Harmony House Read online

  “We have our own furniture and furnishings to use.”

  There was a silence for a minute then Hilary started to write again.

  WiFi?

  Security?

  Nearest stores, hospital, fire department?

  City Taxes?

  Hydro and/or gas bills?

  The two women looked at each other with the same thought in their minds. This was a very big house and a very big project. If a good bargain could not be found, it would never work.

  Reality was setting in.

  “Mavis, before we go any further, would you ask Eve to come in?” I have something important to tell both of you.”

  Eve was in the kitchen placing a tray of muffins in the oven. She came at once and sat beside Hilary in the upstairs office.

  “I apologize for not informing you about this before now but I was waiting for some further information from the police.”

  “What?”

  Eve’s face quickly lost the flush from the oven heat. She immediately suspected what was to come next.

  Hilary got right to the point.

  “I asked the police to investigate footprints I found in the snow leading around to the back of our house here.”

  “When did this happen?” Eve sounded alarmed and shaky.

  Hilary turned toward her and took her hand. “It was several days ago, Eve, but I delayed telling you until I had something definite for you both. I can assure you I have been keeping an eye on the house in the evenings and watching for more footprints. The lack of fresh snow has made it difficult to track new prints but I am pretty sure he has not been around here again.”

  “By ‘he’, I presume you mean Eve’s husband?”

  “Correct.”

  “Has that been confirmed?”

  “Well, not completely. The security camera showed a hooded man in dark clothes. The same man has been seen lurking in the neighbourhood and I saw him myself once, which is why I initiated a report with the police.”

  There was an uncomfortable silence as Hilary’s listeners absorbed the impact of this announcement.

  Surprisingly, it was Eve who recovered first.

  “We can’t be certain it was Howard. It could be someone casing the place for a break-in.”

  “Not reassuring, Eve!”

  “Right. But we shouldn’t jump to conclusions. In any case we will be out of here before too long and he won’t know where we are going.”

  Hilary was pleased to hear Eve had developed some confidence. Knowing there were two others around and the police had been informed, had obviously given her courage.

  She made a mental note to request no ‘For Sale’ or ‘Sold’ signs on the exterior. Howard, (and she, at least, was sure the interloper was Howard Dobrinski), should have no clues to follow. She would also ask Sergeant Derek Price to report on the patrol car findings and ask if those patrols might be continued until they left the district.

  All of this made the coming group meeting more urgent. Decisions had to be made soon.

  The most urgent decision was about the Niagara house. Hilary lost no time in describing the property with the addition of the photographs. She tried to keep the doubts out of her voice but it was Mavis whose comments made the most impact on the assembled women.

  “It has to be considered as a unique opportunity. We can all go there and decide afterwards what to do. As you have seen, some renovation is needed but nothing we can’t afford providing we get the best possible price. Frankly, ladies, I can’t see us finding a place of this size in our price bracket anywhere else in London and area.”

  “Well, it certainly looks interesting. I can take Jannice and Honor to see it as soon as you can set up another appointment with Evan. He definitely seems worth watching from his photo here!”

  Vilma’s comments brought laughter to the subject and Mavis went off at once to contact Evan, knowing that Hilary was all set to talk about finances as the next important step in the process.

  The evening before the meeting they had a counsel of war regarding expenses. Apart from the money each could raise from their house sales or other sources, there was the question of funding the necessary changes to the Niagara property. The paint costs would be minimal and some of that work they might be able to do by themselves, but major stuff such as replacing the back stairs with an elevator were unknown until a structural engineer surveyed the proposed location.

  “I think we have to boost each person’s contribution to allow for additional expenses.”

  Mavis had obviously given this much thought. She continued in the same vein.

  “We also have to think long term. We must consider city taxes, the possible costs of a mortgage if that is the choice we make. There will also be repairs and changes that we can’t know about until we take ownership.”

  “I see what you mean. We need a contingency fund set aside from our initial contribution and earning sufficient income to be viable when we really need the money.”

  There was a pause while each did mental calculations.

  “Is it going to be too much for some of us?”

  Hilary got out her notepad and wrote down the names.

  Mavis: secure and in bank

  Hilary: unknown until house sells

  Vilma: secure

  Eve: secure and in bank

  Jannice: unknown until house sells

  Honor: unknown

  * * *

  Two sets of eyes scanned the list.

  “Not terribly certain, is it?”

  “No. Too many unknowns. We need to ask Honor what her situation is. We need an electrician and an engineer to do a home inspection and most of all we need Evan to give us a good price.”

  “Wait one minute, Hilary. You are talking as if the other three will approve of the Niagara house. We don’t know that yet.”

  “Of course, you are right, Mavis. Let’s use the Niagara house as a test case. We’ll see what the other three say about it and we could set a guide price for a contribution based on the price of the house and see what kind of a reaction we get. If someone can’t meet the price it will show us what to do next.”

