From the moment that Paul had told her that Harry and Ruth were getting married, Ellie's mind had been occupied with the logistics of them getting there. That it was going to coincide with the boys starting another chapter in their lives, at a boarding school in the UK and close enough to where Paul's parents lived for them to stay at the weekends, so might not have been able to come, or by the look on their faces, hadn't wanted to, she'd accepted. Both of them at that awkward age, when if she'd tried to push them, would have resulted in one almighty argument. So instead, with the thought that at least there were two new suits that she didn't have to buy, she'd hugged them at the airport, before driving home to what had felt like a very empty house.

Compensating herself with the thought that Maddie who had just turned six, was bouncing with excitement. Excitement that had turned into wonder when she'd taken her shopping for what was described on the label as a party dress. This little girl who up until now had spent her entire life wearing shorts and very little else and unlike the boys, demanded nothing other than to be loved, now telling the shop assistant that she was going to be a princess. How she'd computed bridesmaid into princess or why she'd chosen that moment to attempt a curtsey, Ellie had no idea. The only thing that mattered at the end of what had been a very long day, was that she couldn't help by agree with the assistant who had told Maddie that she looked lovely. Or be surprised when Maddie wanted to go through the whole rigmarole again, when her father arrived home.

Paul who suggested that she'd got the idea from one of her fairy stories when she asked him, covering his eyes as requested and slumping into a chair. Both mentally and physically exhausted, after what had been a lengthy transfer of the entire regiment into their new barracks, and them into new a house. This man who could and should in her opinion, have taken the early retirement and the more than adequate pension that had been offered to him. But unlike Harry who had seen sense and sounded as though he was floating on cloud nine, was talking about signing on for another five years. The final decision with the leeway of a month, two weeks of which they'd be on holiday and if he could be persuaded to change his mind, would allow them to live a life where he didn't disappear for months on end and her without the fear, that one of these days she'd have to tell their children that their dad wasn't coming home.

Now saying to Maddie, 'you look beautiful darling,' which of course she did, and to her, 'don't worry I'm fine.'

'Bears can't fly,' said Maddie, who two days later was helping her to pack, by lining up their shoes, but without an explanation as to why she thought they'd have to leave Barry behind and in a voice that suggested she'd accepted it. Especially as Barry had flown from Cyprus to Germany in an RAF plane and by comparison, the flight to Toulouse would be a lot shorter and a good deal more comfortable. Their original decision which had been to drive all the way and make the journey part of the holiday, having been shelved at the final hour, because the government was advising travellers to avoid the autobahn system unless absolutely necessary due to heavy snow. Snow which was resulting in lengthy tailbacks and accidents, making up their minds and in her case, with a sense of relief. Booking a flight from Frankfurt to Toulouse and a hiring a car, guaranteeing that they'd get there with a minimum of stress and in half the time.

Harry, who when she'd called him. assuring her that, 'arriving a couple of days earlier wouldn't be a problem,' before she'd handed the phone to Maddie who had wanted to say hello. Not that she thought for a moment that Harry had said anything to make Maddie decide to leave her beloved bear behind. But whatever the reason, Barry was going to go with them, secreted in her hand luggage if needs be. Her wakeup call set for the morning and with Paul due home any moment, she had plenty of other things to be getting on with.

.

Having prepared everything the previous day down to the finest detail and double checked more than once that they hadn't forgotten anything, Ruth was in for a morning of a different kind.

Because, 'not yet,' Harry told, leaning in to kiss her, having climbed back into bed. After bringing her the usual morning cup of tea and she'd said, 'she needed to get up.'

Their morning walk shelved, as was breakfast at least for the moment, because not only did Harry want some what he thought of as 'them time' before their visitors arrived, but he also wanted to make love to his soon to be wife.

Daft in the first instance, he acknowledged that, because almost every day since they'd move in, they'd spent on their own, but this was the last day and more importantly morning before the wedding, when he'd have Ruth all to himself. To make love to her, when their nearest neighbours were miles away, as opposed to being next door. Which for some reason, was increasing the anticipation, in a way that was making it feel as though what they were about to do was illicit. That it was somehow going to be special in a way that it hadn't been before, he knew was ridiculous. Because it was always special and something to be treasured. The mistletoe having sent it to new heights and in every room in the house. Besides they were never going to turn into one of those, it's Sunday morning dear, so we have sex couples.

The feeling of Ruth's fingers trailing their way across his groin and saying, 'resistance is futile Harry,' proving the point.

That they fell asleep afterwards and woke up in a blind panic, was because Harry couldn't remember where he'd left his phone. No longer an extension of his hand as it had been during his years on the grid, wouldn't normally have been an issue in this newly constructed life where they ate when they were hungry and slept when they were tired. But today it was. Ruth eventually finding it in Harry's discarded trouser pocket while he was still in the shower and she was about to go downstairs. Her stomach rumbling and his phone telling her that it was past lunchtime, so they needed to get a wriggle on. Unless of course the flight got delayed which was highly unlikely.

