THE Christmas holiday period passed quickly as Clotilde prepared for the final year she would be teaching in the Government School. She and Jacques spent more of their time together and he joined her most evenings for dinner, before returning to the place he still occupied in the garden shed. ‘I’m living there for the present to save money for a surprise I’ll be sharing with you very soon.’
‘Can’t you give me even a little hint of what it is?’ Clotilde replied.
‘I can tell you this much. Duphly wishes to retire from full time work and he has offered me the paid position of Head Gardener of the Government Garden. I said yes immediately, as I can carry on the work I’ve begun there and that I enjoy so much.’
‘Oh Jacques, that is a wonderful surprise.’
‘Oh, but that is not the big surprise I’ve planned to show you. You must wait a little longer to discover that secret. Did I tell you that there are two young men who have also requested to serve their apprenticeships with me?’
‘This is such good news. Thank goodness you will have helpers to work with you as the garden takes so much of your time during the summer.’
Finally the day for the opening of school arrived and Clotilde welcomed her students into a very crowded classroom. It was good to be teaching again, working with these lovely children. ‘I only wonder what I will be doing when next year arrives,’ she thought to herself. On Friday after the last child had left the school, Jacques surprised her at the front door.
‘Clotilde, can you spend the next hour or two with me? The time has come to show you my surprise.’
‘At last, Jacques, let’s be off before I die of curiosity.’
Together they walked to a large section of unoccupied land a short distance from the Government Garden. It was protected by the perimeter fence and was home to several beautiful old shade trees.
‘Within this corner where you see a marking on the ground I made with a spade, is a large and beautiful piece of land. It now belongs to me. Here I will build a house and develop a garden. It was granted to me by Commandant Fleurier after I chose to stay on in Noumea.’
‘You own a piece of land now.’
‘Come over to this corner and look at the place where the house will be standing. I have already found several men who will start to build it in the next week. They wish to begin work now, as their skills will be required in late April for the School of Saint Joan. We have already drawn up the plans.’
Jacques unrolled a large paper and placed the drawing in Clotilde’s hands. ‘You can see from this plan where the different rooms will be positioned. Walk with me as I show the house to you.’
‘You’ve even planned your house already. I am so excited at what you have achieved.’
‘This is the space for the front veranda and entrance. Right here outside the veranda I’ll plant two large flower beds, filled with bright colours. There will be a sitting room and dining room right here, next is a wash room, then three bedrooms branch out from a hallway. Finally the semi-detached kitchen is located at the back.’ Taking her hand he drew her forward.
‘Come along, for just outside where I stand now, will be a large covered veranda where another table and chairs can accommodate friends and become a second working space.’
‘And where will your garden be?’
‘The kitchen and vegetable garden will lie in the corner over here, to capture the sun during the entire day. And in this furthest corner I will build a shed, at some future time, to house my seed bank collection that I am planning. There is such interest in the flora and foliage of this new colony that I’m setting up a program. I’ll offer botanical materials to the National Horticultural Society in Paris. I hope one day to import new plants from the surrounding islands as well and prepare these for future collections in France. My work is well cut out for me now. What do you think of all this, Clotilde?’
‘I’m completely speechless. What a wonderful future you have planned for yourself.’
‘This is not only for me, but for us. I have something important I want to ask you and now the time has come.’ He cleared his throat then began to speak slowly, never taking his eyes off her. ‘Clotilde, I’m asking you to marry me. I love you alone and have loved you since the first day I met you, in the school garden. Make me the happiest man alive by saying, yes, to me.’
Clotilde was shocked and delighted as she felt waves of joy flood over her. He loves me, she thought. And I love him too.
‘Oh, Jacques, yes, my answer is, yes. I love you so much. Yes, I will marry you.’
With that he swept her into the air and whirled her around. Then bringing her back to earth again he took her gently into his arms and kissed her, again and again. When they finally caught their breath and faced one another a loud cheering and clapping was heard. Behind them the builders had arrived unnoticed and were celebrating with both of them.
‘Congratulations and bonne chance to you both,’ they cried out.
Jacques laughingly replied, ‘Now everyone on Nouvelle-Caledonie will know the news about us, Clotilde,’ and he kissed her again. And so it was decided then and there. They would marry and build their life together, here on this beautiful piece of land in Noumea.
The following months disappeared into a blur of activity. In early February, Clotilde and Jacques spoke with Father Gilbert and asked him to marry them. Together they selected the date for their wedding, to be on the first Saturday after Easter Sunday. Once that was settled, the business of house building and furnishing was uppermost in both their minds. Every Saturday afternoon Clotilde and Jacques walked to their land to inspect the progress of their new home. First the wooden flooring was laid, sanded, sealed and then the framing of the house began. There was an abundance of timber nearby and two sawmills had now begun working, so a constant flow of timber was always available. By the end of February the shingled roof was finished, the walls were up and the exterior timber cladding had begun. Soon the windows were framed and glass windows hung and in mid-March the inner walls and doors were nearly completed.
‘At the rate the men are working our house will be finished about three weeks before we are married,’ Jacques told her excitedly. ‘Next Saturday we can both walk through our new home for the first time.’
‘I can hardly wait to actually move through the different rooms and begin to plan what we will need to get started,’ Clotilde replied. ‘We should have our kitchen and dining room furnished as well as our bedroom. The rest can wait until later and be set up bit by bit. There is so much I will have to do, as well as teach.’
‘I agree with you. As we will be living at home by then only the essentials should be ready for us. You will be leaving your room behind the school and I’ll finally say farewell to my cramped garden shed.’
‘Vivienne has told me that we may still take vegetables from the garden behind the school until our own garden can feed us. Everything should work out very well for us, but we won’t have a minute to spare.’
A large warehouse and storage space had been built at the end of the third business street during the previous year. Many household items brought over on the supply ships, found their way there. Settlers could purchase home wares: bedding, crockery, cutlery and cooking items to set up housekeeping. These were available on credit for families beginning their lives in Noumea. Jacques’ wages were spent primarily on paying the builders. Clotilde’s extra wages were used to purchase a new bed, dresser, a large table and four chairs. Her kitchen goods and furnishings were bought on credit, to be paid for over time. Jacques bought himself a new suit and shirt to wear for the wedding while Clotilde had her beautiful wedding dress and veil safely stored in the trousseau.
At last the house was finished. They hired a horse cart and together collected the furnishings for their home. Two of the builders offered an hour of their free time to help Jacques transport the heavy items. Blandine presented the couple with a large braided rug she and several women had made. This would be placed in the sitting room. A smaller rug found a space next to the bed. Piece by piece their furniture was carried into the new home and set in place under Clotilde’s direction. Kerosene lamps and candles were brought out for their use at night. She and Yvonne packed dishes and cutlery into a large kitchen cupboard, together with a few cooking pots and utensils. Lastly the bed was made and a dresser with six large drawers and a framed mirror completed their bedroom furnishings. Across a corner, a pole was placed for their hanging space and a low shelf below this held their shoes. Finally the new house was ready for Clotilde and Jacques to occupy after the wedding. Both of them could catch their breath now and attend to their everyday work.