The next morning, Wayne is having breakfast at the living room table at Dural when Barbara comes in. He says a cheerful, "Good morning." Barbara sits down and Wayne comments that she doesn't look as if she slept very well. He adds, "I suppose knowing Alison was in a motel with dad--" Barbara interrupts and snaps, "Don't bother, Wayne. The car broke down, that is all. There is nothing suspicious about it." Wayne asks, "Would you like me to run you up to Woombai, just to make sure?" Barbara reminds him curtly, "Don't you have a luncheon appointment?" Wayne replies that he can cancel it. Barbara, though, tells him, "I wouldn't if I were you. Gordon has doubts about your ability to run the company; shooting off to Woombai for no particular reason is going to look a bit irresponsible, don't you think?" Wayne smiles, "I'm only concerned about you..." There's silence. Wayne then says, "Are you sure you wouldn't like me to run you up to Woombai? Might give you peace of mind." Barbara snaps, "Contrary to popular opinion, Wayne, my marriage is as solid as a rock. Anyway, the infection might be catching; I don't want the children to get it."

Gordon and Alison arrive at Woombai and Gordon apologises to a young woman who's there - who he calls Coral - for being late. He adds that it seems there was water in the petrol tank. Coral asks in surprise how it got in there. Alison tells her, "Kids, probably. They were fooling around at the bowser." A young child suddenly comes in. He's carrying a catapult, which he aims at Gordon! He then runs off. Coral snaps at him, "Jason, come back here and apologise!" The child doesn't return, though. Coral assures Gordon and Alison that most of the children there are very well behaved. Alison asks about Jason's parents. Before Coral can reply, though, there's a scream from outside, and she dashes off to see what's going on. Gordon muses to Alison, "What have we let ourselves in for?!"

In Irene's flat at the boarding house, Fiona asks Janice when she starts prac. teaching. She replies, "Monday, for three weeks." Irene asks her if she's got everything ready. Janice replies that she's got one more lesson to prepare on the War years in Australia. Fiona smiles that she's got vivid memories of the War. Janice retorts, "They're probably not suitable for High School students!" Fiona glances at Irene, a bemused expression on her face! Janice then suggests that she'd better go home and start working. Fiona quickly offers to let Janice look at her newspaper clippings. She adds that she'll dig them out. She tells Janice that she'll call her when she finds them. Janice quickly replies that she'll call Fiona. Fiona insists that it's no trouble. Janice, though, retorts, "No - I don't know where I'll be, that's all." Irene comments, "I thought you were going home?" Janice quickly says, "Well yes - but I might drop into the library on the way." With that, she makes a quick exit. As Irene closes the door, she asks Fiona what that was all about. Fiona muses, "Obviously, she doesn't want us calling her at home. Maybe she hasn't told 'Dear George' that she's spending time here..." Changing the subject, Irene offers her a hand looking out the scrapbook. Fiona, though, suggests, "Actually, why don't we go for a drive? I know someone who kept a much better one than I did..."

A while later, Irene and Fiona are sitting with May at a table in the grounds of the mansion. May queries, "Newspaper clippings?" Fiona smiles, "You used to have a book, remember? During the War." May gasps, "Oh yes, that's right!" She then adds, though, , "I don't know where it is now - I think I might have thrown them out." An old drunk suddenly walks up to them and holds out a bottle. May snaps at him, "Do you mind?" He walks off again and May mutters, "I don't know what this place is coming to, these days." Fiona laughs, "It should have stayed 1945 forever..." May says distantly, "I had dark hair then. I was quite pretty, too. Funny how it goes..." Fiona points out, "At least you've got somewhere to live, May; I'm still looking for a place." May suggests, "Why don't you move in here? I can show you a lovely room, right next to mine. You'll recognise it when you see it. At least have a look at it - it's in very good condition." Fiona looks at Irene and suggests, "It wouldn't do any harm just to have a look..." Irene, looking concerned, sighs, "Alright..."

A few minutes later, the three women enter a dingy, untidy room inside the boarding house. May tells Fiona and Irene that it needs a spring clean and a good airing, but otherwise... Irene growls, "It could do with a lot more than that." She then adds, "Look, May, Fiona's recovering from a serious operation; she couldn't possibly live here." May insists, "I can help her." Irene, though, tells her, "She needs her own bathroom; proper care." May retorts, "I'm right next door." Fiona suddenly asks, "How much would it cost?" May tells her, "If I had my way, it would still be two-and-six..." Fiona says, "Seeing as you don't..." Irene cries, "Fiona...!" May, though, tells Fiona, "$35. It's wicked, isn't it?" Fiona, looking surprised, muses, "Scandalous! I'll take it!"

