The planning meeting goes on for another hour, they eat and talk. But when I clear the table and start to wash up, I feel a hand in the small of my back.
“You okay?” Raff whispers into my hair.
“Course.” My voice sounds strange.
He understands. He always has. His arms go round my waist and he pulls me back against his body. Slowly his heat warms me better than the oven. His stillness absorbs my jangling nerves and steadies me. After a moment he says. “Give me your keys, I’ll drive Bill home.”
“How will I manage without a car.”
He chuckles softly in my ear. “I’m coming back, of course.” He gives a final squeeze. “If you want me.”
“Only if you have time. You’ve just volunteered for a lot of work. I don’t mind if you need a rest.”
He laughs at my feeble bravado and kisses the top of my head.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Thursday 13th December, Kendric House
He spends the night in my bed which is sweeter than any Bakewell tart I ever made. We don’t sleep much, though. Mostly we hold each other and talk.
In the early hours, his beautiful rich hair around us both, he whispers. “Two turtle Doves.”
I stare at him.
“Second day of Christmas.”
So you’re counting up instead of down.”
“Well, we won’t be here after that day, so if we want to count with the song, it had better be now.”
I wish he hadn’t reminded me. I close my eyes, but he kisses the side of my neck, softly, tickling me with his beard. “Time has run away from us, hasn’t it?”
“You are giving up a lot of it to work on Kendric House. It’s not even your job.”
“It’s your home, and they have helped and welcomed the Squad, it’s the least I can do.”
“It’s not my home. I’ll have to leave in the New Year.”
He kisses me. “But not before our Christmas dinner.”
“You still think we should? With the house closed to the public?”
“I think we can get away with it. By then it’ll be too late for Cynthia and Co. to do anything much.”
“But you’re leaving in January.” I have to blink away tears.
“Leonie, my love.” He kisses my eyelids. “Don’t cry. We’ve had a gift, this time we’ve had together, it was un-looked for gift. We will always cherish it. And who knows what life has in store for us. I may come back in a few months and come to visit you here and you can make me one of your lovely sandwiches.”
“I won’t be here. You forget I’m going back to London.”
“Are you?” He says this is if he knows I won’t.
“What? You think I’ll get a job with the National Theatre of Llancaradoc? I don’t think they even have village dance hall here.”
He is silent so long, I have to look at him. His beautiful grey-green eyes have never looked so warm. “Why do you want to go back to London?”
“Because I need to find a new place to live and—”
