Chapter 16

Monday morning saw a return to normal routine except that Lottë was wearing a blouse and skirt to just below the knee. She had a short, dark jacket. Robin was thrilled. It was a breakthrough and he told her how delighted and proud of her he was. Her smile was one of slight embarrassment mingled with joy at his pleasure. She was quite pleased with herself too.

Robin rang his solicitor to set the divorce wheels in motion.

"Use the separation agreement," he said. "Bea's happy with it. We may have to look at it again if she remarries. Assuming there are no problems how long do you reckon it's going to take?"

"Three months at the most if she's happy for me to continue to act for her. Have you got her work number?"

"No but I can give you her mobile."

The solicitor rang Robin later the same day. "No problems," he said, "and it should be unnecessary for either of you to come to court so we could well beat the three months I gave you earlier."

Robin thanked him and silently Bea.

Lottë saw the doctor and cashed her prescription on Tuesday. Robin bought some condoms. They did not use them until three days after her period was over.

"OK, it may not be quite the same," said Lottë, "but you will still be making love to me and that's what counts."

Robin nodded his agreement. It would not be quite the same but what she said was true. She was right. There was no decrease in passion or ultimate enjoyment.

"It's much tidier too," giggled Lottë.

The Fauré Requiem on Saturday night was, to Lottë and Robin, perfect. The Sunday Times music correspondent only awarded four stars out of five.

"I'll have him," said Lottë.

Lottë had put her Saturday article to bed by the following Thursday and Robin felt he could get away early. His latest idea was going through the mill and he had nothing pressing on. As a result they decided to drive down to the Irvines'

"So I should jolly well hope," said Henry. "Getting me up at all hours to drive you to the station for a train that'll probably be an hour late."

Matty was not normally one to show her emotions but when Robin and Lottë arrived she collected Lottë in a hug. Neither said a thing. Each knew that it was the end of thirteen years of fear and they clung to each other.

Henry smiled warmly at Robin and, putting his arm round his shoulder, something he would never have dreamt of doing normally, said, "Thank you, old mate."

That simple statement spoke volumes to Robin. He smiled back before saying, "Get your hands off me, Irvine, you old bugger."

Henry gently punched his nose. "No lip from you, young man."

They embraced. Something they had never done before. Lottë was astounded but equally she was thrilled. She mentioned it to Robin as they were getting ready for bed that night.

"It was because we are both so happy and relieved that your unhappiness is over, darling, and Henry considers that I'm responsible when you and I both know it was you."

"No, Uncle Robin. I may have fallen in love first but it was your love and your gentleness that overcame my fear." She wrapped her arms round his neck. "And for that I love you even more, my darling."

In the bathroom together Lottë said, "Uncle Robin, darling, Mummy's going to get into organising mode. You know, announcement of our engagement and wedding arrangements."

"She'll have to hold her horses about the engagement notice for starters. We can't do that while I'm still married. OK, we are engaged and you've got a ring and people at work have noticed and our nearest and dearest know but we can't go public until the divorce is through."

Lottë nodded. "OK by me."

"As far as the wedding goes we're going to be tied to a registry office because of my divorce and my own feelings are that that should be pretty low key but if you want lots of people to the church blessing and then a big reception afterwards super."

"Please, darling."

Robin smiled fondly at her. "You'll have to persuade your father," he teased.

"Hmph! Mummy'll sort him out."

They fell into each other's arms and slowly moved to bed, giggling about trying to pull back the duvet while still entwined. They managed and lay looking at each other.

"Am I allowed to make love to you, my darling?" whispered Robin.

"Why not, you silly man?"

"Noise."

"Rubbish. They're probably waiting with bated breath. Anyway, it might get them going."

"You are a wicked girl."

She smiled happily. "Yup because I love you."

Robin groaned but it was approaching ecstatic. "I love you too, my lovely darling Lottë."

He kissed her and from then on nothing articulate was said until their lovemaking was over and then it was brief.

"My darling Lottë."

"Love you, my precious man."

They fell asleep.

The wedding did of course come up on Saturday and Robin had a silent chuckle at the gleam in Matty's eyes when Lottë said they were all for pulling out the stops for the blessing and the reception. The gleam faded slightly when the restrictions imposed by Robin's divorce were mentioned but Matty soon brushed that off.

"Three months? That takes us through to the end of May. We could have it in September. It'll still be warm and very often there's a period of fine weather during the first three weeks."

Lottë and Robin were unworried. They were living together as man and wife which is what counted for them. The wedding and reception were bonuses.

"We'll hold the reception here of course," said Matty.

"Mm," said Robin thoughtfully. "Matty, love, that's a generous offer and I can't think of a lovelier setting but you are a bit remote, don't you think? Drink driving and all that."

"There are bags of B & B's," said Matty airily.

"Enough to cope with two hundred plus people?"

That stopped Matty in her tracks for a moment and she looked imploringly at Henry.

"I can't magic up any more," he said solemnly, "but there is Willingford Grange which is huge and Alsip House which is not much smaller. They're not far away and I'll bet they'd do special rates to take virtually all their rooms and the B & B's could cope with the rest. We could hire coaches to fetch and carry people."

"That's a very generous offer," said Robin, "but it'll be three trips spread over five or six hours: hotel to church, church to here, here to hotel."

"That's true. Lottë, my poppet, is it very important to you for the blessing to be given in church. Why not have it here? I can appease the vicar by making a hefty donation to church funds."

Lottë thought for a moment. "It doesn't really matter where it's blessed, does it? It's the fact that our marriage will be blessed that's important." She looked questioningly at Robin.

"Yes, darling. "Dead right."

"Right," said Matty taking control again. "There's not a lot we can do until we can fix a date although sounding out the hotels and the bus company might not go amiss. We can also start on the guest list. Do you reckon you could get away with fifty, Robin?"

"More than enough, I would think."

"Well, let me know if it isn't."

"One thing," said Robin. "When's Badminton? The hotels will be fully booked then."

"May. Actually we could go firm on a couple of dates now," said Henry. "Your divorce will be through ages before. Then we can see what suits the hotels."

"You really are quite a clever man sometimes," exclaimed Matty giving him a beaming smile.