Whitsunday Dawn

by Annie Seaton

  Fynn painted a picture of a serene lifestyle Liv could barely imagine.

  ‘So the downsides? Are there any?’

  ‘Let me think.’ He tapped a finger on his lip and smiled. ‘You learn to cook a lot of one pot meals.’

  ‘Anything else?’

  ‘Nope. I wouldn’t live anywhere else.’ Fynn slid both the bowls along the table and sat next to her before he lifted up his water bottle. ‘Cheers and welcome aboard, officially.’

  ‘Thank you and cheers.’ She touched her glass to the bottle.

  They were almost finished eating when Fynn’s phone rang. He reached for it and nodded when he looked at the caller ID. ‘Greg. Good timing.’

  Liv frowned when the tone of his voice changed almost as soon as the phone went to his ear.

  ‘What? Are you serious?’ He stopped talking and listened for a couple of minutes. As he listened, he rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. ‘Are they sure? Jesus. I can’t believe it.’ Fynn turned and looked at Liv and his eyes were bleak. She put her fork in the bowl and pushed it to the middle of the table, keeping eye contact with him. Her stomach clenched as he put his hand over his eyes.

  ‘Greg’s in hospital.’

  CHAPTER

  26

  22 May, 1942

  Jack lowered the lantern as Liliana stood there with her hand over her mouth.

  ‘What is it? What’s wrong?’ he asked, hurrying over to where she was standing in the middle of the cave.

  ‘He’s not here, but look at this.’ She held out one hand and pointed to the hollow at the back of the cave half in shadow from the lantern but light enough to see the little camp set up there. ‘He’s been here recently. Goat’s set up a home away from home.’

  Jack walked across the surprisingly large space to the smaller section at the back where the roof dipped down. In the centre, the cave was high enough that he didn’t have to lower his head when he was standing. The rock floor was flat and covered with a fine layer of sand and leaves.

  In one corner, a couple of old blankets were spread on the floor. Next to them was a small box containing a variety of trinkets and shells and shark’s teeth, and a couple of lumps of grey coral. He put his hand on the small pile of grey ash.

  Stone cold.

  ‘Looks like he’s made his own treasure chest.’

  Liliana shook her head. ‘If I wasn’t so worried about him I’d smile. Little bugger. I wonder how long he’s been coming here. Dad will wallop him if he sees this.’

  Jack walked back to the entrance and lifted the lantern. He stepped back quickly as the wind caught the flame and it almost died. ‘It’s almost dark and the wind is getting stronger. How long do you think the storm will last?’

  ‘It’s hard to say, but it will probably blow itself out overnight and pass over,’ she said as she stood beside him.

  ‘At least we’re out of the wind here and it’s dry.’ Jack turned and as he followed Liliana, she hobbled over to a large rock in the other corner and sat down.

  ‘What’s wrong with your foot?’ He put the light down and squatted beside her.

  ‘Nothing. I just stood on a root in the mangroves when I lost my shoe.’

  ‘Show me.’

  She lifted her foot and he took it gently in his hand trying not to wince as he stretched the skin of his palm where the splinter had buried itself deep.

  ‘Cripes, Liliana. You’ve got a good gash there.’ Jack dug in his pocket for the clean handkerchief he knew was in there. ‘I’ll go and get some water and clean it. There’s mud in the wound.’

  ‘Don’t go too far.’ Her voice quavered and for the first time Jack realised she was scared. He reached down and cupped his uninjured hand around her cheek.

  ‘It’s okay, I’ll just lean out and the runoff from the cliff face will soak it in no time.’ He held the handkerchief up with a rueful smile. ‘It’s almost wet enough already, even with the oilskin on.’

  ‘I’m soaked, too,’ she said with a grimace. ‘At least it’s not cold. Just icky and uncomfortable.’

  ‘Stay there. When I clean your foot, we’ll check out Billy’s blankets. We can get dried off a bit and maybe I can get a fire going. He’s left a small pile of wood by the ashes.’

  ‘Don’t you think we should head back to Gulnare?’

  Jack shook his head. ‘I think we should wait until the back of the storm passes. There’s too many trees coming down out there. It’s blowing even harder now.’

