Debbie is sitting in the kitchen at the country house. David and Laura walk in from the hallway and David throws away the paper that his new clothes were wrapped in. As he does so, Debbie recalls, "I forgot to tell you: Fiona rang yesterday. She said for you and Beryl not to worry - she has some sort of a tape or something..." David gasps in surprise, "Fiona has a tape?" Laura chips in and asks, "What tape?" David tells her quickly, "It's just a sort of family thing." Laura comments, "I suppose that's what was on your mind yesterday at the meeting." David replies, "Sort of." Laura muses, "Well I'm glad whatever it is has been sorted out. Now perhaps you can start concentrating on your work...?"

At Dural, Gordon escorts Cassie and Maggie to the front door. Cassie is holding her kite, and Gordon tells her to look after. He adds, "Don't forget to write." Cassie replies, "I won't." She then heads outside to a waiting taxi. Maggie remains with Gordon and says sincerely, "Thanks for talking Cassie around last night. I ought to thank you for a lot of things, really." Gordon insists, "There's no need - you've helped me, you know? Who else could have taught me to cook?!" Maggie laughs. Gordon then tells her, "When I think of you, Maggie, it won't be as a cooking instructor - or a cleaner. When we met, we both had little chips on our shoulders; little things we were running away from. We don't have to, now. You're a friend - and a good friend - and you always will be." They hug. Maggie then goes.

Charlie is sitting on the couch in her lounge room, stroking Isabella and sighing, "You still love me, don't you, darling? Fiona doesn't. Gordon certainly doesn't. I don't think anyone else cares much either way. But at least I've still got you." There's suddenly a knock on the front door. As she goes to answer it, she continues saying, "We were born unlucky, Isabella, you and me. Fate has dealt us a bad hand." She opens the door and finds Gordon standing there. He smiles, "Hello, Charlie. I thought I'd come on the off-chance you weren't doing anything; see if you were free for lunch." Charlie stares at him open-mouthed and he asks what the matter is. Charlie smiles quickly, "I'd love to come!" Gordon tells her, "It sounds as though we both need to get out and have a bit of fun." Charlie muses, "Exactly what I've been thinking, darling. Exactly!"

May is sitting with Janice in Fiona's room at the mansion. They're looking at some photos from the wedding, and May comments that Gordon is becoming an excellent photographer. She turns to a photo of Owen looking particularly drunk and stubs it with her finger, pointedly. Janice mutters, "Owen didn't know what he was doing." May comments that it worries her that Janice is engaged to a boy with a drinking problem. Janice retorts indignantly, "It was only the once - and he's been very sweet about making it up to me. Even brought me a piece of wedding cake to sleep on." May asks, "Did you dream about him?" Janice admits, "No. Meat Loaf." May comments, "That's not very romantic - dreaming about your dinner." Janice explains, "He's a big fat pop star." May then asks, "Has Owen made any attempt to get a job yet?" Janice retorts, "No, but he will." Alison suddenly walks in and asks if Fiona is around. Janice replies that she's gone shopping. Alison hands her a piece of paper and says, "Get Fiona to check this inventory, will you? We need it to renew the insurance. Tell her I'll come back this afternoon." She turns to leave, but May says quickly, "Before you go, take a peek at the wedding photos." She shows Alison one of Wayne, Susan and a bitter-looking David. She remarks of Susan, "Isn't that a gorgeous dress?" Alison spits, "Even if it is the wrong colour. Black would have been far more appropriate." With that, she turns and goes. May and Janice look at each other.

Craig walks into the kitchen at the country house from outside. He places a bucket on the table and comments that he'll have to get up on the roof and fix the leak when it stops raining. Debbie sighs that she can't wait to get away from the weather and lie in the sun and get a tan. Craig remarks, "You're still convinced that money-making idea of yours will work, aren't you?" Debbie smiles, "It's foolproof. There's no risk. You'll see." Laura suddenly walks in and says to Debbie, "I hope your windscreen wipers are working properly. I've got a job for you." Debbie asks what it is. Laura tells her, "Driving our Regal Shopper of the Month around for four hours. It's a promotion we've worked out to tie-in with your driving service." Debbie asks who won. Laura tells her, "A mum with two kids. She's thrilled to bits." She then looks at Craig and adds, "I promised her you'd look after the kids for a couple of hours." She hands him a card and goes on, "Here's the address. She's expecting you at ten." Craig comments immediately, "We'll never make it: Beryl's on her way home from the station and we promised we'd be here." Laura, however, just muses, "David did mention something about her staying for a few days. It slipped my mind." Debbie suggests, "We could leave her a note; I'm sure she'd understand." Laura, though, says quickly, "There's no need; I'll stay and wait until she arrives." Debbie thanks her and she and Craig head out. Laura stands there, looking thoughtful.

