Marion Lennox - A Child In Need

And then, as he took her into his arms and kissed her and the afternoon sunshine exploded in a mist of joy and love and desire, Nick thought that life could hold no more than it possibly did at this very moment.

He was loved, and he loved in return. He’d reached the pinnacle…

But his love was pulling out of his arms, and the laughter was still there.

‘Me and you and Harry?’

‘Mmm.’

‘It’s not enough.’

What was she talking about? Love?

‘I think we should get this straight,’ she said, trying for sternness but her voice was husky with love. ‘Before we commit.’

‘Aren’t we committed?’

‘I want this legal.’

‘As legal as you want. I’ll sign anything.’ He paused, his legal training screaming all sorts of warnings. Drat his legal training! For this moment he was a lover-not a magistrate. ‘What do you want me to sign?’

She chuckled, a lovely carefree sound that echoed around them as an affirmation of their love. Of their passing from dark to light…

‘I want two dogs and a horse written into the contract.’

‘Two dogs and a horse…’

‘And four more children. At least.’

‘Four…’

‘And Wendy and her foster-kids must be welcome whenever they want to stay with us.’

‘Is this a marriage we’re arranging-or a menagerie?’

‘Both.’ She laughed into his eyes, he smiled back, and she knew she needed no legal agreement. She knew she had him in the palm of her hand.

‘Okay, Your Worship, that about sums it up,’ she said sweetly. ‘Do you still want to be a high court judge, by the way?’

‘I can’t see two dogs, one horse, five kids, plus assorted hangers-on in my city apartment. How long did you say your last judge stayed in this town?’

‘Thirty years,’ she said serenely.

‘Thirty years…’ He took her into his arms and they might well have been married right at that moment. No vows could ever be more permanent than this. ‘Thirty years, eh? It seems to me…’

‘What does it seem, my lovely Nicholas?’

‘It seems to me like thirty years is not nearly long enough.’