by Miranda Lee
Jessica looked Myra up and down with interest, her thoughts turning automatically to Sebastian.
The girl was about nineteen, very attractive, with a sultry mouth, a shapely figure and long straight honey-brown hair. A temptation, Jessica conceded, for any man, let alone a supposedly celibate one.
'I'm sorry,' she began, trying to be polite despite that automatic niggle of jealousy and suspicion. 'But I don't have that much washing and ironing. Not enough to hire someone.'
'But it's not just you, is it?' Myra countered, that sultry mouth turning slightly sulky. 'Sebastian's still living here, isn't he?'
'Yes, but he looks after himself pretty well.'
'Really? He never did when Lucy was alive. She waited on him hand and foot. Not that it did her any good,' the girl said, sneering. 'A man like that wasn't going to marry an old bird like her, no matter how much money she had. If Sebastian marries anyone on Norfolk Island,' she added, tossing her hair over her shoulder, 'it'll be someone young and pretty.'
Jessica found herself on the end of a sharp look.
'You're not staying long, are you?' Myra said. 'Word is you're going to sell and go back to Sydney.'
'I might,' Jessica said slowly. 'And I might not.'
The girl's eyes narrowed. They were not her best feature, her eyes, and narrowed, they looked sly. 'Is Sebastian in? I'd like to speak to him.'
'He's busy writing,' Jessica said firmly, 'and doesn't like to be disturbed. Can I give him a message perhaps?'
'He still writing that silly book of his? I thought he'd stop that once Lucy passed on. I reckon he only did it because it got him in good with her. He did lots of things to get in good with her, from what I could see. Not that it worked. She didn't leave him anything in her will, did she? Looks like he might have to get himself a real job now. Either that, or latch onto another rich woman quick smart.'
'I think you'd better go, don't you, Myra?' Jessica said coldly. 'You know, it's not a good idea to go around maligning people. You might find yourself in trouble one day.'
'I'm not maligning anyone,' the girl denied with a childish pout. 'I'm just saying it as it is. I suppose Sebastian claims he WASN'T sleeping with your aunt. But he was. I know that for a fact. I'd watch yourself around him if I were you. You're much better-looking than your aunt.'
'I'll have you know,' Jessica said icily while trying to keep her temper, 'that Sebastian was NOT sleeping with my aunt, and if I hear you've spread this malicious gossip around the island, I am going to sue you for slander!'
'I don't need to spread what is already common knowledge. Everyone knows what went on here. If you're fool enough to be taken in by Sebastian's lies, then you're a bigger mug than your aunt. Just remember what I said when he professes love and asks you to marry him. It wouldn't be the first time a mainlander married an islander for reasons other than love.'
A few days ago, Jessica might have believed the girl's accusations, but now that she knew the man, she thought them quite ridiculous.
'If all Sebastian wanted was a marriage certificate to an islander, he'd have no trouble with silly little girls like you around,' Jessica pointed out crossly.
'Now go away and stop being a mischief-maker. I have better things to do than listen to jealous gossip.'
The girl huffed and puffed for a few seconds, then whirled on her bare feet and stalked off, her long hair blowing angrily behind her. Jessica was standing there, staring after her disappearing figure, when Sebastian walked down the front steps.
'What did Myra want?' he asked.
'Her old job back,' Jessica told him.
He slanted her a horrified look. 'You didn't hire her, did you?'
'No.'
'Thank God. She's sex-mad,' he said. 'She made it perfectly obvious I could have her any time I wanted. No matter how rude I was to her she just didn't get the message. I was glad when Lucy closed the guesthouse after Christmas and Evie could get rid of her.'
'She said some pretty nice things about you, too.'
Sebastian laughed. 'I can imagine. Nothing worse than a woman scorned.'
'She suggested you might be out to marry me for reasons other than true love.'
'Did she now? And did you believe her?'
'No.'
'Why not?'
'Because it wasn't you.'
'Wasn't me,' he repeated, shaking his head in amusement.
