The water lapped against the rocks as the tide began to turn and flow slowly up the inlet. Barbara had persuaded Tommy to take off this shoes and socks, roll up his trousers and join her in soaking their feet in the water. His initial protestations of it being too cold disappeared as they sat and talked about the history of the village and the church and his experiences there as a child. Barbara was amused by the way he spoke almost in third person as if it had happened to someone he was observing rather than himself.
"How did you feel?" she asked for the third time, trying to make him personalise it.
"Nothing like being here with you does," he replied then leant over and kissed her. "I still can't believe I am happy, let alone this happy."
"Me either." Then she added, "this will work won't it? You're not going to wake up in a few weeks and find it was a mistake?"
"No," he said emphatically but kindly, "and neither are you."
Barbara smiled but there was one issue she needed to raise. "We've talked about everything except work. What are we going to tell people? What if they split us up?"
He ran his hand through his hair pushing it off his face which had become much more serious. "They will if we tell them. It's policy but I don't think we need to tell them anything yet. Assuming you can keep your hands off me in my office," he said with a degree of mischief in his last sentence.
"Don't joke. It's harder than you think."
Tommy bent over and whispered in her ear making her blush. "Tommy! It's Easter, you can't say that."
"Is 'I love you' okay for Easter?"
"Perfect!"
"Good, then I love you. We'll move you quietly in to my place and just not say anything at work yet. Not until we are married then we'll have to tell them. It might also be time you took promotion."
"Will the Met cope with two DI Lynley's?" she joked.
"Ah yes. I might be DCI soon if that's okay." he said somewhat sheepishly. Barbara looked at him as if to ask whether he needed to outrank her. "No, I don't," he replied to her raised eyebrow. "I've been told if I don't take it I will be re-assigned anyway."
Barbara was shocked. "Right, I see. When were you told that and when were you going to tell me?" she demanded a little angrily.
"In the week before we went to Turandot," he said levelly obviously trying hard not to upset her, "I didn't want you to feel pressured to get involved with me romantically because you thought it was the only way we could be together. I wanted you to want me for, well, me."
"Oh Tommy." She could see that insecure little boy back again. "I do love and want you for who you are. We would've found a way anyway, we always have in the past but I think this solution is the best one." She put her arm around him and hugged him. "Besides, you should've been Superintendent by now."
"Plenty of time for all that. What we have to do is organize for you to take your exams."
"Done." Barbara was quite nonchalant hoping that he would not make a big deal about not telling him.
It was Tommy's turn to look stunned. "When?"
"When you were on leave. I wasn't sure if you were coming back and I needed something to do. Anyway you came back so it didn't matter."
He shook his head. "We should have realised a long time ago shouldn't we?"
"Nah, it had to happen when we were both ready. I would've screwed it up before. Now I think I can be more than your friend or your lover. I can be your wife and your Earless."
"Countess," he corrected her, puzzled that she started laughing.
"You can be so easy to wind up at times Tommy."
He pursed his lips and grinned at her in a form of good-natured chastisement. "Life is never going to be dull with you is it?"
"I hope not," she said with a glint in her eye, "you'd be bored if it was but I may not get it right all the time. I can't be like your mother."
Tommy made a noise best described as a humph. "There are a lot of things Mother never got right either. She might have all the social niceties but you will surpass her in the important things like loving me and our children." He hugged her tightly and she clung to him. She would indeed love him with the intensity and passion he needed. Before long they were lost in a kiss that threatened to become too passionate. Barbara pulled away reluctantly. "We bet stop that," she said breathlessly, "what would the vicar think if he found us?"
Tommy laughed then leant back against a rock and nestled her peacefully in his arms while they watched the water. In the background they could hear the distant murmur of the townsfolk still up on the hill, a sound broken only by the morning conversations of birds. It had been an early start and Barbara could feel herself beginning to float into a world halfway between sleep and conscious thought. She was half dreaming about making love to him when she was jerked back to reality by a loud roaring noise. Tommy was snoring! She stabbed her thumb violently into his ribs which jolted him awake. "You sound like a bulldog!" she said unflatteringly, "keep that up and we'll need separate bedrooms!"
