Springbank - 6. Spring Ch 6

“For heaven's sake, it is supposed to be a small gathering of staff and family for a day of watching the Avon Descent, not a bloody grand spectacle with dignatories from all over the place,” I snapped, as I tried to think of a plan to deal with this situation. “Oh! I am sorry about that, I will tell his office that there are no tickets available as it is a private function,” Mr Appleton responded.

“Yes, if you can do that please, I am only allowing the Canadian Ambassador and his family to come because his son attends the same university as me, but I am not sure if I have ever met him. We are at our limit of how many we can accommodate for a function at the Watch Tower, so just politely decline their request if you please,” I replied, as I tried to think of anyone that I had met at University who had a Canadian accent, but I couldn’t think of anyone, and I only have a few friends that I hang out with on rare occasions.

“Any troubles Cooper?” Jasper, one of my classmates asked me, “No mate, just a few dramas with a property that our family owns out near Toodyay,” I responded, “Oh! Sorry to hear that,” Jasper replied, and it was only then that I picked up a very slight accent. “Hey… where did you attend high school?” I asked him, “I went to a private school in the western suburbs of Perth, why do you ask?” Jasper replied.

“Because I picked up a slight accent a few moments ago, and I wondered if… nah! You can’t be, or you would have a stronger accent,” I stated, “Like a Canadian accent by any chance?” Jasper asked, “Why yes, but… So you are the son of the Ambassador I have heard about this week?” I asked in a whisper, and Jasper smiled and nodded his head yes. “I have attended boarding school in Perth since the age of twelve, and I spend Autumn and Summer holidays in Canberra with the family, but in Winter, we all go home to B.C, Canada for the northern Summer holidays just to escape the cold winters in the ACT,” Jasper informed me.

“Wow, that must be interesting being able to travel a lot, have you been to many places?” I replied, “Just South Africa when I was little, home in B.C. for two years and then here to Australia,” Jasper replied. “Ok, cool, so you know that it is my place that your family is visiting this coming weekend?” I asked, and he chuckled. “Of course I do, I have been listening to you talking amongst your very small group of friends, about your family and your trips to the Sheep Station southeast of Norseman, and the property that you inherited near Toodyay,” Jasper answered.

“Me and my big mouth. Because of your family’s request, which I only granted permission because I was told that the Ambassador’s son attends the same university as me, which I now know is you, I had a similar request from the WA State Governor for him and two others to also attend, which I have politely declined, because I want it to be a small gathering, and the venue isn’t built to house formal gatherings,” I stated.

“Oh! I am sorry about that, I will let my father know that he is not to broadcast where we are going to be this weekend at the Estate owner’s request,” Jasper said to me, “Thank you, I appreciate that, so tomorrow we only have a morning lecture, would you like to get an early preview of the property?” I asked Jasper, “You bet I would like that, thanks mate,” Jasper replied happily and I chuckled at his happiness. “So while in University here in Perth, where do you live?” I asked out of interest.

“The family has owned a house for many years, where I live and where Mum stays when she comes over for a short stay to check on me every month, and the whole family comes here for holidays in Spring. I have a live-in housekeeper who keeps an eye on me and back when at boarding school I spent weekends there too. The house is located in Dalkeith Nedlands,” Jasper replied, and on hearing this I smiled, “Our family lives in South Perth near Ellam Street,” I replied, not wanting to give an exact location of where we live.

“Due to my Dad’s work our place is listed under my Mum’s Maiden name, as she is Australian-born, and the house is located at Jutland Parade,” Jasper informed me. “You got to be kidding me, that is one of the most exclusive areas in the whole of Perth,” I exclaimed, “Yep, and boy do I have an awesome view of the river from my bedroom each morning,” Jasper responded. “How do you travel between your place and here each day?” I asked.

“A chauffeured car, it’s all part of me remaining safe at all times, I even have a bodyguard that keeps an eye on me while on campus each day,” Jasper replied. I immediately looked around to see if I could see anyone who would fit the profile of a bodyguard, but no one stood out at all and Jasper laughed. “You will have to look a bit closer,” he said to me smiling broadly before I spotted a young man just a few metres away who was wearing reading glasses and carrying a backpack, who looked like a computer nerd.

