Ironbark (42 page)

He cocked an eyebrow. ‘All right by me but how would your fiancé handle that? You'll be Mrs Browne in thirteen days. Don't want to give Ironbark gossips fuel for their fires.'

• • • 

By their second glass of wine Jake felt mellow but he could see Keziah was tense. She seldom drank wine. She didn't really have the head for it. He had seen wine make her dance or cry, sometimes both at once.

He held his glass to the light and examined its delicate tracery. ‘For a woman who doesn't much like a drop of the grape, you sure do things in style!'

‘My grandmother kept her best glasses for special occasions. I need to make a wise decision. Time is running out.'

He clinked his glass to hers and drank with appreciation. ‘If this is a sample of your wedding wine, I'll be first in the door, last to leave.'

Keziah drank with such nervous haste Jake doubted she tasted it.

‘So what's your problem, Kez?' he prompted. ‘Can't decide what to do with all that messy hair of yours on your big day, eh?'

Keziah's tresses now fell in disarray around her shoulders. To Jake she didn't look much like a schoolmistress. More like a very seductive mermaid. She drained her glass.

‘Slow down a bit,' Jake warned. ‘When I drink too much I end up in a brawl.'

Keziah leaned forward confidentially. ‘The truth is I've changed my mind. I've decided not to marry Daniel after all.'

Jake spluttered wine over his shirt. Checked to see if she was serious. She was.

He reached for the bottle. ‘On second thoughts, I think we'd better have another drop.' He refilled their glasses then tried to arrange his thoughts.

‘Every bride since Eve gets cold feet before her wedding but the minute you see Daniel at the altar you'll race up the aisle before he's got a chance to change his mind.'

‘Stop! Listen to me, Jake. I don't love Daniel.
I never did!
'

Jake tried to calm her. ‘Look, I reckon he really loves you – and you said yourself you'd made some kind of pact with him. God only knows you need a decent bloke to take care of you, Kez.'

Keziah fixed him with that violet-blue gaze that made him half wish he was free to be that bloke.

‘I agreed because marriage will strengthen my custody of Gabriel when Caleb Morgan returns to claim him.'

Jake had the feeling there was a whole heap more to the story, but Keziah gestured in the direction of Gabriel's bedroom as if that should make everything clear.

‘I only wanted to make
him
happy. You understand?'

Jake felt taken aback. ‘Sure, but now the stable door's open, you'd best get married.'

Keziah looked confused. ‘Don't you understand? There's another man I really want!'

Jake rolled his eyes to heaven.
Does she mean Gem or Gabe's father, Caleb Morgan? Or some other joker I haven't stumbled on?

He patted her shoulder. ‘Hey, let's be practical. Do you find Daniel attractive?'

‘Well, he's not ugly!'

‘That's bloody something! Does he treat you like a lady?'

‘Perfectly well in public, but—'

‘Is he kind to Gabriel?'

Keziah was losing patience. ‘Yes! Can't you see why I'm so confused? I thought you were my
mate
but—'

‘I
am
your bloody mate. Who else would sit here listening to all this?'

Keziah was on her feet, her eyes pleading. ‘Jake. If you're really my friend, please stay the night with me! I'm so
nervous.
It's been nearly three years since I—'

Jake grabbed at straws. ‘So that's it. All that talk tonight about assassinations and bushrangers put the wind up you. How about I sleep in my bluey on your veranda?'

‘No, Jake!' Keziah was moving towards him. She was modestly covered from her throat to her ankles, but the wild disorder of her hair and the sensuality of her mouth gave her a wanton look that took Jake's breath away.

He jumped to his feet, ready to make a getaway, but she blocked his escape. Her body pressed lightly against him as she traced his mouth with one finger.

‘Jake, before it's too late. Please make love to me.
Now.
'

For a few delicious seconds Jake made no attempt to stop her as she gently rocked her hips against him. Her eyes closed as she rubbed her
lips against his mouth – her own mouth ready and willing. He felt her body catch fire like no woman he'd ever touched.

‘Daniel?' he managed to croak.

