Jean was longer than she had anticipated having been stopped by some of Lucien's patients that were surprised to see her without the baby and pram. She explained that Dr Harvey was caring for Amelia while she had nipped out to get an ingredient for the child's birthday cake.
"Really?" Susan Tyneman raised her eyebrows, "I hadn't imagined Dr Harvey much of a child person."
"Oh, you'd be surprised," Jean smiled, "she's actually quite good with Amelia."
She left her standing wondering about what happened up at the Blake's house, with a nurse, a constable and now the pathologist lodging there. It must be quite interesting.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"... oh Alice!" Jean heard a vaguely familiar voice as she opened the door, "thank goodness for your friends."
"Yes, I suppose I am very lucky," Alice replied, having told Ruth why she now had to use a walking cane, "the other surgeon wanted to amputate but I insisted the Superintendant call Lucien to administer my care. He's a bit radical sometimes and that comes in handy."
"Alice?" Jean peered into the living room, "Amelia?"
"Hello Jean," Ruth stood up and went to accept a greeting, "sorry to drop in unannounced, but Ruby and Christopher said our granddaughter was being cared for by you – and why." She scowled, "really, what were they thinking?"
"I have no idea," Jean sighed, "so you've introduced yourself, Alice?"
"Actually, Jean I know her as Ruth, she is my sister."
"What?!" Jean sat down on the couch, "how?"
"The usual way" Alice grinned, "but she changed her name to Amelia when she was adopted, wanted to get as far away as possible from the life she once knew to the life she had with her new parents."
"So ..." Jean wrapped her brain around the family connection, "that means Ruby is your niece and Amelia, our Amelia, is your great-niece."
"She is," Alice nodded.
"Well, I don't know what to say."
"Shall I refresh the tea?" Alice smiled, it wasn't often she got anything over on Jean.
Jean nodded, "you are family, Alice, and we never knew."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Jean finished decorating Amelia's cake with chocolate curls in the kitchen. The other two ladies joined her and little Amelia was cuddled and kissed until she fell asleep in Alice's arms, content with the love that surrounded her.
Amelia's foster parents had adopted her when she was fifteen, and they had moved to Perth where she had finished her schooling and graduated from college with a degree in fine art. She had married the owner of a gallery where she had exhibited her work and they had had just the one child, Ruby.
"I'm afraid Dustin rather spoiled Ruby, she was a pretty baby and he did many pictures of her, in oil, watercolour and pencil as she grew. When he died she rather went off the rails until Christopher came into her life and I thought he had calmed her down." Ruth sighed.
"Did they tell you about the conversation they overhead, at the wedding?" Jean asked.
"They did, and I was really angry. First that they thought a baby had to be born to please us and second that they thought you would drop everything to raise said child. And you have."
"Not really," Jean shook her head, "I brought her here because I couldn't drop everything, I would have had to find a job to support me as they weren't going to. It appears my son thought I could live off the money I received when I sold the farm – but that wouldn't last forever."
"Your new husband?"
"Lucien was my employer," Jean blushed, "he came with me to Adelaide, to explain why he had been distracted, then he came to visit every fortnight, took me to dinner, came out with me and our little miss for walks in the parks ... we became close ..."
"From what Alice tells me he was besotted with you for quite some time before you went to Adelaide ..." Ruth grinned.
"Oh really Alice," Jean huffed.
"Well he was, just too stupid to see it and act on it, until you weren't there." Alice shifted Amelia in her arms, "he was lost without you, Jean."
Jean went even redder but it was nice to know that even Alice had noticed Lucien loved her.
"I expect Christopher and Ruby told you we married one weekend when he was visiting, then Alice had her accident, he came back and as they didn't want the bother of raising Amelia I packed our things up and left."
"I'm sorry I wasn't able to help you, but Ruby said nothing about you bringing Amelia here, even though I phone regularly, until I went to see them to give Amelia her birthday present and see how she had grown. I told them I would be going but they said nothing until I got there, so I took a chance and came here, I hope you don't mind. I have booked into a hotel for tonight, I'll fly back tomorrow." Ruth's shoulders dropped.
"You will stay for dinner tonight?" Jean finished cleaning the baking things.
