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Chapter 7

Elvis found the house in Belgravia and stood outside, looking up at the impressive frontage through the wrought iron gates. These people had serious amounts of money. A house like this, in this area of London, must be worth absolute millions, he thought to himself. Georgie had told him all about her family and how they'd made their money. She had certainly grown up in a life of extreme privilege. The Georgie he knew didn't come across that way though, there was no air of entitlement, no airs and graces. She was basically a very down to earth sort of girl. He wondered how she'd managed to stay like that growing up the way she had. He was glad she had though, he was sure that her down to earth character was what had helped her survive the ordeal she had suffered. He and Georgie had spent months in very close confinement and had nothing to do but talk. They'd shared their life histories and all their hopes and dreams for the future. He knew all about her family members as she knew about his. In reality he was probably closer to this woman than anyone he'd ever known. Even members of his own family. How had he thought that he would be able to walk away from her?

He shifted uncomfortably and was transported back to his last conversation with Charlie. "You really don't have to do this mate." Charlie had said. "You've done more than your duty by bringing her back to them. It's not your job to nursemaid her through her PTSD now she's back. You could find yourself in very tricky circumstances getting involved in this." Charlie had warned him sternly.

"I know." Elvis agreed. "But she clearly needs me and they need me to help her. We got pretty close while we were in hiding and I really feel like a shit for just dropping her as soon as we got back to civilisation. Plus the fact that I really want to see her, in fact I need to see her as much as she needs to see me." Elvis admitted.

"When you say you got pretty close, what exactly do you mean by that?" Charlie had asked, scrutinising Elvis carefully.

"Well, we talked a great deal and well... you know...". Elvis trailed off looking embarrassed.

"Oh my god! Don't tell me you slept with her!" Charlie exploded. "What the fuck did you think you were playing at?" He'd fumed.

Elvis had, had the good grace to look ashamed.

"I know, I know." He'd said, putting his arms out to indicate that Charlie should calm down. "But to be fair Charlie, you don't know what it was like out there. We were holed up in a small house, pretty much in one room, for months together. Constantly under the threat of being discovered. We could have been found and executed at any time. Anyway, she was more than keen. I know it's hard to believe but It wasn't my idea, she was virtually throwing herself at me on a daily basis. It would have taken a saint not to succumb to her charms." Elvis had argued in his defence.

Shaking himself out of his musings Elvis pressed the buzzer on the intercom.

"Stephen's residence." Squawked a voice.

"Oh yeah hi, my name is Elvis Harte, Captain Elvis Harte, Mr Stephens is expecting me."

The gate began to swing inward and Elvis walked through. The front door opened as he approached. "Mr Stephens will be with you shortly Captain." Said a uniformed member of staff. "Please take a seat in here." He continued, showing Elvis into a very formal looking drawing room. Elvis looked around the room. In one corner was a grand piano decorated with framed family photographs. He stepped over and peered at the faces immortalised in these precious memories. There were some of Georgie and her sisters as children, at least he guessed that's who it was. But his attention was caught by a photo near the back of Georgie looking amazing in a white lace, floor length creation. He couldn't help but pick it up for a closer look. It almost took his breath away, she truly looked like a fairytale princess. He almost dropped it when the voice behind him said. "That's Georgie on our wedding day. My wife is a beautiful woman is she not Captain?" Elvis spun round to find himself face to face with Georgie's husband.

"Its a beautiful picture." Elvis agreed, cautiously. Putting it back down in its place.

Cameron was a similar height to Elvis himself although far less muscular and with Sandy coloured hair and blue eyes. Cameron put out his hand and introduced himself. Elvis took it and noted that he received a good firm handshake in response to his own. Much as he had hoped to dislike this man. The feeling he was getting already was that this was a man of integrity and good character.

Indicating that they should sit down Cameron asked Elvis if he would like anything to drink. He felt like he could do with a stiff double malt right about then but Elvis just shook his head in reply.

"What can I do for you Mr Stephens?" He said, cutting right to the chase. Georgie's husband looked slightly taken aback by Elvis' bluntness but quickly covered his surprise.

"Call me Cameron, please. I see you are a man who likes to get down to business, I admire that. Unfortunately, I spend too much of my time in parliament around master procrastinators and I'm afraid it can be somewhat catching."

Elvis smiled in response but said nothing, waiting for the answer to his earlier question.

Cameron, seeing that Elvis was waiting expectantly replied. "Well, I wanted to start off by telling you how grateful Georgie's parents and I am to you for bringing her home to us. It was a very difficult few years during which we feared we might never see her again. In fact for the most part, until you found her, we didn't even know if she were alive or dead. We will always be indebted to you for what you have done for us."

Elvis shifted awkwardly in his seat. He was not used to being on the receiving end of people's gratitude for what he did. He normally just did his bit and was then quickly extracted from the situation. This was outside of his normal experience.

"I was just doing my job." Elvis said, dismissively.

"Not at all!" Cameron answered. "To you it was your job but to us, Georgie's family, it was everything. So please accept our gratitude."

Elvis just nodded and gave an embarrassed half smile.

Anyway, as I said on the phone, Georgie has been struggling to adapt after her ordeal. In fact she has been fairly monosyllabic since her return. We have been briefed by your people and updated where possible on some of the details of what she went through." Cameron continued with a wince, as though he were in physical pain himself at the mere thought of Georgie's sufferings. "But we just can't get through to her at all, even the therapist has made very little progress with her."

Elvis felt sad that Georgie was finding it so difficult to assimilate back into her normal life. Some people never got back to how they were before. It changed you, the kind of experience she'd had.

"She's been through sheer hell, as you know. She's a tough cookie though. Not many women would have survived what she did. Even with all the training in the world it's difficult but she went through it all without any training at all and came through the other side. That's a miracle in itself. It is going to take a lot of time and patience to get her back to anywhere near the person she was but how can I be of help?" Elvis wanted to know.

"Well, she obviously formed a very close bond with you. I understand you were in hiding together for several months?"

Elvis nodded. "We were."

"The thing is, she calls for you whenever she has nightmares, which is virtually any time she closes her eyes. And during her therapy sessions the only thing she says is that she wants to see you." Cameron told him.

Elvis could see the hurt in Cameron's eyes. He couldn't imagine what it must be like to hear your wife calling out for another man. He actually felt really bad for the guy.

"The therapist says, and I agree with her, that Georgie needs to see you, to spend some time with you to help her get over her attachment issues." Cameron was looking at Elvis expectantly now.

Elvis pondered this information, did this guy really think that getting his wife to spend time with another guy, the one she has attachment issues to, was the best way to get her over him? Elvis wasn't at all sure that was going to work for Georgie or for himself. However, he knew one thing, he was going to do everything he could to help her, whatever form that was likely to take.

Elvis nodded his agreement.

Cameron had been watching him closely. He could see why Georgie might have become attached to this fellow, he was a handsome man, that was for sure but he also had an air of assurance about him which was attractive. After what Georgie had experienced, he could see why she might have fallen for her saviour. Cameron was pretty sure that something had happened between his wife and this soldier, for her to have become so attached to him, but he had to push that aside for now. The important thing was getting Georgie the help she so desperately required.

"I need you to help her." Cameron pleaded. "I love my wife very much and I really want her to get better, do whatever you have to, to help her, do you understand me? I mean it - absolutely anything she needs - no matter what!"

Elvis was fairly certain that Cameron suspected that he and Georgie had been closer than was strictly professional and his words echoed around Elvis' head. The emphasis on the last three words were puzzling Elvis. Was this man really giving him the go ahead to have a relationship with his wife? ...Because that's exactly what it sounded like.