Back in Irene's flat at the boarding house, Irene tells Fiona, "You're being stupid." Fiona point outs, "You can't stop me." Irene sighs, "I know. I just wish you wouldn't do it." Fiona assures her, "I'll be alright." She then goes on, "When I lived there before - during the War time - May and I used to take it in turns to 'brew the jars', we used to call it, and we'd sit around deciding what to do for the rest of the day; there was always something on. That old house was full of so much life... fun..." Irene tells her, "Nostalgia's no reason to risk your health, Fiona." Fiona murmurs, "I just want to feel young again." Irene tells her that she should be with friends until she's recovered. Fiona insists, "May is a friend." Irene retorts, "She was an acquaintance, forty years ago." Fiona, though, murmurs, "No, she was much more than that. Once, she even went--" She breaks off, however, and says quietly that she doesn't want to give away a confidence. She continues, "We were very close, though."

Wayne runs downstairs at Dural with a packed case. Barbara is standing in the hallway and she asks him where he's going. He replies, "Woombai." Barbara sighs, "I thought I told you at breakfast Gordon would not--" Wayne interrupts and retorts, "I clinched the deal over the 'phone. No need for a business lunch after all." He then adds, "You might be happy to sit back and let Alison take over, but there's no way I'm going to." With that, he heads out, leaving Barbara looking worried.

Alison is standing in the lounge room at Woombai when Gordon comes in and asks if she's coming on the pony rides. She replies distantly that she'd love to. Gordon asks if something's wrong. Alison explains, "I was just thinking about Jason: Coral said his mother just dumped him." Gordon comments that he's certainly had a rough time of it. Alison goes on, "I can't understand how she could do that; she could at least have found an aunt or a friend or something." Gordon remarks, "I suppose that Welfare fed and clothed him. Children need more than that, don't they?" Alison muses, "I bet Wayne was given everything, wasn't he?" Gordon retorts, "I always gave him love, but he was never spoilt - Patricia saw to that. Now there was a lady who could dump her children." Alison - a brief flicker of annoyance crossing her face - quickly says, "I think you're being unfair." Gordon points out, "She walked away from Mary." Alison retorts, "Yes, but she left her with someone who could look after her." Gordon asks, "That makes it OK?" Alison admits, "No. But she probably had good reasons for doing what she did." Gordon mutters, "God knows what they were. A child can never get over being dumped. I can't forgive her for doing that." Alison tells him, "I think you're judging her too harshly." Gordon retorts, "I don't." At that moment, a young girl comes in and says to Alison, "Mrs. Carr, the brat shot the rabbit with his shanghai - but he's still breathing." Alison smiles at Gordon and suggests that they'd better see how it is.

Outside, another young boy is yelling at Jason, "You killed him, you nerd. Why didn't you pick on somebody your own size?" A group of kids are standing around them as Alison and Gordon approach them and pull the two boys apart. Alison bends down over the rabbit. Jason snaps, "I didn't do anything wrong." Alison picks up the rabbit and assures them, "It's alright. He's not going to die." Gordon suggests to the children that they go and have some morning tea. They all run off. Jason lingers, and Gordon asks him what he's going to say for himself. Jason tells him, "You kill rabbits; everyone knows that." Gordon replies, "Wild ones, maybe, but this is a pet." Alison tells Gordon that she'll talk to Jason. Gordon says he'll be in the house. He heads off. Jason asks Alison, "You going to belt me?" Alison shakes her head. Jason asks suspiciously, "What, then?" Alison tells him, "I thought we might just have a talk. Fix the rabbit up and get to know each other as we go along. OK?"

A while later, inside the homestead, the rabbit is recovering in a large cardboard box. Jason is telling him, "I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm sorry." Alison comes in from the kitchen and Jason quickly tells her, "I'm going to kill any rabbit I come across - him included." Alison asks, "Why?" Jason retorts, "Because... you're meant to." Alison points out, "Some children like to keep them as pets." She then goes on, "My cousin had a rabbit once. I hated it because my parents wouldn't let me have one." Jason tells her, "I know how you feel - my mum never gave me anything, either." Gordon comes into the homestead and stands in the hallway as Alison continues, "One day, I let it out of its hutch." Jason asks what happened. Alison replies, "Someone shot it with an air rifle." Jason asks, "Was your cousin upset?" Alison nods, "Mmm. She really loved it." Jason mutters, "Girls are stupid." Alison tells him, "I pretended I couldn't care less. I did, though. It was only wounded, but I couldn't bear to see an animal in so much pain." Jason mutters, "They don't feel anything." Alison, though, tells him, "They feel exactly the same as you and me." Jason hesitates and then says, "I didn't mean to hurt him. I just wanted..." He breaks off, and Alison suggests, "Some attention?" Jason nods sadly and then cries, "Why can't everyone have someone to care for them?"

