Author's usual notes and disclaimer: I don't own any of the original characters nor the original Inspector Lynley Mysteries – they belong to Elizabeth George and the BBC. I have borrowed the characters from the TV-Show and solely own the ideas of my stories and the developments I've let them go through.
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Summary: Reading helps, and so does listening. A detour on the way home from a boring lunch turns out to be unexpectedly enjoyable.
A/N: This is for Cats. Now will you please stop nagging?! It's quickly written in one go with just a break of another annoying wixxows update, so excuse any mistakes. And by the way, I've never been there yet. Anyway, enjoy...
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Amphitheatre Concerts
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It was warm inside his car. Too warm. The afternoon sun stood rather low, but for a day in June it had been extraordinarily hot. In the distance dark clouds approached and promised a thunderstorm or at least a bit of cooling rain.
Barbara Havers sat in the passenger seat and was just thinking how she could get more fresh air than the warm breeze that came through the side window when Tommy Lynley took a turn she had not expected. He was her boss, colleague and best friend and confidant especially during the annoying lunch they earlier had attended with a bunch of businessmen. It should have become a leisure meeting with partners and since they all had a partner - even his mother had a new man in her life - Tommy had asked her to escort him. He had to avoid that they pity him and, more so, that his mother would pick a random dull-face from her friends' daughters.
Barbara had understood that and so yesterday they had spent a nice evening at Howenstow, today a wonderful morning at the Cornish coast and then had gone to the boring lunch. Now they were driving back to London.
At least that was what Barbara had thought. The small road they were on now was not leading there. Instead the sun was not in their back but came from the right side. She knew they were heading towards the coast.
Tommy - Barbara finally had agreed to call him by his name when they were in private - was grinning impishly.
"Where are we heading?" she asked.
"Minack Theatre." His grin turned even broader when she groaned. "You'll like it. They have a youth's year this year. Nothing they give is what you would call a boring show. Everything is more casual than usual, we don't have to dress up and there will be, well, let's say easy adaptions of the classics. Some jazz concerts too."
"And today?" Barbara cautiously asked.
"I don't know..." He had to laugh at her disbelieving expression. "Exactly. Let's get surprised."
Since she had not expected this spirit of adventure in her boss Barbara looked forward to whatever they would give. Anyway, whatever it was it would be a nice distraction from her memory of that lunch and it surely would be a wonderful extension for their lovely stay in Cornwall.
"Maybe we should stay another night somewhere on the way back home to London later. Do you mind?"
"Ah, well, no..." she murmured. Not at all! she thought.
They parked the car in the closed area for sponsors. Of course Tommy, the eighth Earl of Asherton, was one of them. And then they walked the few yards to the entrance. There were a lot of people in denim and leather but also more normal people, just in T-shirts and jeans. Tommy and Barbara did not attract too much attention wearing jeans and shirt, only they obviously were among the older people around here. His arm loosely was draped around her shoulders and once more Barbara enjoyed their closeness.
"The Shakespearean Project." Tommy read the poster at the entrance. "Music and Minack. Do you know these names?"
Barbara shook her head. "Hahaha." she laughed. "You are the one with the golden entrance card, Mr Cornishman."
It felt for her as if he almost had kissed her when she put a hand onto his shoulder but then the crowd pushed them forward through the cashier barriers. Tommy showed his sponsor card and bought a programme that he immediately passed on to Barbara. On their way through the crowd of people she read a bit. A grin appeared in her face.
"Umm... Sir?" Out of old habit it sometimes just slipped.
"Look, isn't that lovely?" He ignored she wanted to tell him something. "A bar and a barbecue. We've got something to eat in the interval then."
"I guess they have beer, that would be-"
"Wonderful. Exactly."
They went down a few steps of the impressive amphitheatre. Tommy was leading them to his usual seats. "Wait a minute, Barbara, we can talk when we sit. Gosh, it's rather crowded this time. I wonder why this show is so popular."
"Well, it could-"
"And I can't get rid of the impression that we're the oldest around here."
"Maybe-"
"Look there are our seats. We have to shoo those people away." Tommy briefly winked at Barbara but continued his way through the people with her following at his feels. She had not even protested when he had taken her hand and that made his heart beat quite a bit out of step.
"I don't think-" Barbara's grin turned broader and broader but Tommy still did not seem to listen.
"Excuse me. These seats are for the sponsors." Tommy politely said to the three boys and the girl sitting there.
"Huh? What?" one of them said.
"Haha, yes, sure." the other laughed.
"Find yourself another place." the girl grumbled.
Tommy only was able to inhale. Seeing his expression turn grim Barbara squeezed his arm to soothe him. She held up the programme. "If I may cite here, Tommy: free seating - includes the sponsorship areas."
"Oh, I didn't know that. I'm sorry, gentlemen. Ma'am." They all giggled in response.
Since there still was more than enough space - obviously the young folks all had to buy some drinks before they would seat themselves - Barbara and Tommy took a seat near the stairs and a bit lower than his usual place.
The stage they were looking at was covered in black cloth that slightly wafted in the breeze that came from the sea. A bandstand could be seen and a few loudspeakers. Barbara decided to enjoy what was about to follow. First she had to take in that stunning view of the fake-old pillars and balconies and the waves of the Cornish sea behind it. She was sitting close to him and even shifted another bit closer when other people came to sit next to her.
Tommy squeezed her hand and beamed at her. "It's your first visit here, isn't it?"
