Chapter 8: Chance

The ride to the restaurant had been quiet. Helen prided herself on her ability to engage anyone in a conversation which seemed to have deserted her since opening her door to Duncan. Duncan's own short, one or two word answers to her sallies hadn't helped. Thank goodness the ride had been short. Even that was relative with the thoughts churning around their heads.

Duncan was embarrassed at being tongue tied. Try as he could there didn't seem to be a thing he could do about it.

Helen couldn't imagine how she got so flustered.

The ten minute journey drug out forever.

She hadn't seen Duncan since that last view in her rearview mirror as she turned the corner out of Ritzville. He had looked so beautiful, so strong brave and wise; so lonely. It was a wonder she hadn't turned around and gone back before he was even out of sight! Even more a wonder was she hadn't wrecked the car the way her eyes were glued on the rearview mirror.

Shehad promised herself not to allow Duncan's presence to fluster her. That promise was broken before they left the condo.

Now here he was again. She was afraid to look directly at him. Every time she did all she saw was how small and suicidally brave he had looked standing between her and that huge bully, amonster of a man who had 'claimed' her as his "woman for the night." She'd been terrified when no one in that little tavern had said or done a thing.

Then Duncan stepped forward to place himself between the cowboy and her. How courageous he had looked, dwarfed by that drunken giant. She shuddered again remembering the crowded bar and how none of the locals had been willing to stand up and defend her.

Then the very next day things had turned upside down.

Chester had been so embarrassed at his actions the night before. His sorrow over the way his wife had deserted him had been real but he never hinted at using it an excuse for his actions. His remorse and shock at his actions in that bar was very real.

With Duncan's understanding they had gained a real friend. Friends, really, for Chester had been well liked in the town. Everyone looked at Duncan and her as friends, and Duncan had become a true hero in her eyes.

She'd spent too many hours wondering how Gerry would have handled that situation. She knew he would have stood up and objected to the way his wife was being treated. What she didn't know was how forcefully would he have followed up? Chester was a very large, very fit man. In his drunken haze he had been terrifying.

Even if Gerry had stood up against him, she knew he would have tried to bluster the drunk down. Threatening an out of control drunk would only have antagonized him further. Once Gerry would have stood as her protector, he had done so in the past. But he had changed. It frightened her to think of Gerald using in hishaughty manner giving the monster orders. His condescending way, talking down to what he considered a lesser man would have led to disaster. Envisioning Gerald, an overweight chair bound fifty-year-old executive against a large, athletic man in his prime would have been a disaster.

Not that Duncan was physically impressive. For one thing he was a decade and a half older than Gerry. But he had something else going for him. Duncan was trained to use his intelligence in confrontations. Even so he knew instinctively such an approach to a drunken wild man would only make the situation more desperate.

She wondered what Gerry would have done after he had been knocked down in that bar. She was afraid he would have just crawled into a corner and left her to fend for herself.

She knew what Duncan would do, she had seen him do it. Talking to Duncan the next day he confessed he had never tried any of the martial arts moves he had used. They were the only thing he knew that would give them a chance. What would have happened if the fight had gone against him? She knew that too. They would probably still be fighting; Duncan would never quit as long as he could stand.

Duncan hadn't tried meeting brawn with brawn but used his mind. She felt a sense of wonder at the memory. It embarrassed her but she felt the little shivers run through her when she remembered.

How terrible this vacation had turned out. She planned it to reconnect with her husband. Instead he deserted her in a strange town.

Then a knight driving an RV rode to her rescue.

As they pulled into the restaurant's parking lot Helen took a quick peek at Duncan in the light from the parking lot. He was tense and ill at ease.

Calling him had been such a bad idea. She knew he would drive over if she called.

Oh, Damn! That peek at Duncan's profile started those little ripples in her belly again. She was a married woman owing her husband to be faithful.

She'd already cheated on him and except for Duncan's unwillingness to push further over he line, she would have slept with him again. How could she think of him that way, when her husband of these many years was half way around the world?

That was the problem. He wasn't here despite his promise. He knew they were drifting apart and knew this vacation was planned to get them back together. They should be spending the sunny days talking, finding a way to make their marriage strong again.

How could it have gone so wrong!

Duncan held the door as they entered the restaurant, then casually placed a proprietary hand in the small of her back to usher her in. At the hostess' station he gave his name. Then as she confirmed their reservation he asked for a private table. The hostess looked surprised when Duncan released her hand. Helen tried not to watch as the woman snuck a peek at her hand. Helen nearly giggled, wondering how much Duncan had tipped her.