Sometime later, Beryl walks up to the back door and heads into the country house - pushing Robert in his stroller - and calls for Debbie and Craig. Laura suddenly walks in from the hallway, wearing just a pyjama top. She tells Beryl, "They're out on a job." She then goes on, "You must be David's ex - Beryl, isn't it?" Beryl nods tersely, "Yes, I'm Beryl Palmer - and you are?" Laura replies, "Laura Banning." She adds, "Sorry I wasn't awake when you got here but David and I didn't get much sleep last night." Beryl snaps, "Really?" Laura says quickly, "David did tell you about us, didn't he?" Beryl just retorts, "We had far more important things to discuss."

A while later, Beryl heads into the kitchen from the hallway. Laura follows her and asks, "All settled?" Beryl mutters, "Yes." Laura goes on, "I'm glad we've got this chance to talk - David told me you were quite negative about him doing this course." Beryl retorts, "He needs every cent he can get." Laura tells her, "He also needs to learn the tricks of the trade. I know it must be hard for a housewife like you to understand these sorts of things, but if you want to see David get on, it's best for you to stay out of things you don't understand." Beryl growls, "If I don't think something is in David's best interests I won't hesitate to say so - and I think you'll find he takes a lot of notice of my advice." Laura suggests tersely, "Which probably accounts for his lack of success 'til now. It won't take David long to realise where the best advice is coming from - and it's probably wiser for you to back off as soon as possible." Beryl, however, retorts, "I have no intention of backing off." Laura tells her, "Foolish. He's going to get very bored with you - and isn't it better to have him around, at least for your son's sake?" Beryl retorts, "I'm not quite as two-faced as that." Laura shrugs, "Call it what you like. It's about the only way you're going to have him in your life. And if you try to hang on to him I'll make sure you end up with nothing." Beryl stares at her and sighs, "You really don't know David at all, do you? Wait 'til he comes back from the seminar: you'll be out so quickly you won't know what hit you."

Janice walks downstairs at the mansion. Ginny is walking along the hallway, but Janice stops her and says curtly, "You'll have to look elsewhere for a room. This is a residence for clean-living young people." Ginny glares at her and snaps, "Keep your knickers on - I wouldn't live in this dump if you paid me. Neither would the bird I'm looking for: she's a vocal coach; handles all the big stars." At that moment, May steps into the corridor and smiles, "You've come to the right place, Miss. Doyle - Charlie told me to expect you." Ginny looks May up and down in surprise. Janice storms off. May invites Ginny into her room. As they head in there, Ginny asks May how she knows Charlie. May replies, "We were introduced by a mutual friend." She then goes on, "Now, I'll have to get a few details from you. What's your address?" Ginny picks up a shawl from a hook and wraps it around her shoulders as she replies, "You wouldn't believe it if I told you." May looks at the shawl in concern and says quickly, "Please be careful with that." Ginny comments, "It looks like it came out of the ark. I like the colour, but. Tell you what: I'll take it off your hands for five bucks." May retorts, "An antique dealer has offered me $300 for it, and it's not for sale." Ginny gasps, "Three hundred bucks for that? You've gotta be joking." She then demands, "Where's your piano?" May tells her, "I don't need one." Ginny demands, "How can you teach me to sing without a piano?" May retorts, "I'm not teaching you to sing; I'm teaching you how to control your voice and how to breathe properly." Ginny snaps, "I've been breathing for years." May tells her, "I'm talking about controlling it so you can phrase a song correctly." Ginny accepts this. She then asks, "What other rock stars have you taught?" May replies, "None. Teaching grand opera is much more demanding." Ginny mutters, "I want to be a famous rock star, which isn't going to happen if I hang around here." She goes to walk out. May grabs her arm, however, and says, "Teaching a student rock is much easier than teaching grand opera. Now, when you're, um, 'belting out a song', you may find that you have to hold a note sometimes - like this." She gives a demonstration, holding a note for several seconds. She then says, "You see how easy it is when you understand breath control?" Ginny stares at her and mutters, "I can't pay more than ten bucks an hour." May stands there, looking pleased with herself.

