by Margaret Way
“That’s it!” Cal proclaimed immediately. “That’s what we want. You should have shown us these first,” he said, softening the remark with one of his smiles. “Turn around, darling, so I can put them on. We’ll need earrings to match. Pendant earrings, maybe a little channel of diamonds above the pearl?”
The assistant returned the smile warmly. It was a long time since she had seen such a gorgeous couple. And they were so very much in love! She loved it when couples like that came in.
* * *
It was the grandest day, full of happiness and excitement, and the day wasn’t over.
Gina was finishing dressing for dinner—they had taken a suite—when Cal entered the bedroom. “I have someone in the sitting room I’m sure you’ll want to meet,” he announced casually.
She looked up quickly. That peculiar little tingle had started up at her nape. It didn’t simply touch her, either. It actually began to tap away. “Okay. Do I look all right?” She presented herself for his inspection. She was wearing a new silk halter dress, very sophisticated, with a plunging neckline. Too plunging?
Cal didn’t look like he minded. In fact, his eyes glittered with pure desire. “Yes, yes and yes!” he exclaimed, bending to kiss her on her luscious mouth. “But you must come along now.”
“Who is it?” Her voice had turned quavery. “Or aren’t I allowed to ask?”
“Oh, it’s someone you know.” He gave her a reassuring smile.
The tapping grew stronger.
“Are you going to ask them to join us at dinner?” Was it a man, or a woman? she briefly speculated.
A man, the voice inside her head said.
She felt like she was travelling on some new stretch of road. Cal took her trembling hand in his, drawing her into the sitting room. “Gina, my darling, he might have been a very hard man to find but I’m sure you’re happy to see him!”
Shock and triumph folded into one another. Gina stood speechless for a moment then she cried: “Sandro!” It was a cry that came from the depths of her heart. “My Sandro! Oh, Cal, will I ever be able to thank you? This is wonderful, wonderful!” One brilliant upwards glance at the man soon to be her husband, then Gina rushed towards her long-lost brother who stood there with tears unashamedly coursing down his sculpted cheeks.
“How could you? How could you, Sandro?” Gina beat her fists against her brother’s chest. “There’s not a day I haven’t missed you!”
“Forgive me,” he begged. “I have so missed you, but I never knew Papa was dead. You know with him alive I could never go back.”
“Well, you’re not going to leave us again.” Gina shook a warning head. “I won’t let you.”
Sandro, dark and handsome, perfectly beautiful to his sister’s eyes, opened his arms wide.
Cal stood back watching with satisfaction their highly emotional reunion. He felt justifiably pleased with himself. “Back in fifteen minutes,” he announced, moving smoothly to the door. Brother and sister could do with some time together before they all went down to dinner.
His determination to find Gina’s brother had paid off. It had taken weeks for his agents to find him, finally tracking him to Broome, of all places. Sandro had changed his name without going to a whole lot of bother. He was now Alec Sanders, a valued employee of the largest pearling outfit in the region.
Nothing is going to part those two again, Cal thought, happy to bring Gina’s Sandro into the family. Broome, after all, was on their doorstep. From now on they all were to look to the future.
EPILOGUE
The McKendrick-Romano Wedding
Zoe Caldwell
Aurora Magazine.
I DO, I do, I do!
You all know the words! But do you know just how much excitement a girl can cram into a week-end? I’ll tell you, a thrill a minute. Not the end of story. There was hardly a dry eye at the fabulous McKendrick pad, a vast cattle station in the Northern Territory, after the most moving wedding ceremony held in a flower-decked folly erected in the extravagantly beautiful tropical grounds of the homestead where this lucky social editor was privileged to stay. These cattle barons sure know how to live! Bride and groom had opted for a small private affair (not the rumoured huge affair coming up for the McKendrick heiress, Meredith, in a couple of months’ time) but all the more intimate because of that. The bride looked a goddess come down to earth in a strapless white sheath dress with gold detailing, and an exquisite gold headdress. A fortune in pearls adorned her neck and swung from her earlobes. She was attended by her matron of honour, Mrs Tanya Fielding, in a divine, strapless, yellow silk chiffon gown, and her sister-in-law, Meredith McKendrick, breathtaking in a matching strapless gown of a wonderful, harmonising shade of iris-blue. Last but not least, there was the little page boy, the couple’s adorable three-year-old son, Master Robert McKendrick, who behaved perfectly throughout, or all the time I had my eye on him anyway! The bridegroom was attended by best man Ross Sunderland, of North Star Station, another trillion-square-miles Territory spread, and his soon-to-be brother-in-law, Steven Lancaster, of the Queensland Channel Country’s Euroka Station. Quite a turnout of the dashing cattle barons! The bride was given away by her stunningly handsome brother. The bride’s mother, Lucia—boy, the stars were in attendance when they handed out that family’s looks!—and Dutch-born stepfather, Kort Walstrum, travelled from their coffee plantation in New Guinea to join in the celebrations, confessing themselves thrilled to be there.
The McKendricks will honeymoon in Dubai, returning through Hong Kong and Bangkok. It’s understood the McKendricks Senior, now their son and heir is married, will be spending a lot of time at their luxury Sydney Harbour front apartment, with frequent visits to the legendary station. A little birdie whistled in my ear we’re not looking at two McKendrick weddings, but three! Mr Edward McKendrick, the bridegroom’s uncle, is said to be planning to marry the bride’s glamorous godmother, Rosa Gambaro!
So get up to the Territory, girls, if you’re looking for romance. It’s contagious! Hire a Lear jet if you have to! I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun!
* * * * *
ISBN: 9781459227378
Copyright © 2012 by Harlequin Books S.A.
The publisher acknowledges the copyright holder
of the individual works as follows:
ARGENTINIAN IN THE OUTBACK
Copyright © 2012 by Margaret Way, Pty., Ltd
CATTLE RANCHER, SECRET SON
Copyright © 2008 by Margaret Way, Pty., Ltd
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