Just a little break from 'Of children...' This has always bothered me.
End Season 1. Where did Jean go when she stormed out of the house after telling Lucien he was destroying everything his father had built up? She was definitely away overnight.
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She stood at the end of the drive shaking with rage. Why, oh why did he do it? Why did he charge in without thinking? Why did she care? Yes, why did she care?
She cared, she knew, because he hurt like she did. They both grieved for lost loves, for lives not lived.
She had stormed out without thinking where she was going. She had no close friends she could call on at a time like this. Well, she couldn't go back in, not just yet; she'd leave him to Matthew and the whisky.
At first she thought she'd go and sit in the church, but the priest might still be there and really she didn't want to talk to anyone. She just needed somewhere to sort out what to do.
She checked her handbag. Her purse and chequebook were there so she'd go to a hotel for the night. It would be awkward, she was known as the Doctor's receptionist, she had no luggage, but she absolutely refused to go crawling back just yet.
Jean headed for the Soldier's Hill Hotel where she was able to book a single room for the night. There were tea making supplies so she could at least have a drink. She was too choked up to eat anyway.
She tossed her coat over a chair and sat on the bed. She proceeded to give herself a good talking to.
'So, Jean, what are you going to do? Leave? How? You need a job first, what kind of reference are you going to get after that?
He told you he needed help, a blind eye - not possible this time; a damn good talking to - done that. Now what?'
She paced the floor.
'Do you want to stay? Is he likely to change? He looked horrified when you told him what he was doing and saw you cry. Yes, you cried in front him.'
Tears started to fall again.
'Pull yourself together, Jean Beazley, tears won't help!'
It was getting late. She undressed to her slip and slid between the cool sheets. She lay down and tried to ignore the headache that was brewing.
She couldn't sleep. She pummelled the pillows, tossed and turned in an effort to get comfortable but sleep wouldn't come, her mind was in turmoil. She loved her job. She liked helping him with his cases. She liked looking after Mattie and Danny, the four of them were like a family.
Oh dear, what to do? What on earth should she do?
'Well, Jean, tomorrow is another day! Maybe things will turn out alright but if you don't go back, you'll never know.'
She must have eventually dozed off because the next thing she knew, sunlight was streaming through the curtains.
Having a wash and a cup of tea, she dressed. She was able to tame her curls and using her face powder and lipstick from her handbag was able to make herself presentable. she ordered some toast to be sent to her room, she couldn't quite face the dining room for breakfast, and thought about what she should do.
She decided she'd have to go back to the house. Perhaps she should apologise for her rudeness, speaking to her employer like that.
Ballarat was up and about when she left the hotel. She didn't hurry, taking a detour through the gardens, so it was mid morning when she got back to the house.
Letting herself in she noticed it was eerily quiet.
After she had read his letter and Danny had put up the new name plate she sat at the kitchen table. Mattie and Danny had left her to her thoughts. Fingering her brooch she thought,
'Maybe, just maybe everything will turn out alright.'
She smiled and sipped her tea.
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Jean is well known about Ballarat and her relationship with Lucien is the subject of some gossip, Mattie is her best friend but not the person she needs right now. So maybe she sorted it out by herself. We can only guess.