Mike Dixon

For a moment, Kirstin thought Grace would maintain her
aggressive stance. Then, her head slumped and her whole
body trembled. Cecilia dashed forward with a bottle of pills
and pressed one against the old woman‟s tongue. The trembling
subsided and Kirstin waited for Grace‟s condition to im-
prove.
After a while she seemed well enough to speak.
„You know I came from a poor family?‟
„I‟ve read your grandfather‟s journal,‟ Kirstin replied. „Tom
Lee was not a poor man.‟
„He despised me,‟ Grace hissed. „He told me I‟d come to no
good but I built a bigger empire than his.‟ She looked up at
Kirstin. „I started my business career in the Island View be-
cause my family was poor and I needed seed capital. That‟s
something a polite, middle-class girl like you would never un-
derstand.‟
„I was never a polite, middle-class girl!‟ Kirstin retorted. „I
fled China as a refugee and came to this country as a single
parent – something which was not fashionable in those days.‟
Grace‟s demeanor changed.
„I understand why you did it,‟ Kirstin continued. „You need-
ed capital and you got it by providing a much-needed service.‟
„There you are, Gracie,‟ George squeezed her hand. „I told
you Kirstie was a sensible girl.‟
The old woman‟s lips trembled searching for words. Even-
tually she found them. „I know you were trying to help but
you should have left us alone. My man found David. He‟s safe
now. We have a property up on the Gulf. We used to run cattle
on it but that was a long time ago. David‟s been taken
there.‟ Her features hardened. „My man found Footsie too …
he dealt with that piece of scum!‟
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