Choosing to say, 'I'm sorry Ruth,' rather than trying to justify why he hadn't kissed her goodnight, when the truth of it is that his body has been reacting to the closeness of her from the moment that he had seen her two evenings ago at Jo's, wearing a jumper that was far too long for her and making her look vulnerable to the point where he had wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and never let her go, he avoids by making himself a cup of coffee and another cup of tea for her, because by the look of the one that is on the table in front of her it has gone cold, suggesting at what is only seven in the morning when she is sitting on Malcom's sofa wrapped in a blanket and surrounded by what he assumes is the paperwork which he can only hope is enough for at least get one part of her life sorted out by the end of the day is that she's been up for some time.

Only to be more than surprised when he returns with their drinks and she says, 'I'm not a child Harry so I know why you did it what you did but kissing me isn't taking advantage, plus I would go as far as to say that it has reached the point where it is just difficult for me as it is for you which means that when we go out today assuming that you still want to of course I would like to think that we have one less thing to worry about.'

.

Despite being aware that something has changed based on Harry's body language, Malcolm decides to keep his thoughts to himself when an hour later by which time Ruth is back upstairs and in the process of having a shower which until she had said what she had, had just been a fantasy, whereas now she can imagine that once they leave Malcolm's and go back to London a great deal more than more than a kiss and having agreed with Harry's suggestion that they go into Hastings not only to replenish her depleted wardrobe but to have a general look around, not though before they book a table at The Cove a restaurant in the village to take Malcolm out this evening by way of a thank you, is struggling to stop her imagination from running riot.

As is Harry which is why in an effort to get caution back into his vocabulary when it comes to Ruth he offers to make a start on preparing breakfast which isn't exacting in that it consists of cereal toast and a bowl of fruit, which only serves to remind him of the evening when Ruth had called him and asked him to come over when Gary Hicks had been there and his response and her reply which had been so much easier over the phone.

Not knowing that Malcolm who is looking forward to what he knows will be a lengthy process where the receivers of his various message will need to assume that they are coming from Ruth, is pleased to see that as well as the information she has included what are various passwords which indicate that there is still enough of a spy left in her to know that this is the right thing to do, sees a means to find out what has happened and because they are both on his patch says, 'Ruth's amazing isn't she.'

'Yes,' says Harry, kicking himself because with that one single word, together with the tone of his voice implies that something has happened between them going upstairs the previous evening and now which of course it has.

Which given his track record is enough for Malcolm to ask him, 'what did you say Harry?'

'It's not what I said it's what I didn't do,' Harry tells him, which has Malcolm wondering if perhaps he should have kept his thoughts to himself, until Harry gives him a diluted version of the conversation they have just had and how he intends to take things slowly.

'In which case I might not be an expert when it comes to matters of the heart, but no matter how much both you and Ros need an analyst of Ruth's calibre she simply isn't ready,' Malcolm tells him, before surprising him by adding, 'but not too slowly.'

.

The prospect of Hastings in terms of what it is like as a town, some bracing sea air which up's Ruth's need of a warm coat, plus in Harry's case having taken Malcolm's advice on board and Ruth's declaration, ensures that once they park up and Harry offers her his arm she accepts. As she does the unspoken thought that until they get back to London and to wherever Malcolm has organised both her account details and a card to be sent which will allow her to draw out money of her own, that she is going to have to let Harry pay in the certain knowledge that he will do it willing and when the time comes in all probability will refuse her offer to pay him back.

Whilst where Harry is concerned clothes shopping and certainly with a woman comes under the heading of a rare phenomenon who more than once has been criticised by his daughter who says he needs to get out more, so is now wondering what she would say if she were to see him not only on holiday but with a woman barely ten years her senior, so in an attempt to blank out raised eyebrows and a smile that suggests that Catherine can't believe what she's seeing, he suggests that they go into a coffee shop before hitting the shops, again Catherine's expression not his where once he has placed their order he distracts himself by reaching out and taking Ruth's hand.

Only for Ruth to say, 'when did you last do this – clothes shopping I mean?'

All of which amounts to a heady cocktail of thoughts actions and words that sets the tone for the remainder of the morning including agreeing that once the shopping is done and they have stowed Ruth's multiple carrier bags in the back of Harry's car and despite the cold wind they go for a much longer walk along the seafront than they might otherwise have done. Right up to and including the moment when Harry's determination to kiss Ruth is helped because the only other brave souls who are battling the elements are so far in the distance to suggest that they are on the own, sees wanting become a reality and in time with the waves which are crashing onto the shingle and combined with the memory of another kiss that Harry had clung to like a drowning man and based on Ruth's response, says more than any words could have done.

.

Pulling into Malcolm's drive having imagined him to still be beavering away although why knowing Malcolm's ability to concentrate and get things done, not only are they greeted with the news that in a week's time that Ruth will have access to money but that he has rung the pub and changed the booking from a table for three to one for two.

Which has Ruth saying 'you're a darling,' meaning the work on her behalf and the change in the booking, before giving him a hug and heading upstairs with her carrier bags.

Eliciting a response from Malcolm to Harry of, 'please tell me that I'm not the only darling in her life because I don't think my liver would survive another session like the last one.'

'You're not,' Harry tells him and is why at seven in the evening Malcolm hands Harry the key to the front door and says, 'enjoy yourselves and I'll see you both in the morning.'

That the wind had dropped and with a sturdy torch, typical of Malcolm's attitude to have something for every eventuality because rather than take the car they leave the house on foot and walk the relatively short distance into the centre of the village which unlike their first impression feels less elitist. As does the pub which has taken on a whole new appearance since they booked earlier in the day and more so when they are shown through to the dining room.

Enough that once they have ordered for Ruth to say to Harry, 'I feel truly happy for the first time in as long as I can remember.'

Not wanting to rock the boat by saying, I assumed you were happy in Cyprus or more importantly add with George, he keeps it simple and says, 'that's good because so do I,' whilst silently thanking Malcolm, not his everyone's choice when it comes to relationship counselling, for pointing out that if he's patient, Ruth in her own way will tell him what she wants to and that pushing her by suggesting that she moves in with him rather than find a place of her own as difficult as that might be, is best left until another time.

Only to wonder not for the first time if she can read his mind when two hours later they are standing on the landing and he is about to kiss her goodnight she says, 'I need to tell you the truth about Cyprus because it wasn't the bed of roses that you might have imagined it was and I'd rather not do that standing out here.'