"That's very kind, I don't want to intrude."
"It's our granddaughter's birthday, you've come the entire length of the country, you aren't intruding. And, if you want to stay on a little longer, you'd be welcome to spend some time with Amelia and I'm sure you and Alice have lots to talk about. You have yet to meet her fiancé ..."
"Fiancé?" Ruth squeaked. "You didn't say – is this Matthew, the Matthew you told me about, the one who called Dr Blake to operate?"
Alice blushed, she had made no mention of her romantic entanglement with the gruff Superintendant of Police, just that he was the one who rang Lucien. However, she had referred to him as 'Matthew' once or twice and that in itself should have given Ruth a clue.
Alice cleared her throat, but didn't quite know what to say.
"They got engaged a couple of months ago, just got to pin them down for a date," Jean laughed.
"No rush, is there?" Ruth stared at her sister.
"Absolutely not," Alice gasped, "well not for the usual reason, anyway."
"You're right Jean," Ruth nodded, "I better ensure he is an acceptable man for my little sister." She laughed and nudged Alice.
Alice just groaned and wondered how Matthew was going to cope.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Matthew coped remarkably well, all things considered. He was happy Alice had found her long lost sister and that she was none the worse for being taken from the family home, in fact, like Alice it seemed to have benefitted her.
Ruth stayed for dinner, and a slice of Amelia's birthday cake, which the child smeared all over her own face and the high chair.
"She's a very messy eater," Jean wiped her face, "now she's learning to feed herself."
"She's very happy, though, Jean," Ruth observed, "I'm glad she has you to care for her. You know Ruby didn't even ask me if I could help, just after she was born."
"I have a feeling it was Christopher's idea that I should go and help, I think he had an ulterior motive," Jean looked over at Lucien.
"Really?" Ruth looked from one to the other and then realised that if Lucien had been Jean's employer Christopher had assumed he had designs on his mother. "I see, well ..."
"Quite," Lucien agreed with the unspoken thoughts.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
With the dishes cleaned and put away Charlie and Mattie headed out to the cinema to give the new family time to talk. Ruth asked if Jean would mind her helping put Amelia to bed:
"Though I'm sure you don't need help," she smiled.
"You're welcome to come and see her room, what her favourite things are," Jean passed her the baby, "it's close to mine and Lucien's in case she calls out in the night."
"Ruby was not a good sleeper," Ruth followed Jean.
"Amelia's very good, well, up to now," Jean pushed open the bedroom door, "once I got her into a routine she slept through for me, but not for them. When I moved into the bungalow she was even worse so Lucien suggested I get a cot and have her over for a night or two. It was his weekend to visit but she was as good as gold." Jean thought she may have said a little too much, or indicated that Lucien and she were sleeping together by then – which was so – but Ruth said nothing, she already admired Jean, from when she had first met her, her strength over Amelia just made her admire her more.
"This is a lovely room." She looked round at the tidy cot, the small dresser with Amelia's clothes in it, and the shelves with suitable picture books and a few toys. In the cot was the lamb toy Amelia had brought from Adelaide, together with another soft teddy bear that Lucien had given her for her birthday.
"We hope it will grow with her, the books will change, the toys and the bed, but most things will stay the same." Jean lay Amelia down to have her nappy changed and for her little pyjamas to be put on.
"I think I know why Amelia is so good for you, Jean," Ruth mused, "you clearly love her, you seem completely at ease with everything she throws at you – including chocolate cake – Ruby would have squealed and jumped away, held her at arm's length in that state, she never liked being sticky; in fact I doubt she would have given her something she could get all over her and anyone standing by."
"We've all had the Amelia treatment with food," Jean laughed, "even Matthew."
"He seems like a good man, Jean," Ruth tucked the baby in, "sleep well, little one," she kissed Amelia's forehead.
Jean kissed Amelia and stroked her head, "Night night, sweetheart." She turned to Ruth, "I've known Matthew most of my life, he's a good man, loyal and kind, and your sister is the first woman I've seen him really interested in in a long time and he truly does love her."
"All our lives she was told she was worthless, that she was unattractive and stupid yet she was the sweetest little thing, curious and searching for answers to questions. I'm so proud of her, qualifying as a doctor like she always said she was going to do from being quite small. I wish we could have been adopted together, but maybe Mrs Stanley was the better thing for her – she sounds like quite a character."
