by Janet Woods
‘She has several broken bones. I’ll be going to the hospital later, but I need to wash the dust out of my hair first and sort our clothing out. I think I’ll have to wash it all.’
‘You know where everything is. Give Es my love, then. Tell her she’s welcome to come back here? I got used to having you girls around, you know. It can get a bit lonely now my old man’s gone.’
‘We were hoping you could put us up.’ Minnie didn’t want to ask about her absent husband, but thought she should. ‘Have you heard anything from Wally?’
‘Not a blessed thing.’
‘Esmé suggested he might have gone to Singapore on the Horizon Queen.’
‘I doubt it, since he hasn’t got his passport with him. It’s still in the dresser.’
‘Someone must know where he is.’
Her face took on a bland look. ‘If they do, they’re not saying.’
‘You might as well know, Ma. I intend to divorce him. I’ll need to serve the papers on him.’
Ma sighed. ‘Well . . . I can’t say I blame you. As men go, he’s not much of one, and he never could settle to anything. He was always easily led. He hung around with the wrong crowd and landed himself in trouble. He was either flush with money or stony broke, with all the gambling he did. You would have been the making of him, Minnie love.’
‘Wally is thirty years old, and he should be made by now. What sort of man leaves his wife in the middle of nowhere and goes off without a word? You shouldn’t make excuses for him.’
‘He’s my son. One day you might have sons of your own . . . then you’ll understand. You might as well know. He got Lillian up the duff, and John Teagan is as mad as a cut snake. I don’t blame him, what with her being so young, and all.’
That came as a shock. ‘The girl is expecting a child?’
‘Yeah . . . She came here, all bashed up, and down and out. I gave her a pound to keep her going. I don’t know what happened to her after that.’
‘You sent her away?’
‘Wally’s brought enough trouble down on our heads.’
‘But she’s carrying a child . . . your grandchild.’
‘Don’t give me the bleeding heart routine, Minnie. You’ve got to understand that Teagan is a real bad bugger. You stay out of his way, d’you hear?’
Minnie softened her voice. ‘I do understand, Ma. I don’t want to argue, and I don’t want to put you in the position of taking sides. I just want you to know that my marriage to Wally is over. If you don’t want me to stay here because of it, then say so.’
‘Don’t be so daft.’ Ma gave her a hug. ‘It’s not opening time yet. Go and put the kettle on and we’ll have a good natter before you go to the hospital to see young Es. You can bring back some fish and chips for tea. And Minnie –’ she said, while she was heading towards the stairs – ‘my Harry was careful with money. The thing is, he had life insurance, and enough so I don’t have worry about my old age. When it comes through I’m going to repay the debt Wally owed young Es. I’ll not see her go without . . . or you come to that.’
‘Thanks, Ma . . . I appreciate that but it’s not your debt, it’s mine and Wally’s.’
Fifteen
When Esmé woke she was in a green tent. At least, it resembled one, but it quickly became a curtained off space containing her hospital bed. There was a sense of familiarity at the smell of disinfectant, the muted voices of visitors and clang of metal pans and kidney dishes. She ached all over.
Cautiously she moved her head. Her left arm was plastered and in a sling. Her right one was dabbed with iodine, where they’d cleaned up the grazes. Her left rib area was sore. There were two stitches in a small cut, where they’d dug a piece of buried glass from her right arm. Her body, legs and arms had received the same iodine treatment, going by the feel of them.
The bottom half of Leo was on the seat next to her. His top half had fallen forward on to the edge of her bed. Head to one side, he slept peacefully, his mouth slightly squashed, and open on the side where it rested. His hair was a riot of curls and still had dust scattered through it.
She gazed at him for a long time, at the dark lashes that quivered along his eyelids and the shadowed planes of his face. He needed a shave. When she reached out to gently touch his hair it curled around her finger, as if claiming her.
‘Leo,’ she whispered.
His eyes opened, and he gazed at her through the beautiful bluebell haze of them, disorientated for a moment. Then he focused in on her and smiled. ‘I was taking a quick nap.’
‘You look sweet when you’re asleep,’ she said, and he laughed.
