"We're going out for lunch today," Ruth told Lucy on Sunday morning over toast. "We're meeting a friend of mine."

"Oh," Lucy said. "Who?"

"His names Harry."

"Is he nice?"

"Yes," Ruth said honestly.

"That's okay then," she said brightly, taking a bite of toast. Ruth smiled at her easily. Lucy was so bright and lively that she could get on with anyone, whether she'd met them before or not. She just kept talking and talking until someone else could get a word in edgeways.

"So how was school?" Ruth asked, trying to get her own mind onto something less nerve wracking than introducing Harry to her daughter. She was more nervous than she'd admit to.

Lunchtime came around very quickly and there was a knock on Ruth's front door. She hurried to open it very quickly and saw Harry there, a plastic carrier in his hand. "Hi," she said, letting him in.

"Hi," he replied. "I was looking for something to get Lucy, but then I thought that bribing a child probably wasn't the best idea, but then I thought I couldn't arrive with nothing for her, so I bought a teddy. And then I thought that a teddy might be too young for her, but it was already bought and I…" Ruth put her fingers over his lips to stop his blathering.

"You're nervous," she realised.

"Yes," he said. "I need Lucy to like me. Because if she doesn't like me… you'll show me the door in fairly quick order."

Ruth smiled at him slightly. "Luckily she's not picky. Come in. She's watching the TV and narrating her own storylines." Ruth went into the living room, Harry hovering by the doorway.

"Lucy, Harry's here." Her eyes popped off of the television and turned to the door, seeing the stranger.

"Hi Lucy," he said, putting a smile on his face. "I'm a friend of your mums."

"She said you work together," Lucy said quietly.

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "I got a little present for you." He took the teddy out of the bag and gave it to her.

"Why?" she asked. "Why're you giving me a present? It's not my birthday, it's not Christmas. Why?"

"Er…" Harry said completely thrown.

"Luce, that's not what you say when you're given a gift is it?" Ruth said.

"Sorry," she said. "Thank you Harry," she said with a sweet smile. Lucy looked at him again before deciding the TV was more interesting than the stranger.

"Well that went well," he said to Ruth. "Do you want a coffee before we go?"

"Perfect," Harry said.

"Eat your peas," Ruth said, looking at Lucy's nearly empty plate.

"I don't like peas," she said with dignity.

"Just a couple of forkfuls," Ruth said. "Then ice cream."

"Harry hasn't eaten his peas," Lucy said simply looking at his plate.

"Tell you what," he said. "I'll eat them if you do." He loathed peas with a passion, but thought it was only fair. She tilted her head as if considering his trustfulness and then nodded. Harry ate some and then Lucy followed suit, the latter frowning at the vegetables as she swallowed. Ruth watched in amusement as both Harry and Lucy slowly finished off their plates. Lucy let her fork clatter to the plate. "Now ice cream!"

"Yes," Ruth said. "Ice cream."

"Harry do you want ice cream?" Lucy asked.

"No, I think I'm full," he said smiling at the girl. "Go on and chose a flavour." Lucy darted up to the ice cream cabinet, her mouth dropping open as she looked at all the flavours. Ruth had a feeling that Harry had chosen this place because of the very wide variety of ice cream flavours, to try and impress Lucy. It had worked spectacularly. "She's a very bright girl," Harry said as they both watched her. "She's a credit to you."

"I can't imagine my life without her," Ruth said. "It sounds cliché but she really makes each day worth it." She turned to Harry who was smiling at the look on her face. "Thank you for today."

"You're welcome," he said. "It was fun. Really," he added to her look of incredulity. "Tell me if I'm outstaying my welcome, but I thought we could spend the afternoon playing games with her or something," he said.

"I'm sure you have more important things to do than spend time with my daughter," Ruth said quickly. "I appreciate it, I really do. But don't try to hard Harry."

"I'm not," he said. "Look, yes I probably have better things to spend my time on, but I doubt they'd be as enjoyable. But I understand if I've outstayed my welcome. I'm new to her after all."

