he might call a snap election this year, and if he does Maggie Thatcher’s got a good chance.
Wouldn’t that be super? Be a change to have someone sensible in charge.” “Because she’s a woman?” He smiled wryly. “That’d certainly set the cat among the chickens. Christ Almighty, a woman PM! Don’t know how she ever wangled the leadership away from Heath in the first place… she must have iron-plated knickers! If only the bloody Liberals’d stayed out of the way…” His voice trailed off and she saw him look out to sea, some passing dhows beautiful.
Quietly she sat down and waited, wanting to let him drift back into sleep, or talk a little, whatever pleased him. He must be getting better if he’s already taking off after the Libs, she thought, bemused, letting herself drift, watching the sea. Her hair was moved by the breeze that smelled of sea salt. It was pleasant just sitting, knowing that he was all right now, “responding to treatment. No need to worry, Mrs. McIver.” Easy to say, hard not to do.
There’ll be a huge change in our lives, has to be, apart from losing Iran and all our stuff there, lot of old rubbish, most of it that I won’t miss. Now that Whirlwind’s over - I must’ve been mad to suggest it, but oh it worked so well! Now we’ve most of our lads out safely - can’t think of Tom or Marc or Fowler, Erikki or Azadeh or Sharazad, God bless them all - and our best equipment and our face so we’re still in business, our stake in S-G’s got to be worth something. We won’t be penniless and that’s a blessing. I wonder how much we could get for our shares? I suppose we do have a share? But what about the “stock market collapse”? I hope that hasn’t buggered us again.
It would be nice to have a little money, but I don’t care so long as Duncan gets better. Perhaps he’ll retire and perhaps he won’t. I wouldn’t want him really to retire, it would kill him. Where should we live? Near Aberdeen? Or Edinburgh near Sarah and Trevor, or London near Hamish and Kathy? Not London, nasty down there, and we shouldn’t live too near either of the kids, don’t want to bother them though it’d be ever so nice to be able to drop by from time to time, even baby-sit. Don’t want to become the boring mother-in- law to Trevor or to young Kathy - such a lovely girl. Kathy, Kathleen, Kathy: Andrew and Kathy, and sometimes going to Castle Avisyard, and now Andrew and Maureen and tiny Electra. I wouldn’t want to be alone, don’t want Duncan to…
Don’t want to relive the horror, the pounding, rattling darkness, not being able to see, jets howling, stink of petrol - my God, how do they stand the noise and the bouncing around hour after hour - and all the time Duncan gasping, not knowing if he was alive or dead, twice crying out, “He’s dead, he’s dead,” but no one hearing and no one to help anyway and dear old Charlie flying here as fast as he could, the other man, the Iranian sergeant, what was his name, ah, yes, Wazari, Wazari nice but useless. Oh, God, that was awful, awful, and lasted forever… but now it’s all right and thank God I was there. Duncan will be all right. He will be. He must be. Wonder what’ll happen to Wazari? He looked so frightened when the police took him off. Wait a moment, didn’t JeanLuc say he had heard they would probably release him into Andy’s custody as a political exile if Andy guaranteed to take him out of Bahrain and give him a job? Bloody revolution! Bloody nuisance I couldn’t get back to collect some of my things. There was that old frying pan that’d never stick, and Grannie’s teapot that made such a good cup of tea even out of filthy teabags and Tehran water. Ugh! Water! Soon no more squatting and using water instead of good soft paper. Ugh! If I never have to squat again it will be too soon…. “What are you smiling about, Gen?”
“Oh, let me think! Oh, yes, I was thinking about having to squat, about all the bums in the early morning over the joubs and their bottles of water, poor people. It always looked so awful and at the same time funny. Poor people. No more squatting for us, me lad, it’s back to Blighty.” She saw his eyes change and her anxiety returned. “That’s not bad, Duncan. Going home. It won’t be, I promise.”
After a pause, he nodded, half to himself. “We’ll wait and see, Gen. We won’t make any decision yet. No need to decide what we’ll do for a month or two. First I’ll get fit and then we’ll decide. Don’t you worry, eh?” “I’m not worried now.”
“Good, no need to worry.” Once more his attention strayed to the sea. I’m not going to spend the rest of my life battling bloody British weather, that’d be awful. Retire? Christ, I’ll have to think of something. If I’ve got to stop working I’ll go mad. Maybe we could get a little place by the sea to winter in Spain or the south of France. I’ll be buggered if I’m going to let Gen freeze and get old and bent before her time - that bloody awful salt-heavy wind off the North Sea! Never by God. We’ll have more than enough money now Whirlwind’s a success. Nine out of ten 212s! Wonderful! Can’t think about Dubois or Fowler or Tom or Erikki, Azadeh or Sharazad.
