Read Online The Islands by Di Morrissey - Free Book Online Page A

was very courteous. Very proper. We went slowly. We became friends first off.’
    â€˜Boring,’ sighed Mollie. ‘Get to the exciting stuff.’
    Their mugs of tea sat untouched as Catherine talked and talked.
    â€˜And so were you expecting him to propose?’ asked Mollie finally.
    â€˜No. Not all. But I was getting sad at the idea of leaving him. And Hawaii.’
    â€˜And then he popped the question and flourished the ring.’
    â€˜The ring came afterwards. He chose it. He asked me my favourite stone and did I want something big and flashy or smaller and good quality.’
    â€˜I’d have asked for big,’ said Mollie. ‘Not that yours is tiny. An emerald and two diamonds. I didn’t know emeralds were your favourite stone.’
    â€˜I always thought I’d have a sapphire and diamond engagement ring. Bradley chose this and I love it.’
    â€˜I’d rather choose my own,’ said Mollie. ‘Though I ’spose if he’s paying for it you can’t very well say give me that big rock of a diamond. Is he rich?’
    â€˜I don’t think wildly so. His parents are comfortable by the sound of them. Middle-class Californians.’
    â€˜Does he know you are a lady of some means? After all, your father has a good legal practice and is a highly respected citizen of Peel and of course there’s Heatherbrae ,’ said Mollie. ‘Anyway, everyone is going to be mightily impressed. And a bit jealous. You’ve outclassed Trudy Rowle who thought she was the bees knees when she snared Adam Thomas with his grandparents’ Point Piper house.’
    â€˜It’s not a competition, Mollie,’ laughed Catherine. But secretly she was rather pleased she had broken the mould of her contemporaries and was marrying outside the familiar circle.
    â€˜So where and when is the wedding? At Heatherbrae ? Your mother is going to be beside herself! Does she know? Hey, am I going to be a bridesmaid?’
    â€˜Of course you are. But you’ll have to come to Hawaii. We’re getting married in the Islands.’
    â€˜Wow! Ooh, is your mum okay with that? You’re not eloping are you?’
    â€˜Mollie, really. No. But I haven’t told my parents yet. Thought it would be better in person and Bradley only proposed two days before I left. He’s writing to his folks.’
    â€˜Folks?’ exclaimed Mollie. ‘Don’t you go all Yankee on us. Well, let’s get to the important stuff. What are you going to wear? Let’s go look at wedding dresses this afternoon!’ She jumped up.
    Catherine laughed. Mollie’s enthusiasm was nice. And it did give her a tingle in the pit of her stomach. A wedding dress, trousseau stuff, she’d need to get some nice things together. And what personal pieces would she take to their home in Honolulu?
    Catching her train of thought Mollie asked, ‘So where are you going to live? Will you have a beach house in Waikiki so we can all come and visit?’
    â€˜Kind of. I think so,’ said Catherine thinking of the naval compound around the Goodwins’.
    Mollie stared at her. ‘I was kidding. Are you serious? He must be rich. I thought there were only big hotels at Waikiki.’
    â€˜It’s the navy base at Pearl Harbor. The navy have the best spots on the island Bradley says. There are different quarters for the married and single officers, the enlisted men, and the senior brass.’
    â€˜Ooh, I don’t like the sound of that too much. Do you? Living and working with the same people. Can you get your own place?’ asked Mollie.
    â€˜I thought of that and mentioned it to Bradley but if we want to save money, living on the base is better. But he says he’s looking into things,’ said Catherine. ‘My next issue is calling Mum. She’ll be wanting to know if I’ve arrived safely.’
    â€˜Oh, I forgot. Yes, she rang here just before I left for the