In Fiona's room at the mansion, May is showing Janice, Charlie and Fiona a mask shaped like a pig's head, explaining, "Silk, of course." Charlie hands another mask to Janice. Fiona, looking surprised, asks, "Who chose them?" Charlie explains, "They did. I just took them to the right boutiques and left them to it!" Janice places her mask in front of her face and asks Fiona, "What do you think?" The mask is purple and frilly. Fiona looks at it and asks tersely, "Does it come in any other colour?" Janice retorts, "Several - but purple's Owen's favourite." May, looking at her mask, comments, "Being silk, this'll have to be dry-cleaned, I suppose." Charlie, standing up with a smile on her face, announces, "I must dash. Lisa will be sending up your dresses today." Janice asks, "Do you mind if I tag along? I can't wait to see what she's made me." With that, she and Charlie head off, leaving Fiona looking worried. She mutters, "Janice... she used to loathe him. Now she likes him. Just to please 'Dear brother George'. I really don't know what the world's coming to, May. Young people of today... they can't see past their own noses."

Beryl has arrived back at Dural with Robert. As she, Susan and Wayne head into the lounge room, she tells her daughter that she and Robert had a window seat; they could see all of the city! Wayne looks at Robert and comments, "He's grown." Beryl nods, "Yes, he staggers around now!" Looking serious, Susan then asks, "Did dad ever call?" Beryl tells her, "No." A glum-looking Susan asks, "When's he due back?" Beryl replies that he's due back later that day. Susan declares, "I'll ring him tonight, then." Wayne, however, suggests, "Why ring? Let's go down." Susan gasps, "To Melbourne?" Wayne replies, "Why not? It's important - to both of us." Susan asks, "What about your work?" Wayne insists, "It won't suffer too much." He then adds, "As far as I'm concerned, this is top priority. If anyone has any objection to our marriage, I want to ask them face-to-face." Looking delighted, Susan gives him a warm hug. Beryl looks on warily.

Glen is out running along the beach. He passes a man picking up some nets by a boat and calls, "Morning." He runs on - but his path is suddenly blocked by a well-built young man who gets up from where he's lying on the sand and stands in front of him. He says nastily, "Hello, Glen." Glen looks behind him to find the man who was picking up the nets approaching him. He turns and tries to run off, but the man who was lying on the sand tackles him and stops him. He then picks Glen up and throws him against the first man. The first man holds him while the second man starts laying into him. The first man eventually throws him down onto the sand. The second man stares down at him and says curtly, "That wasn't very polite. We only want you to come for a drive with us." Glen suddenly scoops up a handful of sand and throws it into the two men's eyes. As they recoil in pain, he picks up one of the nets lying nearby and throws it over them. He then runs off, leaving the second man to snap, "Terrific."

Sometime later, Wayne is talking on a public 'phone. He exclaims in horror, "Escaped? Andy, they weren't meant to try anything until I left for Melbourne. That's why I'm calling; that's what this trip is supposed to be - an alibi. Do you know what an alibi is?" An airport announcement plays in the background as Wayne listens and then mutters, "Alright, alright, save the details. Where is he now?" He listens and then snaps, "Oh great. That's just wonderful." Susan suddenly approaches him and says, "I hate to hurry you, darling, but the 'plane's almost taxiing." Wayne tells her, "You go on; I'll be with you in a minute." As she walks off, Wayne turns back to the 'phone and says curtly, "Get Beryl, Alison and Fiona tailed - professionally. One of them has to lead us to him - and when they do, call me. Next time, I'll get the job done properly." He slams the 'phone down, looking annoyed.