"Never. I will shun sleep forever rather than be separated from you." It was such a heartfelt claim that Barbara could not help but love him just a little bit more as they laughed together.
"You won't be," she reassured him in the way she knew he understood. Breaking away she said, "come on, we need to see Reverend Aston."
Most of the villagers wandered down from the hill in response to the tolling of the ten o'clock bells. After speaking with the minister Tommy and Barbara had been for a walk along the bay and now strolled hand-in-hand back towards the church. The spring morning was clear and warm and they watched amused as an indecisive squirrel hurried anxiously back and forth along a branch of a tree that draped towards the water. "He reminds me of Hillier," Barbara remarked, much to Tommy's delight.
They entered the church and Tommy stayed at entrance while Barbara moved to the front to sit in one of two Lynley family pews. Matthew and Judith were seated with Dorothy and George on the other front pew and Barbara realised she was expected to sit alone with Tommy on the shorter one directly under the pulpit. She smiled self-consciously at them then sat delicately on the old red velvet seat pad that was noticeably thicker than those of other pews. She expected a cloud of dust to rise around her legs. The Lynleys must have delicate rear ends, poor things. The pew was a simple, old oak bench in the same design as the rest of the church with a low, carved pew ends decorated with roses and scrolls. The timbers of the back of the pew were broad vertical panels which had darkened in patches where generations of Lynley backs had pressed against them. As she leant back Barbara felt the carvings of the top plate press uncomfortably into her shoulder blades. It was no doubt a clever way to ensure parishioners did not take a Sunday snooze. There was an aged, sweetly acrid smell from the books and timbers that had absorbed the oils and scents of the worshippers. The Bibles and hymnals arranged neatly on the stubby ledge in front her were dog-eared and tattered just enough to fit with the mood of the church.
She was amused to see a small white candle lying next to the books and she picked it up to examine it more closely. They must have a problem with their electricity supply. She put it back carefully then glanced down to notice the kneelers embroidered with the family crest. Hers sagged slightly but where Tommy would sit it was fresh. She understood that she was sitting where his mother usually did and of course she was rarely accompanied by Lord Asherton. Sitting there Barbara felt the age and significance of the church seeping into her in a strangely comforting way.
The lights went out and the congregation stood and turned towards the door. There was still enough light for Barbara to see Tommy use the taper from the Dawn Service to light the Easter Candle then hurry down the aisle to stand with her as the minister, now regaled in a white vestment with more ornate gold braiding, walked it solemnly down the aisle declaring his wish that all darkness be banished from the hearts and minds of the congregation. Two young altar boys stood nervously between the Lynley pews. The one with the sandy red hair and freckles looked at Barbara and she smiled at him wondering if one day it might be her son standing there. The boy refocussed and accepted the candle from the minister then approached Tommy. He picked up his candle and held to out to the boys who lit it from the smoky flame. Barbara hastily retrieved hers and held it out just in time. It was part of the service not an electricity issue and her face flushed at her ignorance. The boys moved over to light the flames of the other Lynleys.
Tommy led her to the front of the aisle where the boys had stood and the organ took a deep breath, just as Barbara did, before it began to blast into song. Barbara's voice was shaky as she started her rendition of Gloria in Excelsis. The altar boy turned around and smiled at her as he moved to light other candles and her confidence lifted as did her voice which reverberated sweetly and clearly around the church. The congregation remained silent listening to Barbara as all the candles were lit. She was aware of all the eyes on her and the meaning behind being asked to lead the singing. She glanced at Dorothy who was beaming almost as much as her son did at times and Barbara had no doubts that she had been accepted into the Lynley fold. No escaping now, even if I wanted to!
