The Princess and the Cop Page 10

  Dennis and I worked out a way of mounting, from the wrong side, so the weight was on my right leg, and then dismounting on the wrong side, but on two legs, sliding over the saddle and down. I had a good horse, called Brutus, who was disconcerted by all this at first but we soon came to an arrangement and life started to become normal and good again.

  It was good to be back with my family again. The two kids were great and I spent a lot of time with them.

  I did, however, reflect, from time to time, that my Policing in recent months had been close to nothing and I missed it. And I did constantly think of Tessa.

  Dennis and Josie left the subject of Tessa well alone and for that I was grateful. I had my thinking to do alone.

  After a few weeks, I had a call from Linda Leslie, inviting me to their place for a while. They missed me, she said. I accepted, but knew I was heading to Tessa country and the memories would be stronger than ever.

  But I did ask Linda how she knew where I was, in hospital and now here. I was a protected person. She said that she’d rung Don, told him of the jillaroo school connection and he’d told her. So much for protecting my precious personage.

  Dennis drove me over by way of Charleville and we stayed overnight at Mrs. Martin’s pub. She did talk of Tessa, constantly.

  ‘To think she was a princess?’ she said. Still is, I thought!

  We escaped and Dennis left me at Jim and Linda’s and they left me to wander with my memories. And those memories were very strong and exceptionally fresh. I could remember and picture nearly every moment of my time with Tessadonna and the other jillaroos and I don’t know whether it did me good or bad.

  I asked if they’d mind if I slept in the head stockman’s room near the stables, where I’d stayed during the jillaroo course. They both laughed and Jim got out his wallet and fished out a $50 note and passed it to Linda. They’d had a bet and she’d already prepared the room for me. More than prepared it. It had been painted, with a new shower and toilet attached, new curtains, bedclothes, the lot. A bigger bed, I thought. Why? Perhaps more room for my injured leg.

  Considering I’d just walked in on these people a few years ago, and told them I was a cop and I was staying with them during the jillaroo course, we’d become very good friends.

  We had a wonderful dinner and they didn’t mention Tessa once.

  ****

  The Leslies had been upset to see how badly I limped and the next morning they spent a lot of time selecting a horse that wouldn’t give me trouble. I practised my new method of mounting and dismounting and, gradually, Captain accepted me and my strange ways. I was ok but they both insisted on holding my hand out into the bush. Along the way they told me of the various achievements of my jillaroo pupils. Some had gone onto properties, and one had married.

  ‘And, of course, you know all about Tessa,’ said Linda. ‘You, of all people.’

  ‘What do you folk know?’

  ‘That you went to her home and saw her crowned ruler of Bassenburg. Jim and I thought something might come of that visit, but it was not to be, regretfully. She calls us regularly. She’s not married or engaged so, perhaps you might still be the one, Barton?’

  ‘How often does she call? And what made you think I was ever the one.’

  ‘Nearly every Saturday night when she can. But she has many duties. We talk for a long time. You can speak to her tomorrow night, if you like. Patsy told us all about how you helped her and held her after the snake bit her. Even kissed her. The girls said there was definite chemistry between you two and there always had been. But nothing came of it apparently.’

  ‘I think I won’t talk to her, Linda. I’m supposed to be here in secret. The fewer people that know I’m here the better. It all comes from the car smash. No! You and Tess have your gossip, without me.’

  They looked puzzled but didn’t pursue it.

  It was a wonderful week with them. Tessa didn’t ring as Linda had thought so she must have had duties.

  I was preparing to go back to Brisbane. They would drive me into Charleville and I’d fly to Brisbane and my new home. I still limped and my leg still hurt but some therapy back at the hospital would help.

  On my last day I took a last ride out into the bush. I took food and water and was prepared to spend some hours out there. All during my visit I’d resisted going near the places of Tessa, but now I went. I’m a pretty good bushman but I had trouble finding where we were when Tessa had been bitten and where I’d held her, and kissed her.

