The Virgin Bride (The Australians)

by Miranda Lee

  ‘Oh, there you are, Jason!’ she exclaimed. ‘I woke up and you were gone. I was worried. What have you been doing downstairs? Did you want something? A cup of tea, perhaps? Some breakfast?’

  She was babbling, he could see. And blushing. God, he liked it when she blushed.

  ‘Let’s go back to bed,’ he said, taking her arm and praying those painkillers kicked in shortly.

  Her upward gaze betrayed she was not averse to his suggestion. ‘But…but what about your poor arm?’ she protested feebly.

  His smile was wry. ‘You weren’t too worried about my poor arm in the middle of the night.’

  She blushed some more, but her eyes carried warm memories of their lovemaking. ‘That was…incredible, Jason. But then, I knew it would be.’

  His eyebrows lifted. ‘You did? How come?’

  ‘Oh, Jason…’ She placed her hands, palms down, upon his chest, reaching up to kiss him lightly on the mouth. ‘You were the one who said sex could be extremely satisfying without love, remember?’

  His insides tightened. ‘Yes,’ he said tautly. ‘I remember.’

  ‘But you added that being in love would enhance the experience.’

  He stared down at her, that horrible thing called hope doing awful things to his stomach. ‘What are you trying to say, Emma?’

  ‘I love you, Jason.’

  He swallowed a couple of times. ‘You…you wouldn’t say a thing like that unless you meant it, would you?’

  ‘Never in a million years, my darling.’

  Oh, God…

  Only her lips saved him, her lovely, loving lips, kissing away the shock, taking him back from the threshold of total embarrassment to that place reserved for lovers where their bodies and hearts beat as one and nothing existed but their love and need for each other. They moved together onto the bed to show that love and satisfy their need as man and woman had since the garden of Eden. Afterwards, they lay locked in each other’s arms, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking.

  Jason felt no pain, only the sweetest of pleasures and the deepest of wonders. Emma loved him. Everything was going to be all right.

  ‘When did you know you loved me?’ he asked her, wonder still in his voice.

  ‘I suspected as much after that incident with Adele,’ came her astonishing reply, ‘but I wasn’t certain till last night.’

  ‘When last night?’

  ‘I’m not sure when, exactly. Last night carried a lot of confusion. Your declaration of love stunned me, Jason. I could not quite believe it. To be honest, I’ve had trouble believing in our relationship from the word go. It all seemed rather…unreal.’

  ‘Unreal, Emma? In what way?’

  ‘Do you have no idea, Jason, how you present yourself to others? Or how you might look to a simple country girl? That first day you came to visit Aunt Ivy, I took one look at you and I thought…wow!’

  Jason was staggered. ‘But you didn’t even look at me!’

  ‘Oh, yes, I did. Sneakily. And I thought about you afterwards. But not in any real way. You were like some movie star. Way out of my league, but nice to dream about. I found myself looking forward to your visits, just so I could look at you some more. I used to wonder what you were doing here in our little country town, with your trendy clothes, your city sophistication and your incredible style. I tried to picture what kind of woman you’d end of marrying if you stayed. That was why I was so shocked when you asked me. I didn’t fit the image I’d made up for your wife in my mind…

  ‘But Adele did,’ she went on. ‘She fitted it like a glove. God, that weekend was ghastly. I don’t know how I survived it. I’d been wanting you to make love to me so badly, and I was missing you terribly, when suddenly there was this gorgeous woman standing in my dreary little shop, telling me you would never be faithful to boring little me and that she’d spent most of the weekend in bed with you. When she left I wanted to smash everything in sight. I was so eaten up with jealousy, I couldn’t see straight. Nothing else she’d said seemed to matter, only that you’d made love to her, and not me. In the end, I just cried and cried and cried. That was when I knew I was far more emotionally involved with you than I’d realised.’

