Des (interviewed around 1975) recalled the first time he and Isabel had a night out together. He was at that time working as a solicitor in Wentworth. I was dressed up in my tails, and (he said to Isabel) you had a beautiful long dress.

Isabel responded: My first real introduction to Des, without ever having known him before, although we were both born and bred in the same locality, was the arrival in the town, big deal, of the Governor (1932). I was training the debutantes, and so it was a big night. And I remember I bought a very special frock.
A blue (sprigged?) organdy frock, long, of course, very full, and I was very thin. Most people who work on newspapers are thin because they live on black coffee. In those days you didn’t include cigarettes. My salary was two pounds ten a week, I was living with my family at home. I was able to manage quite well – I was reasonably well off.

Des: Until the debutantes were presented to the Governor, she wore long white gloves, and she had blue shoulder straps, not very low cut, a very small bosom, and a high waist, and she was a very good dancer. That formed the attraction for a start. Also she was reasonably intelligent, I thought.

Isabel: And this man, looking very debonair, in his tails and things, and knowing what to do, and making a great impression, and I thought ‘Oooo, outstanding! and then I danced with him. Yes well that was not a good idea, and I fell, large and big. ... Not on the floor.

We danced together a lot. I was very keen on dancing. I still like it, although I’m a grandmother. It was that evening I went up and I had my first alcoholic drink in my life and I thought I was really living it up with this big boy from Sydney, because in my mind that’s what he was.
I was educated at PGC (Presbyterian Girls College) in Adelaide, came of a very good home, lovely Presbyterian background, but very different from that of the man whom I later married. My family (the McLeods) were all landholders and graziers and property owners in the district (see aslo Isabel McLeod page).

I continued with my work which was then with the Sunraysia Daily, at Mildura. Much later on, when he was short of a typist, I joined him there. Had to do both jobs. As his practice grew, my health went down. I couldn’t manage both. So for no romantic reason, I gave away (work at) the paper, because I became involved in the legal scene.

Des: When she gave up the newspaper, and decided to take over (my) office at Wentworth, she lost a lot of weight. She was a bit worried about it, she was sent on a trip ‘you’ve got to get away for four or five weeks at least’. And she went for a cruise from Melbourne to Sydney to Fiji and back through Brisbane. As I was a bit concerned about getting her back, I had a box of flowers sent to her at every port coming and going. I thought that was one way to get her to say ‘Thankyou anyhow’.
Isabel had a room in Wentworth. She was an organist for the Anglican church, and was chaperoned by Miss Adeline Dunn, who was the first woman JP in New South Wales, and I was persona grata – Addie allowed me in, but no other men, and I used to go up and have a meal sometimes.
We were almost at arms length. I kissed her several times before the office. She was a bit lonely, I was a bit lonely at times. We had a gramaphone, with records, and we read a lot. It was a platonic friendship for a long long time.

Des and Isabel married in 1932.