This chapter is for LewisHobsonFan whose holiday photos gave me the idea.

"Auntie Barbara!"

Barbara turned around to see Brittany holding hands with Tommy. "Hello."

"I found Uncle Tommy throwing rocks in the river. He's not very good. They landed on the other side."

"I was aiming for a tree on the opposite bank."

"You still missed." Brittany looked at Barbara and rolled her eyes. Barbara smiled. She could almost read her thoughts. Men!

"I'm going to find Mark. He promised to walk with me to the waterfall. He's nice."

"He's just up there," Barbara told her. "If you hurry you can catch him."

Brittany looked up at Tommy. "You will be alright now, Uncle Tommy. Auntie Barbara will look after you." Brittany lifted their joined hands towards Barbara as if handing over custody of a child.

Barbara reluctantly took his hand. "He'll be fine. Won't you?"

Tommy nodded. "Yes. Run along, Brittany."

The girl waved then ran up the rough path. "Mark."

"Poor Mark," he said, "I am not sure he will appreciate being pursued by an eight-year-old."

"In a few years, he'll enjoy being chased by a younger woman." They were still holding hands, and Barbara was not sure what to do, so she waited until he made a move.

"Come on then. The cascade awaits."

Barbara fell into step beside him. Tommy made no attempt to release her hand and in fact gripped it as if he expected her to pull away. His palm was large and softer than she had imagined. Her hand was tense, but when she realised he intended to keep holding it, she relaxed. So did he before he looked over and smiled as he rubbed his thumb across her wrist. Barbara felt her face flush.

As they climbed a gentle slope, the sound of rushing water became louder. "It's just up… what are they doing in there?"

"Who?"

"Mark and Brittany. Over there."

They exchanged worried glances. Years of police work had made them instantly wary of unusual behaviour. "You don't think Mark would… take advantage?"

Tommy let go of her hand and pushed through the trees. Barbara followed. "What are you doing in here?"

Mark and Brittany turned around. They stood together. Mark put a protective arm around the girl's shoulder, guilt written across their faces. "We… Brittany said… we didn't mean any harm," Mark stammered.

"Auntie Dorothy said if it was carved, it was true for everty."

"Eternity," Mark corrected gently.

"Et-ernity."

Barbara was completely confused. "What carved where?"

The two children moved aside. Fresh marks were scratched into the soft bark of a gnarly tree.

"The Tree of Perpetual Love," Tommy exclaimed. "I had forgotten about it."

"The tree of what?" Barbara looked across at him and screwed up her face. This was becoming surreal.

Brittany rolled her eyes in yet another unspoken 'don't you know anything, Auntie Barbara?' look. "Per-pet-you Love."

"It's the tree that Lover's Wood is named for." Tommy walked up and ran his hand over several markings. "It started with the first earl's father. He was the first owner of the land. He allegedly proposed here and then scratched his initials into the tree beside his beloved. See here JL and MM inside a heart. Jowan Lynley and Margaret Murrish. His son, Thomas, the first Earl was married to Morwenna Roscarrock. See here." Tommy pointed to the carving. "Each subsequent Earl came here and added their initials."

Barbara examined the tree. "Why so many RL?"

"Ross, The fourth Earl had two wives and four mistresses."

"Ah, now I know where you get it from."

"The legend says that you only carve the name of your true love and that in doing so, you are bound for eternity in never-ending love."

She examined the tree. "TL loves DW? Deborah?"

"No. That's Father. Thomas and Dorothy Williams. Which perhaps proves the legend is untrue given she took up with Trenarrow."

"So you never…" Barbara stopped herself.

He shook his head. "It never occurred to me."

"Looks like these two imps tried to rectify that. TL loves a straight line."

"You interrupted," Brittany said, sounding decidely miffed that their artwork was being questioned.

Mark handed Tommy his penknife. "You should finish it yourself. Come on Brittany."

"Do it properly," the girl said as she and Mark began to walk back towards the waterfall.

Barbara looked at Tommy and shrugged. "I'll leave you to it."