Fiona is in May's room at the mansion, as May sorts through her jewellery. Fiona asks her, "You sure you've thought of everything?" May looks into her jewellery box and muses, "My diamond haircomb... good lord, I mustn't forget that." Fiona explains nervously, "I was thinking more about your wig." May demands, "What's wrong with my wig?" Fiona tells her, "Nothing... well, don't you think maybe it needs a touch-up?" May starts to protest, but Fiona says quickly, "Only if you want your comb to looks its best - considering this is the party of the year. Being a special occasion, a little professional sprucing... it would be worth the money." She suddenly hears the 'phone ringing in her room, and she heads through the opening in the bookcase wall to get it, calling back as she does so that the wig-dressing is on her. She walks into her room and goes and picks up the 'phone. Glen comes on and tells her, "Wayne found me." Fiona gasps, "Oh no!" She listens to what happened and then asks in concern, "But you are OK?" Glen tells her curtly, "I was tempted to go to Dural and smash his face in." Fiona warns him, "Don't risk it - not if he's that serious." Glen sighs, "I know, I know - I've managed to restrain myself. But if he thinks he's got me scared he can think again; I don't care how many thugs he's got on the payroll." Fiona says, "You can't go back to the youth centre, I suppose?" Glen tells her, "I've already picked my stuff up. I'll find somewhere else." He listens and then says, "No, it's better you don't know. I'm safer if no one knows." Fiona asks, "How can I get your passport to you?" Glen muses, "Good point. Leave it with me - I'll call you back when I think of something. But for the time being... just pretend everything's normal." Fiona murmurs, "If that's what you want." She hangs up as May comes through the gap in the bookcase wall and says, "If you're going to pay, Fiona, I'd be a fool not to accept, I suppose." Fiona turns and looks at her and says distantly, "What?"

Charlie and Janice are walking along the corridor upstairs and Janice is telling Charlie that she doesn't have any high heels. Owen suddenly emerges from the reception room and snaps at Janice, "There you are. I thought you were going to help me set up this afternoon, for the lecture." Janice replies meekly, "I'm sorry, Owen. I forgot." Owen mutters dismissively, "It's too late for sorrys. It's done now." Charlie says to him in surprise, "I'm sure you managed on your own." Owen, however, retorts, "That is not the issue. It's the principle." Janice murmurs, "Yes, of course." Charlie, however, goes on, "Oh, come on, it's hardly a sin. Anyway, it wasn't her fault: she was stuck over at my place while I was on the 'phone." Owen tells her curtly, "I am not interested in why she was late." Charlie insists, "I am simply telling you what happened." Owen snaps, "I said I am not interested." Charlie glares at him and warns, "Don't raise your voice at me, young man." Owen retorts, "And don't you treat me like a child, Mrs. Bartlett." Charlie gasps, "I beg your pardon!" Owen tells her, "Don't use that tone of superiority - just because you failed to be invited to the social event of the year. I know that's what's annoying you. I think it's rather juvenile, really." Charlie stares at him, open-mouthed.

A short time later, Fiona has May's wig on a polystyrene head in her room downstairs. Charlie is standing in the room gasping, "I simply could not believe what was happening. Someone should smack that boy. Telling me - me - I was being juvenile. Of all the nerve." Fiona muses, "He is one of the more obnoxious people on God's earth..." Charlie mutters, "As far as I'm concerned, he's in a class of his own. And Janice: there was another surprise. She just let him stand there and say whatever he liked. I don't know what came over the girl. It certainly wasn't the Janice I know. It was as if he had some sort of magic spell over her." Fiona murmurs, "It's a bit of a worry, isn't it?" Changing the subject, Charlie then asks Fiona about the wig she's holding. Fiona explains, "It's May's wig - I promised I'd take it and get it styled." Charlie smiles, "Leave it to me!" She takes the wig and sits down. Fiona thanks her. She then says, "It's not really Owen who's the problem; it's 'Dear brother George'. He's the goat who said Owen was a good lad; she thought he was a jerk, too, before that." Charlie comments in surprise, "You mean she likes him just because her father does?" Fiona nods, "Bizarre, isn't it? But you've got to understand: he taught her to be domineering by being domineering himself. Everything daddy said was right. Poor Janice still believes it; she still thinks he's infallible. I just don't know what to do." Charlie tells her, "We have to convince her he's not." Fiona sighs, "But how, Charlie? How?"

