Chapter 17

Christopher had been right the previous evening. Neither he nor Tina moved during the night and he did not when he woke in the morning. He had no idea what the time was because he could not turn to see his bedside clock without disturbing Tina. All the same there was daylight filtering into the room round the curtains so it must be after five and the message from his bladder indicated it was later than that. He pushed that problem to the back of his mind as he gloried once again that he was holding his little Tina.

She had impressed him ever since he had known her with her quick mind and ready wit which had only been restrained by her lingering shame following the rape. Yesterday she had impressed him even more. Naturally she was still badly shaken by the events of Friday evening and Saturday morning and that had shown in her clinginess but she had rallied and her sense of fun still showed through. Furthermore, she had shown courage in telling him about the rape. She was an exceptional girl.

His need to relieve his bladder finally made him ease away from her. He managed that with only a sleepy grumble from her and tiptoed to the bathroom. He did his business including teeth and a shave before flushing the lavatory and then went quietly to the kitchen to make coffee.

The flush did wake Tina and she had a moment of panic at the strange bed but almost immediately it all came back to her and she lay there savouring the safety and loving care that Christopher was giving her.

'He really is a special person, ' she thought, 'and now that he has helped me shed my guilt I can respond to him. I'm going to enjoy that.'

It was at that moment that she smelt coffee. Quietly she made her way to the kitchen and peered round the door. Christopher had his back to her and was getting mugs out of the cupboard and milk from the fridge. An idea came to Tina and grinning mischievously she tiptoed to the sitting room and stood on the coffee table.

Christopher decided not to wake Tina. The coffee would stay hot enough for a while and he did not think she would be far behind him. He took just his own into the sitting room and stopped dead in his tracks.

Tina was standing in her nighty on the coffee table facing him her hands demurely clasped in front and her head bowed. The giveaway was the sparkling eyes shining through her lashes.

"Good morning, Mithter Cooper," she lisped. "Pleathe may I have a good morning kith like my goodnight one?"

Christopher said nothing. He put his mug down and gently took her in his arms. He held her for a few moments and then raised her head with a finger under her chin. He kissed her very gently.

"Yes," he whispered. "Yes, my precious, little funny."

He kissed her again still gently but at length. Very gently, almost hesitantly his tongue touched her lips. Hers responded equally gently. He released her and she wriggled her arms free and flung them round his neck pulling herself to him. His arms tightened around her and they stayed like that for some while.

Finally Christopher released her still keeping her in his arms. He gazed into her blue eyes.

"I love you, Tina," he whispered.

She bit her lip and tears welled in her eyes. "Please don't rush me, Christopher," she whispered back. "I'm still a bit emotionally overwrought but when it happens you'll know about it. I promise."

Her head went down to his chest.

Christopher continued to hold her loosely but his heart was singing. 'When' she had said, not 'if'. He kissed the top of her head.

"Coffee, little one?"

She nodded and he released her before lifting her down from the table.

"Sit yourself down and I'll bring it to you. I can't offer you mine because it's got sugar in it."

She went and sat in her usual place and he picked up his own mug placing it on the coffee table before he went to collect hers.

He sat down beside her. She picked up his left hand.

"Snuggle please."

His arm went round her and he drew her to him.

"I'm probably a bit niffy," he said, "because I didn't want to wake you with the shower."

She sniffed his chest. "Not bad at all," she grinned. "I'll survive for twenty minutes."

"What do you want to do this morning?" he asked. "We've got three and a half hours before the police are due. How about breakfast and then an hour's walk on the heath?"

"Is it black like its name because I don't want to get my shoes dirty?"

"No, you poop. Green, green grass."

"Oh, well that's all right. Let's."

They did not linger not bothering with a cooked breakfast in order to leave room for the large lunch they had promised themselves. They enjoyed their walk nattering about everything and nothing and Tina held his hand throughout. They had coffee as soon as they got back arguing that they could hardly write statements and drink coffee nor could they very well have it if the police refused.

Promptly at eleven the same policeman as yesterday arrived accompanied by a WPC. Both were in plain clothes and Christopher noticed when he let them in that the car was unmarked. The policeman introduced himself as Dave Ambridge and the WPC as Rita Norbury.

"Thank you for not coming in uniform and a police car," Christopher said. "It'll prevent the gossip."

"That's what we thought, sir. Good morning, Miss Cooper. Now, we'll get this over as quickly as we can and get out of your hair again. We have to do it separately so how do you suggest, sir?"

"How about you and I use the kitchen table with the door shut and the ladies the dining table?"

"Sounds good, sir."

"Coffee?"

"No thanks, sir."

Christopher winked at Tina who grinned.

"Like to share it, sir?" asked Ambridge.

"We had a bet that you would refuse," said Tina, "so we took precautions and had ours early."

Both police smiled broadly and they separated to start.

It took the best part of an hour. Each of the police read both statements and neither had supplementary questions.

"What happens next?" asked Tina.

"They'll appear at the Magistrates' Court tomorrow and be remanded in custody for the Crown Court. That could be some weeks. Then as far as you both are concerned it depends how they plead. If it's guilty then you won't be required as witnesses but any not guilty plea will require a full hearing with witnesses."

"What will they be charged with?" asked Christopher.

"At a guess, Miss Cooper's landlord with breaking and entering, assault, aiding and abetting sexual assault and being in possession of an illegal weapon. His accomplice with breaking and entering, assault and attempted rape for starters." He grinned. "After your action, sir, we can't have them for resisting arrest. Still they should still go down for a good long while."