  I found a nice creek so I settled there to eat. Then it was time to go home and I’d be leaving the glorious bush. I found the place and even identified the tree where I’d sat nursing Tessadonna. I sat on Captain, lost in the memory, when I glimpsed a horseman moving on the other side of a belt of saplings.

  I waited and the horseman crossed over a clearing and moved into the bush again.

  I was frozen and Captain picked up on my mood, standing like a statue.

  It was Tessa!

  16.

  She hadn’t seen me and I sat on Captain experiencing pretty well every emotion that a human being can have.

  Then she turned and came back to the clearing, saw me and turned her horse towards me. She sat calmly about five metres away. Her thick blondie brown hair had been in a complicated chignon with a crown on top when I’d last seen her but now it was tumbling down her back from under her cowboy hat—a very familiar cowboy hat. Her greenblue eyes were sparkling and her face was glowing and I loved her. I was sure she could sense my feelings pouring across the gap to her. I could almost see them. I’d loved her, and then lost her, and now found her and I was the happiest man on Earth, but wordless.

  I didn’t know what to say, but she did.

  ‘I worship you, my darling. Please let me explain what happened, please forgive me and love me and marry me? See!’ And she flashed her fingers at me. My ring was the only one she was wearing, and on the engagement finger.

  ‘I have lots of other rings which I should be wearing but I won’t. This is the only ring that counts. Please say something to me, Bart?’

  ‘Yes. Hello, Tess.’

  ‘Is that all? Can’t we get down from these horses, sit on that nice creek bank and talk. I have much to explain. I love you, Bart, with all my heart. It’s taken a while to find you, but I knew I would. There couldn’t be anyone else so I had to find you.’

  She slipped skilfully off her horse and left it to graze and then stood watching me expectantly. She was even more beautiful. She was very slim. Perfect!

  I had no choice so departed from Captain in the special Corrigan style.

  Tessa gasped and said, ‘Oh, Bart, what’s happened to you?’

  ‘Altercation with a car. Let’s sit.’

  I fished my walking stick out from under the saddle and hobbled over to the creek bank and sat. But Tessa stayed, staring with teary eyes.

  I patted the ground. ‘It’s ok. Getting better now, fast. Sit and talk. We have a long way to go. You have a lot of explaining to do.’

  She sat close and put her arms around me. I wasn’t at that stage yet but put my arm around her and squeezed her. It felt good.

  I wasn’t angry or any of that—just curious. And in love.

  ‘They were going to kill you, Bart darling. Silly David had got himself tangled up with some Russian mafia and the idea was that I would marry their chosen one, who would bring millions to Bassenburg to build new ski fields. They had a watching brief and heard about you. A couple of them stuck to me and were in the robing room when you and I met, and talked of marriage and of elopement. You might remember that I ordered everyone from the room. They left but they listened. David got frightened when they told him what they were going to do---take you out, down at the inn. Never to be heard of again. So he told me as soon as he could, when I was out doing the Royal wave on the balcony. That’s why I was so bad to you at the disco. I had to get you out of danger quickly. I was very frightened for you. They were listening. It near
ly killed me. I only stayed a few minutes then and went to my bedchamber where Sophie was waiting. She was crying and she punched me on the jaw. It didn’t hurt because I was crying too. We talked and we thought we’d trace you pretty quickly, but you disappeared. I had to get through the rest of the celebrations but I was barely there. I was well-guarded by then. It took quite a while to clear up the mess, with the help of the Austrian and Russian Police. They were arrested and disappeared into Russia and haven’t been heard of again. Then I set about finding you, with Sophie.’

  I said, ‘And took liberties with my little flat.’

  She giggled. She was very beautiful. ‘Yes, I did, and Sophie, but we lost you. Please marry me. Nothing’s changed has it? You still love me don’t you? What I’ve told you is the truth, darling.’

  ‘How did you find me? I’ve been under Police protection and I still am.’

