A Wish and a Wedding by Margaret Way Page B

curvy hip. “Don’t think so, I know so, dear.”
    â€œSuch is arrogance.” Tori sighed. “Shouldn’t you remember it was just an accident of birth? Chrissy, through no fault of her own, was dealt a really bad hand. Don’t we, with so much more, have a responsibility to help out? If you spent some time checking out how the less fortunate live, it might make you a better person.”
    â€œPlease don’t lecture me, dear,” Marcy said, with a curl of her lip.
    â€œAnd you can quit calling me dear in return,” Tori replied sharply. “You consider yourself pretty classy, but a real lady would never torment anyone less fortunate than herself. Would you try to remember that for the duration of your stay?”
    â€œCan’t promise anything.” Marcy glanced pointedly at her designer watch. “Better get cracking, then. Haddo wants me to join him for the day.”
    Tori, who’d been about to turn away, stopped short. “Now, there’s a howler if ever I’ve heard one. Pip is taking morning classes for me while Haddo flies Chrissy and me into Koomera Crossing. We’ll be taking the chopper. Chrissy has a dentist appointment. We want to get things started on fixing that tooth. She’ll need a porcelain crown.”
    â€œUgh!” Marcy shuddered, as though Chrissy was in desperate need of a full set of false teeth. “Makes you happy, does it, dear? This dispensing largesse to the poor and the needy?”
    â€œYes, it does, actually,” Tori answered quietly. “I’ve come to realise that’s what makes being an heiress worthwhile.” She turned on her heel before her disgust grew too much for her. “See you this evening, Marcy,” she called over her shoulder. “Kerri is a wonderful horsewoman. Why don’t you get her to help you brush up on your many lessons?”
    Marcy started with indignation. “Why the hell would I want to ride a horse? ” she asked haughtily, and strode away in the opposite direction.
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    While Chrissy was bravely coping with her dental appointment—the second of her life, the first having been bad enough to make her think of it ever after as torture—Haddo and Tori took a walk around the prosperous Outback town, which had its own bush hospital, with visiting medical and dental specialists. At the well-stocked pharmacy Tori bought a few toiletries Pip wanted, then they headed towards a good coffee shop.
    Once inside, they were shown to a quiet banquette that looked out on the broad sunlit main street. Four-wheel drives and utilities were parked practically bumper to bumper to either side. “How are you going to go about convincing Marcy she’s not the love of your life?” Tori asked by way of conversation, after their order for coffee and sandwiches had been taken.
    â€œWhy are you so desperate to get me to?” Haddo asked, equally casual. “Are you jealous?”
    â€œHell! I hate you,” she said flippantly. “Haven’t you found that out yet?”
    â€œI’m okay with your hating me.” He shrugged. “It makes you heaven to kiss.”
    She flushed. “The kissing has to go! It’s not in my best interests. I can’t worry about you.”
    He gave a half-laugh. “You should. I’m getting on. Damn nearly thirty, and I have a compelling need to marry and have kids.”
    â€œMarcy can’t help?”
    â€œAh, don’t be ridiculous,’ he said, shaking his crow-black head. “There have been women in my life other than Marcy.”
    Her mind immediately darted back to a few. “Yes, that’s right. There was Georgina Thomas—and whatever happened to Rosie Armitage? I always liked Rosie. She was very sweet to me when people like Marcy were never nice. Marcy’s not good around Chrissy either.”
    He nodded, looking directly at her. “It hasn’t escaped me. I’ll have a