Island of escape (23 page)

`I am—oh, Steve—I am,' she murmured as she let herself be drawn back to him willingly.

`You'll marry me?' he asked at last. 'You know—when I took you to the hotel the other night, Ellis, it was for your own protection. I couldn't trust myself with you, and I didn't want you to surrender to me until I was sure you loved me. There was always some part of you that stayed so utterly aloof—so unreachable. I knew I could have your body, but I wanted so much more.'

`That's—that's how I felt,' Ellis confessed, her head against his chest. 'I guess that's really love, Steve. I couldn't give you my body unless I could believe it was more than that you wanted.'

`I do want more—I want all of you,' he said, his finger tracing the delicate line of her mouth. 'I want your sweet lips, your loving eyes—your beautiful un-

touched body. But I want your belief and your trust too.'

`You can have them all, Steve,' she said simply. She hesitated, then asked him anxiously, 'But Jan

`Forget about Jan,' he said briefly, then seeing the troubled look in her eyes he said ruefully, 'Well, of course—I asked her to marry me. She's beautiful and healthy and she was willing, and I thought that was all I wanted. She was a—a good physical specimen to mother my children. It was as crude as that, I'm afraid. But she was greedy—and she overestimated her own desirability. She thought if she deprived me of herself she could have anything she wanted, so long as she came back.'

Ellis listened quietly, her head against his shoulder.

`I'm afraid I didn't very much care when she sent back my ring,' Steve said. 'I cared still less once you'd bewitched me ... I told you once, Ellis, that my wife could have anything she asked for—and you mentioned Koolong. Here and now I promise you that if you want to live on Koolong then we shall live there.'

Ellis caught her breath. 'No, Steve, I love it here.' She added simply, 'I'll be happy as long as I'm with you.' She didn't ask him about Patrice or Disillusion Island. Those were things he would tell her when he was ready to—in his own good time—and she was content to wait.

But about Charlie and Leanne she had to ask. `Must they stay here, Steve ?'

`What do you think, little moonbird?' His eyes exploring hers had a hint of softness and humour in them,

`I think—I think you should stop insisting,' she said after a moment. 'Let Leanne make her own decision. I think you should—believe in her love.'

`You mean you think they'll come back here?'

She nodded. 'I think she'll stick to Charlie where-ever he is, if you don't—put obstacles in her way.'

Steve gathered her into his arms. 'I don't know that I want either of them back here with us, my darling. I think perhaps it's time Charlie went to Koolong and fought his own battle there. I want you all to myself at Warrianda. Would you mind very much being alone with me?'

`I'd love it,' she said, and added with a little laugh, `After we're married, Steve ! '

`Then that had better be soon,' he said vehemently, as his lips claimed hers.