Crap, Issy thought, biting her lip. The last thing she needed was some earnest academic criticising the development. She would have to ask her to leave.
‘This is really impressive, what you’re doing here.’
Issy smiled, pleasantly surprised. ‘It’s very important to us that the development respects the history of the site. We’ve made a real effort to be sensitive to the original building,’ she said, although she had no idea if the architects gave two hoots about the original building. In her peripheral vision, she could see the three additional storeys looming above the old building. How had it been approved? It towered over everything else in Hartwell.
‘There’s something so reassuring about imagining this courtyard full of people, and your development will give them a reason to come,’ the woman was saying when Issy tuned back in. What did she say her name was? Megan something something?
Issy smiled. She liked this woman. She was talking sense. Maybe she could write something about the development for the Ashworth PR team to supply to the media.
‘Thank you,’ Issy said. ‘It’s so nice to talk to someone whogetswhat we’re trying to achieve here. Why don’t I take you for a tour? Just let me put my bag down.’
Cathy, who had been tapping away on her phone while they spoke, looked up. ‘Before you do,’ she said. ‘Have you emailed me a copy of the revised project plan? I don’t think I’ve seen it.’
Issy clicked her tongue and put a hand to her head. ‘Oh, sorry, Cathy. I haven’t got to it. Mum threw a spanner in things yesterday. She’s got me hosting the gala on Saturday night, so I had to have a call with Jeffrey at Ashworth Park and go through the run sheet. He’s taking an annual leave day tomorrow! The day before one of their biggest functions of the year!’ Honestly, staff in these regional places were hopeless. And Jeffrey was one of the good ones! ‘Did she manage to rope you into coming, Cathy?’
Cathy nodded. ‘It’s a wonderful event. I go every year.’
Issy bristled, feeling schooled for her flippant tone. ‘Yes, you’re right. It’s an honour to host it.’
Cathy turned to Megan, who was patiently waiting for her tour. ‘Will you still be in town on the weekend?’
‘Yes,’ Megan said, frowning as though she didn’t follow. Issy couldn’t blame her. She wasn’t following either. ‘I’m here until Sunday.’
‘Why don’t you come along to the gala?’ Cathy suggested. Turning to Issy, she added, ‘They can always fit in one more.’
‘Me?’ Megan said, surprised.
‘Why not?’ Issy shrugged. ‘Only if you want to.’
Meg smiled. ‘Sure, okay, I’d love to come, thank you.’
Chapter 25
‘Isobel Ashworth invitedyouto the gala?’ Georgie asked.
‘You don’t have to say it like that!’ Meg said, pretending to be offended. She watched as Georgie filled a schooner with amber liquid and flicked off the tap with a thud. She walked down the far end of the bar and placed the glass in front of a local in a grease-covered work shirt.
‘You just don’t look like their type,’ Georgie said when she returned. ‘You gonna go?’
‘I guess so, why not?’
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ Georgie said. ‘Because she’s an arsehole?’ She went to serve an old guy standing at the bar.
Meg picked up her phone and scrolled Instagram, clicking on Isobel’s most recent post. A sunset shot over Hartwell, which must have been taken from the new apartments above the jail. She’d cleverly cropped out the construction site below.
‘She seemed quite nice, actually,’ Meg said, when Georgie came back.
‘Nah, they’re all arseholes.’
‘Why, though?’ Meg suspected it was because they were rich. Maybe the controversy over the redevelopment was mostly sour grapes. Tall poppy syndrome.
Georgie shrugged. ‘They act like they own the place.’
‘They kind ofdoown the place,’ Meg pointed out. ‘They’ve got the Ashworth Park Hotel and now the Hartwell Gaol Entertainment Precinct and Apartments. Didn’t they also fund the cricket ground upgrade?’
Georgie snorted. ‘You’ve been here for, what, like five minutes?’ There was a sharper edge in her voice now. ‘I’ve seen them rule this town my whole life. Trust me, they’re arseholes.’
‘Tell me why, then! And you’re going to have to do better than, “they think they own the place”.’
