Chapter 28

When they had both finished and were sipping their coffee Richard said, "I think we owe Sharon a phone call, don't you?"

"Gosh, yes!"

Richard dialled her number.

"'Ullo?"

"Sharon, my love!"

"Richard!" she shrieked.

"We both wanted to thank you for setting up the bedroom so romantically."

"Aw! It was nothing."

"Yes, it was. It was very special and very loving of you and Deborah thinks so too. Don't you, darling?" as he handed the phone to her.

"Sharon, you are a sweetheart. Thank you, my dear!"

There was a stifled sob at the other end.

"I just wanted it to be perfect for you."

"It was. When we came into the room we stopped dead in our tracks and both said together 'Sharon'. I can't tell you how touched we were."

"Good!" Sniff. "I'm glad." Sniff. "I'm... so happy... for you both." A tearful wail and the phone went dead.

"She rung off," said Deborah. "Do you think she's all right?"

"Yes," said Richard reassuringly. "She's quite an emotional person. Was she in tears?"

Deborah nodded.

"Yup! It fits, bless her heart. Anyway, my lovely, we're due to leave in twenty minutes so off you go. I'll do the breakfast things."

The doorbell rang promptly at nine and Richard opened the door to find a man dressed in full chauffeur's livery: peaked cap, black jacket, black breeches and highly polished boots.

"Good morning, sir!" he said, saluting. "Geoffrey Ironside!"

"Good morning, Mr Ironside. I can't tell you how grateful I am for what you're doing for us."

"My pleasure, Mr Hoddinot. It gives me an excuse to give the old girl a really decent run and please call me Geoffrey."

"Thank you and I'm Richard. This is going to be a complete surprise to my fiancée so you may like to keep up the act for a few minutes."

Geoffrey grinned. "Could be fun," he chuckled.

Richard winked at him and walked back into the house.

"Are you coming, darling?" he called. "We ought to go"

"Coming, coming," came a voice from upstairs and then she appeared. How she had brought her outfit in an overnight bag Richard could not imagine. She was immaculate in a white, patterned skirt to just below the knee, a white blouse with a scalloped collar and a navy blue silk jacket. So far as he could make out she wore no makeup other than a touch of lipstick. She looked adorable.

"Darling, you look lovely. Am I allowed to kiss you?"

"Always!"

He did so gently and then guided her through the door.

She gasped as she saw the Daimler sitting there with a uniformed chauffeur standing and holding open the back door. She turned questioningly to Richard but was brought back when Geoffrey said, "Good morning, Miss Cooper! It is going to be a pleasure to drive such a lovely lady."

"What? Um, thank you but..."

She turned to Richard. "I thought we were going by train."

Geoffrey interrupted, "I was given orders from Her Majesty's private office at Windsor Castle to pick you up at nine and take you wherever you wished for the rest of the day."

Deborah managed to recover her cool, particularly with the ridiculous mention of the Queen's involvement.

"Richard?" she asked sternly.

"Friends of friends," he answered equably. "This is Geoffrey Ironside and he has agreed to give us a day out. Darling, Geoffrey Ironside! Geoffrey, my fiancée, Deborah Cooper!"

"I stick by what I said, Miss Cooper. It's going to be a pleasure to drive such a lovely lady."

Thank you, Mr Ironside. Can we drop the formality? This seems a pretty cosy arrangement so may I call you Geoffrey?"

"Only if I can call you Deborah which, incidentally, I think is a very pretty name."

"Flatterer!" she grinned. "Of course you can."

Geoffrey turned to Richard. "With that smile and those eyes no wonder you love her!"

Richard blushed, not something he normally did.

"Let's get going," he said brusquely.

"First stop Burlington Arcade?" asked Geoffrey with a wide smile.

"Spot on!"

"OK! Climb in then."

The car purred away. They looked round them like a couple of excited small children. The interior was all silver grey with leather seats and a deep pile carpet. Instead of handles above the doors there were plaited ropes with bobbles on the end which hung just behind the doors which, of course were hinged at the rear. There were fold out seats let into the backs of the front seats and what appeared to be cupboards above them. Neither Deborah or Richard attempted to see what was inside them.

"Now then," said Deborah when they had both settled down, "tell me and no pulling the wool about friends of friends."

"But it's true," Richard replied trying to look affronted but not succeeding very well.

"Details then or no more kisses!"

"What? Now she turns out to be a Spartan woman."

Deborah giggled and pecked him on the cheek. "Never!" she said. "It would destroy me so please tell me." She batted her eyelashes at him.

"OK," laughed Richard and told her of his conversation with Neil. "He used to be in the Army," he added, "which, I think, is how he and Geoffrey know each other."

"Well, I think it was a brilliant idea but for them to do it for fifty quid is very generous indeed. I think I need to meet Neil and thank him personally."

"I was right," Richard thought. "Everyone is going to love her." Aloud, he said, "Of course, we'll go and call on him sometime soon. He'd be tickled pink, I'm sure."

There was a short silence as Deborah found his hand and laid her head on his shoulder. "That's better," she said softly, "Apart from that kiss just before we left I've been out of touch with you for two hours," and she squeezed his hand.

"Darling," she went on, "you don't want a big wedding do you?"

"No, I don't," he replied feelingly. "Something small, simple and intimate is what I would prefer but I can't deny you anything."

"You won't have to. That's exactly what I want too. Registry Office but I would like a short service of blessing in church. And let's keep it in the family, not that I've got any now other than Liz and her lot."

"That sounds absolutely right. We could have a totally separate party for the village and friends later on."

"Or we could have an engagement barbecue for them."

"Good idea! It should stifle the gossips too."

