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was made out in her name. 'You can't think I'd accept money from Rick,' she asked, knowing that it was exactly what he did think.
    He fastened his shirt with quick, angry movements. 'Why not? It isn't the first time I've paid off one of his inamoratas.'
    'But I'm not one of them. I sent him away last night. Nothing happened.'
    His look raked her. 'Like nothing was about to happen just now, I suppose? Well, at least I got my money's worth.'
    She had never felt so cheap or degraded. The glorious feelings of a moment before were crushed into ashes. 'How can you think such things, far less say them?'
    He looked at the cheque she still held in trembling fingers. 'How can I not?'
    She felt sick at the sight of it. Rick must have planted the cheque in her study when he used her bathroom. She hadn't looked in there since last night, never dreaming that Rick would choose such a vicious means of revenge for sending him packing. Ben would, never accept that she hadn't lied about Rick's presence here last night.
    'Take this with you,' she said, holding the cheque out to Ben.
    He ignored it. 'Keep it. You earned it this morning.'
    Then he was gone. She stayed where she was, too heartsick to move. She should have listened to her own injunctions and kept Ben at arm's length, then none of this would have happened. As it was, she didn't know how she was going to face him again.
    * * *
    As it happened, she wasn't given the chance. Two days later, on the day of Robyn's party, Ben still hadn't put in an appearance at the homestead. From Nugget Malone, they heard that he was at the muster camp with the men.
    'He is coming?' Robyn typed on the keyboard in her bedroom when Keri went to help her get ready.
    'Of course he is. This is his big night too,' Keri assured her with more conviction than she felt. Surely he wouldn't hurt Robyn because of what he thought Keri had done?
    She helped Robyn to dress in the black silk pyjama outfit they had collected from the boutique before leaving Darwin. Although her heart wasn't in it, Keri had also found an outfit for herself. As she stood behind Robyn, styling her hair, her glance went to the mirror. Keri's outfit was classic in design and consisted of a flowing shirt in coral silk over slim-fitting trousers of the same material, fashionably cropped above the ankle. 'Fantastic,' Robyn had typed when she saw Keri in the suit.
    Keri didn't feel fantastic. She felt miserable. She and Ben had been on the verge of a truce until Rick had ruined everything with his incriminating cheque. Rick hadn't been around since they got back either, or Keri would have given him a piece of her mind. He was probably leaving his return until the last minute so that the presence of Robyn's guests would prevent her from speaking her mind.
    She glanced at the clock. The first guests were due to arrive by private plane in less than an hour. Nugget was already on his way to the airstrip to meet them. Guests from the neighbouring properties were driving over and despite Robyn's promise, there would be quite a crowd. Many of the guests would stay at Kinga Downs overnight to save themselves the long trip home late at night.
    In the kitchen, Jessie and a positive army of helpers were preparing what seemed like a mountain of food. Most of it came from the property's own herds and fields. Knowing that it was all being done under false pretences didn't make Keri feel any better as she watched everyone rushing around.
    She wanted to get into her car and drive as far away from Kinga Downs as possible. How could she stay and let all these people celebrate an engagement which was pure hypocrisy? If the occasion hadn't done Robyn so much good, she would have left by now. But the sight of her friend's glowing expression and the encouraging reports they had received from the hospital after Robyn's check-up made Keri determined to see the night through. But where was Ben?
    Leaving Robyn to finish her preparations, she escaped to her own room to finish