It was Friday.

It was Ruth's birthday.

It was Harry's wedding day.

It was Ruth's wedding day, she just didn't know it yet.

Harry had spent Thursday night in a hotel, it was traditional, he thought, not to see the bride, even if she didn't know she was the bride. Ruth believed him to be at a head of sections joint security session. She missed him, she was disappointed to have woken up without him on her birthday. He hadn't actually mentioned it but she was sure he would remember. She always thought of him as romantic, she wasn't sure why, they'd never had an anniversary or birthday together until now.


She walked onto the grid and was touched at the greeting. Everyone seemed to know. Was Harry behind this, she wondered. She sat at her desk and put her cards up around the computer and looked again at the wonderfully thought out presents they had given her. It was a good day.

All morning she waited for him. She'd checked her phone several times in case he'd sent her a message. Nothing.

At 2.30 the pods opened and there he was striding across the floor of the grid. He walked to the side of her desk, spun her chair round to face him, leant forward, hands either side of her on the chair arms and kissed her. He kissed her passionately. Section D looked discreetly away but they were all smiling. Eventually he pulled back and said through a big smile "Happy Birthday, Ruth." She felt a little breathless, so she just smiled. Then he stood and admired her cards. "Someone's popular today, then?"

Beth stepped in, "Harry, secure line for you." He looked to Ruth, whispered "sorry" and headed off to his office. That was the last she saw of him for a good while. At around 4pm he stepped from his office, he was smiling and had his hands behind his back. Ruth suspected that she knew what was coming.

He produced with one hand a card and with the other a present and again wished her a happy birthday.

The card was beautiful. 'To my darling Ruth, thank you for making me the happiest man alive (don't know how this translates in Wu, but I'm sure you can tell me!). Happy Birthday, yours always, Harry x'

The present was a real surprise, though now she thought about it, she should have known.

"Mmm, chocolates" she said.

"Belgian" Harry clarified.

"Thank you , they're lovely. I'll share them with you later"

"No you won't, can't let them spoil your appetite. I'm taking you out to dinner"

She stopped herself from speculating out loud if he'd take her to PizzaHut, if the thought that went into the present was anything to go by.

"Tell you when later" he kissed her on the cheek. Lucas saw it and pressed send on his text to Tariq. "Got to go, Home Secretary," added Harry and headed off back to his office, grabbed his coat and made for the pods. Tariq met him and handed him a note and some change, Harry quickly put it in his pocket and left. It did not go unnoticed by Ruth. 'So, he couldn't even go out and buy his own bloody chocolates' Ruth thought and then excused him as he'd been so busy and she loved him and did it all really matter anyway.


She headed to the kitchen for a coffee, Beth followed her in. "So what did he get you for your birthday, jewellery, perfume, something even nicer?"

"Chocolates" said Ruth

"Oh" replied Beth grimacing

"Belgian." added Ruth.

They both looked at each other for a moment and then started laughing.

"I always thought Harry would be a bit more romantic than that" Beth said.

"Me too, though I don't know why."

Dimitri marched in, "God, I need a coffee, anyone want to make me one?"

"No" said Beth

He swung his head to Ruth.

"No" said Ruth.

"Hey Dimitri, guess what Harry got for Ruth's birthday?"

"Are you allowed to tell us? He looked at Ruth with a smirk.

"Chocolates" Beth blurted out.

"Oops." He pulled an apologetic face at Ruth.

A figure passed the door and Dimitri yelled, "Hey Tariq, even you wouldn't buy chocolates for your girlfriend's birthday, would you?"

"God, no" exclaimed Tariq, before realising "Sorry, Ruth".

"Well, maybe dinner will be better" she said.

"At this rate, he'll probably take you for a sandwich," said Dimitri

Beth whacked him.

Ruth started laughing.


Harry hadn't come back. She wasn't sure what the plan was for the evening. Eventually her phone rang.

"Ruth"

"Hi"

"7.30 dinner, wear something nice. What about that gorgeous burgundy dress, the one you had on at the wedding."

"It's a bit too much for…"

"It's a very smart restaurant" he interrupted "Please, for me"

"Ok, but where are we going"

"It's a surprise. I'll text you the address"

"Are you not coming with me?"

"Sorry, can't. Meetings. I'll have to come straight from Whitehall, see you there. Love you, bye"

"Bye, Ha…" he'd gone.


7.35pm 'Beautiful restaurant, good choice' thought Ruth sitting at the bar.

7.41pm 'Getting hungry now.'

7.45pm "Yes, I'd love another white wine" she nodded to the barman

7.50pm "I'm sorry, he must have been held up," she apologised to the waiter.

8.01pm She sighed.

