Part 27 (2/2)

after the s.p.a.ce and grandeur of Sarre's home, Alethea found her grandmother's cottage Lilliputian, especially while Sarre was with her, for his head missed the ceiling by inches and he filled the small rooms with his size.

But it was nice to be home again, to be hugged and made much of by Mrs Thomas and Mrs Bustle.

And the journey back with Sarre had been unexpectedly fun; she had thought of him as a rather quiet man and a delightful companion, but not given to the lighthearted banter indulged in by Wien and, and she was at first rather surprised and then delighted at an apparently unending stream of anecdotes about himself and his family, some of them quite outrageous, and mingled in with them charming little tales of his children.

They had crossed on the night ferry from the Hock and arrived at the cottage in time for a late breakfast, a long-drawn-out meal because the two older ladies wanted a blow-by-blow account of Alethea's holiday and now that Sarre was to be one of the family, questions were fired at him too, all of which he answered with the greatest good nature.

It was later when Alethea had unpacked and shown Sarre his room that they fell to discussing the wedding and since he would have to return on the evening of the following day, the two of them left the older ladies over their coffee, and strolled down to the village, to make sure that the vicar had the time and the date right.

It was a pleasant day and they didn't hurry, and when they had been to the vicarage they decided to continue their walk; lunch was to be later than usual, and they had plenty of time.

They went round the side of the church and up a narrow rutted lane winding away into the quiet country around the village, talking of nothing in particular, and Alethea felt how restful Sarre was to be with.

He wasn't Nick, of course, but he had shown that he could be very amusing and never, she had noted, at anyone's expense, and he never criticised her appearance.

If her hair was coming loose, he merely tucked the end behind an ear or brushed it back without a word and he remembered to tell her that she looked nice.

With a pang she remembered the evening in the restaurant when everything had gone wrong; Nick hadn't noticed her new dress. It was strange, she mused, that Sarre, who didn't appear to notice anything, made all the right remarks about her clothes, and Nick, who was an expert on such matters, had never got beyond a vague: ”That's nice.”

Following her train of thought she said aloud: ”I've bought a new outfit for the wedding. I hope you'll like it.” He looked down at her, smiling lazily.

”I'm sure I shall is it to be a surprise?” ”Well, yes. It's supposed to be, you know.

Though it really doesn't matter I mean, it's not quite the same as.

' He laughed a little.

”You mean that we are both past the stage of white satin and veils and hordes of bridesmaids.

Should you have liked that?

' Alethea recoiled in horror.

”Lord, no!

I'm twenty-seven, Sarre besides, how can one possibly enjoy one's

wedding if one is fussing about veils and bouquets and guests?

' ”You intend to enjoy our wedding?

' ”Yes.

Don't you?

' She added hastily: ”That was a silly thing for me to ask.

I'm sorry.

I was only thinking we're friends and I feel comfortable with you and

you know all about me.

I don't know much about you and I only want to know what you wish to

tell me I'll never encroach, I promise you, Sarre.

' She added thoughtfully: ”Being friends is very restful.

' He glanced down at her.

”Yes, so much more restful than being in love.

' She went pink.

”Yes.

Will you fly over for the wedding?

' ”No Wien and and I will drive and he'll fly back.

We'll get here the evening before.

Which reminds me, I wanted to ask you about witnesses at the register

office.

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