  “Do you mean we would eject a candidate at this point?”

  “I know it sounds harsh. I would not want to do that but someone might decide she couldn’t proceed and voluntarily withdraw.”

  “I must say, I hope that is not the case. I feel we six have bonded quite nicely. But I do see the advantage in a trial run, as it were. What figure were you thinking of?”

  Hilary pursed her lips and made some calculations on the page.

  “One hundred forty thousand dollars each would be realistic. If Niagara does not turn out to be the house we need, we can always scale down and keep looking. We need extra time for two house sales to be completed in any case.”

  Mavis nodded in support. In the back of her mind she still worried about getting Eve away from the area to a new location as quickly as possible.

  * * *

  When Hilary announced the provisional contribution sum, Mavis watched to see the reactions among the group.

  Vilma reached over to Jannice and patted her hand reassuringly, with a smile that said, ‘We’ll be OK’.

  Honor looked down at her folded hands and then up at Hilary with what Mavis interpreted as a look of decision.

  Eve looked anxiously from one face to another. In her heart she saw them all safely living together at the Niagara house and she feared that dream might not come to pass.

  Hilary waited for another moment for a negative reaction and when none appeared she sighed in satisfaction.

  Mavis jumped in with the good news. “Evan says we can go to view the house again tomorrow if that suits everyone.”

  Expressions of delight circulated around the room and Eve went off to refill the tea cups. Vilma volunteered to be the driver and a time for the viewing appointment was discussed.

  Chapter 16

  Evan Mahavolich was feeling optimistic about the second v
iewing. Prior to his clients’ arrival, he went around the whole house figuring out what to say about each room to give the best impression. In his pocket he had a price from the seller but it was his business to ensure that bottom-line price was not used if at all possible. Still, the seller was keen to be shot of what he thought of as a white elephant.

  It could turn out to be a win/win for the agent.

  Evan was most worried about the tall woman who had been so negative before. He must show her something to change her perspective. Possibly the basement which they had not seen before she left?

  Possibly, the base of the tower room which was definitely multi-purpose, depending on needs?

  He had asked a painter and decorator to look at the entrance and main staircase and provide an estimate. The re-painting price was reasonable, but removing and replacing that awful carpet was going to be expensive. And that did not include removing the panelling in the dining room.

  He was wondering if a dye job would reduce the impact of the stair carpet when the car arrived in the side driveway and three different women emerged from it.

  His first emotion was relief. The tall angry one was not in this group but he spotted the leader the minute she got out of the driver’s seat of the expensive car and headed right for him. She was good looking, wearing beautiful clothes and boots and had jewellery that even his amateur gaze identified as real gems.

  She advanced with outstretched hand and confidently declared her intention.

  “Good to meet you, Evan. Show us what you’ve got here. We two want the full tour but Honor will stay mainly on the ground level unless you can show her an easy access to the basement?”

  At once he was given a challenge and knew he was in the presence of a master manipulator who already knew all the tricks of the trade. He wondered if she had been a real estate agent at some time in her life.

  He quickly did the main level spiel and as the two women advanced up the stairway, he conducted the lady with the walking stick back outside to the wraparound porch from which there was direct access to the basement level door, down only three wide steps with railings on either side.

  Honor was pleased to be the one who was seeing the basement for the first time. ‘Basement’ was not a correct description for what she now saw. The entire area was fully finished in neutral tones and consisted of what appeared to be a separate, open-plan apartment, complete with kitchen and sliding door exit to the paved area of the back yard. A laundry and furnace room were concealed in one rear corner and the opposite corner consisted of storage space already supplied with shelving. The enclosed bedroom and washroom occupied the middle area. The remaining floor space was big enough for a gym as well as an office.

  Honor had been given the job of keeping Evan occupied while Vilma did some measurements upstairs.

  “So, Evan, what are the chances of getting internet access and Wi-Fi services out here on the fringes of London?”

  “Well, the builder assures me everything is set up for all the technology required. Were you thinking of setting up a business here?”

  “It’s a possibility, among others.” She wandered back to the full washroom with the rain shower and interior bench seat. He followed.

  “May I ask if your friends today are involved with Mrs. Dempster who made the initial enquiry?”

  He was clearly trying to estimate what the situation was here. Two families or two sets of friends or two entirely different groups of potential buyers. Honor had been instructed to keep him guessing.

  “Could you demonstrate how these folding doors operate? I would like to see the size of the patio.”

  He rushed to unlock the system so that the doors slid easily into a concertina shape against one wall.

  “In summer, it’s open to the outside so the patio becomes a part of the main house for parties and entertaining.”

  “A lovely feature, Evan. What about security?”

  He went into a prepared speech about the builder adding various safety features because he and his family intended to travel during the winter months. By the time he had finished, Honor was sure the rest of the group had seen everything they needed to.

