"You had us worried for a while," said a nun
Bodie thought he was going mad. After a few strangled utterances, the sister gave Bodie a glass of water. "Where am I?" he managed to ask.
"Unhura," she said. He thought he detected an Irish accent.
"A nunnery?" Why in God's name - pardon the pun - should he be sent there - wherever this Un… place was?
The sister laughed - a beautiful sound - and explained that he was in a hospital that was run by both religious women as well as 'civilians'. Over time Bodie gradually learned quite a bit about the place - where and how it was run - but they learned very little from their reticent patient. Eventually Bodie recovered his strength. Matron - who was also Mother Superior - was surprised that, having escaped jail, this mercenary was reluctant to return to England (and she had no doubt that had been his occupation, from the festering wounds on his body and his ranting delirium). The sisters were pleased that he had turned his back on his former life and was willing to help out here. And so his runs to and from the airport had begun. It was perilous work, with long hours on the road, but Bodie enjoyed danger; it gave him an edge and a thrill.
But Clair's attempted suicide had shocked Bodie out of his apathy. He realised how much time had passed and how much he was slipping into the routine world he abhorred. Too many people rested on his shoulders. How had he allowed that to happen? Clair's action had shown him what reliance on other people meant - disaster. He agreed to stay on for another few months while they found a replacement, then he headed south. He promised to keep Mother Superior informed and the last she heard was that he was in Cape Town. He said that he had found a good billet there. But matron knew him better. He was a drifter and he would leave broken hearts there too. She was sure of it.
Mother Superior was right as usual. Bodie had charmed his way south and charmed his way into the heart of an older woman. That she ran several clubs and bars added to her fascination. He cooked for her, ran errands for her and entertained her in ways that even he was surprised at. They talked, they laughed. His world was full. But Bodie had a restless nature and 'Madame' had a wandering eye. They each, unknown to the other, took lovers. The Cape, like all cities, towns and villages the world over, was a rumour mill. It wasn't long before Bodie was found out. Unfortunately he hadn't access to the same grapevines. After a blazing row, he was thrown out. It was only some time afterwards that he learnt from smirking acquaintances that he too had been duped. Too late to go back now and settle the score.