His anxiety came back and with it a twinge that increased his anxiety and brought a bigger twinge…
“What’re you thinking, Duncan?”
“That it’s a beautiful day.”
“Yes, yes, it is.”
“Will you try Andy for me, Gen?”
“Of course.” She picked up the phone and dialed, knowing it would be better for him to talk awhile. “Hello? Oh, hello, Scot, how’re you - it’s Genny.” She listened then said, “That’s good. Is your dad there?” Listening again, then, “No, just tell him I called for Duncan - he’s fine and can be reached on extension 455 here. He just wants to say hello. Will you ask Andy to call when he comes back? Thanks, Scot… no he’s really fine, tell Charlie too. ‘Bye.”
Thoughtfully she replaced the phone on its cradle. “Nothing new. Andy’s out at the International with Scrag. They’re seeing that Jap - you know the one from Iran-Toda - sorry, I wouldn’t call him one to his face but that’s what he is. Still can’t forgive them for what they did in the War.” McIver frowned. “You know, Gen, perhaps it’s time we did. Kasigi certainly helped old Scrag. The old ‘sins of the fathers’ bit doesn’t add up. Perhaps we should start the new era. That’s what we’ve got, Gen, like it or not, a New Era. Eh?”
She saw his smile and it brought tears near again. Mustn’t cry, all’s going to be well, the New Era will be good and he’s going to get better, must get better - oh, Duncan, I’m so afraid. “Tell you what, me lad,” she said brightly, “when you’re super fit we’ll go to Japan on holiday and then we’ll see.”
“That’s a deal. We could even visit Hong Kong again.” He took her hand and squeezed it and both hid their fear of the future, fear for the other.
Chapter 71
AL SHARGAZ - INTERNATIONAL HOTEL: 1:55 P.M. Kasigi was weaving through the busy tables on the immaculate terrace overlooking the swimming pool. “Ah, Mr. Gavallan, Captain Scragger, so sorry to be late.”
“No problem, Mr. Kasigi, please sit down,”
“Thank you.” Kasigi wore a light tropical suit and looked cool though he was not. “So sorry, I loathe being late but in the Gulf it’s almost impossible to be on time. I had to come from Dubai and the traffic… I believe congratulations are in order. I hear your Whirlwind was almost a complete success.”
“We’re still short one chopper with two crew, but we were very lucky, all in all,” Gavallan said, no joy in him or in Scragger. “Would you care for lunch or a drink?” Their lunch appointment, requested by Kasigi, had been for twelve-thirty. By prearrangement, Gavallan and Scragger had not waited and were already on coffee.
“A brandy and mineral water, tall, please, and another mineral water on the side. No lunch thank you, I’m not hungry.” Kasigi lied politely, not wanting to embarrass himself by eating when they were finished. He smiled at Scragger. “So! I’m pleased to see you’re safe with your airplanes and crew out. Congratulations!”
“Sorry I had to duck your questions but, well, now you’ll understand.” “The moment I heard, I understood, of course. Health!” Kasigi drank the mineral water thirstily. “Now that Whirlwind’s out of the way, Mr. Gavallan, perhaps you can help me solve my problems at Iran-Toda?”
“I’d like to, of course, but I can’t. I’m very sorry but we can’t. It’s not possible. Just not possible, that must be obvious now.”
“Perhaps it can be made possible.” Kasigi’s eyes did not waver. “I’ve heard that sunset tonight is a firm deadline to have your airplanes out or they will be impounded.”
Politely Gavallan gestured with his hand. “Let’s hope it’s just another rumor.”
“One of your embassy officials informed our ambassador that this was definite. It would be a tragedy to lose all your aircraft after so much success.”
“Definite? You’re certain?” Gavallan felt empty.
“My ambassador was certain.” Kasigi put on a nice smile. “Say I could get your deadline extended from sunset tonight to sunset tomorrow, could you solve my problems at Iran-Toda?”
Both men stared at him. “Can you extend our deadline, Mr. Kasigi?” “I can’t but our ambassador might be able to. I have an appointment with him in an hour. I will ask him - perhaps he could influence the Iranian ambassador, or the Sheik, or both.” Kasigi saw Gavallan’s immediate interest and let that hang in the air, far too
