At the country house, Beryl is washing-up in the kitchen. Caroline
is doing the drying-up, but she hands a plate back to Beryl and
spits, "You missed something." The back door
suddenly opens and Doug and David walk in, Doug saying, "I
think it's a great purchase." Beryl asks Doug, "You
like the truck, then?" David smiles, "A man
would be mad if he didn't!" Doug announces that he and David
have got some business to talk about, and he asks Beryl and Caroline
to leave them. Caroline growls, "Of course - if you wouldn't
mind finishing the washing-up for us." She and Beryl walk
out. Doug tells David, "I reckon you got quite a bargain
with that rig." David, though, just sighs, "I don't
want to stick my nose in where it's not wanted, but it's about
Caroline: I thought you would have realised she was still a bit
snitchy on you. I don't think she's forgiven you your fling with
Alison." Doug stands there, looking thoughtful.
In the lounge room, Caroline is flicking through a magazine,
looking annoyed at the loud clacking of Beryl's knitting needles.
Doug suddenly walks in and, staring at Caroline, demands, "I'd
like a straight answer from you: are you still crook at me for
what happened with Alison?" Beryl makes her excuses and leaves
quickly as Caroline retorts, "Who gave you that
idea?" Doug just snaps, "That is irrelevant. Am I forgiven
or are you just stringing me along?" Caroline protests, "Of
course I'm no--" She then breaks off and sighs,
"Oh, who cares, if you're going to think that." Doug
points out, "You can't blame me..." Caroline
suggests curtly, "Let's keep it on a straight-out employer/employee
basis: I work for you, you pay me. That's it." Doug snaps,
"Fine. And I'd like the mink coat back." Caroline retorts,
"Over my dead body." Doug snaps, "Right. If that's
the way you want it..."
In the kitchen, David is telling Beryl, "I didn't know he'd
go off the deep-end like that." Beryl, however, assures him,
"If it's anyone's fault, it's Caroline's
- she's the one that created the mess; now it's
up to her to get out of it." Doug suddenly walks
in and says quietly to David, "I think it might be a good
idea if you started putting down the names of a few people you
think might be worth approaching, and let's work out a couple
of routes you can take." David nods, "Good idea."
The two of them head outside. Caroline wanders in from the hallway
and mutters to Beryl, "I bet you enjoyed that."
Beryl retorts, "I beg your pardon?" Caroline growls,
"Embarrassing me." Beryl mutters, "I don't
like seeing anyone make a fool of themselves, Caroline."
Caroline snaps, "That's why you put the idea in Doug's head
anyway, is it?" Beryl protests, "Wasn't me."
Caroline asks suspiciously, "No...?" Beryl retorts,
"I think he's well rid of you, but I wouldn't do a thing
like that--" Caroline interrupts her and warns, "You
haven't achieved anything. I couldn't care less
about Doug's money. In fact, I'm getting all the money I need
very shortly..."
In Sydney, Susan is arranging some flowers next to Wayne's bed
at the hospital as Wayne stares at her. She's babbling about not
being able to get a taxi. Wayne eventually interrupts her, though,
says, "There's no reason why we couldn't give it
a go, is there? Try again?" Susan looks at him, nervously.
He goes on, "You know as well as I do that if it hadn't been
for Bill we would have made it before. You can't fool me: you
still feel something. Isn't it worth a chance?"
Susan cries, "It was a long time ago. Things change. We
change. My feelings have changed." Wayne asks, "Because
of Glen?" Susan, though, insists, "You know it's over
between Glen and I." Wayne comments, "You don't sound
so certain about that - not like you were before he played heroes
at the mansion." Susan retorts, "That's silly. We've
all been through a terrible experience. It just seems so petty
to hold anything against him now, that's all." Wayne suggests,
"We should talk about something else." Susan asks, "Would
you rather I left?" Wayne, though, replies quickly, "No.
Of course not. If I can only have you as a friend, it's better
than nothing. Besides, you've got a claim on me now, after saving
my life. You're responsible for me whether you like it or not!"
Susan smiles, "In that case, I'll be around as long as you
want me." With that, she gives him a kiss on the cheek.
The next morning, Charlie opens the front door of her house to
find Glen standing there. She looks at him and comments, "Darling,
you look all hot and bothered." Glen tells her, "I'm
sick of giving interviews - those reporters haven't been off my
back." Charlie smiles, "I know the feeling. I've even
taken the telephone off the hook, and for me that is pretty drastic!"
Changing the subject, Glen asks, "No further news on Alison?"
Charlie sighs, "Nothing, I'm afraid. Without Micky's statement,
there's nothing that can be done." Glen muses, "What
a predicament to find yourself in. It seems so stupid that one
piece of paper could save her from jail." Charlie shrugs
sadly, "It's starting to look more and more as though there
never was a statement."
