‘So you got your story, then. Got what you needed.’
‘Yes, thank you. Mum asked me if it would be all right if she called on you some day soon.’
Hemi considered Dan silently for a few moments, and Dan wondered where his thoughts were taking him. He eventually nodded. ‘Kate MacLeod.’ He rubbed his eyes again. ‘It will be good to see her.’
‘Time to put the past behind you, eh, uncle?’ prompted Mere.
‘No, girl. Time to remember the past, and to accept it.’
Then Uncle Hemi’s eyes slid back to Augi, and he said, unexpectedly, ‘And you. Librarian. You’re all right.’
Augi blinked. ‘Thank you.’
His gaze sharpened again. ‘You don’t break easy.’
Dan looked at her in concern, but she didn’t seem too perturbed. But he thought it was definitely time to go. Because who knew which direction this conversation would lead them?’
‘Ready?’ Dan asked Augi, deliberately keeping his tone light. She nodded, a grateful expression in her eyes. ‘Right.’ He turned to the others who were watching him carefully. ‘Thanks for everything,’ he said. ‘And I’m sorry it’s taken this long to visit. But Mum and I will be in touch soon.’
Uncle Hemi nodded deeply. ‘I’d like that,’ he said simply.
Mere grinned as if that was the best outcome she could have expected. ‘So would I. I’ll text you and we’ll arrange a day.’
‘Sounds good,’ said Dan, kissing Hemi on each cheek before leaving. Augi did the same.
Hemi raised his hand in farewell as they began to walk away.
‘Tall, blonde and like a Pakeha movie star,’ Hemi called behind them with a laugh.
Dan grinned and waved. ‘John Kowalski sure made an impression.’
‘Yes, I think he did,’ said Mere. ‘And he’s not the only one.’
Dan thought he saw a brief exchange of glances between Mere and Augi but before he could ask what he’d missed he felt Augi’s hand on his arm. ‘Let’s go.’
‘Wow,’ he said as he drove away. ‘So my great-great-grandfather lost the family home through gambling! That’s going to be a tough one to tell Mum. And then there’s Tamati. Sounds like his relationship with Ngaire was an unusual one to say the least. Mum’s not going to like that either. She loved Tamati. Will you come with me to tell Mum? We’d better go straight round.’
To Dan’s surprise Augi shook her head. ‘We don’t have to tell her.’
‘What do you mean? If it’s relevant, it should be disclosed, especially to Mum. It’s her history after all. She’ll be affected by it.’
‘She won’t be affected by knowing that her great-grandfather was a gambler who deserted his family. She’s already been affected by that.’
‘But,’ spluttered Dan, ‘it’s a family secret which needs to come out!’
Augi turned to him with her wide eyes. ‘Why? You say “if it’s relevant”. How are either of these points relevant to Kate? Her parentage may be, but at the moment that’s only conjecture. There’s no point upsetting Kate just to divulge a secret, for the sake of it. I suggest we don’t tell her. Not yet, anyway. I think it’s more important to protect people from secrets that can hurt, than expose secrets simply because they are secrets.’
Dan swallowed, and focused on driving over the rutted road, back to the sealed one, back to his own world, and Augi’s. A place where there would always be secrets, but not always a need to reveal them. Not if they were being kept to protect someone. But it still didn’t feel right.
‘Mum needs to know everything. The good and the bad. She probably suspects worse than we’ve discovered. Besides, how else can we explain how her family lost the house?’
‘It could remain a mystery.’
‘No, Augustini,’ he said, determined now, convinced he was right. ‘It can’t. It’s time for the secrets to come out. Mum can take it. We all can.’
He glanced at her but she didn’t look at him for the rest of the drive home.
Chapter Eighteen