'I figured if you'd wanted to marry an islander to wangle permanent status, or for tax reasons, you'd have done so by now. Myra would have been more than willing. Besides, you haven't asked me to marry you. Yet.'
'Do you want me to?'
'No. There is one thing I'd like to ask you, however,' Jessica added.
'Only one?' he mocked.
'Don't be facetious. I want to know how come you had such a supply of condoms on hand, if you were leading a celibate life?'
A decidedly guilty colour slashed across his cheekbones, and Jessica's stomach lurched. It seemed her faith in Sebastian wasn't quite total, after all. Or maybe the appearance of that sexy little woman had aroused more jealousy and suspicion than she'd realised. Myra WAS very attractive. And she'd been so sure Sebastian had been sleeping with Aunt Lucy.
'I bought them,' he confessed abruptly.
'But why? And when?'
'The day I took you to the chemist for your nail polish. Remember I bought myself a new hairbrush? Well, I picked up a couple of packets then.'
'A couple of packets,' she repeated numbly, aware that most packets contained a dozen. 'You bought two dozen condoms way back then, when you thought I hated you, and vice versa?'
'You can't blame a guy for hoping. Or for being prepared.'
Jessica's heart was thudding loudly in her chest. She wasn't sure if she was angry, suspicious or simply disbelieving. 'You were planning on seducing me even then?'
'Look, I had to do something, Jess! I was mad about you, and so damned mad at myself for getting you offside. I decided that afternoon to change my tactics somewhat.'
'And you assumed I'd just come across?'
'I didn't assume, Jess. But I was hopeful.' He smiled a very sexy smile at her.
'I do have a pretty good strike rate with women... once I set my mind on one.'
She didn't know whether to feel admiration or exasperation. 'You're an arrogant bastard, do you know that?'
'I try not to be,' he said, and, drawing her forcefully into his arms, he kissed her till she was melting against him in glorious submission. 'How about coming to bed and making mad passionate love to me for a while,' he suggested, 'and then reading my manuscript for me? As much as I've done, that is.'
'You'd let me?'
'Of course! My body is always at your complete disposal.'
'Don't be silly.' She thumped him playfully on the chest. 'That's not what I meant, and you know it. I mean about reading your manuscript.'
'I'm having trouble with the ending,' he admitted. 'I want you to read what I've written, then I'll tell you what I was going to do and you tell me what you think.'
'Reading what you've written could take hours.'
'Why do you think I suggested bed first?' He scooped her into his arms and carried her inside.
'You're a devious man.'
'And you're a wonderful woman.'
'That kind of flattery will get you nowhere.'
'You're also beautiful, clever and incredibly sexy.'
'Ah, now you're talking...'
'Enough talking,' he muttered, as he dumped her on his bed and began peeling off her shorts. 'The only sounds I want to hear from you for the next hour are mmm, and aah, and ooh.'
Late that afternoon, after they'd made love leisurely for hours and abandoned any idea of Jessica reading his manuscript that day, Sebastian took Jessica swimming in Emily Bay.
It was a milestone in her life.
For she loved it. Loved the isolation. Loved the warm, quiet waters. Loved the peace that flowed through her body as she floated, feeling nothing b
ut the sweetest pleasure over the knowledge that no matter where she was, if Sebastian was with her, she'd never be lonely again.
He took her with him to the pontoon in the middle of the bay, where they lay together and kissed and touched, oblivious of everything but each other. The urgency to make love again quickly overtook them, and he pulled her into the water with him.
Stripping her in the water was not easy, especially since she was wearing a one-piece with straps. Sebastian's brief black trunks were much more easily disposed of. Once they were both naked, he seated her on a rung of the raft ladder and pushed deeply into her. Jessica wound her legs around his hips and her arms around his neck and was soon lost in pleasure. An elderly man walking along the beach with his wife of fifty-five years nudged her and pointed to the entwined lovers in the distance. They smiled at each other, silently recalling their own passionate courtship. Then they kissed lightly and walked on.
