Chapter 20

Deborah and Richard sat down at opposite ends of the sofa with their drinks. Deborah tucked her knees up but pulled her skirt down over them.

"Sorry!" they both started together and then got complete giggles.

"You start," they both said simultaneously and burst into laughter again.

"God!" Deborah finally got out. "Just as well Annette left us. We're worse than a couple of teenagers."

Richard wiped his eyes with his knuckles and chuckled again. Then he held up his hand like a policeman signalling stop. Deborah's eyes sparkled with mirth.

"You first!" he gurgled.

"Sorry!" she said and that started them off again.

Finally, when they were semi-collected, Richard said, "Sorry what?"

Deborah put her head down attempting to look demure but her eyes were still full of laughter.

"Sorry, Sir?"

They both got the giggles again.

"Sorry I cut off our meeting this morning when you had just told me you loved me. You must have been awfully hurt and probably pretty angry."

"Not so much hurt as puzzled really but Sharon explained and so it was alright."

"Sharon explained?"

"Yes! She said that, despite you saying you loved me too, you had to talk to Annette before I started in on proposals and things."

"She doesn't miss a trick, does she?"

"Never!"

"Well, she was dead right. I had to talk to Annette before things went any further. She was pretty positive about us after Saturday but I still had to clear the decks with her. Don't worry, darling. I'd have cleared them in the end. I love you too much not to have."

Richard's glass went down on the table with a bang. Deborah saw what was coming and put hers down too. Richard leapt across the sofa and took his face in her hands.

"Does that mean you'll marry me? Oh Lord, I'm not being very romantic, am I?"

"Yes, I will and yes you are, impulsively so."

"Darling! Thank you, thank you!"

His lips fastened gently on hers as he resisted the urge to crush her to him. Hers were warm and opened inviting his tongue in. Once again their tongues gently intertwined and teased. His hands left her face and pulled her into his arms. Their kiss became more passionate.

"Herm! Herm!"

They prised themselves apart and saw Annette looking at them with a slight but uncertain smile on her face. Deborah held out an arm and Annette ran into her embrace.

"Richard's asked me to marry him and I said yes," Deborah whispered to her.

Annette's head came up, her face radiant. She held her left arm out to Richard and pulled him into the embrace.

"Oh, Mummy, Richard! I'm so happy!" and burst into tears. She buried her head in Deborah's neck but hung on to Richard like a limpet. Despite the restraint he had imposed on himself, Richard kissed the top of her head eliciting a muffled wail.

Finally, Deborah pushed them both away.

"Come on. Kitchen!" she said firmly. "I've got to do the vegetables otherwise everything else will be cooked to a frazzle."

They all went into the kitchen where they were exuberantly greeted by Midge. Deborah immediately took command.

"Annette, will you lay the table? Wine glasses and we'll use paper napkins. Richard, would you like to open that bottle of wine you brought? It's beside the oven warming up a bit."

"What are we having?" Richard asked, sniffing appreciatively.

"Venison and rabbit hot pot!"

"Local?"

Deborah grinned. "Yes!" she said. "Local Tesco's ready made meal. I shot it this afternoon."

Richard laughed.

"It smells delicious," he said.

"Yes! We've had it before and it isn't bad at all."

Everything was soon ready. Richard poured the wine and a little into Annette's glass which he had prompted her to put out. They all sat down.

"A toast!" said Richard. "To us!"

"To us!" they echoed.

Annette grimaced at the new taste.