"Alice hasn't told me too much about her, or her niece who initially saw something in her. She has always kept her story to herself, I think in many ways she's ashamed of it but she has no need to be – it is what made her the person we all know and love today." Jean closed the door behind them, "I'm so glad you have found each other, even if it was in the most odd way – who knew she was your sister, I wonder how Ruby would take to her aunt," she mused.
"I have a feeling Alice would put Ruby straight about the way she treated you, even without knowing they were aunt and niece," Ruth laughed softly, "I expect she would step in to support you if she thought you were being ill done towards."
"I expect so, too," Jean smiled.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Ruth, for she still accepted the name, left when it was obvious Alice was becoming tired.
"Sorry," Alice hummed, I am a lot better than when I first left the hospital."
"Yeah," Matthew laughed, "she used to nap with the baby."
Alice pouted but took his remark in good part. She saw Ruth out promising to meet her for lunch the following day.
"There's a little café next to the green-grocers, meet me at about twelve thirty?"
"Alright," Ruth kissed her cheek and waved as Lucien drove her down the drive and to the hotel.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Jean waited for Lucien to return and dragged him unresisting to the studio.
"Huh?" he frowned as she shut the door.
"Matthew's just about to leave, give them some privacy, Lucien," she sighed and kissed him.
"Ah, well," he grinned, "with a tease like that ..." he made to grab her but she dodged him and ran to the other side of the studio.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"You ok?" Matthew held Alice close.
"A little shocked," she admitted from somewhere near his heart, "but glad that I now know what happened to Ruth, and really happy to have her back in my life, she was always my protector."
"Do you still need protecting?" he mumbled into her hair, wishing they weren't in the Blake's house, but somewhere more ... well, private.
"Only from myself," she smiled into his shirt.
"Really?" he stroked her head.
"Mm – hm," she looked into his soft grey eyes, "stay with me tonight, Matthew."
"Alice ..."
"Please ..."
"You sure?"
"More than anything," she hummed, "I need you, Matthew."
He nodded towards the studio, "What about them?"
"I'm not asking for anything," she looked down.
He knew then that she just needed the comfort of his arms, the day had been shocking, surprising, and possibly scared her.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Matthew kissed and caressed her, but nothing more than that, as they slipped into bed together.
"Alice?" he murmured.
"Sorry, it's all ..."
"Strange?"
"A bit, ... it brings back memories, not all of them are bad, but a lot of them are, unfortunately."
"But you are happy that you have found Ruth?"
"Oh yes," she gasped, "I always wondered what happened to her, but I hoped she was safe and happy."
"Well, she was, eventually, so were you, though by a more circuitous route, perhaps; you both found families that would support you – and now you are part of this family here, because of Amelia."
"Do you think I should give my niece a piece of my mind?"
"Something along the lines of being an unwanted child is the most damaging feeling they could ever give her?"
She nodded, "At least here, with Jean she isn't unwanted, is she? She is loved and cherished ..."
"Yeah, and now she really has Auntie Alice – wonder if she'll have any Harvey characteristics," he smirked.
She batted his chest and they giggled softly.
"Come on," he wrapped his arm around her, "you need your sleep."
"Not tired, now," she shrugged.
"Alice Harvey, what am I going to do with you?" he sighed.
She whispered in his ear and his eyebrows shot up, "Really?" he gasped as her hand roamed down his front to the waistband of his shorts. He had been prepared to wait until they were married, if he had to, but it would appear Alice had other ideas.
He made love to her slowly and most thoroughly until they were sated and drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Jean was about to take Alice's tea into her when she noticed Matthew's hat on the coat stand. She smiled to herself and decided she would 'forget' this morning and try and distract Mrs Toohey from barging in to strip the bed, as she still did.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Matthew rolled over and out of the bed. "I need to go home and change," he whispered, "how do I get past Jean?"
"You don't" Alice giggled, "you don't need to, given she hasn't brought my morning tea in I think she knows you stayed."
"Bloody hell," he gasped and blushed.
"Which means, I hope, that she will stop Mrs Toohey from coming in to strip the bed," she stretched and winced.
