CHAPTER: 2

Stuart Jackson 33 yrs old presently, gazed out of the French doors of Lucy Mayfair's Estate Bungalow. Rather than a bungalow, it was a giant Colonial Mansion. The sprawling, graceful mansion, was a part of Mayfair Stables and Estate. It was very different from the Sydney penthouse apartment where Stuart had grown up in, with his parents. His parents had been stockbrokers, but Stuart had wanted to do something more meaningful in life. But he was not aware of what destiny had in store for him, and well today he was also a stockbroker and financial advisor. It was fine for him, but in the process, he had lost some romantic ideals along the way. He had become more sensible and realistic now. He gladly helped people with their finances and used to give them sound advice about an investment. Right now he was also here to help his Great Aunt, Ms. Lucy Mayfair.

"Stuart, are you listening to me?" his great aunt was whispering. "Yes, yes I was, of course, listening to you" he replied. When Stuart had come here about forty days back, he decided that he would confront Lucy, and to demand answers from her, as to why she had mistreated her sister, who was his grandmother. But then he along with his sister Melanie had gradually started loving this elderly woman. Lucy was accused of murdering her neighbor, with whom she had an ugly spat, and the next day that neighbor died. So a case was filed against her, and thus Stuart and his sister had to rush over to her. Following the arrest and then the after stress led Lucy into having a Cardiac Arrest. Stuart always knew that Lucy was innocent because, how could eighty years old, kill anyone. The arresting officer was Mr. Daniel Harding. Ultimately Lucy was proven innocent. Stuart's sister Melanie had fallen in love with Officer Daniel Harding. She was presently living with Daniel and his teenage daughter. She was a designer and was planning to open her own boutique.

Though Stuart was an avid listener, today his mind was preoccupied, with the news that he had seen on television. The news showed a recap of the last month. The news was about Henry Thorpe, and how he had been murdered in prison two weeks ago. The speculation was rife that Henry had been killed so that he could not testify against the Betting Syndicate. Stuart remembered that he had met Henry only once, after Cherry had told Stuart, about her engagement to Henry Thorpe. Henry was the man that Cherry had chosen over him. Henry was chosen over Stuart because the former was loaded with money while the latter had even not completed his studies. Cherry's rejection of Stuart had put an end to his plan of doing graduation in History. He then realized that he was never meant to be a historian. In fact, like his parents, Stuart had a flair for Stock Market. They were dead when Stuart was eighteen, but they had left behind sufficient, for Stuart and his sister Melanie to survive, and he could complete his education. Stuart's future was secured, but he felt that the same could not be said about the women who had ditched him and had accepted Henry. Her plans probably didn't work out well. Henry Thorpe's assets had been seized, as per the television news. What an irony Stuart thought.

Weeks ago Stuart had seen a glimpse of Cherry on the news. She was seen wearing a cream linen suit, her hair tied back, she had worn Italian sandals on her feet, she was looking very haughty and distant. She was clicked while leaving the courts. Stuart was thinking that Cherry had selected the crooks' money over his love. While today the money had also left her. While Stuart was talking to his great Aunt, a Toyota turned down the driveway, then they were stopped at the gate. After taking the required permission, from the guard, the truck continued coming inside, until it stopped at the entrance outside the kitchen. Stuart thought it was probably one of Lucy's gardener. But when the truck stopped, a woman with long, straight, blonde hair climbed out of the truck, followed by a boy in a football jersey, who began playing with the football, that he had brought with him. His great Aunt broke his thought process by telling him, "I don't think you are paying attention to what I asked you." "What," Stuart asked her back? She repeated her question, "Are you worried that Melanie is dating Daniel?" He replied, "Of course not." Though that was not very true. Stuart had certain inhibition where Daniel was considered. He had a teenage daughter from his first marriage. Though Melanie and Daniel's daughter together were like a house on fire, both sharing common interests like fashion and Arts, among other things. Stuart replied to Lucy that he was preoccupied with the news that he had seen today morning on Television.

"Henry Thorpe?" Lucy asked with a snap in her voice. "I am tired of hearing about that man daily on television," she said. Stuart asked her, "Have you ever met Henry Thorpe?" as Lucy was a very powerful and wealthy woman, and would have met Henry at some point. She replied irritably "Yes I did meet him." She continued that "Henry's television shows, sold racing predictions. I was not at all surprised to learn that he was involved in doping horses. It is good riddance, that he is no more. Otherwise, the country would have to spend a lot in prosecuting him."

"Do you think he was murdered?" Stuart asked. "Probably. Though people like him give a bad name to sports. It is because of people like Henry, that everybody thinks, that racing is controlled by the underworld." They do not understand what it is to love horses, and they love to see them run, such as our 'An Invincible Spirit.' What a horse it is, running so gracefully, a beauty in horse racing, if I may say so. On the other hand, Henry Thorpe is such a leech."

While talking to his Great Aunt, Stuart's mind was constantly on the blonde, and that little boy accompanying her.

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"Andrew," Cherry called out to her son. She persuaded him to sit on the stone bench outside the housekeeper's office. She placed both the bags that she had brought along, on the bench next to Andrew. The rest of her belongings, she had left at a small rented place in Sydney before coming to Mayfair's. She prayed that she may earn enough to pay the rent in Sydney. She then told Andrew to sit still, so that she may meet the head housekeeper, as they needed the job very badly. She told him that we are completely penniless because of Henry, and so we have to make our own way. "So hope you understand Andrew I have to work."

"Why couldn't you get a job in Sydney, Mom?" Andrew asked.

"It is so expensive to live in Sydney. Well now please sit quietly, till I am back." Andrew then innocently asked her, "But what happens Mom if you do not get this job?" She replied, "I will get it, but for now you sit still." She then knocked at the head housekeeper's office. There was no reply, but peeping out of the next door was a very young and pretty blonde. The door opened to the kitchen's inside, Cherry noted. The girl told Cherry that the head housekeeper had an off day, and was not there. She would only be back tomorrow. The girl then enquired from Cherry, whether she had come for the dishwasher's job? Cherry nodded back. She thought to herself that Stuart had no shortage of beautiful girls around the estate. But then she rebuked herself, why was she bothered? She had not come here to resume a romantic relationship, after eleven years of separation. But seeing her definitely gave Cherry a complex, as she was full of grime after that dusty truck ride. The girl then extended her hand of friendship and said she was Mary, and Cherry introduced herself too and asked Mary about a hotel or someplace where she could stay the night. Mary said that "I advise you to go over to the other door, pointing to it, and meet the assistant housekeeper, Annie who will meet you there. She would probably find a place for you to sleep at night." Cherry thanked her and went ahead with Andrew. She picked up their belongings and went to the door that was pointed at by Mary. She pitied Andrew, as he had gone through so much since the last one month or so. She wondered had she really fallen in love 11 yrs ago with Henry, or it had been that she was probably searching for a father figure in him. Cherry had lost her father before her birth. But whatever be the case she made a firm resolution, that she would never make Andrew sleep under the bridges or in shelter homes, the way her mother had done to her. She then went up to the path, to the door that Mary had indicated, but astonishingly, she found it open, but the person who was present there was not Annie but the man whose face she had never forgotten she thought, that same blonde hair and hazel eyes that she saw daily in Andrew, his genetic inheritance. His blonde hair was a bit too long though. His finely chiseled face, Cherry had never forgotten.

Stuart Jackson stopped in his tracks, he paused and then sarcastically told her that "I am not surprised seeing you here, Ms. Gold digger!"