Chapter 3 Richard was now driving along with his daughter, his lover and her son. There was a silence caused by worry, tension and a lack of acquaintance. Richard broke the silence again "Why does HE have to come?!!!". Isobel was shocked by this comment and Richard's behavior in whole. "Richard!...he is sitting in the car, how could you?...Of course, I was going to bring him!...did you really expect me to leave him?...You brought your daughter!". "That's different" he snapped. "Why are you acting like this?" she asked. "Like what" he inquired. "You've been rude, insensitive, snappy and cruel ever since we left!...your not usually like this!". Richard looked in his mirror and saw the reflection of his daughter in the back, who just stared at him. "I'm sorry...I'm just stressed" he replied calmer. "Well, don't take it out on us!" Isobel snapped. The silence resumed.

The group got to a motel. They ordered two rooms, one with a double bed for the couple and one with two single beds for the kids. The kids were playing computer games, while their parents sat on the bed watching over them. Isobel was trying to discuss plans with Richard, but Richard was obsessedly staring at Kathryn. Kathryn didn't look happy. Eventually Isobel asked "Richard!...Richard are you listening?...Richard!". Eventually she got a "huh?...What?". Isobel inquired "Is something wrong?". He replied "I don't think she's happy...sleeping with strangers...she's very unsettled and she needs stability...She needs me to stay in her room". "Excuse me?" Isobel said seeming a bit taken back. "Isobel!...I'm her father!...how could you think that?...the person who shouldn't be trusted with the girl is you - the stranger!...Look what happened to Miranda...some stranger took her!" exclaimed Richard. "Miranda who?" asked Isobel. "Kathryn's friend...the murdered Miranda!" said Richard. "Oh, of course!...wait a moment!!!!...I'm not a crazed murderer!...Richard, how could you think?" exclaimed Isobel. "Well, you thought stuff about me!...anyway, who can I trust?...you never know who anyone is!...that's what Kathryn's probably thinking!...your strangers - she doesn't trust you...she needs her sleep and she'll never sleep if I'm not there!...end of story!". Isobel tried to convince Richard that "your too over protective...I'm sure your just being paranoid". "I know my daughter better than you, Isobel!" said richard. "O.k!...O.k!...you and Kathryn can have the two singe beds". "No...you and Sebastian have them...I'll sleep in the armchair in the double room...you all need your sleep!...anyway, my daughter is a princess and deserves a double bed!...it's what she's used to and I don't want to unsettle her!" he said. "You need your sleep too!" she replied. "Isobel! I'm trying to be a gentleman here!...now you wouldn't want to stop that would you?" he replied. She smiled giggling. "I love your English gentlemaness!!!!...My shining knight in armour!" she said. "What! Saving you from David!...like you need to be saved from him!...he's a saint, he's perfect, he's sweet...he makes me sick!!!" he said laughing. She replied laughing too, "Exactly, I need saving from that!!!...but seriously, look at you!...I don't deserve you!" she said. "Why not?" he asked. "I'm not exactly a saint!" she said. "Neither am I!...it sounds like we're perfect for each other...we deserve each other!" he said romantically and kissing her.

It was late at night and Isobel found the young girl crying alone. She asked "What's wrong, sweetie?". The girl said her father was angry with her. "Why?" asked Isobel. The girl replied "Daddy, said I was keeping secrets from him!...but mummy told me not to tell him!...when he found out he was furious and him and mum started arguing and then he said we had to leave...Isobel, mummy isn't coming later is she?". Isobel had to admit she wasn't. "What was this secret?" Isobel asked. The girl replied it was that she had started her period a while ago. Isobel let out a great laugh. She replied "That's it!...It sounds to me like mummy and daddy are being pretty petty!...they didn't really get on did they?". The girl shook her head. Isobel said "Well, I promise you me and your daddy will get on much better. It's best he's found someone new. We'll never fight!". The young girl smiled at this promise. She said "I like you!...your nice!...not as nice as mummy, but nice!". Isobel smirked and said "Well, I've heard your mummy isn't very nice to your daddy!". The little girl laughed. "What?" asked Isobel. "Well, of course he'd tell you that!" replied the young girl. "You don't think it's true?" asked Isobel. The girl replied "I don't know!...I haven't got any other daddy to compare him to!...but!...I would say Daddy's nastier to Mummy than she is to him". "I thought you were close to your dad" commented Isobel. "Oh I am!" replied the girl.