"Ruth"

Lucas was in the restaurant, not Harry.

"What, what's wrong?"

"It's not Harry, he's fine. We've got to go. Now" He hustled her out of the restaurant. "Special branch have discovered a cache of explosives in a disused church, there's details of an attack in the City planned for tomorrow. Harry's down there with Beth and Tariq, they're trying to hack the computers they found but there's also a whole load of stuff in Arabic, plans, letters. We need you down there, Ruth"

She looked at her dress thinking that it might be the most overdressed she'd ever been for work. Lucas sensed what she was thinking "Sorry, no time to change," he was walking to the car, "but you do look lovely," he smiled and got in.

They drove quickly through the City.

"Not much of a birthday, ey, Ruth?" he sounded apologetic.

She smiled, "it happens."

She watched the traffic and the lights blur by "Just wish I'd seen a bit more of Harry today."

"You love him very much, don't you?"

"So much it hurts, Lucas."


"This is it."

They got out of the car and headed for the church doors. It was dark and quiet. They walked through the doors and into the vestibule.

"Ruth?" Lucas had stopped.

"What?"

He stood in front of the door, stopping her from going any further.

"Harry asked me to give you this." He held out his hand. There was a small box in his palm.

Ruth merely looked at it.

"Open it."

She took it nervously, confused as to what she was been given and why, when there was important work to be done.

Lucas nodded encouragingly to her.

She opened the box.

There were two things within and she didn't know which one she registered first.

She looked up at Lucas and then back to the box.

There was what looked like a platinum ring with a single heart shaped diamond and a note, it simply said 'Marry me, Ruth'.

Her heart had paused in her chest and any analytical skills had fled her, leaving her senseless and palpitating.

"I don't understand" was all she could say.

"You don't need to understand all you need to do is tell me if the answer's a 'yes', or a 'no'."

"It's…..it's a yes. Of course, it's a yes"

God, that was a relief, thought Lucas and he took the ring and slid it on her finger.

"But why's Harry not asking me?" she looked very confused.

Lucas stepped away from the door, kissed her on the cheek and slowly pulled it open.

It was a beautiful church, small, intimate; ornate, yet simple. The whole place was bathed in light from what looked like hundreds of candles. It looked like Christmas. It was one of the most beautiful images she'd ever seen. A choir started singing one of her favourite pieces and then she realised they were her choir, she knew them. She glimpsed faces she recognised. It only seemed to be a small congregation, how could she seem to know so many of them? Ruth normally processed information very quickly and yet here, in this moment, her mind seemed incapable of processing anything.

And then she saw Harry.

And then she understood.

He was standing at the front, near the altar. He was wearing a white, collarless shirt, open at the neck; a big smile; and a kilt. That kilt.

He turned from her and looked back, from behind his legs appeared a five year old with a big lilac ribbon in her hair. Ellie ran down the aisle carrying two small bouquets. She skidded to a halt in front of Ruth "This is for you to carry," she said holding out the flowers.

"Thanks, Ellie. You look beautiful"

"So do you, I have to be your bridesmaid now" she said and ran around behind Ruth holding her bouquet in both hands looking very professional.

"May I?" said Lucas holding out his arm for her.

"Thank you, Lucas. I'd be honoured." she said and found she could do nothing but smile. In fact the smiling seemed to be highly contagious, everyone present appeared to be infected, but Ruth didn't see it.

She could only see one thing.

She stepped up to meet him, his fingertips delicately brushing her hand. She could not take her eyes from him, nor he from her.

"This is all rather sudden, Harry" she whispered

"I don't like long engagements."

"No, it's been all of a minute and a half."

"Felt like a lifetime to me, Ruth."

"You know, you're meant to do the proposing yourself?"

"Why, when you have people to do it for you?"

"A girl just likes to be asked"

"Will you marry me Ruth?"

"I'll think about it"

The music subsided and the vicar began to speak.

"Oops, too late" said Harry with a twinkle.

Ruth leant closer to him, "I love you, Harry"

"That's good, because I love you too"


"Ruth."

"Yes, Harry."

"Now we're married you have to do as I say."

"And how do you come to that rather archaic conclusion?"

"Were you not listening? Honour and obey, Ruth. You said it."

"Ah yes, but I had my fingers crossed for that bit"

"That's rather devious."

"Not as devious as arranging a secret wedding, Harry."

"Devious it may be, but was it a good birthday present, Ruth?"

"Better than a bloody box of chocolates!"

"I can see you're going to be hard to please.'

"Oh no, Harry, I'll be easy"

"Really?"

"Yes, just show us what's under your sporran."

"Later, Mrs Pearce, later"

And he kissed her.