Upstairs, in the reception room, Owen puts up the projector screen and then turns to Janice and tells her, "Mother's outdoing herself this time: the catering's first class and the chamber orchestra's going to play all night long. You'll adore it." Janice murmurs, "I'm sure." Owen adds, "All my friends will be there. I can't wait to show you off." Janice looks at him and mutters sharply, "I'm not a monkey." Owen says quickly, "Of course not. I... I... they'll love you and you'll love them. You will - honestly." He goes on enthusiastically, "This could be the beginning, Janice. The beginning of endless nights together. Imagine it: you and I waltzing from party to party. That's where you belong: you're a doer; you should be where it's happening, not stuck here with old fossils like May..." Janice interrupts and reminds him, "I warned you the other day about May: she's a fine lady and I won't hear her criticised." Owen murmurs, "Fair enough." He then adds, "You do agree, don't you? About you and me?" Janice just walks over to Owen's box of slides and asks, "You've checked they're in the right order?" Owen nods, "Yes." He then persists, "Janice..." Janice just says, "I think we should double-check. We don't want a wildebeest in the middle of 'How to Pitch a Tent'."

Beryl is talking on the 'phone on the bar at Dural. She asks, "How was your trip?" At the other end of the 'phone, David is standing in the kitchen at the country house and he replies, "Tiring - but that's par for the course." He then goes on, "Deb left a note to say that Caroline got three months." He listens and then asks, "How's she handling it?" He listens again and says, "If she keeps her head, that's the main thing." Changing the subject, he goes on dubiously, "I hear Susie wants to have a word with me." Beryl explains, "She hasn't heard from you since she wrote. She thinks you didn't reply because you're against the marriage." David retorts, "She's dead right there. You can put her on; I'll talk to her now." Beryl, though, explains, "I can't. She's on her way down to see you - with Wayne." She adds quickly, "Before you tell me what you feel like doing, just listen: if Wayne decides to make things difficult for you to meet the repayments, you could lose the truck." She listens and then says, "Yes, I know you mightn't have to rely on it soon, but... Just don't make things difficult. Don't start anything with him - it'll only make things worse." David sighs, "Alright, point taken. But Wayne will be coming back by himself - I can tell you that." Beryl murmurs, "I hope so." She adds, "Don't press anything, David; Susan doesn't know what to think at the moment. You'll have to take things very carefully." David assures her, "Hey, Curly! I am her dad. I can tell how she feels; I always could. Trust me. I know what to say." Beryl sighs, "Alright." She adds, "Goodbye - and good luck," and she hangs up. She then looks down at Robert, playing on the floor, and says to him distantly, "I wish you could stay a little boy all your life..."

Charlie and Fiona walk into Fiona's room at the mansion. Charlie is smiling, "I trust Warren implicitly." Fiona asks, "But is he a good hairdresser?" Charlie insists, "The best, darling. If he says he can do something wonderful with May's wig, believe me, he will." The two of them sit down and Charlie continues, "I must say: I'm just the teensiest bit jealous. The Mrs. Duncan Brooke Ball. Oh, there aren't many things that I haven't been invited to over the years, but that is one of them." Fiona tells her, "I wouldn't be too upset, Charlie - there are those among us who never get invited to anything!" May suddenly walks in through the bookcase wall. She has a scarf wrapped round her head and she's holding some envelopes. She smiles at Fiona, "You're home! I forgot to tell you: Susan and Wayne called in this morning - they were on their way to the airport, I think. Anyway, there was no one else around, so they left these with me: our invitations to the wedding." She hands an envelope to Fiona. Charlie looks at Fiona and comments, "You were saying...?"

Wayne and Susan have arrived in Sunbury. They climb out of Wayne's car and look over at the house. Wayne asks Susan, "Nervous?" She just nods. Wayne kisses her and Susan then takes his hand and tells him, "Come on."

