The sudden triple knock at the front door startled her to such an extent that she felt her body jerk spasmodically, and she sat mesmerised and unable to move. Seconds later the knock was repeated, only louder this time, and Jenny stood slowly to her feet and moved cautiously towards the door.
'Open the door, Jenny,' Zachary's voice sounded in command, and Jenny clutched her arms in an attempt to control the sudden wild surge of emotion that his voice evoked.
With trembling fingers she unlatched the door and let it swing open, unable to do anything other than simply stand there gazing at him.
Zachary's eyes narrowed and his brow creased formidably as he took in the pale tear-stained face and the dark pain-filled eyes that seemed large as they stared at him so expressively. Without a word he came inside and closed the door behind him, then he bent his head a little and lifted her chin between thumb and forefinger and examined her face intently for what seemed minutes but could only have been seconds.
'Tell me, Jenny,' he ordered softly, but there was a dangerous quality evident in the quietness of his tone.
Jenny blinked up at him and was unsure of her ability to utter anything coherent. 'I—I thought you weren't coming back—after this—this morning,' she stammered, her voice scarcely more than a whisper. 'Max arrived at the fiat—late last night. He'd been drinking and he wouldn't stop knocking on the door,' she licked her bottom lip nervously and saw his eyes flare alive with something she couldn't define. 'I let—let him in and rang for a taxi, but he fell asleep on the settee. I couldn't wake him at all, and—and the taxi-driver wouldn't take him. He said I should get the police, or else let Max sleep it off,' she finished pathetically, and she couldn't drag her eyes away from his even, if her life depended upon it. 'When Max told me that you had stopped by the flat this morning, I—' She hesitated as her voice became so wobbly with choked emotion that she was unable to continue.
Zachary moved each of his thumbs across her cheeks to erase the tears and his lips curved into a strangely gentle smile. 'My darling Jenny-wren,' he chided tenderly. 'It took only a brief glance to see that the recalcitrant Max had spent the night on the settee, and that he was suffering from a massive hangover.' He paused to shake her gently and bent to place a fleeting kiss on each damp eyelid before continuing. 'I've been in court all day—the only break being a short retirement for lunch, and the remainder of the recess was spent in consultation. At the close of the day's session I checked with my office and then came straight on to you,' he concluded by way of explanation, then catching her rather watery smile he stifled a brief imprecation and closed his mouth down on to her trembling lips in a kiss that was shattering in its intensity.
Jenny drew a shaky breath timeless minutes later when he at last lifted his head, and the smile she gave him reflected her inner radiance. Her eyes searched every line of his beloved face, examining the mobile sensual mouth, and she felt her breath catch in her throat as she glimpsed the deep throbbing passion evident in the depths of those dark liquid eyes.
'Ready, my Jenny-wren?'
Jenny turned from her light amusing conversation with Aunt Madge and cast Zachary a glance that held such a wealth of love that those in: the room who caught a glimpse of it felt an unaccustomed clutch at their heartstrings.
'Yes,' Jenny said simply, and her fingers curved round his as he caught her hand and drew her close in to his side.
It was time to leave for their short honeymoon to an undisclosed destination north of Whangarei.
Jenny smiled a little as she skimmed over the events of the past few days. They held a dreamy, almost unrealistic quality—the only vividly real entity being Zachary himself.
Today had been truly memorable in that it had been her wedding day—although how she had managed to get through it was something Jenny viewed with a mixture of slight hysteria and wonderment! It had begun with her meeting Mrs. Meredith and Jane at the airport shortly after nine this morning, and had quickly been followed by Aunt Madge and Uncle Dan's arrival at the flat. A leisurely family lunch together and then things began happening in quick succession as time registered as the all-important factor; There had been Uncle Dan's non-avuncular brand of raillery to contend with—four females under one roof all striving to change into wedding finery and attending to a seemingly endless number of feminine beautifying ministrations was more than poor Uncle Dan could bear! Then there was a last-minute dash by Jane and Aunt Madge to the local florist, when Jenny's bridal bouquet had failed to arrive in time, and it seemed a minor miracle that they managed to get to the register office at all!
After the solemn marriage ceremony there had been confetti scattered laughingly as Jenny stood with Zachary outside on the pavement for a few informal photographs. They had then driven to Nina Benedict's elegant home in St. Heliers Bay, where despite Zachary's firm injunction that Nina arrange only for the preparation of hors-d'oeuvres and champagne, there had been an elegant buffet spread but in appetising splendour. Nina had managed to cajole them into staying with her for a little over an hour and a half before waving them off with a suspicion of tears glimmering in the depths of those bright vividly blue eyes. At Zachary's home they had both exchanged their wedding finery for casual clothes before rejoining Mrs. Meredith, Jane, Aunt Madge and Uncle Dan for coffee in the lounge.
