Free Mary's Guardian by Carol Preston Page A

around the tents for months. But when it came right down to it she didn’t give a tinker’s toss what anyone thought. She and William were meant to be together and now they would be.
    They’d go to this new settlement of Rose Hill as William wanted and they’d start a new life. He’d been talking to the Officer in charge of the new settlement and he’d talked Joe Wright into applying to go there too. Always on the look out for the young ones, was William, and that was not likely to change. It was a good sign for when they had their own children, she mused, and then felt herself colour up. She was really getting ahead of things in her mind. One thing at a time, that was what William would say. In fact he’d be rather annoyed she wasn’t concentrating on their wedding service right now. He’d gone to a great deal of trouble to spruce himself up and had told the Reverend he wanted all the right words said over them, so that everyone present would be sure to hear that they meant to hold their marriage very sacred. She sighed deeply and turned her attention to the Reverend who’d just reached out and lifted both their left hands into his own.
    ‘And let these rings be a sign of the sacred bond that holds you together before God. Wear them faithfully and let them remind you of your promise this day to be faithful to each other for all your days.’
    Mary grinned and nodded, wanting Reverend Johnson to see that she had every intention of doing all he said, even though the rings they both wore were simple cloth bands that she’d stitched from the hem of her oldest skirt. She’d embroidered a pattern on them to make them special: a brown stitch for William’s and a blue one for her own. One day perhaps they’d have real rings, he’d promised her, but for now he counted her effort to sew these by the dim light of the lantern in her tent at night, as a precious act of love. He’d said so that morning as they’d approached the tent together. Right after he’d told her that she was the most beautiful girl in Sydney Cove. She let his words sink into her heart.
    Reverend Johnson lightly pressed her fingers as he let their hands drop and called the small congregation to prayer, asking a blessing on them and the children they would bear, who would hereafter be known as Australians.
    William and Mary linked hands firmly and walked together down the aisle of the tent, nodding and smiling at those who’d witnessed their union. Joe Wright’s face was beaming. Three of the women from Mary’s tent and half a dozen men from William’s were also present. Two of the officers who counted William amongst those prisoners most likely to make a good go of life here, nodded their approval from the back row. A few other couples wished them well as they ducked their heads and emerged into the cold winter air outside the tent. William put his arm around Mary, shielding her from the brisk wind that already had their guests making tracks towards their own tents.
    ‘So,’ William said as they headed back across the clearing.
    Mary waited for him to finish his sentence but he seemed lost for words. ‘That’s it then…husband,’ she said, almost shyly. ‘We’re wed.’ She was surprised at her own dearth of words. When they looked at each other they burst out laughing again.
    ‘It’s all a bit strange, isn’t it?’ William said, holding her hand up and looking again at her ring.
    ‘You find it strange already?’ Mary looked dismayed.
    ‘Not badly strange, silly girl. It’s wonderful. Just a bit hard to take in. Here we are, on the other side of the world to where we met. Married, and soon to make our way out to Rose Hill where we’ll get our own little tent and be helping build a whole new community. Who’d have thought? I can hardly believe it’s true, that’s all.’ He pulled her close and squeezed her shoulders. ‘Did I tell you that you look very beautiful today by the way?’
    ‘You did, but I’ll not be minding if