Author's notes: Thanks so far for all your reviews and PMs. You won't believe how inspirational they sometimes could be. Here's another chapter because it's Sunday - at least in Europe ;-)

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February Barbecue - Champagne and Obligations

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... - 5 - ...

Barbara was daydreaming of the morning's meeting at the cooker, remembered the short but promising encounter at the fridge and let her eyes rake over his body, let them drown in his, smiling at him while he talked with a guest a few yards away from where she stood. His dark hair was even darker in the night, his eyes were black marbles, his skin seemed tanned in the yellow and orange light from all the candles and torches and fires that burned in the iron baskets. Fantasising about what she would like to do with him right now and right here if they would be alone she reddened at the warm feeling in her belly the mere thought of it gave her and quickly averted her eyes.

Once again she had the feeling of being observed by the whole party. After a few sips at her champagne it came to her mind that she had not yet given him the wooden box so she searched for Tommy's eyes again. It did not take too long because he might have wandered around but still his eyes riveted on Barbara. She was asking him with just one look and one almost invisible turn of her head to follow her right now. Distinctively she placed the still half-full glass of champagne in the middle of the empty bar table. Without waiting for a nod she turned and left. She knew he had understood - they had practised and perfected their silent communications over the years. This had been a clear invitation. Tommy swallowed and hesitated just a second before he bid his cousin to excuse him and expectantly followed her into the house.

At the moment fortunately nobody was in the living room adjoining the veranda, so nobody saw him following his favourite guest into the hall.

Barbara had hidden the box next to a big cupboard at the foot of the grand staircase.

"I still have to give you your present." she said when he had catched up with her.

"Oh, you're the best present I ever got. I don't need anything else." Tommy pulled her close and finally was rewarded with the so much wanted kiss. A very intense kiss that left them breathlessy leaning against the heavy oak wood cupboard.

"Gosh, Tommy..." she breathed and buried her face into his chest. "Seriously. I simply wanted to give you this present. I've found something so nice for you. Please let go of me to bring it."

"Only under protest."

"Protest noticed."

With the remark that she had eaten the chocolates on her own she gave him the wooden box she had wrapped only in a big green ribbon with a nice bow right above the copper plate with his name. "It's nothing special but it's nice I think."

Tommy loosened the bow and carelessly let the ribbon fall to the floor. His eyes lit up when he saw the engraved name.

Barbara explained where she had bought it. "I've found this box coincidentally at an antiques shop in some side alley. You can store your cuff links in it. Or your tie pins. I thought this was better than the choc-"

Her explanation was interrupted by another desperate kiss with his hips pushing her against the cupboard.

In her mind she had gotten used to his given name before his silly walk tonight. She had secretly wanted to give him a hint. Tommy was sure of that. Oh, he had been so blind. The kiss grew even hotter now that they were alone for the moment.

Tommy wanted nothing more than to be all alone with her. Heavily breathing he mumbled into her ear. "Let's go to Asherton View Point now. I never showed you this beautiful spot."

Barbara had her eyes closed and enjoyed his lips on her skin. "You run away again?" she huskily asked, her hands raking through and across everything they could reach.

"No. I just need to cool down outside and want to show you this place." He gently nibbled at her earlobe and elicited a little moan from her lips.

"Tommy..."

"In fact I just want to be alone with you!" He gave her a deep look clearly saying that he wanted to go upstairs and do anything but cool down. Forget about that view point! Her eyes told him that she agreed. There was fear, there were expectations, and most of all there was desire shining in those green eyes.

They shared another gentle kiss to seal the deal. His body pressed her softly against the furniture in her back and she let her head bump against the wood to give him better access to her throat.

"Ah, Tommy!" Daze called from the door to the living room.

"What now?!" he grunted roughly into the crook of Barbara's neck.

Their encounter was interrupted by his mother asking him to please come back onto the veranda because Vicar Haines had just arrived and he had brought Mayor Trescothick with him. "You should-"

"No! No. I don't care about the bloody old men, mum, I'm..." He looked at Barbara who tried to hide her red face behind his chest. "She's... We're... Mum!" Tommy had the desperation clearly written in his face. What they were was obvious for his mother. She might be old but she was not dumb and she had not forgotten how it felt to be newly in love. Actually she experienced the feeling quite lively at the moment. She smiled and shook her head, more to get rid of the thoughts of Alfred than to stop Tommy's teenagerish objections.

Someone unexpected supported her. Barbara gave in to her usual hesitancies and the re-surfacing fears where this kiss surely would have led them. She wanted them to get there but the nearer it came the more she feared to disappoint Tommy. Seconds ago she wanted him in her arms more than anything else in the world and had put her objecting apprehensions in the farthest corner of her mind. Now she used reason as a pretext to backtrack. She cupped his face with one hand and reminded him of his duties as the host of this party.

"Tommy, you're the Earl here. You're the Lord and Master of this house. You should let them bootlick you, they expect that from you and it probably boosts their ego."

Tommy grinned. No, Barbara truly did not need her ego to be boosted. She only should detect more often that she was a very strong woman. A woman in fact, and he wanted to learn more of that woman right now. He still tried to object.

