Epilogue
Twelve months later
Isabella stood on the edge of the manicured green lawn outside The Three Ducks restaurant in the village of Maplethorpe in England. She looked up at the pale eggshell-blue sky. It was nothing like the big sky of Outback Australia. That sky would always be very special to her, just like a night that had threatened rain and she’d slept inside a swag.
The night I fell in love.
She smiled as she smoothed down the white silk of her wedding dress. Inside the restaurant, her love was waiting for her. Waiting for her to come in and commit her life to him.
“Ready, Bella?” Her mother’s voice intruded on her happy thoughts.
Isabella looked up, and her eyes pricked with tears as she looked at her old and new family. “I’m ready, Mum.”
“Oh no, you don’t.” Jemima pulled out a tissue, reached across, and dabbed lightly at Isabella’s eyes. “I didn’t do your makeup for you to cry and have it run before you even get married.”
Isabella blinked them away. “They’re happy tears.”
Lucy smiled. “Let her cry, Jemmy. You cried bucket loads of tears on your wedding day.”
“I did.” Jemima nodded.
“You look beautiful, Bella, tears and all.” Angie’s voice was soft and Bella reached out and squeezed her hand, although it was hard to get past Angie’s pregnant stomach.
Isabella looked at her bridal party and couldn’t help the huge smile that lifted her lips. Her father was waiting by the door and was going to walk her in with Mum. As she watched, Dad put his arm around her mother and dropped a kiss on her cheek. Happiness for her parents completed her. The past twelve months had been wonderful. Her job at The Three Ducks was everything she’d dreamed, Sebastian had picked up a contract with a top London magazine, and now everyone who was important in their lives had come to England to be a part of their wedding day.
Lucy, Jemima, and Angie were her three matrons of honour, dressed in pale blue. Kelsey and Gwennie were bridesmaids in white lace. Ryan and Lucy and Garth’s little James were ring bearers. Jemima carried Charlie, their almost-one-year-old son. Isabella had said it wasn’t fair that he miss out. Lucy and Garth’s new little girl, Charlotte, was asleep in the pram.
Inside, the rest of the family were waiting. Gran and Pop hovered near the door, ready for the bridal party to come in. Liam was Seb’s best man, and Garth and Ned were the groomsmen.
As Isabella waited, the strains of their chosen song drifted out on the air, and her mother and father walked over and stood on each side of her.
“Are you ready, cara?” Dad asked with a smile.
“Yes, I am,” she said.
…
Sebastian stood at the front of the restaurant. A small formal area had been set aside for the ceremony. He glanced down at his watch and Liam laughed.
“Seb, it’s approximately thirty seconds since you last checked the time. It’s not going to go any faster. If you hadn’t insisted on getting here early, you wouldn’t have had to wait so long for the girls to arrive.”
They both looked up as Gran hurried across the restaurant. “Okay, they’re ready.” She nodded to the young man manning the sound system, and he switched on the music.
Calm flooded through Sebastian as the strains of “Only When You’re Sleeping” drifted through the room. He looked up as Isabella walked towards him, and love flooded through him.
He took her hand and they stepped up to the celebrant. Lucy came over behind them and lifted Bella’s veil. Bella’s gaze held Sebastian’s, her beautiful rosy lips tilted in a smile. He looked down at her and was moved by the expression of sheer joy and love on her face.
He mouthed to her, You are beautiful, as the strains of the music faded and the ceremony began.
A cheer went up as the celebrant pronounced them man and wife, and Seb looked down at Bella as her fingers tugged on the sleeve of his dress shirt.
“Seb?” Her voice was soft.
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Kiss me.” She pressed her lips against his mouth. “Kiss me, quick. Please, kiss me.” Soft, warm lips moved against his. “Kiss me, as if you can’t bear to let me go.”
“I’ll never let you go.” He lowered his lips to hers and smiled as she sighed.
A satisfied sigh.
A breeze light as a baby’s breath and as warm as a kiss teased curls from the flowers in her hair. The children let go of their parents’ tight hands and ran around laughing, sensing the happiness in the room.
Helena clutched her hat and held on to Harry with her other hand.
“All is well with our family, Harry,” she said.
He smiled down at her. “It is, Helena. We’ve come full circle.” He reached over and kissed her cheek. “You know, you don’t look any different from that girl from Notting Hill I fell in love with all those years ago.”
“Get away with you, you silly old man,” Helena said, but her smile was wide and her eyes filled with happiness. The family they had made was around them, and love was in the air.
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