Barbara could only nod. The romantic setting and the man she secretly loved sitting by her side left her speechless.
"You'll never forget your first time." he softly murmured. With his eyes wandering across the water he told her in quiet words about the day he had been here with his father and his sister. Of course, back then it was nothing like the youth's year now. They had given a proper classic play. "Much Ado About Nothing. You know that one, when-"
[CRCKLCRCK]
A crackling voice interrupted him. "Ladies and Gents - here they are: The! Cornish! Pasties!"
The black cloth was pulled away arevealing a drum kit standing in the middle of the podium and even more of the loudspeakers. Tommy raised an eyebrow. Barbara could not take her eyes off him. He was far more interesting that what went on at the stage.
A drum solo started the show and Tommy frowned.
Two guitar players and a bass man jumped onto the stage and played screeching riffs. Tommy's face turned into shock.
"I-" he said but should have to shout if Barbara should hear him. With a more than irritated face he looked at her. She was laughing hard and finally handed him the programme.
While the front man of the band started to sing Tommy read the descriptions for the first time.
No play! No classix! No booooring jazz concert!
This is what YOU want!
This is the Cornish answer to the established rock scene!
This is THE CORNISH PASTIES!
This is CREAM TEA CRUSHERS!
This is the legendary, one and only
TRUE FISHERMAN'S REVENGE!
If it would not have been so loud right from the start Barbara was sure she would have heard his annoyed groan. He was shocked and it only amused her more. She gave him an apologising smile and squeezing his arm she bumped her forehead into his shoulder for a short moment. Then she pulled him closer to her and shouted into his ear.
"I wanted to tell you, Tommy, but you've always interrupted me."
Instead of an answer Tommy rolled his eyes at her but he already was smiling. She pulled at his arm again. If they had to talk so close to each other Tommy would have discussed the world climate change with her like that. Her lips brushed his ear when she went on.
"Do you want to leave?"
"No!" Her face had been so happy, he would not have wanted to disappoint her. She definitely looked as if she would enjoy all three bands and what made Barbara happy made him happy too.
While that rock band on the stage played one song after the other Barbara stood up and much to his surprise she rocked like almost everybody else here. Eventually even Tommy dared to get up from his seat and let himself be infected by the positive vibrations. Of course they both did not know any of the songs but at least Barbara did not care about that.
They actually had a lot of fun during a rock concert. His mother never would believe him, Tommy presumed.
"You should have told me earlier, Barbara."
The first band had finished. There were two more to come. At least the second band, the Cream Tea Crushers, was a cover band. Tommy hoped they would play some songs he knew.
"You've always cut me short, Tommy. First I had no chance and then I thought I should let you discover it on your own."
Tommy grinned. "It was quite a surprise."
"And the expression on your face was priceless."
"You're an evil woman, Barbara."
For a moment they just stared at each other. Tommy briefly had bent down to her and she actually had expected a kiss, or at least a peck on the cheek, but nothing had happened.
"Would you like something to drink?" he croaked.
Barbara nodded. "And I'm hungry."
"You're always hungry." Tommy teased her and earned a playful slap on his upper arm. He only laughed. "Ouch."
"Don't always say that. It's not true!"
Since there were two bars, one for snacks and one for the beer, Tommy lined up at one and Barbara at the other. She had not expected to return to the top of the stairs faster than Tommy who had bought two burgers and chips and so she had finished her half pint when he finally reached her. The clouds were above them now and the wind that was growing in intensity played with Barbara's hair. He sighed.
The second band just had started to play and as chance would have it Barbara knew the song by heart. It was one of her favourites from her youth and when she saw Tommy approaching next to her she just gave him his cup of beer with an apologising smile and started to sing a long as loud as possible.
Tommy was mesmerised by her voice. Sure, he had heard her before, once when they had sung karaoke at Winston's 30th birthday but that was years ago and and he actually had not really listened for several reasons. Now he could not concentrate on the words she sung, he only heard the sound of her voice. He only saw the joy sparkling in her eyes, he saw her hips moving and her feet shuffling. She enjoyed it so much, she almost jumped out of her skin. Barbara mischievously grinned. She directed the text to him, and she nudged her shoulder into his arm with a happy but slightly challenging motion with her hands in the pockets of her jeans and the side of her hip bumping against his in the beat of the song.
Tommy was stunned for a moment. Then he turned away and thrusted the beer and the cardboard plate with the burgers into the hands of a rather surprised huge man in leather jacket and boots. "Hold this for a while. Thank you."
The song had just ended but Barbara was unable to cheer for long. Two strong arms turned her to the side where Tommy stood and embraced her. Her eyes went wide. Tommy's face was so close to hers she could feel his breath on her skin.
"Barbara, I love you." he said and without much further ado pulled her another bit closer and gently pressed his lips on hers.
For a second she was shocked. Then she almost pushed him away before she finally gave in to her feelings and responded to his kiss with all the joy of the moment and with all the love she had felt for him for years. Her lips parted quickly and granted him access. Her hands went to his waist and grabbing the belt loops she pulled his hip closer to hers. In an instant Barbara kissed him deeper than Tommy had expected but since it definitely did not seem that she had any objections he allowed himself to surrender to his desire.
The way they kissed at the top stairs of Minack Theatre was all but appropriate but they did not care at all. In fact they even were oblivious to the affirmative whistles around them and the soft rain that finally had begun to fall.
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