What doesn't kill us

Chapter Twenty

The next morning after a full English breakfast cooked by Harry they set off in a northerly direction having decided last night if tomorrow was to be their last day before they had to return to London and "real" life the day would be spent enjoying the delights the New Forest. They'd agreed they would like to visit Salisbury and Harry had added the rider that he really wanted to see Old Sarum and of course they were both drawn to the henge.

They were lucky as they found a parking space in the middle of Salisbury just adjacent to a bustling Farmer's Market. Ruth rushed out of the car and by the time Harry caught her up she had bought a couple of bottles of chilli sauce and was moving up the aisle towards a stall selling pickles and preserves.

"Do you like piccalilli Harry?

There were so many things that they needed to find out about each other she thought and it was going to be such fun. By the time Harry managed to drag her back to the car they were laden down with jars and bottles containing all manner of good things and Ruth was chattering away about what they would use them for. Harry smiled at her pleasure and the fact that she kept talking about us and we.

He'd broken into a huge smile when one of the stall holders handing him a full carrier bag of produce had remarked

"I'd keep my wallet close Sir, your wife looks as though she on a roll!.

As far as he was concerned Ruth could have anything that she wanted and he's said as much as he followed her up the aisle to the next stall.

"Cup of coffee and a piece of cake I think don't you?" she said as she grasped his hand and led him towards a pretty little tea shop. Sitting down at a window seat Harry ordered two coffees and couple of Chelsea buns. Before their order was ready Ruth darted away from the table to a rack of information leaflets. Picking out one of them she brought it back to the table and opened it

"Look Harry, there's a walk around the Water Meadows that encircles the cathedral and the centre of town. We can get on to it by the cathedral and then get off it really near to where we parked the car. Are you up for it? We could just meander towards the cathedral and then decide if we want to do it?"

After they'd finished their coffee and buns and wandered towards the cathedral Ruth had taken Harry by the hand and pulled him close to her muttering in his ear "You smell nice, you smell like Harry."

God he thought, this woman makes me feel so good, she makes me feel that I could conquer the world if I wanted to. He had been so deep in thought that he'd failed to notice that Ruth had stopped walking and was just staring into a shop window. Talking his arm she urged him in saying

"This looks like fun Harry let's see what they've got."

It was a higgledy piggledy establishment set over three floors in what was obviously a very old building; possibly made up of more than one structure if the uneven floors and strange shaped rooms were anything to go by. Ruth stopped in front of a tall glass display case that contained a very eclectic mix of items but there towards the back was what she'd been hoping to find. A very elegant gentleman's Malacca walking stick. Gesturing to one of the assistants she asked if they could take it out of the case. Harry smiled at her and leant on the cane, trying it for size, it had a carved ball head that looked to be made of ivory or maybe narwhal tusk worn almost smooth with use and it fitted into his hands as though it had been made for him. It was by some trick of serendipity perfect for him both in height and weight.

Leaning in to whisper in Ruth's ear he said "Does it make me look sexy Ruth? Do I look as sexy as John Steed?"

Ruth coloured beautifully and pretended not to have heard him as she moved along to the next display cabinet, seeing that it was full of jewellery she made to move smartly on but Harry held her back saying

"My turn now. Which one were you looking at Ruth, because I know you'd spotted at least one that you like."

"That one Harry" Ruth pointed to a silver filigree ring set with two heart shaped pieces of amber. "The amber reminds me of your eyes. I thought nothing could be as beautiful as your eyes but those stones very nearly are. So that one."

"Would you wear that as a token of our love Ruth, as a symbol of the journey that we are on together. I have something to show you when we get back to London but I would be really happy if you'd accept this from me. If it fits of course."

Of course because they were Harry and Ruth and now was their time the ring fitted perfectly. Ruth didn't put it on her ring finger but on her middle finger and it looked as though it had been there forever. Placing her lips first on Harry and then on the ring she promised to wear it forever. There was a bit of discussion about who was paying for what especially when Ruth found out how much the ring cost but in the end they both got their own way. As Harry was paying for the ring he noticed Ruth crouching down beside a pretty little chair, carved and covered in green silk so pale it was almost grey. Running her fingers over it gently setting it rocking slowly a far away look in her eyes.

Leaning into speak to the proprietor he said quietly "The chair, put sold on it please I'll pay for it now and ring you later with shipping instructions."

"Do you mean the the Victorian nursing chair Sir? It's rather expensive."

Harry brushed aside any concerns about the price and paid what the woman asked taking from her a business card assuring her that he would ring her later in the day to arrange delivery.

It was early afternoon when they joined the walk, the sun was shining and all was right with their world. Harry found it surprisingly easy to adjust to using the stick and he let Ruth know how comfortable it was.

"Well" said Ruth "It does lend you a certain sort of gravitas and yes before you ask it makes you look very, very sexy."

"Sexier than John Steed?"

"John Who?"

Laughing Harry swept her into his arms and kissed her long and hard on footpath in the middle of one of England's oldest cathedral cities before they both collapsed into peals of laughter not giving a damn about some of the disapproving looks they got. It felt good to act like care free teenagers! To leave the real world behind.

Suddenly there was an almighty clap of thunder and the heavens opened, luckily they were just coming up to one of the four exits from the walk and they were able to hurry back to the car where they sat with the heater on full blast, the steam rising from their clothing as they dried. They looked at each other and Harry said

I'm sorry Ruth but do you really want to go up to Stonehenge? It looks as though the rain has set in and we're both soaked to the skin, my vote is we get back to the cabin as soon as we can, have a cup of tea and a sandwich and then jump in the hot tub."

In less than forty minutes they were back, kettle on . Ruth stood in the bedroom shivering and Harry came up behind her saying softly "Go and take a shower, that'll warm you up quickly."

"What about you Harry? You must be just as cold. Come in with me please. You can keep your underpants on if it makes you more comfortable."

And so they shared their first shower together, a rather chaste affair that would be the source of much hilarity and leg pulling down the years but it was another barrier crossed and as Harry held out a huge bath sheet to wrap Ruth in as she slipped off her wet knickers he pulled her close and swore to her that he would never let her go again.

"Do we need the hot tub now Harry?" she asked "I fancy a cuddle on the bed, but please do take your wet trunks off first, wrapped in towels we can lay on top of the bed and just cuddle and snooze. I don't know what's wrong with me I'm so relaxed I'm almost horizontal already!"