Free Some Day I'll Find You by Richard Madeley

We’ve only actually met that one time, and here you are in Cambridge, and in my room.’
    He looked around him. ‘And a very cosy room it is too, if I may say so. Did you bring the furniture and paintings from home?’
    ‘Sort of. Daddy sent a man with a van.’
    ‘Hmm, well, it knocks my Officers’ Mess into a cocked hat, I can tell you. And yes, all right, it
does
seem a bit strange to be here at last, I’ll admit. Although if
I’d been able to get up to Cambridge last autumn I’m sure neither of us would be feeling the least bit peculiar.’
    They sat down a little awkwardly at either end of a pretty chintz sofa. Diana cocked her head. ‘Why
were
you so keen to come? I don’t think we spoke two words alone together
when you came down to the house with John, and the next thing I knew you were ringing me up asking me out to dinner.’
    He reached into one of the deep side-pockets of his coat. ‘I’ll keep this on, if you don’t mind. I’m bloody freezing from the car.’ He found the cigarettes he was
fishing for. ‘Want one?’
    She nodded. He lit two, and passed hers across.
    ‘OK, well, let’s see. Why did I ask to see you again? You know, for a Girton girl you’re a bit slow, I must say. I thought you had to be brainy to get in here.’
    ‘Hey!’
    ‘The answer’s rather obvious, isn’t it? We may have spent only – what was it, three or four hours in total in each other’s company? But I thought you were the most
interesting, attractive girl I’d ever met. Still do. Simple as that; it isn’t complicated. You’re funny and clever and absurdly beautiful. There, I wasn’t going to say any
of that for ages, but you did ask. And now you’re blushing.’
    ‘Well, you’ve made me! What do you expect? Oh God . . . I’m completely lost for words, I’m afraid. No one’s ever said anything remotely like that to me
before.’
    He grinned at her. ‘Then it was about time. Anyway, I was wondering how we were going to break the ice, and you just went and gave me the perfect opportunity. We can both relax from here;
I’ve been outrageously forward, you’ve blushed: now we can get on. Everything after this can be frivolous chit-chat and gossip. Come on, I’ve booked us a table at The Eagle in
town. Shall we leave? I’ve had nothing since breakfast and I’m starving.’
    As they stood up, Diana began to laugh.
    ‘What? What is it?’
    ‘Nothing,’ she said, pushing him from the room and locking the door behind them. ‘It’s just that of all the different ways I imagined this evening beginning, I never once
thought it would happen like this. You’re extraordinary.’
    ‘Good,’ he said as they linked arms and walked to his car. ‘I’ve always thought life should be full of surprises. As long as they’re nice ones.’ They entered
the quadrangle. ‘Bloody hell, look at this snow now. I’ll be lucky to get back to Essex tonight.’

20
    As James and Diana were shown to their places in the old coaching inn’s busy restaurant, heads turned.
    ‘Blimey, look at them two,’ whispered one young waitress to another. ‘They look just like film stars, don’t you think?’
    Diana slipped off her coat and handed it with her hat and gloves to the head waiter, who was all fussing attendance. Underneath she was wearing a pale blue jumper with a matching silk scarf tied
loosely at her throat. Her plaid skirt was a deeper blue and fell just below the knee. Her dark hair swung briefly across her face as she sat down, and as she absently pushed it back with one hand,
the man had to suppress a little gasp. This was the most beautiful young woman he could remember ever coming to his restaurant.
    Bloody hell, thought James to himself as he watched Diana studying the menu, she’s even more incredible than I remembered. Those eyes . . . they’re like emeralds. She looks like a
fairy queen or a goddess. I must
not
mess this up.
    And suddenly, to his surprise, he found himself considering a