notes, Anthea tried to concentrate on his questions. She managed to reply but her mind was on Jacko. He was walking up and down the dirt road, scanning the horizon. When he saw another car crest the hill, he waved his arms in the air.
Jane leapt from the front seat while the wheels were still spinning. She threw herself at Jacko in joy and relief.
‘Annie!’ she yelled then, running to her sister’s side. ‘Are you okay?’
‘Yes, yes, fine,’ Anthea said in a quiet voice.
Jane laughed with relief, squeezing her close. ‘Thank God! What a welcome to Australia! Are you sure you’re okay?’
Jane was so concerned about her sister that the old tensions between them evaporated. Her warmth only served to increase Anthea’s feelings of shame and guilt.
‘I’m fine. Really. Fine.’ Anthea’s voice was clipped and brittle, like a World War Two radio announcer.
Jane’s face when she turned back to Jacko was naked in its love for him. She threw her arms around his neck again and hung and clung there.
‘What a way to meet your brother-in-law. Don’t judge him by this accident though. Jacko really is the most capable, clever, gorgeous man.’
‘Yes,’ Anthea said in her friendly sister tone, which sounded slightly false from disuse. ‘I know.’
‘I think I should get you to the hospital, young lady,’ the policeman said to her. ‘I’ve finished taking the statement. Unless there’s anything else you want to tell me?’
Anthea’s eyes were fixed on Jacko. Was he going to betray her?
‘He’s a rugged old bush cop, but he’s kind,’ Jane assured her sister, mistaking her anxiety for fear of a stranger. ‘But we can take her to the doctor, Officer. In my car.’
‘Okey-dokey,’ the policeman agreed. ‘You should get the doc to give you a once-over too, mate,’ he advised Jacko. ‘I’ll get the main road cleared.’
Jacko nodded. He and the policeman slapped each other on the shoulder. As they said goodbye, Jane helped Anthea into the back seat of the car. She padded her head and back with cushions, strapped her into a seat belt, then slipped behind the wheel.
Anthea stretched her legs out along the back seat and pretended to sleep. Through half-closed eyes, she saw Jacko climb into the front passenger seat. She felt the car take his weight. She saw her sister’s hand on Jacko’s big meaty leg, her fingers covered by his strong hand. The engine started and Jane swung the car around. As they jolted and bounced over the rough bush track, Anthea listened to her sister, babbling happily, a brook of words, her laughter vibrant with affection and relief.
They drove on as night filled the car. Her sister’s words washed over Anthea. She must have fallen into an uneasy sleep because when she opened her eyes it was to see Jane’s smiling face directly above her. The neon hospital signs hurt Anthea’s eyes, questioning her hard, accusing her of betraying her only sister.
‘Help me, Jacko,’ Jane asked. Together, they levered Anthea out of the back seat. Despite her remorse, as Jacko slid his strong hands under her armpits, she thrilled to his touch.
‘Are you okay?’ Jane asked again, disconcerted.
Anthea forced a smile. It was as sharp and sweet as icing, and as hard as the nails she was now digging into her palm. Jacko wouldn’t catch her eye. Why had she tried to kiss him? She was engaged to the most perfect man on the planet.
Anthea, normally so clear-sighted, found that everything had blurred slightly for her. It was the shock of the crash obviously. But that didn’t stop her from feeling that the mayor of this town had been right. Here Jane had become a beautiful swan and Anthea an ugly duckling. As soon as Jacko told Jane about her sister’s behaviour, things would get very ugly indeed …
Chapter Eight
Love At Second Sight
IN BETWEEN BEING poked and probed by doctors, Anthea tried to ring Rupert. No answer. Where was he? She needed to speak to him so that she could take her
Jane leapt from the front seat while the wheels were still spinning. She threw herself at Jacko in joy and relief.
‘Annie!’ she yelled then, running to her sister’s side. ‘Are you okay?’
‘Yes, yes, fine,’ Anthea said in a quiet voice.
Jane laughed with relief, squeezing her close. ‘Thank God! What a welcome to Australia! Are you sure you’re okay?’
Jane was so concerned about her sister that the old tensions between them evaporated. Her warmth only served to increase Anthea’s feelings of shame and guilt.
‘I’m fine. Really. Fine.’ Anthea’s voice was clipped and brittle, like a World War Two radio announcer.
Jane’s face when she turned back to Jacko was naked in its love for him. She threw her arms around his neck again and hung and clung there.
‘What a way to meet your brother-in-law. Don’t judge him by this accident though. Jacko really is the most capable, clever, gorgeous man.’
‘Yes,’ Anthea said in her friendly sister tone, which sounded slightly false from disuse. ‘I know.’
‘I think I should get you to the hospital, young lady,’ the policeman said to her. ‘I’ve finished taking the statement. Unless there’s anything else you want to tell me?’
Anthea’s eyes were fixed on Jacko. Was he going to betray her?
‘He’s a rugged old bush cop, but he’s kind,’ Jane assured her sister, mistaking her anxiety for fear of a stranger. ‘But we can take her to the doctor, Officer. In my car.’
‘Okey-dokey,’ the policeman agreed. ‘You should get the doc to give you a once-over too, mate,’ he advised Jacko. ‘I’ll get the main road cleared.’
Jacko nodded. He and the policeman slapped each other on the shoulder. As they said goodbye, Jane helped Anthea into the back seat of the car. She padded her head and back with cushions, strapped her into a seat belt, then slipped behind the wheel.
Anthea stretched her legs out along the back seat and pretended to sleep. Through half-closed eyes, she saw Jacko climb into the front passenger seat. She felt the car take his weight. She saw her sister’s hand on Jacko’s big meaty leg, her fingers covered by his strong hand. The engine started and Jane swung the car around. As they jolted and bounced over the rough bush track, Anthea listened to her sister, babbling happily, a brook of words, her laughter vibrant with affection and relief.
They drove on as night filled the car. Her sister’s words washed over Anthea. She must have fallen into an uneasy sleep because when she opened her eyes it was to see Jane’s smiling face directly above her. The neon hospital signs hurt Anthea’s eyes, questioning her hard, accusing her of betraying her only sister.
‘Help me, Jacko,’ Jane asked. Together, they levered Anthea out of the back seat. Despite her remorse, as Jacko slid his strong hands under her armpits, she thrilled to his touch.
‘Are you okay?’ Jane asked again, disconcerted.
Anthea forced a smile. It was as sharp and sweet as icing, and as hard as the nails she was now digging into her palm. Jacko wouldn’t catch her eye. Why had she tried to kiss him? She was engaged to the most perfect man on the planet.
Anthea, normally so clear-sighted, found that everything had blurred slightly for her. It was the shock of the crash obviously. But that didn’t stop her from feeling that the mayor of this town had been right. Here Jane had become a beautiful swan and Anthea an ugly duckling. As soon as Jacko told Jane about her sister’s behaviour, things would get very ugly indeed …
Chapter Eight
Love At Second Sight
IN BETWEEN BEING poked and probed by doctors, Anthea tried to ring Rupert. No answer. Where was he? She needed to speak to him so that she could take her
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