She had been thinking about that all during the polo match.
I love you, Stephen. She had no doubts about that.
But you're still married. And I still don't want to break up anyone's marriage. Marriage is too important to me. As sacred as friendship, or even more. I'm still eager to hear what you want to tell me about your marriage, but... I want you as much more than a friend, but... Where should we go? Where do I feel safest; strongest? "Could we go riding somewhere?"
He hadn't expected that. "I can get a jeep, I think."
"No, I mean horseback. I can't... I won't go to a hotel with you, Stephen. But if you could tell me about your marriage while we're riding..."
"I'd actually like that, too," he said. "Stay here and I'll see about getting that jeep."
While he was gone for a few minutes, she felt even more comfortable with the idea of going for a trail ride with him somewhere. And she was glad then that she had worn her ATA Girl uniform slacks. They would do for riding pants.
Stephen drove up in a jeep a few minutes later and she got in beside him.
"I asked a member of the British team where we could rent some horses. He suggested we drive just west of the city, to Marlow. It's a small village on the Thames, up in the Chiltern Hills. He gave me the name of a small stables there. He said we could almost forget the war, riding up in the hill country."
It wasn't the war Barbara was having trouble forgetting, but said that sounded fine.
As they drove, she felt a strong need to go somewhere first where she could say a prayer.
"Is there a church anywhere around?" she asked.
He looked surprised, then saw one ahead.
Pulling up in front of the old church, still standing but having been damaged by bombs, a sign between it and an expanse of courtyard read, All Hallows-By-the-Tower.
In the distance, as they got out of the jeep, stood the indestructible and redoubtable Tower of London, scene of perhaps more intrigue and beheadings than anywhere in Britain. In olden times, the tower had been a prison or place of execution for Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Gray, Catherine Howard, Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Thomas More, the two little princes Edward V and the Duke of York, and in the past and present global war, spies and traitors.
A sign on the front door of the church read, "Closed Today for Repairs."