"Something else. Obviously I'd like Annette to be my bridesmaid. Do you think Sharon would be prepared to be matron of honour?"

"Darling, what a wonderful idea! I'm sure she'd be thrilled and very flattered. It would be just the sign from you that she's still part of the family." Then he told her about Rachel's wedding ring and the warmth he had felt.

Tears welled up in Deborah's eyes. "You are the kindest, most considerate and loving man I have ever met." She climbed up and pressed her lips to his. As her tongue met his lips Richard opened his mouth. Deborah continued to lick them then took his lower lip in hers and sucked gently on it. Finally, she broke away. "And you," she whispered, "are my darling love and I just keep realising how lucky I am."

"Snap!" he whispered. "I'm so happy that I've found you and that we love each other so much. I never believed it could happen. I thought that however much I loved someone I would have Rachel's ghost sitting on my shoulder so to speak. But it seems she blessed my giving Sharon her ring and has now blessed our love because last night I was suddenly able to give you everything I have in the way of love."

"I wish I'd met her, darling, but it seems to me that those final words she said to you about life being for living summed up just how she felt for you and what she wanted for you. She couldn't bear to see you going to waste and I'm the lucky one she wanted for you. Oh, darling, I love you so much it hurts."

They clung to each other. Their loves flowed between them until they felt they were almost one person. Neither had experienced anything so intense and as they finally pulled apart they were both panting. They looked at each other in wonder and amazement. Neither could or wanted to say anything. At last they both moved towards each other and their lips touched. They drew back and smiled knowing that their loves were forever sealed in them both.

It was a good half hour before either spoke again by which time they had reached the motorway and were wafting past Basingstoke. It was Richard who broke the silence.

"Have you any ideas about the ring you want?"

"Not really other than not wanting a sapphire. I had that last time."

"Sounds as good a reason as any," he smiled. "And what about lunch? Any preferences?"

"None"

"How about walking up Piccadilly and going to Simpson's in the Strand, the best beef in England so they say?"

"What a great idea! I haven't been there for years. My parents took me there when I was eighteen to celebrate my passing into medical college. I haven't been back since."

"I'd better make a plan with Geoffrey." He tapped on the glass partition which was lowered.

"Geoffrey," he continued, "we've come up with a slightly more detailed plan."

"Yup."

"After we've chosen the ring we're going to go and have lunch at Simpson's and then I hope to be able to go back to the jewellers at about three to pick up the ring after any adjustments have been made to it. How does that sound to you?"

"Fine. I would like to start home by about half past three though so that we don't get caught in the Friday rush."

"Absolutely. If they can't have it ready for us by then they'll have to get it to us some other way. What are you going to do?"

"Oh, I'll go to my club. They're quite used to me turning up in a chauffeurs' uniform. I'll need your mobile phone number though. I can be with you within ten minutes of you ringing. It would help if, during that time, you could cross over Piccadilly and I'll pick you up outside the Ritz. Then we'll be facing in the right direction."

"No problem but I'll need your phone number as well."

Geoffrey chuckled. "Good thinking," he said. "Fat lot of use it would be the other way round."

"By the way," Richard asked, "were you in the Army?"

"Yes, 14th/20th Hussars."

"But Neil was a Gunner and I was assuming you met in the Army."

"We did but not while regimentally employed."

Richard realised he was not getting a full answer and left it, merely saying "Ah!" in an understanding sort of way.

"You weren't in the Army were you?" asked Geoffrey.

"Yes but only for a short time. I had a short service commission but Rachel and I couldn't bear the separations so I didn't extend and went into the head-hunting business."

"Ah, sensible chap. Made a lot more money, I'll bet."

"Just a bit," Richard chuckled.

"Ooh, sorry, Deborah! I forgot to tell you. There are soft drinks and a thermos of coffee in the cupboard thingy let into the back of the seat in front of you."

"Bless you, Geoffrey, that's just what I need. What about you?"

"No, I'm fine thanks."

Deborah poured coffee for herself and Richard. They left the partition open and the three of them nattered away happily as they progressed through West London, Knightsbridge and Hyde Park Corner. It came almost as a surprise when Geoffrey drew in to the side of the road. They quickly exchanged phone numbers and Richard and Deborah walked slowly up the Burlington Arcade. Deborah was particularly entranced by the shops selling intricately carved ivory chess sets. Richard could not help thinking how alike mother and daughter were as, clutching his hand, she hopped up and down in delight. They also peered into the jewellers' windows.

"Any idea which jeweller to head for?" she asked.

"I thought we might try the one I bought Rachel's engagement ring from. They had a very good selection but if you don't see anything you particularly fancy we can try elsewhere."

"OK. That sounds like a good plan."

They entered the shop and were met by an immaculately suited man in his fifties.

"Good morning, sir and madam!"

"Good morning!" said Richard. "My name's Hoddinot and this is my fiancée, Deborah Cooper. We'd like to look at engagement rings."

The man's eyes lit up. "My favourites, " he said.

Richard and Deborah looked at him questioningly.

"Wedding rings: gold bands with little real variety. Eternity rings either overly opulent or grudgingly given. Excuse me but over the years I've become a bit sceptical. But, engagement rings are chosen and given with new and untrammelled love and there is a huge variety of them. If you'd like to come this way."

He led them to a small, warm feeling room at the back of the shop.

"Now, Miss Cooper, had you anything particular in mind?"

"No," she said, "but not a sapphire."

The man sighed. "Perfect with your eyes," he said sorrowfully, "but you know your own mind. In that case, may I make a suggestion? Green and yellow stones would not really suit you. How about a ruby?"

"Yes!" said Deborah excitedly as Richard nodded in agreement. "Preferably in an old setting."

The man smiled. "Just a moment," he said and left the room.