Chapter 14

Ray bumped Reg slowly down the stairs in his wheel chair. He shook his head when they reached the bottom.

"Unless we're careful we're going to be had for not catering for the physically handicapped. How did you get up the stairs this morning?"

Reg told him.

"Right," he said decisively. "You continue to work from home until you're out of this chair. I still would like you, Eleanor, to report to me at nine when I can brief you for the pair of you. If I give you something to keep you both occupied for more than a day we'll be flexible. OK?"

"Yes, Ray," they chorused.

He looked sternly at them. "It's the smelly feet I'm worried about," he said. All three laughed and Eleanor gave him a peck on the cheek which produced a wolf whistle from somewhere in the warehouse.

Once home they snuggled up on the sofa as they had the day before. Then there was silence as they both mulled over the day's events.

"Eleanor?"

"Mm?"

"I know it can't happen soon but now I'm going to be earning more or at least I think so."

Mm?"

"Will you marry me?"

Eleanor pressed herself against him as best she could. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" She took his face in her hands and kissed it everywhere frenziedly finally arriving at his lips. It started as one of their essence sharing kisses but grew in intensity. Reg learned very quickly about French kissing. Finally Eleanor pulled back.

"Reg, my darling, I'd resigned myself to you not asking for ages if ever but..."

"I'm sorry, my darling but..."

She interrupted him. "I'd promised myself that I'd never marry anyone else and that somehow we'd end up together however much you felt that you weren't worthy of me. Reg, I..."

Her lips clamped on his again and with his right arm he pinioned her against him. It was too uncomfortable to last for long and they broke. Both had tears in their eyes.

"Eleanor darling, thank you, you wonderful, beautiful ... Oh, Eleanor, my precious!"

They gazed at each other, reading each other, burning with love for each other until their lips met again.

They broke for air and to get a little less uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry I'm so physically inadequate at the moment," said Reg.

Eleanor kissed him gently but then her wickedness broke through.

"Did you think, Reginald Woolstencroft, that just because I had consented to marry you that you could start to molest me?"

"Eleanor! I..."

She cut him off with a kiss, a gentle one. "No, my sweet. I know. Use of two arms. Next week perhaps." She kissed him lovingly again.

They lay against each other, his good arm round her and her face nuzzled into his neck.

Reg suddenly sobbed; just once but it convulsed him

"What, my darling?"

"Why do you love me? I'm nothing. You're rich and been to university. What can I offer you?"

Eleanor disentangled and stood up.

"Slide forward," she ordered.

He did. She knelt astride him and sank down on his thighs.

"Does that hurt, my darling?"

He shook his head.

"Good! Well, now you listen to me, Reginald Woolstencroft. You reckon you're a lower class wimp and a nerd. Yes?"

Her forcefulness made him reply even though it was just a shame-faced nod.

"First of all, Mr Woolstencroft, you are not a wimp."

She punched his chest, gently-ish.

"You saved me without thought for yourself. What would a wimp have done? 'Ooh, Miss Eleanor, look out!' No! You saved me from injury but caught it yourself. No, Reg! You are not, not, not a wimp! You are a very brave man."

Reg shook his head.

"Yes you are and I'll bet that if you'd ever joined the army you'd have done the same for someone who'd been shot or wounded without a thought for yourself."

Reg shook his head again.

She smacked his cheek softly. "Yes you would, you silly-billy. I know you would."

She leant forward and kissed him softly.

"OK, I'm relatively rich and I've been to university so I ought to be fairly discerning."

Reg just looked at her.

"There you are," she said. "You don't just accept things."

She touched his face gently.

"Reg, my darling, twice I've tried to bounce you and you've bounced back. I promise I'll never do it again because you've taught me to respect you. More than that, we share a deep love of music and you're a natural. And then, my love, you are a thinker with an analytical mind but an inventive one too. I could never have done this project as well without you. You also make me laugh and happy. Reg, my darling, I love you and I respect you."

Reg looked up at her.

"You mean every word of that, don't you?"

She nodded.

His arm went round her and pulled her to him.

"Eleanor, I love you. I love you so much. Without you I'd never have been offered this job or been so happy."

She kissed his nose.

"Job or happiness?"

"Give you one guess but without the job I'd never have dared to propose to you."

"Reg?"

"Mm?"

"I love you. Oh, Reg, I love you!"

She bent forward and kissed him, not passionately but very, very lovingly.

They stayed like that for a few blissful minutes.

"How's the knee?" she asked.

"Not that clever."

"Sorry, darling."

She stood up and then sat down beside him again in nestling position.

That was how Daphne found them.

"Hi!" she said cheerfully and then noticed the happiness that they were both exuding. She stopped in her tracks and looked at them questioningly.

"We're engaged, Mum," said Reg.

For once Daphne was robbed of words. For a moment she stared at them and then fell to her knees in front of them. She reached up and found Reg's head and pulled it forward before kissing him soundly.