Page 126

‘I should have been gone, well out of Farina by now, but my horse pulled up lame. I brought her back and was intending to catch up tomorrow, but an old bloke called Alf whistled for my attention.’

‘Alf from the Exchange Hotel?’

Tom laughed. ‘Yes. Are you old friends, or what?’

She gave a watery laugh back. ‘No, Brucie Bell found him last night.’

‘My gosh, now you know the Bells? You haven’t been here more than twelve hours.’

‘Met them all, slept over,’ she said, drying her tears.

He looked amused. ‘Anyway, Alf said some woman from Adelaide was looking for me. It had to be you. And then someone at the station said they’d seen a “beautiful city lady in green” leaving on the train, having hugged a local lad.’

Fleur nodded. ‘John Bell.’

‘So I chased the train, hoping against hope it would fail to reach the top of the hill as it often does.’

She looked into his eyes, so full of sparkle and affection, and knew her visit, every last tear of fear and sorrow that she’d missed him, was worth it. Because here he was, staring at her in what looked like similar wonder.

‘We’ve found each other once more,’ he said, as though he were listening in on her thoughts.

‘I’ll never let you of my sight again. Never!’

‘Good. I want you to marry me today.’ He pointed out the window; the train had come to a stop once more just outside the station. ‘Come on, let’s get off the train and go to see the mayor or our local constable. One of them can marry us.’

‘Tom, I haven’t anything to wear to be a bride.’

‘Doesn’t matter what you wear, Fleur,’ he murmured, ‘it will be coming off soon after.’ He lifted an eyebrow, grinning at her.

She toppled into his arms once again, kissing his neck and hugging him hard.

‘Come on, you two lovebirds. We’re all getting off,’ one of the rescuers said. ‘Hurry up, or we’ll have to book you a room at one of the pubs.’

Tom leapt up and helped Fleur to her feet. ‘Thanks for helping me on board.’

‘Seems you had urgent business,’ another man quipped.

They all shared an affectionate grin.

‘We’re off to get married,’ Fleur said, sounding breathless and entirely caught up with the excitement of the morning.

‘I should think so, with all that canoodling in public,’ another said, but without malice.

A round of congratulations followed as more people arrived into the tiny corridor to get off the train.

‘What are they going to do?’ Tom asked as the train backed alongside the station platform.

‘Try again in an hour. Engine driver’s cursed so much he needs an ale to calm his throat.’

Fleur and Tom were married that day as he’d threatened. Eva Bell, despite all her own event preparations, flew into action and found a suitable cream silk dress; Fleur, beyond grateful, didn’t ask where from. Eva also insisted that the whole group of guests arriving for John’s event first stopped at the local hall – really just a shed behind the Patterson House, where they used to hold dances and concerts, with a piano – so that they could all bear witness to the civil ceremony, which everyone cheerfully did.

Eva sent Brucie scuttling off for some wildflowers and he returned with a small bunch of wild daisies in pinks, mauves and a few white, which Eva laced through Fleur’s hair.

‘It will do,’ she pronounced.

‘I find myself thanking you again, Eva.’

‘I’m very happy for you, and especially because of the child. Does he know?’