Chapter 22

Harry did manage to get away the following weekend. They did not do anything of note, merely basking in each other's company.

"Only a week to go," said Annette gleefully.

"Are you clear on Friday?"

"Yes, Wednesday actually. Are you going to come early?"

"I wish I could but I'll try to get here by about half past five on Friday. I've booked us a room at the Grand Hotel at Llandudno for Friday and Saturday."

Annette's eyes widened in surprise and then she kissed him hard. "Oh, my darling! How wonderful! How romantic!" She kissed him again.

"I'll tell you what I would like you to do, my Tig, and that's to find out the name of the pub Lou and Peter went to last weekend. It sounded pretty good and I thought we might eat there on Friday evening. We can eat and dance at the Grand on Saturday."

Annette's eyes shone with excitement. "That sounds magic," she said. "Ooh! I can hardly wait."

Harry managed to get away from Telford early and arrived on Annette's doorstep at half past five. Louise was equally excited and gave her a big farewell hug.

"Have a super time, Tig," she said. "I'm sure you will."

"And you too, Lou. Give Peter my love."

They were parked and in the foyer of the Grand within the hour. A page carried their bags up to their room.

"I couldn't afford a suite, I'm afraid, darling."

"Waste of time and money. This is quite big enough and the view out to sea is brilliant and THEN it's got this lovely big bed." She bounced gleefully up and down on it.

They unpacked and put away their clothes.

"Right," said Harry. "Let the pub crawl begin. Are you happy to walk, darling? It's only about four hundred yards away."

Annette beamed, took his hand and jigged up and down like the fifteen year old he had first met. "You bet. Work up a thirst." She giggled. "Dutch courage."

"I hope you don't need that."

"I don't, darling. I really, really don't. Come on. If we don't go now I may leap on you."

"Come on then, my little wanton."

They found the pub without problem and immediately liked it. It was warm and welcoming and had none of the trippery trash beloved of seaside towns. It had probably been a fishermen's pub before Llandudno became a holiday resort. Harry ordered a lager for Annette and a pint of bitter for himself. They went and found a table in a secluded corner. Their hands found each other.

Harry took a pull at his beer. Then, looking very serious and slightly anxious, said," Tig, my darling, will you marry me?"

Annette was so surprised that she almost spilt her lager but managed to put it down on the table.

"Yes, Harry. Of course I will."

His face lit up. He leant forward and very gently kissed her. "Thank you, darling. You've made me very, very happy."

Annette looked at him in bewilderment. "Why did you ask me now, my darling, and here?"

Harry looked uncomfortable. "I've been waiting to ask you for six years," he said. "I didn't feel I could though while 'that man's' shadow was still hanging over you. Then, after the accident, when you said you were going to give yourself to me I thought that at last the time had come. Then I thought that I shouldn't be too quick off the mark in case I frightened you away again. The last two weekends showed that I didn't have to worry about that. I was going to ask you last weekend but, would you believe it, I got cold feet."

She smiled fondly at him and squeezed his hand.

"It might not have mattered to you but it did to me. I needed you to say 'Yes' before making love to you."

"Why, darling? Lots of people do it without being engaged."

"I know but you are special. One person took advantage of you and seriously damaged you. I couldn't bear to think that I might ever be tarred with the same brush. Why here? Because if I'd waited until we got back to our room it could have been too late with us both so keyed up. Do you understand me, my darling?"

"Yes, I do and you've gone up in my estimation even more if that was possible. There's never been any doubt in my mind that I wanted to marry you ever since I told you I loved you three years ago. But you're quite right. If you'd asked me before we'd shared a sleeping bag after the accident I'd have been forced to say no because I wouldn't have been able to live up to your expectations." She could not suppress a chuckle. "I still might not."

Harry smiled happily at her. "I doubt that judging from recent experience."

They both laughed.

"I might say," she said, "you have made me very, very happy too." She leant forward and gave him as soft and as chaste a kiss as he had given her. "You wait, my lad. You're going to learn what kissing's really about later."

Harry cowered and they both laughed.

"We ought to order," he said. They wandered over hand in hand to the blackboard on the chimneypiece.

"I know what I'm going to have for mains," said Harry almost immediately. "The rack of lamb."

"I'm tempted too but I rather like the look of the quail. I think I'll go for that."

"OK. Red wine?"

"Mmm, yes please."

"Do you want a starter?"

"I don't think so, thanks. I don't want to stuff myself tonight." She got the giggles.

Harry shook his head. "You are a wicked, wicked little Tig."

She nodded happily and slipped her hand round his arm.

They ordered and Harry took a bottle of house red, a Shiraz, and two wineglasses back to their table. They started to talk and then went on talking non-stop. Some might think that they would have run out of conversation after this length of time but both were fascinated in what the other was doing. Harry might well have done Zoology too if he had not been so keen on and good at maths and electronics. Annette never ceased to be amazed at the scope of Harry's research and the goals of his firm. They both had a pudding and coffee. It was over coffee that the conversation began to dwindle as both became aware of the momentousness of their imminent lovemaking. They walked back to the Grand arm-in-arm and in total silence.

Once in their room, Harry held out his arms and Annette fell into them. They kissed gently and then with growing passion. Finally, they were forced apart by lack of oxygen.

Annette laid her head on his shoulder. "I warned you," she said softly.

Harry kissed the top of her head. "And I loved every minute of it," he replied. "Bed time?"

"Yes, darling." She pushed herself away. "We've done the undressing each other bit. So let's undress ourselves tonight."

"OK. Whatever you want." He pulled his jersey over his head and then stopped as he realised why Annette wanted to undress herself. She was doing a striptease. He watched enthralled as she slowly and seductively unveiled each part of her beautiful body. She held her breasts up for him and tweaked the nipples so that they stood up but she would not let him touch them. She turned her back to him to take off her jeans, bending forward as she pushed them down and languorously pulled them off each foot. She was wearing very brief and almost translucent panties. She went through the same procedure to remove them then turned to face him.

"Still want to marry me?" she asked impishly.