‘That should be my line. How do you feel?’
‘Dare I say, as if a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders?’
‘No . . . you dare not.’
‘In that case, Leo, I feel battered, but I’m thinking clearly.’
‘So if I propose while you are in your right mind, you’ll agree to marry me?’
‘I imagine so.’ She knew she would agree, and so did he, but couldn’t help pushing it a little bit further. ‘You could try it and find out, I suppose.’
‘Is this what’s meant by making me jump through hoops?’ He fell to one knee and grinned at her over the edge of the bed.
The curtain was pulled to one side and the ward sister came in. ‘Oh good, you’re awake.’ Her glance fell on Leo and she clicked her tongue. ‘What are you doing down there, Dr Thornton?’
‘I was about to get into the position to propose marriage to your patient.’
Esmé’s snort brought an amused glance from the nurse. ‘Dr Sawle said Miss Carr should avoid excitement.’
‘Oh . . . I’m not very exciting, I promise. Ins underwhelmed by the whole idea. Between you and me though, Sister, I’m down here because I dropped my fountain pen.’ He made a show of looking under the bed before he stood.
‘It’s clipped to your pocket.’
Patting his pocket, he stood, his expression one of faked surprise. ‘I’ll be fuddled, so it is.’
Leo hovered while the nurse went through the rituals of temperature, pulse, pillow plumping and bed tidying. Trying to appear unnoticed made him even more conspicuous. The nurse hung the chart on the end of her bed then gazed from one to the other and grinned. ‘There, you can finish your proposal now, Doctor, but make it quick. Miss Carr has a visitor . . . a young lady. She can’t stay long, since there’s only fifteen minutes left of visiting hour.’
‘You can’t stretch that, can you?’ Esmé asked.
‘Certainly not. I understand you are both nurses, so you know the hospital stays on a strict routine.’
Minnie came in, all smiles, and planted a kiss on her forehead. ‘Oh, you look heaps better. Not quite so pale . . . in fact, quite rosy. I wonder why that is,’ and she threw Leo a grin. ‘Now . . . everything we own is covered in grit, Es, but I borrowed one of Ma’s nightgowns for you to wear until I’ve washed yours. It’s rather large, but it opens down the front and you’ll be able to slip it on and off easily.’
She indicated the starched linen hospital gown. ‘It’s fractionally better than the one you’re wearing. And I’ve washed your hairbrush . . . and there’s a soap bag and towel.’
‘Thanks, Min. My hair does feel knotted.’
‘I’ll brush it for you. By the way, Leo, there’s a message from Alex for you.’ She passed it on word for word.
He laughed. ‘I’d better let you two have some girl talk. I’ll wait for you outside and see you home if you like, Min.’
‘Oh . . . you needn’t. The tram stops just a few yards from the end of my street.’
‘I’ll come and see you tomorrow then, Es. I don’t know what time. It depends if I’m called out or not.’ He stooped to kiss her cheek and whispered in her ear. ‘Be good.’
‘Leo . . . thanks . . . for everything . . . and yes.’
‘Right then.’ His eyes lit up and so did his smile. He blew her a kiss and was gone.
Minnie
helped her into the voluminous gown, and then began to pull the brush gently through the dark waves of her hair, picking out bits of debris and grit. ‘I can almost feel you buzzing, Es. Tell me about it.’
‘Leo was about to propose when the ward nurse came in and interrupted him.’
‘Ah . . . so that was what that parting “yes” was all about.’
‘What do you think?’
‘I think, congratulations, and I wish you all the happiness in the world. Leo Thornton is the cat’s whiskers, and the best thing that could ever have happened to you. He’ll be able to handle your family, too, since he’s on the same level.’
‘Handle my family? I don’t know what you mean.’
‘Didn’t you wonder why Liam turned tail and ran at the first sign of opposition? No matter how he tried to fit in, Liam would have always been an outsider.’
‘Good Lord, I didn’t give it a second thought. I should tell them about Leo, I suppose. I wonder what they’ll say.’
‘Does it matter? It’s your life.’
