“I’m not finished.”
Too bad. Susan ran a hot bath and stripped off her clothes, prodding at her hip. Sore, but she’d live. She had a tub of arnica rub. Susan sank into the bathwater, letting the heat soak into her aches and drive away her encompassing chill.
Half an hour later, she limped into the kitchen and started to make a pot of peppermint tea.
“What’s wrong with you?” the cameraman asked.
Susan eyed his camera with foreboding. “It’s slippery out there. I tripped and took a fall.”
“You okay?”
“Bruised hip and battered pride,” she said. “Want a cup of tea?”
“I don’t want any of that herbal shit.”
“There are some English Breakfast teabags.”
“Thanks,” the cameraman said. “Milk and—”
“Two sugars,” Susan finished. The murmur of feminine voices came from the lounge and Susan glanced in that direction. “Care to give me a heads-up on what’s jabbing Mrs. Penrith in the arse?”
“Nope.” The instant smirk sparked humor in the cameraman’s brown eyes.
“Joy,” Susan said, her tone dry enough for him to bark out a laugh.
“It would be better if you got the full impact.” This time he sniggered.
“There you are, you hussy,” Mrs. Penrith shrieked.
The outer door opened and shut. A coat rustled, and Nolan entered the kitchen.
“Nolan, she has to go home,” Mrs. Penrith ordered. “She lacks moral fortitude.”
Susan made another mug of tea and handed it to Nolan.
“Thanks.”
“Nolan!”
Nolan glared at his mother. “I heard you the first time. I’d also like to point out this is my home. If you want to rant and rave, you can do it at your place. I moved here to escape arguments and screaming matches.”
“There’s no need to air our private affairs.” Mrs. Penrith sent an uneasy glance at the camera.
Nolan snorted. “I’m sure every family owns dirty laundry.”
“But, Nolan, you don’t know what she’s like,” Mrs. Penrith said, her glance at Susan full of spite.
“Oh, I have a pretty good idea.”
Something in his tone dragged Susan’s focus to him. It wasn’t what he said, but the slight inflection. Her stomach hollowed out, and she felt the need to sit. Instead, she picked up her cup of tea and leaned against the kitchen counter.
“I’ve done everything asked of me,” Susan said.
Mrs. Penrith snorted. “You grab attention from the other girls with your unguarded tongue and your controversial blog entries. You don’t give the other girls a chance to shine. But that’s not all.”
Susan tensed at the malice in the older woman. She worked hard to be a better person, and while she didn’t always succeed, at least she tried. This woman did her best to make people miserable.
“Spit it out, Mum,” Nolan said in a tired voice. “We’re not going to get any peace until you’ve accused Susan to her face.”