He looked to be only a year or so older, and he looked very fit but also appeared to be just an average university student, and when he saw me looking he smiled and nodded. “The computer nerd, looking dude with the Red Jacket with short back and sides haircut?” I asked. “Yep, his name is Eric, he is ex-army, discharged early due to a training injury, although you wouldn’t know it, as he is a damn fast runner and quick on his reactions too, and he attended the same private high school as me, so I have known him for a few years now,” Jasper responded.

“Wow, this is amazing, so what do you do now that you have no lectures or a tutorial for the rest of the day?” I asked, “Well, if it is a nice enough day, I will either soak up some sun by the pool, watch a movie on the big screen or if I need to let off some energy like now, I will paddle on the kayaks on the river… Do you want to come over for a while? You are welcome to hang out with me for the rest of the afternoon,” Jasper asked, “That would be great, would Eric mind?” I responded.

“Not at all Mr Hudson, you have already been cleared by a security check, which was approved by Mr Wright Senior,” Eric responded quietly, I was a little surprised by this revelation, but understood that it would have happened even if I hadn’t accepted the invitation. “Just follow the car, and we will see you there,” Jasper said when we arrived at the car park, where the small limo was parked waiting, and my jeep was not that far away. I followed Jasper towards where Jasper lives and I was not sure what to expect.

From the University we turned down Broadway which is one of the main access roads to the University, and turned right onto Hillway and left onto Bruce Street, which becomes Birdwood Parade, which has some great raised views of the Swan River and the city of Perth and some very expensive houses. Eventually, at a Y junction, Birdwaood Parade then became Jutland Parade, with the occasional views of the river between some of the properties, and I slowed right down as the front car indicated and turned left into a driveway with a large wall along the front boundary.

While the front car parked in front of the garages, I parked halfway down the driveway, and I followed Jasper as he went up a few steps and opened the front door, “Mrs Dempster, I am home,” he called out, as we entered a large entry hallway, where I could see a living area at the end, and beyond that was a large swimming pool, with glass fencing and a stunning view of the Swan River. “Wow, what a view,” I stated as we entered the living area and a woman in her 50s appeared.

“Hello Master Jasper, how was your day?” she asked my new friend, “Fine, just same as usual. This is my new friend Mr Cooper Hudson, and Dad has already screened him and he is cleared,” Jasper responded, “Very good, has Eric gone home?” Mrs Dempster asked, and I realised then that I hadn’t noticed him at all since leaving the campus, “He headed for home as soon as I was in the limo at Campus,” Jasper replied. I was given a tour of the main and upper levels of the house, explaining that the lower level was Mrs Dempster’s living quarters and was off-limits to everyone, and after a snack from Mrs Dempster, we headed out to the pool area.

“This is a very incredible place your family has here,” I said as we sat down on the patio chairs overlooking the pool and the river. “Yeah not bad for a house that was built in the late 1970s, and the family also owns the small property next door at the bottom of Wattle Ave, which was also built in the 1970s, which is a three-bedroom house, also with stunning river views. Which will become my official home when Dad retires and the family move permanently to Dalkeith,” Jasper announced.

“What are you going to do when you finish your Science degree?” I asked, “Not entirely sure just yet, I just wanted to get a university degree of some kind first, I am also doing a Diploma in Education too, so maybe I will become a high school Science teacher,” Jasper replied. After an enjoyable visit to Jasper’s place, I headed home to South Perth, where Mum announced that I had just missed a call from the London Barrister Mr Thymes, so I headed to my room and dialled his number as I glanced at my watch to see what the time difference is.

“Hello Cooper, thank you for returning my call so promptly. As per your request, I looked at properties for purchase in the South Perth area, and I have come up with a slight deviation from your suggestions. Instead of a house on a decent block of land, how would you like 806 2m of land with a run-down house on it and 824 2m of cleared land next door, that is ripe for development into whatever you want,” the Barrister announced to me when he answered the phone call, a little surprised that he answered it directly.

“That sounds very interesting sir, where about is it exactly?” I responded, “How about I meet you at Rambla on Swan at South Perth Esplanade in 15 minutes to discuss it,” Mr Thymes said to me and it took me a few moments to register what he said and realise that he was here in Western Australia. “You are here in South Perth?” I asked in shock, and Mr Thymes chuckled. “That is correct, see you shortly,” he replied before ending the call.

