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your father, and it’s time I pulled myself out of it. We were all working towards a goal and I’ve just neglected to carry on. That’s not what he would have wanted, and it’s not been fair to you.’
    Elly felt her heart contract with sympathy. Leaning across she touched her mother on the arm, shaking her head. ‘Oh, Mum, it’s been a terrible time, and you haven’t had the heart to go on with it. It’s understandable.’
    â€˜Well, that’s over now. You and I’ll get on with it. But somehow we must try to get that book back. It had all his work in it.’
    â€˜Yes, I know. But it’s not the end of the world. I’ve learnt a lot from what he had written down, as well as what we did together, and I’ve followed up with some more research as well. And I have my own notes. If you really think you’re ready to go ahead now, we can continue with his experiments, if we can find where the plant’s growing. That’s really the main thing now.’
    â€˜Yes, I know. And, of course, he knew exactly where to find it, but we don’t.’
    â€˜No, but we know it’s somewhere in the Daintree rainforest, and we know what it looks like. And it is quite distinctive.’
    â€˜And whoever has his journal will know too, because of the drawings.’
    â€˜Yes, but we have part of the pressed plant itself at home, which will be much better when it comes to identification.’ Elly was silent for a moment, and when she spoke again it was hesitantly, not wanting to worry her mother further. ‘Of course, the worrying thing is the danger of the journal finding its way into the hands of someone who really understands what’s in it, and realises its worth, realises what the plant can do for the skin—that it can delay, even reverse, the signs of ageing.’
    â€˜Yes. The fountain of youth Rob called it.’
    â€˜And potentially worth millions.’

Chapter 5
    The beauty salon where Elly worked was closed on Mondays, but she knew she would find Janet, the owner, doing her bookwork there as usual on her free day, so she walked around to see her before Mitchell Beaumont was due to arrive. As her mother was now so anxious to go ahead with their plans she was going to give notice to Janet that she would be finishing work as soon as possible. They had become friends while she worked there and she would be sorry to leave her, but she was looking forward to doing what she loved best.
    As expected she found Janet busy with her books.
    â€˜Ah well, I’ll be sorry to lose you, Elly,’ Janet said when she told her she was leaving, ‘but I always knew you wanted to work with your mother again one day. Now the tourist season is over, I’ll be able to manage without you, so finish whenever you wish.’
    They had always had a good relationship and Elly was grateful for her employer’s understanding. ‘Thank you, Janet. Mum hasn’t had the heart to do much since losing Dad, but she’s ready to get going again now.’
    â€˜Then let her know I’ll be happy to have her oils again when they’re ready. I prefer hers to the ones from Evert’s Suppliers. I swear that in the batch before last, the lavender essential oil had been cut. I’ve been in this game long enough to know pure hundred percent oil from an inferior one. I sent it back and they replaced it, making an excuse, but that’s not the point.’ She screwed up her face. ‘Talking of which, I had a surprise visit from them on Saturday, both Carl and Marie Evert.’
    â€˜Oh really? It’s not all that long since they were in Cairns, is it? I wonder what brought them all the way up here again so soon.’
    â€˜They’ve got a new wax they wanted to demonstrate, and left me a sample. But I had the impression they were in Cairns for more than that. I can’t imagine them coming up from Sydney just for that. I can only