  “Well, then, Evan, it all sounds satisfactory. Let’s join the others now. You can lock up here.”

  When they returned to the front entrance, Vilma and Jannice were waiting.

  “Thank you so much Evan. We may be in touch soon. Have a good day, now. Bye.”

  With that they departed for the side driveway and the car, and he was left standing at the door with his mouth hanging open. This was going to make a good story when he got back to the office but whether or not it would result in a good sale, well that was another matter altogether. He was not looking forward to his conversation with the builder, or with the builder’s wife.

  * * *

  Vilma Smith drove to the nearest Tim Horton’s in Colonel Talbot Road and chose a quiet table in the far corner where they could talk freely over coffee, soup, sandwiches and doughnuts.

  “All right everyone! Let’s compare notes. Honor, you first.”

  “I must say, the lower level is amazing! It’s virtually a one bedroom apartment and the view plus the access to the backyard are both superb. It could be turned into anything we might need.”

  “So, definitely another bedroom then?”

  “Absolutely, and lots more besides!”

  “Am I right? That makes a total of five bedrooms upstairs and one more in the lower level.”

  “Don’t forget the tower room on the ground floor. It’s a kind of library at the moment but could easily be a seventh bedroom.”

  “Or a television room.”

  “Or a dining room. I hate that other dark one.”

  “Or a music room. I would love to have a piano.”

  “Hold on a minute before you have us all moved into the place! Does this mean we three support the Niagara house as a suitable home for all of us?”

  A chorus of ‘Yes!” was the response. It was so enthusiastic that several patrons looked up from their coffee and conversation to see if a riot was taking shape at the corner table. All they could see was a trio of women smiling and toasting each other with coffee cups.

  Jannice was enthralled. “I have never even seen such a beautiful house before. To think of actually living there with you lovely women is more than a dream come true for me. I am afraid to hope, just in case it doesn’t come true.”

  Vilma was aware that most of Jannice’s dreams had been shattered by her family responsibilities and she made a silent promise to do anything she could to turn that streak of bad luck around before it was too late.

  Honor had remained practical. “I suppose there are more things than sleeping quarters to consider. What about the elevator idea? That one could be important for all of us for one reason or another.”

  “You are so right,” responded Jannice.” How I wish I had one when my mother and father were having such trouble climbing stairs. I almost fell more than once when trying to lift them from step to step.”

  “It’s a huge advantage, Honor and Jannice. I think the measurements will work and from the plans Mavis brought back, I believe access to the laundry room would be where the elevator ends No carrying heavy loads up and down stairs.”

  She made a mental note to ask if an elevator could have an entry point at ground level as well as access on the top floor and the basement.

  All three stopped to think of the advantages of living in the Niagara house. They realized there were decisions to be made that might test their present camaraderie but each one was prepared to make compromises if it meant they had the chance to walk freely in and out of that huge home and live there securely for as long as they wished.

  * * *

  Hilary was eagerly waiting at home to hear the decision. When she saw their faces she knew at once the feeling was unanimous. Now it was all up to the negotiations with Evan. She felt they had kept him guessing and he would pass on that message to his client. She
made no announcement yet, but she thought that soon they would have to begin calling it Harmony House instead of Niagara house.

  Chapter 17

  Immediately after their visit to the Niagara house, Vilma and Jannice went into high gear. Everything depended on getting a good price for Jannice’s house. Vilma, a lifelong newspaper reader, arrived the next morning waving two pieces of news from the daily paper. The first was the information that in order to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday, Museum London would soon provide a free appraisal opportunity for heirlooms, antiques and collectibles.

  “But I wouldn’t know what was valuable and what was trash,” moaned Jannine.

  “Well, we would need to be judicious about what we present. We could go with a set of something like silver or pottery, rather than one single item which might be worthless in today’s antique markets. There’s also the advantage to be gained by observing what others bring in to be evaluated. We could listen into what’s being said and get some idea of what to look for. The paper says twenty London area museums, heritage sites and organizations will also give talks. We will definitely collect business cards for future contact.”

  “You are so smart, Vilma.”

  “Nonsense! I have had more experience, that’s all. Now, we need to scour the basement and the attic to make sure we don’t miss something that might be valuable. We don’t have much time left before the big day and we must reserve a time slot if we want to be sure to get the attention of professionals.”

  Most of the worst rubbish had already gone via the Junk Removal men so it was not too difficult to identify the remaining places to search through. Vilma had not yet seen anything remarkable. The fine china was not saleable any more. No one in the younger generations wanted dishes that could not be tossed into a dishwasher. Most silver services from previous generations were not pure silver but a coating of silver plating and worth nothing to collectors. She feared Jannice would be lucky to uncover one item of value but, the chances were, there was nothing here at all.