  Jason could empathise with everything she felt—and he did. ‘I was the same, believe me,’ he said feelingly. ‘The panic I felt when I found out Adele had been to see you was incredible. I should have known I loved you back then. Instead, it didn’t hit me till I saw you walking down the aisle on our wedding day. I was quite blown away, I can tell you.’

  Emma shook her head. ‘I probably would have felt the same way about you that day, if I hadn’t been worried sick about Dean causing trouble. It wasn’t till we were well away from Tindley that I could relax and begin to enjoy being married to you. And I did enjoy it, Jason. Even when I didn’t know I loved you.’

  ‘The sex, you mean?’

  ‘Yes. Was that wicked of me?’

  ‘Not at all. Just human. You were ripe and ready to be made love to, Emma. I thank my lucky stars that I came along at the right time in your life.’

  ‘I’m glad I waited for you, Jason. I’m glad to never made love with Dean. I love you much more than I ever loved him.’

  His heart tripped over. ‘You make me ashamed of myself for the way I’ve treated you these past couple of weeks. My only excuse—and it sounds pathetic—is that I was crazy with insecurity and jealousy.’

  ‘You need never be jealous of Dean again, Jason. I despise him. I’m well aware that everything he ever told me was a lie, including what he said about you last night. Not that I didn’t already suspect as much.’

  ‘But I thought you were totally taken in by him! The way you were looking up at him, like you were hypnotised.’

  ‘Not hypnotised, Jason. Shocked. Too much had happened too quickly. I felt totally disorientated. It was only when you walked out that my mind began to clear. I still wasn’t convinced of your love for me. I was worried you might just be trying to get me back with words. But I began to see that everything you’d said about Dean did make sense. His past actions certainly weren’t those of a man genuinely in love. His attitude once you’d left didn’t endear him to me, either. He became insufferably smug and presumptuous. When he started manhandling me, and telling her how much he loved me, I found myself rejecting his declaration of love much more strongly than I had yours.’

  Jason frowned. ‘What do you mean…manhandling you?’

  ‘Oh, you know. Hugging me and kissing me.’

  ‘You let him kiss you?’

  ‘I didn’t let him do anything. He just did it.’

  ‘I’ll kill him!’

  ‘No, you won’t. I don’t want you going to jail over that trash. Look, I’m glad I let him kiss me one last time, Jason, because I didn’t like it one bit. In fact, I found it quite repulsive. I knew then I felt nothing for him any more, not even a sexual attraction. When he kept insisting that my inheritance meant nothing to him, I just knew he was lying. I wanted him out of my life, and out of Tindley. For ever. But I knew he was not about to give up, not while he thought I was rich. There was no use just saying go away, that I didn’t love him any more. Frankly, Jason, I’d already said as much to him on our wedding day, and he simply took no notice. So I told him I was relieved he wasn’t interested in my money, because the trustees of my fund had invested all my money into the Asian money market and they’d lost the lot in the 1997 crash.’

  ‘And had they?’

  ‘No, of course not. But that’s beside the point. Once I said that, you should have seen him back-pedal as fast as he could. Suddenly, my irresistible charms became very resistible. He started talking about how it might not be a good idea if he moved in with me just yet because it might ruin my reputation, and he cared about me too much to do that. He said it might be better if we waited till I got a divorce. When I calmly told him I had no intention of getting a divorce, and that I’d decided to go back to you, he blustered a bit about women never knowing their own m
inds, and that he would never have come back to Tindley except for me. I then told him that perhaps it might be better if he left Tindley, after which he pretended to be angry and stormed out of the house. He was riding off down the road without a backward glance as I walked up here to you. I doubt he’ll be back. He’s exhausted Tindley’s supply of eligible females. I think he’ll try greener pastures.’

  Jason didn’t doubt it. With a bit of luck, he’d go back to Sydney and look up Adele again. They deserved each other.

  He thought of telling Emma about Ratchitt and Adele, but decided there was no point any more. Besides, the last thing he wanted was to keep bringing up old history. Let sleeping dogs lie…

  ‘Three million,’ Emma said abruptly, interrupting his thoughts.

