Chapter 8

I left them to it and went into the cottage for a shower, in spite of what Katie had said the other day about not seeing Claire again, I felt sure I'd seen a very pleased expression on her face when she followed my gaze and saw her standing there.

I took my time about it and made a couple of phone calls too when I was in the cottage, the recruitment drive for new guards was going well according to John, who told me that Sandy had gone out as cover for a guard who'd phoned in sick.

"Is he genuinely ill John?" I asked concerned that we'd hired someone who didn't really want a job.

"No mate" he replied, "But his wife gave birth last night while he was at work, can you believe that he completed his shift this morning?"

I got his name and address and told the girls I'd be an hour or so,

Less than ten minutes later I was knocking on the door of a little terraced house, it was opened by the guard, a man named Brian Tunnicliffe.

"Can I help you?" he asked and I introduced myself.

"Well am I sacked just for having a night off?"

"Relax Brian" I told him, "That's not our style mate"

He did relax and invited me in for a cup of tea which I accepted gladly,

"We heard you were blown up the other night"

"Yeah well" I laughed, "I survived, John told me that your wife had the nipper last night, is that true?"

"Yes why?"

"So why didn't you call in for a relief?"

"I need the money" he said simply, "It's a bit of a struggle on the dole I can tell you er, is it all right to call you Dave?"

"It's my name, can you drive Brian?"

"Yes"

"Right, take the rest of the week off, you'll be paid and Monday morning I want you at my cottage at 08:00 ok?"

"Can I ask what for?"

"You're our new mobile supervisor mate and you've just got yourself a rise"

His relief and gratitude was embarrassing, I was glad when a voice from upstairs floated down enquiring who was at the door?

"Excuse me" he said and dashed up to break the news to his wife,

"Dave?"

I went to the bottom of the stairs and looked up,

"Want to look at the baby?"

Not really, I thought but I accepted and went up to where his plump good natured wife was propped up on pillows holding the star of the show in her arms,

"It's beautiful" I said uncertainly after he'd introduced us both,

"It's a boy Dave" he laughed "And I've just decided that we're gonna call him David"

It was all getting a bit much for me, I wasn't used to all the cosy domesticity, so I thanked them both and made my excuses,

"You've gone red Dave, are you embarrassed?"

I told him honestly that yes, I was,

"But I'm chuffed as well mate, thank you"

"What you thanking me for?"

"For naming him after me, it's an honour"

There was no sign of the girls when I got back to the van so I walked over to the cottage just as they were coming downstairs, both looking flushed their clothing in disarray and hair tousled,

"Do you mind David?" Katie asked me as she stood on her toes and kissed me,

I looked at Claire and then back to my sister who was still in my arms,

"Why did you come back Claire?"

"Because I wanted your sister" she answered honestly "And because I was worried about you, I needed to know that you were all right"

"Why?"

"Because she loves you deeply and I love her, I couldn't bear the thought of her being here by herself if you were still in hospital"

"Do you want her to stay Princess?"

She nodded and looked at me anxiously,

"Yes David I do"

"Ok, make yourself at home Claire, what's ours is yours"

Katie hugged and kissed me and Claire surprised me by doing the same, there were tears in her eyes as she said "Thank you David, you've no idea how bad I felt about running away, it's just that --"

I put my other arm round her waist and hugged her,

"It's okay Claire you don't have to explain anything to me, just as long as Katie's happy"

"Listen to her David, it goes a long way towards explaining things"

Katie poured us all out a stiff drink whilst Claire told me how she'd been born in County Sligo in southern Ireland, her father had worked on Lord Louis Mountbatten's holiday home he kept there, one day in August 1979 her father was invited on board the Lord's yacht to spend a day sailing around the coast of Sligo.

I knew what was coming but I let her carry on,

"I could see my dad waving to me from the yacht and then it blew up" her voice cracked, "As I'm sure you know several people survived but my father wasn't among them, the IRA stated that it was to show the British people that they could and would attack anywhere and any time"

"I'm so sorry Claire"

"It didn't bring daddy back though did it, they didn't care that a three year old girl had watched her father being blown apart did they?"

Katie ran over to her and dropped to her knees in front of her,

"We're your friends Claire, we can't bring your father back but we can give you love and understanding, can't we David?"

"Of course we can"

I joined my sister on the floor, "And we will Clair, believe me we will"

I took both her hands in mine and kissed them,

"Come on you two, let's go to the pub, I fancy a drink"

I went down to the pub without them and was totally embarrassed by the welcome I got there, I hadn't realised that the secrecy surrounding the Regiment hadn't quite reached our little village and the local rag had never heard of a D notice, they'd referred to me as an ex-special forces soldier and in England that means only one thing!

Fucking hell, they'd be dead chuffed about that in Hereford!

Everyone and his uncle wanted to buy me a drink and shake my hand, Jesus Christ all I wanted was a pint!

The girls could hardly believe it when they arrived and saw about six pints of lager on the table in front of me,

"Help yourself ladies" I laughed, "It seems like I'm a local hero"

It really was a night to remember, we drank far too much without paying for a thing, the girls were behaving themselves as far as the customers were concerned, but several times I was treated to flashes of stocking tops and panties.

At one point I saw Katie whispering in Claire's ear, her eyes widened and they laughed together before Claire came over and sat down next to me,

"Katie tells me you've got some champagne in the fridge"

"Only one bottle, if you fancy it, I'll order another couple of bottles"

She nibbled my ear seductively and whispered,

"I was more interested in the idea of eating the strawberries from your sister's cunt David"

"Jesus"

"If you put your hand under my dress David" she nibbled my lobe again, "You'll find I'm not wearing any panties"