The Blue Mountains of Kabuta (25 page)

‘Of
course I did. But I was the only one Uncle Ned told. I knew, too, that he wanted us to marry. He's always been the greatest matchmaker, but I didn't think he'd succeed this time. I'm wary about marriage, as you know, Jon darling, and I thought that no girl could rival my work. And then I saw you.'

She moved a little way away, but his arms tightened. Their faces were close.

‘Why did you tease me that day? Pretend you thought I was a boy?'

‘Because you looked so sad, darling and because I fell in love with you the moment I saw you and I had to do something to make you see me.'

‘See you?'

He brushed her hair back and dried her tears.

‘Yes, love, see me. I'm just a man, twelve years older than you. I wanted to make you
see
me.'

A little smile curved her mouth. ‘You succeeded. I hated you!'

Alex laughed as if delighted. ‘Don't you see that was why your uncle said you mustn't sell the farm to me? He wanted to make you wonder why. He wanted to make you see me as an individual, someone a little mysterious, perhaps frightening. And it worked, bless him. It worked!'

He caught her close and kissed her, not roughly as he had done before but first gently
and
then more firmly. She linked her arms round his neck and let the wonder of the touch of his lips go through her.

Over his shoulders, she saw the golden sun as it shone on the mountains before it began to set. Her beautiful blue mountains.

‘Oh, Uncle Ned darling,' she whispered, ‘how can I ever thank you enough?'