Hoods and Bots: Part Nineteen by Irena Szirtes

credit: Canva/Irena Szirtes

 I didn’t want Frank to go, not without trying to tell him how I’d changed. But it was awkward. He'd spent the evening  joshing around with Ben while charming Lin all at the same time. Roland sat with Gyp and Mac, looking into the fire. I felt alone, disconnected from them all, and put off speaking to Frank until it was too late, almost time for him to set out the following morning. It was hardly the time. He and Roland had a mission to fulfil before his return to Gloucestershire. Roland was to stay on at High Tarn while I healed. He needed to lie low for a while, but this mission was an exception. He would, however, stay out of sight on a Resistance base where he’d share information about sympathetic army personnel at Catterick; Frank would then proceed to meet them with designated Hood, with his survey as cover. 

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, drawing close enough to hug Frank, right there in the hall, if the chance arose.

“You’re  sorry?” he replied, low-voiced but resolute. “I’ve been saying sorry for ever, Mia, but it’s never enough for you. In fact I’m so sorry, I’ve changed my entire life, and that’s not enough for you either. You know what? It might just be time for us both to move on. I can’t spend the rest of my life putting off that divorce, wasting my life in longing to get you back.” 

“But I’ve...”  I was going to say,  “truly forgiven you now,” but it suddenly sounded inappropriate, because now he’d placed me squarely in the wrong. All I could say was,  “Well, I’ll see you when I get back.” 

“Ok,” he replied, just as Roland appeared with Lin, Ben and the collies.

“Ready?” Frank asked him, then turned to us all. “Mission, here we come! We’re off once more, ready to make the world a better place for farmers’ wives and other lovely ladies everywhere!”  

Of course we all laughed; but Lin blushed, Ben guffawed, and I felt desolate. 

To be continued.