‘He won't care. We made a pact. He doesn't want what I can give you, Jake.'

There was a ‘click' inside Jake's head at that precise moment. He held her at arm's length and spoke kindly. Or so he thought.

‘Just because I spend half my life in a brothel doesn't mean I don't have any standards left.'

No decent man took advantage of a woman whose head was turned by wine, but from her expression Jake wondered if his meaning had somehow been lost in translation.

Keziah took a step back and raised her chin as if she was fighting to regain control. Jake was struck by the fact there was a totally different Keziah standing before him. A little too much wine but very much the lady.

‘I asked for your honest opinion. You gave it. You're quite right. I'll marry Daniel as planned. I do hope you're free to dance at our wedding.'

Keziah opened the front door for him. ‘Don't forget your hat, Jake.'

He stumbled back to retrieve it, but tried one more tack at the door.

‘I want you to know, mate. It was a lovely offer – best I ever had.'

Too late. Her look reminded him of his mam that day he'd come home from school to find a Catholic priest telling her she was living in mortal sin with her Proddie de facto and six kids. Keziah's voice was an echo of his mam's that day – sweet, distant, unnaturally polite.

‘Kind of you to take us to the rally. Do you think martial law will be enforced?'

Jake was staggered. She sounded stone-cold sober but he realised she must be tired because she had to lean against the doorframe for support.

He threw his hands to the sky. ‘Martial law? How would I know, mate? I wouldn't bet on a bloody thing tonight!'

• • • 

Charging along the Sydney Road Jake found he couldn't even look at the sky without seeing Keziah's extraordinary violet-blue eyes watching him.

Why the bloody hell am I haunted by Kez's words? She's just my mate!

Jake didn't believe in any of that ghost bulldust, but for days past he'd been wondering if it was possible a
living
woman could haunt a man. He told himself that the minute Kez was safely married off to Daniel his debt to her for saving his life would be paid in full. Kez would settle down and once again he'd be a free agent to hunt down Jenny's mongrel.

When he picked up his mail from the post office in Goulburn there was a letter waiting for him that rocked Jake to the foundations of his life.
Jenny.

He read it in a new public house across the road. He was cut to the quick by Jenny's airy references to her jewels, pink marble bathroom and lady's maid – luxuries he had failed to provide. At face value her letter was a friendly invitation to visit Pearl. But Jake knew his Jenny. Where was the trick? He re-read it and found it. No return address. His bolter wife could be anywhere on the Australian continent.

When his bitter laughter subsided Jake decided to head for Sydney Town to hire the services of an unusual, newly established American agency. He re-read the advertisement he'd torn from a newspaper. Under the banner of an American flag was the symbol of a spyglass. The head of the agency, Benjamin Rogers (late of New York City), claimed he guaranteed success. All enquiries conducted with utmost discretion. Cases included missing persons, illicit liaisons, fraudulent business dealings and unsolved murders.

‘What the hell, I'll give your agency a go, Yankee.'

But as he headed north Jake heard Keziah's urgent whisper echo in
his head.
‘Jake, before it's too late. Please make love to me.
Now.'

Sydney Town or Ironbark? Jake knew it was no contest. He turned his horse south. ‘Full steam ahead, Horatio. Get us to the church on time. We've got a wedding to stop!'

Time dragged painfully for Keziah after Jake's departure. She lay awake at night, too dejected to avoid the Romani fear that moonbeams falling across her bed at full moon caused white hair or baldness. What could be worse than a farcical wedding to Daniel Browne? And this coming marriage was one problem that Jake had shown no desire to solve. He had rejected her love.

The day that Nerida called ‘that freedom business' finally dawned. Although Keziah had promised herself she would make no special effort, she allowed Nerida to dress her hair with a coronet of scarlet bottlebrush flowers that matched the new gown. Later the dress would be covered by its matching jacket to serve as her Sunday best.

George Hobson paced in front of her cottage wearing the formal suit he had worn at his wife's funeral. He offered Keziah his arm but made no attempt to conceal his dismay that his respected schoolteacher had chosen to marry a lowly government man.

