The House At the End of the Street

by Jennie Jones

  ‘Back to your partner for a left and right grand!’

  The music sure did kick up the spirit. For those who had spirit. It wasn’t too complicated once you’d got the hang of the square. Everyone had had a go. Even Josh, dancing with Mrs Tam, Mary, and Edie, bless him.

  ‘I’d like the chance to talk to you.’

  Gem jumped. ‘Not now.’

  Josh caught her arm. ‘Yes, now.’

  ‘Josh,’ she said in forced exasperation, ‘there’s nothing to say.’

  ‘We won’t be going over old ground.’

  So what would they be talking about? Surely he didn’t want her opinion on whatever his plans were once he left?

  ‘It’s about the insignia you painted beneath my name on the mural.’

  Gem lifted a shoulder, her hand moving to pull on a strap that wasn’t there. ‘You’re a decent man, of course I was going to put you on the mural. I was always going to.’

  ‘Thank you again.’

  ‘You’re welcome.’ She glanced at her wrist but she wasn’t wearing her watch. She yawned. ‘Gosh, I’m tired. Such a great day.’

  ‘An incredible seven weeks.’

  ‘Think I’ll probably slip away soon. Everyone’s happily merry on the bubbly.’

  ‘You can’t go before they throw the bouquets.’

  Oh yes, she could! Even the twins would understand her not wanting to be part of that ritual.

  ‘What you did on the mural, Gem,’ he said, ‘it got me thinking. I realised something. I’d like to tell you about it.’

  Please don’t say you’re staying even longer! She didn’t want to hear it. Not yet. Maybe tomorrow.

  ‘Why don’t you dance?’ she asked him. There were plenty of single women looking like wallflowers. Well, four. Josh could probably handle four.

  He looked over his shoulder, then back to her. ‘I’ll dance,’ he said. ‘If that’s what you want to do. I’ll talk to you while we’re dancing.’

  ‘Not me.’ She kicked her leg up and hopped. ‘My ankle’s sore.’

  ‘No, it’s not.’

  ‘How do you know it’s not?’

  He relented with a dip of his head. ‘Okay, well, if it’s sore, it’s not because of the posterior malleolus fracture you haven’t got, it’s because of the high heels you’ve been wearing for six hours. Gemma,’ he’d lowered his voice and the tone had a sensual touch, ‘I want to talk to you.’

  She covered her eyes with the back of her hand. ‘Please don’t,’ she said, acknowledging that he wasn’t going to give up. ‘There’s nothing to say, Josh.’

  ‘There’s plenty to be said. It’s just that you don’t know it because you won’t listen. Wait here.’

  Gem opened her fingers and peeked through the gap. ‘Where are you going?’ she asked his back.

  He looked over his shoulder. ‘To initiate Plan D.’ He walked to the stage and looked up at Jess and Jillian, who were standing on the platform with the mic, the Misters McWades behind them.

  Gem let her hand drop from her face. There was a lot of nodding, two big smiles from the twins, a quick handshake between Eric and Josh, but whatever he wanted, it obviously had to wait: Jillian shooed Josh back when the music stopped. The Misters McWade stepped up and Eric took the mic.

  He cleared his throat. ‘Excuse us, folks, but there’s a little ritual about to happen and we want every unmarried person in the room to step onto the dance floor.’

  Suddenly, Lily was at Gem’s side. ‘That’s you.’

  ‘I know,’ Gem said, nodding, her arms hanging limp at her sides.

  ‘Try to look enthusiastic.’

  ‘I will.’

  Gem trudged towards the dance floor, her feet leaden. Jess and Jillian had excellent throwing skills. Even if Gem stayed at the back of the group of about thirty hopefuls, they’d lob the bouquets her way. If she stuck herself in the middle of the group and hunched her shoulders, however, perhaps she could make it look perfectly normal when she pretended not to notice the bouquets aimed at her head as she elegantly sidestepped them.

  The single women were giggling, getting all huffed up and expectant. The guys had their hands stuck in their pockets, but they were smiling. Gem noticed a number of the men had got themselves ‘stuck’ beside the women they’d been eyeing all night.

  Josh hadn’t moved from the side of the stage and he had a tortured look on his face that indicated his mood about this ritual matched Gem’s. One thing in common at least.

