‘That sounds nice,’ Kenzie said, lifting her eyes from her enormous breakfast.
‘Can we go now?’ Poppy asked eagerly.
‘When everyone’s finished breakfast,’ Vera said.
‘Andthenwe can go outside?’ Poppy asked.
‘Yes.’ Vera smiled fondly as she answered her granddaughter.
‘Sleep okay?’ Ewan asked.
Kenzie lifted her gaze to his briefly. ‘I did, thank you. It’s a beautiful room,’ she added, looking at his mother.
‘I’m glad you like it. Restoring this place has taken a long time. It’d been neglected for a number of years when we bought it.’
‘It’s stunning.’
‘I’m going to make a few calls. I’ll catch up when I’m done,’ Ewan said, sliding his chair out to stand up.
‘Okay, darling,’ Vera said, accepting his peck on the cheek as he passed. Despite the strained relationship he had with his father, he was certainly a devoted son.
‘Finished,’ Poppy announced, shoving the last forkful of egg into her mouth. ‘Can we go to the garden now?’
‘Wow, looks like I should use the garden for bargaining power from now on,’ Kenzie said impressed. ‘She’s usually a bit of a slow poke when it comes to mealtimes.’
‘It’s no ordinary garden,’ Peggy said, coming to clear some plates.
‘There’s fairies,’ Poppy whispered.
‘Fairies?’ Kenzie echoed.
‘Shh! You can’t say their name too loud or they’ll hide.’
‘Oh, I see. Sorry,’ Kenzie said, giving a small wince.
‘Hurry up, Mummy!’
‘How about we leave Mummy to finish her breakfast and we’ll go and find a hat and put on some sunscreen?’ When Kenzie went to protest, Vera held up a hand. ‘Sit and enjoy your breakfast in peace. We’ll meet you outside when you’re done.’
‘Okay,’ she said weakly, feeling at a bit of a loss. She wasn’t really used to having peace and quiet, or eating breakfast at a table rather than scoffing it while she handled three other jobs.
Unheard of, but if Vera insists …
Twenty-three
Kenzie found Poppy and Vera walking through the kitchen garden, made up of raised beds full of leafy green plants ranging from fragrant herbs to tomatoes, cucumbers, capsicums and just about every other vegetable known to mankind.
‘Looks like you have your own produce aisle out here,’ Kenzie said, smiling as she approached the pair, busy sampling a pod of peas.
‘That’s the aim,’ Vera said, smiling back. ‘We try to be as self-sufficient as possible. We supply most of the produce for the cafe at the vineyard, as well as our own table.’
They followed a white gravel path that led to an archway in the brick wall. The area opened up into a huge hedged garden, where the gravel path continued to meander through in a maze-like fashion.
Large beds of bright-coloured flowers dotted the area and Kenzie noted the inclusion of a number of pieces of garden art—one in particular, in the form of a moss-covered chair, making an enchanting reading nook–like corner—and other unique pieces, including an old, rusted ute with a water feature in the back and a weathered horse cart, statues woven from straw-like material, including a female archer, a deer and a horse, and a number of smooth marble-like balls scattered in among native flowers and plants.
They reached another archway, this one with a wooden door and enormous brass knocker.
‘You have to knock three times,’ Vera said as they caught up to Poppy, who stood in front of the impressive old door, ‘then ask the fairies if you can come in.’