  * * *

  Lily reached up and undid the oilskin before slipping it off her shoulders. She laid the coat on the ground, reached up and squeezed the water from her hair before she ran her hands over her face. Trying to wipe wet skin with wet fingers wasn’t at all successful. Her cotton blouse was sodden, and she tried to pull it away where it was stuck to her chest. In the end, she gave up and sat there, waiting for Jack to return.

  And now here they were, seeking shelter in a rock cave until the storm blew out. It was only a minute or so before Jack returned with the handkerchief soaked with rainwater. He shrugged out of his oilskin before he sat on the ground next to the rock she was sitting on. Liliana looked at the top of his head as he lifted her foot onto his lap. His hair was wet and small dark curls stuck to his neck. She was tempted to reach out and lift the wet strands from his skin, but shyness stopped her.

  She sat and watched as he gently cleaned the debris and sand from her foot. ‘Tell me if I’m hurting you.’ He looked up and heat rushed into her cheeks as he hurriedly averted his gaze from her wet blouse. She hadn’t put a brassiere on this morning, and knew that everything she owned—not that there was much of that—was clearly visible through the saturated white cotton.

  Jack cleared his throat and he put her foot down, and she was pleased he’d looked away; he was a gentleman and she trusted him.

  ‘All good now. Although it’s going to be hard to walk home on that foot,’ he said.

  ‘Maybe I’ll have to use one of Billy’s blankets to wrap it up.’

  ‘Or I might have to piggyback you.’ His laugh dispelled the awkwardness between them.

  Lily reached over and picked up her oilskin. ‘Pass me yours. I’ll drape them over a rock and they might dry out a bit.’ She dug into the pocket and held up the brown paper wrapped parcel. ‘Are you hungry? I don’t know what state these sandwiches will be in.’

  ‘As long as they don’t taste like linseed oil,’ Jack said with a grin. ‘Before we eat, let’s get a bit organised.’

  He stood and Liliana in turn averted her gaze from the wet trousers that were plastered to his thighs. Unfamiliar feelings were running through her.

  When he’d held her cheek before, all she could think about was the first time he’d kissed her at Butterfly Glade. It had pushed her worry about Billy aside and made her more self-conscious about being here with him.

  Jack put the lantern on the rock as Lily stood. ‘I’ll try and get the fire going while you have a look at Billy’s stash of blankets over there. Maybe we can get ourselves a bit drier.’

  Half an hour later, cosy firelight flickered on the shadowed walls of the cave. Jack had lit a small fire near the opening so they didn’t get smoked out, and Lily had spread one blanket for them to sit on, and they’d shared the other to dry themselves as best they could. He raised his eyebrows with a smile when she passed him a sodden and squashed sandwich.

  ‘Dinner is served, sir.’

  ‘Looks delicious, madam.’

  After they’d eaten, Jack balled up the paper and threw it onto the fire.

  ‘Ouch.’ He flexed his fingers as the paper sizzled into a pile of white ash.

  ‘Did you burn yourself?’ Lily reached for his hand and turned it over. ‘Oh, Jack. Look at that splinter. When did you get that?’

  ‘It’s nothing. It’ll come out by itself. I’ve had worse working in the vineyards.’

  Lily kept hold of his hand and he moved closer to her. ‘Lean back on me. You look uncomforta
ble.’

  She moved across and leaned back against him as Jack stretched his legs either side of hers. Lily listened quietly as Jack took a deep breath and pulled her closer to him. ‘Liliana?’ His breath puffed against her cheek and she knew his lips weren’t far from her skin.

  ‘Yes, Jack.’ She moved a little bit closer.

  ‘When the war is over, I’d like to see you.’

  ‘See me?’

  ‘Oh, I know you have plans, but I don’t think I could bear it if we didn’t see each other again.’

  She turned her head slightly and looked up at him. ‘Me too.’

  ‘And one day, maybe one day, when you’ve done all the things you want to do—’ a chuckle rumbled up from his chest—‘and I’ve gone back home and made my peace with Dad, and bought Mum a new rose bush, maybe we can start a life together.’

