Doomed Dynasty Pt. 05

"Really?" was Matt's response.

Courtney's heart fluttered detecting a hint of interest embedded in that word 'really'. She was quite sure about that.

The restaurant was lively and noisy, and Matt was enjoying himself. The owner's wife came over. She knew Courtney; how she knew her, Matt had no idea. They didn't say because they were busy talking about the weather and then their children.

The owner came over and kissed Courtney on both cheeks. Matt tensed, his jaw jutting outwards just a bit, but he stayed seated, noticing that Courtney had actually pulled the bloke's head down to be kissed.

Matt was too surprised to draw any conclusion, but then Courtney introduced Tony Tancred.

For a small man, he had a surprisingly firm grip. Matt thought of trying him out with a power handshake but then the man's wife was standing beside them and Courtney was introducing her as Raquel.

Matt instantly focused. Courtney winced when Matt responded with "That's a funny sort of name" but then went on to redeem himself by adding, "Rather exotic I reckon."

Raquel curtsied to the best compliment she had received in weeks and turned up a cheek towards Matt. He deduced that she wanted to be kissed, so did so.

Then the woman turned the other cheek. Cripes, thought Matt, she's game. He kissed her cheek gently, trying to smell if her perfume was as good as Courtney's. But the fragrances were kitchen smells and possible sweat, or perspiration, as Courtney would term it.

Tony went off and returned with a bottle of wine, a red from France.

"Oooh," was Courtney's response as she glanced at the label. "This is a great wine, Matt."

"Nothing's too good for our beautiful silent partner," Tony said, picking up Courtney's hand and kissing it with a flourish.

Matt's head snapped around. He'd been wondering if he should taste the French plonk when Tony had made that last amazing remark.

Courtney reached out and touched his arm just above the wrist. It was a habit of hers and Matt had come to learn it was a "down Rover" signal. He eased back into his chair and smiled at Raquel, making her slightly uncomfortable that his eyes were fixed on her bosom when his wife sitting right alongside him.

Matt had wanted to ask what they meant by 'silent partner'. But he had been closed down by Courtney's obedience signal. So he had automatically slipped into another thought, well Raquel knew what it was. She smiled, noting the look in his eyes and said "Enjoy!" then hurried back to the kitchen, her face beginning to match the colour of her flaming red hair.

Matt thought she'd meant the wine, but then again...

Tony also left.

Matt turned to look at Courtney, and without further prompting she quietly told him that she had invested in the business, ignoring Matt's astonished look. It was quite a story: Tony's mother had visited lawyer Reginald King in Miranda to collect some documents for a sick friend. She had inquired about the painter of the picture of roses hanging behind him in his office. That led to Tony's mother contacting Courtney. A commission resulted and then a month later after seeing his mother's new acquisition, Tony phoned and asked Courtney if she could do a painting of their restaurant.

"I recoiled at the idea," she told Matt. "But Tony was persistent. He was emphatic that he did not want a chocolate box image but rather the interpretative style I use in my garden paintings."

"A distortion of reality style?" offered Matt.

Courtney smiled, and continued. "I delivered the painting to him, in now hangs in their home.

"I was invited to stay for lunch and they told me the restaurant was going well but they needed a cash injection to install a completely new kitchen. As we talked about other things my mind kept coming back to what you were always telling me, that leaving money in the bank is bad, investing in property is good, investing in a good business is even better."

"I do say some wise things at times"

"Well, yes, dear. You do. Anyway I had that $8000 in the bank that Uncle Harold had left me..."

"Your rainy day nest egg."

"Yes my nest egg. Well, I ended up investing that money and $3500 from my sale of paintings into their business. That got me a 15% shareholding of the business and so, as you look around here, you're seeing part of me."

Matt was staggered. She had invested $11,500 in this restaurant. He looked around. It was almost full, but he couldn't see it being a solid investment in rented premises sitting on an otherwise disused wharf.

Sensing his concern Courtney offered. "We also own the building which has only a $3400 mortgage on it and a 15-year exclusive lease of the wharf."

That made Matt sit up. "Well then, I think perhaps you have made a good decision but why didn't you seek my advice?"

