She stared at that ring for a long time before clutching it to her heart and slowly sinking to the floor by the bed, her head coming to rest against one of the posts. She didn't cry. She was beyond tears. Way, way beyond.
She heard Agnes's footsteps on the staircase, and willed her not to come in to the room.
She didn't. It was Jack who walked in. Jack who came over and lifted her up into his arms.
'Now, you listen to me,' he said, cupping her face and looking deep into her eyes. 'I love you, Courtney Cross. You, not Katrina. And I know you love me. So don't you ever tell me to go away again. Because I'm not going to. I'm not going to leave you ever again. We're going to be married and we're going to have babies together. And we're going to live happily ever after.'
And, with that, he folded her against his huge chest, crushing her close, his lips in her hair.
'Now tell me you love me,' he insisted. 'No waffle. No bulldust. Just say, I love you, Jack.'
'I love you, Jack,' she choked out, still clutching the ruby ring to her heart.
He sighed. 'About time, too.'
EPILOGUE
'Guess who I just saw in the ladies', Courtney whispered to Jack on returning to the members' stand.
'Don't tell me,' he said drily. 'Katrina.'
'Got it in one! Would you believe she didn't recognise me at first with my glad rags on?' Courtney was wearing the glorious white lace bridal suit Jack had bought her, complete with picture-hat. Lois had suggested it, saying that such an outfit wouldn't look at all out of place at the Melbourne Cup meeting.
Now that she was there, Courtney had to agree, and she did look pretty good, even if she had to say so herself. Perhaps even better than on her wedding day, her figure having filled out somewhat now that she was three months pregnant. Did she have a bust, or what!
'And?' Jack probed.
'Once she realised who I was, she gave me a panicky look, then disappeared like a shot'
'Good to see she took heed of what I told her that night.'
Courtney glanced up at her handsome husband, who was looking simply splendid in a light grey suit. 'Which was what, exactly? I never did ask you.' It was just curiosity asking. Courtney hadn't doubted Jack's love since the day he came back for her.
'After she came out with all that drivel about realising she'd made a mistake and that she still loved me, I told her she had absolutely no idea what love was, that all she loved was her own selfish self. I warned her that if she was ever to show up on my doorstep again, or ring me or try to contact me or do anything to destroy my relationship with you, then she had better emigrate. Fast! Then I told her to get her pathetic hide back to her husband, because soon her inner ugliness would show in her face and then no man would want her, not even one as stupid and shallow as George.'
'And did she? Go back to him?'
'I gather she did, which is why she's here today.'
'My God, her husband's not presenting the Melbourne Cup, is he?' As much as she wasn't undermined by Katrina any more, the less she saw of the woman, the better.
'No,' Jack confirmed.
Courtney sighed her relief. 'Not that we'll have to worry about that,' she went on. 'I mean, Lois has done wonders just getting Big Brutus into the race today. His win last week in the Werribee Cup was simply fantastic, but this race is so hard. As much as I'd be over the moon if he won, I can't seriously get my hopes up. A place would be lovely, though.'
'Mmm,' was all Jack said, and Courtney looked at him.
'You haven't put too much money on, have you, Jack?'
'What? Who, me? No, no...not all that much.'
'Mmm. Then why are you looking so worried all of a sudden?'
'I...er...well, the thing is, Courtney. I backed the darned horse each way. I hope you don't think I'm a wimp.'
She laughed. Him? A wimp? Her tower of strength? Her magnificent man? 'Don't be silly, Jack. Big Brutus is forty to one. And this is the Melbourne Cup. Everyone bets each way in the Melbourne Cup.'
'Not everyone,' he mumbled.
'What? What are you talking about?'
'Nothing. It's just that Agnes and Bill asked me to put a bet on for them both. And they didn't want it each way.'
'Yes, but they only bet small, whilst you, Jack, are a serious gambler.'
'Me?' He looked surprised.
'Yes, you. Only a serious gambler would have married someone like me.'
His eyes softened on her and Courtney smiled. She loved it when he looked at her like that. She loved everything about Jack. He was a wonderfully kind and big-spirited man and she couldn't wait till their baby was born. She rather hoped they'd have a son, but she wasn't stressing over it. A daughter would be just as welcome. Jack continued to insist he didn't mind either way, but she suspected he might like a little boy first.
A hush came over the crowd as it did hi those tense moments in the Cup after the field had taken their place and the starter was on his stand, watching and waiting till the horses settled before he pressed the bell and the gates sprang open.
Surprisingly, Courtney wasn't as nervous as she'd been the week before, when she'd watched the Werribee Cup on the TV. Just getting Big Brutus into the Cup had satisfied her, and hopefully satisfied her mother, if she was up there, watching.
Courtney had felt very angry with her mother for quite a while after what Sean had told her, but it was hard to stay angry with a dead woman, especially when that woman was your mother. Besides, after all Courtney had recently been through, she realised it was impossible to judge another person's actions. Who knew what inner demons had fashioned her mother's thoughts and actions?
The roar of the crowd had her snapping back to the race. They were off!
Courtney stretched up on tiptoe and searched for Big Brutus's colours, amazed to find them not where she'd been looking, at the tail of the field, but out in front.
