The Ranger in the Hills: A Heartwarming Australian Outback Romance
Page 27
‘And afterwards the two troubles that came because of it?’
‘A red-headed boy with his head in the clouds; and a girl with eyes so blue they were unreal; a way of tossing her head, and a face like the morning sunshine when someone dared to smile at her. I was in love with her in five minutes. Katie, Katie! That caused me many a pang. You believed so in Gideon Dent, and I had to deceive you.’
‘Please, Bern ‒’
He put his arms around her.
‘Tell me some more about me,’ she said. ‘I want to hear it. I thought ‒’
His mouth was suddenly on her mouth: his arms were strong arms. Gideon Dent’s arms.
At last he lifted his head.
‘I can’t, my darling. Not to-night. To-morrow ‒’
‘Your way?’
‘My way.’
Dear God, Katie thought. That almost sounded like a threat! But she could, that moment, have died of happiness.
‘Katie, I love you,’ he said. ‘I love you passionately, and you are so young, so fresh and unspoiled and very brave. Are you afraid to be my wife?’
She shook her head. ‘If only you knew how much I want to be just that. Yet ‒ when I went to bed earlier ‒ I was afraid ‒’
‘Of what?’
‘That Gideon Dent might come and I might love him too. Then I was afraid he might not come and I would never know him. All the time I wanted you to reassure me.’
‘He is not such an unwelcome person, then?’
‘Oh, Bern. I’d as soon cry as laugh when you say that. He has come at last, and high-handed person though he is ‒ I love him. I love him so much, just as I love you.’
She need never ask him if he had ever loved Stella Ryde. She knew the answer now, for certain. He loved her ‒ Katie James. Time to lift up that chin, and carry her head high again.
The sun shone warmly on Katie’s wedding day, touching everything with gold including the fillings in Jack Bean’s teeth. He smiled so much. Old Gideon Dent had done them himself, with a miniature hand pick and hammer long ago. It seems there was nothing that old prospector could not do, and do well. All that he had done had lasted ‒ including the survey map about which Katie had soon to confess.
There were no clouds in the sky and not a breath of wind to disturb the waiting stillness of the outback world as Katie in her beautiful wedding dress, and the hat with a garland of roses round it, stood by Bern Malin’s side.
She looked so lovely, Mrs. Ryde thought, she herself wanted to shed a tear.
‘So silly!’ she murmured taking out a handkerchief, just in case.
‘Oh, Mother!’ Jill whispered in impatience. ‘It’s a wedding; not a wake!’
‘I think I’ll have a veil and train,’ Stella said in an undertone to Tom. ‘Of course, I’ll be married in a church and in a town.’
‘You do that, sister,’ Tom answered out of the corner of his mouth. ‘I’ll make it the biggest wedding Pandanning’s ever seen.’
Andrew gazed at his sister in thoughtful wonder. He hadn’t known that Katie was so beautiful. He would paint her picture one day.
They all stood around ‒ the diggers, Jack Bean and all his brothers, Secretary, and the pilots from the plane. They were full of affection for the girl with the startling blue eyes. They looked at the man beside her whom they knew so well. He was an exacting man, firm and resolute, but just, honourable and even kind when necessary. They were very pleased with to-day’s proceedings.
The fragrance of the wandoos was in the air when Katie lifted her face, a little shyly now, as Bern placed the wedding ring on her finger.
He kissed her gently. He looked into her face, and smiled that old engaging flashing smile, so enigmatic, yet so full of subtle humour and promise. Katie standing there in the warm scented air of Ryde’s Place, thought with wonder and awe of the kind of happiness that was hers, this moment.
She had come a long lonely way through the years, bringing a little boy with her, never leaving him; never stinting him of love and devotion. He had grown wings of freedom from childish things now; and would soon be gone.
She had come to another home, safely, with another to love and care for.
She had found Gideon Dent, at last.
Books by Lucy Walker
from Wyndham Books
The Call of the Pines
Reaching for the Stars
The River is Down
Girl Alone
The One Who Kisses
The Ranger in the Hills
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