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    Written by: Christine V. Schofield   Produced by: John Holmes   Directed by: Graeme Hodgson

David rushes into the Palmer house, all smiles and wanting to tell Beryl something, but she's on the 'phone, so he comes to an abrupt halt. Beryl tells the person she's talking to to keep their chin up. She then hangs up and tells David that that was Rob - Angela's been down to see him. She adds that she was hoping she might pop in and see them as well. David points out that, after she'd seen Rob, she probably wouldn't want to come round there. Changing the subject, he points out to Beryl that he was all excited when he came in, and she doesn't even seem interested. Beryl asks him what's happened, and David replies that he's got to go to court tomorrow, as the judge wants to tell him a few things. When Beryl looks confused, David explains that the charges are being dropped! They hug in delight. David tells Beryl that the police found Margaret in Perth and she told them everything.

At Woombai, Jill is on the 'phone to Rosie, and she tells her that that's wonderful news. She hangs up and then turns to Wayne and tells him that Rosie is coming down in the morning. She asks Wayne if he's feeling any better, but he just replies that he's alright. He tells Jill to go off and enjoy herself. Jill says Rosie told her that Gordon almost cancelled his honeymoon, but Wayne snaps that his father is only feeling guilty. Jill, getting annoyed, asks Wayne is he's going to try and forget what's happened or sit around brooding. Wayne thinks for a moment and then asks why should he let Gordon ruin his life?

The 'phone rings at Dural, and Rosie runs downstairs to answer it. The caller is Beth. She asks to speak to Jill, but Rosie explains that she isn't there. She offers to give Beth the number at Woombai, but Beth says it's OK and she hangs up. She then picks up the 'phone book from the floor of the room she's in, which appears to have been trashed. She turns to find a number and then dials and gets through to a booking office. She asks for a ticket for a train to Woombai from the Scone area, where she is currently. She gives her name and adds that she doesn't want a return. She then hangs up and walks over to the broken mirror hanging on the wall, where she examines a bruise on the side of her face.

John walks into the Woombai homestead and calls out for Jill. Jill immediately tells him not to be so loud, as Wayne is asleep. John looks annoyed, and Jill realises that Fiona didn't tell him about their visitor. John asks if Gordon is going to come and get Wayne, but Jill replies that she 'phoned him and told him that she doesn't think it's such a good idea for him to come right away as Wayne is very angry. She then adds that Rosie is coming down to help. John bitterly comments that bang goes their plans to have the place to themselves that evening. Jill says Wayne will probably sleep through it. John annoyedly asks her why she gets mixed up with Wayne, but Jill replies that Wayne helped her when she had problems. John says he supposes he'll have to make an appointment to see her, now. Jill laughs, and they hug!

Later that evening, the two of them are lying on the floor on the cushions from the couch, and Jill tells John that she knew they'd be OK. As they lie there happily, John remarks that he never thought they'd be doing this again. Wayne suddenly comes in, and disrupts the mood. Jill goes off to get him some food, leaving Wayne to remark to John that he expects he minds him being there. John bitterly asks, "What do you think?" Wayne replies that he thinks Jill wants him to stay, and he adds that there's not much John can do about it. John stands up and tells Wayne that he's a real leech. Wayne retorts that Jill was an idiot to take John back, and he asks John what a loser like him has got to offer her.

The next morning, David is in his suit in the kitchen at The Terrace as Beryl works. David offers his wife a hand, but Beryl realises he's just trying to fill in time because he's nervous. They hear a car pull up outside, and David comments that it must be Tony. He adds that he just wants to wish him the best for his first day. Beryl remarks that he really wanted to see if Tony actually turned up!

The car is being driven by Tony's mate, Rizzo, who jokes about Tony going straight. Tony tries to deny this, saying that he's going to meet his ex-cellmate, who's cutting him in on a job worth $50,000. He gets out of the car, but as he does so, Rizzo calls to him not to leave his fingerprints on the dishes when he's drying up!

Tony goes inside and immediately sees David wearing his suit. He jokes that he hopes the charges are being dropped! David offers Tony some money to tide him over until payday. Tony initially declines, but David persuades him to take it. Seeing the nervous look on Tony's face as he faces the prospect of working there, David tells him that he's faced worse than this!

Rosie has arrived at Woombai and she hugs Wayne and asks him if he's alright. Wayne tells her that he's sorry he worried her. Rosie replies that he worried all of them. At the implication that Gordon was worried, Wayne's mood sours again, and he leaves the room. Jill tells Rosie that he responds like that every time Gordon is mentioned, and she adds that it seems like he really hates him. Rosie tells Jill that she's got something in her case that might help. She continues that Wayne has never really thought about his mother's side of the family, and she thinks it's time she lets him know what it was like back then.

Sometime later, Wayne is sitting looking at the photos in an album. Rosie tells him that Gordon and Nancy were so happy back then, and when they knew that Wayne was on the way, she'd never seen two people so excited. She continues that, when she put Wayne in Nancy's arms, she just smiled. Wayne cries that it's not his fault she died. Rosie tells him that it broke Gordon's heart - she's never seen a man love a woman so much. Wayne bitterly says that Gordon wished him dead, instead. Rosie replies that Gordon didn't mean to hurt him. Wayne asks why Gordon then married Patricia, as she didn't want him either. Rosie explains that Gordon needed someone. Wayne asks what about him? Rosie tells him that Gordon has spent seventeen years trying to make it up to him. Wayne snaps that he hasn't made it up. Looking disappointed, Rosie tells Wayne that she's heading up to Brisbane tomorrow, and she hoped the problems would be sorted out before then. Wayne says he's sorry.

