Author's note: This chapter was originally too big, so I have split it in two. The good news is that the next instalment will be tomorrow.
Tommy walked into the lounge room and sat on the couch next to Barbara. Almost instantly his daughter climbed onto his lap. Barbara snuggled against him. For the first time since before his father died, he felt part of a family. He put his arm around Barbara's shoulder and kissed her head as he put his other arm around Henrietta's waist and pulled her back against him.
"Show Unc Tommy your drawing."
The girl lifted her piece of paper. Tommy frowned. There were two crayon drawings, both hard to decipher, but different in mood. On one side a red-haired figure and a blonde were lying on a patch of yellow ground as a blonde man in what looked like a pirate costume stood over them. He seemed to have flames around his feet. Over the page, a tall person and a small version of the same person were riding horses while a shorter reddish woman looked on.
"Who are the people riding horses?" Tommy asked.
"You and me! Unc Winston said you had lots of horses and would teach me to ride. He said Babra didn't like horses."
"That's not true," Barbara said, "but I can't ride. Maybe Unc Tommy can teach both of us."
"Oh, yes, please! Can you Unc Tommy-Daddy?"
Tommy exchanged a glance with Barbara. Unc Tommy-Daddy? "Yes, although Babra will probably fall off and we will have to try not to laugh at her."
"You'll save her," Henrietta said as if Tommy was completely silly.
"Yes, you will save me." Tommy knew it was a demand, not a request.
"Of course." He turned the page. "Who is the man here?"
Henrietta's mood changed. "That's Daddy's master. I don't like him."
"Why not?"
"He makes Daddy sad."
"Are they at the beach?"
Henrietta ran her hand through her hair. "No. I didn't know what colour Heaven was, but you said it was in the sky so I made it yellow, like the Sun."
"Very good thinking, Henrietta." Tommy had no idea what else to say, but he stroked the girl's back in a gesture of comfort.
"Master is from Hell."
"Oh!" Tommy was shocked by the vitriol in her voice.
Henrietta pointed to the flames. "That's why he's on fire."
"Why is he dressed like a pirate?"
Henrietta giggled. "He's not a pirate! That's his mask. Over here." She ran her hand over one side of her face. "He's ugly."
"Have you met him?"
She nodded. "I wasn't meant to, but I wanted Daddy to read to me. Daddy was kneeling on the floor. Like this." The girl scrambled off Tommy's legs and onto the floor. She knelt then began bowing and prostrating herself.
"Hop up," Tommy said a little too harshly. He was not annoyed with her but this Master. "Come back up here."
The girl happily obeyed and hid her face against Tommy's chest. They sat in silence as he held her. After a couple of minutes, she put her head up. "Unc Tommy?"
"Yes?"
"Daddy told me a secret."
"What secret?"
Henrietta looked around then lifted her arm and pointed to her bandage. "When we got these."
Barbara nudged him, and Tommy nodded. He had a habit of interrogating people, and Henrietta would withdraw if he did. He had to be patient and let her tell him in her own way. "Mmm?"
She wriggled up and pulled on the lock of hair that had fallen over his left eye. "I have a second daddy."
Tommy glanced at Barbara who looked as startled as he was sure he did. "Do you?"
"He looks like me and is rich."
"Oh?" Tommy swallowed hard. "Do you know who it is?"
Henrietta cocked her head as if making a solemn decision. "I... think... you're my second daddy..." her voice sounded scared as if she feared Tommy would reject her if she were wrong. "Aren't you? Daddy said my second Daddy would come and protect me?"
Tommy hugged her close. Despite his efforts, tears streamed down his face. He could barely speak. "Yes, I'm your second daddy, Henrietta. I will keep you safe."
"Why are you crying? Don't you want to be my second daddy?"
Tommy sniffed loudly, in a most unearl-like manner. "Yes, I do. Very much."
"Don't cry. Please, Tommy-Daddy." Henrietta knelt on his lap and reached up and wiped the tears from his cheeks with her little hands. Tommy glanced at Barbara who was looking at them both with tears dribbling unchecked down her cheeks. She tried a weak smile, but it caused more tears.
"I'm crying because I am happy. You're very clever to work that out, Henrietta."
"I am smarter than everyone in my class." It was not conceited, just a statement of fact.
Barbara laughed and nudged him in the ribs. "Definitely your daughter."
There was a loud rattle behind them as the apartment's door opened then closed. "Why is everyone crying?"
"Henrietta worked out that I am her father."
"Good. I have ice cream," Winston said as he walked into the lounge. Barbara nodded at him. "Come on Henrietta, help me find some bowls and spoons."
Barbara watched with amusement as Tommy and Henrietta wolfed their Swiss Chocolate. He managed to keep his face clean, but Henrietta seemed to find the spoon a bit too big and smeared it across the face and hands. When she finished, Barbara thought a wash was needed. "Come on, let's wash your face and paws."
