Her Outback Protector
Page 18
Several members of the Moreland family had been invited, Sandra having met them on previous occasions. Sandra had taken to Cecile Moreland at once as Cecile had taken to her. It was very heart-warming to have such glad-hearted acceptance. It established them as friends who wanted to carry that friendship further. But then it was difficult not to be drawn to Cecile when she was so much like her cousin, Daniel.
Time to go downstairs! Sandra took one last look at her reflection, aware there was the sheen of tears in her eyes. Excitement was running at full throttle, fuelling every fibre of her being.
And always and always… Daniel. If I’m beautiful, I’m beautiful for you!
Her cloud of hair had been tamed with exquisite, star shaped diamond pins, heirloom pieces from her grandmother, Catherine’s, collection which was now hers. Her dress was truly lovely, very romantic, white chiffon hanging from shoestring straps, the bodice tightly draped, decorated with glittering beads, crystals and sequins, the skirt dreamy for dancing.
She inhaled deeply to calm those tumultuous nerves. Oh, Daniel, please say you love me! Didn’t he know his name was written indelibly on her heart?
When they were together love seemed to be all around them, but still he hadn’t spoken, true to his own standards. She knew his mother’s trauma, left pregnant and quite alone to rear a fatherless child had affected him deeply. Responsibility was Daniel’s middle name. She quite liked that really.
She was almost at the door when someone outside, knocked. Probably her mother. Her mother and her stepbrother, Michael were staying at the homestead, but she had gotten in early telling her mother she preferred it if her stepfather didn’t come. Her mother had expressed dismay but Sandra had remained firm. Her stepfather would never be permitted to cross her threshold.
Only it was Daniel who was standing outside the door, looking marvellous but strangely tense.
“Oh, it’s you!” Wherever he was, whenever he called, she would fly to him.
“Only me.” He stared at her for the longest time, then barely containing his feelings breathed ardently, “You look a dream come true, birthday girl.”
“Thank you, thank you.” Colour bloomed in her cheeks. She smiled up at him, her eyes a burning violet-blue. “You look splendid too. How much did that dinner suit set you back?” she asked lightly, aware they were both highly emotional on this special night.
“I hired it.”
“Did you really?” She studied the perfect fit, the set of his shoulders. “You didn’t.”
“Of course I didn’t.” He gave her his marvellous lopsided smile. “But I won’t be able to afford another in a hurry. May I come in for a moment?”
“Certainly.” She stood back to let him pass.
He paused in the centre of the room; turned to face her.
“You’ve turned into a beautiful woman right in front of my eyes.”
“You’re saying I wasn’t much to look at when you met me?” She adopted a teasing tone.
He laughed softly. “You were the prettiest youngster. But not for long!”
“I put my heart into getting beautiful, Daniel,” she said. All for you.
“Well you made it,” he said, with considerable feeling, thrusting a hand inside his dinner jacket.
“What are you doing?” Her voice wobbled.
“I’m giving you your birthday present now, okay?” He looked up, a silver flame in his eyes.
“I just hope it cost a lot of money,” she tried to joke. “Just fooling, Daniel.”
“I know. That was one big fat cheque you wrote for the Childhood Leukaemia Foundation.”
She nodded her satisfaction. “Joel has agreed to match me. I really love him, you know. My grandad didn’t inspire a lot of affection. Your grandad is the kind of man one loves.”
“He is,” Daniel agreed with obvious affection, then with sudden intensity, “What about me?”
“I’ve told you I love you a number of times. I won’t be tempted again.”
“So I’ll send this back then?” he asked, waving a small velvet box about.
“After I’ve seen what it is.” A swarm of butterflies took flight in her stomach.
He moved towards her with his characteristic athletic grace, going down on one knee. “I’ve got to do this properly.” He looked up at her with half smiling, but deeply serious eyes. “Alexandra Mary Kingston,” he said with burning formality, “would you do me the great honour of becoming my wife?” He didn’t wait for an answer but put out his arms and gripped her slender body to him. “Darling Sandra, I never had a life before you. You have to marry me.”
