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Elizabeth was amazed. He hadn't asked her if she was available to help and it was then she realised that in the past Marcus had always ridden roughshod over her. She'd gone along with whatever he or her father had needed. The only exception had been her work and as neither of them really understood either what she did or her desire to do it, it was something that was of no interest.

'How long do you plan to stay?'

'Not too long. I need to get the information from Mr Knowles and hopefully persuade him to return to England with us.'

'Us?'

'Of course. That's the other reason why I'm here. To get you out of your contract. I told you I would.'

'And I told you I didn't want you to.'

Marcus looked closely at her and frowned. 'I must say you're acting rather strangely, Elizabeth.' He had his 'solicitor' voice on and she sighed, knowing he probably wouldn't let go until he was satisfied. Mitch was still in the back of her mind and she kept reminding herself that he wasn't cross with her, just needed time to get away. She couldn't blame him. His own brother had had no clue who he was. Of course, if Mitch had introduced himself and given his name, Marcus would have realised at once. So why hadn't he?

'Elizabeth! I'm talking to you and you're blatantly ignoring me.'

'I'm sorry, Marcus.' She switched her brain back to the present. 'What did you say?'

'I said you're different. I'm not sure how but definitely different.'

'The outback will do that to you.'

'All the more reason why we should leave as soon as possible.'

'Marcus, I can't leave. I don't want to leave the hospital and the people of Coober Pedy in the lurch but more importantly...' She reached out and took one of his hands in hers, eager to make him understand. 'I
choose
not to leave.'

'I don't understand.'

'I
like
it here. I like the people, my colleagues and then there's my...' She paused, knowing what she was about to say would probably come as a shock to him. She took a deep breath. 'My mother. I'm living here...with my mother.'

'I beg your pardon?'

'Maude. You've spoken to her on the phone a few times.'

'She's your
mother!
Does your father know?'

'No. I didn't want to upset him,' Elizabeth rushed on. 'He's forbidden me in the past to contact her but—'

'But you didn't listen to him.' Marcus shook his head. 'When did you set this all up?'

'A few years ago.'

'A few years ago? How long have you been in contact with her?'

'Over ten years.'

'Ten years!' He turned away from her. 'And your father knows nothing of this?'

'No.'

Marcus spun around to look at her. 'It's going to destroy him, Elizabeth. Did you think of that?'

Feelings of guilt had started to swamp her but they stopped short at his words. Honesty. She remembered Mitch and her mother talking about honesty and that was what she needed to be now. She needed to be honest with herself, and if that hurt Marcus or her father, she was sorry but that was the way it was going to be. 'Do you think he ever did me any favours by
not
letting me know my mother?'

'He's given you everything you've ever needed, Elizabeth, and this is how you repay him?'

'He didn't give me my mother! My relationship with Maude has nothing to do with him. He doesn't need to see her or speak to her or anything, but she is my
mother.
My flesh and blood. I would think you of all people should understand that.'

'Pardon?'

It was then Elizabeth realised what she'd said. She thought quickly, trying to cover the fact that she knew about his mother and his brother. It wasn't her place to tell him about Mitch. 'You never talk about your own mother, Marcus. Why is that?'

'She died. A long time ago.' His words were clipped.

'And do you have any regrets? How long had it been since you'd seen her?' Her voice was soft and compassionate as she desperately tried to make him see her side of the story. 'I don't want those regrets, Marcus. I wanted to find my mother so just before I turned eighteen I took matters into my own hands. We've been writing letters for years—and more recently exchanging e-mails. I wanted to meet her so we decided to combine it with a professional placement which would also increase my medical knowledge. It seemed perfect. I knew it would hurt Dad if I told him...so I didn't. I'm a grown woman, Marcus, and neither of you seem to realise that. I need to make my own decisions, my own mistakes, my own memories, and right now I choose to make memories with my mother.'

'But your father. He's not feeling well.'

'I know. I'll call him tonight and have a long talk with him.'

'You'll tell him about your mother?'

'Yes.'

'Good. He has the right to know.'

'I realise that.'

'So you really don't want to leave here, then.'

