'I will, I will!' I was almost babbling in my excitement. 'Let's have another night. Please let's.'
She grinned at me. 'My, you sound keen.'
'I am keen!' I hugged her even tighter. 'I was going to ask you. When we got to the top of . . . of . . .'
'Nab Scar?'
'Yes. I was going to beg and beseech you for another night. And I don't care if we can't find a proper bed. I'll sleep with you in a tent, if that's what it takes. I . . .' I stopped abruptly, on the verge of spilling out my feelings prematurely.
Dave didn't seem to notice. Or maybe she pretended not to notice. 'We can try Keswick,' she said. 'Keswick is twice the size of Ambleside. And it's about as touristy as you get in the Lake District. I'm sure we'll find somewhere to rest our weary heads.'
We walked on and, while I can't answer for Dave, I was walking on air. Steep gradient? Huh, not that I noticed.
Being truthful as always, I don't remember a lot about that outing. Oh, I remember talking and talking and talking. I just don't remember what we talked about. That was a mutual boon and a mutual failing, I suppose. We're both people persons and natural conversationalists. Or, if you prefer, born windbags, capable of jumping from subject to subject without pausing for breath or thought.
I do remember stopping atop Nab Scar, reminding Dave that this was the site of my planned begging and pleading. She'd looked at me curiously and said, 'You don't have to if you don't want to.'
'Sleep with you,' I said, aghast. 'I do, I do, I do.'
'I don't mean that,' she said levelly. 'Look, you were brilliant last night and even better this morning. But I'll do all the loving if you like. You don't have to live any lies. Not with me.'
'Was I that ham-handed?'
'No! As I said, you're brilliant. I just want us to be open and above-board about everything.'
'I thought you could be both Dave and Davina in bed,' I said, somewhat slyly.
'I can be,' she admitted.
'And does Davina like it as much as Dave does?'
'Yes, she does. More so, if anything.'
'So we're equal in all respects,' I said. Then, unsure if I was going too far, 'I love the taste of you.'
'In that case we really are equal in all respects. Come on, we'd better get moving if we're going to get to Keswick before teatime.'