What remains of the winter will not only been bitterly cold but as it was last year will bring vast swathes of snow across mainland Britain, had been said so many times that Harry and Ruth had stopped listening to forecasts and instead, had other on the rare occasions when Malcolm had braved the elements on foot so that he could spend a day with them, filled in the remainder of the time when they hadn't been eating or sleeping, making another baby still wasn't an option but it hadn't prevented them from trying, by watching TV, listening to music and finding ways to amuse an increasingly active James.
Until when they had almost come to the point that they thought it would never happen, mid-way through March they were woken by the sound of melting snow dripping off the roof followed by the appearance of a watery sun, sufficient that by the afternoon they were able to walk into the village without the fear of disappearing into a snow drift. A village that had come alive to the extent that they no longer felt daunted by the attention James was getting which was in complete contrast to the fact that in less than eight weeks they needed to host a birthday party for a child who demanded nothing other than to be loved.
Only to find themselves with three weeks to go and still no further forward when it came to deciding until what at first glance seemed the obvious solution, despite Harry saying, 'this must be a joke,' having opened a letter addressed to them both from the National Trust who having added Framlingham Castle to the many buildings that they manage on behalf of the owners, or were funded by the British State if the line of succession had petered out, inviting them along with any family or friends to lunch on the day, despite it being on headed paper which did suggest it was genuine, although as nice as that sounded didn't prevent Harry from remembering that the last time they had been there had been to pander to Freddie's obsession with castles and how this one in particular had not only been devoid of home comforts but the dining room with his high backed and uncomfortable looking chairs, had been set up like a scene from Downton Abbey complete with stuffed characters from that era, the worst of which had been in the kitchen. The but in this case being that James who in the interim has made good use of the bricks which Freddie and Lucy bought him for Christmas, and with his help has built and demolished many constructions the majority of which have been castles, means that in terms of a birthday party the soon to be one year old James he knows will love it.
.
Would they be able to cater for a party of seven adults and three children the youngest of which will be one year old on the day? Had been greeted by an answer phone message saying that someone would get back to him, whereas his text had been responded too within the hour with the reassurance that he had been looking for in as much as the reason for the invitation was that they had checked the visitors list over the past year and everyone who had visited during that time was being offered the chance to see the improvements which had been made. At which point he stopped worrying.
As did a relieved Malcolm, who having received a call that in a million years he never imagined he would, was able to ring the Home Secretary's Personal Private Secretary to confirm Harry had said yes, combined with the number and the makeup of the party involved. Because along with the other cabinet ministers who were re shuffling their workload to accommodate that of the heavily pregnant Cultural Minister whose job involved travelling all over the country to inspect all manner of ancient buildings, Andrew Lawrence who having opted for Suffolk could now justify a visit to the recently updated property without explaining his real motives.
Which in the first instance was to thank Harry and by extension Ruth for not only coming to visit him when he had been in hospital, as opposed to singing with the angels thanks to Ros's sacrifice and for staying on far longer than they had needed too which in all honesty had been an indulgence on his part, as well as thanking Ian and Alice for both their discretion and hospitality on the day of Ros's funeral, something that in his haste to get away he had also failed to do. Or in other words he wanted to do something that amounted to normal, a sentiment that Harry had told him just before he had retired was something that all Spooks craved, but in his case not as the Home Secretary but someone who was catching up with people who he considered to be friends and on what was obviously a very special day.
Friends who plus Graham and Catherine had not only discussed the time of arrival and what they were going to wear, but the presents they were going to buy for James to ensure that he didn't end up with duplicates, combined with a plan to stay on for an extra day to do what as yet they hadn't yet decided as a thank you for the numerous times they had been entertained, by not only Harry and Ruth but by Malcolm.
.
A warm and sunny day which required an early start other than for the couple in question and the birthday boy who was sitting on his parents bed making a good fist of demolishing a banana, having already toyed with a piece of toast minus the crust which had been part of his father's breakfast whilst his mother who downstairs making another cup of tea, would if their host had been able to see him made him smile.
As it was having received a call saying that there was a letter that he needed to sign before he left, meant that when Dimitri who he still used as his driver from time to time and wanted to do in this case, because if there was one thing about spies they knew how to keep a secret, that and he liked the man who was not only good in a crisis but had signed up to making sure that the day went smoothly which not only included him calling him Andrew, had found an alternative route to sleepy Suffolk which would allow them to bypass a pile up on the Colchester ring road. Only to discover when they did arrive and in plenty of time, that Dimitri also had the ability to move with remarkable ease between the kitchen and dining room without unnerving those who were being paid for what was a day's work. So much so that he himself was able to enjoy a quiet moment combined with having a cup of coffee and with an hour to spare, along with Malcolm who having attended their wedding had been able to confirm that the menu he had chosen would be more than acceptable.
Which was why, 'Isn't that?' Catherine asked Graham with an expression to suggest that her jaw was about to disengage, when they were walking towards what in the letter had been described as the West Gateway where a now smiling Andrew Lawrence was waiting to greet his guests. A reaction that was shared by Ian and Alice although theirs was one of recognition that came with memories of a totally different day, quickly dispatched when a smiling Malcolm appeared beside him, clearly one up on them and certainly Harry and Ruth who were less than thirty minutes behind them, which saw them being ushered through the dining room and out onto what was the rear terrace where what appeared to be new tables and chairs were shaded from the sun by a brightly coloured awning. Overlooking what was compared to when they had last seen it was a pristine garden worthy of such an occasion in every respect. An opinion that was also shared by Graham and Catherine who had not only regained her composure but was in conversation with Dimitri who was temporarily acting as the dispenser of drinks, until the word came down the line that the guests of honour had pulled into the car park.
If Dimitri had had a problem, it had been putting names to faces because by the time that he had arrived in Section D, all but Harry and Ruth had left. In the same way that his once boss, carrying his son because Ruth had been presented with some flowers at the front door, had needed to take a moment before he was able to walk out onto the terrace alongside the Home Secretary who had told him in words that were to the point and without the waffle that he'd once associated with politicians that the reason that he'd organised this day was not only to celebrate James's birthday, but to acknowledge surrounded by people that loved them what a difference they as a couple had and were still making to so many lives.
A sentiment with a twist when Dimitri appeared out of seemingly nowhere and asked them what they would like to drink?
His expression the giveaway to Ruth's response of, 'water please,' followed by, 'it's lovely to see you again,' for Harry to realise that the man who had almost always called her Evershed had been about to do so out of habit before remembering that now not only was she his wife but the mother of his child.
As for the day itself, nothing about it smacked of formal which meant that from Harry and Ruth's point of view it was perfect. Orchestrated entirely by the Home Secretary it meant that the seats at the dining table were occupied at random, there were no speeches and once the meal was over there were no suggestions as to what anyone did next. Which saw Ian and Alice wandering off with Freddie and Lucy in tow to inspect the battlements, Graham and Catherine along with Dimitri none of whom had been there before to do a tour of the house, which meant that they with a sleepy James were able to sit on the grass and admire the now working stone fountain, whilst in the distance Malcolm was explaining the benefits of living in a quiet Suffolk village with a good community spirit to their host.
Only to be confused when they arrived home having said goodbye, as in see you at some time in the future to all but Malcolm, after what they had concluded had been a wonderful celebration of their son's first birthday, to find that amongst the cards which had arrived was a note saying sleep well and we'll see you in the morning from Graham and Catherine.