His Heiress Wife

by Margaret Way

  Her eyes started to sting again. Olivia stood up abruptly, walking to the edge of the terrace and fixing her gaze on the glittering stars.

  Jason came after her, turning her into his arms. “I love you!” He started to cover her face and throat with tender little kisses, tasting the salt of her tears. “I’m sorry I’ve been so angry. Forgive me.”

  “There’s nothing to forgive, Jason.” She reached up to stroke his cheek. “It’s as Tali says it’s going to be okay.”

  “Swear to me!” Jason looked intently into her eyes.

  “We’re pretty tough, aren’t we?” Her smile quivered. “Despite all the unhappiness Megan caused us, we’ve survived.”

  “Survived, yes but the longing never went away, it kept going on and on. Tell me we’re going to get married very soon.” Ardently he pressed her palm to his lips.

  “Wouldn’t you say it was about time?’ she whispered.

  The depth of feeling in that whisper pierced Jason’s heart. “You came back,” he said, not holding back his own emotion. “I was waiting. Harry, that canny chess player, moved us both into position. Harry, my friend, I mourn your passing.” Jason tilted his head to the sky. “Perhaps you’re looking down on us. I believe you saw ahead to the fulfilment of a dream our dream.” Jason looked back at Olivia. “You were my first love, Liv,” he said. “You were the first girl I ever kissed. It would take a thousand years to forget you. You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved or ever will love. We’ll stay close to Tali. The De Luca’s are good people and we’ll work it out together. Life goes on…we share a destiny. Besides, we’re going to have sixteen children of our own!”

  For the first time in days Olivia burst out laughing. “Sixteen?”

  “You heard me.” Jason suddenly swept her into a few breathless dance steps. Then he stopped, bending his head to her. “Sixteen.” He brushed his mouth over hers, the tip of his tongue tracing the tender contours. His strong arms cradled her back. “I’ll never let you up out of bed.”

  The look in his eyes exhilarated her. Slowly she began to unbutton his shirt, peeled it back, inhaled his scent burying her nose against his chest, feeling the tickle of his pelt of hair. The thud of his strong, vibrant heart spoke to her.

  Olivia, I beat for you!

  It was all she needed.

  She drew his hand to her breast, ever sensitive to his touch. “Hadn’t we better get started?”

  “Oh, yes,” he breathed, his voice full of fervent longing. “With you beside me, Liv, I can make anything work.” Hungrily he folded her into his arms, starting in to kissing her until she couldn’t stand up anymore and there was nothing else for it but to carry her off to bed.

  All human happiness revolves around love. Love is central to the bonds on which a family is built.

  EPILOGUE

  Two years later.

  Tidings of Joy.

  The christening of Baby Corey.

  SUNLIGHT streamed through the tall stained glass windows of the church bathing the interior in a kaleidoscope of jewel colours. At the rear of the church, exquisitely decorated with mountains of pure white flowers, a small group of people formed a circle around the baptismal font of pearly, rose-veined marble, while the silver haired parish priest with his fine classic features performed the ritual of the holy sacrament of Baptism. The beautiful young mother of Baby Corey, her face as celestial as an angel’s with joy, stood cradling her beloved child in her arms, her handsome husband, Baby Corey’s father standing tall at her shoulder.

  The god-parents were ranged around them, their expressions full of tenderness and the becoming gravity required of responsible Christian sponsors. Three sets of god-parents had been chosen. Tim and Lucy Calvert—Lucy being the baby’s mother, Olivia’s, oldest friend and chief bridesmaid at her wedding, Ben and Robyn Riley, recent newlyweds and Carlo and Leanne De Luca with Carlo’s daughter, Tali, standing just in front of them, her father’s hands lying with gentle restraint on her shoulders.

  Tali was very excited, brimming over with pride. On this marvellous day she had so looked forward to she was all decked out in her christening finery, a lovely dress of white broderie anglaise Nona Renata had made for her, a big, blue satin ribbon atop her dark glossy mane which had grown half way down her back. This was a very special day in Tali’s life, the christening of baby Henry “Harry” Michael Alexander Corey with his floss of apricot-coloured hair and navy-blue eyes.

  Harry was adorable. Tali had loved him from the moment Livvy had allowed her to hold him on her very first visit to the hospital after Harry had been born. Harry was her honorary cousin. She’d already told Livvy she would look after him. Always. She was so proud of him! Father Luke was pouring the baptismal water on his darling little head but he wasn’t crying at all. In fact he seemed to like it, looking about not fuzzily like most babies, but brightly like a little bird. It was so funny Tali had to stifle a giggle.

  Of course she would have been asked to be god-mother if she’d been old enough, only grown ups were allowed to be god-parents, Jason had told her that. Papa and Lee were the next best thing. She was an important member of her big family Tali thought with contentment, feeling the warmth and strength of her father’s hands on her shoulders.

