Chapter 16

Both Andrew and Katrina had gone back to work the previous Thursday. Andrew dropped Katrina off and drove on down to Southampton arriving quarter of an hour later than usual. No one seemed to take any notice.

He reported to his immediate senior who welcomed him back and told him that he thought the Bristol case had gone well.

"Am I allowed to ask what the personal problem that kept you away was about?"

"Yes of course. My girlfriend broke her arm on Friday night and there was no one to look after her. Her parents live up in darkest Yorkshire and, although she has grandparents reasonably local, one could hardly expect them to come and care for her. Over the course of the weekend we became engaged and we decided it would be better if she stayed with me rather than her grandparents."

His superior smiled. "That seems to me to be a thoroughly sound judgement. Congratulations, Andrew. I imagine none of us know her."

"I doubt it unless anyone is a regular user of the Pitsbury library. She's the head librarian."

That was that but word soon spread and Andrew received many visits to congratulate him.

On Friday things returned to normal and he was happy with that. The only difference was that when he was not deep into a case his mind drifted immediately to Katrina. There was no longing to be at her side but there was the supreme happiness of their love and that he would see her again in a matter of hours. Everyone noticed that happiness.

For Katrina it was rather different. She was warmly welcomed back by all the staff who were sympathetic about her arm. They were also thrilled at her engagement and cooed over her ring. She found it hard to concentrate though. After fifteen years of self-enforced spinsterhood she was free and deliriously in love. Andrew kept pushing into the forefront of her mind. She wanted to look after him and cosset him. She mentally smacked herself for being silly, sloppy and sentimental but still the thoughts persisted. She wanted to cook for him and take over the domestic chores but realised that with an arm in plaster she could not do that. She pressed on and as far as she was aware did her job as well as ever but she was still unsettled.

Her feelings bubbled over on the following Thursday evening as they sat in each other's arms with a drink before supper. She suddenly buried her face in his shoulder and wept, not silently but with wails and convulsive sobs.

Andrew held her, stroked her hair and kissed her head.

"What, my precious? What's upset you?"

His loving sympathy led to howls and to her clinging fiercely to him. He continued, mystified, to try and comfort her. At length she calmed down and looked up at him, her eyes red and her face streaked with tears.

"I'm sorry, Andrew my darling. I'm sorry. It's just..." Her head went back down and there was more crying.

Andrew held her but was becoming more and more alarmed. "Had she got cold feet? Did she still hanker for Nigel? Was she going to leave him?"

"Please, my darling, please tell me what's the matter."

Her head came up. "I love you. I-I love you so much ... too much. I-I c-can't bear being away from you an-and that's s-silly and ch-childish and s-sloppy and ... and unfair on you."

"It's not silly or childish or sloppy, my darling. It's deeply touching and I feel much the same but not with your intensity although I do love you so much that I do miss when I'm not with you unless my mind's fully occupied. Katrina darling, you're part of me and I only feel whole when we're together."

She looked up at him questioningly, half doubtingly but longingly. "Really?"

"Yes, my precious. Really! Really, really!"

Her face went back against his chest and her good arm hugged him tightly, desperately almost.

He went back to stroking her hair and whispering his love to her but his mind was racing as to how to calm her down and help her practically.

Her head suddenly came back up. "Would you mind if I gave up work?"

"No, my sweet." He smiled tenderly at her. "How's that going to help though? You'll be on your tod all day with no one to take your mind off me."

"No, darling. I shall be surrounded by you: your books, your music, your furniture even your smell."

He wrinkled his nose and got the glimmer of a smile out of her. "All right, your aura, and I would be doing things for you, for us, all the household chores."

"That might wear a bit thin with nothing to really occupy your mind, your good, educated mind."

"Then I shall follow the example of my man and write a book. I could also do proof reading for you."

Andrew looked thoughtfully at her. He could see where she was coming from but he was not convinced that this was the future for such a bright, educated young woman.

She looked shyly at him. "You think I'm dotty, don't you?"

"No darling. I understand where you're coming from and am very touched but I'm not sure that your answer is the right one. Tomorrow your arm comes out of plaster and after a few days when all the muscles and tendons and things have recovered you'll be back to full fighting strength. Would you do something for me? Give it a fortnight before you hand in your notice?"

She thought about it, her eyes never leaving his. She doubted she would change her mind but it was important to take account of his point of view. "Yes, darling," she said quietly.

That earned her a kiss which cheered her up a lot.

Her cast came off the following morning and the first thing she did was hug him. "That should get the muscles and tendons working," she grinned.

"Celebration dinner," he replied, "and therefore the Crown at Atheldiston don't you think?"

She nodded vigorously.

"Thither we shall go provided I can get us a table."

"'Thither we shall go'! Pompous barrister!"

Laughing happily they made their way back to the car, did some shopping for the weekend and went home.

The postman had been and there was a letter from Katrina's mother.

Dearest Katherine, (it read)

Thank you so much for your letter and the photos in particular. You look very pretty and your Andrew is a good looking man. You are clearly both very much in love.

I wrote a long letter to the abbot last weekend and managed to give it to the postman when he delivered yours. He replied by return and is just going to turn up some time this coming week. He was most sympathetic to our predicament and I got the impression that he is on our side. I will write as soon as I know the outcome.

Your loving Mother.

Katrina jigged up and down like a teenager with excitement and happiness as Andrew read it.

"Wonderful!" he exclaimed catching her up and whirling her round. "Mind you," he added, "in pompous barrister mode we mustn't count our chickens before they're hatched."

"No, m'lud," she giggled.

They managed to get a table at the Crown and had a delicious dinner. They also met an old friend of Andrew's from law school, Gerry du Puys, and his wife Isobel. Gerry's parents were with them. It all added to the enjoyment of the evening. The two girls swapped telephone numbers.

On Monday Andrew did some surreptitious investigation of his chamber's support staff. He was aware that interns were taken on and discovered that they were a welcome help to the permanent staff. He broached the matter of taking Katrina on with his superior who had his doubts, 'smacks of nepotism' were his words, but undertook to discuss it with Head of Chambers. Andrew said no more.

Nothing more was heard that week from Katrina's mother but the following week an ecstatic letter arrived saying that Father Antrobus had persuaded her father to let bygones be bygones and that she had subsequently persuaded him to pay a visit before the wedding to reconcile with Nigel and Katrina. They would be staying with Edwin and Edwina.