JONATHON - Book 2

Chapter 4

'What are we doing today?’ asked Jonny after breakfast. It was their day off and he knew she’d have something planned.

Bea regarded him. He needed a normal, ordinary day. His revelation had been cathartic and nightmares had robbed him of his sleep. He looked drawn and shadows were beginning to form beneath his eyes

‘You said you’d take me to that nursery, I want to get some plants and containers. And I’d like you to put some shelving up in the greenhouse.’

‘I thought the men were supposed to do that when they erected it.’ Jonny had bought her a greenhouse because he knew how she loved to potter in the one at the Wiltshire property

‘They did, but now that I’ve worked in it, some aren’t in quite the right place and I’d like them shifted. You don’t mind......? You’re not cross?’

‘Oh, I get cross with you all the time, don’t I?’ he said. She smiled apologetically.

‘No, you never get cross with me, even when I deserve it.’

He kissed her. ‘Would you like me to do the shelves first, before we go?’

‘Yes, please.’

‘Come along, then, you show me what you want.’

They went out into the garden and into the large greenhouse. She showed him what she wanted.

‘Alright. I’ll get the toolbox. You may have to help me, I don’t want one end waving about and going through a pane of glass.’

‘That’s alright I can.....ow!’ as she straightened up she banged her head on one of the offending shelves. She made another little almost intelligible sound. He grabbed hold of her and rubbed and kissed the spot.

‘Sweetheart! Are you alright?’

She put her hand up and rubbed her head too. She laughed.

‘Yes, it might have knocked some sense into me!’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yes, I think it sounded worse than it was.’ He looked at her.

‘What?’ she demanded.

‘Beatrice Elizabeth, did I just hear a naughty word?’ he demanded with a huge grin.

She gazed at him, her mouth open, both at his use of her formal name which she had not known that he knew and at his amused scolding, he had never heard her swear before. She blushed.

‘I.....I....’

‘I did, didn’t I?’ he repeated.

‘Yes, Jonny.’ she admitted in a very small voice. ‘Ow!’ she said again as he smacked her bottom determinedly. She wasn’t expecting that!

He raised one eyebrow and grinned at her – payback time. She took his hand and lifted it to her lips and placed a kiss in his palm and closed his fingers over it.

‘I apologise.’ she said; exactly what he did and said when she slapped him for naughty words.

He laughed and laughed for the boot to be on the other foot for a change and she laughed with him, glad that it had amused him and he grabbed her into him and cuddled her tightly.

‘It wasn’t a very naughty word,’ she inveigled. He was having none of that. He gave her a little shake.

‘And it wasn’t a very hard smack,’ he countered.

‘Deserved,’ she said, mirroring again what he said when he had earned reproof and he chuckled.

‘When did Graham tell you my given names?’ she wanted to know. She couldn’t think how else he would know.