David is at the 'fridge inside when there's a knock on the back door. He goes and answers it and gives Susan a warm hug. He asks her lovingly how she's been. She smiles, "Fine, fine." Wayne nods, "David." David just mutters, "Hello, Wayne." Susan tells her father, "We thought we'd come down and..." David interrupts and explains, "I know. I talked to your mother." Susan, looking slightly surprised, says, "I hope you don't mind us just dropping in." David assures her, "No, of course not." Wayne starts to say, "We know you might find it a bit difficult accepting me in the family, David--" David interrupts him and retorts curtly, "I don't think we'll ever accept you in the family, Wayne." He then takes Susan's arm and suggests, "Let's go and have a talk, eh?" He leads her off towards the hallway. Wayne follows, but David asks quickly, "Where do you think you're going?" Susan assures Wayne, "It's alright."

As they head into the lounge room, David tells Susan, "I'm not in favour, Susie; I guess you've figured that." Susan cries, "It's what I want, dad." David demands, "And what's that?" Susan tells him, "A man who cares for me. A man I can trust." David retorts, "A man you think you owe something to because he was nice to you." Susan insists, "A man I love." David mutters, "That's funny: you left that 'til last." Susan tells him, "I saved the best for last." She goes on, "No one seems to understand: Wayne is really sympathetic. He knows how I'm feeling. If you could just see how he helps me... It's not often you get someone who's that good to you. And he's not trying to be good; he doesn't have to work at it. It's just him; that's how he is. That's why I love him. That's why I'm going to marry him." David sighs, "But that's not all he is. Before you marry someone, you've got to know if you can live with their bad side as well as their good. You ought to know that." Susan turns away in disgust. David mutters quickly, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. But you've got to understand what I mean. I'm not saying this because I don't like - I mean, it's no secret I don't - but..." He sits down and then says more quietly, "Hey, come and sit down. Sit your backside down like when you were a toddler." Susan goes and sits on the arm of his chair and smiles at him. David puts his arm round her and recalls, "We used to have some pretty great talks then." Susan smiles, "John would go to mum... and I'd come to you." David laughs, "You'd both say the same thing: it was always the other one that started it!" He then goes on more seriously, "There are things you said you like about Wayne - OK, I'll take your word for that - but you've got to look beyond that, Susie, for your own good. I mean, the guy... he's just no good; he's just no good." Susan looks away, but David continues, "For an example: the O'Brien kid who used to live next door to us at Albert Park... well he had a bit of a drinking problem - and Wayne gets him to nick his father's business papers by promising him more grog. One day that kid's got a problem, the next day he's an A-grade alcoholic." Susan stands up and snaps, "And Wayne feels as guilty as hell about that." David snaps back, "He did it, Susie, he did it. Of course he's going to feel guilty after it; everyone would." Susan cries, "He's told me what he used to do." David asks incredulously, "You think he's stopped?" Susan insists, "He won't hurt me, dad." David cries, "Please. Look, please try and see. Every day, you're going to find out that he's up to something else. The guy is hopeless. How much can you take? In six months, you're going to be a wreck - and I know it for sure because all his other girlfriends were. Susie... I don't want that to happen to you. It would break my heart." He then puts his hands on her arms and says gently, "If you did go ahead with it, I wouldn't see you all that much. I couldn't stand seeing what was happening." Susan, looking upset, says quietly, "But I could still come to you, couldn't I? What if something...?" David snaps, "If you think you're going to need to come to me, what's the point in going ahead with it?" He sighs heavily and murmurs, "Susie... you stop this. You stop it now."

Wayne is sitting in the kitchen, eating some cake, when Susan and David walk in, Susan looking upset. He stands up and asks, "Everything ironed out?" David just tells him, "I'm sorry, Wayne. The marriage is off." Wayne looks at Susan and asks in surprise, "What's he talking about?" David adds, "I think you'd better leave." Wayne, looking annoyed, stares at Susan and says, "Wait a minute. What did he say to you in there?" Susan replies guiltily, "Nothing. It's only... I'm not sure it would work anymore." Wayne, taking a step towards her, gasps, "What?" David grabs him and pushes him back, warning, "I said you'd better go." Wayne persists, "Do you love me or don't you?" Susan insists, "Of course I do." Wayne cries at her, "Then what's the problem?" Turning to David, he snarls, "What did you say to her?" David just points to the door and orders, "I said get out." Wayne looks at Susan again and cries, "You can't just drop me - not just like that. Will you tell me what I'm supposed to have done?" David pushes him out into the courtyard and then heads back inside, slamming the door in Wayne's face. He goes and gives a sobbing Susan a hug. Wayne stands outside looking horrified.

