Chapter 75

Victoria answered the knock on her door and her face lit up at seeing James but then took on a questioning look knowing that he was on exercise with Mark who was not due home for another three days.

"Come in, James dear. Why are you here? Has something happened to Mark?"

James nodded. He had a lump in his throat and found it difficult to speak. "He's been very badly hurt and is in hospital at El Adem. They think he'll live but he's going to be pretty poorly for some while," he managed to get out.

"Oh God!" gasped Victoria. "What happened? Can I see him?"

James recovered himself sufficiently to take her by the elbow and lead her to the sitting room where he sat down on the sofa with her and told her the whole story as he knew it.

Victoria listened in silence until he had finished. "Oh dear," she said. "My poor, darling Mark. I must go and see him."

"I'll take you," said James.

She smiled gratefully at him. "I knew you'd say that," she said. "Is Major Johnson going to be in trouble?"

James shrugged his shoulders. "Probably," he said. "The CO's relieved him of his command and appointed me to run the company until he gets a replacement for him. I don't think he'll be far behind me."

"I must warn Janet," said Victoria. "Um, James, just between you and me, their marriage is a little rocky and if he comes home under a cloud there may be trouble."

"Oh Lord!"

"OK! Give me quarter of an hour and help yourself to a drink. There's beer in the fridge and stronger things in that cupboard. Then we'll go."

She rushed out. James marvelled at her. She was clearly worried about Mark but she was also worried about one of her friends and, despite her concerns, was getting her priorities sorted. He helped himself to a lager.

Victoria was back within her quarter of an hour. "I may be spending the night," she said. "Let me chuck some things into a case."

She was back in minutes and they set off. That was when her self-control broke. She was wracked with sobs. James stopped and put his arm round her shoulder. He held her gently until she recovered.

"Sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to be a cry-baby."

"I don't blame you one bit. I was actually amazed at the calm way you were taking things."

She smiled gratefully at him. "Press on," she said. "I need to get to my man."

When they arrived at the hospital they went to Reception.

"Hello," said Victoria with a smile. "I'm Mrs Bowers and my husband..."

"Hello, Mrs Bowers, we've been expecting you," interrupted the receptionist her eyes filled with compassion. "Your husband's still unconscious and is in intensive care. I'll let Wing-Commander Stephens, who's in charge of his case, know you're here and he'll be along to see you as soon as he can. Would you like a cup of tea while you wait?"

"I'd love one," said Victoria fervently, " and thank you. What about you, James?"

"Yes, please."

They both went and sat down.

"How long do you think Wing-Commander Stephens will be?" wondered Victoria.

"No idea," said James. "Could be twenty minutes. Could be two hours. It all depends on what they have to do to Mark."

Victoria nodded. "If I start getting morbid or weepy, smack me."

James once more marvelled at her bravery and self-control. He restrained himself from taking her hand sensing that that might cause her to collapse.

"I somehow get the feeling that won't happen," he said smiling.

Victoria smiled back gratefully. "Thank you, James dear," she said. "You're being a wonderful support." She took a deep breath. "Have you been in touch with Serena in the last three months?"

"Yes, I've written to her two or three times and, bless her heart, she's answered all of them."

"Are you keen on her?"

"One could hardly not be but nothing more than that. I'm due to be posted shortly and hope to be sent to Catterick or Richmond so that I can see more of her. I'd like to get to know her better."

"That makes sense. I won't say anything more because you know I love her dearly."

James nodded and was silent for a few moments. "That, and the fact that Mark loves her so much, makes her a pretty special person as far as I'm concerned. I've only spent a short time with her so I can't really say more than that. It's really a question of whether she thinks I'm worthwhile that's going to determine what happens."

Victoria nodded. James's attitude was just what she would have expected from one so close to Mark.

At that moment a man in theatre scrubs came in and over to them.

"Mrs Bowers?" he asked with an engaging smile.

She rose and nodded.

"Jerry Stephens," he said. "First and most important: your husband is no longer on the danger list."

Victoria's spine relaxed and she might have fallen had not James put his arm round her and held her to him. She fought back tears of relief.

"Is he conscious?"

"Yes but he's drugged up to the eyeballs with painkillers so not very compos mentis."

"May I see him?"

"Of course but be warned. He may not recognise you."

Victoria nodded. "Tell me the rest," she said.

"We've sewn up his right leg and that shouldn't be a problem after a few weeks. We've replaced all the blood he lost so that should be all right too. He's also got concussion and a very sore head, which is why he may not recognise you and why he may remember nothing of the accident. The big problem is his left leg which has been broken in several places and we haven't got the facilities or the skills here to deal with it. All things being equal we plan to fly him home tomorrow to the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in London. He'll fly direct from here to London on one of our aircraft. He'll spend about six weeks there and then be moved to the rehabilitation place at Headley Court for anything up to six months. He's going to have to learn to use his left leg again and I suspect he may have a mental reaction to the event as well, what we call neurasthenia. That could be quite a strain for both of you."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," said Victoria firmly. "I'm sorry, this is James Whitworth, our Best Man, can he come and see Mark with me?"

The two men shook hands. "Of course," said Jerry Stephens. "Shall we go?"

He led them to Mark's room. He was lying there with two drips attached to him and a tent raised over his legs. His eyes were open but he hardly registered their arrival.

Victoria took his hand and gently kissed his lips. "Hello, darling," she said. "I'm here now."

Mark's eyes moved slowly to meet hers and a broad smile crept across his face. "My darling," he whispered. His whole body relaxed and he fell asleep again.

"Wonderful," said Jerry Stephens. "That's the best medicine he could have had."

"Can I stay with him?" Victoria asked.

"Certainly. I'll have a bed brought in. Are you hungry?"

"Not at the moment," Victoria smiled, "but I've no doubt I will be."

"No problem. We're not up to cordon bleu standard but it will keep you going."

"James," she said. "What about you?"

"Up to you. If you want me to stay I can and will. If not I'll get back to the battalion.

"At this time of day?"

"No problem."

"Well, I'm sure you don't want to sit around here watching me hold Mark's hand. Why don't you have something to eat and then head back? Presumably you'll tell Peter Instead what the form is."

James nodded.

"Could you do some other things for me? I want to get back to England as soon after Mark as I can but I've got to pack, hand over the quarter and get myself a flight. Any help to get these things organised quickly would help a lot. The other thing is, do you think someone could get a message to my father saying what's happened and what the plans are?"