The Devil To Pay (Hennessey.)

by Marnie Perry

  He nodded, ‘I can understand that. There are a lot of Americans uncomfortable around them too.’

  Then she asked the question he didn’t want her to ask, ‘speaking of guns, can I ask you something?’

  He pre-empted the question, ‘I always carry one, where I was born and raised guns were as much a part of everyday life as walking and talking, we hunted and shot targets and yes, even small animals, although I grew out of that later.’ He wondered what she would say if he added, “I found I preferred killing human beings instead.” He went on, ‘but we don’t take them lightly, we treat them as the dangerous weapons they are, with respect. I lived near woods as I’ve told you and know what dangers lurk there; I would never go walking in a potentially dangerous place without being armed. I’m as comfortable carrying a gun as you are uncomfortable being around one.’

  She nodded in understanding then her eyes became fearful as she asked, ‘you said you always carry a weapon, does that mean everywhere.’

  His face was very serious as he said, ‘are you asking if I’m carrying now?’

  ‘Are you?’

  He looked around to see if anyone was listening then leaned forward as if what he had to say was for her ears only. She turned her head to the side and he whispered in her ear. ‘No.’

  She withdrew from him and gave him a deeply exasperated look. He laughed out loud causing those near by to look over at them and smile. He said, ‘although if the meal is not up to the standard expected of this very fine and very expensive establishment I shall feel it necessary to go and fetch it.’ He had been lying of course, he was armed.

  She giggled then said, ‘well, as much as I don’t like guns, I am very happy that you had yours with you today.’

  ‘Me too, picking up bits of my walking companion isn’t my idea of a pleasant day out.’

  This time it was her turn to laugh out loud.

  Just then the waiter came back with their main course which was Cajun chicken in a rich beetroot sauce, new potatoes, which had been fried in oil, as had the vegetables. Adela said it was wonderful and Hennessey grinned, well pleased. After they had finished and their plates had been removed the waiter asked if they would like desert and she said she should be a good girl and say no but she didn’t feel like being good tonight. He laughed and she suddenly seemed to realise what she’d said because she lowered her gaze and blushed, saying, ‘er, I’ll have the lemon cheesecake please.’ Hennessey told the waiter they would have two lemon cheesecakes.

  He noticed that she had not had any of her wine and said, ‘you should try it you know, it’s really rather good.’ She looked askance at him and he could see that her mind had immediately gone back to his remarks from earlier, ‘the wine, it’s a good year and should be to your taste.’

  She followed his gaze, ‘oh, I hadn’t realised I hadn’t had any, it must have been all the talking I’ve been doing.’

  She obediently picked up her glass but paused with it to her lips as he said, ‘wait,’ then raised his glass and tipped it towards hers, she frowned then realised what he meant and shyly clinked her glass against his.

  She said, ‘although I’ve seen that done on T.V. I’ve never actually done it myself.

  He smiled, ‘see I told you’d do things you’d never done before. She lowered her eyes and sipped her wine then looked pleasantly surprised, ‘oh, that is nice, fruity.’

  He laughed, ‘now don’t go getting a taste for it; we don’t want you going back home an alcoholic.’

  The smile slid from her face and he said with concern, ‘have I said something I shouldn’t.’ He knew he had of course but this was as good a way as any of getting her to talk about herself.

  ‘No, of course not.’

  She wasn’t about to elaborate so he urged, ‘yes I did, if I’ve spoken out of turn I’d like to know, I don’t want anything to spoil this evening.’

  She looked at him and spoke earnestly, ‘You haven’t spoiled anything I assure you. It’s just that…’

  He cocked his head to one side in an enquiring gesture.

  ‘Well, my mother was an alcoholic; I suppose that’s why I’m so averse to drinking. I have a fear that I may one day end up like her.’

  ‘Oh God, I’m so sorry. Is that what she died of, alcoholism?’

  ‘Yes and no, I suppose she did. She had a bad heart anyway and I think that’s what started her off drinking in the first place, the stress of her condition. And then of course the drinking made her heart worse, it was a vicious circle really.’

  ‘It must have been very hard for you growing up. What about your father, did he help?’

  She shook her head, ‘he left when I was about five, I think she drove him away with her drinking and erratic behaviour.’

  ‘So you and your brothers were left alone with her?’

  ‘For a time, yes, they are a lot older than me and they went away, David to college and Daniel to share a flat with his friends.’

  ‘So that left just you with your alcoholic mother?’

  She nodded and her eyes betrayed the pain she still felt as she recalled those days.

  He said softly, ‘was it very bad?’

  ‘It was bad, yes.’

  ‘Tell me about it.’

  She looked at him in surprise and said with an uneasy laugh, ‘oh, you don’t want to hear about my wasted youth.’

  ‘I’m very certain that is was not wasted by any means. And anyway, telling me about yourself was a condition of my bringing you to this very nice posh restaurant.’

  She smiled but it was uncertain. He took her hand, ‘I can tell it causes you pain still, and they do say a trouble shared is a trouble halved. If you don’t talk to me about things that concern you I’ll think that we aren’t really friends, and I do want to think of us as such…don’t you?’ He finished pointedly. Oh well done Sterling he thought, next thing you know you’ll be counselling the kids of alcoholic parents.