"Do you seek my advice on your business dealings?"

"Ouch!"

"Exactly!"

"So, you brought me here just to give me that little surprise about your business independence," said Matt, sucking on a toothpick and looking unsmilingly at his wife

"Oh Matt, of course not. Tony let the cat out of the bag quite unexpectedly. Our agreement was that I would remain a secret investor; I suppose he just assumed that you were fully informed."

"Why did you bring me here then?" asked Matt sulkily. "Trouble with mother?"

"Why do you say that? Patricia and I get along beautifully. It was just that Tony and Raquel have asked me what you were like, so I thought I would bring you here and you could meet them and then I could have my quiet little talk to you about the hotel."

"The hotel?" Matt replied warily. Did she want him to sell it?

For the next fifteen minutes they talked quietly, Courtney revealing a side of herself that Matt had come to know in the last couple of years was lurking. She was bloody magnificent.

Most women he dealt with, including Vikki, seemed to be a little short when it came to commercial nous. But, surprisingly, Courtney was giving a good impression that she knew what she was talking about. After revealing some interesting glimpses of concepts for fitting out the new hotel she then sat back, looked at him over her coffee cup and asked what was in it for her. He joked that she could do it for love if she came up with anything acceptable.

"No Matt, the joy of doing something to occupy myself usefully, as you put it, is not enough. I want money, good money, working for you. I have developed artistic concepts and therefore I wish to be paid as a professional consultant."

"But you are my wife."

"Yes, I am. The wife of a pig-headed man who now has to make a monumental decision; if you want me to work on the hotel project Matt I'll have to be remunerated handsomely."

"Can I have a moment to think?"

"Of course."

He went to the toilet, passing the kitchen. Raquel had her back to him, bending over to remove something from the lower oven, but Matt didn't appear to notice. He emerged from the toilet still in turmoil but as he walked back towards the table he looked at Courtney sitting there so elegant, so outstanding.

He knew that she had a great brain, but where the hell did she get a business brain? He virtually discussed nothing about business with her. And how did she get him into a position like this? Matt felt that he was over a rack.

"Better dear," she said, solicitously, running an eye over his trouser front to check that the zip appeared to be done up. When Matt was thinking hard he could become forgetful at times.

"I've come to a decision."

"Oh is it something that I would like to hear?"

Blast the woman! Why did she speak to him like that? Was she going through one of those changes in life that women have? Well she didn't like being patronised or excluded, so what about talking to her like a boss talks to a prospective sub-contractor?

"Courtney."

"I'm here, Matt," she replied sweetly.

"My proposal is this: I require you to submit outlines of your concepts to the architects. the chief architect actually Billie Joss. If she decides that the project needs you and your ideas, then rather than pay you an hourly rate, I'll offer you seven-point-five percent of gross amount we have budgeted for the interior fit-out. That's a lot of money."

Matt had estimated that a professional consultant from Wellington would have cost him roughly twelve-point-five per cent of the gross, so he decided if the architect chose Courtney if she liked her concepts that much, then he would be saving money.

"I would prefer that than an hourly rate, and in fact was going to suggest it if you had difficulty in coming up with an offer. But seven-point-five sounds a wee bit like penny pinching, Matt Scrouge McCurtis. I would think twelve would be more attractive to me, but this is our first job together, so I'll settle for a straight ten per cent."

"Eight per cent."

"M-a-t-t!"

Matt clenched his fists. He couldn't hit her, he didn't want to hit her, never would. But what could he do? "All right, ten per cent."

She practically leapt over the table at him.

She kissed him heartily. Embarrassed, Matt looked to see if anyone was watching. Everyone was!

"I paid while you were at the gents. Take me home," she whispered.

Matt thought that was the most sensible thing his wife had said all night.

A week later architect Billie Joss arrived in Miranda to inspect the site and the neighbourhood and to go over Courtney's submissions with her.

She stayed for two nights at their home now about to be renamed The Palms, taking some time off to visit the farm with Matt.

The renaming was finally achieved through patience and adroit management. Several years earlier Courtney had put feelers out about a possible name change for the historic homestead. Matt had been only lukewarm about it and had warned her to expect a possible hostile response from Patricia.