"You ok?" he watched her, the marks he had left clearly visible on her breasts and there were more that would be easy to hide.
"Always sore in the morning," she sighed, "it'll wear off by the time I go to work. You take the bathroom first."
He had a quick wash and dressed in the clothes that he had laid neatly over the back of a chair and while Alice attended to her immediate needs he stripped the bed of the evidence of their 'activities' the previous night.
"Open the window," she limped past him and grabbed her robe off the door. "I'll go out and see where Mrs T is."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Jean had caught Mrs Toohey as she walked through the door and asked her if she would start with Charlie's and Mattie's rooms as they were already up and dressed.
"Dr Harvey isn't up yet ..."
Mrs Toohey raised her eyebrows at such idleness.
"... she had quite an interesting day yesterday and still tires easily." Jean crossed her fingers behind her back.
"Right," she frowned.
While Mrs Toohey headed up the stairs Matthew padded in his stocking feet down to the kitchen prepared to apologise to Jean for leading Alice wrong.
"Matthew," she smiled, "bacon and eggs?"
"Er," he blinked, "um, thank you, Jean, er sorry ..."
"You're always welcome here, Matthew, whatever time of day," she smiled a wicked smile. As she put his plate down in front of him she whispered that if he wanted to leave a change of clothes she was sure Alice wouldn't mind, and neither would she, which made him blush scarlet.
Alice didn't appear until she had showered and dressed and Matthew was on his second cup of tea. Amelia was in her high chair chewing some toast and Lucien was reading the morning paper, so ordinary and so right, she thought. She would miss this when she moved in with Matthew after they married.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Matthew managed to slip out before Mrs Toohey knew he had been there, promising to see Alice later and she reminded him that she was meeting Ruth for lunch at the café they habitually used.
"Right, I'll grab a pasty and leave you two ladies to talk."
"You are welcome to join us," she squeezed his hand.
"No, you two have much to talk about without me eavesdropping ..."
"Join us for dinner tonight, Matthew," Jean wiped down Amelia's face and the high chair of the covering of porridge. "Alice you bring Ruth too."
"You called her Ruth," Alice looked up from her plate.
"Easier than having two Amelias in the house, and she didn't seem to mind that you didn't use her new name." Jean lifted Amelia out and set her down to toddle over to Lucien for a morning cuddle.
"No, she didn't," Alice mused. "I must ask her which she prefers."
"Good idea," Matthew stood up and kissed the top of her head, "I'll see you later, thanks for breakfast Jean."
"My pleasure, Matthew, see you later."
"Jean," Alice waited until he was out of earshot, "about Matthew ..."
"Who am I to judge, Alice, after Adelaide ... I told Matthew he was always welcome here, any time of the day, and if he wanted to leave a change of clothes I was sure you wouldn't mind."
It was Alice's turn to blush.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Alice spent the morning in the labs at the hospital; she had set some cultures to develop from a case she and Lucien were working on. There was nothing much of note, but she put it all down in the file and set it ready to be sent down to the morgue – then had second thoughts and decided to take it down herself, she would then go on to the café to meet Ruth.
"Elevator, doctor?" a nurse held the door open for her.
"No, thank you," she shook her head, "the stairs are good exercise."
The nurse shrugged her shoulders, it was a topic of conversation that Dr Harvey never used the lifts, not even when she first returned to work and it was obviously hard for her. Lifts reminded her of cupboards she was locked in as a child to discipline her; she had explained it to Matthew when he suggested they use the lift one day. He made no comment, not everybody liked confined spaces – Lucien didn't - for other reasons.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Alice," Lucien looked up from the body he was working on, "anything interesting?"
"Nothing," she put the file down, "only what we already knew."
"Ah well, we'll pass that on to Matthew then, death due to stabbing."
"They didn't find a weapon though," she perched on a stool, "when they searched the area."
"From the wound we thought maybe a short bladed knife, and it was a clean wound so something like a vegetable knife, like the one Jean uses to peel veggies."
"But he wasn't found in a kitchen," she hummed, "he was found in a lay-by, there was no sign of a struggle – perhaps he was killed elsewhere and dumped?"
"That's a possibility," he agreed.
