Secrets Of The Outback. Margaret Way
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very nearly destroyed, but she had her son to think of. She and Lady Connellan, Keefe’s grandmother, held the fort until Keefe came of age. Splendid young man. It’s an open secret that he has his troubles with Travis—just as everyone knows Travis is trying to land Keefe for a son-in-law. A marriage of dynasties, so to speak.”
“It usually works that way.” Jewel shrugged. “It’s a tough life. I’ve seen photographs of Amelia Copeland and Keefe Connellan in the papers. Both very glamorous people.” Connellan was every woman’s dream. A young Sean Connery.
“My dear, you could brush her aside,” Skinner surprised her by saying. “She is beautiful, as you say, but there’s not a lot of sparkle. I like sparkle in a woman. So, I fancy, does Keefe. There’s nothing doing so far, despite Travis’s best efforts. When I take you to one of their parties, I’ll go with you to pick out your dress. Or I’ll send you off to a friend of mine. She’ll know exactly what’s required.”
Jewel stared at him, a little dazed. “Blair, I’m overcome.”
“That’s nice.” He smirked. “There are perks to being one of my protégées, my dear. Of course, it’s not my intention to marry again,” he reassured her, quite unnecessarily. Christy, one of her colleagues, had always thought Blair was borderline gay. “It’s glorious to be free. Now, enough of the chitchat. We must get down to business. I’m expecting Keefe at three, although if something important crops up, he might have to cancel. He has a law degree, did you know? Brilliant legal skills he puts to good use, as well as being a mining engineer. At thirty-two he has more presence than most of the big names in the state. And I believe he intends to take over the whole group eventually. He’s developed a reputation as a man with a mission. That mission, so far as I can see, is to get rid of Travis Copeland.”
“Sounds like you’re a bit in awe of him, Blair,” Jewel slipped in gently. Blair Skinner rarely spoke so highly of anyone.
“I consider it an honor to call Keefe my friend,” Skinner admitted with a modest smile. “I like to think my maturity and experience has left its mark. I hope so. By the same token I often partner Travis at golf. He’s an excellent player. So’s Amelia. She could give most of the men a run for their money. Do you play yourself?”
“Nope.” Jewel smiled. “Never had the time. Nor the money for expensive clubs. Tennis is my game.”
“Don’t be ashamed of tennis. If you’re good enough, I’ll give you a game. I can see you now!”
“Another Anna Kournikova?” Jewel asked blithely.
“Women’s tennis was in the doldrums before her,” Skinner said in a brisk voice. “I’m with Cash and McEnroe. The best woman player can’t match a man. Couldn’t come close. Now, you’ve got your legal pad, haven’t you?”
“Open, ready and waiting,” Jewel said and held up her pen. She didn’t bother to tell him about her cupboard full of tennis trophies. That could wait.
ALMOST TWO HOURS LATER, Jewel made it back to her office, so small that some days she thought she’d faint from claustrophobia. She was about to enter, when Anthea, one of the receptionists, all but bolted down the corridor to speak to her.
“Jewel!”
“Hi, Anthea, anything up?” Jewel turned.
“I wanted to catch you.” Anthea spoke a little breathlessly. “They don’t have an appointment or anything, but two teenage boys are out front asking for you.”
“Are they respectable?” Jewel grinned. “No shaved heads or outrageous tattoos?”
Anthea laughed. “No, they’re just kids. Nice-looking, actually. They say they know you.”
“Names please, Anthea,” Jewel said patiently, desperately wanting to get on with her workload.
“Harry and Josh Hungerford.”
“Good Lord,” Jewel said. “I have to keep reminding myself that kids grow up. Show them through, Anthea. I grew up in Hungerford country. I can spare them a few minutes, though we’ll all be knocking heads just trying to fit in my office.”
A few minutes later she was shaking hands with two young men she could easily identify, even if they’d both outgrown her by many inches. “This is a wonderful surprise.” She smiled at them warmly, as pleased to see them as they apparently were to see her. “Take a seat. Tell me what’s going on in your lives. How’s your mother? I hope you’ve got some good news.”
“Well, no, Jewel,” Harry, the older boy said, his deep voice cracking. “We couldn’t think of anyone else to come to. We know you’re a big-time lawyer now. We need help.”
“Is something wrong?” Jewel looked from one to the other. “I don’t know if I can do anything myself—” She indicated with her arm the stack of files: franchising, floats, syndicates, whatever. “But I can certainly point you in the right direction.”
“No,” said Josh, staring at her with his bright blue eyes. “We want you. You know about our life, Jewel. You know the people in it. You’re one of us. From our town. We trust you.”
“Well, that’s sweet of you, Josh.” Jewel was touched by his words. “Suppose you tell me what this is all about. I take it you’re here independent of your mother and stepfather?” George Everett, never an attractive man. Jewel had always felt uncomfortable with him.
Both nodded. “Mum has betrayed us, Jewel,” Harry said, turning his face away. “Ever since she married Everett, our lives have changed.”
Jewel acknowledged that with a sympathetic grimace. “He hasn’t been unkind to you, has he?” she demanded with sharp concern. “Abusive in any way?” It didn’t seem possible with Sheila, their mother, around. Sheila adored her boys.
“He’s never hit us or anything,” Harry said, thrusting a hand through his short chestnut-colored hair. “He wouldn’t dare. Not these days.” Both boys topped six feet and had strapping country physiques.
“It’s still abuse, the way he talks,” Josh insisted. “He’s still the same smart-mouthed, oily character, and he’s getting colder and colder.” He paused uncertainly. “It’s financial, the reason we’re here.”
“Tell me,” Jewel invited, instinctively pulling a legal pad forward. “I know your maternal grandfather Fletcher left you both a great deal of land just outside town. River frontage. I know it was held in trust by your mother. I know it was very valuable land then, which means it’s far more valuable now. I know that after your mother remarried, she and your stepfather bought several thousand hectares of adjoining land.”
“Nowhere near as valuable.” Harry’s voice was so tight it was distorted. “Ours has the river frontage.”
Josh picked up the story. “Some time after you left town to come down to Brisbane, Mum gave herself and Everett a lease on our land.”
“And listen to this—” Harry burst out loudly. “It was for fifty years. A dollar a year. Everett began working it, then they started borrowing big money using our property as security.”
“Finally they mortgaged our property when they got into debt,” Josh said.
“I don’t believe it!” Jewel had seen a lot of fraud and deceit in her business, but she was shocked. “Your mother would never allow such a thing.”
Harry shrugged, his expression unhappy. “Mum’s not the same person you knew, Jewel. She’s changed.”
“She’s like a puppet.” Josh closed his eyes tight, then opened them. “Everett pulls the strings.”
“So, where are you two living?” Jewel asked, beginning to feel protective. She had known the Hungerford boys since they were toddlers.
“Not in the house. We’ve left. We’ve fixed up the workers’ cottage. We live there