Ruth watched through the window as Harry winced and rubbed at his temple in pain. The hangover from last night's official function seemed to be catching up with him this morning and she had been watching him for some time wondering why he didn't just take a painkiller. Eventually as she was getting up to make herself a cup of tea she thought out of kindness and sympathy she really ought to offer him one as well. Tentatively she stepped into his office, knocking gently on the door as she entered on account of his delicate state.
"One word about the hangover and I'll send you to Siberia," Harry grumbled.
"Actually, Harry, I was going to offer you a cup of tea."
"Tea would be glorious," Harry sighed. "Why did I try to keep up with the Russian Ambassador again?"
Ruth only smiled, feeling rather warm at the fact that he was confiding in her. "You should take something."
"I would if I had any painkillers. Unfortunately I seem to be all out and I am not going to see medical on account of a sore head."
Ruth sighed the sigh of a very exasperated female. "Harry, how many female staff do you have working under you? There's Anadin in the ladies."
"The ladies toilet?"
Ruth rolled her eyes. "In the vending machine, Harry."
"Oh. I didn't know that." Harry was wincing again.
"Come to think of it, Harry, why didn't you just ask around?" Ruth asked, "Last time I asked around for a painkiller the female staff produced enough pills to start a small pharmacy!"
"No, I tried that, no one's got anything."
Well, Ruth supposed she couldn't imagine a lot of the junior staff, who were the ones who tended to be in at this hour, wanting to discuss personal issues like period pain with their much older male boss.
"Give me five minutes," Ruth left with a kindly smile in Harry's direction that told Harry she was equal parts sympathetic and amused by his plight. Well, at least someone was seeing the funny side of all of this.
It was six and a half, but Ruth did eventually return with a tray containing a large mug of milky sweet tea and a selection of medicine strips. Harry's eyes widened slightly.
"Ok, you have the choice of aspirin, lemsip, paracetamol tablets, paracetamol capsules, ibuprofin, co-codamol, nurofen, anadin extra and alka-seltzer but if you want the ibuprofin I'll have to go back and break out the chocolate hob-nobs."
Harry reached for the nearest strip of paracetamol and broke out a couple to have with his tea. "Ruth Evershed," Harry said seriously, "I think I love you."