Lockie’s footsteps acted like a douche of cold water and Georgia snatched her arm away as though she had been stung. Her brother joined them and if he noticed anything amiss he made no comment ‘Ready to go?’ he asked easily.
Then Georgia was in the front of the wagon with her brother beside her and Jarrod had walked around the front to climb in behind the wheel.
‘Shove over a bit, sis.’ Lockie wriggled and the seat springs protested. ‘If this door opens while we’re driving along I’ll pop out like a cork from a bottle.’
Georgia felt herself grow hot again as she gave her brother a little more room on the bench seat. She fumbled for the sash of her seat belt and both Jarrod and Lockie tried to help her.
Georgia’s nerves tightened until she thought they’d snap and as Jarrod reached out to switch on the ignition she barely disguised her flinch. His arm brushed hers as he shifted the gear lever and Georgia wondered if the other two were as aware as she was of that same heightened tension that swelled inside the car.
There was no way Georgia could make any attempt at conversation right then. She was far too busy trying to justify her capricious reactions to her usually dignified, rational self. At least, she’d thought she now had some composure, some control. But perhaps she’d been wrong.
‘I’ll need directions once we get to Oxley,’ Jarrod said as they turned off their narrow road onto the smoother bitumen surface of the main highway.
‘Georgia knows the way,’ Lockie said casually. ‘And I’ve just had an idea. Andy’s new flat is just off the highway at Darra—we go right past it—so if you drop me off there I can bring my van back and save shuttling back and forth with Andy later.’
‘Andy may not have finished with your van,’ Georgia managed to say, horrified that Lockie would dare to leave her alone again with Jarrod.
‘He should be; he hasn’t got that much stuff,’ Lockie told her, obviously not receiving the frantic silent messages she was trying to send him. ‘I can be home by the time you collect Morgan.’
‘Lockie—’ Georgia began warningly.
‘Sounds sensible to me, Georgia,’ Jarrod agreed, and Georgia could only wordlessly concede, seething at her brother’s insensitivity.
‘Has Morgan been flatting long?’ Jarrod asked. ‘I just can’t imagine her being old enough to be out on her own.’
Lockie shifted uncomfortably, glancing sideways at his sister.
‘I’m afraid Morgan didn’t exactly leave with the family’s blessing,’ Georgia explained evenly. ‘She’s only just seventeen and we thought she was too young to move away from home and into a flat with her boyfriend.’
‘I see.’ Jarrod pulled into the passing lane, easily overtaking a slower car.
‘Morgan’s going through a bad patch. She decided to leave school and then she couldn’t get a job. She’s very—well, wilful at present.’ Georgia sighed tiredly.
‘And how!’ put in Lockie. ‘I often wondered if the flat was really Steve’s idea or if Morgan organised it all. As incomprehensible as it seems, Steve’s head over heels in love with her. That’s why I find it hard to believe that he actually hit her. It’s so out of character.’
‘This fellow hit Morgan?’ Jarrod asked with a frown.
‘So she told Georgia on the phone,’ Lockie replied.
‘How old is he? Does he have a job?’ Jarrod questioned.
‘He’s a bit older than Morgan, isn’t he, Georgia? I’d say nineteen or twenty. Actually he works for your father as an apprentice something or other. I always thought he was a nice guy, pretty quiet and sensible. Didn’t you think so too, sis?’
‘He is a nice boy—’ Georgia began, wishing her brother wasn’t so forthcoming about their family problems.
‘Not so nice if he hit a woman,’ Jarrod broke in drily. ‘Any sort of abuse, physical or mental, is unacceptable.’
‘Perhaps there can be worse things,’ Georgia remarked softly, bitterly, before she could stop herself. The past was waving shadowy fronds to taunt her, and she could sense the sudden stiffening in the man beside her.
‘Not in my book,’ Jarrod said firmly. ‘An argument needn’t come to that.’
‘You’re not wrong. Wife beaters are cowards in mine. Turn left at the next set of lights, Jarrod.’ Lockie pointed out the flats where Andy now lived and his battered kombivan was parked outside, Andy and Ken beside it as they lifted a couple of cardboard cartons. ‘Right.’ Lockie opened the door and slid from the station wagon. ‘I’ll see you back at the house later.’
And Georgia could only sit there as her brother walked away. Before she could move, unclip her centre seat belt and slip into Lockie’s now vacant place by the door, Jarrod pulled the station wagon away from the kerb. She was left sitting close to Jarrod, as close as lovers. The way they used to…
Once again her brother had neatly sidestepped any responsibilities.
‘I’m sorry about all this-’ Georgia strove to keep her voice even ‘-and I appreciate your helping us out,’ she finished quickly.
‘As I said, it’s no sweat.’ He was frowning, and they lapsed into an uncomfortable silence until Georgia had to direct him to turn off the highway.
The flats were old but well kept and they had no trouble finding the right one, for Morgan was standing in the lighted open doorway watching for them. As Georgia climbed out of the car she came hurrying down the path, suitcase in hand.
‘Georgia! Thank goodness you’re here. I thought Steve would come back before you finished. I’ve got my things. Let’s go,’ she finished breathlessly.
‘Just a minute, Morgan.’ Georgia stopped her sister’s headlong flight with a hand on her arm. ‘I think we should go inside and wait for Steve and you can explain exactly what happened.’
‘When we get home, Georgia. I’ll tell you then. I don’t want to see Steve or stay here any longer, and what’s more I’m not going to.’
‘Only a couple of weeks ago you couldn’t bear to be anywhere else,’ Georgia reminded her sister wearily.
Morgan turned on her, her darkish curls flouncing. ‘And I might have known you’d throw that up at me, Georgia. You think I’m still a child, but I’m not a child!’ She stamped her foot.
‘Morgan—’ Georgia went to put her hand on her sister’s shoulder but the younger girl brushed it away.
‘I’m not staying, Georgia. You don’t even care that I’ll probably have a black eye tomorrow. Oh, come on. I’ll get the rest of my stuff later. Let’s go.’ She reached for the cardoor catch.
Jarrod had walked around the car by now and he took the case from Morgan before opening the door for her.
‘For heaven’s sake.’ The young girl noticed him for the first time. ‘I don’t believe