Alison is sitting in an interview room at the police station,
her head buried in her hands. The door suddenly opens and Charlie
comes in, escorted by a prison officer. Charlie smiles brightly
at Alison, "Hello, darling. Sleep well?" Alison, though,
retorts sourly, "What does it look like, Charlie?"
She then asks, "Did you find anything?" Charlie
tells her eagerly, "No - but that's not important, is it?
The most important thing is finding the right barrister, and I've
found the best in town." Alison, however, sighs, "It's
me you're talking to. Don't try and pretend." She
then continues, "I told the police about that taxi driver
in Melbourne - you know: the one who put me on to Micky."
Charlie nods, "Yes." Alison goes on, "He's given
a statement, apparently. He's a very good witness." Charlie
smiles, "That's encouraging." Alison, however, sighs,
"Not really. It's only hearsay evidence. Without Micky's
statement to back it up, it doesn't really mean a thing."
She then looks around the interview room and murmurs, "I'm
going to have to get used to it, I suppose. I'm going to be locked
in here a long, long time..." Changing the subject, she asks
Charlie, "Would you do something for me?" Charlie
replies, "Anything, darling. You know that." Alison
says, "Could you tell David he doesn't have to worry about
a thing?" Charlie looks at her in surprise and replies, "You
mean he--" Alison interrupts and tells her, "Charlie,
I loved him. Even though I don't love him now...
even though a lot of things have changed... once you've loved
someone that much you have to draw the line at how far you'll
go. I just can't do that to him." Charlie cries
sadly, "Oh Alison..."
At the country house, Beryl is talking on the 'phone in the kitchen
as David stands next to her. She's talking to Susan and suggesting
that she go to the doctor and have a check-up herself. Susan,
though, who's in the lounge room at Dural, insists, "Mum,
I'm fine - honestly. I must admit: it's probably the most horrific
experience I've ever had, but you know me: once something's over,
it's over." Beryl nods, "Yes." She then asks, "How
about Gordon? It must have been a terrible strain on his heart."
She listens and then says, "Oh good." David chips in,
"Ask her: does she want to come home?" Beryl relays
the message, but Susan grins, "You're a pair of old fusspots!"
She listens and replies, "I worry about you, too... of course
I'd tell you... no, I'll be fine up here. I promise... OK... I'd
better go." David calls down the 'phone, "We'll give
you a ring tomorrow and see how you are." With that, he and
Beryl hang up. In Melbourne, David comments to Beryl, "Hard
to believe, isn't it?" He then goes on, "I must say
I'm surprised at Alison not going to mention that we knew about
her." Across at the table, Caroline, who's folding some washing,
asks, "What's madam been up to this time?"
David tells her, "She's been arrested. They tracked her down
through some fingerprints." A look of horror crosses Caroline's
face. David heads out, leaving Beryl to comment to Caroline, "I
don't understand. I thought you'd be pleased when they
finally caught up with Alison." Caroline replies, "I
would've a few days ago. Do you remember that money I
told you I was getting?" Beryl nods, "Yeah." Caroline
explains, "It was coming from Alison." Beryl
mouths, "Oh. Well, things don't seem to be going your way,
do they? No more mink coats from Doug and no money from Alison."
Caroline just mutters, "Who needs them? I'll manage.
Better off on my own."
Doug is walking into his shopping centre when David catches up
with him and hands him some sheets of paper, explaining, "I've
got those notes for you." He adds, "You probably won't
need to go through the whole lot - you'll get the idea."
Doug, however, assures him, "Oh no, I'll read the lot."
David tells him, "You got any more queries, just ask."
Doug, flicking through the papers, asks, "Does this give
any sort of breakdown on possible turnover?" David replies,
"A rough idea." He then announces that he'd better get
going, and he walks off. Doug continues walking across the shopping
centre - where he bumps into Caroline, who's standing by a stall,
dressed as a an old-fashioned maid. She calls to him sourly, "I
hope you're happy. I know what you're doing. I think it's petty.
What a stupid way of getting back at me." Doug just stares
at her and then walks off.
Gordon is lying in bed in a private room at the hospital in Sydney.
There's suddenly a knock on the door and Wayne walks in. He asks
his father, "How are you feeling?" Gordon smiles, "Better.
Certainly better than I was 24 hours ago! You?" Wayne tells
him, "Fine. I'm checking out. I'll be back in again to see
you tonight." Gordon comments, "You deserve a medal
for what you did - putting your own life on the line to stop that
bloke." Looking sheepish, Wayne murmurs, "Sometimes
you just have to do it, don't you?" Gordon goes on, "It's
something like that that makes you realise how important life
is." Wayne looks at him warmly and just suggests,
"I think you should be having another sleep."