Afterwards, an increasingly besotted Jessica insisted Sebastian drive her past the gaol and tell her its history again, the one she'd missed the first time around. She wanted to know so that she could do justice to reading his book. He wasn't prepared to just tell her, however. He wanted to show her, insisting she get out.
'But I'm still in my swimming costume!' she protested.
'Look around. There's no one to see. The place is deserted. It's beginning to get dark, as well.'
Which it was, the sun having set while they were in the water, making love. Jessica gave in gracefully and climbed out, tracing the steps of the convicts as Sebastian relayed their cruel and inhumane treatment at the hands of their gaolers.
Jessica was both moved and appalled by all the horrors that had transpired within those creepy old walls. She shuddered as she viewed the flogging wall and gallows gate, but was truly shocked when she saw how small the cells had been, cells in which up to three men had been incarcerated, unable to even stretch out properly in their rough hammocks.
'I can understand how this place could inspire you to write a book,' she told Sebastian after they finally climbed into the car. Great drama could come from human suffering, and there were all the ingredients down there in those ruins for a fantastic story.
'You still haven't told me about your plot, you know,' she reminded him. 'Or the characters.'
'I've decided not to. I'd rather you just read the manuscript.'
'Then you'd better get me home so that I can start.'
He stared at her, and she was moved by the look on his face. So full of love and happiness. 'What did I say?'
'You called it home, not Lucy's Place.'
A lump formed in Jessica's throat. 'So I did.'
'You won't sell it now, will you?' he asked with soft insistence. 'You'll be staying here...on the island...with me.'
He bent to kiss her before she could answer. But her response told him all he needed to know.
'Is there something you'd like to tell me, lovie?' Evie asked Jessica the following day after lunch. Sebastian was in his room, trying to write, and Jessica was helping Evie clear, as had become her habit.
Jessica thought about playing dumb, then decided it was demeaning to Evie. The older woman was nobody's fool and would have to be deaf, dumb and blind not to notice what was going on.
'I suppose you mean about me and Sebastian becoming lovers.'
Evie nodded smugly. 'I suppose I do.'
'Do...do you think Aunt Lucy would be disappointed in me? Or annoyed?'
'Oh, no. She'd be pleased as punch.'
'Would she? I'm not so sure about that. I think Aunt Lucy was a bit in love with Sebastian herself.'
'Well, you're wrong there! She might have found him attractive, but what woman wouldn't? Sebastian's a sexy man. If I were twenty years younger I might have fluttered my eyelashes at him myself. No, Lucy only loved one man in her life, and that was Bill. But she certainly admired Sebastian and thought he had a lot of fine qualities. She'd be very pleased to see you married to him.'
'Why do you assume I'll marry him?'
Evie looked perplexed. 'You're in love with him, aren't you? Blind Freddie can see that. Call me old-fashioned, but the way I see it people in love usually get married, if there's no reason they shouldn't. Is there any reason you shouldn't, lovie? You got a boyfriend back in Sydney?'
'No...'
'Well, then. What's stopping you?'
'Yes, what's stopping you?' Sebastian asked her as soon as Evie left after lunch.
Jessica frowned at him till the penny dropped. Then she waggled her fingers. 'Eavesdroppers do not hear anything good of themselves.'
'I only heard that bit. I was on my way to the bathroom. Well? You are going to marry me, aren't you?'
'I don't want to talk about marriage for now, Sebastian. Call me careful, but I can't help it. I love you to death and I'm quite happy to come back and live here with you. But marriage is a very serious step, and I need more time.'
'What do you mean, come back? Why don't you just stay?'
'I have to go back to Sydney, at least for a while.'
'Why? You can quit your job over the phone.'
'I don't want to do that.'
'Why?'
'Because you never know when I might want it back again. Or another job just like it.'
'Don't you trust our relationship to last?'
'Don't you trust me to go back to Sydney, even for a little while?'