Sometime later, Alison and Gordon are enjoying afternoon tea in the lounge room as Coral stands at the living room table and comments that it seems like Alison's won a heart with Jason. She adds that he's a real loner, but he's his own worst enemy. She then heads out to the kitchen, and Gordon comments to Alison that she gets on well with Jason. Alison nods that she seems to. Gordon smiles, "I wouldn't have the patience, I'm afraid." The front door suddenly bangs and Wayne comes in. Alison's face drops. Gordon asks him in surprise what he's doing there. Wayne grins, "I thought I'd sign on as a counsellor at Camp Woombai!" Alison growls, "Aren't you supposed to be at a business luncheon?" Wayne retorts, "Wasn't necessary. Signed the deal without having to hit the expense account." He then asks how it's going with the kids. Gordon tells him, "We had a problem with one of them, but thanks to Alison, it sorted itself out." Alison adds, "We were just about to enter the fray again." Wayne tells her, "You go ahead. Something I have to talk over with dad." Alison sighs, "I'll see you outside, Gordon." She goes. Gordon then asks Wayne, "What is it?" Wayne hesitates before replying, "I don't know any other way to put this except straight on the line: Barbara's rash isn't getting any better; in fact, since you've been running around with Alison, it's getting worse." Gordon snaps, "I have not been running around with Alison." Wayne murmurs, "Barbara thinks you have." Gordon retorts, "Then she's being plain silly." Wayne replies, "Maybe - but I reckon it's Alison who's to blame." Gordon demands, "Why?" Wayne tells him, "She deliberately upset Barbara last night when she rang to announce the two of you were spending the night in a motel." Gordon asks, "What was she supposed to say?" Wayne explains, "It was the way she put it - as if there was more to it." Gordon snaps, "Barbara's imagination is obviously running away with her." Wayne tells him, "She hasn't forgotten Liz." Gordon growls, "For God's sake, I told her at the time that it would never happen again, and it won't." Wayne suggests, "Maybe she needs reassuring?"

Irene is standing with Barbara in the lounge room at Dural and Barbara asks, "Am I infectious?" Irene has a file in her hand and she smiles, "No you're not - it's just a nerve rash, caused mainly by worry." The 'phone suddenly starts ringing and Barbara goes to get it. STD pips sound and Gordon then comes on. Barbara tells him that Irene just came over with the results of her tests: she could have come to Woombai after all, as it's only a nerve rash. Gordon mutters, "That's good." Barbara then asks if Wayne has arrived yet. Gordon retorts, "Yes. He told me that you're worried about me being with Alison." Barbara snaps, "After Alison's 'phone call last night, I think I'm coping rather well." Gordon mutters, "Doesn't sound like it." Barbara snaps, "She told me you and she were shacking-up at some motel. How am I supposed to sound?" Gordon retorts, "We were hardly 'shacked-up'." Barbara snaps, "You spent the night together." Gordon growls, "We did not sleep together." Barbara snaps, "How do I know that?" Gordon retorts, "Barbara, you're behaving like a fishwife." Barbara snaps, "Yes, well, in case you've forgotten, you're married to me." Gordon yells, "I have not forgotten and I hardly need reminding." With that, he slams down the 'phone. At Dural, Barbara does likewise.

At the mansion, Janice is tidying up the room that has been set aside for Fiona. May suddenly comes in and demands, "Who are you? What are you doing here? This room isn't for rent." Janice just smiles, "Hello, May!" May says indignantly, "I don't know you." Janice reminds her, "I'm Fiona's niece, Janice Reid." May accepts this and then smiles, "I'm looking forward to Fiona moving in - it'll just be like old times and all the fun we used to have!" Janice warns her not to bother Fiona too much, as she hasn't been too well and needs all the rest she can get. May, though, glares at her and mutters, "You're very rude and extremely impolite." Janice snaps, "I beg your pardon?" May goes to walk off, but then pauses and says, "Oh - and I'm Miss. Walters to you."

Barbara is seeing Irene out at Dural. Irene suggests to her that maybe she should go up to Woombai, for her own peace of mind. Barbara, though, sighs that Gordon and Alison would only think she was going up to spy on them, and she won't give them that satisfaction; there are other ways of coping. Irene asks, "Like what?" Barbara replies, "Like spending a day at the golf club, relaxing." Irene asks her if she'll be able to. Barbara laughs, "I'll just pretend every ball I hit is Alison's head!" With that, Irene goes. Barbara closes the door behind her. She then leans against it and bursts into tears...