At the soon-to-be-orphanage, Alison is standing with another woman in the main room. She's holding some posters and asks if they're to go on the wall. The woman nods, "Yeah." Alison suggests, "Let's get on with it, then." The woman comments, "Itching to get your hours finished, aren't you?" Alison tells her, "I like to give orders, not take them." She then looks at one of the posters and reads, "G is for Goat. And G is for Goodbye, Ginny, and Good riddance. Aren't I glad I've finally seen the last of her."

At the mansion, May opens the door of her room to let Ginny out, saying as she does so, "I'm afraid I'm all booked until three this afternoon." Ginny assures her, "That's alright. Gives me time to pay a little visit." She heads off. Janice immediately barges into May's room and warns her, "You'll never go to heaven." May insists, "It was only a white lie - and if she knew I only had two pupils she'd be out the door like a shot." Janice mutters, "She'd be no loss." May tells her, "I like the challenge." Janice retorts, "You'd like the money." May shrugs, "We all have our little weaknesses!"

At the soon-to-be-orphanage, Alison and the other woman finish putting up the posters and Alison asks if the furniture has been delivered yet. The woman replies that it's being delivered tomorrow. Alison says, "Right. Let's see the supervisor and sign off." The sound of loud rock music suddenly becomes audible and Alison growls, "I don't believe it." Ginny walks in, carrying her tape player, and Alison tells her curtly, "Switch that thing off. You've been told you're not allowed to play that thing in here." Ginny just retorts lightly, "Forgotten something, haven't you? I'm a free agent now; I can do as I like." She then asks, "Charlie tell you she invited me over for dinner last night? We had caviar... bubbly - the imported stuff... Spared no expense to get me on-side. Even wanted me to work for her." Alison mutters, "Really?" Ginny retorts, "Ask her if you don't believe me." She then takes a cassette out of her bag and adds, "Even gave me this. Reckon she'd have given me anything I'd wanted if I'd taken the job." Alison mutters, "What as? A cleaning lady?" Ginny retorts, "For your information, she wanted me to knock up some gear for her to flog. Reckon I'll give it a go, too - which means we'll be seeing a lot more of each other from now on." Alison glares at her in horror and growls, "Not if I can help it." Ginny just smiles, "Knew you'd be pleased!" She turns and walks off, leaving Alison looking infuriated.

Sometime later, Alison walks into Fiona's room at the mansion and asks Janice, who's bending down behind the desk, "Is the inventory ready?" Janice tells her, "I'm finished. There's just one or two things I'd like to take up with you." Alison demands, "Since when have you been running this place?" Janice snaps back, "Don't take your bad mood out on me - I haven't had the greatest day, either." She then goes on more calmly, "You'll see we've added the new boiler to the list..."

Out in the hallway, May runs downstairs. Ginny is standing at the bottom of the stairs and May tells her that she won't be a moment. She walks off again. Ginny sits down on the bottom step and puts her tape player down next to her. She then reaches into her bag and takes out the cassette that Charlie gave her. She places it into the machine and presses 'Play'." Maria's confession starts playing.

In Fiona's room, Janice is saying to Alison, "I think we should add a safe to the list, too. Aunt Fiona often has quite a bit of rent money left here overnight and I've told her time and time again--" Alison suddenly becomes aware of the tape playing out in the hallway, and she interrupts Janice to tell her to shut up. She adds, "Listen - that's Maria's voice." Janice asks, "Maria who?" Alison just tells her to be quiet. She goes and heads out into the hallway.

