Chapter 12

Harry arrived at eleven the next day and Annette led him in. Deborah was at the hospital and Richard was beavering in his study.

"Coffee?" she asked.

"Sounds good."

He followed her into the kitchen and sat down at the table.

"I'm very honoured," he said. "The dogs don't even woof me these days."

"They're bored with you," said Annette with a grin.

"Nonsense! OK, Tilly and Midge have gone off again but Teal hasn't left me alone."

"Man's man or something."

She put the coffee on the table and sat down opposite him. Harry's chest tightened. She had something big on her mind. She looked at him. He could read sadness and resolution in her eyes. There was still warmth though. He took a deep breath.

"Tell me, Tig."

"I need to tell you more about me," she said quietly, "because at the moment I'm not being fair to you. The reason that my parents divorced was because my father sexually abused me three years ago."

"Oh, you poor d-dear," he caught himself from saying 'darling' as his suppositions became concrete. "That's horrible. What's happened to him?"

Annette told him what her mother had done, how Jeremy had spotted her in Edinburgh and later followed her back down south, how Richard had hired a security firm to keep her safe and how subsequently Jeremy had been jailed for child pornography. She explained that nothing had ever been done about his behaviour towards her because first of all Deborah and then Richard did not want her to have to undergo a court appearance and possible publicity.

"How long is he in for?"

"Indeterminate but a minimum of three years and possibly a lot longer."

"How has it affected you? You always seem so cheerful and happy."

"Well, to start with I was terrified of men but getting to know Richard and then his sons helped me overcome that. Even so I still felt dirty. I think that I'm over that now and I'm clear that none of what happened was my fault."

"Dead right!"

Annette smiled fondly at him. "The trouble is I still don't much like physical contact with men. Oh I hug and kiss Richard because I know he's safe but that's why Ronny's behaviour upset me so much."

"I'm not surprised and that's why Louise was looking out for you at the dance."

Annette nodded. "Well now you, dear Harry, have upset the applecart."

"Why?"

"Because we're becoming closer and closer, aren't we?"

He nodded.

"And soon you're going to want to kiss me and hug me and things."

He nodded again.

"I won't be able to let you and that wouldn't be fair and you'd probably give me up." She burst into tears. "I'm sorry," she snuffled.

Harry's instinct was to run round the table to cuddle and comfort her but he realised that that would be the last thing he should do. Instead he sat silently and waited for her to pull herself together, which he knew she would.

She blew her nose, wiped her eyes and then repeated, "Sorry. I was determined not to cry."

He smiled compassionately. "I wasn't far from tears myself. My poor, sweet, little Tig, I quite understand your feelings and I admire you enormously for coming clean with me. Let's get one thing absolutely clear. I ... am ... not ... giving you up. You are the first girl I've been remotely interested in and I am not giving you up."

Annette's eyes shone with happiness. "Thank you," she whispered. "I was terrified of losing you and just as terrified of having to let you do things to me just to keep you."

Harry grinned. "I can't deny that there have been times when I've wanted to hug you, like a few minutes ago, but somehow the warning bells rang and I didn't. Perhaps that's an indication of just how close we are. We can read each other."

Annette nodded. She did not trust her voice.

"However," Harry went on. "The restrictions do not apply to you. If you want to hug or kiss me go ahead. I'll welcome you with open arms."

Annette snorted at his pun.

"I might," he added ruminatively trying to lift the heaviness, "even let you hold my hand in the cinema if you get frightened."

"Oh, you might, might you? Quite the gallant. I'll have to make sure we don't go to any of those sort of films."

"What a shame. I thought we might go to Dracula this afternoon."

Annette pealed with laughter, her normal happiness restored.

"By the way, I've done as you ordered and brought my tennis kit but, I warn you, I'm terrible."

"Don't worry. So am I. Oh, that reminds me."

She dashed from the room and knocked on Richard's study door. "Richard, are you or Mummy going to walk the dogs this afternoon or do you want Harry and I to do it now?"

"We'll do it, sweetie. You're playing tennis at the Tomlinsons', aren't you?"

"Yes. Harry and I will have to have an earlier lunch than you and Mummy but we'll leave everything ready for you."

"Thanks."

The tennis was hilarious. Harry was indeed hopeless. He tried to power his way through or rely on drop shots. The power shots were almost inevitably out. Way out, so that they had to go searching in the bushes. The drop shots mostly dropped short. Annette's play took a nosedive because she was laughing so much. She actually at one stage hung on to him for support she was laughing so much. Harry took it for what is was although his lips did brush her hair. Her laughter made her oblivious. Harry, on the other hand, was thrilled by the smell of her hair and her body against his.

Livvie buttonholed her afterwards. "Do I sense lurve?" she asked Annette.

"No," said Annette. "Just great friendship."

"Humph!"