CHAPTER 8
Interlude. A flight to Stockholm, one of many in the course of time. It need not have been Stockholm, of course. This time, it just turned out that way. The check in desks at Heathrow were as busy as usual. David wondered if anyone’s journey was really necessary, even his own. Probably not, yet it was useful to check and to be on the spot for dealing with problems. Not that Sweden gave him much of a headache, but it was a pleasant place to visit anyway, even if he saw little of it except airports, hotels and taxis. Why he troubled so much about work problems was something he never considered, as he never considered the fact that he could have retired long since.
Glancing around, he caught sight of something he hardly expected to see. Really, he thought, that sweater is beginning to haunt me. I wonder if she ever wears anything else? Suppressing with some difficulty the thought that came unbidden to his mind, he watched as she said goodbye to the same young man she had been with earlier. It was with some curiosity that David noticed they merely shook hands on parting, hardly the sign of any outstanding personal or affectionate interest. Laura joined a queue some distance off. David’s turn came almost immediately. He checked in, then began searching, but to no avail as the crowds were thicker than ever. No matter, she would have to go through passport control.
The departure lounge was quieter, as it usually was, although filling up rapidly. David walked slowly up and down the rows of seats. There she was in a corner, as though in hiding, looking somewhat paler than he remembered. Paler and somehow sad, almost unhappy. He approached and spoke.
’Hello,’ he said. ’Do you mind if I sit next to you?’
Laura looked up, startled for a moment, then relaxed, the strained look on her face disappearing instantly. Her mouth smiled with pleasure, a genuine smile that reached her eyes, eyes of a colour that reminded him of an Arctic night.
’Mr. Howard. How nice to see you. Yes, do sit down. We haven’t met for a long time.’
’What are you...’ They both spoke together, then laughed.
’You first,’ said David.
’All right. What are you doing here? Going to Finland?’
’No, not this time,’ David replied. ’It’s Sweden. A business trip, of course. What else? And you?’
’I’m going home.’
’Back to Finland?’
’Yes.’
’So you haven’t made your home in England then?’
She looked puzzled. ’Why should I do that?’
’Oh, it’s just that I happened to see you some time ago, late last Autumn, in fact. You had apparently just arrived here, and were being met by someone. A young man in fact.’
’You saw me? Why didn’t you speak?’
’I couldn’t reach you in time. You had gone before I had chance to push through the crowds. You know how busy airports always are.’ He had the grace to feel ashamed of the lie.
’Oh, that is a pity,’ she said. ’I often wondered about you, but I didn’t know where you worked, or where you lived, otherwise I might have called on you. I did look in the telephone catalogue, but I couldn’t find you there, either. I wasn’t even sure if I had the right town.’
’Perhaps you should have sent a postcard addressed to me care of Heathrow airport. I seem to spend many of my waking hours here,’ David smiled.
’You may not have been here long enough to receive it,’ said Laura. ’Besides, you seem to make a habit of talking to strange young women in airports. I wouldn’t like to think I was disturbing anything important.’
David shared her laughter with appreciation. ’But how long have you been in the country?’
’In England? Six months. It should have been longer, but there are reasons to leave early.’
’Boy friend let you down,’ he asked. ’Sorry, that wasn't very tactful. I shouldn’t have asked that.’
She flushed. ’No, nothing like that. I have no boy friend. Oh, I see. You must have seen me with John just now. He’s the neighbour of the people I’ve been working for. He offered to bring me to the airport, the same as he picked me up. He actually works in London most weeks, so it’s no bother to him. He didn’t stay, because he wanted to buy his wife a present before returning. Really I came here as an au pair to twin boys.’
’And now you’re going home again.’
’Yes, now I’m going home again. I’m sorry to leave, in a way. It was a good job as it happens, and I enjoyed looking after the babies, but there are reasons, as I said. It will be nice to see a proper winter again, even though it’s almost over now. Well, it’s really Spring already.’
David glanced sharply at her. The sad look was back on her face. The eyes were suspiciously moist. Recognising her desire to change the subject, he did so.
’I was in Finland at Christmas,’ he said. ’I took your advice and slowed down a bit. I went to Lapland.’
’Lapland? Did you enjoy it?’
’I felt very much like one of the gawping tourists I was surrounded by, but yes, I did enjoy it. Come to think about it, I was a gawping tourist myself. It’s a beautiful place, at least as far as anyone can tell under all that ice and snow. I’d like to go back again, perhaps later in the year when it’s a bit warmer. It...’
He fell silent, listening intently.
’Oh no, there’s my flight being called. I’m sorry, but I’ll have to go. It has been a real pleasure talking to you, however short a time it has been. I wish I was going to Finland now. Look, the next time I come, in a few weeks probably, I can’t say exactly when, will you be at home? May I call for you?’
Laura’s face lit up. ’Of course. Please do. I’ll be disappointed if you forget. I’ll be at home all right. I don’t ever intend to leave again.’
David turned at the entrance to the long corridor that led to his flight and waved, feeling his heart turn over in a way that was entirely unaccountable.