Her Galahad (37 page)

Tears spilled down her face. "You don't know what you're saying. This is a lifetime, Jirrah—a life without babies," she whispered, trembling all over. "You have to be sure—very sure."

"I am. I don't want those kids without you. I hurt Belinda over and over because I had nothing to give except faithfulness. No woman ever replaced you for me, and none ever will—because you're not just
in
my heart, Tess, you
are
my heart. You always have been, and you always will be." He stood before her, holding out a hand entwined with Tani's, hoping like hell it would be enough—that love was enough. "Will you take us, Tess?" he asked softly. "Will you take us for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, however we come or wherever we live, for the rest of our lives?"

Tani piped up, looking up at Tess with anxious love. "Please, Mummy-Miss-Honey. Please take us!"

With a little cry Tess scooped Tani up, holding her close; and with another swift movement, she nestled in his arms, where she belonged—where he needed her to be, forever. "I love you," she whispered, kissing both of them all over their faces. "I love you, I love you, I love you so much."

Holding his girls close, he murmured huskily, "Um, just to get things straight, it's not just Tani you're talking to, is it? I am included in that?"

She laughed and cried and held him as if she'd never let him go. "You betcha, McLaren. You've done it now. You're mine for life. I'll never let you out of my sight again."

"There's nowhere else I'll ever want to be." With a self-mocking smile, he pulled the chain over his head. "You know me and my stupid symbolic gestures." She watched him, her eyes alight with love, as he pulled the rings off the chain, placing hers back on her left hand. "That's never coming off again."

"Till death us do part." She slipped his ring back on his finger, kissing it tenderly. "I never stopped loving you, not for a minute of the past six years," she whispered. "But I couldn't tell you, or let myself think about it. I couldn't stand it if you'd stayed with me out of duty or pity, once I told you the truth. I had to give you a way out. If I made you believe I didn't love you—if I didn't even acknowledge it to myself—it would be easier for you to leave." Her eyes searched his. "Be very sure, Jirrah. It's a lifetime without those other kids."

The anguish twisted his guts again—maybe it always would. But having Tess's love was more than worth the cost. "No duty. No pity. I love you, Tess. I always will." His lips met hers in a sweet, timeless kiss. Faith and trust and love—and finally forever. Till death did them part, and maybe beyond.

A question broke their loving kiss. "So where'd the other man go, the one who hit the naughty man?"

It was only then they noticed Duncan was nowhere in sight. Tessa's eyes met his. "I guess he's gone to find himself."

"He'll be gone a long time," he said quietly. "I think he's been through more than we know … but he must've had a hell of an epiphany to be the man we saw hit Beller today."

Tess nodded, her eyes filled with joy and peace. "I hope he finds what he's looking for."

Tani, losing interest in a man she didn't know, asked eagerly, "Hey, anyways, so're you guys married again now?"

Jirrah smiled down at the daughter he thought he'd never know. "Yeah, I guess we are, kiddo."

"And you're gonna live in a house together till you get old, like Gwamma and Gwampa?"

He grinned and nodded. "Yup."

"Me, too?"

Jirrah looked swiftly at Esther and Vincent. "Well, I reckon we need to talk to your grandma and grandpa about that."

Tani gaped in alarm. "Do I hafta leave my gwamma and gwampa?"

As one they turned to face Tani's grandparents. Vincent and Esther had moved away from them, standing together at the base of the back stairs. They held hands tightly, watching Tani's obvious rapport with her parents, their faces filled with painful sorrow. "It looks like you already won," Vincent muttered bitterly.

Tani flew to him, kissing her grandparents. "I love you, Gwampa! I don't wanna leave you and Gwamma!"

Esther kissed her with trembling lips. "But you want your mummy and daddy, Tani. You can't live with all of us."

"Why not?" Tani cried, tears streaming down her little face. "Why can't we all live together like Jarred's fambily? Why?"

Vincent's eyes burned into Tessa's, then Jirrah's, in open challenge. "You take her from us, and we'll all pay the price—including Tani. She'll hate you for it one day."

Silent tears streamed down Tessa's face.

Jirrah nodded curtly. "True—but the same applies to both of you." He looked Esther and Vincent straight in the eyes. "We don't want to take her from you—but we've been cheated of our daughter the past five years. We want to be a part of her life. If you want to stay here, we can move here, too, live right nearby, so Tani can have us all."

"Yes!" Tani cried, dancing around the yard. "Oh, cool!"

Jirrah went on. "Or if you'd like to move closer to town, I could buy a few acres—say, ten or twenty—and build houses on it, one for you, one for us. I also need a studio separate from the house, and a place for my family when they come to visit." He watched their reactions. "I could build you a house of your own, right next door, where you'd always have Tani with you. We could become one family. Would you consider that—for Tani's sake?"

"We—we don't have any family left—all we h-have is Tani," Esther quavered, fat tears rolling down her cheeks.

Tess smiled, with all her generous heart. "Well, since I already love you both, maybe we can try Jirrah's idea? We have two kids who need grandparents, who'd love to have a resident grandma and grandpa—and Tani won't have to decide who she wants to live with, because she'll be with all of us, all the time. And she won't be subjected to legal arguments or court cases."

Vincent's mouth worked, his eyes hard; but then he caught sight of Tani capering up her tree house, and slowly, he nodded.

