Miss Peeg parked her car and came into the office, "Miss Scott?"

"Hello Miss Peeg, I’ve been holding the fort for you," she half smiled. "Richie has gone to Sydney, he got a call from the police it seems Libby is in hospital, no details…just that."

Miss Peeg sighed and put her bag down and the brief case she carried, "Oh dear…a cup of tea I think."

"Would you like me to make it, Miss Peeg?"

"Thank you, dear that would be very nice."

Nonnie put the kettle on and made two mugs of tea. "I must tell you I snooped; there’s a letter on his desk from Libby and I read it, what do you think of that?"

"Well, Miss Scott I don’t like to admit it but I also read the letter, I found it on the floor where he’d dropped it along with two keys. I can’t imagine what she is up to." Miss Peeg sat at her desk and pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear, "I’ve known for some time how she felt about him, but was sworn to secrecy. I’m so very sorry."

"I’m sorry too…this is not easy for him. He’s talked to me about her and I do know he cares about her, but I’m comfortable with the knowledge that he loves me. I can’t think how hard it must be for Libby loving him the way she does and knowing it’s not returned."

"Yes, Libby is a very troubled young woman in more ways than one. I always spoke plainly with her, well it was a hopeless situation from the beginning. One doesn’t sleep with friends and he should have known better."

"I believe he realizes it now," Nonnie took a sip of her tea. "It worries me a little though because he can’t seem to let go of her. That trip to Queensland almost put an end to us. I know how he is, Miss Peeg and I think I was being unrealistic in expecting him to cleave only to me. I had to rethink our whole relationship, mainly because I didn’t want to lose him"

Miss Peeg slipped off her shoes under her desk. "Hold onto him, Miss Scott I’m certainly not an expert in the field of love but I do believe you are good for him. He needs a strong woman."

"I’m trying to hold him. I probably shouldn’t have read that letter, it’s bearing on my mind now. "

"I don’t think he set out to hurt her, but it was inevitable because he didn’t know how she felt. He was blind is all I can think not to see it; when a woman loves a man he usually knows it."

Nonnie smiled a little, "He has no doubt about how I feel about him. She must be a very good actress to pull it off."

"Oh I don’t think he was looking for it, she had insisted they were friends…friends with benefits."

"Yes well I’m afraid it was the benefits that caused problems between us. He swore he had given that up and I do believe he had, he’s not a very good liar you know. I think something happened recently. I don’t know for sure but I feel it in my bones. It sounds as though she’s taken off again, this time to Sydney. I do hope it’s not serious but that letter…you don’t think she’d do something foolish do you, over him?"

"The letter gives that impression doesn’t it, he’s told her." Miss Peeg raised her brows.

"Yes he did, it must have been very painful for her. You know what I think? He feels responsible for her for some reason, perhaps a little guilty." She looked at her watch, "I wish he’d call but I suppose he’s in the air by now. Is he divorced?"

"Oh yes, he’d done all the paperwork and it really wasn’t necessary for him to be there, but I know he wanted to be. Toni was there with her solicitor and he handled it all."

"Was Travis with her?"

"Oh no, he didn’t want to interfere at all. I quite like him."

"It must be rather awkward sometimes for you, Miss Peeg with Richie on one hand and Toni on the other and her father…"