Soon, they were back at the hotel. Will was shattered. His back ached and his arm throbbed.
‘Come to my room and we’ll have a snifter before we turn in,’ said Matt. ‘It’ll help you sleep.’
Will agreed. Despite his fatigue, he wasn’t looking forward to climbing into a cold hotel bed. He wanted his wife and their own warm bed in Holland House. A whisky might deaden all sorts of pain.
After Matt had poured the drinks, he said, ‘I’ll just give Liz a quick bell, even though it’s around five in the morning there. She sent you her love when I spoke to her earlier, by the way.’
Will settled into an armchair, listening to Matt’s conversation with a pang of envy. No conflict, no silences, no trying to read between the lines. Why couldn’t his conversations with Kate be like that?
Matt’s face became more serious, and he said, ‘I’ll pass that on to Will, darling. Now, I’ll let you go, and hopefully I’ll see you later tomorrow night.’
He hung up and frowned at Will. ‘Liz said that she’d forgotten to tell me earlier, but she thought you should know that when she arrived at Holland House with the photographs, Kate wasn’t there. Then she saw her walking back from the sea bank, and that Gerald Grove character was with her. Kate told her that Grove had given her some butterfly wings that she wanted for a new painting. Liz tactfully suggested that he wasn’t the nicest of men to hang around with, but Kate shrugged it off with an, “Oh, he’s harmless. Everyone has it wrong about him, just because he prefers his own company.”’
Will swore. ‘I’ve warned her, and she takes no bloody notice. Maybe I should tell her what you guys have found out about him and see how she responds to that.’
Matt looked dubious. ‘I’d keep that to yourself for now, mate. Once I’m back, we’ll keep a really close eye on that piece of shit. Then we’ll see.’
An hour or so later, Will went back to his room. He checked his phone but there had been no messages or missed calls. He decided to ring her. After a few rings, the tinny version of his own voice greeted him for the second time that day.
He sighed and told the voice that their flight was due in at around three the following afternoon. He would be home soon.
He fell into bed and dreamed of monsters with butterfly wings.
* * *
Will awoke unrefreshed and wandered over to the tray of packaged beverages. Tea wasn’t on offer, so he made himself a cup of instant coffee and powdered creamer. It was better than nothing when his mouth felt like he had been on the beer all night.
Still in his pyjamas and robe, he went and knocked on Matt’s door. ‘Fancy going down for a swim before breakfast? I need something to clear my head.’
‘Good idea. Give me five and I’ll be with you.’ Matt yawned. ‘Might wake me up.’
They swam for half an hour, then went back to their rooms to pack their things, ready for that evening’s departure. Will went down to the reception and found that their bills — including their inroads into the minibar — had all been taken care of. The Royal Canadian Air Force had collected the tab.
He was just about to go and tell Matt about their generosity when he saw Mitch hurrying in through the front doors.
‘Problem, Will. The flight has been delayed again. Now it’s not going until tomorrow morning.’
Will’s heart sank. For a minute he wondered if he could get Matt and himself a last-minute cancellation on a commercial airline.
‘But,’ Mitch was saying, ‘if you are prepared to forgo luxury, 17 Wing Winnipeg have a Hercules transport plane at Moose Jaw collecting emergency relief supplies to take out to Eastern Europe. It has to touch down in Newfoundland, then at RAF Waddington, in your home county. You’re welcome to wait for the executive jet, but if you’re prepared to rough it, the transporter will get you home today. It leaves in two hours. It isn’t quite what we had planned for you, but you’re looking real concerned. I can get you there if you want.’
There was no decision to make. He couldn’t leave Kate alone on Whisper Fen for yet another night. ‘We’re already packed, Mitch. I’ll go and alert Matt, then we’re good to go.’
Will gave Kate a quick ring to tell her of their change of plan.
Not only was there no answer, but she had switched the answerphone off. He cursed inwardly but decided that it made little difference, he would just be home earlier than he had thought.
* * *
Within half an hour they were driving towards Moose Jaw. As they got closer, Will remembered about the hotel bill. ‘Hey, Mitch, when I went to pay my bill, the hotel said that you guys had taken care of it. I wasn’t expecting that. Is it usual?’
Mitch pulled a face. ‘Well, it’s not exactly “us guys,” but one man in particular.’
Will was intrigued.
‘No one has actually said that I can’t tell you, but even so, perhaps you would keep this to yourselves?’ Mitch said.
Will nodded.
‘There was accident on the base last year. The wife and child of one of our commanding officers were involved. Captain Hogan got them both out of their burning vehicle. He saved their lives, Will. He was regarded very, very highly by the squadron. You are part of Guy’s family, so the major pulled a few strings to afford you every hospitality.’
‘I never knew! Eva never mentioned it,’ Will said.
‘That’s the way he was, Will. He reckoned anyone would have done the same, but I don’t think so, and neither does the major.’
Will whistled softly and looked at Matt. ‘Then that would have been the officer who read the eulogy? I hadn’t quite understood what he was saying about outstanding bravery, now I know.’
‘Yep, that was him, Major Ted Chipman,’ said Mitch.
‘It was a pity that neither of Guy’s parents were there to hear that service. They would have been so proud,’ added Matt.
‘It would have been too much for them. They are in very poor health — his mother is in a nursing home and his father is crippled with arthritis. No way could they have coped with it. I thought it was a miracle that little Sophie stood up to it so well, poor kid.’
‘She’s a tough little cookie alright,’ said Will, with a fond smile. ‘I would have loved to take her back with me, but she is so happy with the Fauve family and they desperately want to adopt her.’
Mitch nodded. ‘So I hear. But she is still your flesh and blood, Will. I know it would be an upheaval for her, but in the long run she might prefer to be with you. You looked pretty comfortable with her yesterday.’
What have I agreed to? Will thought. The kid was his sister’s child, for heaven’s sake. He should have taken her, for Eva’s sake.
‘Hey, I’m sorry. I apologise. It’s none of my business. Captain Fauve is a terrific chap and you have obviously talked it through with them. I have no right to mouth off. I don’t even know your circumstances back home.’
Dead right, thought Will. Mitch had reminded him of exactly what his circumstances were. He sensed Matt tense beside him. ‘It’s alright. We have all agreed that there should be a trial period for Sophie and the Fauves, to see how she settles in. But I assure you, there is much more going for her here in Canada than an injured ex-copper can offer her in a backwater in the fens.’