Wayne emerges from Gordon's room to find Glen walking towards
him. He tells Glen, "He's just gone to sleep." He then
comments, "You've had quite a bit of newspaper coverage."
Glen murmurs, "Yeah..." Wayne goes on, "Must make
you feel good?" Glen, though, replies, "Not really.
You know what the newspapers are like: want to make a meal out
of it. Everyone went through a lot. From what I can gather,
everyone did some pretty brave things: Neville... Janice... and
you. Everyone did their bit." Wayne remarks, "That's
exactly what Susan said last night." He then adds, "I
think we should use the chance to wipe the slate clean."
He holds out his hand and Glen shakes it.
Charlie is sitting with Susan in the lounge room at Dural, fussing
over Rags and praising him for helping rescue Wayne and Susan.
Susan is holding Isabella. She starts talking about how Glen's
the flavour of the month with the TV and newspaper reporters.
Charlie smiles, "I'm not surprised!" She then says more
seriously, "Oh dear... I shouldn't be laughing." Susan
asks in surprise, "Why not? It's all over." Charlie
points out, "Not for Alison, it's not. There she
is, locked up in that dreadful place without any hope of getting
out. It's so awful the way fate can work sometimes."
Susan mutters, "What's fate got to do with it?"
Charlie tells her, "If Micky hadn't been killed, Alison would
have her statement and be a free woman. As it is, she's locked
up for life. Well, most of it, anyway." Susan looks at her
and then says, "I know I won't be very popular in saying
it, Charlie, but I can't really feel much sympathy for her - particularly
now that I know she's Patricia: I haven't forgotten all those
things that she's done over the years - not the least of which
was breaking up mum and dad." Charlie points out, "Nevertheless,
she is innocent." Susan retorts, "I know -
but I can't change the way I feel. Mum and dad would still be
together if she hadn't set out to ruin it. That's exactly what
she did with Glen and I. I know you're loyal to her, and I think
that's terrific, but I can't help the way I feel." Charlie
sighs, "I suppose not. It's probably best if we get off the
subject of Alison altogether."
The door to the manager's office at the mansion opens and Wayne
and Glen walk in. Wayne comments, "It's a funny feeling,
isn't it, coming back here?" He adds, "The first thing
I'm going to do is get rid of that boiler. I'm sure that's one
thing May's not nostalgic about!" He begins to walk
around, clearing up some of the mess and picking up the magazines
that have been left lying on various surfaces. He suggests to
Glen that he head off. Glen, though, points out, "You've
only been out of hospital five minutes. You don't look like you're
on top of it, yet. I'll wait and give you a lift home." Wayne
assures him, "I only want to look for that statement."
Glen tells him, "Best of luck. Charlie and Alison turned
this place upside down. You're wasting your time, I'd say."
Wayne comments, "It can't have gone far if it ever was
here. It'll be one of those things where it was right in front
of Charlie's nose and she walked straight past it." With
that, he goes to throw some of the magazines in the bin, but he
misses and they fall on the floor. He bends down to pick them
up - and finds that the sheet of paper containing the confession
has fallen out of one of them. Picking it up, he also picks up
a magazine and hides the statement behind it as he then tells
Glen, "Look, mate, I appreciate the offer, but there's no
need to stay - really." Glen replies, "If you're sure..."
With that, he adds, "I hope you have better luck than Charlie!"
Wayne just smiles, "Who knows...?"
Sometime later, Alison is sitting in the interview room at the
police station, staring at Wayne as he tells her tersely, "Charlie
tries very hard, but unfortunately she's not very thorough
when it comes to finding things." Alison asks excitedly
but quietly, "You've found it?" Wayne just
glances at the prison officer standing guard and then warns Alison,
"Shut up." Alison whispers urgently, "Wayne, I'll
do anything. This is the most important thing in my life.
I'll do anything." Wayne smiles gleefully and muses,
"Yes, I was getting around to that." Alison growls sourly,
"I thought you might be." Wayne tells her,
"I really want to get back with Susan." Alison comments,
"I'm sure you do." Wayne goes on, "It's
not going to be easy, though - for me to handle it by myself."
Alison remarks, "I don't see how I can help."
Wayne tells her, "We've worked together well before.
I'm sure we can again." Alison sighs, "Frankly,
I don't see how, but if that's the way you want to do it, I'm
perfectly happy to go along with it." Wayne smiles, "Then
we have a deal?" Alison nods reluctantly, "A deal."
Wayne beams at her, nastily...
Later that day, Wayne opens a bottle of champagne in Charlie's
lounge room and pours glasses for Susan, Charlie, Alison, Glen
and himself. Charlie smiles at Alison, "I can't believe you're
back with us!" She then adds, "I must say, Wayne - and
I don't mean this to sound awful - but you're a changed person
since the siege! I'd never have believed you'd given that statement
to the police. Heavens - in the old days, you'd have been hanging
onto it thinking up ways to put it to your own use!" Alison
and Wayne glance at each other, but Wayne just smiles, "You've
got an evil mind, Charlie!" He then raises his glass and,
looking at Alison, says, "Let's all drink to Patricia."
