Unseasonable sunshine befell the Lakes the very next day, which the curate and the publican saw as a sign to explore their surroundings in the nearby town of Kendal.
The truth of the matter was that both parties knew what another day of solitude would lead them to and although tempted beyond measure, they realised that a day in the company of others would at least quell the opportunity, if not the desire.
From the cobbled streets to the superfluity of independent shops, Kendal was almost entirely like Ballykissangel's nearest neighbour Cilldargan. Neither Peter nor Assumpta brought this up however, neither wanting the memory of home to impress on this holiday. Kendal was hilly too, leading Peter to unconsciously take Assumpta's hand as they ascended the path leading up from the car park.
"Where do you want to go?"
"You tell me," she replied, wrapping her fingers around his tightly and trying to repress a grin. "I've never been here before."
"Well, there's an antiques arcade down this road. Or a sweet shop if you're in the market for any Kendal mint cake… or a Pub?"
"Because I've never been to one of those…"
"Okay, antiquing it is." Peter declared resolutely, leading his companion into a nameless grey stone building.
Over lunch, they compared their spoils.
"I don't care if it's a fake, I still like it."
Peter shook his head with incredulity. "But it doesn't even look like a genuine Clarice Cliff – and you paid well over the odds for it."
"I don't care. I needed a new milk jug, and here it is." Assumpta admired the angular yellow, orange and green ceramic happily, much to Peter's chagrin.
"You're not actually going to use it, are you?" he balked. "Fake or not it's still a good sixty or seventy years old. Crockery of that age should be admired on a shelf somewhere, never actually used."
"Now where's the fun in that?"
Before Peter could reply, the couple's food arrived – for the hungry northerner, a Lancashire Hot Pot. Assumpta opted for a decidedly gargantuan Ploughman's spread.
Despite having already 'been to a pub', she buckled fairly quickly when her self-appointed tour guide suggested going to this old-fashioned inn for lunch. Similar in size and age to Fitzgerald's, the building gave the illusion of being grandiose and intimate at the same time.
"This place is nice."
"Told you so," Peter agreed, his mouth wrestling with a particularly stubborn carrot.
"It makes me think, you know. What I could do with Fitzgerald's."
Although he didn't mean to, Peter froze at the mention of home. The past two days had been so full of fun and laughter, that he'd almost forgotten that there was a reality outside of this.
Picking up on his discomfort, and immediately wishing she hadn't been so quick to bring up Ballykissangel, Assumpta took a guilty bite of her cheddar, concluding quickly that this was the best cheese she'd ever tasted.
"This is amazing – you have to try it."
Grateful for the change in subject, the curate took a generous bite of the cheese and bread in the publican's proffered hand. "Hey!" she exclaimed in protest. "Leave me with a thumb why don't you."
Peter smiled with his eyes and took his companion's fingers with his own. Around them other diners were too busy with their own conversations to notice the display that was unfolding. This fresh tenderness, once refused light enough to grow, was free to flourish in this new environment.
They shared an easy silence for the remainder of the meal, their left hands entwined on the table's edge.
"What do you want to do now?" Peter asked after their bill had been settled.
"Now there's a question."
"Weather doesn't look up to much," he commented, turning his head to the dark cloud forming on the horizon. "We could go back to the house? Play a board game?"
Assumpta rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh Peter, you certainly know how to show a girl a good time."
"There's alcohol…"
"Going to have to do better than that."
Right on cue the heavens opened, spilling thick drops of rain onto the holidaymakers.
"How about a roof?" Peter added, desperately.
"Done," she called above the torrential downpour as the pair headed hastily back to the car.
When they finally arrived back, Peter and Assumpta were soaked to the skin.
Owing to a fallen tree 100 yards from their house, the pair had to abandon the car in a nearby street and run coatless and umbrella-less to their own front door.
The dry warmth of the foyer was a welcome relief. Cold, extremely wet and exhausted from the short sprint, all Assumpta could imagine doing at that precise moment was sinking into a hot bath.
But fate had other ideas.
"How can there be no heating?" Peter grumbled, inspecting the radiator. "It was on when we left."
"Has the boiler gone too?"
"It will have if the heaters aren't working. It's all connected."
The publican grimaced. Oh well. There goes her bath.
"We still have the fire." Peter added hopefully, straining to keep his eyes on his companion's face and not her rain-soaked t-shirt. "Enough fire-wood to last the night too."
Assumpta inspected the meagre pile of logs. "Only if we go to bed early…" Unintentionally, she locked eyes with Peter.
"We can do that," he answered unexpectedly.
Her mind raced at the same velocity of her heart. For once they were in sync. Up to now, their holiday romance had gone no further than a few lingering looks – a single touch, here and there. Was this about to change?
"We could." Despite the confidence in her voice, Assumpta's knees weakened as the possibility of what this evening could hold. What it probably would hold.
"I'll get the fire going."
Assumpta felt her palms sweat at the euphemistic suggestion of his comment. Shaking this off, she gestured to her uncomfortably wet and clinging top and uttered, "I'll change into something less transparent."
Peter nodded assuredly, but his was heart racing. For both their sakes, he hoped that she'd stay true to her word.
A/N - Like Assumpta would miss a golden opportunity like this! Thanks for all of your lovely comments. Reading through the story so far, I think Assumpta has come across as a bit wet - where's that notorious Fitzgerald spark?! I guess her crush must have quietened her for a while. We've all been there, right? All I can say is that's all going to change as of the next chapter. Girl is gonna get fierce!
Reviews are adored!