"Did the police find his family?"
Lucien shook his head sadly, "No, lived alone by all accounts, no girl-friend; worked in the shoe factory but kept himself to himself, according to the other workers, didn't go for a beer after work ..."
"A really solitary life, then," she mused.
"Yeah." He pushed the body into the fridge, "you heading for lunch?"
"I'm meeting Ruth at the café then Jean said I was to invite her for dinner."
"Ok, see you both later, then." He smiled, "I'm guessing you're happy about her being back in your life."
"I never thought I would find her again, Lucien," she smiled back, "and to find we are part of the same bigger family is almost overwhelming. Something I never thought I would have."
"You have always been part of our family, Alice, and we are very happy to have you."
"Thank you," she stepped towards him and kissed his cheek, "for everything."
"You are most welcome," he squeezed her hand, "now, off you go, mustn't keep Ruth waiting."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Ruth and Alice arrived at the café at the same time and found a table in a corner where they could talk and laugh. They were full of questions about each other's lives; how they had found families, how Alice had been sponsored by Prudence Stanley in Melbourne, how she had struggled with relationships until now ... "But Miss Fisher and Dr Macmillan showed me I didn't actually need a man to be who I was, or to achieve my goals."
"Do you still see them?"
"Rarely," Alice admitted, "but we exchange cards for birthdays and Christmases, Mac has retired now and Miss Phryne's always off doing something dangerous."
"And now you have this family here, in Ballarat," Ruth smiled, "you are lucky, Alice."
"I am, and if it wasn't for this job I would never have met Matthew and he doesn't want to change me," she laughed.
"Wouldn't give much for his chances if he tried to tie you to the kitchen sink," Ruth grinned.
"No, so, what about Dustin?"
"He was good looking and kind, too soft with Ruby, as I said, spoiled both of us but she wound him round her little finger, anything she wanted she got; I was the disciplinarian, though not like our parents, so if she was in trouble at school she told her father before me, because I would be the one to have her make amends for whatever she had done. I was so worried after he died; she drank and flirted, came home late – I'm sure she slept with some of the men she dated – until she met Christopher."
"Jean said Christopher called her highly strung," Alice remembered a conversation after the Jacqueline Madden case.
"Huh, flighty, is what I would call her, self centred and he took her to the base dances, got her a job in the typing pool that she liked. I was glad, I thought it would teach her responsibility, then they moved to Adelaide and got married. That was when I met Jean for the first time, and we got on well, I was truthful about Ruby and she said it was up to Christopher to make his own mistakes, she had made a few in her life that she didn't elaborate on."
"She's your daughter, Ruth, surely you have some ... er ... more positive things to say about her?" Alice was wide eyed at Ruth's comment about Ruby being flighty and self centred.
"She was bright, at school, but lazy," Ruth smiled, "she's my daughter, Alice, and I do love her, but there are some things I don't like about her – that's being a parent is about, you have to guide them, but not drag them, unfortunately Ruby didn't want to be guided." She shrugged. "So, what happened to you; you said you were sponsored through university rather than sent to work as a maid?"
"I was picked out with some of the Gratitude Girls, good girls who were given jobs in service, but I was in her house and I dressed a cut in the cook's arm so she could go to hospital and have it stitched – it was a bad cut. Mrs Stanley was very kind to me, and I told her I would like to be a doctor one day. Her niece suggested that I was better than being a maid so she said if I worked hard then she would sponsor me." Alice took a deep breath, it was years since she had thought about that one particular incident and the first time she had actually talked about it.
"So you worked hard," Ruth sipped her tea.
"Very hard, I was determined, you see, not to end up a maid in a wealthy house, even if it was Mrs Stanley's."
"She sounds like a good woman," Ruth hummed.
"I suppose she was, she was very concerned with propriety, her niece frustrated her but I think deep down she loved her very much. When it was thought she had died in Palestine, which is a whole other story, she was beside herself with grief but when it transpired that it wasn't true and Miss Fisher was alive and well and causing bother she was so relieved I think anything Miss Fisher did from then on was nothing to worry about – and she did have Inspector Robinson with her. It was she that told me it was my life and mine to live as I wanted – to live with a man if I wanted to, to marry or not ..."
