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'Why should you, if it wasn't you?'

'She's my sister' He prowled up and down, his hands in his pockets, his dark head bent 'I suppose I felt responsible for what she'd done' She saw his soravely What was he thinking? There was a silence which lengthened,the mood It was so quiet in the room

'Magda was spoilt too early She's always been unstable, given to these outbursts She's possessive and jealous—she was jealous of Annette when they were both small, because my father da My father wanted a little girl badly, and Annette was pretty and rather shy; even after Magda arrived, Dad went on giving Annette presents now and then, and as Magda grew up she resented that She once got hold of a big doll Dad had bought for Annette Magda smashed its head into a wall and stamped on the pieces'

Sian drew a shocked breath 'My God! That's crazy…'

Cass frowned 'No, she isn't crazy—Dad thought she ht be sick He took her to a psychiatrist, but the specialist said she was just very spoilt and self-obsessed He said it was perfectly normal for a child to be jealous if a parent showed fondness for another child, and it can be very hard if the other child is a sibling, let alone someone who isn't part of the family'

'I'row out of it!'

He sighed, his grey eyes intent on her 'Yes, exactly—but Magda has never learnt discipline, she doesn't hide what she feels, the way most of us learn to do That's one of the differences between children and adults, isn't it? That e're sroe cover up all the time'

He was looking into her eyes and she felt her colour rising, a hot pulse beating in her neck Was he still talking about Magda, or was he talking on two levels at once? There was acrookedly—or was she i that?

'Forcing another car off the road isn't a piece of childish bad behaviour!' Sian protested, hurriedly walking to theto keep her back to him

'No' His voice was hard 'Don't worry, Magda isn't going to get aith it Why do you think she confessed just now? We've all one beyond the liain The trouble is, she's perfectly OK except for this one area, this almost paranoid jealousy'

'But why me? Why should she be jealous ofthe people reen canvas s and wos to be put out for sale Large tubs and troughs of suht festive air, and Sian tried to be interested, but was only really aware of Cass behind her

'She thought you were bringing Annette here!' he said brusquely

Sian spun, green eyes wide 'Why should she think that?'

'Nobody had told her that my aunt had invited you, and when she spotted you in the car ahead, for soing her back She said she was afraid the wedding was on again, and so…'

'And you say she isn't crazy?' Sian broke out, and he winced, his eyes a frozen wasteland