Caroline blew up through her bangs and checked her mobile again. She'd roamed the entire bloody pavilion and still not a sign of Melanie in person or via text.

The sound of her boots tapping on the carpet was far less satisfying than the sound of a nice pair of heels on tile, but the motion still did the trick as she exhibited her dissatisfaction for all the world to see.

To top it off, the clouds were rolling back in. If she couldn't locate Melanie shortly, the romantic seaside walk would be a non-starter.

She shook her head and muttered under her breath. "Why, why, why are we in bloody Brighton?"

"Because it's the gayest place around, at least as far as I could tell!" Melanie surprised Caroline from the side and wrapped her arms around her waist. "Have I kept you waiting?"

"You have." Caroline did her best to look stern, trying to pretend Melanie was a pack of boys caught behind the gym with fags and matches and not her adoring girlfriend. She failed miserably as Melanie's green eyes shone with contrition.

"I'm so, so sorry. I was completely caught up in the royal apartments." Melanie pulled out her mobile and opened up several Google tabs and started scrolling through them. "You see they've been quite meticulously restored and – "

Caroline held up a hand. "Alright. No need for the lecture. You got lost in history. It's your thing, and I won't deprive you of it, Miss Melanie. But it's more than high time we move on."

"Agreed." Melanie took Caroline's hands in hers and pushed up on her toes to kiss her cheek.

Caroline chuckled and held fast to Melanie's hands and searched her green eyes. "One little kiss and I'm wrapped around your finger. How do you do it?"

"Love."

A shadow passed through Caroline's mind, and she hoped it didn't show on her face. Love indeed. When did love stop being enough? Not today. Today Melanie's adoring grin was plenty enough.

"Well, love, I want a walk and some fresh sea air."

"And – ice cream?"

"Of course." Caroline rolled her eyes at the ceiling and got what she wanted as they strolled out hand in hand.

They passed through the great doors and out into the still sunny day. Caroline's mood continued to brighten. She wished Flora were here with them to take in the colorful patchwork of the garden, what must be a million varieties of birds, and the occasional scampering critter scurrying across their path.

"Can we stop a moment?"

Melanie smiled and ran her eyes across the expanse of the gardens and then toward the Pavilion. "Of course."

Caroline smiled back and squeezed her hand. Grateful for the day and grateful for the steady peace enveloping her life over the past couple years. Alan and Celia reasonably healthy. Flora and Greg going great guns, and the blissful absence of John. William spreading his wings and finding his passion at Oxford. She'd brought Melanie into the picture and now – damn near perfect. Bumps here and there, her own well-cultivated troubles. The intractable grumpiness of Lawrence. But all in all the brilliant, blooming garden was a metaphor for her life that she wanted one more second to appreciate.

"Thank you." Caroline swung Melanie's hand and leaned down for a quick kiss that turned into a second, longer kiss as Caroline let the moment wash over her.

"Maybe we shouldn't stop for ice cream?" Melanie's giggled response narrowed Caroline's focus even more.

She wanted very much to continue kissing Melanie in the sunshine and the bliss that surrounded them. But she pictured herself as one of the pedestrians passing by, watching them snogging in public. So instead she leaned into Melanie's ear and whispered possible substitutions for ice cream she'd be willing to offer if they didn't stop.

"Moving right along then. Down the beach and right home, please?" Melanie's face lit with anticipation.

"Yep."

Caroline's haste grew as they approached the edge of the gardens and the sounds of Brighton edged in on the intimacy. They reached the street and she tugged Melanie along back toward the beach and the flat.

She started in disbelief and almost stopped as a woman with blonde hair and her build crossed the street a few meters ahead of them. In an instant she remembered the man at the entrance to the Pavilion as she'd come looking for Melanie, the Dave person that kept turning up.

She doubled their pace.

Melanie scowled. "Caroline. I know we're in a hurry, but – "

"It's the woman. From the carousel. With the girl. And I saw that Dave man again just earlier - who's always watching her. Something's up, Melanie."

"Now? Why now? And I don't think it's any of our business, whatever it is."

They caught the tail end of the walk sign and Caroline eased up the pace, keeping well back from the woman. She glanced around to see if 'Dave' were anywhere in sight.

"I don't want to get involved. I just want to know more – see where she's going." Caroline squinted forward to make sure she hadn't lost track of the blonde. "And what happened to all your intrigue? You were the one with all the questions earlier. What's changed?"

"Well. The police showed up, and clearly that Brian boy – well we don't know what happened with him. And now we don't know if Dave is the only person following this woman. It could be dangerous. Before it was just speculation. You weren't trying to stalk this woman, before, were you?"

Skepticism bloomed in Caroline's mind and on her face as she spared a quick glance at Melanie. "That's a change in the weather."

Melanie let out a tinkling peal of laughter. "Oh come on. You know me, Caroline. I love to assume intrigue and let my imagination roam. But that's as far as it goes. I'm not up for any real cloak and dagger." She tilted her head and continued laughing.

Caroline's blue eyes narrowed and she believed Melanie's self-deprecation – to a point. The mood of the weekend had turned, and it had nothing to do with the weather. Her inquisitive sprite of a girlfriend had changed. She'd not noticed it before, but noticing other people wasn't her bailiwick. She made a mental note about watching Melanie's mood more closely over the next few days.

For now, she let it go to concentrate on following this other woman. She wasn't sure what the point in following her was – really. Maybe just instinct. But she did want to know more.

The woman looked back over her shoulder and it didn't surprise Caroline in the least. She was expecting to be followed. Maybe not by a look alike and her Indian girlfriend, but by some –

Caroline started again, and this time she did stop in her tracks. The look on the woman's face lasted less than a second, but it had been unmistakable. She'd paused when she'd seen Melanie – she'd recognized Melanie. Twenty years watching students squirm under examination in her office wasn't wasted on Caroline. Many a tearful teenager had been brought down by that one wayward glance or the slight widening of the eyes when she stumbled upon the truth.

She was perfectly still as she watched the woman hasten away - hands jammed in her pink coat pockets. Head down and intent on whatever might be her destination. She crossed her arms over her navy slicker as she turned to Melanie. Tourists and folks about their everyday business jostled past them on the sidewalk, and this time Caroline paid them no mind.

She fixed a glacial blue stare at the stranger beside her, daring her to lie. "Do you know that woman, Melanie?"

Melanie turned her head in the direction of the disappeared blonde. She turned back to Caroline, and to Caroline's surprise, her face was covered in resolution, and not contrition. "Yes."