'My God, he's leading!' she gasped as they flashed past the post the first time.
Courtney shot a frowning glance over at Lois, who was standing on the other side of Jack, but Lois's eyes were glued on the track and she was clutching the arm of the man on the other side of her, a very handsome man in a very sexy black suit.
Courtney smiled an amused smile. Sean hadn't wanted to come to Melbourne with them. He'd had to be persuaded, both into the trip and the suit. But the moment he'd seen Lois, dressed fit to kill today, he'd been bewitched, and slightly bewildered, Courtney thought Lois in raceday mode was a hard force to resist.
'He's gone further in front,' Jack groaned, and Courtney's eyes reefed back to the track.
He certainly had. Three lengths, in fact. Her stomach began to churn now as the butterflies of hope invaded. It wasn't impossible for a horse to lead all the way in the Cup, she reasoned. It had been done. And Big Brutus wasn't carrying much weight.
Still, these were daring tactics. Lois must have told the jockey to do this. He wouldn't have taken it upon his shoulders to ride such a bold race without being instructed to.
They were entering the back straight and Big Brutus went even further in front. Five...six lengths. Yet he was just loping along, his head on his chest.
Emotion welled up in Courtney's chest
Are you watching this, Mum? This is your horse out there. You bred him. Isn't he just magnificent?
It wasn't till they swung into the straight, with Big Brutus still in front by four lengths, that the combination of hope and exhilaration overwhelmed Courtney. She started jumping up and down, screaming encouragement and instructions at the top of her lungs.
'Go, big boy, go! No, don't whip him. Just ride him. Hands and heels. You can do it, big boy. Not much further now. Yes, that's it Stretch. Stick your, neck out. Don't let them get you. Don't stop. Don't look. You can do it. This is your race. Your year. Your time. Yes, yes, yesV As Big Brutus crossed the line, a gallant neck in front, Courtney threw her hands up into the air in victory.
'He did it, Jack,' she cried, turning to her husband. 'He did it!'
Jack's binoculars dropped back down onto his chest. 'My God, he did,' he rasped, looking a bit green around the gills. 'He really did.'
Courtney laughed, then hugged him.
People began tapping them on the shoulders, congratulating them. It reminded Courtney to do the same to Lois, but when she looked over at Big Brutus's trainer, Lois was otherwise occupied.
Jack's pressing what looked like betting tickets into her hand turned her attention away from her trainer kissing her father.
'What's this?' she asked.
'I found them in a secret drawer in your mother's desk.'
Courtney stared down at the tickets. Each was on Big Brutus to win the Melbourne Cup, placed months before, when Hilary had first entered the horse. Each was for thousands and thousands of dollars, and not for much outlay, either, since his price then had been huge.
'Your mother's insurance policies,' Jack said.
Courtney glanced up. A great big lump on her throat. 'Oh, Jack...'
He nodded. 'I didn't want to tell you, in case the horse lost.'
'You were protecting me,' she said, continually in awe of the many ways Jack showed her his love.
'I didn't want you to think your mother a total fool.' He inclined his head in the direction of where Sean and Lois were still glued together. 'You can't blame her, you know, for not trusting your dad. He was way too young. And way too good-looking. She did what she thought she had to do to survive, Courtney.'
'Yes,' she said, nodding. 'Yes, you're right.'
'Their romance was nothing like ours. We're well matched, you and I. True equals. True partners.'
Courtney knew what he meant. Now that she was secure in Jack's love, she wanted to share everything with him, even Crosswinds. She no longer saw his help as interference. Though he still had absolutely no horse sense.
But he was very smart with money.
'I was thinking, Jack, now that Goldplated's come good and I have all this spare cash, do you think you might like to become Crosswinds' financial manager? I mean...the stud's going to get pretty busy in the coming years, and I'm not going to have as much time once I become a mum.'
He just looked at her. And then he smiled.
'You are a wonderful woman", Courtney Falconer.'
'Yes, I agree. But will you?'
He grinned. 'I'd love to.'
Lois finally descended upon them, looking flushed and excited. 'That was simply fantastic, wasn't it?'
'Fantastic,' Courtney returned, not sure if Lois meant the race, or the kiss. 'And so are you, Lois.'
'Oh, no. Big Brutus deserves all the praise. And your mum. She bred him. Shall we go lead him in together?'
'I think the press might grab you first,' Courtney warned:
'Mmm, yes, they probably will. Do I look all right?'
'You look absolutely beautiful,' Sean said by her side, and Lois beamed up at him.
Courtney and Jack exchanged looks, their eyes dancing with knowing amusement.
'Guess who's not going to go to bed alone tonight?' Jack whispered in Courtney's ear as they pushed their way through the crowd.
'Golly. Who?'
'You, you sexy thing.'
Courtney's eighteen-week ultrasound showed she was having a boy. Nicholas Preston Falconer was born five days late on the seventh of May, weighing nine pounds five ounces. Agnes delivered him, with Jack her willing but slightly anxious helper. Sean and Lois were married the same day the baby was christened.
The End
Miranda Lee - Marriage At A Price Page 17