I suspect that the affection was all one way between Boris and Nadine. She clearly had a massive crush on him while he was just using her as his slightly deranged attack dog.
Yeah, there used to be a public prosecutor in town, Frank Murphy who has since passed away, who was exactly as you describe. He had a powerful voice & mind with a good deal to say (and occasionally sing). Always in the pubs and often on a quiet midweek holding forth on the bar floor engaging others with tales or enlisting them into a variety of deep & meaningful discussions - although you soon learnt not to broach the subject of The Reformation. One of those characters who you remember for a long time and miss when they are gone. And lest I be chastised for wandering a little off topic here's a random picture of the 'ol Darmah.