Fiona is in her room at the mansion. Janice is pottering around and Fiona asks her if she got to the library this morning. Janice replies, "Yes." Fiona adds that she's sorry - she still hasn't found that scrapbook. Janice muses, "Whenever." May suddenly comes in and asks Fiona if she's settling in. Fiona laughs, "Hardly - I don't move in until tomorrow!" Janice hands May a piece of paper and says to her curtly, "Take this list to the manager and tell him these repairs need doing immediately." May, though, hands the paper back to her and tells her, "I never go near the manager, if I can help it." Janice sighs, "Then I'll do it myself." May, however, quickly says, "There's no need. I'll go." She takes the paper again and walks off. When she's gone, Janice tells Fiona that she doesn't think she should move in until the repairs are done. Fiona points out, "As long as they're done eventually... I can make-do for a while." Janice retorts, "Aunty Fiona, you're not living in substandard conditions." Fiona, though, chastises, "Aunt Fiona!" Janice sighs, "We can't have you getting sick again." Fiona laughs, "I don't think I'd be game!" Janice then asks if everything is packed for the removalists in the morning. Fiona smiles, "It will be!" At that moment, May comes back in and announces, "Mr. Barnes behaved exactly as I thought he would." Fiona asks what he said. May replies, "$35 a week, take it or leave it." Janice asks if he's going to do the repairs. May retorts, "Oh, no!" Fiona takes the piece of paper and then declares, "We'll see if he's going to do those repairs or not..."

Wayne is sitting with Gordon in the lounge room at Woombai, saying, "She hasn't been very well. That on top of the way she feels about Alison..." Gordon retorts that there was no excuse for what Barbara said. Wayne points out, "You know Barbara. She sometimes says things without thinking." He suggests that his father give her a ring. Gordon, though, snaps that he's not putting himself through that again. At that moment, Alison comes back in. Gordon tells her that he's sorry he left her with the children. Alison tells him that they could do with his help now, with rounding up the kids. Gordon heads out. When he's gone, Alison grins at Wayne, "What's the matter, Wayne? You don't look very happy." Wayne growls, "You think you've got him twisted round your little finger, don't you?" Alison retorts, "Your father seems to like me, if that's what you mean." Wayne suddenly grabs her arm and pulls her towards him, snapping, "Don't get too sure of yourself. Blood's thicker than water." Alison snarls, "Stop it." Wayne growls, "One day you'll go too far - then it'll be my turn." Alison hisses again, "Oh Wayne, stop it." Jason suddenly runs into the lounge room, aims his catapult at Wayne and fires it. It hits Wayne and he yells, "Ow!" He immediately lets go of Alison's arm and starts chasing after Jason.

They head outside, where Wayne snarls, "I'm going to teach him a lesson." He grabs the boy and picks him up. He starts struggling. Gordon joins them and asks what's going on. Alison tells him, "Jason thought Wayne was going to hurt me." Wayne snaps, "He shot me in the butt with his shanghai!" Gordon orders, "Let him go, Wayne. I'm sure he didn't mean it." Wayne puts Jason down reluctantly. Jason tells Gordon, "He was twisting Alison's arm, so I shot him to make him let go." Gordon demands, "Is that true?" Wayne retorts, "Yes. Do you want to see the bruise?" Gordon retorts, "No, not that. About twisting her arm." Wayne admits, "More or less. I wasn't going to break it, or anything." Gordon tells Alison to go back to the house. She escorts Jason off. Gordon then demands of Wayne, "What on earth did you think you were doing? Why were you twisting her arm?" Wayne snaps, "I was trying to warn her off. I didn't hurt her." Gordon growls, "You've caused nothing but trouble since you've been here. The sooner you leave, the better." With that, he walks off.

Alison is standing in the lounge room, looking smug, when Wayne wanders in and mutters, "Paid off your little thug, have you?" He then adds bitterly, "You think you're pretty clever, don't you?" Alison muses, "Doesn't take much to outsmart you." Wayne retorts, "At least I don't hide behind kids. You're only using them to impress dad." Alison mutters, "That's not true." Wayne, though, snaps, "Bull. Why are you bothering with dad anyway? A bit of sport?" Alison retorts, "No." Wayne, however, goes on, "Course it is. But it's James I pity: dad will see through you eventually, but poor old James... he'll be lucky to last the distance once he's married to you." Alison glares at him and murmurs, "Now you're going too far." Wayne, however, persists, "You're going to lose him just like you lost all the other men in your life." Alison retorts, "You don't know anything about my life." Wayne, though, insists, "There were others, though, weren't there? I bet there was one you really loved; there usually is. In fact, I bet he walked out on you too. Is that why you fled to Rio?" Alison snaps, "Shut up." Wayne, however, goes on, "Why did he leave you?" Alison just stands and glares at him. He then warns her, "You won't be dad's best pal for long. The world is going to start tumbling down around you, Alison - sooner than you think..." With that, he walks off, leaving Alison looking thoughtful.