  She took a deep breath and proceeded to tell him about her mother much as she had done with Olivia. She told him about the beatings and the times she had had to drag her mother up the stairs to her room when she had been too drink to even stand upright. The times when she had had to fetch her from a bar when she had fallen down and hurt herself or been thrown out onto the street. Of the neighbours who either ignored them or called them awful names.

  When she had finished Hennessey said, ’I’m so sorry, it must have been hell for you. But what about your friends and your brothers, didn’t they help?’

  She shook her head, ‘I had no friends, and David said that he had children to consider, not to mention his job, he couldn’t afford to get embroiled in her shenanigans.

  ‘That’s what he called it, shenanigans?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘And the younger brother?’

  ‘Daniel? He was too wrapped up in his friends as well as trying to figure out new ways of avoiding work.’

  Hennessey frowned, ‘so you alone took care of your mother since you were, how old?’

  ‘When she became really bad I was about eleven or twelve.’

  ‘Fu…damn.’ She smiled and he asked ‘why are you smiling?’

  ‘It’s just that you almost said a naughty word and I was thinking that in all our meetings I have never heard you swear, it’s just unusual for a man not to curse, that’s all.’

  He smiled too, ‘I don’t want you thinking that I’m some kind of saint, or have some moral opposition to bad language. I’ve just always felt that the English language is colourful enough without adding unnecessary words to enhance it.’

  She stared at him in surprise, ‘you know you never cease to amaze me, Sterling Hennessey.’

  ‘Well thank you, Adela Faraday.’

  ‘You’re welcome. But just so you know, I don’t think you’re saintly in the least.’

  They both laughed and Hennessey thought, you’re a very discerning woman, Miss. Faraday. He was thinking about what she’d said about having no friends, and
her brothers not really caring one way or the other about her. That would help of course, no one to come over here and plague the authorities to look deeper into her disappearance. As far as the police would be concerned she had been just another poor unfortunate victim of the swamp, or been in the wrong place at the wrong time. That was just too bad.

  It was an added bonus that most people she’d met here could testify that she loved to wander around by herself. But he also pondered on what she had told him about her drunken mother. That was rough he had to admit, it was also something they had in common. Useless mothers.

  They were silent for a few moments until he said, ‘but you know, despite your mother’s best efforts, you seemed to have turned out very well, very well indeed. You’re a thoroughly nice lady, sociable and friendly and as I said before, very brave.’

  She was moved, ‘thank you. Someone once said that “That which does not kill us makes us stronger."'

  ‘Nietzsche.’

  ‘Sorry?’

  ‘That’s who said what you’ve just quoted.’

  ‘Oh.’ She smiled, ‘you’re very smart.’

  He shrugged, ‘just have a really good memory.’

  ‘Well I think this Nietzsche was wrong.’

  ‘Oh, why?’

  ‘Well what if you had a near fatal accident and you ended up in a coma, you’d hardly be stronger then would you?’

  He laughed out loud, ‘we can always find a fault in these little homilies if we try hard enough. But in your case the homily seems to be true. Maybe you take after your father.’

  ‘I don’t really remember him too well. But I hope I would have more backbone that to leave my children to a drunken woman’s neglect and abuse.’

  He arched his brows, ‘I’m sure you have more backbone than most people, you have certainly proved that since you’ve been here.’

  She had been looking down at her glass twirling the stem between her fingers but looked up sharply as he said this. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I mean the panther incident.’

  ‘Oh, oh yes, that.’ She looked down again, she would have to be careful not to get suspicious when someone said something she thought referred to her connection with Olivia or they would get suspicious, wondering why she reacted as she did to innocent comments.

  He said, ‘what did you think I meant?’ Although he knew damn well what she had thought.

  She said, ‘nothing, I just don’t think of the “panther incident” as bravery on my part.’

  ‘Well I do, so there.’

  She laughed, ‘so was that interesting enough for you?’

  ‘Sorry?’

  ‘My deep dark past, was it interesting enough for you to tell me your secrets?’

  Oh yes, very interesting he thought, but not as interesting as mine. Still he decided to humour her, and there would be no harm in throwing in some truth too. He said, ‘I’ve already told you where we lived. There was just me and my mother, she died when I was seven and I went to live with my uncle in Louisiana, I left there when I was sixteen. Later I joined the Marines, saw some action in the first desert storm, never really went home after that.’

  ‘Never?’

  ‘No, I travelled a lot; I’ve been pretty much everywhere you can think of. I love Europe and Scandinavia; I hope to settle there one day.’

  ‘Scandinavia?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Where in Scandinavia?’

  He caught himself in time; he had done it again, slipped up and told her about his plans for going to Scandinavia. Still, he wasn’t too worried; after all she would hardly be in a position to tell anyone.

  He said, ‘Denmark maybe.’

  She laughed, ‘yes, I can see you as a Viking, you’re certainly tall enough.’

  ‘I thought they were all blonde.’

  ‘You could dye your hair.’

  He screwed up his face, ‘I said I wanted to live amongst Scandinavians not become one of them.’

