Chapter 2

Moira was already in the kitchen with David's mother, Caroline, when he appeared. He greeted them both and moved to Moira's side. She smiled up at him and squeezed his hand. Caroline took note that the relationship had moved on another step.

"What are your plans for today?" she asked.

David was keen to get Moira on her own for most of the day and had been thinking about it. "How about a walk on the Dorset cliffs from Kimmeridge?" he asked her. "There's a pleasant pub at Corfe for us to have lunch at."

"Sounds good."

"Will you take the dogs?" asked Caroline.

"If you like," he replied.

"Yes please. It lets me off the hook."

They were away within the hour. Moira placed a slightly tentative hand on David's thigh. His covered it and squeezed it gently but he could not leave it there as the lane was winding and he needed both hands on the wheel. The pressure of Moira's hand increased and she gave a little hum of happiness.

"Sorry!" they both said.

"Go on," again simultaneously and then got the giggles which dispelled the tension that had built up.

"What are you sorry about?" Moira asked.

"For not daring to give you a good morning kiss in front of Mum and then being rather silent."

She squeezed his thigh and chuckled briefly. "I suspect that the fact that you were never more than two inches from me and that I held your hand as soon as you came into the kitchen did not pass unnoticed."

David's hand closed over hers again briefly. "What were you sorry about?"

"A number of things. First of all for cutting things short last night..."

"You were right."

"Secondly not saying good morning to you."

"Pouf! Equally guilty."

"Not even offering my lips to be kissed."

"Equally guilty again!"

"It doesn't mean that I don't still love you though."

David swallowed to get rid of the lump in his throat and pulled into the next gateway. He unbuckled his seatbelt and, leaning across took Moira's face in his hands.

"Good morning, Moira," he whispered. "I still love you despite your appalling behaviour. Please may I kiss you?"

She smiled. It was not a grin. "Yes please 'cos I love you too ... very much."

David touched his lips to hers, drew back to look into her eyes and then plastered his lips to hers. Their tongues entered the fray but finally, breathless, they drew back and looked at each other. They were temporarily incapable of speech.

"Oh, my Moira!" breathed David at last as the whining of dogs, who did not understand the car stopping and their not being allowed out, started and grew.

Moira touched a finger tip to his lips. "On, on," she smiled. "That'll keep me going for the time being."

They continued on their way chatting happily but inconsequentially. That was the pattern of the day, very happy but not intense. They enjoyed their walk even though Moira shrank back from the cliffs' edge. They made her feel vertiginous. They also enjoyed their lunch at the pub.

They were home around four. Caroline had left a note for them to say that she was riding and would be home around six.

David and Moira fed the dogs and then made themselves a mug of tea each. They sat on the sofa together to drink it.

"I'm going to hate leaving you on Friday," said Moira.

"I'll come with you," he replied impulsively.

"No, David," she replied gently.

"Why not?"

"Dad chiefly. He'll need time to think about me being in love and with a Sassenach at that."

David had to restrain a disbelieving snort of laughter and just said quietly, "Oh!"

Moira shook her head. "It's not easy," she said, "and I sometimes wonder why Mum ever married him. She's so outgoing and bubbly and he's developed into a religious curmudgeon." She shrugged. "Perhaps the church hadn't got a grip on him then and he was as fun as she is when they met and married. It's something neither of them will talk about to either of us. I think Daniel actively dislikes him. You remember what I said about him coming for Hogmanay."

"Yes. That's really sad."

"But, David, he's still my father and I know that he loves me so at least I must respect him even ... even if I don't love him as much as I should."

David was silent. It was a situation he found difficult to imagine. Both his parents were fun and warm as well as loving. Tentatively he put his arm round Moira's shoulder and was rewarded by her leaning against him.

"I'll wait until you give the word," he said gently.

Moira turned her face up to him. "Thank you for being so understanding. I'd like to tell the world that I love you but..."

"I understand."

"Kiss?"

David did so. It started like the previous evening's one but grew not in passion but in love. It was very special to both of them.

"I love you, my Moira," he murmured.

"And I love you, my David."

They held each other for several minutes.

"David?" asked Moira hesitantly. "Were you disappointed in me last night?"

"No, my love, respectful and rather grateful."

"Grateful?"

"Yes. If you'd dragged me off to bed I'd have been embarrassed."

"Why, my David?"

"Well ... er ... it might have been a bit quick off the mark and ... um ... well, I think it might have been a bit unfair on my parents, um, taking, um, unfair advantage of their hospitality. The other thing was that I didn't want to rush you into anything. That's why I said this morning that you were right."

Moira looked him in the eyes. Hers were gentle and understanding whilst his were concerned.

"I knew it," she whispered. "You're a sweet, considerate man. Relax, my love. I admire you."

David groaned and pulled her back into a hug. "Oh, thank you, Moira, for being so understanding. I'd love to make love to you but only when you're ready and the time and the setting are right."

"Don't worry, David, I'm ready but I want to be safe and I don't want to muck about with condoms so you're going to have to wait a bit, my love."

"I can do that, my Moira."

That earned him a long and loving kiss.

David drove Moira to Bristol airport to catch a plane to Edinburgh. She was spending the night with Alison and going on up to Perth on Saturday. David wandered about aimlessly without her.

"You've got it bad, my boy," Caroline said gently to him.

David nodded. "We've fallen for each other, Mum, and I'm really missing her."

"Why didn't you go with her?"

David told her what Moira had said. "It sounds as though he's very possessive," he added. "I'm rather dreading meeting him."

"I shouldn't worry about it, dear. I'm sure Moira will have softened him up by the time you meet him."

David was not so sure.

His and Moira's reunion back at Cambridge was ecstatic. After a prolonged hug and kiss they went back to their café where they held hands and talked nineteen to the dozen which meant that eating their flapjacks and drinking their tea took a very long time and the latter became stone cold.