EASTER SUNDAY

Tommy opened the curtains to reveal a sunny morning. "Happy Easter, Barbara."

Barbara opened her eyes and smiled. "Happy Easter."

He turned his head towards her. She hastily tucked the sheet up under her arms. In her mind, it may have protected her dignity, but it also outlined her shape beneath the cover. Tommy had intended to order breakfast, but now he wanted to make love to her again. He smiled. "You don't have to pull the sheet up. I know what's under there."

"You haven't seen it in daylight."

He watched the way her face blushed, starting at her neck and moving up. "We should change that right now."

She laughed. "Oh, should we?"

As he turned and walked towards her, he watched Barbara looking him up and down. Her gaze settled on his groin. With each step, his desire grew stronger. Barbara pushed the sheet down and rolled to face him. The bed dipped under his weight as he knelt on the edge. To his surprise, Barbara knelt up and moved towards him.

"I love you, Barbara."

Her reply was cut short by his fierce kiss.

"Hungry?"

Barbara ran her fingertip across his chest. "Hmm, mainly for you."

"Insatiable woman." Tommy hugged her closer and she gratefully snuggled against him.

"Who would have ever thought we'd be lying naked together in a hotel room?"

Tommy laughed then kissed her neck. "Me, on several occasions over the years."

Barbara was shocked. She had never suspected that. "Really?"

"You never thought about it?"

She felt her skin heat under his lips. "Well, we all harbour fantasies I suppose, but not seriously. I never thought..."

He stopped kissing her. "Don't you dare say anything about our differences."

She poked him in his stomach, only partially playfully. "I wasn't going to. I was going to say that I never thought you had any interest... until recently."

"I did, but there were so many obstacles, and I couldn't risk spoiling what we had."

"Yeah. We were different people then."

"Not really. We were just drowning in expectations and baggage. Even yesterday, I was too scared to say I love you in case..."

"I said I didn't?"

"No, maybe in case you said you did. I am not very good at managing personal relationships. I didn't want to ruin everything."

"We've had a personal relationship for nearly a decade."

Tommy's hand caressed her back. "Yes, we have, haven't we?"

"We've just added sex, that's all." She reached over and pushed the lock of hair from his eye.

"Just? Such a casual phrase for a rather significant step."

"But it hasn't changed our feelings, has it? Only the expression of them. I love you, Tommy, more than life itself, and I always will." The hand that had been playing with his hair now gently guided his head close enough for her to kiss him. Soft and tender at first, it soon morphed into a deep and heady exchange. Barbara broke for air. "I never thought I deserved to feel like this."

"You do. We both do." Tommy rolled her on top of him and kissed her.

It was lunchtime before they finally ate. After making love for a second time that morning, Tommy had phoned Reception and extended their stay. They had then curled up in each other's arms and slept until Barbara's rumbling stomach had woken them both.

Barbara had showered and was enjoying watching him when Room Service had arrived. By the time Tommy emerged wrapped in a towel with damp hair and beads of water running down his chest, Barbara had arranged their breakfast on the table beside the window.

"Yes, yes, you look sexy, but a girl has gotta keep her strength up."

Tommy laughed then gave her a quick kiss before sitting in the chair opposite her. "So do I. Making love with you is exhausting."

Barbara frowned. "I'm sorry."

"What? No. Don't be sorry. It's wonderful. You make me feel like no one else has."

"Eat your lunch before it goes cold."

"So much for my declaration of love."

"Noted, and returned."

"Barbara!"

She looked up from her club sandwich and shrugged. "Tommy, if you keep saying things like that, we may never eat again. Are we staying here again tonight?"

"Do you want to?"

She nodded. "Seeing you had to pay for it earlier, yes, we should. I don't like wasting money."

"It was worth it."

"Anyway, I like it here. It was a good idea."

"I thought neutral ground..."

"You were right. It was less intimidating."

She thought back to yesterday afternoon. Their first nervous kiss at the zoo had been thrilling and full of anticipation. They had raced back to her flat, grabbed the bag she kept packed in case they had to travel quickly to a distant crime, and phoned a cab. Tommy had not wanted to go home to retrieve his bag. "I have everything I need here with me," he had said as he kissed her.

Barbara had expected to be whisked off to a posh city hotel, but Tommy had directed the cab to the East End. Barbara was relieved. Even though she had wanted what seemed inevitable, she had been scared that it would be a failure or that he would be repulsed by her body or her scars. Being in a hotel where she was afraid to touch anything would only have made her nerves worse.

The hotel, by the waterfront, was in an old warehouse converted into chic apartments. Although it did not have a separate living room, their apartment had a large living zone with a huge arched window that looked out over the river. The bed was beside a second large window with a better view up the Thames. Centuries-old masonry walls, in places patched with new bricks to hide old doorways, softened the hard lines of modern Scandinavian furniture. Barbara had felt instantly at home.

Now, as they sat eating, they were at ease with the room and each other. "This room is a great choice," she told him.

His smile told her he had understood. "I didn't think the Savoy was the right setting for us."

Barbara wiped the last crumbs from her face. "Oh?"

"It's too pretentious, even for me. There I have to be Lord Asherton. Here, I can just be Tommy, a middle-aged man making love to his girlfriend."

His words made Barbara laugh, but also blush. "Speaking of which..."

Tommy glanced at the waste bin. "Don't get yourself too excited. I have to go for a walk first."

"Need more recovery time?"

"No." He shook his head. Now it was his turn to feel embarrassed. "I think we passed a Boots up the road. I didn't realise we would be so..."

Barbara smiled at him. It was cute that he was embarrassed. "Randy?"

"Hmm, something like that. I felt guilty even bringing one pack with me."

