storybook. When they finally reached the house, which was set back at least a kilometre from the road, and surrounded by high hedges and mature trees, she felt as if she’d fallen into those very pages.
‘Here we are,’ Tinsley said with a smile. She pulled up at the garage, which was located around the back of the rambling Colonial mansion. The charming two-storey house was built of cream stone with wide verandas wrapping around both floors. The upstairs balcony railings resembled the lace-like icing on a wedding cake and the building was topped by a grey slate roof. The garden was equally stunning with its topiary roses and perfect hedges bordering lush green lawns. It reminded Kensy a little of Alexandria except on a much smaller scale, and the house couldn’t have been as old either.
‘What a beautiful place,’ she declared.
‘I can only agree,’ Tinsley said as she opened the car door and hopped out. ‘It’s very special.’
‘Do you get to come here often?’ Kensy asked.
‘Not as much as we’d like. It’s silly, really. It’s only a couple of hours from the city, but we never seem to have the time.’ The woman yawned widely. ‘Oh, pardon me. We had a very late night.’
‘I need to pee,’ Ellery announced and scampered off to the house.
‘Were you out?’ Kensy asked. She walked around to the back of the car with Tinsley.
The woman nodded and opened the tailgate. ‘Yes, at a fundraiser. I thought Dash might have changed his mind after …’
‘After what happened this week?’ Kensy said. ‘I can imagine there were lots of people wanting to know how you were and asking stupid questions.’ The girl picked up a couple of grocery bags and Tinsley gathered several more.
‘It was horrible,’ Tinsley admitted. ‘I didn’t especially want to go. People meant well – except the ones gossiping in the corners. The Chalmers Corporation is one of the major sponsors, so we couldn’t get out of it and, besides, no one likes a party more than my husband.’
Together, Kensy and Tinsley unloaded the car, making several trips to get everything. Conveniently, by the time Ellery returned, they were done. Considering half the bags belonged to her, it hardly seemed fair. The white country kitchen at the back of the house had an acre of marble benchtops with the most massive island in the centre. There was an adjoining open-plan family room, which, in spite of its size, was homely and welcoming. It played host to plaid armchairs, an overstuffed navy couch, rugs, cushions and an array of artwork as well as a huge fireplace. Ellery took Kensy on a tour of the rest of the house while Tinsley set about making lunch. In addition to the kitchen and family room, the lower level comprised a formal lounge and dining room, a study, powder room and laundry, and a guest bedroom suite.
‘Now I’ll show you my room,’ Ellery said, bounding up the main staircase. ‘It’s way nicer than my Sydney bedroom even though I hardly ever get to use it.’
Kensy could only agree. The space was enormous, with a life-sized dappled-grey rocking horse in one corner, an impressive doll’s house that looked as if it was for eyes only, and two pretty iron bedsteads with floral linen. The wide cedar floorboards were partly covered by a plush rug. Kensy ran her finger along Ellery’s bookshelf, which was populated with lots of her favourites, when her wrist vibrated.
‘Seriously, now?’ she muttered.
Ellery stopped ferreting about in the ward robe. ‘Did you say something?’
‘I was just wondering if there’s a bathroom nearby.’ Kensy glanced around for a pen and spotted one on Ellery’s desk.
‘Through there.’ The girl pointed at a door in the corner of the room. Trouble was, the desk was at the opposite end, near the door to the hallway.
‘Is there one a little further away?’ Kensy asked.
Ellery wrinkled her nose. ‘Why?’
Kensy racked her brain for a reason. ‘My tummy feels a bit funny and I don’t want you to hear any explosions or smell anything nasty,’ she said, dying inside.
Ellery blanched. ‘There’s a powder room at the end of the hall.’
‘Thanks!’ Kensy spun around and flew past the desk, where she swiped the pen without Ellery noticing. She sped along the hallway, quickly locating the room she was looking for, then sat down on the closed lid and pulled the toilet paper from the roll onto her lap. She did her best to translate the dots and dashes, but the Chalmers must have had the softest toilet tissue in the world. The pen kept piercing through. Kensy willed the sequence to repeat, but it stopped for good. ‘No!’ she moaned, far louder than she’d intended.
‘Are you okay in there?’ Ellery called from the other side of the door.
‘I’m fine,’ Kensy replied. She stared miserably at the massacred length of toilet paper in her hands.
‘Would you like me to get Mum?’
‘No, give me a few minutes. I think it’ll pass,’ Kensy said, wishing the girl would just buzz off. She made the loudest farting noise she could with her mouth and hoped that would do the trick.
‘Eww. I’ll be downstairs.’
Kensy bit back a giggle and put the sheet of toilet tissue on the vanity top. She began to write the first letters when Tinsley tapped on the door and asked if she was all right.
‘Well, I’m going to sit out here and wait just to be sure,’ the woman replied when Kensy assured her she was fine. ‘Van once had a twisted bowel and ended up in emergency. I don’t want the same happening to you.’
Honestly, no one had ever cared this much about Kensy’s toilet habits before. She decided to translate the coded message later. She folded up the piece of toilet paper and stuffed it into the pocket of her jeans, then flushed the toilet and washed her hands.
‘Are you sure you’re all right?’ Tinsley asked when Kensy emerged. She stood up and walked towards the girl, concern etched into her features.
‘I feel much better,’ Kensy said, flashing the woman a smile. ‘Actually, I’m starving. Sometimes I just get a grumbly tummy – it’s embarrassing, but I suppose we all have our problems.’
Tinsley tilted her head to one side. ‘How do you mean?’
‘Everyone has something wrong with them at times, like F– I mean, Dad – has dodgy knees even though he likes to pretend he’s still twenty and can ski like an Olympian,’ Kensy said, berating herself for almost mentioning Fitz’s name.
‘Yes, I suppose you’re right,’ Tinsley said. ‘Dash has awful allergies. He should carry an EpiPen, but he usually forgets to take it with him.’
Kensy suddenly had an overwhelming urge to sneeze. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a tissue, only just catching it. Then, with a sinking feeling she realised it wasn’t a tissue at all. She’d just snotted on her parents’ latest communication. She needed to check it and fast before the whole thing was a blur of ink. ‘Sorry, not quite better yet,’ Kensy said, and dashed back to the toilet, slamming the door behind her.
There was no time to lose. She unfurled the tissue and grabbed another to try to complete the translation, but it was hopeless. All she was able to decipher was ‘ATARA’, which was clearly missing some letters.
Fighting back tears, Kensy flushed the toilet again and washed her hands, then stuffed both lengths of tissue into her pocket. She couldn’t believe how badly she’d messed up. It wasn’t lost on her that this message from her parents could have been the most important one yet. Kensy reached for the handle, then paused. She took a deep breath and brushed at her eyes. Hopefully, Max had been able to jot part, if not all, of it down. Who knew what was at stake?