When I stepped into the café, I spotted a gentleman in a very expensive suit sipping a cup of tea so I headed in his direction, when he saw me approaching he smiled and stood. “Hello Copper, it is nice to meet you face to face at last, please join me,” he said as we shook hands. After a cup of tea with some light conversation, I was itching to find out where this property’s located. “You do realise that you are very wealthy and that you could buy a lot of properties with what you have,” Mr Thymes said to me.

“Well, I guessed that I had enough to be able to run the estate well, and for the property to be in tip-top condition, other than that, no I haven’t been given any great detail on what I inherited,” I responded, and Mr Thymes handed me a file, which had Cooper Hudson Esq written on the side tab, which made me lift an eyebrow to query this, and Mr Thymes laughed. “In the UK, if you own an estate and you don’t have a title then you are referred to as Esquire,” he said to me and I nodded in understanding.

“I have invested in property on behalf of your estate over the past few years, of which you are aware of some of them, being the properties in West Toodyay, but I also quietly purchased four 3-bedroom apartments and two 4-bedroom penthouses located in one block of land her in South Perth, with tenants renting the apartments on five-year rental agreements, which are due to expire at the end of this year. As it happens, this property is next door to the two properties that I mentioned to you earlier. Let’s take a walk and go and see what I mean,” he said to me.

After paying the bill, we headed out of the café and on the esplanade as we faced the river, we turned left, and after nearly 150 metres we stopped at the corner of a road junction, where we crossed over the main road and walked another thirty metres until we stopped on the corner of the main park that overlooks the Swan River and the city beyond. “We are here,” Mr Thymes announced, and I looked across the road where to the left was a three-level apartment block, that looked like it had penthouses on the top level.

“That apartment building is mine?” I asked, “Yes, for the past five years the family estate has owned it, and the land beside it is what I am proposing you buy as well,” Mr Thymes responded. “Wow, that land must be worth millions with those kinds of views,” I said, “Yes, they are asking a good amount, but I have managed to negotiate it down to a reasonable price,” Mr Thymes replied. “Ok, if you think that it is a good deal, go for it,” I answered, and Mr Thymes smiled as he retrieved his mobile and dialled a number.

“Yes hello, this is Mr Thymes, we will offer to purchase the two blocks of land at the price we had negotiated earlier,” he said when the call was answered. By the end of the call be was smiling broadly, “It has been set, you will own this land by the end of this week,” he announced to me. “You said the house is derelict, I am presuming you mean that one up this side street?” I asked, “Yes, that is correct, white ants have made it unlivable so it was to be condemned and pulled down,” Mr Thymes replied.

“The apartments look fairly old too. Do you think we could pull them down and make it into one large block and make something special from the space,” I suggested, “That would be a very good idea, and you are looking at 9,000 square metres of land with all three blocks together. How about we meet again tomorrow and discuss it some more,” Mr Thymes said to me. “I think that is a good idea, but not tomorrow, as I already have arrangements, I am heading up to the estate tomorrow, so I will have to decide what to do at another time,” I replied.

“Very well, may I come along tomorrow as well please,” Mr Thymes asked me, “That would be great, I look forward to giving you a tour of the place. How long are you in Perth for, before you have to head back home?” I asked, “I have a flight out on Tuesday morning early,” Mr Thymes replied, “Excellent, you are also invited to the estate this Saturday to watch the world-famous Avon Descent Boat race,” I replied.

“I am staying at the Ritz Carlton Hotel on Elizabeth Quay if you can collect me from there please,” Mr Thymes said to me, “That is fine, how do you get from here to there? Do you have a hire car?” I asked, “No dear boy, I have been enjoying the journey across the river by ferry, as I explored your wonderful zoo a little earlier today,” Mr Thymes said in reply, “Yeah, that is a great place isn’t it, I have always enjoyed going there,” I answered.

Back at home, Mum asked me where I had disappeared to, and I just said that I went to the South Perth shopping centre to meet up with a friend, where Mum seemed satisfied with the answer, as I headed to the study to do some work on assignments. After dinner, as I was relaxing before heading to bed, I received a text from Jasper, “I am looking forward to seeing the estate tomorrow, see you at Campus, goodnight,” and I smiled as I read this, “Good night, Mozzies bite,” I texted back. “Urgh, they sure do, bloody things, they seem to like my half-Canadian blood, lol. Goodnight,” I received in response, which made me chuckle.