"Jesus you have really forgiven me?"
"It appears so, silly me."
He looked at her carefully and then said, "Linda Reagan, will you marry me?"
"What?"
"I said..."
"No I heard. It's just rather a shock."
"Well you know dad left me lots of money..." Rex stopped, and said quietly, "Do you know dad left me lots of money, like one and a half million pounds?"
"Not really but I guessed it must be a lot with me being commissioned to go to Australia to find you and with a finder's fee of twenty thousand American bucks if I found you and you called Penny Wilson."
"So you were just on pittance plus expenses unless you found me?"
"Yes six hundred Australian bucks a week for six weeks when the situation was to be reviewed plus a business class the airfare to Australia and unless I found you that was it."
"Hell that was taking a huge risk."
"Well yes because you could have been anywhere in Australia but as I wanted to escape the winter in England and was unsettled by your father's painful and so unnecessary death. The proposition to find you really appealed because your father told Penny to try to hire me to find you."
"But why?"
"Well I guess because I was kind to your father and felt for him because he was my patient."
"That's just like you...steadfast, kind but hungry for adventure. That's how I now picture you and he probably did too."
"Well I've decided I'd like to return to Australia."
"My too. But I was convicted and deported from Australia as an over-stayer. I think I'll get a lawyer here to hire an immigration specialist in Australia to make representations to try to get me a pardon because I was young when I fled to Australia and could perhaps gain understanding by submitting I deserve to be pardoned and I'll be able to produce many Australians as character witnesses, er, including women."
"Including women?"
"Yes and I'm confident about that. There are special immigration provisions for investors and I have worked a great deal building and extending in-ground swimming pools and would like to invest as a major partner in a big swimming pool company that is under-capitalized and needs to subdue its opposition. I know of at least three companies like that."
Linda urged, "Well then I suggest you go for it."
Rex said he intended starting attempts tomorrow to get residency in Australia.
"It could strengthen my case if I were married."
"Well I had decided to ask for three months before answering your proposal but I could review that if you require an urgent answer. I just want to be certain Rex that we are compatible. As you know I rushed into marriage previously and it bombed out."
"So what now?"
Linda thought for a moment. "Let's go to my place and have sex and then go out to dinner and discuss what now? I will be very happy to live with you straight away because that will be a proving ground for compatibility."
"And what about migrating to Aussie?"
"I've already made inquiries and American and English trained nurses are in great demand and I appear to qualify as an immigrant in all other respects."
"Well, first things first," Rex leered. "Let's get to bed."
THE END
English