  ‘Bart, why won’t you answer me? Alright, I copied Inspector Corrigan’s methods—Charleville pub and on to the Leslies and then rode out to where I thought you’d be if you still loved me. This is it, isn’t it? The place of the snake and where I fell in love with you. And that’s not all the truth, darling. I rang Linda and she told me you were with them. But I would have copied your methods if I’d had to. And you do still love me, don’t you? Say yes, Barton. And let’s get married quickly, please, oh, please.’

  ‘How long can you stay in Australia?’

  ‘Still no answer. And now I’m worried. Forever, if that’s what you want. David got such a fright he’s totally changed. He’s been running things while I searched for you. And now may I kiss you? We’ve only kissed once and that was very softly, in the robing room.’

  I reached over and pulled her in and we kissed. And continued for a long time, lying on the grass, her on top and then me on top, on that beautiful grassy bank. We were passionate. My feelings of the cathedral had returned and my woman had returned. We were there for a long time and, when I checked, the horses, bored, had wandered off a long way, grazing.

  Soon we stopped and she helped me to my feet. She wanted to collect the horses herself but I told her of my exercise demands so we went together. Again the teary eyes as she watched.

  ‘You’d have been crying hard when it first happened, darling, but soon I’ll be back at work. Be at peace, Tessadonna.’

  ‘Tonight, darling. Can we be together? We’ve waited so long. And please answer me? Do you love me? I have to know.’

  ‘More than ever, my beautiful one. I’d like us to spend the night together in my new quarters? It’s quite a big bed. I think we’ve waited long enough too, sweetheart.’

  ‘I’d spend the night with you here, out in the bush, my beloved. But, yes. I want to spend the night loving you, and perhaps all day. Will Linda and Jim be alright?’

  ‘Since they betrayed me to you, yes, I think they’ll be ok. Just what they’ll be expecting.’

  A brilliant smile and then we just stood and held each other, not talking or kissing. Just being with each other. We never had been except for snakebites.

  She was even more beautiful than I’d remembered and there was nothing in the world, nothing, that I wanted more than to make love to her, for as long as she wanted, and then to marry her, quickly.

  And here a thought. Tessa and I had known each other platonically in the jillaroo course and then through a computer. And then briefly in the robing room. We’d protested undying love but now we were with each other and it was as if we’d been close for a long time---- forever! And that’s love!

  ****

  Just imagine the most passionate love-making you’ve heard of or seen or experienced and then the most gentle; and then a soft sleep, beginning in each other’s arms, and then the love-making again and you’ve just about got it! Not quite. But close!

  She was wonderful, tender and caring, and worrying about my leg. She’d been teary before but she really cried when she saw the big scar on my leg. I had to recite the matter of the de Castros and then she worried what would happen when I came out of Police protection.

  ‘I’m not a baby, darling. I’m a Policeman and we have to look after ourselves. I’m thinking of your safety. Perhaps we should forget about marriage.’

  That brought a result. She leaped on top of me and began lightly punching me.

  “We’ve come this far. You’re obliged to me now. I’m never going to lose you again, Corrigan.’

  It was late early morning and there was a knock on the door. Linda called, ‘The Leslie Motel is serving breakfast. Don’t bother to dress. I’ll leave the tray outside, but get it quick before the crows do.’

  Tessa leapt out of bed, naked, and a wonderful sight, and fished the tray inside, peeping around outside.

  She said, ‘Aren’t they wonderful?’

  ‘We should talk to them about getting married. Proctor’s Crossing is a small town near here and it has a small church so I presume it has a small minister. Or would you rather elsewhere—at home perhaps?’

  ‘No! Anywhere! Just quickly, darling.’

  ‘Perhaps later, I can go home with you and we can be married in the Cathedral.’

  ‘And then I can present you to my people as my husband and the father of our children.’

  ‘Perhaps we should have the children first, Tessadonna.’

  ****

  Linda and Jim were pleased. No. Not pleased. Ecstatic. We were meeting all their expectations.