"Clearly you thought Jemima would work."

He looked down. "They've been in my jacket pocket for weeks. Just in case things... developed." He looked out the window as he finished the last of his sandwich.

Barbara walked behind him and wrapped her arms around him. "Always thinking ahead."

"Now I will stock up. Then we need to make an appointment to visit my doctor."

"What, for a health check? I can assure you..."

Tommy held up his hand. "No, not that, but... we need to see what other options there are."

"For what?"

He twisted his head to look at her and she knew he thought it was self-evident. "Protection. It sounds selfish, I know, but I don't want anything between us. Personally, I wouldn't mind, but I'd never endanger you."

"Wouldn't mind what?"

"Any consequences."

"Tommy! We've had sex four times and you're talking about children?" She walked across and stared out the window.

Tommy stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "I think I'm talking more about our future together. I want that. Marriage. Children if they come along. I wouldn't even mind if we had a child for Christmas."

Barbara frowned but nestled back against him. "They don't come gift wrapped from Harrods."

He kissed her neck. "I do know how it all works. But I'd never rush you. It has to be a mutual decision."

Barbara picked up the barest trace of bitterness in his voice. Whatever they did as a couple, they had to keep talking. "Tommy, it may not be easy for me to have children. After I was shot..."

His arms tightened around her. "It's okay, Barbara. I will never regret it, either way. What about the other question?"

"What other question?"

"When would you like to get married? And where?"

Barbara laughed. "Isn't that a presumption? Or is that an awkward proposal?"

"Neither. I did ask you last night, remember?"

"That doesn't count."

"Why not?"

"Because we were... consummating our... affair."

Tommy leant so close that his breath made her shiver with memory and anticipation. "This is not an affair. It's the start of our future."

"Uh-huh" It was all she could manage. She leant her head back against him, opening her neck to his lips.

His chest shook as he laughed silently. "Is that a yes?"

"I used to have this... daydream... fantasy I suppose, where you got down on bended knee in the middle of Trafalgar Square and proposed."

"Shall I call a cab?"

Barbara looked at the reflection of his face in the window. He looked at ease. Happiness radiated from him. "No. In my fantasy you had a ring."

"What sort?"

"I have no idea. It was just a silly notion. I don't know why I even mentioned it."

"Because at the back of your mind you doubt this is more than an Easter affair. But it is. I am not going to walk away. I get carried away. Maybe talk of marriage and children is too early, but hold the thought, because I want that, when you're ready." Tommy was nuzzling the back of her neck in a way that made her knees tremble.

"I do too. Are you sure you would cope with any 'consequences'?"

"Hmm. Positive."

"Then forget Boots." Barbara seized his hand and dragged him, willingly, towards the bed.

CHRISTMAS MORNING

HOWENSTOWE

"Barbara, are you ready?"

"Nearly."

"Hurry up. Everyone's already in the lounge room waiting."

Barbara came out of the bathroom dressed only in her knickers and quickly pulled on her jeans and a jumper. "Right let's go."

Tommy stood staring at her. "I wish you'd put a bra on."

"Why?"

"Because otherwise, I will be thinking about what's under that jumper the whole morning."

"Serves you right for being a randy old earl." Barbara walked up to him and playfully patted him on his tail.

"Not so much of the old thank you, Lady Asherton." Tommy waited until she had stepped past him. "I'm still young enough to..." He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back to him before kissing the back of her neck on the spot he knew drove her wild. As his hands dived under her jumper in search of her untamed breasts, he felt a small box tucked into her jeans. "What are you hiding here?"

Barbara pulled away. "Something for later. Oh no, don't use those puppy dog eyes on me. You'll just have to wait." She made a dash for the door.

It was nearly two hours before they were alone again. Presents had been given and toasts made. Now Dorothy was supervising lunch, Judith had taken her new boyfriend for a ride up on the cliffs, and Peter had gone upstairs to phone his girlfriend who was visiting her family in York.

"So," Tommy said as they walked out into the courtyard for some air, "I'm sorry I didn't think to give you your present alone."

Barbara fingered her new necklace, and intertwined T and B studded with emeralds. "I love this. Thank you."

"And I like my new watch."

"Good."

He put his arms around her and kissed her. It rapidly escalated, and when he realised his hands were under her jumper and searching for the button on her jeans, he remembered they were in full view from the house. He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the path leading down to the cove. At the flat grassy spot just before the steps he stopped and kissed her again. Her hands fumbled for his belt. "Tommy, we shouldn't."

He laughed. "I can see how much you object." She pulled away and straightened her jumper. "Barbara? I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't. Not at all. It's just that we might not get another chance before lunch." She pulled a small package from her jeans. "I hope you like this one too."

Tommy accepted the box which was about the size of a pen box. He imagined she had bought him a new Mont Blanc after his other one had been lost at a crime scene. "Thank you, Barbara."

She studied him nervously as he opened it. Inside was a white stick sitting on a bed of cotton wool. "A thermometer?"

"No, you idiot. Turn it over."

Tommy turned it and grinned like a madman when he saw a smiley face and the words 'You're Pregnant'. He turned to Barbara. "Are you? Are you sure?"

She nodded. "I did a test last week. Then one every day. That one is the one I did this morning. They've all said the same thing."

"Here, sit down. Do you need water or something?"

Barbara laughed. "Not until about August, I'd say. Stop fussing. I'm not made of gla..."

His lips were on hers and in a few seconds they were lying on the grass, kissing, snuggling and sharing the moment. "I'm so happy, Barbara. I love you."

"Noted, and returned."

Tommy laughed then kissed her. It was a standard phrase between them. It was usually also a prelude to making love.