"I put no value to be bootlicked, you know that."

"But they do."

"Are you playing my guilty conscience?" Tommy raised an eyebrow.

"No, Sir, but probably these old important men feel rejected and therefore become sulky or even mad at you and I've had enough bad atmosphere for one weekend. I could do with a few more hours of peace and ease."

Defeated he sighed. She was right, but still...

"Now go. I'll follow when I've ...umm ...refreshed a bit." Barbara blushed when she shot a quick glance at Daze who looked intrigued at the couple. She had followed their whole conversation with a raised eyebrow.

Well, what Barbara had said would not have been her exact choice of words but in fact she was right and miraculously it worked. Her son deeply sighed and turned to re-attend his barbecue party. Daze had expected it to be a, let's say different relationship between the fiery sergeant and her son, but obviously Barbara seemed to have some strange impacting influence on him. And Daze never would have thought that this woman whom she had come to know as always defending her own working class roots now reminded Tommy of his duties as the Earl of Asherton. Which he on the other hand usually never forgot. How very strange.

And he had called her mum. Twice. He had not for decades.

... - 6 - ...

Vicar Haines greeted him with open arms and a bottle of an expensive wine. The old man once had baptised him and later his siblings and was a good old friend of the family. Mayor Trescothick on the other hand was no friend but in his role as the mayor of Nanrunnel had to be treated special. He always was a bit too servile and obviously derived benefit from knowing the Ashertons. Well, their beneficial engagements also took advantage of the fact that the mayor loved to see their crest in the town hall's window and on his web site so Daze shamelessly could advertise there.

The Vicar already had found someone else to talk to and had left Tommy alone with the wordy mayor. Now Trescothick almost showcased his formal excuse for being late and held a little speech to the birthday boy and those who could not flee quick enough. He spoke about Nanrunnel and its beautiful surroundings while he was giving his present to Tommy. After having thanked sufficiently Tommy offered him the whole range of drinks and something to eat.

"Feel free to take what you want." Then he finally could escape him and he fled back to Barbara who meanwhile had come back outside.

"Look, what he'd given me - a beautiful calendar." His voice was a bit sarcastic, Barbara noticed. The calendar from the national trust showed 52 pictures of Cornwall. She knew it.

"It's a nice calendar. Don't be surprised when you see the exact same thing at my bedroom wall." she said. "I've bought one of it too."

Suddenly recognising what her suggestion implied she looked at Tommy's smiling face with wide shocked eyes. "Oh, umm... I..." She blushed. She should get used to the idea that, well, someday soon he would be in her bedroom.

Tommy also did not miss the hint and grinned even more. Some day soon he would love to be unaware of a calendar on her bedroom wall.

When he was pulled away by two friends to help them decide which Whisky was the better one he quickly whispered "Hold that thought, Barbara." before he disappeared.

She was too slow to give him a suitable answer.

A little later some guests already had gone and the others mostly were inside now since it had become quite fresh outside. Barbara had talked with Andrea on the veranda about her job in Oxford. Now she started to freeze and went inside where she spotted Tommy standing with two 'bloody old men', one of them wearing a clerical collar, talking animatedly. She walked over and forgot that she had not wanted any public signs of affection on this party. She simply looped her arm through his, leaned a bit into Tommy's side and said "Hi!"

While Tommy, irritated for just a short moment, introduced them she smiled and nodded.

"Vicar Haines... and Mayor Trescothick. Gentlemen, this is Barbara Havers." After a short pause he added with his eyes on her "My partner."

"Miss Havers." Vicar Haines smiled and just shook hands with her but Trescothick took her hand and placed a kiss on it.

"Milady."

Bootlicker! Barbara thought. "Just Miss. Or Detective Sergeant if you absolutely want a title. Nice to meet you."

"So, you're working partners as well, I suppose?"

Nosy old man! Tommy thought. "For more than ten years now."

"A very long time." the Vicar acknowledged.

"Haven't we already met at the engagement party of Lord Asherton and Lady Helen?" Trescothick was not very subtle.

Tommy winced and expected an outburst from Barbara.

"We've all been good friends for such a long time." she evasively answered. The Mayor did not need to know that Helen had not liked her very much and envied her for being around her husband all day long. Why the hell had he brought up that topic anyway?

Idiot!

Fortunately the vicar changed the subject by praising this party and joking that it obviously was no bad sign she attended it because they still were celebrating and not chasing criminals like the last time.

He went on thin ice but hit Barbara's humor. She laughed out loud and added that it looked like they had divine succour since he was there.

"You should attend all ou...f the coming events, Vicar." she grinned. With a side glance at Tommy she noticed that he had registered her little faux pas. She almost had said 'our coming events' but turned it into an 'of' in the last second. His smile had a little smug grin in its corners.

Daze had seen their conversation and overheard most of it. Leaning back into the cushions of the sofa she said to Alfred that she was glad that she could retire soon.

"What do you mean, darling? Already tired?"

"No. Over there. Look." Alfred followed the motion of her nod. "This is the next Lady Asherton."

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