Esmé thought about it for a while, and then shook her head. ‘I don’t need their approval, and neither does Leo.’
‘There . . . I told you he could handle them, and so can you now. Leaving home has done you the world of good. As for Leo, he has a lusty look to him. He’ll have you wedded and bedded in no time at all, though perhaps not in that nightgown . . . it’s a real passion killer.’
When colour rose to her cheeks, Minnie grinned. ‘You’ve got to lose it sometime, Es, and at least you’ll have a ring on your finger. Not like me.’
‘I wonder if it’s too soon after Liam.’
‘Liam was a good-looking chap, and I fancied him myself at first sight. But he was self-absorbed. You don’t still hanker after him, do you?’
‘Of course I don’t . . . although I was upset at the time.’
‘We were both silly and jumped at the first thing in trousers that took an interest in us.’ Minnie giggled. ‘Matron kept us both on too tight a rein while we were training, so we didn’t get any time to practise the art of male watching.’
They ignored the bell that said visiting hours were over. ‘Is there any sign of Wally?’
‘No, but I think Ma knows where he is. He’s in trouble. He’s taken up with the young sister of a local thug, and she’s expecting his child. John Teagan thumped her before he tossed her out. Ma has had extra bolts fitted inside the doors . . . just in case.’
‘Heavens, what are you going to do about Wally?’
‘Divorce him when I can afford it. I do have grounds.’ She shrugged. ‘He told Ma that he loves me, and I think he tried to do the right thing by marrying me. I was willing to give it a second try, but it didn’t work out. I’ll never be able to trust him.’
Glumly, Esmé gazed at her friend. ‘Be careful, Minnie. With thugs like John Teagan hanging about you should have allowed Leo to take you home.’
Airily, Minnie said, ‘Oh . . . I’ll be all right. John Teagan doesn’t even know me. Anyway, forget my troubles, just make sure you get better.’
It was twenty minutes before the sister came back. She gazed at her watch, tutting with an assumed ferocity, since she’d chosen to ignore the chattering pair. ‘Didn’t you hear the bell, young lady? It’s time you went home, since my patient needs to rest.’
They exchanged a grin at the familiar words, and then Minnie gave Esmé a kiss. ‘Bye, love. I’ll see you tomorrow. I’m going to the agency in the morning to register for work.’
Leo didn’t turn up for two days. When he appeared he loped into the ward with a bunch of flowers in his hand and a smile on his face. ‘I can only stay for five minutes, I’m on my way to the airfield.’
Esmé blinked at the ring he slid on her finger. The two small diamonds flanked a larger one set in a platinum band, and they winked in unison back at her.
He smiled at her expression. ‘How do you like the handcuff? We can swap it for another if you don’t.’
Tears filled her eyes. ‘It’s exquisite.’
‘Only the best for my girl.’ His smile faded, replaced by alarm. ‘Why are you crying? Have you changed your mind?’
‘Lord, no. I’ve decided you’re a rare bargain. I’m crying because I’m happy, and I wish my family were here to share it with me.’
‘Heavens, I don’t want them all crying on my shoulder, as well. Shall I send Chad a happy-from-Esmé telegram?’
‘I’d prefer to write him a letter, because I want to surprise Livia. I won’t tell him about the accident . . . they’ll only worry.’
‘Chad’s a doctor . . . well, almost.’
‘Doctor or not, Chad is also my twin. He’ll never be objective about me, we’ve been through too much together.’
‘Ah, yes . . . the orphanage.’
‘He told you? He doesn’t usually like talking about it.’
‘Neither do you. The best way of getting rid of something that sticks in your throat is to cough it up.’
‘That’s not a very romantic notion.’
Although she gave a light laugh, he didn’t, and his sympathetic enquiry brought tears to the surface when he said, ‘Was it a bad time?’
‘We had each other, and Chad made himself responsible for me. We were babies when we were taken there, so we didn’t know any different, I suppose. It wasn’t until my sister was in a position to care for us that we realized what we’d missed. Chad found it hard to hand over my responsibility to another.’
‘It gave him a purpose in life, I imagine.’