Counting on the fact that she'd remained subservient to the older woman and they had developed a virtual 'mother daughter' relationship, Courtney had waited until the moment was ripe. It came when they were sitting at breakfast, waiting for Billie to join them.

"I've been thinking," Courtney announced.

"Oh dear, that sounds bad for us mother."

"Let her have her say Matt. It is she who's usually listening to us."

Courtney began, "The world around us is changing and I think that we also have been changing. The biggest change that has occurred here in my time is the extensive upgrading of our home."

"I'd like you to consider changing the name of our home to The Palms. Matt says you won't agree to that Patricia. I want to develop our garden into something truly beautiful and in full consultation with you both, especially you Patricia."

"But we don't have any palms," protested Matt.

"We will soon, very soon," replied Courtney.

Patricia sat as if her back had arched and an emphatic 'No' formed on her lips. Then she cringed when Matt, her silly Matt, said, "Whatever." Where was his loyalty, his sense of history?

Then Patricia saw the excited look on Courtney's face. She thought, this young woman has enriched her\ life and treated Patricia as if Patricia were her mother. She was now emerging as a mature woman and beginning to take on Matt when he stepped out of line. Actually she'd never much cared for the Scottish name that seemed to be an inappropriate transplant such a long way from its namesake.

"I can see she's cracking," laughed Matt, looking at his mother.

Patricia looked directly at Courtney whose eyes were fixed on her, appealing.

"All right, I'll support you on one condition."

"And that is?" Courtney asked nervously.

"That neither of you will suggesting changing the name of Faraway Farm in my lifetime."

"Oh no, we'd never want to change the name of the farm. Faraway is such a lovely, regal name, isn't it Matt?"

"Whatever," said Matt. He disclosed he'd always thought that the name Aberdeen was a stupid name and for that matter Faraway was little better. He would have named the original station Amber Hills or something associated with local geography. Even a Maori name would have been better than a transported Scottish name. However, he promised his mother the Faraway name would stay."

Early that afternoon a truck came grinding up the drive. Behind the wheel was the grinning face of Misfit Jones. On the back of the truck were the first four of fourteen palms and a dozen olive trees that a month ago Courtney had requested a large nursery in Blenheim to procure for her.

Billie the architect returned to the house following a thorough inspection of the hotel site. After late lunch Matt took her on a tour of the farm. Returning after a very satisfying day and developing quite a crush on Matt who charmed her with his country-boy simplicity, Billie got down to business with Courtney and her submissions. It was a short meeting, as Billy had already made her decision. However she had six changes to discuss, all quite minor.

Anticipating that the job was hers, Courtney contained her excitement from her voice but was given away by flushed cheeks.

She's a smart lass, thought the older woman...they are a most interesting couple.

Billie found Courtney to be no pushover. After some discussion Courtney agreed with four of the suggestions but said she was opposed to the other two suggested changes and argued strongly to support her stand.

Billie sighed and decided four out of six was a good result. She told Courtney that she'd recommend to Matt that her submissions be accepted.

She watched, fascinated, at Courtney's reaction. A deepening pink flush rose up her face and yellow flecks in her green eyes flashed. Courtney raised her hands delicately and swept them through her long hair. The lips of her wide mouth trembled slightly and then broke into a beautiful smile as Courtney said, "Thank you, Billie. I will always treasure this moment."

Well, there's bound to be a celebration, thought Billie. She'd better go and have a soak in the bath. But before she could move Courtney looked at her sweetly, and said, "Oh, by the way Billie, there is just another wee point I'd like to bring up. In my humble opinion I think the exterior design of the hotel is a little out of character for the town which is a rural servicing community now and for in the foreseeable future. No, I should be more emphatic. It's really quite out of character. Would you think that's a reasonable assessment?"

For a moment the professionally trained and very experienced woman was stunned. Recovering she defended the design of the facade, chin thrust out. The eyes behind her red-framed glasses hardened. But just like Matt had discovered, she found that she seemed to be sliding downhill as the discussion continued. By golly, she thought, I'm dealing with a smiling assassin.

Finally Matt was called into the room.