Which after two slices of toast each and having received a text message from Paul, saying that they'd landed and had picked up the car at twelve, left them with less than an hour to tidy up. That it would still be early enough for their guests to negotiate their way up the two flights of steps with the luggage and get themselves settled in, before the temperature dropped and the watery sun disappeared, a good thing.

.

Confirmed when, 'this place is amazing,' said Paul, when he and Harry were carrying the last of their things, including Maddie who had fallen over on terrace, so had all the appearances of a miniature snowman. Because in her eagerness to see what had been described by her youngest brother as a castle in the mountains, hadn't been concentrating. All of them taking a breather and were looking across the valley and at the view which Harry had confessed, 'he'd never take for granted,' to which Paul had replied, 'I can see why.' A conversation that had started with a warm handshake, just as it had been when they'd last seen each other. Ruth and Ellie who had gone ahead of them to put the kettle on and to give Ruth the chance to show Ellie the why's and wherefores of the barn, having a similar conversation.

That Charlie had told Maddie, that Harry and Ruth lived in a giant castle which was haunted and that there were bears living in the pine forests who weren't friendly, they only found out when they were sitting down to dinner. Maddie still awake and full of energy, having refused to go to bed and had started to cry when Ellie produced Barry like a rabbit out of a hat, now explained.

Ruth stepping in verbally and calming the already choppy waters, not only succeeding in changing the expression on Paul's face, which had suggested that Charlie was going to get a strict talking too, but stemmed Maddie's tears. Listing the wildlife that did occupy the forests, but with a few embellishments of her own. Remembered from the Wind in the Willows and the Beatrix Potter stories that her own mother had read to her when she'd been Maddie's age, whilst leaving out the many and varied exploits that some of less than friendly creatures got up to. That she was looking directly at Maddie and making it up as she went along, using her fingers to represent whiskers, ears, noses and tails, meant that she didn't see the look of adoration on Harry's face. Something that didn't get past Paul or Ellie and led to the decision that when she and Harry went for their usual walk the following morning, they had Maddie for company.

Harry having said, 'we'd love to,' when they'd been rounding off the evening and Ellie had asked him, 'if he knew what he was letting himself in for, when he'd suggested that he and Ruth took Maddie on their morning walk?' Before adding, 'she couldn't remember the last time that she and Paul had had a lie in.'

Which was why Maddie who they'd collected at eight and had breakfast with them, knew what fun it was to dip pieces of croissant into your hot chocolate before you ate them and how messy your fingers got if you dropped them and Harry had to fish them out for you. All thoughts of bears forgotten and made even better, when she'd been allowed to help with the washing up, Harry ensuring that there were enough bubbles to create havoc. On what was a beautiful morning now that the sun had come up and the three of them, having negotiated their way down the drive, were walking along the road. Wrapped up against the cold and in complete contrast to the last time that they'd done anything with Maddie, Ruth was pointing out footprints in the snow. None other than theirs being human. Creatures who came out at night and they rarely saw, with Maddie fascinated and as they remembered, full of questions.

'That's holly. I know because we had some at Christmas,' she told them, when they reached the track which they'd planned on taking. This small child who had spent her entire life on Cyprus, adapting without complaint to the freezing conditions and enjoying herself, as were they. If for no other reason than Maddie was a distraction from overthinking the wedding and whether the arrangements that they'd made for the meal afterwards and the evening, had any flaws. The forest that they were walking in, no longer frightening her, despite the constant rustling in the undergrowth. Walking between them and chattering twenty to the dozen. Harry ready to pick her up and carry her if needs be, until they reached to spot where they always stopped.

'Where's that?' asked Maddie, pointing to the church where the clock was striking ten.

'It's where we go shopping, it's where the croissants we had at breakfast are made,' Ruth told her. Keeping it simple, rather than tell her it was where they were going to go for lunch because it was market day. Or how much she and Harry were looking forward to showing Paul and Ellie, the place that they thought of as home.

'It's pretty, I like it here,' Maddie continued, reaching out to touch a small bush that was laden with snow.

So do we thought Harry, picking her up so that she could get a better view, because even without looking at her, he knew that Ruth had run out of words to respond.

.

'Cyprus, with the sea on our doorstep, was if I'm honest a great posting, whereas this latest one where we're on the outskirts of a large city, is already getting Ellie down,' Paul told Harry, when they were waiting for Ruth, Ellie and Maddie who had gone into the florists where the flowers for their wedding were on order. The restaurant having been booked for weeks and now that they'd arrived, they'd rung to confirm that they'd be a party of nine. Paul who had thanked Harry for looking after Maddie for the morning, which had given him and Ellie the chance to have a proper conversation, now leaning against the river wall and marvelling at the sheer beauty of the surroundings, before continuing. 'The temperature here, doesn't get into your bones like it does when you're surrounded by high rise buildings, or standing on a Parade Ground and barking orders.'

'What are you really telling me?' Harry asked him. The tables turned from that awful day, when Harry had got the call to say that Ruth had been kidnapped and why he would forever be grateful for Paul's help.

After what to Harry felt like a long time, 'I look at you and Ruth and I see everything that Ellie and I could be again.' Paul told him. His chance to elaborate, ending with the arrival of the family and only revisited when he and Harry were alone that evening. Five days and counting, already reduced to four.