  Joy burst through Lily’s chest and she turned around so that she was facing him, but the angle was awkward. Jack put his arms beneath her elbows and lifted her so that she was sitting across his lap and facing him. The fire warmed her back, but it was the expression in Jack’s eyes that sent heat coursing through her.

  ‘Yes. I would like that very much,’ she whispered. She slid her arms around his waist and put her head on his chest. Closing her eyes, she listened to the slow steady beat of his heart beneath her cheek as he breathed deeply. They sat together like that for a long time, as she thought of what a future with Jack would hold.

  ‘Are you sleepy?’ His voice broke into her happy dreaming.

  She lifted her head and met Jack’s gaze. A smile tilted his lips and he cupped her cheek with his hand.

  ‘A little bit.’

  Their eyes held, and Lily’s heartbeat picked up as Jack lifted his other hand and both of his hands held her face. His thumb brushed her skin slowly, up and down, up and down, and an exquisite sensation pooled low in her belly. She closed her eyes as he lowered his head and his lips gently brushed hers. He went to pull away but this time, she lifted her hand and pulled his head back down to hers.

  ‘Don’t stop. Please.’

  This time the pressure of his lips was firm, and Lily opened her mouth with a sigh. The crackling of the low flames and the keening of the wind outside faded into the background as the intensity of Jack’s kiss deepened. Her tummy fluttered as tenderness turned to passion. Lily lowered her hands and slipped them beneath his shirt, and he drew a quick breath against her lips as her fingers caressed the silky bare smoothness of his back.

  Now Lily understood the words she had read when Rhett Butler had kissed Scarlett, but this was so much better than reading the words on a page. The same wild tremors and new but wonderful sensations consumed her whole body.

  Jack pulled away and his breath was ragged. ‘This isn’t a good idea. You don’t … you can’t understand what this is doing to me. We have to stop.’ He took another breath as she caressed his back. ‘Before it’s too late to stop.’

  ‘But I … I don’t want you to stop, Jack.’

  His lips were back on her cheek sliding slowly and softly towards her mouth. His lips vibrated against hers. ‘Just one more kiss then, and we’ll stop.’

  This time his lips were hungry, and Lily moved her hands forward and knotted them in his shirt, pulling him hard against her. She smiled as his erection pressed against her stomach before he tried to move the lower half of his body away.

  In that moment, she made up her mind. Mama had been right when she had said about war changing things. Nothing was more important than being with Jack.

  Who knew what the future would hold for them?

  * * *

  The sky was a brilliant blue and raindrops glimmered on the leaves in the forest as they walked back to the house the next morning. The wind had blown itself out and only the fallen branches on the track bore evidence of the massive storm that had crossed the island last night. But Lily didn’t notice, nor did she feel the soreness of her injured foot, or the tenderness between her thighs, because every time he helped her over a fallen log, Jack took her in his arms and kissed her. As he lifted his lips from hers for the last time at the top of the hill before they reached the house, Lily took in the entire scene around them, and knew that the memory of this morning would stay with her forever. The fresh smell of the forest, the pure sapphire blue of the Passage, the curve of the bay and the sighing of the wind in the hoop pines settled into her soul.

  This morning, when she had woken up in Jack’s arms, the fire had gone out and the cave was dim, as soft shards of sunlight crept in through the fissure in the rock.

  ‘I just want you to know that last night was very special for me.’ His voice was soft.

  ‘And for me too,’ she whispered. Shyness flooded Lily despite what she and Jack had shared through the night. Very few words had been exchanged but the whispering of their bodies had been enough, as Jack had shown her he loved her.

  ‘I want to marry you, Liliana. Soon.’

  As they hurried down the path—as quickly as Lily could limp with her injured foot and no shoes—trepidation dampened her happiness as she worried about Billy, and what her parents would say about her spending the night in the cave with Jack. But her worry was for nothing. Tat ran down the steps with a happy cry as they made their way down the path towards the house.

  ‘There you are!’ When Lily reached her, Tat grabbed her hands. ‘Charlie and Roger found Billy. He was safely in the cave at Gulnare.’