'No. Not until my contract is up at any rate.' But what about Mitch? She pushed Mitch temporarily to the back of her mind. There were a few more things she needed to sort out before she got around to analysing Mitch and the way she felt about him.

'What about us?'

Elizabeth took a deep breath. 'I don't know, Marcus.' He hung his head, staring at his shoes, and Elizabeth felt awful. Honesty, she reminded herself. 'Quite a lot has happened to me since I arrived here and I'm still trying to process it all.'

'Is there someone else?' He looked at her.

Elizabeth remained silent but met his gaze. She stared at him, looking desperately for similarities between him and his brother, but the only thing she discovered was the shape of their eyes. Apart from that they seemed to be like chalk and cheese.

'That man,' he stated, after watching her closely. 'Your colleague. Are you...involved with him?'

Again, Elizabeth found it difficult to answer. Was she involved with Mitch? She wasn't even sure what that meant. Finally she took a breath. 'I'm...confused but I doubt whether that answers your question.'

'I see.' He nodded. 'Right. I'll be off, then.'

'Marcus—wait.'

'I'll find Mr Knowles, do what business I need to do and leave you...to your life.' He turned and walked out in his firm, brisk manner.

'Marcus!' she called again, but it was to his retreating back. That was another thing the Brothers Grimm had in common, she realised.

They both walked away from her in exactly the same way.

* * *

Elizabeth walked into her mother's house, surprised to see Mitch's ute in the driveway. Was he here? Then she realised her mother's four-wheel-drive was gone and surmised that Mitch had swapped cars and driven out to the mine.

Still, when she went inside, she listened for his deep, masculine voice and when she heard no evidence of it she headed straight for the shower. She stood beneath the calming spray, trying to make sense of everything, but it all became too hard. She turned off the water and towelled herself dry before dressing and going to find her mother.

'Hi, there. How was your day?'

'You don't want to know.'

'Something happen?'

'You could say that.' Elizabeth turned to face her mother. 'Marcus is here.'

'Here!'

'Yes.'

'In Coober Pedy?'

'Yes.'

'How?'

Elizabeth waved her hands. 'It's a long story but Marcus had no idea who Mitch was.'

Maude thought about this for a moment. 'Just by sight? Mitch didn't give his name?'

'No.'

'Well, then, that's understandable. They haven't seen each other since they were children. What did Mitch do?'

'He walked out.'

Maude nodded. 'And you and Marcus?'

'Marcus is here to find a witness—Pierre Knowles—for a court case, as well as to convince me to leave here. I've told him you're my mother but he has no idea that Mitch is his brother.'

'Wow. You
have
had a busy day.'

The phone rang and Maude picked it up. A moment later she went as white as a sheet and took the cordless phone into another room, not looking at Elizabeth.

'Mum?' Elizabeth followed her. 'Mum? What's wrong?' Elizabeth went into the sitting room and sat down beside her mother. 'What's the matter? Is it Mitch? Is he all right?'

Maude shook her head but still didn't say much to whoever was on the other end of the phone. Elizabeth stayed where she was, watching her mother closely. Finally, Maude said, 'You have a right to your opinion. She's here if you want to talk to her.'

Elizabeth's eyes widened and a feeling of impending doom swamped her. Maude held out the telephone receiver.

'It's your father.'

Elizabeth's hand started to tremble as she took the phone. 'Are you all right, Mum?' she asked cautiously. Maude nodded. 'He knows who you are?'

'Yes.' The word was a whisper.

'Marcus.' Elizabeth nodded her head.

'No,' Maude corrected her. 'He knew. All along, Liz. He's known about our relationship all along. The letters, the trip here... Talk to him.'

Elizabeth looked at the phone as though it were a completely foreign object. Slowly she raised it to her ear. 'Dad?' she said into the mouthpiece.

'Elizabeth. Are you well?'

'Yes...and you? I spoke to the Professor the other day and he said your blood pressure was up but that it wasn't anything to worry about.'

'Yes. He told me you'd been checking up on me.'

'Well, you
are
my father.'

'Yes, I am.' He paused, his tone gruff. 'I hope you've been taking good care of your...your mother.'

