As soon as Harry announced that Catherine was coming to stay, Wes turned into a miniature quiz master. How old was she? What did she look like? And almost incessantly when was she coming?'

Questions which had started as far back as the morning after the wedding, when the answer had been in a couple of months or so. Which is now the day after tomorrow. To coincide with Wes's school breaking up for the summer holidays and when he and Ruth are leaving for a long overdue honeymoon. Catherine who having missed out on the wedding itself, had when Graham called her to say that he'd taken time off to look after Wes while they were away, typically booked her flight as soon as she'd put the phone down.

That Harry hasn't seen his daughter since he'd seen her off after the November Committee Op, is he's conceded or at least until she settles down and has a family of her own, how it's going to be. When even then there will be no guarantee that she'll set up home in Britain. Never mind conform in the way that he now has. Something that when they chat on the phone, prompted by him sending her the photos of the wedding day so now do on a regular basis, she's made quite clear. The only giveaway to her being the young girl he remembers her to be, when they'd built a sandcastle together on the one of the rare family visits to the coast, is that that there had been a tinge of uncertainty in her voice when she'd said she was genuinely excited at the prospect of meeting Ruth and Wes and seeing where they'd set up home.

As opposed to Graham, who within weeks of the wedding had moved in with Mel. Perfectly content with his lot are the vibes they get when either of them speak to him. Laid back to the point where he no longer finds himself worrying about his son. Even today which is an overly warm one, despite the breeze which is coming in off the sea. Which means that in Central London the temperatures will have reached the point where the hospitals will be flooded with calls from people who have ignored the advice to stay indoors and keep hydrated. Heaping even more work on his son and his girlfriend who he's just spoken, if only briefly.

'My advice for what it's worth, is to let Catherine and Ruth have their moment,' Mel tells Graham, as they walk back in the direction of the main entrance. Repeating what she'd said before Harry had called. Graham having suggested that he take an extra day off. Pick his sister up at the airport and drive her to Suffolk. Reminding him how he'd felt when he'd first met Ruth and then later on Wes. That and he should try and imagine how Ruth must be feeling at the prospect of meeting his sister and trust that she'll cope in the same way that she did with him.

.

Which is why the protective network led by Ros, who still sees Harry and Ruth as family, has allowed Jo to meet Catherine at the airport. 'To pave the way to a harmonious reunion whatever it takes,' are her instructions. A good enough reason for Jo not to waste any time. So tells Catherine, who she can't decide is worried or fired up, as well as being tired, 'that she knows that Harry and Ruth are looking forward to seeing her.'

Primarily because when she'd walked through the gate, there was something about Catherine that reminded her of Harry before Ruth had come home. Lost being his overriding persona. Which had made her think twice before she'd introduced herself as being one of their friends, rather than tell Catherine that she's one of what used to be their colleagues. Despite them having to wait for what in Jo's head is more luggage than she would have taken on a two-week holiday by the sea.

After which she drives out of the airport and into the line of traffic that is heading into central London. When the clock on the dashboard tells her that she's got plenty of time to get Catherine to the bus station. Where because there's nowhere else to go, they pass the time by sitting in the same coffee shop as Ruth had. The alternative being to play who's going to say something next, in what is a crowd of overwrought passengers.

In complete contrast to Ruth, who when she'd arrived at a different terminal, with what at the time had been everything she owned, had been completely alone in every sense. Struggling down the steps to the underground platform. Unaware that she was being watched by Harry courtesy of Malcolm, on what had been his birthday.

But that's where the difference ends. Because unlike Harry whose eyes had been glued to the woman that he'd thought he'd never see again, what Jo doesn't pick up on, is that Catherine who is running on empty having flown from the States, just wants to be plummeted by whatever method to her final destination. But before that happens, she needs to head into the bathroom to check that she doesn't look as bad as she assumes she does. That and once her heartrate slows down, allow herself to imagine that if the coach is on time, that she'll make her train connection. After which she tells herself, the next couple of weeks are entirely dependent on her reacting in a positive way.

That the coach is several minutes late and over a second cup of coffee, 'in my wildest dreams, I never imagined my father would get married again. Never mind give up work,' she tells Jo. For no other reason than she looks about the same age as she is and nothing like the spies of her imagination. Wearing dark clothes like her father always had. Creeping about in the shadows. As opposed to Jo who is wearing jeans and a vest top.

Cue courage thinks Jo, taking the opportunity to say what she wants to, which is, 'wait until you see the two of them together and if you ask your dad nicely, he might even give you an insight into their backstory.'