  ‘Get ready!’ Jess called as she turned her back on the group.

  ‘Two bouquets, two chances!’ Jillian said as she turned.

  Gem held her breath and put her hands behind her back. The women around her fretted and did some funny little catch dance by bouncing on their toes. Gem lifted her gaze to heaven, then back down to the floor.

  ‘One, two, three …’ the wedding congregation chanted. ‘Go!’

  Gem didn’t need to look up to see the bouquets rise. Any second now they’d land on her. She sidestepped and got herself behind a McWade relative. Her treachery almost made her smile with real humour, except that something was wrong.

  The bouquets hadn’t hit her yet. Hadn’t hit anyone yet. Gem looked up and gasped. Both bouquets were whirling in the air, high above Jess’s and Jillian’s heads. They’d got their aim wrong. The flowers weren’t going to land in the group—they were making a downward trajectory right on top of—

  The crowd roared.

  ‘Wow,’ Gem uttered. ‘What a hit.’ She put her hands together and applauded along with everyone else. How had both girls managed to get him?

  Josh stood looking like a guy who’d been thrown chocolates while facing a firing squad. ‘Um …’ he said, one bouquet in each hand. ‘Looks like it went wrong.’ He looked up at the stage. ‘Want to try it again?’

  Jess and Jillian laughed as they clapped. ‘Bullseye!’ Jess yelled.

  The McWade brothers stepped forwards, Eric with the mic.

  ‘Okay, folks. Thanks for that. Never seen a guy catch the flowers before.’

  The air in the room calmed as everyone stopped chattering and laughing to listen to Jess’s husband.

  ‘We’ve had the speeches, but the best man wants to take the mic again for a moment.’

  Eric put the mic into the stand.

  Gem stepped back, checking either side of her to make sure she wasn’t about to trip over anyone in her getaway.

  ‘Gemma.’

  Her nerve endings spiked as Josh called to her using the mic, her name reverberating around the walls in the rich timbre of his voice.

  ‘Please don’t let the bridesmaid leave,’ Josh said.

  Gem stopped walking backwards and held up both hands in surrender as a hundred-and-forty-two people turned to look at her.

  ‘Gem,’ Josh said. ‘You won’t let me talk to you in private so I had to take the only opportunity I could and ask the twins—both sets—if I could do it this way.’

  Panic rumbled in the base of her … of her everything! Her toes, her feet, her legs—

  ‘Gemma Mary Munroe.’

  Oh, crap, her full name.

  ‘Look at me.’

  She was! How could she take her gaze off him?

  ‘Close your mouth,’ he said softly, and grinned.

  Gem snapped her mouth shut. Heads swivelled between Josh and Gem. The crowd was holding its breath, as was she. Whatever he was about to do, it was going to be humiliating.

  Gem tightened her trembling limbs, pulled her shoulders back and met his gaze, although her vision blurred at the sight of him up on the stage. He still had a bouquet in each hand. He held them away from his thighs as though he didn’t want the pollen to stain the trousers of his tuxedo. He’d loosened the bow tie and it hung lazily—and downright sexily—from the opened collar of his white shirt.

  He waited, watching her, as though he knew she were getting herself together. He seemed to be soldering her gaze to his, willing her to focus only on him. He leane
d into the mic.

  ‘Will you marry me, Gem?’

  Gem’s heart didn’t seem to understand what its normal job was; it was full, crowding her chest, punching her ribs. Her brain wasn’t much help either.

  Silence reigned. Not a murmur nor a whisper.

  ‘I don’t want to leave town,’ she said breathlessly.

  ‘I’m not asking you to leave town. I’m asking you to marry me.’

  ‘But how can we be married if we don’t live in the same town?’

  ‘How difficult are you going to make this?’

  A few people tittered, and Gem heard a number of ladies shushing them.

  ‘You need adventure, Josh.’ And she needed to get out of this hall.

  He smiled, deep and warm and sincere. ‘You think I won’t get it with you?’

  Everyone laughed then.

  Gem hauled her shoulders back. ‘I need to speak to you in private.’

  ‘Five minutes ago you didn’t want to.’

  ‘Five minutes ago you hadn’t—’

  ‘Marry me, Gemma.’