John is busy working in the grounds at Woombai when Jill walks over to him and asks if he can put his feet up for the afternoon. John remarks on Jill actually getting to spend some time with him, but Jill tells him not to make fun of her. She suggests they go into town or something. John suggests that they go for the 'or something'! He then asks who's going to hold 'Wayney's' hand. Jill replies that Rosie is with him.

Beth is in a taxi, heading towards Woombai, and the driver asks her if she's interested in horses. She replies that she isn't really. She explains that she's going to visit her daughter, who's staying with Mrs. Thompson. The car behind them suddenly starts tooting its horn, and the taxi driver comments that the the car has been behind them all the way since the station. The other car overtakes, and Beth asks if it's heading for Woombai. The driver says it isn't as it's gone past the turning. Beth looks worried.

Beth knocks on the front door at the homestead and Rosie answers it. Beth asks if Jill is there, but Rosie tells her that she's just missed her. Beth explains that she's Jill's mother, and a huge smile comes over Rosie's face as she tells Beth that she's delighted to meet her. She invites her in and shows her where to put her case. Beth sits down and Rosie remarks that she thought she'd be overseas by now. Beth replies that there's been a change of plan. Rosie notices the bruise on Beth's face, and Beth explains that it was due to a misunderstanding with her husband - he doesn't know his own strength sometimes; she was hoping that Jill would be able to put her up for a few days. Rosie offers Beth some lunch. Beth replies that she doesn't want to put Rosie to any trouble, but Rosie says it's no trouble. She adds that it'll just be the three of them, and then says Beth knows Wayne, doesn't she? Beth's face drops.

David arrives home from court. He's holding an envelope, which he opens. He takes out a couple of sheets of paper, which he sits down and reads. He then stands up and goes out.

Beryl is serving some customers at The Terrace. Having shown Tony how it's done, she tells him that now it's his turn. She reminds him to follow what she told him, and Tony recalls that she means 'be polite, pleasant and never pushy'. He walks over to where a middle-aged gentleman is sitting looking at the menu, and asks him if he's ready to order yet. The man says he isn't. Tony continues to stand there, though, hovering behind the man, who begins to look annoyed. He eventually orders spinach quiche. Tony goes to write it down, and asks the man to repeat it. The man does, and Tony laughs that he thought he had said 'Spanish geese'! He bends down and leans on the table to write down the order, upsetting the man further by commenting on the funny words, and pronouncing 'quiche' as 'kwitch'. The man tells him that it's French, and Tony replies that he never did French. The man asks him what he did do, then, and Tony responds, "Three months for breaking and entering!" He quickly tells the man that it was a joke and heads for the kitchen. He starts to tell Beryl about what just happened, but David comes in the back door and asks for a private word with Beryl. Tony leaves them to it. David gives Beryl the letter and explains that it's from Margaret: she wrote it when the police caught up with her - things she thought he should know but which the police wouldn't believe. He continues that she wasn't the only person who knew Martin committed suicide. Beryl asks who else knew. David tells her that Patricia knew - Martin wrote her a letter and she burnt it, but as there's no evidence, the police aren't interested. Beryl asks David what he's going to do. David replies that he went round to Toorak but she wasn't there - lucky for her. He adds that, when he finds her, she's going to wonder what hit her.

At Woombai, Rosie and Beth are talking, and Rosie explains about her heading up to Brisbane tomorrow morning because she's getting married. Beth replies that Doug is very lucky. Rosie says Doug's grandson, John, is lucky as well. She then adds that she doesn't suppose Beth has heard... Beth excitedly asks if John and Jill are back together, and she looks surprised but delighted. Wayne suddenly comes in and stops in his tracks when he sees who's sitting there. Beth bluntly says, "Hello, Wayne." Rosie leaves them to it while she goes to get lunch. Wayne suggests to Beth that they go outside.

On the verandah, Beth remarks to Wayne that things haven't turned out the way he wanted. Wayne ignores this and asks Beth why she's there; he paid her off. Beth replies that she came to see Jill. Wayne tells her that it's a pity she came for nothing. He continues that there's a train back to the city this afternoon, and he wants Beth on it. Beth insists that she doesn't want to cause trouble, but Wayne snaps that he'll drive her to the station. He tells her to get her things, but Beth says no. She then adds that she doesn't think they have anything else to discuss privately.

They go back inside, where Wayne asks Beth what the real reason is for her being there. Beth replies that she's in a fix, and she needs a place to stay for a few days. Wayne asks what sort of fix. Beth tells Wayne that she doesn't know why he's panicking. Wayne replies that Jill is the only real friend he's got left. Beth comments on him not being all that popular anymore... She then explains that she left the parlour and got a job working for a man named Michael Wilson - something more upmarket; she was at the apartment of one of her clients when she heard some things she shouldn't have; Wilson is a very important man, and he can't afford scandal, so he sent someone around to warn her. Wayne listens and then asks if that's supposed to make him let her stay. Beth replies that it's just for a few days, and she adds that he can't send her back. Wayne snaps, "Can't I?" Beth tells him no. She then asks how he would like it if she told Jill and Rosie what had been going on: Rosie's little boy hiring a prostitute, trying to con Jill and trying to split her up from both John and Brian... She adds that if Wayne pushes her, she'll tell them the lot; she's scared, and she'll do anything to stay there. Wayne looks furious as Beth tells him to think about it...

 

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