The boys lit the candles in the crowded church more slowly than the hymn allowed and Barbara was briefly aghast when the organist began it a second time. This time all the congregation sang and Tommy took Barbara's hand and led her back to the pew. He leant down and whispered, "that was beautiful. Thank you." She looked up at him and saw the pride and love in his damp eyes. He mouthed 'I love you' and the hymn's last notes echoed from the organ. Barbara sighed, relieved that her moment was over. She had agreed under sufferance because it had been important to Tommy but now it was over and she could relax she was pleased she had sung. Suddenly amidst cries of praise the church erupted in a fanfare of noise. The church bells pealed which made Barbara jump and Tommy and squeezed her hand reassuringly. The lights went on and Tommy leant over and extinguished her candle and then his own. Wispy trails of smoke drifted upwards to catch the bluish light that streamed in through the windows.
Reverend Aston climbed into his pulpit and delivered a powerful sermon on the message of hope and renewal and new life. Barbara was only half listening instead thinking that this had been exactly what Easter had been for them. Not only had they deepened their knowledge of each other they had in effect cemented their futures together. Barbara looked around the church and knew that despite them returning to their London careers it would not be long before they would return to Howenstowe and Nanrunnel to live. She doubted she would miss London. They would still go there of course and retain his house there but she liked the idea that this could be home. The faces of the people were open. They did not all have easy lives and would share the range of emotional tumult and life dramas of any community, but they were not faces that were lined with the grit of the city and the strain of the pace of life there. Barbara had always yearned for peace and acceptance and she could sense that here.
Tommy dragged her from her reverie as he pulled on her arm so that she would stand with him in time for the minister to read their banns. "I publish the banns between Thomas Lynley, 8th Earl of Asherton currently resident in Belgravia and Barbara Havers currently resident in Camden. This is the first time of asking. If any of you know cause or just impediment why these two persons should not be joined in Holy Matrimony ye are to declare it."
This was very official and real and she could hear whispers ripple down the pews. She swallowed nervously almost expecting someone to leap up and object that she was not good enough, had the wrong accent, or was too short and unattractive for their lord. No one spoke and she and Tommy sat down. His smile was like his mother's earlier and Barbara's insecurities retreated.
As they sat in the car after the service Barbara rubbed her right triceps. "What's wrong with your arm," Tommy asked mildly concerned.
"All those country handshakes," she replied, "I haven't shaken that many hands in years and some of those farmers fair pump up and down."
Tommy grinned. "I'm afraid you might have to get used to that, especially on our wedding day."
"Yeah, well I might join a gym to get into better nick then."
They drove back to Howenstowe talking excitedly about the church and the wedding. Barbara was overwhelmed by the guest list Tommy needed to invite. The only person she could think of to invite was Winston. "You're going to have to put some on my side of the church or it will roll over and tumble into the sea," she said.
"No, you're right," he said, "I was getting carried away. We will limit it to family and close friends only. We'll have a town celebration a few days before."
"Tommy, it's okay. If I can stand up and sing there I am not going to be intimidated by your 'obligations'. You just have to brief me well, like we are preparing for an interview with a suspect. And you'll have to expect a few Actonisms to creep through every so often."
"Oh," he said clearly intrigued, "like what?"
"Like wanting to change your well laid plans every so often. I think we should stop off at the beach for a walk then head back to London tonight."
Tommy grinned, "I think the rug is still in the car but…"
"I meant for a walk," she interrupted.
"Oh. A man can live in hope. And London? Are you sick of us already?"
"On the contrary but we will be back here often enough over the next few months. We have a busy week sorting out your promotion so I thought we could use tomorrow to move me into your house." It was blunt and direct and she could tell Tommy liked the idea.
"Yes ma'am. You are going to make a great DI." She grinned at him and was about to give him a sharp retort when he pulled over the side of the road and stopped the car. Her questioning glance was answered by a kiss that was both loving and suggestive. "But a much better, what was the term?" he asked feigning innocence, "Earless!"