  She couldn’t make sense of this. Was she to leave with him? Could she leave? Sail around the world with him? Would they visit Swallow’s Fall sometimes?

  ‘You’ve got the North Star on your arm.’ She pointed to his jacket. ‘You said it guided you and you followed it.’

  ‘You’re my north.’

  Gem heard the collective sigh.

  ‘She’s loved him all her life,’ Jess said to the crowd.

  ‘Since she was seven,’ Jillian added.

  ‘That was my rabbit!’ Gem contradicted.

  ‘Gemma.’

  Gem’s attention shot back to Josh. Damn it. Everybody knew she’d loved him all her life.

  He lifted his right arm, the one with his life story tattooed in blueberry ink. ‘I’m getting the anchor, Gem.’

  Gem’s heart stopped.

  Josh spoke to the crowd. ‘That got her attention, now if you don’t mind, I’m going to take the bridesmaid outside for a private chat where I hope to persuade her to become my bride. Thank you.’ He handed the two bouquets to the brides, leaped off the stage and headed for her.

  Gem’s heart had turned into a bag of popcorn, bursting in the bodice of her ivory silk dress.

  He took her hand and moved off with her, without even stopping. He grabbed her mother’s bright red silk shawl from the back of a chair at the Munroe party table and took them out of the door, into the portico.

  He kicked the door closed with his foot as he shook out the shawl, billowed it in the air and settled it around her shoulders and torso, wrapping it around her as he wrapped his arms around her, pinning her against him. He looked down into her eyes.

  ‘Got you,’ he said, his eyes smiling. ‘Now we talk.’

  The night air nipped at Gem’s stockinged legs and the tip of her nose and she didn’t care. It could snow, for all she cared. She felt the warmth from his body more than from the shawl. This was the only place she’d ever get true comfort. In his arms. Of course she could sail with this man.

  ‘I’ll leave town,’ she told him. ‘I’ll come with you.’

  He shook his head.

  ‘I will,’ she said. ‘I promise to enjoy it too, just as long as I’m with you, Josh.’ Hot tears prickled her eyes. ‘I can’t be without you. I love you.’

  ‘I love you too, baby, that’s why I’m getting the anchor. First good ink artist I find.’

  Now Gem shook her head. ‘I don’t understand—I don’t want either of us to feel forced into anything.’

  He kissed the tears from her eyes. ‘You’re going to have to change the mural, Gem.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Well first up, you can paint over the waves you put beneath my name. Then you can add your name.’

  Gem’s breath caught. Gemma Mary Rutherford.

  ‘You’re also going to have to find a way to join up the Rutherford branch with the Granger and the Morelly branches. I’ve got a father, Gem.’

  She gasped. ‘You found one?’

  He grinned. ‘Grandy told me. It’s Ethan.’

  Grandy? Ethan Granger? ‘How on earth did you find out?’ she said, astonishment running through her, her gaze running over his face. ‘You’re like him.’ And why hadn’t she seen it before? They had the same way of moving, of smiling slowly. They had the same way of caring.

  ‘I’ll tell you if you say you’ll marry me.’

  Yes. Except it hadn’t come out loud.

  ‘I have line and form in this town,’ he said. ‘It gives me subtlety and depth. I have you—most important to me—and I have a family. I want to keep the Rutherford limb green and in bud. I want to add to it with our children.’

  ’Oh, Josh.’

  ‘I’m buying a hundred acres off Ethan and I’m going to build stables. I’ll fence paddocks, put up gates, create driveways. I’ll run a horse rescue and rehabilitation centre, plus agistment and riding lessons. You’ll run the shop, and at the end of every day, we’ll come home to each other—at the farmhouse.’

  He pressed his mouth to hers, opening it with his lips, warming her soul. Gem melted, every centimetre of her. She was surprised she was still standing.

  ‘Remember what you told me?’ he said when he released her mouth. ‘About being the ice in my glass on hot summer day? About promising to be the first person to laugh at my jokes?’

  Gem nodded.

  He took his arms from around her and held her face in his hands. ‘Gemma,’ he said, his voice low and rich. ‘I’ll be the stars in your night. I’ll be your seat on the swing, and I’ll carry you high into the air just so I can hear your laughter. I’ll winch your sails when the wind blows and be your port in a storm. I’ll always be there for you. Sail with me, Gem. Here. Home.’