  She’d been flower girl at Jason and Livvy’s wedding. She had so wanted to be. It was a beautiful wedding on Havilah with lots and lots of photographs to treasure. She’d been flower girl for Papa and Lee when they were married a few months later. She had stayed with Jason and Livvy on Havilah while Papa and Lee were on their honeymoon in Bangkok. She was so happy she had so many people to love her.

  Now little Harry! How lucky she would be to watch him growing up. Papa had bought a house not all that far from Havilah. He was a doctor at the hospital where Harry had been born. She hadn’t wanted to go and live in Brisbane, she had hated the very idea. She had to be able to visit Jason and Livvy whenever she wanted so Papa said, “Not to worry!” he would come back home. Papa was very sweet. He didn’t seem to notice Jason was still secretly her favourite. If Papa had said they had to live in Brisbane she would have run away, but Papa never made her sad and Lee was fun.

  Back in Livvy’s arms, Harry Michael Alexander was making little bubbly noises, waving his tiny hands like it was his turn to bless them all. Weren’t babies the most adorable creatures in all the world! It was perfect Jason and Livvy had called their beautiful baby after Uncle Harry. Tali could still remember how nice Uncle Harry had been to her when she was little. Livvy told her it was Uncle Harry who’d brought her and Jason back together again. Because she was smart and growing up fast, Tali understood how Jason wasn’t her real father—Papa was—but she loved Jason in just the same way because Jason was the father God had sent to look after her.

  Nona Renata, dressed up to the nines was sitting a few feet away in a back pew. She said it was all so dramatic! Nona Renata loved drama She was a tumultuous person, Nona Isabella told her that and she should know! Nona Isabella wasn’t much different. Tali could see Nona Renata had tears running down her cheeks. Of course they were tears of joy! Harry’s christening was a beautiful moving service. Nona Renata had made Harry’s lovely white silk christening robe as well as Tali’s dress. Nona Renata was so clever!

  It was a glorious day, blue and gold. The jacarandas in the church grounds were unbelievably beautiful so dense with blossom their canopies almost blocked out the sky. The ceremony over, they all walked to their cars to drive back to Havilah for a celebratory christening brunch which God-mother Robyn had insisted on preparing. Secure and happy in her second marriage to Ben Riley, a local planter, Robyn continued to carry on her successful catering business with the full approval and sometimes hands-on help of her husband who had taken on a new lease of life and the role of step-father to young Steven who was thrilled to be included in the christening party.

  Tali ran to her father, tugging his hand. “Papa, may I ride back with Jason and Livvy? I expect Harry will want me to be there.”

>   “Of course, darling.” Carlo smiled down on his little daughter, watching her skip off. No-one, least of all him, had expected Tali to adjust so quickly and so cheerfully to the big turning point in her life. It would have been another story, of course, had he insisted on continuing his career in Brisbane, but he realized he had to make certain sacrifices and actually everything had turned out surprisingly well. He had slotted back easily into the community. His parents were ecstatic he had come home and he and Leanne had resumed their rewarding careers. Not that they all hadn’t worked very hard to handle the emotionally fraught transition period as calmly as possible. Carlo would always be grateful to Jason and Olivia for the gentleness, the selflessness and the understanding they had shown. Carlo considered it a great honour he and Leanne, who had become good friends with Olivia, had been asked to be god-parents. It was an undertaking that had brought them all closer together.

  “He’s gorgeous, isn’t he?”

  “Yes, he is.” Olivia smiled into Tali’s enraptured little face. They were sitting in the back of the car with Jason driving.

  “He’s got Jason’s red hair. I expect he’ll have his beautiful blue eyes,” Tali said fondly. “Petty, pet, pet, little pet!” Very very gently she stroked the baby’s head. “Little peach! Peachy!” she crooned.

  “We won’t have to wait too long to find out,” said Olivia, fascinated by her little son. She loved him so much it made her feel humble in the face of so much joy. She and Jason were ecstatic they had been granted their perfect, healthy boy.

  “Of course he’ll have my blue eyes,” Jason assured them as though it couldn’t be any other way. “I can tell he loves you, Tali.”

  Tali smiled radiantly. “It looks like it. He’s got hold of my finger and he won’t let it go. I’m going to take lots of photographs of him. May I?”

  “Of course, sweetie,” Olivia said matter-of-factly. “We must have lots of the two of you together.”

  “Oh, wonderful!” Tali’s bright blue eyes sparkled with pleasure. She lifted Harry’s tiny chubby hand and kissed it, savouring his lovely uniquely baby smell. “I’m going to have lots of children, you know,” she informed them.

  Olivia smiled at her tenderly. “I’m sure you’ll make a wonderful mother, Tali.”

  “You know why?” Tali asked of them both, sounding miraculously happy and relaxed.

  “Why, honey?” Jason glanced back briefly, turning into Havilah’s long drive.

  “Because,” Tali answered. “Family is great!”

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-8213-5

  HIS HEIRESS WIFE

  First North American Publication 2004.

  Copyright © 2004 by Margaret Way, Pty., Ltd.

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  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

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  *Koomera Crossing