Janice is sitting in the reception room at the mansion as May paces the floor saying, "I do hope our ballgowns arrive tomorrow." Janice looks disinterested, so May snaps, "If I'm boring you, just say so." Janice, though, assures her, "No, no, it's not you. It's Owen. I know he's the right man for me - I'm not doubting that. Dad thinks so... I think so... He's strong... confident..." May chips in, "Annoying." Janice exclaims, "Yes! That's it: he's annoying! I don't know what I'm supposed to make of it all." Before May can respond with her advice, Fiona walks in and announces that she'd like to have a word with Janice. May says she thinks she'll call Charlie and tell her to give that designer a hurry-up. She walks off. When she's gone, Fiona asks Janice, "What was she giving you advice about?" Janice mutters, "Owen." Fiona comments, "That is quite a coincidence." Janice mutters, "If you're planning a lecture, forget it." Fiona assures her, "Not a lecture. Just comments... observations..." She goes on, "What I wanted to suggest is: your father is a very fine man in many ways, Janice - but he's not perfect and you don't have to necessarily agree with everything he says." Janice snaps, "Are you implying I do? I don't have a mind of my own:is that what you think?" Fiona insists, "No..." Janice goes on curtly, "I listen to him more than you, though, don't I? Well, I'm sorry if that offends you but the truth is I respect him more than you and I value his judgements. However, I have no intention of letting him or anyone make decisions for me." With that, she marches out of the room.

David is working on the engine of his truck in the grounds of the country house. Wayne walks up to him and says, "David..." David looks up at him and mutters, "I thought you were on your way home, Wayne." Wayne tells him, "I've got a proposition for you." David warns, "You've got ten seconds to get off my property." Wayne ignores him and goes on, "You're pretty good at getting Susie to believe what you want her to." Indicating the truck, he continues, "How'd you like all the repayments on this forgotten? It could be yours tomorrow. Outright. Just tell her that you were wrong and what a nice bloke I am; how happy I'll make her." David glares at him and says, "Five seconds." Wayne warns, "You'll be up the creek if you don't. Before you know it this rig will be repossessed. Then where are you? Next stop: skid row." David, however, tells him, "Firstly, buster, I won't be needing the truck much longer - I'm organising another business. And secondly, you can play the tough guy for all you like - it'll show Susie what a lucky escape she had. And thirdly, your time's up - now nick off." He turns back to his truck, but Wayne suddenly grabs him, turns him so that they're facing and snarls, "I'm not going without her. I don't care what you told her." David gives him a shove backwards and snaps, "Get lost." Wayne steps forward again and makes to lunge at David. David, though, grabs his arm and then punches him on the jaw. As Wayne reels back, David warns, "It's your last warning."

A short time later, Wayne is being laid into by a thug in a quiet alleyway nearby. He lays punch after punch on Wayne, hitting him round the face and in the stomach. Blood is running from cuts on his face. As Wayne sinks against a wall, he murmurs, "Alright... alright... how bad do I look?" The thug asks, "How bad do you want to look?" Wayne groans, "I don't want anything broken. I want to look beaten-up; bruised." The thug tells him, "Sure." He then adds, "This is better money than sparring in the gym..." He then pulls his fist back and aims it squarely at Wayne's face.

Sometime later, Wayne staggers up to the back door at the country house, looking bruised, battered and bloodied. He collapses against the door with a thud and sinks to the ground. The door suddenly opens and Susan appears. She looks down at him and cries, "Wayne? Oh God..." Wayne murmurs, "Susan..." Susan asks in horror, "What happened?" Wayne groans, "I couldn't go without asking your dad if there was anything I could do to show how much I loved you. I only wanted to talk to him, Susie..." Susan stares at him and gasps, "Dad did this?" Wayne tells her painfully, "He just went animal. I didn't stand a chance..." A look of shock crosses Susan's face.