At the same time, Ginny is heading to May's room, the tape still running. May comments to her, "I didn't know you were interested in the theatre. What's the play?" Ginny looks at her and comments, "Thought it was music. Charlie gave it to me. Must have got her tapes mixed up." May smiles, "She's done you a good turn. You should study that woman's technique."

Out in the hallway, Alison walks downstairs, looking annoyed. Janice emerges through a nearby door and tells her, "No one in there." Alison sighs, "Or up there." She indicates the stairs. She then goes to head into May's room, but Janice says quickly, "Don't interrupt May - she's giving an elocution lesson. And you can tell Charlie I've got a bone to pick with her: May shouldn't have to--" Alison interrupts her, though, and snaps, "For God's sake, Janice, I'm trying to think. This doesn't make sense." She goes and sits down on the stairs, musing as she does so, "Why would Wayne hold onto that tape? He knows he'd be in trouble if it fell into the wrong hands. That was Maria's voice on the tape; what I can't figure out is why would he send someone over here? Why doesn't he just play it to me over the 'phone?" Janice mutters, "If you ask me you're making a lot of fuss over nothing." Alison, however, retorts, "Whoever has that tape has the power - and wouldn't I love to get my hands on it..." With that, she stands up and heads out. Janice calls after her suddenly,"We haven't finished the inventory..."

Craig and Debbie arrive back at the country house. Beryl is sitting at the kitchen table and Craig asks her if Laura looked after her. Beryl mutters, "She did her best." Debbie comments, "She's nice, isn't she? Never guess she was such a big wheel." Beryl asks her in surprise what she means. Craig explains, "She owns Doug's supermarket now." He suddenly spots a parcel resting on the floor and he picks it up. Beryl explains that it came for Debbie while they were out. As Craig starts to unwrap it, Debbie looks at a label attached to it and comments, "It was meant to be a money-making deal. I read about it in the paper, but I didn't think they'd send me anything." Craig opens a the box that was wrapped inside the paper to reveal several copies of a small booklet. He looks through one and then comments, "It's a list of stockbrokers. There's a whole box-full of them." Debbie gasps, "Oh no... I thought they were going to invest our money; I'm sure that's what the ad meant." Beryl leaves them to it and heads off to the lounge room. Debbie shows Craig the advert in the paper and says, "See? They said they'd double our money for us; that's why I sent them all those coupons." Craig gasps in horror, "You drew out all our money without asking me?" Debbie murmurs, "I wanted to surprise you." Craig retorts, "You've certainly done that." Debbie cries, "I just don't understand how people could do something like that." Craig tells her, "People will do anything to make a fast buck." He then shrugs in resignation that it'll just take a little bit longer to get north. Debbie tells him, "I just wanted to do something for you." The 'phone suddenly starts ringing and Beryl calls that she'll answer. She picks up the receiver in the lounge room. Alison comes on and asks if Charlie is there. Beryl replies in surprise, "No. Why should she be?" Alison explains, "She left me a note saying she'd gone down there on business and that she'd made a drastic mistake. All the note says is that the tape is in the wrong hands." Beryl comments, "What does she mean? Fiona's got it." Alison tells her, "I heard some of it this afternoon, over at the mansion, and it wasn't Fiona playing it." Beryl sighs, "Wayne..." She then goes on in concern, "David could lose everything - and the trouble is: now I know just how far Wayne will go to get what he wants." Alison tells her, "I really didn't mean to get at you - it's just the sheer frustration of Wayne beating us." She listens and adds, "Yes, I know you have to protect Robert, but I suppose I have to accept some of the blame; it honestly never occurred to me that he'd go as far as kidnapping a child." She continues, "I know I don't have an unblemished record as far as my own children are concerned, but I can understand how you must have felt." Beryl corrects, "How I feel - especially now we don't have anything to fight him with anymore." Alison, however, tells her, "I'm not about to give in that easily. I'd better go." Beryl says, "Thanks for letting me know. Bye." She hangs up, looking glum.

