‘I think it was ischemic, sir. Some tiny blood clots were blocking a nerve and then they moved and there’s no reason to believe they’ll return. I think they’ve passed through your system. But you’d get a different opinion from another doctor. We just don’t know.’
The lady hopped on me pretty hard that night, joyful. And there was no more worry.
That encounter or perhaps one of the others, but I preferred to think that one, produced a little girl, a beauty. I wondered, but never questioned. It had been so hard to conceive and now so easy. She was called Marlene, according to the required order of the von Prambergs, but became Marly, and she was a very happy little girl. A presentation was not required but we did it anyway and, this time, we stayed a long time.
We’d been travelling back and forth and the children were proficient in German and their mother was very proud of them.
Richard was being tutored in the history of his country and he was dedicated, conscious that his mother had been a ruler and that his uncle ruled the country. He knew his cousin Rupert would be the ruler but they got on together and talked of all the ramifications endlessly.
Soon it became obvious to me that none of my family had Australia in their future. I was a little sad, but my future was with my family, especially my Tessadonna. I wondered whether I should visit the property, just to check on things, and I raised this with Tessa. She clung to me, not answering, and I was confused.
We’d just come through a severe winter and the snow had been good for the ski trade. Tess had taught me to ski some time ago and the kids, of course, were proficient almost from their walking time. When we went skiing Tess insisted that we stay at each ski lodge in turn so that none could claim exclusive Royal patronage. And she insisted on paying. She’d become a very wise Princess, indeed.
On the first clear day I went out with a group of sturdy villagers to check on the wellbeing of some of the more distant farmers. We used snow-scooters and were to be out for the day, but it snowed heavily, one of the scooters broke down so we huddled in an emergency shelter, just for the night, I naively thought. We were out three days and there was no radio or phone contact. It blew a blizzard.
Tessa would know I was alright, being with these experienced snow-dwellers, but I worried that she would worry.
The first clear morning the injured scooter magically started and we decided to return to the village and come out again in a few days.
The welcome I received from the Princess and junior royals was almost worth the slight inconvenience. I was given a great welcome and that night, Tessa said to me, ‘If you go home to check on the property will you promise to come back, darling?’
Home? Come back? Promise?
I looked at her in amazement. That thought had never entered my head. I held her tight.
‘Where did that little, insecure thought come from? Of course I’ll be back. I just need a look at it and to be back in Australia for a while. But my future’s here with you, my precious. And the children. I’m settled to that.’
She said, ‘You know that I love Australia too, don’t you, darling? Almost as much as you do. No! As much as you do. Even that little time apart just now unsettled me. I love you very much!’
‘I never doubted your love for Australia or me, Tessadonna. Never!’
‘By all means go, Bart. But could we discuss it some more, before you go? I have more to say.’
And so I was even more puzzled.
Then, at a big joint birthday dinner in our honour, she announced to all the family, David’s included, and pregnant Sophie and Gerhardt, that she thought it was time for the Corrigans to return to Australia. She wished Australia to be our home, with visits back to Bassenburg du Mont. She had always wanted Australia to be our home, she said, looking at me.
That further discussion between us hadn’t happened. I suppose this was it.
Her announcement stunned everyone, but this eloquent girl described to the children, for the first time, how she came to be in Australia and then enthralled the kids with the story of our life together, my blindness and all. Marly moved onto my lap, trying to understand that I’d been an Australian policeman…. with a gun. The boys were impressed.
I don’t think anyone took in the blindness story completely. Look at Dad now. He’s ok!
There was silence and Richard said, ‘I want to go back. It’s our place too, isn’t it Dad? I like it here but I want to belong to your country, Dad.’
‘And your mother’s! And yours! Our country Richard.’
Tessa said, ‘What about you, Peter?’
‘Oh, yeah! New country, new adventures, and wild animals.’
Tessa winced. ‘Not so new, Peter. You all were born there, remember?’ Looking at me with a wonderful smile.
‘Marly?’
‘I’m too little, I think. You decide, Papa!’
Later, in bed, Tessadonna said, ‘I’ve been waiting for you to say you wanted to be back home, darling. But you didn’t. You were thinking of me, but you got it wrong, sir knight. I want to be home too so I decided we’d waited long enough. I hope you didn’t mind my speaking up, but somebody had to! That was the talk that we never had, darling. I didn’t really need a promise to return. I was jumpy about things after the snow separation.’
In the midst of the preparations, Prince David drew me aside.
‘Will you come back from time to time, Bart, please? I know that things will come up where I’ll need your guidance. Gerhardt is good, but you, Mr. Policeman, seem to understand my country better than anyone. And we’d like to be with you all again. From a bad beginning, I’ve become very fond of you, Senior Sergeant.’ With a big smile and a firm handshake. ‘And then Senior.’
Gerhardt made the arrangements and after two weeks of farewells we were on a plane to Australia. I watched Tessadonna carefully but she was busy packing and farewelling and then marshalling children and luggage at the Vienna airport. Often, in the preparing, she stopped what she was doing to give me a hug and perhaps a kiss. The kids were excited. I wasn’t. I was watching my wife.
After we took off and had flown for a little while, the Austrian Captain said, in German, ‘If you all look to port, that’s the left, you’ll see that we’re now flying over the beautiful little Principality of Bassenburg du Mont, ruled by the von Pramberg family for many hundreds of years. There, in the distance is the family castle. Doesn’t it look beautiful, gleaming in the sun?’
I’d understood it all. I didn’t need the cabin attendant’s translation afterwards.
Tessa moved onto my lap to look through the window. As she looked, I could just see a slight glistening of her eyes. Then she turned to me and gave me a long and hearty kiss, holding my face in her hands. She rested her forehead on mine, green eyes looking into blue, smiling. It was a very happy smile and, for the first time, I was relaxed about our decision.
And the Princess Tessadonna Annaliese Katharina Marina Christina von Pramberg du Mont Corrigan, jillaroo, smiled and said,
‘And now, Bart, my darling. Take us home!’
******