Free Yesterday's Sins by Shirley Wine Page A

with relief. Surely she hadn't imagined Alex holding her, forcing her to eat. She shrugged, it wasn't important.
"He's been in touch with Doug Carmichael and has returned stewardship of your affairs."
"He told me of his intent when I met him back home."
Back home? Dr Hart's eyebrows rose, his surprise equalled her own. She looked around the once familiar room, but nothing called to her.
It's not possible to return home. Her mother's words ghosted through her memory.
And looking around this room, she knew her mother was right. Remembering the clean, spare lines she'd created in her small cottage, Kate knew she'd long grown past this girlish froufrou.
"You saw Sarah?"
The doctor's words jerked her back into that heart wrenching moment of meeting.
"Alex brought her to the office with him." A familiar twist of agony caught her gut.
Jeff caught her restless hand and held it tightly. "You can't blame Korda for claiming custody of Sarah, Kate."
"Why ever not?" she asked, startled by his unexpected statement.
"Now you listen up, young lady." The anger threaded through his voice came as a surprise. "When you vanished, did you give one single thought to that child's welfare?"
The astringent question sent heat scudding up her neck into her face. "What are you getting at?"
"As an abandoned child, Sarah was made a ward of the court. Korda had a battle with welfare agencies to prove she was his child, and he had the right to custody. They put him through hoops, insisting on a DNA test. In your absence, Carmichael and I testified in Alex's favour at the custody hearing."
Ice coalesced around her heart as she stared at the old doctor in disbelief. "Why?"
"Why? Did you intend your daughter to be dragged from foster home to foster home for the rest of her life? Or be put up for state ordered adoption?"
"Dear God, no," Kate breathed, staring at the old man in disbelief. She'd never even considered her precipitate flight would result in Sarah being left so vulnerable.
"Then why are you so bitter? Alex merely ensured that helpless little girl was saved from a life of misery. You're not being fair."
Appalled, she stared at him. "I didn't know."
The old doctor's eyes softened and he patted her hand. "I know. And so did Alex. You and Sarah both should be grateful to him. You need to stop hating Alex. It's eating at your soul, Kate."
Anguish tore through Kate. Did Dr Hart expect her to forgive Alex for the ordeal he'd put her through?
"Why?" Her mouth twisted into a grimace. "If it wasn't for Alex Korda, my father and Chris would still be alive."
"What are you implying? That Alex was responsible for their accident?"
"Of course he was responsible for it," she whipped back, indignation giving her voice strength.
"Alex told me you were bitter and twisted, but I didn't believe him. Your father was solely responsible for the crash that claimed his and eight other innocent lives."
Shocked, she stared at the old man, nervous fingers worrying the sheet. "Nine people died."
"Korda did you no favours shielding you from your father's illness."
"What illness?" Her hands clenched. What didn't she know?
"Three months before that crash, Fraser had a heart attack," he said, his tone dispassionate. "Not too severe, but sufficient to let him know he was mortal. Both his cardiologist and I warned him to take care, but your father refused to listen. He worried about you, and was upset at your stubborn refusal to allow him, or Chris, to visit you in Brisbane."
Kate stared down at her restless hands plagued by guilt.
She'd refused point blank to speak to either Chris or her father. They hadn't believed her the day Marcos Korda died, so why should she speak to them?
Then it was too late. They were both dead.
"I didn't know."
"I realize that." A thread of impatience crept into his voice. "Korda refused to tell you. He didn't want you upset. Fraser wasn't in immediate danger. And you were busy being so temperamental; you had everyone concerned about your sanity."
Kate flushed