"Many things Lucy may be, but scared of strangers isn't one of them," Ruth said. "It worries me that she might go off with someone. You hear all that on the news, and I see more than I should in my work. It frightens me."

"It's such a small proportion," Harry said. "Plus if the worst did happen you could bring the entirety of central London to a standstill with a couple of phone calls."

"I'm not that good," she said with a smile.

"Maybe not yet, but one day," he said. "I, on the other hand have the codes and the power to stop all public transports immediately."

"Harry…"

"You think I'd let any member of staff's child get abducted?"

She was saved answering by Lucy dashing back to the table, a massive ice cream sundae in her hands. "You'll never eat all that," Harry said.

"No, she never does," Ruth agrees. "So I finish it off. What flavours have you got darling?"

"Mango, peach, vanilla and…" she screwed up her face as if remembering. "Blueberry!" she finished with triumph.

"Can I try some?" Ruth asked. Lucy nodded and Ruth picked up a spoon. She felt very content.

Ruth had her feet tucked under her, Harry sitting next to her as they shared a bottle of merlot. Lucy had been put to bed about an hour ago and they'd been enjoying each others company. "How did you get to become section head anyway?"

"I knew the man who retired," Harry said. "He was hiring for his replacement himself, and I had a bit of knowledge which didn't go amiss," he said.

"Go on," she said as he paused.

Harry sighed. "He had a prostitute which he used regularly. One he didn't want his wife to know about."

"You blackmailed him into giving you the job?!"

"No," he said. "I went through the interview process, the same as everyone else. I was the best candidate and the most qualified. But someone else offered him his villa in Italy if he got hired. He played dirty, so I dug out my information. Not very dignified, but I deserved the job."

"Fair enough," she said with a smile. "Where did your reputation come from? As far as I'm aware, you've been a perfect gentleman."

"I tend to… get bored easily," he admitted. "And I also have slept with my fair share of married women." Ruth glared at him for a moment. "I'm not proud of it, but I'm not going to lie to you either. When I was an agent it was a good way of getting information on a diplomat. Their wives are usually intelligent and beautiful women who are bored out of their minds. But I grew up," he assured her.

"Why tell me then?" she asked. "If I don't have to worry?"

"Because you deserve the truth," he said simply as he looked at her. "My past isn't honourable or dignified, but telling you is better than having you wondering about it." She squeezed his hand tightly for a moment in thanks. "Now, at the risk of getting chucked out of your house, I have an insensitive question to ask." He took a deep breath and caught her eyes for a moment. "Lucy's father." It was as if Ruth had frozen. The surprise and shock on her face kept her still for about a minute until she could bring herself to speak.

"I don't talk about him," she said, her voice quiet. "He's… not involved and that's all I want to say."

"Ruth…"

"No," she said quietly but firmly.

"Okay," he said. "I won't ask."

"Thank you," she said before taking a large sip of wine.

"I think I should leave," Harry said after a moment. The happy, easygoing atmosphere had been well and truly broken, and he felt like an idiot for putting his foot in it. "See you tomorrow?"

"Yes," she agreed. He put his empty glass down and got up. He reached the living room doorway when Ruth shook her head and went to him. "Wait." He turned and looked at her. "It's a reasonable question. I'm sorry, I just don't like talking about it." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry." He smiled slightly at her but it didn't reach his eyes. He reached down and kissed her gently and softly. Ruth reacted, deepening the kiss, his hands around her waist, pulling her flush against his body. She sighed into his mouth as he kept kissing her wonderfully.

"Thank you for a wonderful day," she said in between kisses.

"Mm," he said before dipping his head to her mouth again. He pushed her back against the wall in the hall, his hands sliding up her body, gently caressing the skin of her waist, pushing her shirt out of the way. His touch felt so good on her body that she found herself sinking into the kiss with delight. He kissed along her jaw and nipped her ear lightly, making her shiver. "I'll see you tomorrow Ruth," he whispered in a low voice in her ear.

"Okay," she said, smiling as he left her house. The door closed behind him and she sighed, feeling the echo of his lips on her mouth. God he really could kiss well.