'You'll write just as soon as you get back?' Mrs. Meredith asked quickly as Jenny moved to hug her mother goodbye.
'I'll do better than that,' Jenny smiled kindly, her eyes warm with affection. 'I'll telephone on Wednesday evening and you shall tell me all about Jane's departure on Tuesday.'
'Take care, and God bless,' Aunt Madge wished Jenny gently, and Uncle Dan bestowed Jenny with a fleeting kiss and gave Zachary a hearty handshake.
Now there was only Jane, and the two sisters clung together, both aware that it could be a long time before they would see each other again.
It was a strange feeling—sadness tinged with happiness, and Jenny felt tears of emotion prick beneath her eyelids as the Mercedes-Benz swept down the drive and headed towards the city en route for the harbour bridge and the main motorway north.
Swiftly the powerful car covered the miles, and Jenny, leaned well back against the luxuriously sprung seat feeling relaxed and wonderfully at peace with the world. She must have dozed for a while as the day's excitement and the effects of the champagne took their toll, and she roused slowly, aware that the motion of the car had ceased.
'Pleasant dreams?' Zachary's voice drawled teasingly as he leant across to catch back a stray wisp of hair that had escaped from the elegant hairstyle Jane had effected for her several hours before.
'Hmmm,' Jenny murmured sleepily, blinking at him in the soft glow of the interior car light.
'We've arrived, Jenny-wren,' he indicated the wide sweeping bay, its surface shimmering softly beneath the silvery moonlight. 'My retreat from civilisation, looking out over Doubtless Bay to the great expanse of the Pacific Ocean.'
Jenny smiled musingly as she glanced around the secluded countryside before bringing her gaze back to the ocean. 'I can see what you meant when you said "somewhere quiet and far away".'
' "A jug of wine, a loaf of bread—and thou",' Zachary quoted gently as he bent forwards to place a brief kiss on her sweetly parted lips.
Jenny grinned impishly into his dark gleaming eyes, loving the hint of possessiveness in his voice. 'I hope you have a fishing line somewhere in there,' she pointed to the darkened outline of the house several feet away to the right of the car. 'Fresh schnapper would go very nicely with that jug of wine and loaf of bread—I'll even let you cook it,' she twinkled with barely suppressed mirth and slid quickly from the car as he determinedly reached for her.
'Will you indeed?' he mocked in amusement as he slipped out from behind the wheel and moved towards the rear of the car where he took both their suitcases from the boot and carried them to the door of the house.
It was a house, Jenny perceived a few seconds later as she followed Zachary inside
. Unpretentious and comfortably furnished, it was much more than a utilitarian beach-bach, and it was obvious from the spotless condition inside and the well-stocked refrigerator and cupboards that he had notified some obliging soul in advance that the house was to be occupied for a few days.
'Well, Jenny-wren?' Zachary's deep voice drawled gently from a few feet behind her, and Jenny turned round to face him, her expression serious and achingly sincere as she raised her eyes to meet his.
'I love you,' she said tremulously, assailed with a treacherous longing that swept aside any vestige of pride in the need to be held closely within the haven of his arms.
Zachary's dark eyes flared sensually alive as his lips curved into a gently tender smile. Silently he opened his arms wide, and Jenny flew to him on winged feet, feeling those strong arms close possessively about her slender frame with an ardency that dispelled any doubts of his need for her.
'No regrets, my Jenny?' he queried softly as his lips trailed from her mouth across to the lobe of her ear, which he nibbled teasingly.
'None,' she assured him with emphasis, turning her head to meet his lips teasing with sensual expertise, and she felt her heart soar at the sound of his soft exultant laugh as he swung her high into his arms and strode purposefully towards the large front bedroom overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Gently he lowered her to stand in front of him and his fingers began releasing the buttons fastening her jacket. 'I couldn't bear a life without you in it, Jenny-wren. May fate be generous to us both and keep you by my side— now and always,' he voiced with deep sincerity, and Jenny reached up to wind her arms around his neck, raising her lips to meet his as she whispered in silent prayer.
'Now, and always—my darling Zachary.'
Bewildered Haven Page 17