  ‘Three million what?’

  ‘Three million dollars. That’s how much my trust fund is worth, give or take a few thousand.’

  Jason saw the worry in her face and understood it.

  ‘I knew nothing about this trust fund, Jason,’ she elaborated, ‘till after Aunt Ivy’s death. She left me a letter in her will about it. She also advised me strongly never to tell anyone about the money. Not till after I was safely married, anyway.’

  Jason could appreciate Aunt Ivy’s common sense. But Emma’s eyes still bothered him. ‘She never told me about it, Emma,’ he insisted. ‘Honest.’

  ‘Oh, I know that. I’m just worried the money might change things between us.’

  ‘I see…’ And he surely did. Money corrupted. ‘Give it away, Emma,’ he said firmly. ‘Donate it to some charity. Cancer research, perhaps.’

  Her sigh carried a telling amount of relief. ‘I’m so glad you said that. I was thinking the very same thing. Of course, I might keep a little nest-egg, just for emergencies. But the bulk of it can go.’

  ‘Splendid idea!’

  ‘Oh, Jason!’ she cried, hugging him tightly. ‘I do so love you. I felt so terrible when I came home last night and saw you sitting in that armchair, looking so devastated. I think that was the first moment I really believed you loved me.’

  ‘And you, Emma? Did you know then that you loved me back?’

  ‘I’m sure I did, but I just couldn’t seem to face it. I don’t know why. Perhaps I was afraid to. Then, later, when you made love to me like you did, I…I was just…overwhelmed. But I knew how much I loved you the moment I woke and found you gone. Oh, I knew it then, Jason.’

  He could understand that. There was something about loss—even a temporary one—which stripped the wool from one’s eyes.

  ‘I love you with all my heart,’ she said sincerely.

  His own heart filled to overflowing. ‘Tell me again.’

  ‘I love you.’

  ‘And I love you, dear, sweet Emma. I love everything about you, even your stubbornness.’

  Her eyes flickered with surprise. ‘My stubbornness? I’m not stubborn.’

  ‘Oh, yes, you are, my darling. But that’s all right. I wouldn’t want you too perfect.’

  ‘I’m far from perfect.’

  ‘Not too far,’ he murmured, and his mother’s words echoed in his mind once more.

  You can’t have everything in life, son.

  But he knew that you could, if what you wanted were the simple things in life. And if you were lucky enough to marry a girl like Emma.

  ‘Jason…’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘I…um…didn’t go on the pill.’

  ‘That’s good.’

  ‘You know, it worries me a bit, not getting pregnant after all the sex we had. Do you think something could be wrong with me?’

  Jason felt his heart catch. But he kept quite calm. Worry and tension were not advisable when a couple were trying for a baby. ‘Now why should there be something wrong with you?’ he said reassuringly. ‘Or me, for that matter? These things take time, love.’ And he gave her a comforting squeeze.

  ‘Oh!’ she gasped, and smiled a wide smile up at him. ‘That’s it, Jason!’

  ‘What’s it?’

  ‘Love! Before, we were just having sex. But now…now we’re making love. We’ll make a baby this month. I’m sure of it.’

  He forced himself to smile. ‘I’ll certainly give it my best shot.’

  It was the most difficult month of Jason’s life. Keeping his emotional cool while making love to Emma till he was exhausted. As the day approached when her period was due, he was beside himself with tension. Which was crazy. Because what he’d said to her was true. These things did sometimes take time. Lots of it. To put this kind of pressure on himself at this stage was silly, and potentially destructive.

  D-day arrived and went. No period. Another day. Then another. And another. Jason knew he could do a pregnancy test on her—they were accurate far earlier these days—but he didn’t dare suggest it. That would betray his escalating tension. And make a big issue of her conceiving.

  He was getting ready for afternoon surgery the next day when Emma suddenly burst in, waving something in her hands. ‘It was positive, Jason!’ she cried excitedly. ‘We’re pregnant! I bought a test from the chemist. The one being advertised in all the women’s magazines. It said you could tell at ten days, and I’m well over that.’