  She laughed again. ‘Well perhaps you could marry one, that would be the next best thing.’

  ‘How do you know I’m not already married?’

  Her smile faded. He could almost see the thoughts running through her head; she was thinking that he was just passing time with her while he was alone. That she was someone to keep him company while he was away from his wife and kids. He decided to keep her hanging for a moment so he looked back at her his face serious. She whispered, ‘are you?’

  He shrugged then gave in and smiled, ‘no, I’m not married, not now and not have been.’ A little truth thrown in.

  She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes in a gesture of impatience. He laughed and asked ‘what would you have done if I’d said I’ve got myself a wife and four kids back at the family homestead?’

  ‘I would have tipped this lovely, fruity, very expensive bottle of wine over your head, caught a cab back to Eden and told everyone there what a horrible human being you are. My good friend the sheriff would probably have thrown you in the cells just for upsetting me.’

  Again he laughed out loud, ‘I think he would have too.’

  ‘I might tell him anyway, get my own back for your scaring me like that.’

  ‘The thought of my being married scares you?’

  ‘Of course, it would be an awful thing to spend time in the company of a man who had a wife and children. I certainly wouldn’t like it if I was the wife in question.’

  ‘You’re a very decent and moral person, Miss. Faraday.’

  She looked surprised, ‘I should think most people would feel that way wouldn’t they? Surely you would not like to be a cuckold or to be the cause of someone else being one.’

  He stared at her for a moment then to her chagrin he burst out laughing.

  People looked their way with interest; they must have been able to see by Adela’s expression that this time he was laughing at her and not with her.

  She looked very hurt, ‘I was about to add that being tricked and deceived must be one of the most humiliating things that one can suffer, but I think I’ll add being laughed at to that list.’

  Her words sobered him, ‘I didn’t mean to offend you, it’s just that it’s not very often these days you hear the word "cuckold."'

  She did not appear in the least mollified by his apology. He said, ‘please don’t be angry. And you’re absolutely right, I would most definitely not want to be tricked or deceived….or be a cuckold. Please accept my apology.’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘I think that’s the least sincere you’ve been since we met.’

  She said nothing and he sighed, ‘tell me what I can do to make it up to you.’

  ‘There’s no need to make it up to me.’ She sighed too, ‘I’m sorry, it’s just that…’

  She broke off and his tone serious he finished for her, ‘your mother put you down by laughing at you, and when someone else does it you think she must have had cause.’

  She looked at him in surprise, ‘well, yes, but how…

  ‘It’s pretty obvious, ‘he interrupted gently, ‘she made fun of you and ridiculed your pastimes and hobbies and your appearance. It’s made you distrustful of people who say something nice to you; you think there must be some ulterior motive, some hidden agenda behind their compliments. The same with laughing at you, you think there must be something about you that causes people to find you funny, and not in a nice way. She has made you wary to the point that you have no confidence in yourself or your talents and abilities.’

  She looked away then down at the table then back up at him and her voice was low as she said, ‘yes, it’s true, but I can’t think how you would know all that. We’ve only just met, you don’t even know me.’

  ‘It was the singing, even a deaf person could tell that you have a beautiful voice, anyone who can sing like that would have been up on that stage showing off for all they were worth. You know in your heart that your voice is rare and lovely, but you were afraid to get up and sing because you’
ve been told too often that you’re making a fool of yourself when you do.’

  He smiled a soft smile and reached over covering her hands with his. She looked down at his big strong hands which had swallowed hers whole. She looked up and their eyes met and locked.

  He said, ‘if someone had told Shakespeare often enough that his writing was garbage he would probably have become a welder instead.’

  She could not drag her eyes away from his bright, steady gaze; his eyes seemed to hypnotize her. She swallowed several times before she could speak, when she did her voice was husky and low, ‘you’re an observer of human nature, Sterling Hennessey.’

  Inwardly he said, I’ve had to be my dear, Miss. Faraday. Out loud he said, ‘it wouldn’t take a hell of a lot of observing to see what was going on. Although I didn’t know it was your mother who had injured you and left you feeling less than worthy. I thought it was maybe an abusive ex husband. That perhaps you had come to this country to escape him.’

  She shook her head, ‘no, no husband. But I suppose you’re right about the escaping part, I did want to put distance between myself and all that had happened.’ She gave a rueful little laugh, ‘but if death couldn’t do that, I don’t know why I thought an ocean could.’

  He frowned, ‘well since you’ve been here you’ve discovered that people aren’t laughing at you…apart from my little faux pas back there of course, for which I apologise again…and that people like you and want to get to know you because you’re funny and charming and sweet and very good company. And of course there’s that darn sexy English accent.’

  She tried to release her hands from under his as her face reddened but he held on firmly.

  'So, I’ve told you about my love life, so what about yours?’

  She shifted uncomfortably, ‘mine?’

  ‘Yes, I know you’re not married but what about boyfriends, is there someone back home, someone special.’ He knew there wasn’t of course, he just wanted her to confirm it.

  She said, ‘no, no boyfriends, I never really had time and the men that I would have found interesting didn’t want to be associated with the likes of us.’