'Dad never talked about work,' says Catherine.

'I'm not talking about work Catherine. I'm talking about them as a couple. I haven't seen either of them since the day that your dad retired. But one of my colleagues was a guest at their wedding and when I asked him how it went, he said, 'all's right with the world.'

'Malcolm?'

'Yes, I'd forgotten you know him,' is a lie to buy Jo some time. Because it's reached the point where she's struggling to imagine how someone who had been so assured when she'd met David Swift, can be worried about meeting someone as kind and gentle as Ruth is? Not enough that she's prepared to tell her that she thinks Ruth will be just as nervous as she is. Or that unlike Catherine, Ruth will have back up if she can't cope. Because Harry loves Ruth with a passion that holds no bounds and if that means him telling his daughter to listen before she reaches for the guillotine, she knows he'll do it.

.

Why is it Harry thinks to himself. That when you're waiting in either an airport lounge or on a train station platform, something to be honest he's only done a few times, you constantly look at the notice boards to see if the person you're meeting is going to be late? Or in the case of trains, has been bundled onto a coach and diverted to somewhere that ensures they'll miss their connection. In which case he'll have to drive however many miles to pick Catherine up. His daughter, feisty and determined on the one hand and on the plus side he thinks, means that he'll get to spend some precious time with his entire family before he and Ruth finally go to Paris.

He's so caught up in his thoughts, that he nearly misses the board which is telling him that Catherine's train is on time. Straining to see it, far too close to the edge to be called safely, when it finally appears around the corner, it feels like an age before it seamlessly glides to a halt. Gone are the days when trains rumbled in. When doors were flung open and the suitcase wielding passengers of the poster on the wall behind him, welcoming people to Southwold poured out onto the platform. This is far more sophisticated and has lost something of it's magic, he thinks. Until he spots her and then everything is alright again.

They embrace. Far more easily than they had when they'd said goodbye.

'Hello love you look tired,' he tells her. Wishing he'd said something that wasn't so obviously true, before picking up her back pack. Then realising that he hasn't got a hope in hell of carrying it in the same way that every person Catherine's age seems to these days.

'And you look a lot better than when I last saw you. That and I see you've lost the suit', she tells him, hoping that he can't read how she's feeling. Before swapping the back pack for what had been her hand luggage on the plane. Noticing a barely disguised sigh of relief from her father.

What she also can't help noticing is that he's got a different car. Presumably because he's always ferrying Wes and his pals around. But rather than put her foot in it by assuming, she sticks to what she thinks is safer ground as says, 'thanks for sending Jo to pick me up.'

But it's not until they're bowling along the coast road in the direction of Wes's school. Where Harry knows that by now Ruth will have signed on the dotted line to say that what's staying in Wes's locker over the holiday is his property. Not something he's swopped with one of his friends. Something which they seem to do ad- nauseam. Having already had a nice cup of tea with Mary beforehand and no doubt a one to one with Millie, that he responds.

'Catherine, I didn't send Jo. I have absolutely no influence anymore as to what goes on at Thames House,' he says in a voice which suggests he doesn't even think about work any longer. That he has better things to do.

'On a daily basis probably not. But I bet your ghost still haunts the corridors, looking to catch someone up to no good,' she tells him. Something which out of the corner of her eye, she can see is causing a wry smile to develop. Which means that the dad that she wants him to be, knows that she's pulling his leg. Which just leaves Malcolm's confirmation that all's well with the world to be true, for her to completely relax.

.

Ruth has decided that the best way to approach Catherine, is to ignore what she knows are Harry's concerns that Catherine will take one look at her and say something to infer she's insane to have married him.

Only to feel the tension evaporate, when Wes who has no previous of any kind, steps forward and says, 'I'm Wes. Welcome to Suffolk.'

Had Catherine seen either the look of relief on her father's face or Ruth trying not to laugh, she might well have responded differently.

But as it is, she accepts his outstretched hand and says, 'I'm very pleased to be here Wes.'

That Wes continues to hog the conversation by way of a commentary about the virtues of living by the sea for the next half hour until Harry parks in front of the house, sees a much more relaxed Ruth opening the front door and heading into the kitchen. That and she's learnt that like her, Catherine prefers to drink tea rather than coffee. Other than when she's in cafes, where she claims it's always too strong, so is gasping for a decent cup of tea and now when she takes a proper look at her, thinks that it's only adrenaline which is preventing her from falling asleep. At the same time as Harry, with Wes's help, is carrying Catherine's plus his own luggage upstairs. In effect dodging the issue by pinching what is essentially her Friday afternoon job.