‘I clearly remember the day when we went to be with Livia. She was living in Nutting Cottage, and was almost a stranger to us. It was a big change in my life and I reacted badly, because I was scared that Chad and I were going to be parted. Chad was angry about something. We had our own rooms, which was wonderful after sleeping in a dormitory. Richard Sangster, who was Livia’s first husband and Meggie’s father, gave a dog to Chad and a kitten to me. He was a nice man, and he helped Chad build a posh henhouse.’
‘So Chad told me. Cackleberry House, wasn’t it?’
‘Cluckington Hall. When Richard married Livia we were pleased. It was tragic when he died. You get used to having family. You feel . . . owned.’
‘Don’t you mean loved?’
‘That as well, I suppose. But when you’re not used to being loved it can suffocate, as if the early lack of it needs to be compensated for by the giver. Then you have to establish a place in the family for yourself instead of growing up knowing it. Poor Chad. He’s so grateful and earnest at times. He’s doing what’s expected of him, and never seems to have much fun.’
‘What a complicated creature you are. Chad is doing exactly what he wants to do, and you only see one side of him. And yes, he does know how to have fun. He has a lot of friends in medical school, and he’s going to be a bloody good doctor.’
She squeezed out a smile.
Leo hesitated. ‘We haven’t had time to make plans for our future together yet, have we.’
‘No . . . I don’t suppose we have.’ She gazed at the ring on her finger. He’d referred to it as a handcuff. She was sure she wanted to share her life with Leo, wherever that path took them. ‘Do we need a blueprint?’
‘Lord, no. I have no intention of running your life. In fact . . . I was hoping you’d help run mine. To start with, you could give me your opinion on this. At the end of the year I’d intended to return to England. I’ve been accepted for a position in a children’s hospital in London, since my intention is to specialize in paediatrics. After that I was going to return to Australia. That was before you came into my life. How do you feel about it?’
It was perfect. Two years in England meant she and her family would have time to adjust to the parting of the ways. ‘That’s fine with me.’
‘If you want we could get married in England, so your family can be part of it.’
‘Then again . . . we could marry before we go, so your family can attend.’
&
nbsp; ‘I won’t argue with that, the sooner the better as far as I’m concerned. My mother will be pleased. We can have a honeymoon on board the ship taking us to England, and will be there in time to celebrate Christmas. That will be a perfect start to our marriage.’
It was also romantic, she thought, so she got the snuffles all over again.
‘Why are you weeping, Es?’
‘Because you were being romantic, and I didn’t expect it.’
‘Was I?’ Head slanted to one side he gazed quite seriously at her. ‘I have my romantic moments, you know, but generally I’m basic Australian male.’
‘Yes, I know. You Leo the jungle boy, me Essie the tabby cat.’
He chuckled, and taking a handkerchief from his pocket, applied it to her tears. Picking up her undamaged hand he kissed the palm. ‘My dearest tabby cat . . . I love you so much that I die a thousand times every time I think of you.’
‘You’re overdoing the lethal bit, Leo.’
Her retort brought a fleeting grin to his face. ‘Stop complaining, woman.’
Odd how she felt totally at ease with Leo, but she gazed at the shadows under his eyes with some concern. ‘You look tired.’
‘There was an emergency. A couple of children wandered away from the mission two days ago, and we’ve been searching for them, me from the air and with an Aboriginal tracker on the ground. We found them this morning, scared and hungry, but safe.’ He gazed at his watch. ‘It’s amazing how much ground two nippers can cover in a short time. I must go now. I’ve got to deliver some medication before I can have a sleep.’
‘Take care. And Leo . . . I love you.’
His eyes took her measure, his grin came, then widened into a smile. ‘You know, Es, it’s about time you told me that.’
‘Did you doubt it, then?’
‘I have enough arrogance in me to know that you’d tell me some time.’ Soft and leisurely, his goodbye kiss robbed her of breath and of her will. The back of her mind noted that her responses bordered on healthily indecent.
Wally put in an appearance after closing time. He had a small, scruffy beard and moustache. Minnie eyed him up and down. ‘Look what the cat’s dragged in.’