Sometime later, Laura opens the door of her hotel room to find Beryl standing in the corridor. She starts to say, "If you're here to make trouble, you can just--" Beryl interrupts her, though, and says, "Actually, I'm here to apologise for being so rude to you. Could you spare me a few minutes?" Laura lets her in and then demands, "Well?" Beryl tells her, "When I met you this morning I didn't realise just how successful you'd been. When the kids told me, I had a think about it and realised that you're right: I should stick to what I know and leave you to guide David's career." Laura replies, "That's very wise of you, Beryl - and I admire you for being big enough to admit that you were in the wrong." Beryl smiles, "I just want to see David's new business get off the ground as quickly as possible." Laura assures her, "It will. He's got a potential goldmine there - and now that you're being so reasonable I'll make sure that you get your share." Beryl tells her, "I'm just interested in seeing David being financially independent of the truck." Laura replies, "He will be - I promise you. From now on, he won't have to worry about a thing..."

It's the evening, and in the kitchen at the country house, Debbie removes the bucket from the table. Beryl joins her and Craig and comments that something smells good. Craig offers her a taste of the Irish Stew that he's cooked. Beryl then starts unpacking a bag of shopping and takes out a couple of small boxes. Debbie looks at a receipt and comments that it's a security system. Beryl explains that Laura Banning recommended it. Debbie, however, warns her, "I'd steer clear of those alarm things, if I were you - my cousin's got one and anything sets it off." Craig comments to Beryl, "It's not like you to be security-conscious; how come you're so interested all of a sudden?" Beryl tells him, "It's something I should have invested in ages ago. I had that robbery after the garage sale and you're always reading about things happening to women living alone..." There's suddenly a loud rumble of thunder outside, followed by a flash of lightning. The lights in the kitchen begin to dim, and Craig comments that the lightning must have hit the power line. There's suddenly a noise outside. Craig says quickly that it's probably just a cat. He goes to take a look, though, and finds a woman standing there. She removes the hood of the jacket she's wearing and Craig stares at her in surprise. He exclaims, "Aunty Jean!" Inside, Beryl is calling the police, but Craig stops her. He escorts Jean into the kitchen and Beryl apologises to the police officer she's telling about a prowler. She hangs up. Craig then looks at Jean and demands, "How did you know where to find me?" Jean explains, "I saw your picture on the pamphlet down at the supermarket. I thought if I rang you'd just hang up on me, so I decided to come around." Craig demands, "Why?" Jean tells him, "Your mother wants to see you."

Alison is sitting on the couch at Charlie's, looking at photos of John and Angela. Ginny suddenly wanders in through the patio doors. Alison glares at her and snaps, "Get out of here before I throw you out." Ginny just retorts, "This is Charlie's house and I'm here to see her, not you." She starts to call for Charlie. Alison tells her curtly, "She's in Melbourne." Ginny snaps, "I still want that tape she promised me." She reaches into her bag and takes out the cassette, going on curtly, "She might think it was a great joke giving me this one, but I don't; it's got some foreign sheila going off her brain." Alison asks quickly, "Is it a Filipino accent?" Ginny retorts, "How should I know? May's the one to ask. Should've heard her raving on about it." Alison asks, "Were you over at the mansion this afternoon?" Ginny sits down and replies, "Yeah - I'm taking lessons from May. What of it?" Alison tells her quickly, "I just wondered. I was over there myself." She then holds out her hand and says, "Look, I'll exchange the tape for you. You help yourself to a drink while you're waiting." Ginny demands suspiciously, "Why would you do me a favour?" Alison, however, replies calmly, "It's hardly a favour - and as you'll be working for Charlie, we should try and get on." Ginny spits, "That's why you gave me such a warm welcome when I turned up, right?" Alison tells her, "You caught me at a bad moment. Now, if you'll just give me the tape..." Ginny stands up and replies curtly, "It can wait until Charlie gets back." Alison snaps in fury, "I want it now." Ginny demands, "Why?" Alison tells her, "That tape belongs to me, not to Charlie." Ginny points out, "Only got your word for that, haven't I?" Alison insists, "What's on that tape is very personal. I don't want other people listening to it." Ginny growls, "Why should I care about that? You couldn't have cared less when you read out that stuff from my diary." Alison retorts, "I did apologise for that. That tape is of great sentimental value to me." Ginny just grins evilly, "I know how you feel. I'm getting more attached to it by the minute - and if you want it back it'll cost you..."