'Yes. She had an operation not that long ago but she's progressing nicely.'

'Maude had an operation?' He sounded concerned.

'She's fine now. I've been keeping a close eye on her.'

'Just as well you're a doctor, then.'

'Yes.' Silence. 'Dad, I'm sorry I've lied to you but I—'

'It's all right' Her father cleared his throat but she could hear the emotion, even though he was a world away. 'I was wrong, Elizabeth. Wrong to keep you from her. I can see that now. I knew you'd been in contact with her—purely by accident—and I rationalised then that at least it was only a relationship via the mail.' He paused again. 'I'm not good at this, Elizabeth. Expressing my emotions has never been my strong suit, you know that, but I want you to know that I accept your decisions, even if I don't completely understand them. Maude
is
your mother and you have the right to be with her. I'll see you when your contract is up.'

That was it. Her father hung up and she just sat there, the receiver still in her hand, staring at her mother. Elizabeth's heart constricted at his words. Tears welled up in her eyes and for a fleeting moment she wasn't sure if it was because of his words or the fact that she didn't want to leave here. Going back to England almost made her feel like going back to gaol. She wasn't sure she could do it.

'He knew all along.' She said the words in complete wonderment. 'He never said anything to me.'

'He probably didn't know how,' Maude rationalised as she took her daughter's hand in hers. The phone rang again and they both groaned.

'What now?' Elizabeth asked. She picked up the phone. 'Dr Blakeny-Smith.'

'Elizabeth, it's Imogen.'

'Imogen. Something wrong?'

'There's been an accident at one of the mines.'

Elizabeth felt her breath lodge in her throat. 'Mitch?' She choked the word out, quickly praying that he was all right.

'No. It's out at the BlueStar mine. A tourist has fallen down a shaft. Pierre called it in. Elizabeth, it's your friend from England.'

'Marcus!' She felt her eyes widen. 'Marcus has fallen down a mine-shaft?' she asked incredulously.

'Yes. I'm sorry. Pierre's organising the mine rescue squad but I can't get hold of Mitch. I tried the sat phone but there was no response.'

'No, there wouldn't be. His ute is here and Mitch is at the mine. I'll head out there now with Mum and we'll get Mitch,
and meet the rescue squad at BlueStar.'

'All right. I'll let them know.'

Elizabeth put the phone down and turned to face her mother. 'Could this day get any worse? Don't answer that. Let's go.' She stood and looked around for Mitch's keys. 'Mum, did he leave the keys?'

'He didn't give me any. They might still be in the ignition. He's done that before.'

'Or he may have lost them again,' she muttered, as she walked outside to check. Maude shut the door and followed her. 'No keys.' Elizabeth, without hesitation this time, bent down and hot-wired the engine.

'Elizabeth!' Her mother laughed in astonishment. 'You are a surprise.'

Elizabeth merely shrugged and pulled her seat belt on. 'How far is BlueStar mine?'

'Not far past ours,' Maude answered as they climbed into Mitch's ute. 'Are you all right to drive, sweetheart?'

'Fine. You said it yourself, I'm turning into a local and that should include getting used to the terrain.' Soon they were driving out of town, heading for the continuing mound of mullock heaps. Finally, Elizabeth turned off the road and drove carefully to where Maude's vehicle was parked. She pulled up, cut the engine and climbed out.

'What's the best way to reach him?' she asked, her mother as Maude came around.

'My guess...' drawled a masculine voice and Elizabeth spun around to see him on the other side of Maude's vehicle '...would be simply to talk to him.'

'You're up here. Thank goodness.' She watched as his expression changed from tiredness to concern.

'What's wrong?' It was amazing the way they seemed to pick up on each other's body language. They were definitely on the same wavelength.

'Marcus has fallen down a mine-shaft.' Elizabeth watched as his eyes darkened and her heart went out to him.

'Where?'

'BlueStar.'

'Maude.' He nodded to his partner and headed towards his ute. Elizabeth turned to face her.

'I'll be all right here,' she said quickly. 'I'll pack everything up and head back home.'