A/N: Well, something had popped into my mind and I had to add another bit of fluff... :-D

Enjoy...

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The surface of the green was soft and slightly uneven. On one end of the area there even were a few molehills. One could think that a noble garden like this would be neater and the grass perfectly trimmed but obviously the inhabitants of this manor did not care much about having a proper English Garden.

The waitress sighed. For a long afternoon she had carried around trays on this surface and on the veranda, had brought coffee, tea and scones and sandwiches to the guests standing at some tables casually placed on the green, sitting on small stone walls that were reminders for the garden concept that once had ruled here, and lounging on blankets near the huge tree. Later little nibbles were offered and of course champagne. Although she knew there was bubbly which was more precious it was the most expensive champagne she ever had served. The woman still was very young and not new in this business but she knew that if her career would continue like this she probably will be serving champagne at the palace in less than ten years.

She chuckled and adumbrated a bow to a black man in highly decorated uniform who was taking a glass from her tray. Or maybe she would at least have her own catering service in some years. It had been her dream since she was a teenage girl.

That would also save her from her slave driver boss who did not bother to let them have a real break during events like this. She had been up early and it already was a long day for her with just some ten minute breaks. They had prepared everything and of course then served the guests. Now she was tired but she hid her yawn perfectly and carried on. Tomorrow, after they had tidied up here, she would start into three days of vacation. She had planned to just sleep, eat and read. But tomorrow afternoon still was far away.

At the moment one of her colleagues waved a hand and signalled for her to come over to the bar table where obviously several glasses of champagne were needed. The colleague's tray was empty and her own still full. Skilled as she was she turned and snaked her way through the crowd of guests. With polite smiles she avoided that other people than the ones at the table would call her over. She tilted her head in silent apologies to the left and was almost there.

She should have watched her load though.

From the right side two hands took four glasses from the tray all at once thus disbalancing the weight. The ignorant man already had turned when the tray tipped over to the other side. The poor waitress tried her best but she had no chance. It all had come too quick and out of the blue and so in less than a second all other glasses landed on the grass.

Miraculously all except one stayed intact but the precious liquid now slowly soaked the ground.

"Bloody hell!" she cursed and immediately blushed when she knelt down to tidy up the mess. She should not swear while she worked.

The man who had taken the glasses did not even turn to look what had happened in his back. He kept on talking with three blonde women. On the ground the waitress carefully picked up the shards of the broken glass. Of course the inevitable happened but ignoring the pain and the blood dripping from her finger she went on until all fragments and intact glasses were collected.

In the meantime an older man in the usual waiter's uniform had arrived. He started to dress her down as if she was responsible for every little thing that had gone wrong today and that had been a lot. The tray still stood on the floor. A napkin was wrapped around her finger. Ignoring that it hurt like hell the waitress just nodded and swallowed down what she really wanted to reply.

He could at least have waited with his lecture until they were back in the kitchen, she thought, but it obviously was not his way of leading his employees. Every guest was able to hear what he was thinking of his stupid waitress. Tiredly trying to not let him raise his voice more she only said "Yes, Sir." and No, Sir." and "Of course, Sir." until a young man with black hair stood behind to her boss.

"Excuse me, Sir." Green eyes gave her the most wonderful apology she had ever received.

"What?!" Her boss turned around and added a much politer "Sir."

"It wasn't her fault."

"Umm... well, she had dropped the tray, hasn't she? So she will have to pay for it."

"As far as I know those glasses are our own property and the champagne is paid already. So what should she pay for?"

"That's right. But this one glass should be replaced and-"

"I think that if someone could request it should be replaced it wouldn't be you, Sir. And it wouldn't be your lovely waitress but that man in her back who still pretends he had not recognised anything. Yes, O'Clanis, I'm talking about you. Move your useless figure over here and apologise."

Seeing that the two young men were about to resolve it among themselves the waitress' boss quickly exited. The waitress of course still had to carry away the empty glasses but she was held back by a soft grip at her elbow. "Please stay, miss."

"I rather wouldn't." she hissed embarrassed.

O'Clanis, one of the young lords, had turned and after a hefty but quietly hissed argument, the poor waitress still standing next to them, he finally apologised and even carried the tray into the house.

Other guests who had watched them had started to go on chatting before the argument was over. Most of them would not have heard it anyway.

"Thank you, Sir." the waitress shyly smiled up at the handsome young lord.

"You're welcome, miss..." he replied with a quizzically raised eyebrow. He had slightly tilted his head and had made her a bit nervous.

"Jenny." she mumbled.

"It was the least I could do, Miss Jenny. You know, your boss had overreacted a tad too harsh for my liking and that minted offspring of a lazy lord could have acted cautiously and not just grab what he had wanted so dearly."

"Not that I would object, Sir." Jenny laughed. "But you shouldn't have sent him inside with my tray."

"Well, the stupid bloke may have learned his lesson. And to be honest, I couldn't stand your boss' injustice. Not to mention O'Clanis' ignorance."

"Again, thank you, Sir." The waitress was about to turn but the noble young lad took her injured hand in his and had a closer look.

"Let's go inside, Miss Jenny. This needs some proper treatment."

A few yards away two people stopped staring.

The couple sitting in the middle of the long end of the big table in the centre of the garden turned to look at each other with a soft smile. They had watched the scene with surprise and growing pride. Now his eyes were soft and her expression had turned dreamy.

"Have you told him?" she whispered taking his hand in hers.

"No, I thought you..." With a broad smile covering his face he squeezed her hand.

"Your genes." she chuckled and leaned closer. The strap of the new long dress that had annoyed her all evening slid from her shoulder once again but before she could adjust it he was caressing her skin and helped her.

"And yours." Seductively raising his eyebrows he looked down to her. "He's going to become a great police officer."

"Oh, heaven forbid."

"Why not?"

"Because two in the family is enough. Crown prosecutor will be suiting him more."

With a toneless laugh Tommy closed the distance between them and kissed her. Shared memories soon turned it into a languidly long exchange. His arm slid around her waist and her hand vanished in a still quite thick mop of grey hair in the back of his head. They displayed a deep manifestation of their love until Barbara heard the silence that had risen around them and so she broke the contact to his lips. They were slightly out of breath.

She seldomly, if ever, had shown in public how deeply she was in love with him. Apologising and shyly coughing away her nervousness she looked into approvingly grinning faces. As usual, Tommy did not bother to reveal his affection.

Someone in the garden distinctively whistled.

"Nkata!" Barbara exclaimed and gave the uniformed ex-colleague one of her death glares.

A bright laughter was heard. Tommy's sister at the other end of the table hid her face behind a napkin.

"Let's hear it for the bride and groom!" In the couple's back Peter jumped onto the small stone wall next to the table and raised his glass like all other guests. "Hip hip-"

"Hooray!"

"Hip hip-"

"Hooray!"

"Hip hip-"

"Hooray!"

Barbara was blushing even deeper but Tommy did not mind. He pulled her closer to him again and boyishly grinned.

"Hip hip hooray, Barbs." he whispered. "To our silver wedding anniversary!"

Then Tommy gave her a kiss that was most inappropriate for an Earl and his Countess, even on a reception like this. Only this time Barbara openly gave in to her feelings and answered his endearments in the same way.

Not very much later, the summer sun had not completely set, nobody at the party wondered why the hosts already were absent.

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