"Wait. Why would you go?"

Barbara could not say it was because she could not bear to see the H and C emerge. "It's a personal thing. You need to be alone."

"It's supposed to be done by the lovers."

"Yeah, well you can't. So you'll have to do it on her behalf." Barbara turned and pushed through the trees. She did not look back.

Tommy stood at the edge of the clearing observing the group. His mother was telling the children the legend of the waterfall. They were listening, enthralled by the tale of a dragon who was crying for his lost love, and whose tears formed the glistening waters of the creek.

Barbara was leaning on a rock, slightly away from the group. She was staring down at the dragon's tears as if she understood exactly how the poor creature felt. He needed to tell her what she meant to him.

"Barbara." Lynley put his hand on her shoulder.

She turned around and gave him a tight smile. "All done?"

"Yes."

"Good. Nice waterfall. The spray is surprisingly cool."

"Barbara."

"Uncle Tommy! Uncle Tommy!" A small hand grabbed his finger and nearly pulled it out of the socket. He looked at Barbara to rescue him.

"They want you. Role model remember."

"We need to talk."

"Sure. Later."

Tommy allowed the boy to lead him over to the main group. His mother raised her eyebrow. He shook his head and shrugged.

Barbara skilfully avoided the adults all afternoon. The children had congregated around the Lynleys, and she had happily shrunk into the background looking after the two smallest ones. Now she had to face the dinner scrimmage on the lawn.

"Auntie Barbara, sit with us."

Brittany and one of the other girls, Ginny, beckoned her across to the small stone wall near the kitchen door. "Hello, girls. Did you gave a good day?"

She only half listened as they told her about the sad dragon and the creek. "I wonder what the dragon's name was?" Ginny pondered.

"Alan," Brittany said firmly.

"Why Alan?" Barbara asked, noticing tears in the girl's eyes.

"That was her father's name."

"Alan's a lovely name for a dragon."

"My mother cries at night. She misses him."

Barbara put her arm around Brittany's her shoulder and hugged the girl. "That's understandable."

"Do you cry at night, Auntie Barbara?"

"Me?"

"You and Uncle Tommy don't stay in the same room."

"We're not married. Not like your mum and dad."

"Then you should get married so you can be with him. What are we doing tomorrow?"

Barbara tried to keep a cheerful face. These kids had a habit of unintentionally ripping out her heart. "I don't know. What would you like to do?"

With the children finally settled, Barbara said a quick goodnight from the doorway, then scurried to her room. She had hinted she had a headache, but Tommy could tell she was evading him.

"Tommy, what happened? Barbara avoided us all afternoon."

He pushed the hair that was falling in his eye back behind his ear. "I know. She won't let me explain."

"Tommy?"

He quickly told her about the incident at the tree. Dorothy tutted. "Foolish boy! Why didn't you take her hand and carve T loves B? If you scratched an H into that tree, I'm riding down now and adding the marks to make a B. I know you loved Helen in your own way, but it's Barbara who should be on that tree with you. She's the one who touches your soul, not just your heart. And if you weren't so bloody cowardly about it, she'd be touching your body right now too."

"Mother!"

"Don't Mother me. You know I'm right. You need to be told directly, or you seem to miss the point. Now do I have to ride over to Lover's Wood?"

"No. I carved a B H. I am not a complete idiot. I know what Barbara means to me."

"Good."

Tommy needed an honest answer to a question he had never dared ask. "Mother, if you had to carve your initials again, would they be against Father or Trenarrow?"

Dorothy sat on the couch and rubbed her face with both hands. "I did love Roddy. But if there's a heaven, and I don't end up in Hell, which I fear is likely, then it's your father I want to spend eternity with."

"And what if…?" Tommy did not want to argue with her. "Never mind."

"Your father already forgave me. After you found Roddy and me together, I told your father everything. He understood because he knew me, knew my weaknesses, and yet he still loved me."

"I'm glad."

"When Helen left, even though I thought she intended to divorce me, I couldn't be unfaithful to my vows. I had opportunities, but I couldn't do it."

