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to Marissa beaming beatifically, displaying a missing front tooth. ‘Are you Riley’s mummy?’ she asked as though absolutely thrilled at their arrival.
‘Wh-a-t?’ Aunt Lois’s voice rose as shrill as a seagull’s.
‘Listen and learn, Lois,’ Holt said.
Marissa went down to the little girl’s level, smiling into the small freckled face. Georgia was plain at this stage. The missing tooth didn’t help, but Marissa thought early adulthood would see a breakthrough. She certainly looked intelligent, even a character. Her fine wiry hair was sticking out at all angles as if electrified. It was sandy in colour with a tinge of orange, her eyes, her best feature, a clear light green. ‘Hello, Georgy. I’m so pleased to meet you. I’m Marissa.’ She offered her hand and the child took it with aplomb, as if trained from birth. ‘I’m Riley’s sister, not his mother. I’m here to help you with your lessons. Riley will be doing his with you. Would you like that?’
The beaming smile remained etched on Georgia’s face. ‘I’m thinking about it,’ she said graciously as if it were all up to her. ‘You’re really, really pretty!’ She suddenly inflated her cheeks to their full extent, then slowly released the air like a hissing balloon. ‘Riley looks just like you. If you’re not his Mummy why does he call you, Ma?’ she asked, demonstrating she hadn’t been behind the door when it came to intelligence. ‘Why is he little and you’re big?’
Aunt Lois cast her eyes heavenwards in scorn. ‘Don’t ask!’
Marissa had no choice but to ignore her. ‘Ma is short for Marissa,’ she explained to the child, though she knew too well it didn’t sound like that when used by Riley. ‘Riley was born a long time after I was. We have the same father, but different mothers.’
‘Then where’s his mother?’ Georgia asked, engaging Marissa woman-to-woman. ‘She should be here right now. To emphasise the point she raised her small foot, encased in sturdy brown boots that went oddly with an expensive smocked dress, and stamped it hard on the marble floor.
‘My father left Riley in my care, Georgia,’ Marissa told her.
‘No, call me Georgy!’ the child said quickly. ‘I like it. You’ve got a pretty voice, too.’
‘Thank you.’ Marissa smiled. ‘Riley being with me works out well, Georgy. He’s happy with me.’
‘Because he loves you,’ Georgia cried. It was a near operatic declaration. ‘Can I go outside and talk to him?’ She put out a hand fingering one of Marissa’s silky, curls. ‘Are these curls real? Just thought I’d check.’
Marissa nodded. ‘Riley and I have naturally curly hair.’
‘And it looks great on you! I really loathe my hair.’ Georgia sighed deeply.
‘Actually, Georgy, all your hair needs is the right preparation for flyaway hair.’ Marissa wisely decided on the truth. ‘You have so much life in you, it gets into your hair. All you do is rub the dressing between your palms, then smooth it over your hair. You’ll find it works. One needs things to keep curly hair under control.’
‘So that’s it then!’ Georgia sounded like she had been waiting years for a solution. ‘Can we get some?’ Abruptly she spun about, the steam of indignation coming off her. ‘Why didn’t you get me some?’ she demanded of her aunt, bridling like a grown woman.
‘All your hair needs is a good brush,’ Aunt Lois insisted, looking like she wanted to give her niece a good whack with the said brush. ‘That’s if you’d stand still long enough.’
Holt McMaster appeared to Marissa’s eyes, to be bored to distraction. Wearily he cut in. ‘Now we’ve got that settled, maybe we can move on.’
‘Just a sec, Holt.’ Georgia flashed him an engaging smile, turning back to Marissa. ‘Maybe we can try a new style?’ Her sandy eyebrows arched in enquiry.
‘Your hair doesn’t need styling,’ Aunt Lois exploded, foolish enough to break in again when anyone else would have left well alone. Only Lois was enormously put out her wretched little niece had taken a liking to the single mother Holt had brought into his home.
‘Who asked you?’ Georgia shouted rudely. ‘I’m talking to Marissa, okay?’
‘Holt, are you going to allow her to talk to me like that?’ Lois pleaded.
‘Sorry, I must have nodded off,’ he groaned. ‘That’s quite enough, Georgy. Apologise to your aunt.’
‘Don’t worry, Holt, I will.’ Georgia who really was being naughty, launched into a spirited little tap dance. ‘Sorry, Auntie!’ She said, stopping her tap dance abruptly, arms outstretched.
‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, give us a break, Georgy,’ Holt groaned. ‘It seems to me, you could make quite a good living as a child movie star. You can go outside and join Riley for as long as it takes to tie Dusty up. After that, the two of you can wash your hands for lunch.’
‘Thank you very much, sir.‘ Georgia smiled up at him sweetly, or as sweetly as her missing tooth would allow, having very smartly picked up on Riley’s form of address for her father.
Marissa laughed, despite herself. The child was an entertainer in the making.
‘Don’t encourage her,’ Aunt Lois ordered stiffly, giving Marissa a green glare.
‘I’m sorry,’ Marissa apologised. She knew she shouldn’t have laughed, but Georgia definitely had a comedic flair.
‘It really won’t do to encourage her,’ Aunt Lois repeated, pink flags of colour in her cheeks.
‘You’ve made your point, Lois,’ Holt McMaster said, mildly, watching Georgia run out on to the verandah where she favoured Riley, who was sitting on the steps, with a womanly pat on the cheek. Maybe Riley would replace Zoltan, who was always getting her to do the wrong thing.
‘I suppose you’re not telling the truth about yourself and the boy?’ Lois turned on Marissa quite bitterly for someone she’d only just met.
‘Why would I not be?’ Marissa countered, trying to hide her upset. She hadn’t realised there could be someone even more awful than her aunt Allison.
Lois gave her a sarcastic stare. ‘Even a six-year-old child isn’t buying your story.’
Holt called for a ceasefire. ‘Marissa doesn’t have to listen to that, Lois,’ he said, his expression full of a deep impatience ‘Apart from anything else, it’s none of your business.’
Lois squeezed anguished hands together. ‘After all I’ve done?’ she cried, wild eyed. ‘Hardly a day goes by without Georgia punching, kicking, screaming, swearing, and I’m the only who cares.’
Holt kept a tight rein on his temper. ‘That’s simply not true and you know it. Your help has been very much appreciated, Lois. I’m sure I’ve told you that many times, but you must be desperate for a break from Georgy?’
Marissa didn’t need any little bird to tell her Aunt Lois would endure a dozen little savages who punched, kicked and swore like a wharfie just to be near him. And now she looked like she was getting dumped? So much for appreciation! Holt McMaster was one tough hombre. Marissa understood all at once she had been hired so Aunt Lois would no longer have a good reason to stay. He had faked that kindness.
The reason behind Marissa’s sudden employment must also have occurred to Lois judging from the look on her face. ‘Holt, what are you saying?’ She spoke in a low rush, looking up at him. To her he was the most wonderful man in the entire world, but he had said something exceptionally brutal.
Time to make my getaway, Marissa thought, beset by cynicism.
‘Would you excuse me,’ she said. ‘I have a spare lead for Dusty. I’ll