Alison, though, tells him, "No, no. To Alison. Patricia
doesn't exist anymore." There's some murmuring of surprise
from the gathered parties. Wayne says, "Alison it is. Virtue
has its own reward." Alison clinks her glass against his
and agrees, "To virtue." Charlie smiles, "Ooo.
I've never drunk to that before!"
Doug is standing with David and Beryl in the kitchen at the country
house. David is demanding, "What do you mean it
wouldn't work?" Doug sighs, "I've already told you:
when I went through all the notes, none of the ideas added up.
There's no logic. It's like a dog's dinner." David growls,
"I've been driving trucks for more years than you think,
'mate'." Doug retorts, "It doesn't mean to say you know
how to run a business properly, though, does it?" David snaps,
"I ran a business - and a good one." Doug just
mutters, "Yeah, well when it comes to me investing money,
I want to see a bit more of a guarantee - and I can't. I'm prepared
to take a risk, but I'm not just going to throw money away."
With that, he storms off. Turning to Beryl, David snaps, "What
does he think he's on about?" Beryl points out curtly, "He
is a successful businessman, David." David growls,
"He hasn't got a clue about running a truck - and I'm blowed
if I'm going to let him tell me what to do."
Caroline is sitting at a table at the coffee shop in the shopping
centre when Doug walks towards her. She says curtly, "Oh,
hello. Come to check on me, have you? For your information, I've
had a very good start to the day - sold nearly all of
them." Doug retorts, "Good for you - and just as well,
too, if you want to keep your job." Caroline glares at him
and splutters, "I have never been treated--" She breaks
off, though, and then says, "You can't speak to any of you
other employees like this?" Doug laughs sourly,
"You want a bet?" Caroline suggests, "You must
have been a gentleman when you were young. Nobody could spend
all his life being so rude." Doug just shrugs and
says, "Look, I want you to come with me. My driver's sick."
Caroline retorts, "I beg your pardon? I'm not a driver. Besides
- I've got a lot more goodies to sell." Doug snaps, "To
hell with the goodies. You're driving me and that's it."
Caroline growls, "I haven't even had my lunch break yet."
Doug suggests, "It'll do you good to diet, then, won't it?!"
With that, he walks off, leaving Caroline looking annoyed. She
growls to herself, "If you think you've beaten me, I've got
news for you."
Sometime later, Caroline brings Doug's car to a shuddering halt
at a marina. Doug snaps, "Watch it." Caroline smiles,
"Sorry!" A young, very attractive woman, who's sitting
in the back with Doug, grins, "Women can never drive
cars." Doug climbs out and closes the door behind him. The
woman in the back demands, "Aren't you going to open the
door?" Doug retorts, "You've got two hands of your own,
haven't you?" The woman climbs out and, looking across at
the moored boats, asks, "Which one's yours?" Doug points
it out and adds, "Just go down there and wait for me."
She totters off. Left alone with Doug, Caroline asks, "Am
I supposed to be jealous of her? If I'd been a good little
girl and given you what you'd wanted, I could have been
on the yacht; is that the general idea?" Doug just
snaps, "The general idea is that you're back here tomorrow
morning. Ten o'clock sharp, right?" With that, he walks off.
Caroline starts the engine of his car and reverses away.
Beryl is doing some baking in the kitchen at the country house
when David comes in through the back door and smiles that something
smells good. He then reminds Beryl that she's not supposed to
be working. Beryl tells him tersely, "I thought I'd better
start making some money again because you seem determined
to talk yourself out of a job." David snaps, "I'm not
trying to talk myself out of a job. It's just that I can't see
eye-to-eye with a guy that doesn't know what he's on about."
He continues angrily, "Caroline tells me that Doug only gave
me the loan to get on the right side of her - and now he's trying
to run the flaming business. Doesn't make me
feel too good, I'll tell you." Beryl mutters, "Of course
it doesn't, but that doesn't mean you have to toss everything
aside. You're just being pig-headed." David snaps, "What
do you mean, pig-headed?" Beryl retorts, "You are.
You talked him into giving you the money in the first place, so
it wasn't all Caroline. Now, a man doesn't toss money around like
that - especially a man like Doug." David asks, "What
are you trying to say?" Beryl tells him, "He's been
successful, so he must know what he's talking about. Instead of
going off the deep-end, listen to him. If you act like
a stubborn mule, he'll drop you as soon as look at you. Use his
knowledge. Learn from him. Take advantage of what you've got and
use it. It's an excellent opportunity. Don't throw it away."
David just shrugs. Beryl looks at him in concern.
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