Page 95 of The Good Neighbour

“Not until you give me an answer. I’m very serious, Beatrice.”

“I know,” she said. “But you can’t give me a kiss when I say yes if you’re all the way down there, can you?”

Josh gasped.

With a huge beam, the Professor went to get up and his legs failed under him. Josh leapt forward and grabbed him by the arm. He gently helped him up.

“Thank you, young man.”

The Professor leant over the bed. Joy radiated from him.

“Right, I’m ready to hear it,” he said.

“Yes, I will marry you.”

Josh welled up when he saw how they stared at each other.

“Although I can’t believe it took me being thrown into the gutter by a ruffian to spur you into action,” she added.

The Professor laughed. “What do you mean?”

She reached over and adjusted his tie. “I’d made up my mind to marry you a year ago.”

“Why on earth didn’t you say?”

“Because you had to do it. I’m rather glad you have.”

The Professor loomed for a kiss. That really was too much for Josh. He would not gawp at them while they had such a personal moment.

“I’ll go and get us some coffees,” he blurted out.

Josh almost fell out of the cubicle and straight into a nurse.

“Shit. Sorry. Erm…is there a coffee shop?”

“Down the hall, first on the left. Are you okay?”

“Oh I’m fine. I’m just with someone. Thank you.”

He ran off down the corridor. The last five minutes were a lot to process. His first instinct was to ring Hugh but he couldn’t.

As he slowed to an amble, he thought back to the way Mrs Wimpole had looked when the Professor finally popped the question. She still believed in love.

The next day was a whirlwind. The news that Mrs Wimpole had accepted the Professor’s offer of marriage spread like wildfire. The fact that Josh had witnessed this earth-shattering moment had also been made common knowledge.

He’d no sooner set foot out of his door when neighbours Alexander Fitzwilliam and Jeremy Brookes pounced on him.

“It sounds so romantic,” Alexander said. “Maybe Zac will get the idea. I’d like a spring wedding.”

Alexander had been seeing ex-soap star Zac Caton for over a year now. It had been expected that they might have the next proposal on Queens Crescent.

“Stuart is insisting on a long engagement,” Jeremy said. “Dad has offered to pay but you know what Stuart’s like.”

They were leaning against the railings next to the gardens. Stuart had a reputation for being very independent. Josh could well imagine him refusing any offer of help.

“Marriage isn’t all it’s cracked up to be,” he said.

Alexander squeezed his shoulder. “Have you heard from Hugh?”