Page 56 of The Island Girls

‘That’s a lovely picture, and one I can certainly relate to,’ he said, taking her hand. ‘Was that his proposal to Bathsheba?’ he asked, daring to utter the word for the first time.

‘It was part of it, yes, but she didn’t take him – not then at least. She preferred the excitement of Sergeant Troy.’

‘The cad you mean? Why?’ Paul asked, incredulous.

‘Because she thought she wanted more than security.’

‘And who am I? The playboy or the reliable one? Do I want to know?’ Paul asked, uncertain now where this might be leading.

‘That’s the interesting thing. To begin with, you were the excitement – the spontaneity – the way you turned up in the night and thrilled me every time your plans changed. But now that I know you, now that we’re such good friends,’ Paul winced at the way this little speech was going, ‘now that we can be together so happily whatever we do, I realise you’ve become my Farmer Oak.’ She smiled gently.

‘The dependable one?’ he asked.

‘That’s right. Now you’re the only person in the world I want to sit beside on a cold evening, and look up and see you there.’

Paul heaved a big sigh.

‘This is very good news. Because all I want to do for the rest of my life is look up and see you there beside me, too.’

Rebekah reached out to stroke his cheek and leant across to kiss him, long and slow, and with a tenderness that had the power to connect their souls, bonding them as if the precious gold from two jewels had been melted together and remade into a newer, stronger treasure.

28

BRISBANE – CHRISTMAS DAY 1998

On Christmas morning, Paul woke with the dawn, still startled by the sounds of the kookaburra chorus and the cicadas that began to sing as soon as the sun spread its light. Rebekah slept soundly beside him so he quietly padded out into the living area and made himself a cup of coffee. He browsed the photographs on the walls, and found himself looking through the bookshelves when an idea occurred. He soon worked out the library system for the Martins’ books, and when he found the classics, it wasn’t too long before his fingers rested on their copy ofFar from the Madding Crowd. He pulled it from the shelf and sat out on the old settler chair on the back deck with his feet crossed up on the stool.

An hour later, Paul heard the screen door behind him open and turned to see a sleepy-faced Rebekah smiling down at him.

‘Good morning, early bird,’ she said.

He put the book down and stood up to wish her a merry Christmas, with a long hug.

‘Sit yourself down, and I’ll make you a cup of tea, love,’ he said, knowing by now that she preferred tea first thing in the morning. While the kettle was boiling, he went to the tree andtook out the tiny packet he’d hidden in the branches yesterday, slipping it into the pocket of his gown. He carried the tea tray out and popped it on the table beside Rebekah, and sat down again, waiting for her to enjoy the first few sips of her morning nectar. He needed her to be fully awake before he began.

‘Rebekah, that conversation we had last night, at the restaurant? About how much we enjoy being together?’

‘Hmmm?’ she responded, leaning back in the chair with her eyes closed, as she sipped her tea.

‘I’ve been thinking about it this morning, and there’s something I’d like to say to you.’ She opened her eyes and looked at him enquiringly as he got up from his chair and knelt on the deck before her. He pulled the little wrapped package from his pocket and put it carefully on the arm of her chair, then took her tea, and rested it on the table. He took her hands into his and watched as her jaw dropped.

‘I found your copy of the book,’ he said with a nod to the paperback resting beside his chair. ‘I’ve read how Gabriel Oak felt about Bathsheba, and although I’m not very far into the story, I know exactly what he means. Rebekah Martin, just being in the same room with you is a delight to me and I want you to know this,’ he said and closed his eyes, frowning briefly to make sure he remembered the words exactly as they needed to sound. ‘I want to make you a promise – “I shall do one thing in this life – one thing certain – that is, love you, and long for you, andkeep wanting youtill I die.”’ He watched as Rebekah’s face turned from surprise to joy and into a deep understanding of Gabriel Oak’s words from the book.

‘And I shall do that one thing whether or not you are beside me, because I will never stop wanting you, Rebekah, to be in my life as my best friend – my guide – my lover. Will you marry me?’

One week later, on New Year’s Day, Rebekah’s mum and Tim drove them to the airport. They had all opted for a quick drop-off, so as not to draw out the goodbyes, but still there was time for some heartfelt words.

‘Next summer on Brownsea Island then?’ said Paul as he shook Tim’s hand and gave Helen a warm hug. ‘Thank you for everything, and most of all for sharing your precious daughter with me,’ he said, and they gave one last wave as they pushed their luggage trolley into the departures lounge, chilled by welcome air-conditioning.

After check-in and passport control, they found a nice coffee shop to sit and wait for their plane’s boarding time. Rebekah spread the fingers of her left hand out on the table beside her coffee cup, still grinning not only because she wore Paul’s ring, but because it felt so right to be committing to a life spent beside him.

‘You still like it?’ he asked, breaking into her thoughts. ‘You know if you’d prefer something else, you can choose whatever you’d like.’

‘It’s perfect, Paul. I’d never even considered myself with an engagement ring and wouldn’t know where to start with choosing one. This one is wonderful,’ she said, flashing it under the bright overhead lights.

The ring was an antique gold setting with a red ruby, a blue sapphire, and a string of small diamonds that wove between the two coloured gems, just like a sparkling mountain creek. Paul had explained to her, after she’d tearfully accepted his wonderful proposal last week on Christmas Day, that the red and the bluehad reminded him of the crimson rosellas they had hand-fed while at O’Reilly’s guest house in Lamington National Park.

‘Their colours were so vivid, and these gems seem to be just the same shade,’ he’d told her. And she couldn’t think of a better memory with which to seal their engagement, those precious days when she’d shown him who she was before they’d met – when she’d been a Queensland Parks and Wildlife ranger.

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