In fact, Clara was elated as she walked around, touching Tom to get his attention at certain exhibits and, more importantly, to feel closer to him. By the time they stopped for a coffee break, she couldn’t stop talking with excitement about what they had seen so far, but she noticed that Tom had drifted off.
‘Penny for them,’ said Clara. How she wished she could get inside that head of his and see what he was thinking.
‘Oh, sorry. I was miles away then. Where were we? Ah, yes, you were saying how fascinating the Greek coins were. Yes, very fascinating indeed.’
The coins simply served as another reminder of his heinous behaviour. Everything reminded him of what he had done and the ultimate betrayal at the end. Tom knew he had to stop living in the past and enjoy the present, so why could he not do it? He even mentally gave himself a good talking-to. It was time for new, happy memories now. Memories filled with precious times with Clara. Surely, he could manage to put his troubles behind him. It’s just that Tom found it easier said than done, but he would still try no matter how hard it was.
He was determined to be positive as they continued their tour of the museum and entered the Violin Room with its earliest known violin. It gave Tom an idea to woo Clara further. He grasped hold of her hand and played with the ring she always wore on her right ring finger. It made him feel closer than ever to Clara as he fiddled with it in the same way he’d noticed she did whenever she was nervous. The way in which she would put her head down and play with her ring self-consciously was yet another thing he adored about her.
‘Did you see that the Sheldonian Theatre has a violin virtuoso from the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra playing next week?’
‘Does it? How lovely.’ Clara wasn’t sure if Tom was simply informing her of the event or planning their next date, although she knew what she was hoping for.
‘Yes, I thought I’d see if there are any tickets left. Would you like to go if I can find some?’
‘Tom, I’d absolutely love to. That sounds like such a civilised evening and with you beside me, then I couldn’t ask for more.’
‘Great, I’ll check for tickets.’
With the museum visit almost over with, Tom and Clara prepared to leave through the Ashmolean shop. Clara wasn’t one to be swayed by consumerism but, as they wandered in, she had a slight memory of buying a magnet for her mum when she came as a ten-year-old and thought a look around would jog her memory. As they perused the mugs, magnets, pretty notebooks, greetings cards and jewellery, something caught her eye.
‘Ooh, look at those colours. Isn’t this gorgeous?’ said Clara, gently stroking a peony-patterned silk scarf.
‘Very pretty. Why don’t you try it on?’
‘Oh, I don’t need it. It’s okay.’
‘No, go on. I bet it’ll look amazing on you.’
Clara smiled. Tom didn’t even mind her browsing around a shop and actually encouraged her! Where was this man from? she asked herself. If there was a planet that made the perfect man then he must be from there, she reasoned.
‘I don’t need a scarf. It’s fine. There are plenty of people who need things more than me out there.’
‘But it’s nice to spoil yourself sometimes. You deserve a treat too.’
‘Oh, I’m fine. I really don’t need spoiling.’
She genuinely meant it. There were people in the world starving and unclothed. She realised how fortunate she was and would never think of spoiling herself. She had always been quite insistent that when she bought two of something, that wasn’t consumerism, but stocking up for when the clothing eventually wore out.
As they left the air-conditioned museum and the warmth outside hit them, Tom made excuses to run to the bathroom before they headed off. Clara waited patiently by the exit when Tom returned with a bag in his hand.
‘Here. If you’re not going to spoil yourself, then please allow me to do so,’ said Tom, handing over the bag to Clara.
‘You didn’t?’ she said with a smile. She may have had her rules about splurging on herself, but she couldn’t be so heartless as to reject Tom’s gift, could she?
‘I did. I hope you don’t mind that I’ve taken the liberty of spoiling you.’
Clara pretended to make a cross face but the truth was no one had ever spoiled her. She didn’t mind one bit that Tom wanted to treat her and pulled out the pretty scarf with glee.
‘Oh, Tom, it’s so beautiful,’ she said, unravelling the scarf to admire it.
‘Will you let me put it on for you?’
Despite the warmth in the air and a silk scarf being unnecessary, Clara couldn’t wait to try it on.
‘Oh, yes, please.’
Tom wrapped the scarf around Clara’s neck tenderly and tied it loosely on her décolletage.