"Thank you, Vincent," Tessa whispered. "If you'd consider it, I'd love to have parents as loving as you are." She smiled up at Tani, giving Esther and Vincent time to think. "You already got one wish, sweetie. You're a big sister. We're going to Sydney to get your baby brother Michael from Aunt Leslie's—that's Daddy's sister—so he can live with us."

As Tani whooped, she looked at the Joneses, tense and silent. "There's two grandchildren who need you. I already love you. Please think it over. Please."

Vincent whispered a few words to his wife. Esther nodded; then he came to them under the shade of the enormous old gum tree. "This place is too much for us now—you know that, Tessa. We can barely keep it up anymore, and, if we're honest with ourselves, we've known for some time we're not well enough to bring up Tani on our own. If—if you'd build us that house, we'd do our best to be good grandparents—to both your kids."

Jirrah and Tessa turned to Esther, who nodded and smiled through her tears. "We knew your grandfather, boy. That's enough for us to know you're a good man. And Tessa, you're already good for Tani. If—if you mean it—we'd be proud to join your family."

"Oh, we mean it all right," Jirrah replied gently. "I reckon we'll need you as much as you need us."

Tess turned to look at him; and, in her eyes, he saw the one expression he'd craved to see since the first day he'd seen her in Lynch Hill.

Joy.

The brave wild swan flew high, pure bliss on wings. She'd found her forever, and she was flying joyfully toward it. To him, and the life they would make together.

"Mulgu," he murmured huskily, reaching for her. With a little cry Tess threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Tani yelled from the tree: "I think they're gonna start kissin' again. Yuk."

"I think you're right," Esther agreed with a little wise smile. "And I reckon they'll be doing more of it in the future."

"Reckon she's right," Jirrah murmured, grinning; then Tess's lips met his, and no more words were necessary.

Epilogue

«
^

Five years later

"
D
ad! Daddy! Daddy, come here quick!"

From inside his studio Jirrah put aside his planing tool with a wry grin. He always knew when Tess and the kids were home from school—Tani always called him as if the house were burning down.

At ten, she had a strong flair for the dramatic.

He'd long since learned he didn't have to panic when Tani screamed for him. His parents were due for a visit, coinciding with the summer holidays. Probably they'd arrived early. "I'm here, darlin'," he called. "What's up?"

His daughter flew in the studio door and cannoned into his arms, panting, with Michael right behind her. The frowning, worried look on his little son's face told him something really was wrong. At six, Michael was the quiet, calm one, as artistic as his father, learning carving and painting at his side. Michael rarely let things get to him. If he was upset, there was something worth worrying about. "What is it?"

"It's Mummy. There was a letter in the mailbox, and she went all white when she saw who wrote it," Tani got out, in a breathless rush. "She's on the phone now, tellin' someone off. You know she's not s'posed to get upset, Dad!" she wailed.

"Okay, Tani. Thanks." He ran over the paddock to the large ranch-style brick and tile house he'd built for his family.

As Tani said, Tess was on the phone. She sat on the heavy wood-frame sofa before a blazing open fire. She held an unopened letter in one hand; the baby they were fostering for two months nestled sleeping in the other arm. "You should have called first!" She kept her voice low and soothing for baby Megan's sake. "Do you know how much you terrified me? No, I didn't read it. I don't want to know what he said. I don't
care
how he died! He's dead, and that's enough for me."

There was only one person she'd speak of this way. Jirrah sighed in deep, quiet relief. So Beller was finally out of their lives for good…

He crossed the room. Squatting beside her, he put a hand on her shoulder, the other caressing the rounded belly beneath the woolen smock-sweater, where their baby grew and flourished.

Another miracle they'd never expected to have.

The doctor's opinion was that this was the last pregnancy she'd have. There was no reason why she couldn't carry this baby to term, if she was careful—but he advised Jirrah that trying for any more babies would be dangerous for her. Jirrah promptly took care of it. A vasectomy was a small price to pay for the peace of mind that came with it. As much as he adored his kids, he loved his wife more. He couldn't stand the thought of another day of his life without Tess again.

He'd thanked God every day of the past five years that he'd made the right decision, standing by Tess. Now his gratitude knew no bounds. Seeing the woman he loved rounding out with his child was worth the wait, the five years of having her incredible love, believing it would balance never knowing this intense joy.

"You all right?" he whispered.

She nestled her cheek against his hand, but kept talking. "I don't want it, Rod. No—not a cent. I don't want the house. I don't want anything that belonged to him. I don't care what you do with it! Just get rid of it."

He couldn't hear all of Rod's reply, but the stunned words
seven million dollars!
came through, loud and clear.

She didn't even hesitate. "Do some good with it, then. I don't want it … no, Jirrah won't, either. We don't want anything of his. Take half the money for your service … use it for people who need legal representation and can't get it. I don't know, however you think … take the other half with the house, and turn it into a shelter for battered women. Of course I know it's a Harbourside mansion," she replied impatiently, "I lived in it. And yes, rich women are abused, too, and can have nowhere to go. I don't care who stays in it, rich or poor. Open it to everyone. No—don't put my name on it. I don't want thanks for getting the last of his sick baggage out of my life!" She sighed. "Call back later with the details. Megan's asleep on me, Jirrah and the kids are worried, we're expecting family to visit tomorrow and I'm tired. Please just do it. I want nothing of his, Rod. Nothing!"