Chapter 15

Tina and Christopher stayed sitting on the sofa for all of an hour. Neither spoke other than for him to remind her not to forget her tea. She managed an apologetic half smile. He appreciated her reluctance to talk and realised that all she wanted was sympathetic comfort. She had done well to control her fear and anxiety after her landlord's visit the previous evening. The shock and violence of the attempted rape this morning must have been overwhelming mentally and emotionally as well as physically.

"How about bed now?" he eventually asked gently.

She shook her head. "I don't want to be on my own."

"I can understand that. How about lying out on the sofa while I hold your hand?"

"I need you to go on holding me."

"OK but I still think some sleep would do you good so why don't you lie along the sofa with your head on my shoulder and both my arms round you?"

"OK."

She wriggled round into position and then wriggled a bit more to get comfortable. He wrapped his arms gently round her and she snuggled into them.

"Comfy?"

"Mmm."

"Sleep tight, little one."

It only took a couple of minutes for her body to completely relax and her breathing to slow. She was out for the count.

For a while Christopher did nothing but revel in the fact that at last he was holding this little fairy of a girl. She was so light and so cuddly. He resisted the urge to stroke her magical hair realising that he must not move at all for fear of waking her or, worse still, frightening her.

His mind turned to the immediate future. She needed to stay the night if no more because of the need to give a statement in the morning. Thereafter it must be up to her. He wondered if she would be prepared to go back to Merle and Tania or whether Ellie's offer still stood. This latest incident would probably put her off ever living alone again. His jaw knotted in fury at the thought of her landlord's behaviour and intentions. He hoped that they would both go down for a very long time.

It was something like two hours before Tina stirred and then, still half asleep and forgetting where she was, she panicked trying to get away from Christopher. He continued to hold her but a little more firmly.

"It's all right, Tina. You're quite safe. Relax, little one.

"Christopher?" she whimpered.

"Yes, little Tina," he replied softly. "Your guardian angel has got you safe and sound.

She looked up at him and then smiled. "Yes. My self-appointed guardian angel. Thank you, Christopher. I shudder to think what would have happened if you hadn't been there."

"I'm glad I disobeyed you."

"So am I." She reached for his head and pulling it down very gently kissed him.

"Thank you, Tina," he whispered and stroked her hair a couple of times. "Now, how about some breakfast? I don't know about you but I'm pretty peckish."

"So am I now you mention it."

"Upsadaisy!"

He helped her sit up and then she stood up. He joined her.

"Let's go and see what I've got. We may have to go and do a bit of shopping later. I wasn't expecting a guest however welcome."

"I don't want to be a nuisance."

"You aren't. You're a pleasure."

She smiled, a mixture of warmth and shyness.

Christopher rootled around in the fridge. "Eggs, bacon and tomatoes," he announced. "How does that sound?"

"Yummy!"

"And some coffee to wash it down with."

"Even better."

Christopher rejoiced. She was perking up. Her sleep had clearly done her some good.

"Can I help?"

"How about coffee chef? Are you all right with a cafetiere?"

"You bet. I normally live on instant though."

"Yuck!"

"You get used to it."

"Hmm."

"Snob!"

"When it comes to coffee."

"Pernickety snob!"

Christopher laughed delightedly. She really was getting back to normal. He restrained himself from giving her a joyous hug.

Little more was said until they had both eaten half their food. It was Tina who broke the silence.

"Christopher, after we've finished I ought to start looking for somewhere to live."

He nodded. "No rush. You need to be here for the police tomorrow morning anyway."

"Is that all right?"

"Of course it is, you silly. As I said last night, I've got a spare bed which you're welcome to use as long as you like."

"Thanks. I'm not too keen to go on living on my own now."

"I'm not surprised. Would Merle and Tania take you back?"

"Possibly but I'm not sure my having walked out on them."

"You're still friends though."

"Yes but I dunno I..." she tailed off.

'She feels she'd be reminded of the earlier rape, ' Christopher surmised.

"Didn't Ellie offer you a bed?"

"Yes, she did." She brightened for a moment before going on, "I don't want her to feel obligated."

"She wouldn't but I suggest you don't try her until Monday evening."

"Why not?"

"She's off with her boyfriend."

"She never mentioned him that weekend."

"He hadn't appeared at that stage but I think she's getting pretty keen on him. She invited home for the weekend a month or six weeks ago."

"Do you like him?"

"Very much. He's an army officer."

"Might I be in the way?"

"I doubt it. He's stationed at Winchester."

"He might want the spare bed at weekends though."

"Might."

"Christopher!"

He smiled and shrugged. "Am I my sister's keeper?"

"Got an answer to everything, haven't you?"

"Mostly," he grinned.

"Hmph!"

He cocked a snook at her and she laughed. He was thrilled.

"Right," Christopher went on, "I think we ought to make some sort of a plan for the rest of the weekend. How about a pub lunch? There's a nice one within walking distance.

"OK."

"Pizzas here this evening because we didn't have them last night?"

"Fine." She grinned. "Any excuse is better than none."

He grinned back. "Now, with the police here at the crucial time tomorrow I won't be able to do you a full Sunday lunch."

"So a Sunday lunch at the pub when they've gone." Her eyes twinkled.

"What a super idea! You are a clever girl."

"Yup."

That was too much for both of them and they exploded with laughter. They then looked at each other, laughter still not far away.