The girl laughed and held up her hands. "I don't have paws, Barbra. I have hands."
"Then we need to wash your hands. And your face."
"Suppose." The girl gave her a surly look. It was one her father often used when forced to do something he did not wish to do.
As they washed, Henrietta stared at Barbara who quickly checked in the mirror that she had not miscued with her ice cream. Happy that she still held the high moral ground, Barbara finished drying the girl's hands. "Something on your mind?"
"Are you and Tommy-Daddy married?"
Barbara felt her face flush. "No, we're... just good friends."
"But you sleep with him."
Barbara could barely believe that a four-year-old could understand the concept. "That's an adult thing," she replied in a tone she hoped ended the conversation.
Henrietta looked puzzled. "But last night... you and Tommy-Daddy and me..."
Barbara realised her guilt had overcome common sense. The child was thinking literally of sleeping together, not the euphemistic sense. "Oh, yes, we... sometimes sleep together." Barbara looked in the mirror and frowned at herself. She was digging a bigger hole. "But I have my own flat, at Chalk Farm. Tommy-Daddy lives in Belgravia."
"I live in Mayfair."
Barbara smiled but said nothing.
"Do you have a horse?"
"No."
"Will I live with Tommy-Daddy now?"
"Yes."
"Will I have my own room?"
Barbara nodded. "Of course."
"Can I still stay with you and Tommy-Daddy? I... don't want to sleep by myself."
"At first, yes, but when you are settled, you won't want to stay with us. Big girls sleep by themselves."
"Do you have your own room at Tommy-Daddy's?"
"Um... no." It was not a lie... exactly.
Henrietta grinned. "You should marry Tommy-Daddy."
Barbara tried not to smile. "Should I?"
"Yes. Then he can kiss you."
Barbara did smile. "He has to ask me first."
"Okay."
"Right, now are you all clean, Henrietta?" The girl nodded. "Good, then we can go back."
The bundle of energy ran ahead of her. Barbara walked in the door just as the girl squealed to a halt in front of her father. "Whoa, what's the rush?" he asked.
"You have to ask Babra to marry you so that you can kiss her and make her a Babra-Mummy."
Tommy looked across at Barbara and smiled. "Did Babra, er Barbara, tell you that?"
Henrietta nodded. "She said you have to ask her so that we can all sleep together until I am too big and then I will have my own room."
"I see. I think I can manage that, but Barbara may not want to marry me."
"She does."
Barbara watched as Tommy tried to hide his grin. "How do you know that?"
"She wants to learn to ride, and her farm doesn't have horses."
"Oh, well. Then, of course, she will marry me. Straight away. Won't you Barbara?"
"Um..." Barbara shrugged. "That wasn't exactly what I said."
Henrietta tugged at his hand. "No..." she said with the exasperation children have for silly adults. "You have to do it like they do with real princes. In the books." The girl tried to pull him over towards Barbara. Before either adult could protest, Tommy was on one knee, and Henrietta had grabbed Barbara's hand and shoved it in his.
Tommy took the hint. "Barbara, would you do me the great honour of marrying me?"
Winston and Henrietta clapped and cheered. Barbara gave the constable her filthiest look. She looked at Tommy. His eyes quickly said this was for Henrietta but that he wanted to marry her. Barbara sighed. "Yes."
Winston made a whooping sound. "Way to go Henrietta."
Tommy's face broke into a grin. He half rose and pulled her down into his arms. "I meant it. I love you," he whispered before kissing her as he bent her back over his knee.
Barbara's head spun, but she surrendered to the moment and kissed Tommy with passion. Two days ago they had been just work colleagues, and now she had allowed a four-year-old to manipulate her into marriage. "Tommy, this is crazy," she said when they paused.
"We both need more crazy in our lives." This time his kiss was gentle and loving. It felt reassuring. By the time they stopped, the room was empty. There was noise coming from the kitchen. Barbara smiled at him as she went to stand. "I think Winston is giving us privacy."
Tommy was still kneeling on one knee. He held her firmly and sat her on his leg. "Barbara, that may have been set up by the romantic notions of my daughter, but... I do want us to be married, more than anything. This situation is crazy, I agree, but we both know we can never go back. I would have preferred a romantic dinner and a memorable location shimmering in the moonlight to ask you, but this is no less sincere."
"I'm not really the moonlight type." She stroked his face. "But I will try to make you happy, Tommy."
He grinned at her. "You do." He went to kiss her again, but she stood. "What?"
"We can't get lost in these four walls. We have to solve this... situation."
Tommy nodded then used the sofa to leverage himself to his feet. He rubbed his knees. "You're right. I'll ring James."
