Chapter 24

Looking back on that afternoon Richard always wondered how he had survived. The anticipation was almost unbearable. He managed to get himself some lunch and then to walk the dogs but his mind was totally focussed on the evening: his first proper date with Deborah.

Was the place clean and tidy enough for her? Of course it was. Sharon had just finished spring-cleaning the place. What if Deborah forgot her toothbrush? He rootled around but failed to find a spare. He recalled someone once saying that sharing a toothbrush was a sign of true love and comforted himself with that. Next he got his clothes for the evening out and laid them on his bed. That made him wonder whether he ought to do anything about the bed. Should he pull the counterpane and duvet back or would that be too obvious and forward? In the end he decided to compromise and just removed the counterpane but that meant he had to move all his clothes again. Next he thought his shoes were not clean enough so he gave them a polish. What had he done with the theatre tickets? He spent a fruitless half hour emptying his wallet and desk drawers only to remember that he was going to pick them up at the box-office on arrival. He mentally kicked himself. After that he checked his drinks cupboard and the fridge for cold drinks. That set him off dithering about whether to get ice out now and into a cool box. He finally decided it could wait. Had he got enough petrol in the car? He raced out to the garage. The tank was three-quarters full.

At four he forced himself to have a cup of tea and one of Sharon's shortbreads and made himself pick up the crossword. All he did was look at it. His mind was flooded with Deborah.

Half an hour later he went to have a bath and change. Despite shaving and paying an inordinate amount of time to his fingernails he was fully ready three quarters of an hour early. All that was left to him was to pace up and down and shoo the dogs away in case he got hairs on his trousers.

Deborah was not doing much better. She was grateful for a morning's work and the fact that she had to pick Annette up and deliver her to Liz. Nevertheless, Richard had never been far from her mind. She had got her clothes out and pressed them the previous evening much to Annette's amusement. It was just as well though as she had only left herself an hour before Richard was due. She flew through her preparations and was left with twenty minutes to spare which meant she had to check and repack her overnight suitcase. She still had quarter of an hour to pace up and down and shoo Midge away in case she got hairs on her skirt. She prayed that Richard would like what she was wearing. She had on a deep red silk blouse with a wide collar, long sleeves and a plunging neckline which showed the start of her cleavage. Her skirt was long and black with a dark red pattern two inches above the hem. Below her left shoulder was pinned a large brooch consisting of a big pearl surrounded by gold leaves.

The doorbell rang on the dot of six o'clock and Deborah counted up to twenty before she opened the door. Richard stood there smiling shyly with one hand behind his back.

"Come in, darling, just for a moment."

Richard did so, sliding sideways past her and backing into the hall. As Deborah turned from shutting the door he thrust out the bunch of roses and then stood transfixed by her beauty and radiance.

Deborah's heart sang with relief that he liked what he saw and, swallowing quickly to regain her composure, she stepped towards him and took the flowers.

"Oh thank you, Richard! How lovely they are. I must go and put them in water straight away otherwise they'll be dead by the time I get back tomorrow."

She took the flowers from him and hurried to the kitchen, ran some water into the sink and, removing the bag, gently laid the stems in the water.

Richard had mutely followed her. At last he recovered the power of speech.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered. "What did I do to deserve you?"

"Just being you," she responded softly and her love shone in her eyes.

Richard stared into them. "Your eyes really are the window to your soul where I see nothing but beauty, goodness and love. I could look into them for ever."