‘I thought we were all meant to be taking a picnic.’ Said Charlie with an ironic tone as she stared out of the kitchen window at steady rainfall.
‘Not that you’ve made any preparations anyway.’
‘I ordered two packed lunches to be collected from the club en route.’
‘Of course. Still the forecast from my device is still saying sunshine and showers.’
‘Better make a move, it we’re to be at Ada’s in time for coffee. You’ll lock-up after me?’
‘Just hang on a sec whilst I find a bag to protect our copy of From Cattle Rustlers to Courtiers.’
We left the car at the club. The packed lunches and the book went in Charlie’s knapsack and we donned waterproofs from the boot. The soggy parkland shone bright green as the sky showed signs of clearing. ‘People are sleeping-out at Royal Oak now.’ Said Charlie.
‘How do you mean?’
‘Well, there are a couple of sun loungers on the patio, if you have a sleeping bag you’re allowed to sleep out, tents are allowed too, provided they come down before breakfast. The house is strictly no alcohol, no tobacco, no drugs, so the garden can be a sort of reception centre when need be.’
‘Excellent. Right then, time to watch and learn, as the master does his work once more.’
‘Very good, sir.’
Ada was opening the door as we walked up her path.
‘I must say that Mr Brinkley of yours is an odd fellow.’ Said Ada, as we settled with our drinks in the lounge.
‘Yes, people often say that, still the signing went off without a hitch?’
'Oh indeed, but I’m still not clear why I had to go through the whole charade of appearing to represent your trust, rather than the railway?’
‘Credibility, legitimacy. Both the owner and the local authority preferred to see such a listed property sold to a rich organisation with a track record in restoration. As yet, the preserved railway is neither.’
‘But there’ll be some advantage in it for Tony, you can be sure.’ Asserted Charlie.
‘Such cynicism in one so young! No, we will carry the cost of returning the building to what it once was, then pass it on to the new railway. Should they have difficulty raising the cash, perhaps we’ll take it in increased shares.’
‘See what I mean?’
‘Well, you look out for yourself Charlotte. You can imagine what board meetings here at the Park are like, Tony and his uncle slugging it out, me thinking am I the only voice of common sense.’
‘Actually, Charlie has the advantage there, uncle thinks the sun shines out of her whatever.’
‘Anyway, Brinkley kindly made me a copy of the sale documents.’ Said Ada, reaching over for a file. She handed me the uppermost sheet.
‘Ah! Yes. I concede, that is a very competitive price. I owe you Ada. How may I be of service? Cash in hand? Perhaps I should be thinking of paying your club fees and account again next year?’
‘Well, I must give that some thought. Today, I confess, I’m somewhat pre-occupied with how much those of us at the bungalows can appeal to the generosity of the Park company regarding the internal restoration of the walled garden.’
‘Charlie! The book, if you please.’
‘Of course one has to ask how reliable uncle’s research really was, he never saw it in its heyday?’
‘Here we go.’ Mumbled Charlie.
‘We can settle this simply by considering the practical needs of those who will use it.’ Said Ada. ‘No one, is asking for heating in the greenhouse, nor any more water than we can carry. Although there is one principal, I think we must adhere to. We mustn’t allow people to become possessive and divide the whole area up as if it were allotments, otherwise the advantages of the soil and the micro climate at different spots will be totally lost.’
‘Agreed. And so, the practical issues are?’
‘Age and disability. We don’t want to lose the essential character but, no one, not even your ground staff, want to be constantly weeding paths. Nor do any of us want to be worrying about going up and down steps all the time.’
‘Yes. A permanent gravel coloured surface to the paths would be okay, though I think the location of the paths must stay, also the staggered steps down the centre. Perhaps a wheelchair friendly perimeter path, with a gentle gradient would work.’
‘Right, well for the rest of it, we’d better join the others.’
I was assured by Ada that the half dozen or so other residents who turned-out were the keen gardeners, those, who given half a chance, would be out here every day. The finished brick work looked most impressive, especially the greenhouse with the addition of the metal lattice work which would hold the glass of the roof and support the remote winding devices for opening and closing. I was able to show everyone a manufacturer’s photo of the windows, installed elsewhere up country. People were kind enough to say that at least they didn’t look like plastic windows!
I hope I didn’t end up sounding too much like a politician. But the questions came thick and fast as we sat on the steps consuming lunch. Giving an affirmative yes to every suggestion would have bankrupted us. I kept looking across at Ada, hoping what I said was broadly in line with what she already knew to be the limits. The whole process was quite cognitively demanding.
‘When everything is done Tony, do you think your people would go over everything once with their rotary cultivator, taking out obvious rubble, before you hand things over?’
‘Sounds sense to me Ada.’
‘There is the question of seating?’ Said another.
‘Ah! Yes, I should tell you that we are hoping, once a design is approved, to put in an order for perhaps thirty or so traditional park bench style seats for throughout the Park. We’re already thinking of one for your bus stop, as well as one for the stop at the main carpark. Perhaps we should earmark a couple for here too. Although of course that shouldn’t prevent you supplying your own, if they prove less than ideal. Though I think we should draw the line at sun loungers!’ That drew a mild titter from my audience.
‘Well, if that’s all the questions we have, may I offer my collective thanks to Tony for his generosity on behalf of the Park company.’
‘Well, thank you Ada.’ It was her cue for us to bugger-off, so we did.
On the walk back to the car Charlie asked; ‘Did Ada stiff you over the purchase of the station that never had trains?’
‘Not in the least, she went above and beyond, the final sale price was well below budget. I’ll use her services again.’
‘But surely you should be handsomely rewarding her now, not be in her debt?’
‘Not even if she enjoys me owing her?’
‘I don't get it.’
‘Power, Charlie, power. After all, one never knows in what form she might wish to be paid.’
At which point I was saved from even greater explanation by the ping of her work phone; ‘Cat’s back.’
‘Ah! A chance for a bit of a catch up then.’
‘There’ll be no time for that. He and I wilI be full-time on Pro-Am golf for the next few weeks. Especially with Dance Night falling on the final day. We’re hoping celebs will stop over for that.’
‘Oh my God!’