The good news was that Billie had chosen the best of three proposals for the fit-out. He was told the scheme submitted by Courtney was the best, better than the submission of another consultancy and even superior to the scheme devised within her own practice.

Matt said he was delighted, and he was. He wondered, though, why Courtney looked a little apprehensive. Being Billie's preferred choice should have sent her over the moon.

"Courtney and I have been discussing the exterior design and we agree that a redesign should be undertaken."

Looking like a bull ready to charge Matt drew in a sharp breath and said, "Go on." He clenched his fists. Billie's eyes widened, but she pressed on.

"We think the columns and arches should go and the over-all impression should be updated colonial, more in keeping in the character of the town, don't we Courtney?"

Courtney nodded, relieved that Matt appeared to be relaxing.

"Funny," he said. "I have been thinking that I am a little uncomfortable with the exterior design. It had been described to me as suburban Wellington."

Ah-ha, Billie thought. Courtney's already had a crack at him over this as Courtney had used that same phrase 'suburban Wellington design' to her barely ten minutes earlier.

"Then you think we should go back to the drawing board?"

Rising to his full height, Matt looked at the architect straight in the eye. "How much?"

Billie resisted taking a couple of steps backwards to be closer to Courtney. "Well, not too much really as the changes are largely cosmetic. The working drawings are almost completed but can be changed without too much fuss because the basic structure will remain intact."

"And?"

"Probably it will cost around $1500 in man hours. We can absorb that amount because this is quite a big project."

"And I won't have that sum slipped into over-runs or anything else?"

"Oh no, definitely not," Billie lied.

Courtney regarded that as an assurance while Matt knew Billie was lying.

"Come on Billie, we're taking Courtney out to celebrate her first commercial contract. Your shout, of course."

"It's my pleasure. Courtney and I will need time to get ready."

Brushing her hair Courtney thought how rude it was of Matt to say his guest would pay for the night out, but fortunately Billie had been very charming about it. She then wondered if cost of the dinner would be buried in the architect's fees that Matt's company would be paying.

Walking out to the Land Rover, Courtney thought the name The Settlers' Retreat was a quite inappropriate name for the new hotel. It should be called...she halted, thinking that dear old Matt had been pushed hard enough for one day.

* * *

On Matt's birthday, December 4, 1977, the new hotel, renamed the Miranda Regal Hotel, opened for business at 10:00 and curious residents came to inspect the facilities.

Mary had decided to have an open day to get what Matt called 'nosey parkers' in and out of the premises in one day, instead of having them wander in over a much longer period.

The regular drinkers in the public bar made discouraging comments such as "This is too flash for us" and "A bloody palace for Lord and Lady Muck" but none left to find more basic amenities at the town's tavern.

Before the day's end it was generally agreed that the enormous curved mahogany bar was nice to look at and 'bloody comfortable' to lean on.

"A bloke could sit here all day," commented a regular sitting on one of the soft bar stools. But no one took any notice of him as sitting in bars all day was his thing.

Everyone who toured the public rooms admired the solid rimu cabinets, the woven to order dark blue and red-flecked Feltex carpets and most of all the spectacular concaved ceiling in the dinning room complete with tiny winkling lights to represent the Southern Sky.

Everyone who had worked on the project attended a formal dinner the night before the official opening. Builder Max Mead and his foreman Misfit Jones performed one of their famous sketches, persuading architect Billie Joss to join them which she did against her better judgment.

"We'll feed you lines and you're brainy enough to think of responses on the fly," Max assured her. "Here, having another glass of bubbly. It does wonders for confidence and generating quick thoughts."

Max played Matt, who wanted to replace the old hotel with the shearing shed from the farm as a tax dodge. But Courtney (Billy Joss) wouldn't accept that when asked for her opinion.

"I think you should get that beautiful young architect from Wellington, Billie Joss, to design something really special. She's world famous for her loo structures."

And so the hilarity continued.

At the end of the evening Matt approached the threesome and said, "I want you guys to perform that skit tomorrow night."

They were appalled.

"But Matt, this is just something we do for the boys and their wives. We frig around unrehearsed, use bad language and sometimes utter plain nonsense," protested Max.