  Joy and relief exploded through his chest like a fireworks display. He hadn’t realised till that moment how much having a family of his own meant to him.

  Unable to express his feelings in words, he scooped her up into his arms and kissed her over and over.

  ‘Just as well Nancy’s stepped outside to do some shopping,’ he said breathlessly, when he finally put her down again. ‘Otherwise the whole of Tindley would know the news before this day was out.’

  Emma gave him a pitying look, then laughed.

  ‘What are you laughing at?’

  ‘Jason, everyone already knows.’

  ‘But how? Did you tell them?’

  ‘No. But they’re past masters at putting two and two together. Not that it would have been hard. There’s only one chemist shop in Tindley. What would you think if a recently married person—namely me—came in and bought a pregnancy testing kit, then half an hour later went running from her shop up the street like a madwoman into her doctor husband’s surgery?’

  Jason pulled a face. ‘She’s pregnant?’

  ‘Exactly!’

  He sighed. ‘Maybe you shouldn’t bother to have an ultrasound at four months. We’ll just ask the good ladies of Tindley. No doubt they’ll operate a book, giving odds on the sex, the due date, weight length and name! Did you know we were even money on getting a divorce at one stage?’ Jason began shaking his head. ‘That’s the only drawback to living in Tindley. That infernal grapevine!’

  ‘True,’ Emma said, nodding sagely. ‘But it’s much better than living in the city. You can’t have everything in life, Jason. Everyone knows that.’

  He blinked at her, then laughed.

  ‘What did I say that was so funny?’

  ‘Nothing.’

  She gave him a suspicious look. ‘You’re not keeping secrets from me again, are you?’

  ‘Never! It’s just that that was what my mother always used to say. That you can’t have everything in life.’

  ‘And it’s true.’

  Jason looked at this beautiful girl who loved him and who was carrying his child and drew her into his arms once more.

  ‘No, it’s not, my darling. Not in my case. Because I have you, and you are everything.’

  She looked up at him with wonder in her eyes. ‘Do you want our baby to be a boy or a girl?’

  ‘I don’t mind either way. Do you?’

  ‘No. Any child of yours will be special. Thank you for marrying me, Jason. Thank you for saving me from myself.’

  Jason knew who should be thanking whom, but he was a man, after all, and allowed his ego to wallow in her lovely words. ‘You’re welcome, my darling,’ he murmured, and slowly, gently, covered her mouth with his.

  It was a girl. Emma named her Juliette, in kee
ping with the Steel tradition of using names starting with J. Only one person in Tindley collected on the name. A charge of ‘insider information’ was directed at Nancy, but she claimed innocence. She’d simply chosen the most romantic name she could think of!

  Juliette’s christening was an all-town affair, with Jason’s brother, Jerry, and the Brandewildes the proud godparents. Jerry had come to Tindley at Emma’s instigation, late in her pregnancy, when she’d said she needed help in the shop. Jerry had proved to be a born sweet-seller, his shyness eventually evaporating with life in a smaller and much friendlier community. Emma had given him the rooms behind the shop to live in, shifting her plans for a craft club to the local hall.

  At Juliette’s christening, her proud dad brought forth his new video camera, bought for him by his doting wife from that little nest-egg she’d put aside. Emma was always buying Jason things. A lovely sapphire dress ring. The latest VC player. A super-soft leather reading chair with footrest. He loved being spoiled by her, and loved spoiling her back again in his own special way!

  The people of Tindley counted their blessings every time they saw the happy family walking down the main street together. Dr Steel was going to stay, the men of Tindley finally agreed. No doubt about that.

  The matter was deemed as settled, and money changed hands. The odds on Jason staying had been a generous four to one when the bets were first laid eighteen months before.

  Doc Brandewilde really cleaned up.

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-8309-5

  THE VIRGIN BRIDE

  First North American Publication 2002.

  Copyright © 1999 by Miranda Lee.

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.