"But you are engaged to be married ..." Ruth frowned in confusion.
"Because Matthew loves me as I am, and his position here is important to both of us, I won't have anyone say that he is not a good man, because he is." She huffed.
"I can see that and I can see that you care enough to see that he is not hurt by talk ..."
"It wouldn't be good for his position, Ruth," Alice insisted, "or mine."
"People talk," Ruth inhaled, "they shouldn't but they do, and I expect it is those that really shouldn't that do."
"Oh yes, Jean was talked about well before she and Lucien went to Adelaide. I think about five minutes after he arrived in Ballarat, after all he was a single man and she lived in. There was no truth in the talk, Jean is the most upright person I know." Alice chose to ignore what Jean had told her about the sleeping arrangements in Adelaide.
"And being a doctor's receptionist I expect she knows things that some of his patients don't want getting out."
"Indeed."
They parted with Alice saying she and Lucien or Matthew would pick her up from the hotel for dinner.
"I can't drive, yet," Alice pouted, "I tried and it was ok until Lucien asked me to do an emergency stop and the pain was awful, so it's best if I wait a while."
"That sounds like a good idea, well I am heading into the gallery for the afternoon, so I shall see you later." She kissed her sister's cheek and they went their separate ways.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"So," Matthew held the car door open for her, "lunch ok?"
"We talked," Alice nodded, "about Ruby, Mrs Stanley and Miss Fisher, how we had come to be who we are now. She was honest about Ruby, how she was bright but lazy at school and went off the rails when her father died. Ruth says she thinks Ruby slept around a little before she met Christopher and she thought he was a steadying influence on her. She admires Jean, for her strength, I don't think she's jealous of her having Amelia."
"That's good," Matthew hummed, "it could be awkward if they fall out."
"Are you staying tonight, Matthew?"
"If you want me to," he pulled up outside the hotel.
"Perhaps we should organise our wedding," she smiled and waved as Ruth headed towards them, "I should like Ruth to attend if she can."
"I think that's a grand idea," he got out of the car and opened the rear door for his future sister in law.
"What's a grand idea?" Ruth looked at him.
"Inviting you to our wedding," he grinned, "Alice says we should organise it."
"I'd love that," she gasped, "thank you."
"You're welcome."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Ruth stayed in Ballarat for another couple of days, getting to know her sister and spending time with Jean and Amelia. When she left it was with a promise of further visits and invitations for the Ballarat family to visit her in Perth.
"I know it is quite a long trip with a little one but it would be lovely if you could," she embraced Jean at the station.
"I'm sure it could be done," Jean smiled, "and you are coming back for the wedding. You must stay with us, this time."
"That's very kind of you, if you're sure it won't be too much trouble," Ruth smiled.
"Not at all," Jean shook her head, "we shall be glad to have you."
Ruth turned to Alice and hugged her, "I couldn't be happier finding you, Alice, and that you are well and have found a family to love you. I look forward to the wedding."
Ruth kissed Amelia and told her to be a good girl. Amelia gurgled and gave her a sloppy kiss on her cheek.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The next six weeks were a flurry of activity for Alice and Matthew as the date of the wedding drew near. Alice had chosen a dress but it needed a little altering which Jean somehow managed to find time to do for her. It hung in the wardrobe at Mycroft Avenue and Matthew was told in no uncertain terms he was not to peek. A reception was arranged at the hotel Ruth had stayed in and invitations had been issued and replies were received. It wasn't a large wedding, Alice had few close friends, some from the hospital and she had even issued an invitation to her niece, mainly out of sheer devilment – Jean had laughed and neither were surprised when it was declined, politely but nevertheless she was not about to meet Ruby very soon.
Matthew had one task, above being there, he was to organise a honeymoon. He thought this was an excellent opportunity to go and visit Ruth in Perth, but knowing Alice was not a lover of surprises he asked her what she thought of the idea.
"I think it's a good idea," she smiled, "I'm sure we can find things to do in Perth ..." she batted his arm when his eyes twinkled mischievously, "but a hotel I think, yes?"
"Not with Ruth, no I thought perhaps she could recommend a hotel for a bridal couple," he wrapped his arms round her, "we could see her and go for walks ..."