  Gem’s heart swelled. ‘Yes. I’ll marry you.’

  He closed his eyes, firmed his mouth. ‘Thank you,’ he said quietly. ‘I couldn’t have lived another second without you.’

  Gem flung herself at him, arms around his neck, the shawl slipping off her shoulder.

  He caught her, lifted her off the ground, and swung her around in his arms. ‘I love you, Gem, with every fibre of my being.’

  He really did! Five decades to love him, hold him, live with him and have children with him.

  ‘I can’t believe I hid in the toilets when all that time—’ Six hours of denying him. ‘—I was missing this.’

  ‘I have to admit, I got a little desperate.’

  ‘Everyone is going to be pleased. You’ve given so much back, Josh.’

  ‘No, baby. It’s you. You’re my compass. You taught me what worth is. What joy is.’ He smiled and nodded at the town hall door. ‘Shall we go in and tell them?’

  ‘Let me.’ She took his hand and squeezed it, then led him through the door, her legs quivering almost as much as her heart.

  She dropped his hand before they stepped into the hall and put the shawl on a coat peg, then ran the palms of her hands—the hands that could now hold the love of her life any time she wanted—over her skirt to smooth it. She tweaked the stiffened bow, and walked forwards.

  The square dance stopped, Jess pausing in calling out the dance moves, and the DJ turned the music off. A look of anticipation mixed with concern appeared on Jess’s face. ‘And?’ she asked.

  Gem took the mic off her and walked onto the dance floor. People cleared a path for her. Josh walked quietly beside her and now stood at the edge of the dance floor, just behind her, hands in his tuxedo trouser pockets, chin down. He wasn’t giving anything away.

  Gem cleared her throat and dipped her face as she raised the mic. ‘I said yes.’

  Mary was the first on her feet, beaming and applauding. Everyone followed, and Gem glowed.

  ‘How’d he manage it?’ some guy called.

  ‘He’s pretty persuasive,’ she said, and smiled when a laugh rang around the hall. ‘I have loved him all my life,’ she added and waited for the chorus of sigh
s to die down before lifting the mic to her mouth again. ‘And he’s much better looking than my rabbit.’

  Josh took the mic off her. ‘Okay, why don’t we hand this back to the DJ?’ He handed it to Jess.

  ‘Spoilsport.’ Gem hurled herself at him, knocking him backwards. ‘Dance me off my feet!’

  ‘Christ, Gem, you are off your feet, baby.’

  So she was. Hanging off him. ‘You smell like the ocean,’ she told him, burying her face at his throat. ‘And all-male, masculine and sensational.’

  He hugged her, laughing softly, swinging her, then putting her down. ‘What I want,’ he said into her ear, ‘is the smell of you, all over me.’

  ‘Special last request!’ Jess said into the mic.

  ‘To celebrate two marriages and the engagement of our bridesmaid and our best man,’ Jillian added.

  Josh enfolded Gem in his arms and pulled her against him. ‘We’re going to have a great life, you and me. Not to mention the nights.’

  Gem gazed at him. She reached up and touched his jaw, holding it in the palm of her hand. ‘So the only thing we need to work out is how we’re going to get out of this shindig so we can go home and get started on our first night together.’

  He smiled, soft and lazy. ‘I’m not tired. I could go till daybreak.’

  Gem grinned. ‘Me too. Every night to daybreak from now on.’

  ‘Every chance we get,’ Josh said, as he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her in front of one hundred and forty-two people.

  The DJ changed the music and ‘The Prince of Denmark’s March’ trumpeted around the hall, and somewhere in the sky, the North Star twinkled.

  Acknowledgements

  I send enormous thanks to the editors who have collaborated on my stories to date and who have taught me so much. Kylie Mason, Pauline O’Carolan, Annabel Blay, and Kate Cuthbert—I’m so glad you started me on my journey. Many thanks to authors Catherine Evans and Lisa Ireland for being great new writing buddies and for helping to iron out some creases in the first half of this story. Praise to authors Lily Malone and Juanita Kees for sticking with me through this last story in the Swallow’s Fall series.

  With equal importance I thank my readers. Without your support, I’d be writing for myself and although I’d still do that—it wouldn’t be nearly as much fun.