She couldn’t answer at once, literally speechless with joy. “Oh, Daniel, you’re going to make me cry,” she whispered, her two hands cupping his beloved head. “I dare not. I’ll spoil my makeup. Oh, Daniel, I never believed you’d ask me.”
He rose to his feet, bending to kiss the creamy slope of her shoulder. “How could you not?” he asked gently. “You know how I feel just as I know how you feel. We love each other. We were meant for each other since we were born.” Swiftly he opened the box in his hand. “Here is my gift to you, your engagement ring. It comes with my solemn promise to love, honour and protect you all my life. Give me your hand, sweetheart.”
Sandra raised it, but overcome by emotion, squeezed her eyes shut. Precious metal slipped down her finger.
“You can open your eyes now,” Daniel said in a gentle loving voice.
“Oh, Daniel!” She stared down at her precious ring, a glorious sapphire flanked by baguette diamonds. “I feel like I’m going to bawl my eyes out.”
“Not now, you can’t,” he reminded her. “You can cry in my arms when the party is over.”
“Is that a promise? I don’t think I can contain myself so long.”
“Well we have to. I don’t dare muss you, you look perfect. Tears, lots of cuddles and kisses are allowed later, but though it’s excruciating and a real test of my control, we’re not going to bed together. Not until the first night of our honeymoon which I personally guarantee will be the most wonderful night of our lives. Do you trust me?”
She smiled radiantly. “Trust in you wraps me like a security blanket. I’ve always trusted you, Daniel. From the moment I laid eyes on you at the airport. Now, having said that, I don’t want to pester you, but when is this honeymoon going to be? It’s a good time to put pressure on you because I don’t mind telling you I’m in an agony of longing.”
“You think I’m not?” He linked his arms around the waist.
“I’m ready to start it immediately, but what I want even more is to see you as my shining bride. The woman I love and honour. That said, what about as soon as possible in the New Year? Would a few months give you enough time to get organised? I don’t think we’re going to get out of a big wedding, do you?”
“The biggest!” In an ecstasy of joy she started to whirl around the room all the while holding her beautiful engagement ring up to the light.
“Like it?” He caught her to him, commanding her to a stop.
“Love it. Love you.”
“That’s what I want to hear.” He allowed himself several kisses that trailed from behind one small ear, down the column of her throat to her shoulder, all the while inhaling the lovely perfume she wore. “There couldn’t be any question as to the stone,” he said huskily. “A perfect sapphire outmatched by your eyes.”
“Are you going to kiss me anywhere else?” she whispered.
His brilliant eyes rested on her mouth. “Don’t tempt me. One kiss and it would all get out of hand as you very well know. We’ll store the kisses up until the early hours of your birthday morning. Meanwhile I’ll kiss those delicate fingers.” He brought her hand to his mouth, running the tip of his tongue over her smooth knuckles.
“Daniel,” she said weakly, just about ready to dissolve.
“This is nothing to what I’m going to do to you,” he told her in a low thrilling voice.
“I know!” She gave a
n expectant shiver. “I’m going to pieces already.”
“Me, too!” Ardently he touched a finger to the little pulse that beat in the hollow of her throat. “We’ll have a lifetime together, Sandra.” His voice was full of the wonder of being deeply, truly in love. “Just think of it!”
An enormous lightness of being seized Sandra. She linked her arm through his as they walked to the door. “From this day forward!”
“From this day forward,” he repeated, looking down at her with his spirit, exultant, in his eyes. “You and me on life’s journey.”
For a long lovely moment they were sealed off in a world of their own.
I’m getting what every woman prays for, Sandra thought, an expression of utter bliss irradiating her face. I’m getting the thing in life that really matters: Having a wonderful man love me as I love him.
Only with Daniel could this happen.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-8218-0
HER OUTBACK PROTECTOR
First North American Publication 2006.
Copyright © 2006 by Margaret Way, Pty., Ltd.
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†The McIvor Sisters
††Men of the Outback