After breakfast Jack went ouside for a cigarette, a filthy habit he had picked up in the trenches, and one that his mother and father totally disapproved of, so it was best to keep it out of sight. He leant against the gable and inhaled deeply, allowing the thick smoke to fill his lungs. With a contented sigh he blew rings into the air, watching as they spiralled up into the blue sky.

"Caught you!" Jack jumped at the voice behind him. Diana stood, giggling.

"Give a person a heart attack, why don't you!" Jack said crossly, annoyed that Diana had seen him smoking.

"I'm going down to the manse for mum. Want to walk with me? Una will be there." she said, green eyes twinkling.

Jack allowed himself a smile. Diana was teasing again.

She grabbed his arm and pulled him in the direction of Rainbow Valley. His flesh tingled from where she touched him, and his heart beat a decibel louder, but he couldn't fathom why.

Diana was good company, chatting away about trivial things, but never boring him. He could listen to her sweet voice forever. Too quickly, for Jack, they reached the manse. Diana gave Rosemary Meredith the glasses that had been borrowed for the wedding, and then enquired whether Una was home.

"I'm afraid not." Rosemary said to Diana, but looked at Jack inquisitively.

"Thats okay. We'll see her later on. Tell her we called please." Diana said cordially, bidding the lady of the house farewell and, taking Jacks arm again, heading back towards Ingleside.

"What do you want to do now?" she asked Jack.

"Shall we sit here for a bit?" he asked, motioning towards a sheltered spot below the White Lady.

"This was Walter's favourite place." Diana said after a while.

"You must miss him."

"It gets easier. At first it was like a part of me was missing, an void that nothing could fill...I thought I could never laugh again, or appreciate all the beautiful things in the world - Walter loved beauty." she sighed.

"Walter was lucky. It would have been better to die in the war than to be left a shadow of who you were before."

"Thats an awful thing to say." she cried. "Think of all the people you would have left behind heartbroken."

"Who, Janey?" he asked bitterly. "She'd have prefered me dead, at least she wouldn't have had to deal with - this."

Diana looked at the scars he pointed to.

"Jack," she said tenderly, stroking his cheek. "If she couldn't cope with this, she's not worth it." He closed his eyes to savour her touch, cool and healing against his skin.

"Could you have coped?"

"Yes. I would have thanked God every minute for sending you back safe, like Nan did for Gerry, and Faith did for Jem, and like all those thousands of other women did for their men. Yes, I could have coped, if I had someone like you to cope for." Diana said, passionately.

They were standing close now, so close Diana could feel his breath on her lips. She closed her eyes willing him to move an inch closer...

"Jack! Diana!"

They jumped guiltily apart as Una approached.

"Rosemary said you were looking for me." Una said, smiling shyly at Jack.

"No, we were down on an errand and we asked were you there." Diana answered, sharply, resenting Una for her intrusion.

"Oh, I thought she meant you wanted to see me now.." Una faltered at Diana's tone.

"Sorry for the confusion." Jack said abruptly, frustrated also.

Una looked at them puzzled at their attitude. Diana immediately felt bad at their treatment of her.

"Sorry Una. Why don't you come home with us for lunch?"

"Okay." Una said eagerly. Jack rolled his eyes, of course she would say yes!

Once back at Ingleside, Jack ate lunch with them and then excused himself, leaving Diana and Una with his mother and Auntie Anne. He went upsairs to pack his case in readiness for their departure tomorrow, but he could get nothing done. Sighing, he lay down on the bed and closed his eyes. All he could picture was that moment with Diana in Rainbow Valley. 'Damn Una!' he thought bitterly. He had been so close to touching Diana, kissing her. How he longed to...he hadn't realised how much...

He woke up at the sound of his name.

"W-What?" he asked groggily of his mother who stood at the door.

"I asked if you were alright." Diana Wright asked, concern in her voice.

"Yes. I'm fine. What time is it?" he looked at his wrist watch. "Half past five, why did no one waken me?" he exclaimed.

"We thought you could do with the rest." his mum replied. "Anne and Gilbert are taking us to the Fords for the evening. Do you want to join us or stay here?"

"I'll stay here. Don't fancy company much. Is Diana going?"

"No, she's staying with Susan, so you won't be on your own."

"Is Una still here?"

His mother smiled a knowing smile. "No, she left a little while ago."

Thank God! Jack thought flinging his head back onto the pillow, a gesture which his mother misunderstood.

Later, Jack made his way downstairs. Diana was in the kitchen pouring tea into three cups.

"Oh hi." she said. "I was going to bring this up to you, but now your here sit down while I take Susan a cup. She's resting in bed." Diana explained.

Jack sat down and waited for Diana to come back. He helped himself to a plum puff from the platter on the table. He was nearly finished his second one - they were very good! - when Diana breezed back in.

"Did Una stay long?" he asked.

"No. She seemed impatient to leave after you - ahem - retired." Diana chuckled.

"Yes, well, I think I'll go and finish the packing I never started." Jack said. "Thanks for the tea."

Diana stared at his retreating back, he obviously was glad that Una had interupted before they had made a terrible mistake and kissed!

Diana cleared the dishes away, feeling lonesome she decided to go to her room and read the latest Bernard Montague novel she had been itching to start.

The pages were a blur, nothing made any sense - all she could see was Jack - why was he avoiding her, was she that repulsive? She thought they had a connection, something she had never felt before...likelyhood was he still loved Janey Sloane...

"Can I come in?" Jack stood in her doorway.

"Yes."

He walked over and sat down beside her on the bed. "I don't know whats wrong with me." he said, his head bowed. "I - I can't stop thinking about you." he continued, still unable to look at her.

Diana was stunned into silence. No one had ever said anything like this before - she didn't know how to respond. When Jack finally found the courage to lift his head Diana was staring intently at him, her green eyes sparkling with tears.

"Oh Diana, don't cry, I'm sorry, forget I said anything...we'll go back to how we were before."

"I don't want to...forget what you said." she said timidly.

Jack leaned forwards and kissed her, the briefest of touches, his lips merely brushing hers, but that was enough to ignite the flames of passion that had been simmering between them since Nan's wedding. Soon they were engaged in a passionate embrase which deepened, as in a frenzy they tried to break free from the restraints of their clothing, flinging the offending items untill finally they were heading towards the most intimate of acts...

At the crucial moment Jack murmurred "Are you sure?" against her lips. Diana answered with a kiss, never more sure of anything in her life...