  Tears welled in Lily’s eyes and she turned to Jack with a wide smile. ‘Oh, thank goodness for that.’ She clung onto the post as she climbed up the steps, Jack keeping a respectful distance behind her. They had agreed not to say anything to the family yet. It was all too new, and they both wanted to hold their happiness to themselves. Lily was worried about Mama’s reaction and her all-seeing eyes, but still she hugged the knowledge to herself. She was a woman now, and no one could take that from her.

  ‘Where is everybody?’ Jack looked at the house where all was quiet.

  ‘They didn’t get back here till a couple of hours ago,’ Tat said.

  ‘Waited the storm out like we had to.’ Jack glanced at Lily and she dropped her eyes.

  ‘Then Mama cuddled and kissed Billy.’ Tatiana’s lip rose with disdain. ‘He thought he was a hero until Daddy walloped him and then he cried himself to sleep. Then Mama had one of her “things” and now Daddy’s in there with her.’

  ‘What about the others?’ Lily asked, relieved that her parents weren’t about.

  ‘Roger and Charlie are packing, and the littlies are doing their lessons. I’ve been in charge.’ Tat smiled and stood straight.

  ‘I’d better go and get packed too. I guess we’ll take the launch back as soon as it gets here.’

  ‘What about your car?’ Lily asked.

  ‘It can stay at Prossie for a while. I think we need to get back as quick as we can today.’ Her heart skittered up a beat as his lips tilted in a smile, just for her, and the laughter lines creased at the corner of his eyes. Jack looked happy, happier than he had in all the visits he’d made to their island home. He put his hand over hers on the post at the top of the stairs. ‘I don’t want to leave, but I’ll be back as soon as I can get leave again. I’d better go and see the lads.’

  * * *

  The launch pulled in at the jetty early in the afternoon. Dad said goodbye to the men at the house—Mama hadn’t reappeared, much to Lily’s relief.

  ‘Thank you. All of you, and you too, Lil.’ Dad reached out and put his arm around her shoulders as Jack and Roger and Charlie hefted their kit bags to their shoulders. They’d spotted the launch as it made its way across the Passage. ‘I’ll never forget what you did last night, looking for that little tyke in that storm. Whenever you want to stay, lads, make sure you come back as often as you want. Consider this your second home.’

  He shook Roger and Charlie’s hands, and they headed off to the wharf with Tatiana chattering beside them.

  Dad held his hand
out to Jack, and held it for a long time in a firm grip. ‘I know we’ll see a lot more of you too, Jack.’ Dad glanced at Lily and she felt the blush creep up her cheeks. ‘Take care, son. You’ll be in our prayers.’

  Lily stood on the jetty with her two sisters and the twins. Looking down at the grey weathered timber as though something of deep interest had suddenly appeared on the jetty, she fought to hold back the tears that threatened. The children scampered around, calling out to the crew on the launch as they brought it to the end of the short pier. Happiness filled the air. The storm was gone, Billy was over his sulks and the children’s laughter drowned out the squawking of the gulls that flew over the water. The Passage was calm and peaceful this afternoon and mirrored the mountains overhanging the mainland near Shute Harbour. Jack walked over to Liliana and stood beside her as she stared at the water beneath the wooden pier. The depths were a mix of blues and greens, and she looked into the still water as he stood beside her and took her hand.

  ‘Liliana, I’ll be back. I promise.’

  She lifted her head slowly. Jack’s eyes held hers as he lifted her hand to his lips.

  ‘May I kiss you goodbye? Would that be all right?’

  ‘It would.’ She nodded and lifted her face to his. His lips clung to hers in a gentle kiss. He held her hand until they walked to the launch and he stepped onto the boat.

  ‘Bye, Liliana.’

  ‘Take care, Jack.’ She lifted her finger to her lips and blew him a kiss, and Charlie and Roger whooped, breaking the mood.

  Lily was proud that she smiled until the launch was out of sight. Closing her eyes, she let the tears roll down her cheeks.

  CHAPTER

  27

  May 1, 2018

  Liv waited as Fynn lowered his hand from his eyes and stared at her. His lips were in a straight line and he rubbed his fingers over the back of his neck again. Liv followed the movement; the tendons were standing out on his neck and the pulse was visible.