‘Marry in haste, repent at leisure. It's not too late to change your mind, Miss Plews.'

‘Thank you, Mr Hobson, but this is the road I am meant to take.'

Resigned to the inevitable, Keziah walked to the chapel feeling like a condemned woman. Nerida, resplendent in red and gold brocade, confidently led the way, keeping the peace between Murphy and Gabriel. Wearing identical pageboy suits the little boys were engaged in a sly tug-of-war over who carried the velvet ring cushion.

Keziah had understood Joseph Bloom's tactful explanation that Saturday being his Sabbath he could not attend her wedding. But now as she walked up the path to the chapel she saw him pacing back and forth reciting his psalms. Trust Joseph to find a way to be with her in spirit.

Her smile froze as she looked into Joseph's eyes. As if by sleight of hand his conventional suit was transformed into the bewigged costume of a lawyer. Next moment he was once again dressed in his morning suit, his eyes smiling at her over his spectacles.

Keziah was shaken.
I've lived with the gift of second sight all my life. Why am I so afraid now?

The chapel was filled to capacity. She recognised the irony of the different reasons for attendance. Assigned men came out of respect for the teacher who gave so many the gift of literacy, even giant Sholto could now read the words on his tattoos.

Protestants came to witness the union of what they assumed was two of their own. Catholics came in gratitude Miss Plews had not forced Proddie dogma onto their children. Welsh Wesleyans had the best singing voices in the valley so they came to provide the choir. The Buddhist, Sunny Ah Wei, came for reasons of the heart – Nerida – and to make business contacts.

And Daniel Browne was there to become a free man. He stood at the altar in a dark suit borrowed from Mac Mackie, cuffs added to lengthen the trousers. His hair glinted in the sunlight that filtered through the stained-glass windows. As Keziah progressed up the aisle on Hobson's arm, she was surprised by the look of admiration in Daniel's eyes.
He sees me as a subject to paint. That suits me just fine.

The dark red of her gown matched the floral coronet on her free-flowing hair and the bottlebrush flowers she carried in place of a bouquet. The gown clung to her body, except for the neckline that slipped off one shoulder as if to proclaim she was no virginal bride.

Keziah felt the eyes of every man in the congregation focused on her, but when she scanned their faces she was searching for one special man.
Where on earth is Jake?

• • • 

Even before he could see the chapel, Jake Andersen could hear the tinny sound of organ music. He left Horatio to graze and headed straight for the chapel door. Inside it was a hothouse. Heat was captured between the walls and Jake felt a blast of hot air on his face, mixed with the scent of perfume and pomade.

He heard the words of the wedding service being conducted by the elderly clergyman and was relieved to find he had arrived just in time. The old man hardly bothered to raise his eyes when he arrived at the traditional question to the congregation. ‘Therefore if any man can show any just cause, why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter forever hold his peace.'

Jake cleared his throat. ‘Hang on a minute!'

His words were greeted by a confused wave of murmurs. An elderly woman nudged him in the ribs and told him to be quiet. And the giant Sholto tried to push Jake in the direction of the exit. Keziah turned around and for a very long moment Jake's eyes locked with hers. Her lips parted. She made no sound, but Jake knew she was silently calling out to him for help.

The clergyman looked startled by the ruckus and continued the ceremony at racing speed. He had barely asked the question, ‘Wilt thou Daniel Thomas have this woman Sara Anne to be your lawful wedded wife …?' before Daniel prevented a second interjection from Jake by loudly cutting across the clergyman's question with, ‘I will!'

When Daniel bent his head to kiss Keziah's lips, Jake felt as if some invisible pugilist had hit him in the stomach.

The next thing Jake knew the tinny organ was playing a wedding march and the newly married couple was headed down the aisle towards him. Jake bolted for the door.

He leapt into the saddle, then looked back. Keziah and Daniel wore frozen smiles as Ironbark's children showered them with confetti. Keziah aimed her bridal flowers at Nerida, but Polly Doyle leapt to catch them and crowed with delight. Daniel looked straight at Jake as
he placed his arm around Keziah's waist and drew his bride to him in a clear gesture of possession.