"Just a nice hotel, Matthew," she blushed.
"Whatever you want, love," he kissed her.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mrs Toohey wasn't sure what to make of the Superintendant appearing for breakfast so often these days. It was usually explained away by discussing a case he and Dr Blake were involved with, but she knew he was courting Dr Harvey. However, she was confident Jean would not allow shenanigans under her roof, so perhaps it was just that – cases. But, Dr Harvey had taken to stripping her own bed – actually it was Matthew but Mrs Toohey did not need to know that – and Jean did ask her not to disturb her in the mornings.
"An accident like the one she had takes some recovering from," Jean explained one morning, "and now she has returned to work she tires more easily." She smiled sweetly.
In a way she would be glad when she married and moved out then she could put any niggling worries behind her.
She took a deep breath and knocked on Alice's door then pushed it open. She saw Alice and Matthew apparently pull apart quickly.
"Excuse me," she cleared her throat, "your clean laundry, doctor."
Alice took it wordlessly from her and set it on the bed. She selected some items and passed them to Matthew, who placed them in a suitcase on the chair.
"Those can go up to the house, Matthew," she hummed, and put the underwear in a drawer.
"I'll take them up later," he smiled, "good job we both have today off."
"Yes, shall I come with you?"
"You can put things as you like them," he clicked the case shut, "and your books on the shelves, I've cleared some space for them."
"Thank you."
Mrs Toohey left still unsure, they were both dressed and it wasn't very early; breakfast had been eaten and the things washed and put away, Jean was in the waiting room doing the accounts and Amelia was crawling around her feet, the beds were made and she only had the dusting and vacuuming to do, then she would leave and go to her own little house.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Sometimes I think that woman is trying to catch us," Alice slumped onto the bed.
"And what would she do if she did? Tell Jean?"
"I don't know how far she would spread the information, Matthew, and that could affect Lucien."
"She wouldn't," he stated quite firmly, "I know Mrs Toohey has some secrets, like she isn't married and never has been, that her father was a thief and she is lucky to get posts where she could easily take things that don't belong to her. There was a rumour, not one we could add truth to, that she was the thief and her father took the fall for her, then she found God and went to work for Father Moreton. In a week it won't matter." He kissed her, "now, after lunch, if Jean doesn't need us for anything, we shall go and put your things in the house and come back for dinner, eh?"
Alice was about to say it wouldn't take that long to put her things away but realised they would have time to themselves and no one to interrupt them, she nodded and smiled.
"Good, now, shall we relieve her of Amelia for half an hour and take her for a walk?"
"Down to the lake to feed the ducks?"
"Sounds good, are you ok with that length of walk?"
"I think so, if we take it slowly."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
A slow walk to the lake, sitting down and feeding the ducks with Amelia, then a slow walk back had them miss Mrs Toohey and her suspicious looks which lifted Alice's spirits. Matthew wondered if he should not stay over for the next week. He would ask her later, it was only a week, after all.
Jean set out lunch and conversation centred around the wedding and the honeymoon now all sorted for Perth and Ruth.
"I've had Mrs Toohey clean my old room for Ruth," Jean remarked, "for her stay over the wedding."
"I think she tried to catch me and Matthew, this morning," Alice grumbled.
"Hmm," Jean drew her brows together, "I wouldn't worry, Matthew knows enough about her ..."
"He said," Alice nodded.
"... I'm surprised she stayed on as long as she has, I thought she would get another post as housekeeper. This was supposed to be temporary until then, I can't very well sack her, I have no reason to." Jean looked from one to the other, "sorry."
"Not for you to apologise, we may be to blame, putting you in this position," Matthew shrugged.
"I didn't want to kick her out when I came back from Adelaide, I had Amelia and the surgery and it was just easier to have someone help with the cleaning."
"Well, we'll be out of your hair in a week," Alice sighed and helped herself to a piece of cake.
"You will always be welcome here," Jean huffed, "if you are tied up with a case with Lucien and working into the night, that room will be ready for you, you are our family, both of you," she stared at them, "don't ever forget we love you."
"Oh Jean, how could I forget," Alice gasped, "after taking me in and helping me with the physio, then letting me stay on well after I was ready to go home, then allowing Matthew to stay over – Ruth said I was lucky to have you as my family and she was right."
