Page 22 of Cinderella and the Outback Billionaire

‘Or you could just ask her if she was the woman with the tent.’ Judah’s voice of reason held no sway with Reid.

‘I’ve given her every opportunity to come clean. I’ve baited her...’

Judah frowned. ‘Why?’

‘I’ve offered her work. Grant money. Accommodation. I created a position for her. Which she didn’t accept.’ Was his irritation visible? He thought it might be visible. He’d had so much less patience with the world since his accident. When opportunity came someone’s way, the smart thing to do was grab hold with both hands and take it. ‘Why wouldn’t she take it?’ His vision blurred.

‘Reid. Reid.’

‘What?’ His irritation was very definitely visible.

‘Chill. You don’t even know if it’s her.’

‘I do know it’s her.’

‘You weren’t conscious when we found you. Your temperature was off the charts. One of only two completely terrifying moments of my life. Three, if I count the birth of my daughter, which I should.’

He appreciated the sentiment, but... ‘It’s her.’

‘Then sit down and talk to her. But not right now,’ Judah added as Bridie joined them, a vision of woodland loveliness in her sleeveless ballgown that matched the colours of sunset over an Outback sky. ‘We have a speech to make. I greet people. You tell people we have a sister out there somewhere and we’re looking to find her.’

‘Yeah, bring on the imposters.’ There would be plenty of those. ‘Hey, Bridie.’

His sister-in-law smiled gently. ‘Ready to spill?’

It hadn’t been an easy decision to reveal their late father’s infidelity to the world and openly search for their unknown half-sister. They had one big-money withdrawal as evidence, along with two letters Bridie had unearthed last year when renovating the wine cellar. She could be anyone, anywhere. They’d debated long and hard about searching for her privately, but the truth was they’d run out of leads. ‘I’m ready.’ He pasted on a smile.

The sooner they got it over with, the sooner he could go find Ari.

With all guest rooms prepared, the library set up with extra refreshments, and the sitting rooms made over into mini retreats for the house guests, Gert let Ari loose to check on the caterer’s preparations. Nothing to do with Ari wanting a glimpse of the beautiful ballroom all decked out and filled with beautiful people.

Ari found the event co-ordinator Gert had pointed out to her at the far end of the bar, counting cartons of wine and checking a list. ‘Hi, I’m Ari, homestead staff. I’ve been sent to see if there’s anything I can help you with.’

The woman smiled and tucked her pen through the top of the clipboard and then held out her hand. ‘Lilah Connor, and thanks for the offer but I have the kitchen in the bunkroom running a treat and the ballroom, downstairs powder rooms and veranda areas covered. Anything beyond that is not my jurisdiction. There are parties out in the car park, plane park, and they’re getting wilder by the minute. We are not the ones serving alcohol out there. Those planes flew in stocked.’

‘Got it. I’ll have a word with the bosses.’ Meaning she’d tell Gert, who would relay the information upriver. ‘The food looks like it’s holding up well. Probably because of all those well-stocked planes.’

Lila shot her a conspiratorial smile. ‘Maybe. Other than that, my team has everything under control. It’s a fantastic setting for a party. The sunset and the red dirt and the fairy lights and the music and everyone dressed for the cover of Vogue magazine. I’ve never seen anything like it and I’ve catered a lot of A-list parties in beautiful locations.’

‘Something else, isn’t it?’ A magical wonderland of beautiful indulgence.

A mini orchestra played from a wooden stage at one end of the ballroom. Elegant couples who knew how to waltz made the most of the floorspace available to them. Wall sconces splayed golden light around the edges of the room, throwing flattering light over those gathered around the edges of the dance floor.

‘You, girl!’ A florid man in a suit two sizes smaller than him waved her over and Lilah went with her. He turned towards the woman at his side. ‘My wife isn’t feeling well. She needs to lie down.’

‘There’s a first-aid station set up in the sitting room at the end of the veranda. It’s this way,’ said Lilah. ‘I can escort you and we can get her checked out.’

‘She needs a bed, not a Band-Aid,’ he snapped. ‘She almost fainted when they made the announcement.’

Ari hadn’t been in the room during any announcement and looked to Lilah for help.

‘You mean about the missing sister?’ Lilah asked.

‘Yes, yes! Look at her—don’t you see the resemblance?’

Reid and Judah were both tall, dark-haired, and lanky. This woman was a tiny, generously rounded blonde.

‘She needs a room in the house,’ the husband insisted. ‘We need to speak with Lord Blake.’

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