  So Jim rang the Anglican home missionary at Proctor’s Crossing, who happened to be the local publican. Tessa and I went to see him, he filled out the forms and set the wedding for next Sunday, during the monthly Sunday service. He thought there should be more notice but had no quick way of checking. Perhaps better not to in case he got the answer we didn’t want. In any case, he said, they didn’t bother with such rules out here. There were a lot of surprise pregnancies.

  He warned us that the whole town might be there. Tessa glowed.

  When word got around about us and the nature of our betrothal, Tessa received lots of offers of a wedding dress. Suits were offered to the groom.

  But I had my Police uniform with me, the one from the coronation. I’d dumped it in my suitcase and hadn’t removed it. Tessa was thrilled with that memory, unhappy conclusion notwithstanding, and the sex that night was sensational. She was trying to obliterate bad memories, I thought. Actually, it was all sensational. We were great partners.

  My uniform was cleaned up and, at Tessa’s insistence, the medals were put on it. Who refuses their bride at a time like this?

  Before the wedding, Tessa produced two wedding rings, from the von Pramberg treasury, which were usually worn by the ruler and husband or wife. David had worn the male one until he gave up the throne and then he had to return it. His wife likewise.

  ‘Unless you have wedding rings for us, darling?’ she said anxiously. ‘We’ll use them if you have.’

  ‘I don’t and I’d be honoured to use the Bassenburg rings, Tessadonna,’ I said, and she kissed me in relief. She was a sweet girl. But she’d come prepared, hadn’t she? And had even thought I carried two rings around with me, just in case. I loved her.

  I never saw the wedding dress, of course, but, when she arrived at the door of the little wooden church on Jim’s arm, I was taken aback, just as at the coronation. It belonged to a local grazier’s wife and it seemed to me that plenty had been spent on it. And it showed off her superb figure perfectly—silk and satin and brocade and other things I know not. Her hair was high, as at the coronation, and the chignon held a beautiful veil.

  Her marvellous eyes were set on mine as she walked sedately up the little aisle. She was smiling brilliantly.

  I couldn’t believe this was all happening. So far from Bassenburg and its cathedral and a dream come true. They do, you know!

  The minister took us through the vows and, as he did, I realised that something might be badly wrong. I stopped the proceedings. Tessa looked at me in concern.

  ‘Sir,’ I ask
ed, ‘must the full given names be used to make the ceremony legal?’

  He was concerned too. ‘Yes, Bart. I think so. Not sure really. It’s never come up as a question but all the names are used, normally. I don’t know about the legalities but better to be sure. They should, I think. Is Barton not your full name?’

  I took Tessa in my arms. ‘I’m sorry, my lovely, but you have a million names, and they should all be used. May I coach the Minister?’

  ‘Oh, yes, darling.’ She turned to the crowded little church.

  ‘I have an unusual background so I have a lot of names. Please don’t laugh?’

  She turned to me. ‘Are you sure you remember them?’

  ‘I’ve known them since you told me one moon night, my sweet.’

  The Minister started, under my prompting….. ‘Do you Tessadonna… Annaliese… Katharina… Marina… Christina… von Pramberg… and here Tessa began to giggle with the congregation…du Mont… take this man, Barton Corrigan, to be your lawful wedded husband…’ and so on.

  The congregation was laughing hard by now and Tessa turned and said, ‘That’s all, folks, and worth it, believe me. He needs a longer name to keep up, doesn’t he?’

  That brought a bigger laugh and Tessa rested her head on my shoulder and joined them. ‘Oh, I love Australia, darling,’ she said.

  It was a good-humoured and memorable wedding. Poor Mr. Newman had to change the marriage certificate and the register, and Tessa squeezed his arm, used the magic of her green eyes and apologised and Mr. Newman got quite coy.

  Later we all adjourned to the pub, where Mr. Newman took off his collar and coat and began serving the drinks, ‘on the house.’

  It was all wonderful. Questions were asked about Tessa’s lengthy name and Jim called, ‘She’s a princess!’