A Debt of Honour – Episode 29
A Debt Of Honour
« Previous Post- 1. A Debt of Honour – Episode 01
- 1. A Debt of Honour – Episode 29
The lights in the small restaurant were discreetly low and there was a gentle background murmur of conversation, while the waiters glided silently between the tables.
This was a place in an out-of-the-way location, used only by those who knew their food and wine, and were prepared to pay for peace and quality.
Neil raised his glass.
“It’s been so good,” he said quietly. “I never, ever, expected to see you again.
“I spent years blotting out the memories . . . now you’ve given me a whole new set to forget.”
He smiled crookedly.
“Like crashing in past your secretary?” Shauna smiled.
“Indeed. You have no idea how scared I was of her – until you showed me she was only human.”
Neil became serious.
“I suppose there’s no way I can persuade you to stay longer?” he asked quietly.
Shauna shook her head.
“I can’t,” she said. “I have a business that might have gone bankrupt in the few weeks I’ve been away.
“And a big daft son, who needs a mother to keep him on the straight and narrow until he finds someone – like Ellie has.”
Neil nodded.
“They look well suited.”
Shauna nodded.
“Young, full of ideas. Willing to take on the world. Reminds me a bit of you and me. Before I ruined everything.”
“Changed,” Neil said gently. “And, in my case, changed for the better. You were the catalyst which led me to this life.”
Neil swirled his wine.
“And you?” he asked. “Did leaving ruin your life – or open up whole new horizons?”
Shauna looked down at the crisp white tablecloth.
“For the record, a bit of both,” she finally said. “Davey looked after our family as best he could. But he wasn’t a family man.
“He was like the old-fashioned cowboys in the Wild West, made to live out his life among pals. Being lads. Getting into scrapes.”
She sighed.
“So it was never easy . . . but he had a good heart. And we had our share of happiness.”
“I’m glad,” Neil said simply.
Shauna’s eyes rose.
“I would be a liar if I denied looking back and wondering what came over me, or what would have happened if I’d stayed.
“I could only do my best to make it work and pray that you found someone more reliable than me.”
Neil smiled.
“I replaced you with Antarctica.”
A silence fell between them.
“I’ll miss you,” Neil said quietly. “Far more than last time.”
“Don’t,” Shauna whispered. “I’ll miss you, too.”
“Then change your mind and stay on here.”
“No,” Shauna said. “We had our chance. Long ago. And I messed it up through being young and stupid.”
Tears formed in her eyes.
“It would never work,” she said. “Let’s just settle for the last three weeks.”
She smiled tentatively, but her heart was breaking.
This was even more painful than the last time, so many years ago.
As she filed into Security, Shauna turned for one last time.
Neil was still standing where she had left him. She could see the defeated slope to his shoulders.
Shauna had a sudden wild urge to abandon everything, and run back.
As if Neil sensed this, he waved her gently on with the back of his hand.
To be continued…
