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to bring warm clothes, but that was the only clue as to what I was doing today.
    ‘Now listen, I had to pull in a big favour for this, and had to tell a whopping lie to get it at the last minute. You need to humour me in this, otherwise Frank will be disappointed.’
    ‘Frank?’ I racked my brain for a Frank but came up with nothing.
    ‘I told him we were a couple, that was the only way I could arrange it so quickly. It takes months to wait for this kind of thing, and Frank was so delighted, after all the business we’ve put his way, he was happy to help.’
    I was stumped, my brain still not firing on all cylinders. Harry got out and held the door open for me, not because he was chivalrous, although he had wonderful manners, but because Betty’s door could only be opened from the outside. With Harry’s wealth, I often wondered why he didn’t buy something better, but he loved Betty with a loyalty that I adored.
    He grabbed a cool box from the boot and then took my hand as we walked round some bushes into a field. I had to marvel at how my hand fitted perfectly in his.
    The field was lit with barely muted greys. The sun hadn’t risen yet, but it was that time of the morning when the light came with a promise of what was to come. The grass was wet with dew and our breath formed misty shapes in front of us as we walked.
    ‘So we’re together, a loving couple?’ I nodded, my brain finally waking up as the seed of this idea started to grow.
    He grinned as he nodded.
    ‘So as far as Frank is concerned, this is a real proposal?’
    ‘Yes.’
    I bit my lip as a delicious thrill ran through me. ‘So he’ll be expecting a real reaction.’
    ‘Yes. You can tell me what you think about this later, give me a true reaction. It’s probably too clichéd for you, but in front of Frank you need to be delighted.’
    I could do delighted. I’d seen a few proposals in my time as chief proposal planner, they all ended with kisses. I smiled, I could do that. My heart jolted with sudden fear and excitement. I was going to kiss Harry. It had taken two years but now, finally, I was going to get to kiss him. All thought and reason went out of my head and I had to physically restrain myself from doing one of those little sideways kicks where you click your heels together.
    There was a noise up ahead, a roaring, rushing sound, and an orangey glow painted the trees like autumn had come early.
    We rounded a corner and I saw it. I couldn’t help the grin from splitting my face. In front of me, slowly filling with air, were two hot air balloons.
    I shrieked and threw myself at Harry, who managed to catch my flailing arms and legs as I completely took him by surprise.
    ‘I love you, I love you, I love you,’ I squealed.
    ‘Wow, that’s quite the reaction,’ he said, as he tried to gently extricate himself from my embrace. ‘I haven’t even popped the question yet.’
    ‘It’s a yes, it’s absolutely a yes. Oh God Harry, how did you know? I’ve always wanted to do this.’
    ‘You always get so excited about hot air balloon proposals, more so than anything else. I figured it was something that you would want to do yourself.’ He pushed me away diplomatically, clearly embarrassed by my reaction. ‘Come on, let’s go and meet Frank. You must have spoken to the man a hundred times over the years.’ He gestured over to the support cars, emblazoned on the side with the name, ‘Carlton Balloons.’ Frank. Frank Carlton, of course. He was always the first person we contacted for hot air balloon proposals and he almost always fitted us in.
    Frank was one of the oldest men I had ever met, his skin looked like the bark of tree. He had three teeth, one on the top and two on the bottom, and the biggest smile I’d ever seen. He was dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, despite the chill of the morning.
    ‘I’m so glad to help you.’ Frank said, hugging Harry and then me, greeting us like we were long lost friends, which I suppose in a way