He pursed his lips and thought about that for a while. 'I suppose so.' 'Just as well.'
When he went to take her in his arms, she backed away. 'Oh, no, you don't. You get that body of yours back to your book for a few hours.'
He groaned. 'It's still not going well.'
'How can it, when you spend all your time finding other things to do?'
He pouted. 'I like doing those things better. Besides, I'm waiting for you to finish reading what I've written so I can hear your verdict.'
'I'll be finished by dinner tonight if you'll just leave me alone. Now get back to work!' she ordered, and pointed to the door.
'Spoilsport,' he muttered as he left. 'Slavedriver!' he called over his shoulder.
'You'd have made a good warden down in that gaol!'
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
JESSICA was sitting on the back veranda just over three weeks later and only two days before her departure when a guilty thought came to her. She hadn't written to any people she knew in Sydney since she'd been here, hadn't even sent a postcard!
She bit her bottom lip and remonstrated with herself for her thoughtlessness. It was as though since falling in love with Sebastian she'd forgotten everything outside of her life here.
She'd become a different person from the woman who'd stepped off that plane, there was no doubt about it. For one thing, she didn't lock her car any more! What's more, she could actually sit out on this back veranda for well over an hour doing absolutely nothing except enjoying the warm breezes, the beauty of the scenery and the general peace and quiet. Yesterday, Sebastian had taken her down to the pier at Kingston, where they'd sat on a bench on a hilltop overlooking the bay for three solid hours, watching a ship being unloaded. It wasn't at all boring, as she'd once thought. It had been very interesting.
The Jessica of a month ago would have scorned such simple, supposedly boring pastimes. Slowly, she'd begun to appreciate she'd been frittering her life away in Sydney, doing things she didn't really enjoy doing just for the sake of keeping busy, a legacy perhaps from all those years of seeing her mother wasting her life. Or maybe it was because she used to be so terribly, terribly lonely.
She wasn't lonely any more. She was also beginning to understand what Sebastian saw in Norfolk Island and its laid-back lifestyle. She could not wait to finish up work in Sydney, put her flat on the market and get back here to live.
Sebastian still wasn't thrilled with her going to Sydney. But she'd remained firm, believing that a short separation would do them both good. Their relationship had been so sexually intense this past month
, it was hard to see things clearly sometimes. Sebastian could do with some time alone, too, to finish his book, his deadline having been put back to the end of March. But what a book it was going to be! She'd been more than impressed when she'd read it. As for his idea for the climax and ending of the book—it was exciting and satisfying, but demanded a sequel, she informed him excitedly. Already Sebastian's imaginative mind was forming the first chapters of another book about his hero, the unforgettable Tristram Marlborough, a handsome English nobleman who'd been cruelly framed by his evil and envious younger brother, then deported to Australia where his intractability caused him to be sent on to the infamous gaol on Norfolk Island. What befell Tristram there would make the readers' hair curl, but would also fascinate them as their hero was degraded and tortured, starved and flogged by his jealous and perverted gaolers.
Jessica had no doubt that readers would want to know what happened after Tristram sailed off to sea in a small stolen boat. The last pages would see him rescued during a storm by a passing trading ship captained by an infamous pirate. Tristram was to bargain with him to take him back to England in exchange for promised riches when he would regain his earldom. The captain agree,; and the stage was set for the sequel.
'I'm off,' Evie announced, startling Jessica out of her reverie. 'Daydreaming again, I see.'
Jessica smiled and settled once again into the comfortable cane chair. 'I was thinking about Sebastian's book.'
'Going to be a winner, is it?'
'I think so.'
'You sure love him a lot, don't you, lovie?'
'More than I can say.'
'He's a good man. Lucy would be thrilled.'
Jessica thought of her aunt much more fondly these days, without any resentment at all. She'd come to feel a type of bonding with the woman since doing her garden and living in her home. But she still had a niggling suspicion she didn't know the whole truth about what happened between her mother and her aunt.
And she never would.