"I am sure we have something that will suit you Mr. Handsworth. It has a commanding view of the lake and the mountains." she promised as she gathered menus and led them across the room to a small alcove, half hidden behind lushly growing plants.

Helen's back was warm under Duncan's comforting hand. She was shocked realizing she was sidling over closer to his side, allowing his hand to slip across to cup her hip. His very closeness was causing her breathing to speed. Helen began panicking, realizing what just being near him was doing to her.

Her husband should be giving her feelings like this. But Duncan felt so right!

Once at their table Duncan seated her, involuntarily brushing his hand across the nape of her neck as he turned to sit with only the corner of the table separating them. It seemed so natural for their knees to touch. It was growing warmer in the room.

"I've missed you Helen, that trip from Ritzville to Seattle seemed longer and lonelier than I remembered. How has your vacation been?"

Helen opened the menu before replying, "Without Gerry being here it has seemed pretty pointless. How's Seattle?"

"Still raining," he answered with a smile, opening his own menu before asking her if she knew of any specialties of the house. She had not been out to eat since arriving and was unaware of any.

After ordering the conversation was slow but warm. Helen hadn't really done anything more with her photography since arriving. She had taken a few shots she had hopes for. Duncan promised her they could bring them up on the monitor in his RV. If they were what she was looking for they could print them out for her portfolio.

The meal was good, the company and they finally relaxed while eating. Still Helen's butterflies kept growing. Just being near this man made her melt.

Finally, after sharing a slice of Double Dutch Chocolate cake, the meal was over. When they brought the dessert cart Helen had looked so longingly at it Duncan selected the cake, asking for two forks. Duncan leaned back to take a good look at Helen, then leaned forward to plant his elbows on the table. After looking carefully into Helen's face for what seemed like hours he placed a thin leather folder on the table before her.

"I've done something my conscience required me to do, Helen. I didn't really have the right to do it. I'm going to ask for your forgiveness after you've read this." Here he leaned back and took a sip of his coffee. "I ordered this the morning we came down off the mountain." He smiled, "The one where the lion screamed."

Helen, blushing at the reference looked at him searchingly. "What's in the folder, Duncan?" she asked.

"The report is yours, Helen. I have one other copy which I'll destroy if you ask me." He looked down into his coffee, "I would like to give you a quick summary before you read it, if I may?" She nodded.

"I called a corporate security firm I have used in my business for many years for background checks of potential employees. I asked them to discover your husband's movements and destination after he left you in Ritzville." He added in almost a whisper, "Something about his actions the few short minutes I had with him didn't make sense. I asked my friend to find out what was going on."

Helen's mouth dropped, "You sicced private detectives onto my husband?" she forced out, her voice rising.

Sheepishly he answered, "Well, yeah, in a way. But it isn't public knowledge..."

"You went fishing, using a detective, trying to discredit him after you seduced ME?" she hissed in a voice quivering with rage.

"It wasn't like that, Helen..."

"What the hell was it like then?" she demanded in a pinched voice he could hardly hear.

"He had walked out on you, leaving you in the lurch..."

"And what business was it of yours?" she asked in that same vicious whisper. "It was my life, and that was my husband you were attacking! Did you think you could paint him with a big black brush so I'd drop in your lap, lover?" Angrily she shoved her chair back, then pulled it back even closer to the table, "Was I some kind of prize for you, if you could 'get the goods' on Gerry? Just what do you think of me, Duncan? What rights have you to go after my husband? Did you think after you porked me you could somehow reel me in for your VERY OWN?" Her voice rose to a near shout on the last words, and she looked around nervously to see if anyone had heard her.

"Let me tell you now, Mr. Duncan Handsworth, I'm not an object, and I'm not for sale. I've had a good marriage, Gerry and I are going to save it. Did your 'operatives' discover Gerry had a little something on the side in the Philippines? Well, I don't believe it."

"Helen, you have the right to be angry. I had no right, no real justification to ask for this report. Believe me..."

"Humph! You're damned right you didn't!"

"I wasn't trying to manufacture something on Gerry. Let me tell you what he found, and this is a reputable security firm. They do a lot of background checks on possible future hires into sensitive positions. They are not in the business of chasing errant husbands, and this was not what they thought they were doing."

"Your husband told us he was on his way to the Philippines. When he arrived at SeaTac airport he cashed in his ticket to the Philippines, as did his Personal Assistant who met him at the airport. He didn't tell us she was coming with him on the extended foreign stay. Did you know about it? They used the cash from the tickets to the Philippines to buy two first class tickets to Singapore. Which is where they have been holed up."