"If I had my time over, I would like to think I would be that strong."

"I wasn't strong. There was one night when I realised Barbara was… well, everything, but I still couldn't believe it could ever work, and I couldn't say anything. Not really, although I think she might have understood."

"But you believe it now?"

He nodded. "Yes. But I missed my chance then and again today."

"Today's not over. Go and tell her. And I'll check your room later. I expect to find your bed either empty or with two people in it!"

"Mother!"

"Oh, don't be such a prude. And stop wasting your lives wondering."

Barbara had just turned out her bedside light when she heard a knock on the door. "Come in."

Her reply was another knock. Wearily she climbed out and padded across the room. "Can't you…sleep? Sir?"

Barbara had to smile. Tommy was standing in front of her with the fire poker in his right hand, his mother's photo in his left, and the ice cream container perched over his ears.

"Not Sir. I'm Uncle Tommy, Monster Slayer. I believe there is an ugly monster hiding in here."

"No, only ugly me." She tried to shut the door, but Tommy pushed past her and closed the door.

"You are anything but ugly, on the surface but particularly in your heart."

Barbara rolled her eyes. It was his charm offensive, and she hated that it was working, even a little bit. "Save the suave act. We're fine."

Tommy laid down his sword and shield then pulled off his helmet. "No, we're not because you ran off before I could tell you I love you."

"Don't, please."

"It's true." He pulled his mobile from his pocket. "Here. Look at this."

Barbara frowned when she saw a photo of the tree with T + B 4ever carved into it. "Tommy... I..." Barbara sat on her bed and sighed. "Why did you do that?"

Tommy sat beside her. "I told you. I love you." He put his arm around her and dragged her against his side. "And I'm hoping you'll look up and tell me you feel the same way."

"Have you been speaking to your Mother?"

"If you mean did she tell me to talk to you, then yes. She practically pushed me up the stairs. But I tried earlier, at the waterfall. She didn't need to convince me. I was coming to see you anyway. We can't keep avoiding what is obvious to everyone, even the children."

"At dinner, Brittany told me I need to marry you so I can be with you."

"Is that a proposal, Barbara? Because I accept." He brought his other arm across her and held her tightly.

"What?"

"Aren't you supposed to ask me?"

"Happily, but you haven't told me if you approve of my carving yet."

"Tommy, is this a good idea?"

"Yes. An excellent one."

"Are you sure? I... I can't... I can't take that last step if I think I'm going to be hurt."

"I didn't carve your name because I thought it would win you over. I'm not a superstitious person, but I do place great stock in tradition and the family. I wouldn't lie to the tree because it would feel as if I was lying to seven earls before me. You and I are unconventional, but we share a connection others don't. There are so many levels that our love intertwines. Don't fight me, Barbara. Fight for me. Fight for us."

"I do love you, but you knew that."

"Hmm, just as you know I love you."

They sat looking at each other, quietly reassuring each other that this was finally real. It amused Barbara that they had finally confessed and after years of wanting each other were sitting politely, still waiting.

"Aren't you supposed to kiss me at some stage?"

"Now might be the right stage I think," he aid before he kissed her softly, brushing his lips against hers. It soon deepened into the raunchiest kiss Barbara had ever experienced.

"Oh, wow. Sorry. I got carried away."

"Oh, don't be sorry, Barbara. Not at all." Tommy grinned at her with the look she knew was hers alone. "Mother said she would check my room later. She wants to find it empty or with both of us in there."

Barbara put her hand under his jumper. "Then you had better stay here so I can protect you from the girl monsters."

"You will is my command."

Barbara pushed him back on the bed. "You might regret saying that."

"No, I won't... I..." Barbara had had enough of talking. She kissed him again, knowing it was going to be a long, wonderful night.

Note: Although I have a lengthy story in progress, I am busy preparing for six weeks exploring the wilder climes of the planet with limited if any wifi. It would be unfair to start posting and not be able to finish it. So, you may not see any stories until late August or early September. Hopefully, Tess and others will keep us entertained.