Only for him to come back down ten minutes later, once Wes has changed out of his school uniform, to find that he needs to put a restraining hand on Wes's arm. Because Catherine and Ruth who have decamped to the garden and if Ruth body language is anything to go by, are having a conversation that is anything but stressful.

Had he been able to hear what his daughter was saying to his wife of two months, he'd have been turning cartwheels. But then of course that conversation wouldn't have happened if he'd been out there with them. Instead of which he suggests to Wes that he goes and watches TV, whilst he himself makes a start on getting dinner ready.

A conversation which had been started by Catherine, saying 'I've been a journalist for over ten years. Making films, taking thousands of photos and putting them together, hoping that I'm presenting the truth to whoever watches or reads what I write. So, when Dad sent me your wedding photos and Graham told me how well suited you were, I took it at face value. But now that I've seen you together, I don't think I'll ever look at anything without wondering if I need to think again.'

And finished by Catherine saying, because Ruth hadn't for once been able to analyse what by Catherine's expression she was implying, so hadn't responded, 'I'm just overwhelmed by how right you are for each other.'

Which opened the door, so that the day that followed, the only day that Catherine got to spend with them on her own before Graham arrived, to be one where Harry for the most part was able to take a back seat. Sitting with Ruth, watching his daughter and his youngest son tearing across the beach in the same way that she had with Graham. But in this instance happy to let Wes win. The Catherine of her childhood. The Catherine he remembered in every glorious detail returned to him in circumstances that she'd accepted whole heartedly. His life having gone full circle, but this time with absolute determination that he wasn't going to do anything stupid to ruin it.

A feeling that went into a whole new gear when Graham arrived the next morning and he was able to watch all three of his children interacting with each other. Wes being allowed to take centre stage, having already declared Catherine and Graham to be his bodyguards, so was giving them chapter and verse as what he likes to do and where he wants them to take him while they're here. Which as Harry well knows, is his way of saying that he wants them to enjoy themselves. And if Ruth's prediction is right, will be to tell Catherine everything.

Just as well then that after lunch, he and Ruth have a valid excuse to disappear upstairs and pack. But not before Catherine asks him, 'where are you flying from?'

'We're not were driving,' he tells her. 'You know the concept. A steering wheel and a boot with our cases in it.'

After, 'Driving!' Catherine had responded as though she thought the idea of spending their honeymoon in Paris, would be achieved far better if they went straight there.

As opposed to taking to the less crowded roads. Sitting in cafes and watching the world go. Which in France they intend doing with no particular destination in mind. Other than on their first night, when they're booked to stay in a chateau on the outskirts of St. Omer. And when they finally arrive in Paris, in a hotel which is close to where Ruth had lived and worked.

Something which because Ruth is still upstairs, allows Harry to say, 'I'm not going to spend the entire time wearing shorts and picking flowers by the wayside and before you say what about Ruth, I am taking a suit and tie with me. Which means you can be rest assured she'll be wined and dined to the best of my ability.'

'That's alright then,' from Catherine, makes him wonder of Wes has already said more than he wants his daughter to know.

.

Hugs, kisses and with a promise to keep in touch, the weight which comes off Harry's shoulders the following morning, is far greater than the coat that he'd worn when he'd been at work. With a four- hour drive ahead of them before they reach the channel tunnel, he's not taking any chances so they've left early. Skirting around London the first hurdle, onto what is still only a two-lane motorway. The inside of which is used by lorries, which means that cars have to weave in and out according to volume and the ability of the drivers. Something which won't be a problem for him, or does he care.

Sitting alongside, him having already checked in on line, to save time when they arrive in Folkestone, Ruth has briefly closed her eyes. Unlike Harry she isn't thinking about the Chateau where they're going to stay tonight, other that it's guaranteed to give them everything they need when it comes to the first night of their honeymoon. A bedroom so far removed for the one they share at home, that if either of them need to use the bathroom, they'll need a route map to find it. A menu that's so extensive that she'll be hard pressed to decide what she's going to eat and acres of garden should they feel like a stroll before bedtime.

She's remembering the moment when Graham had said to Harry, 'two whole weeks without a child to worry about. How good is that going to feel?'

To which Harry had responded, 'who on earth takes a child on their honeymoon?'