"Good, that's settled then," Jean laughed, "now, let's sort out madam here, and you can take your things up to Matthew's."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
This was Alice's first visit to the house that would become her home; Matthew had taken some of her things over when he had time during his day but she had not been able to go with him, or had been working, so she took her time admiring the front of the bungalow; the door was in the centre and on opening it she saw that the hall went right to the end of the small property, well right up to the bathroom. On one side of the hall were two bedrooms and opposite was the living room to the front and the kitchen and dining area to the back looking over the verandah onto a neatly kept garden. Matthew took the suitcase into the first bedroom which housed a double bed and good sized wardrobe. The fire grate was empty but there was a coal scuttle and basket of logs on the hearth. There was a faint smell of new paint and she thought perhaps on his days off when she was at work he had been decorating and cleaning, for the whole place was clean and fresh, the woodwork polished and the carpets vacuumed. The hall floor was wooden but there was no slip on the surface.
"Well," he cleared his throat, "as you can see this is it, small, but all ours. I thought we'd use the front bedroom, it's bigger than the one at the back, you can organise your things as you wish – I wasn't sure ..."
"It's lovely, Matthew, and just enough for us," she smiled and squeezed his hand, "you've been painting, haven't you?"
"Well, it needed a bit of a spruce up," he shrugged, "I had a shower put in the bathroom ..."
"Thank you," she knew he had spoken to Jean and that she still had a little trouble getting out of a bath, but she thought he might be able to help her, something she put to him, with a giggle in her voice.
"Alice, you are a bit of a devil aren't you?" he grinned. "This is the living room, there is room on the shelves for your books, and any knick knacks you might want to display."
"I don't really have anything like that," she hummed, "but there's always time, photographs perhaps?"
"Yeah, our wedding picture."
"That'd be nice," she agreed.
"Right, well if you want to put your stuff away ..." he nodded to the bedroom, "I'll put the kettle on, shall I?"
"Alright."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Alice soon discovered that Matthew had left some drawers empty for her and hangers in the wardrobe so it didn't take her long to put her things away. She sat on the edge of the bed and thought she would be happy there, just the two of them with the occasional visitor to stay over – maybe Ruth, or even Amelia as she got older.
"Hey," Matthew poked his nose round the door, "ok?"
"Yes, thank you," she patted the bed next to her, "you left me far too much space."
"Wasn't sure, but I have enough space for my stuff, and you still have things at the Blake's."
"Enough for my last week," she agreed.
"Do you want me to come here, each night, for this last week?"
"Why?"
"Well, Mrs T ..."
She shook her head, "uh huh, only the last night, I suppose we ought to do some things right. I don't like it when you're not there."
"I miss you, too," he leaned over and kissed her.
She cupped his cheek with her hand and smiled softly. "I love you Matthew, so much."
He pulled her in to kiss her again and she melted against him.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
She arched under him as he travelled all over her body with his tongue and hands. He dipped into her belly button, slipped his fingers between her legs and stroked her folds.
"Matthew," she gasped and bucked.
"Hmm?" he moved up to cover her mouth with his and shimmied between her legs, "alright?"
"Aha," she wriggled, "oh yes." She hummed as he entered her; he filled her, then withdrew almost completely then began a rhythm slow and steady until she urged him on and shattered, holding him until he flooded her with his seed.
They lay together, Matthew with his arm over her and his face buried in her hair, breathing heavily until Alice giggled.
"Hey," he huffed, lifting his head and spitting her hair out of his mouth, "is that a comment on my technique?"
"Oh darling Matthew," she turned on her side, "you make me feel whole, you make me feel – I mean really feel." She propped herself up on her elbow and looked down at him, "I can't imagine my life without you in it."
"Or mine without you, Alice," he smiled softly.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Washed and dressed, the bed stripped and re-made with much laughter and teasing they decided they had better head back to the Blake's for dinner.
"You do know I can't cook," Alice hummed as they stepped into the hall and were greeted by the smell of one of Jean's delicious dinners.
"I can, and you have other talents," he winked.
"Behave," she hissed.
"Spoilsport," he hissed back.