Chapter Text
The Lusaka they returned to was one of high tension. There were more and more protests and the security on the gate when they arrived back at the Governor's Mansion was significantly higher than when they left. The Jaguar swept into the drive and Sid was surprised when Felicia wasn’t there on the step to greet them, he helped Beth who was carrying Rudy from the back of the car, and grabbing his rucksack, leaving the rest of the bags to the driver, stalked in through the front door. There was an armed guard in the portico and it made his heart skip too fast. “Where's the Countess?” he almost shouted.
“Lady Felicia is in the Library” the man told him in a colourless voice, Beth coming in behind him, gave him an odd look.
“I’ll get Rudy settled” she said, nodding as her husband hurried off.
“Hello, hello?” Sid looked round the library door, making Felicia jump “what on earth is going on?” he said looking at her pale face.
“Oh Sidney, I’m so glad you're home, nice Christmas?” she smiled at him with a sort of hollow smile.
“I was a cow in the Christmas Panto” he said shaking his head “what's happened?” he asked, coming closer.
“Monty is in London, and there was a protest and they tried to get through the gate, and I was so scared,” she said looking up. He immediately dropped his bag and walked over to her wrapping her in a hug.
“It's OK” he told “I’m here now, you’re safe” she sobbed a little and he kissed the top of her head “I thought the Earl was spending Christmas with you, that's why you didn’t come with us to Kembleford?”
“He left on Boxing Day” she sniffed.
“Oh Fliss you could have called, I’d have come back, or come to us” he murmured into her hair “there's extra security, more soldiers” he told her “you were safe” he stroked her hair.
“I’ve been lonely” she sniffed
“I can imagine,” he smirked, “we’ve brought presents?” he smiled trying to cajole her “Oh and Rudy learned to crawl”. For a moment Felicia looked at him brightly, and then something melted behind her eyes.
“You’re home” she smiled and breathed out, “I am so glad.
Ayah Christina was delighted her tiny charge had been returned to her, and with Rutherford's new found crawling ability, which had terrified his parents, they were very glad to relinquish him as well. Sid and Beth were in the privacy of their own bedroom, she was unpacking and he was explaining the security briefing notes Felicia had been piling up on the Earls desk for him.
“So are we in danger?” she asked him
“No” he nodded “I mean not really, not in the compound, but well I understand why Felicia was scared on her own”.
“So this public order act Monty is putting into place” Beth looked over “that, will reinstate the curfew?”
“Yes, but the city is expanding so rapidly especially with the Komboni settlements, it's going to be a lot more dangerous coming and going.” he shrugged “might need to hold more events here rather than let Felicia out” he laughed “she’ll hate it”.
“Then we should go home” Beth told him “tell her to go back to England”.
“I have” he smirked and then put his arms around her “I love you”
“I love you too, if you need to be with her, I won’t mind” she kissed him,
“We haven’t had dinner?” Sid laughed
“Oh right OK” she giggled “you’ll be unfaithful but only after you’ve eaten”
“Don’t” he said suddenly “don’t tease, I’ve never broken my wedding vows, and I wouldn’t unless you agreed, we agreed” he sat down on their bed “you don’t, please look, don’t get jealous?”
“I’ve never been jealous, I’m not, I was just teasing, but darling, it's not about sex is it, if you need to be with her, I’ll be fine, I’ve got Rudy and Giorgio Arbetti’s book” she smiled at patted the big yellow book sitting on the bedside table.
“You aren’t scared?” he asked quickly
“I lived through partition” she smiled “I’m fine with a few protesters shouting stuff over the wall”.
“You don’t normally wear a jacket for dinner with just us?” Felicia asked when Sid arrived in the dining room well after dinner was served, she gave him an odd look “you’re wearing your side arm?” she asked.
“Yeah” he sat down slightly uncomfortably 4 weeks of not wearing it, and it felt strange. He felt rather than saw 2 sets of eyes on him “look I promised I’d keep you safe, and I also promised to make you both feel safe, therefore if I have to be armed for” he looked down at the meal in front of him slightly curiously “I’m sorry I have no idea what this is? Anyway I will be”.
“Linguine Primavera” Felicia told him “chef got an Italian recipe book for Christmas”
“Nice” he nodded “I might be bloody uncomfortable right now, but I’ll get over it”
“Thank you” Felicia smiled, dropping her head to her plate “right can we start?”
“Linguine?” Sid asked, “this what we have to look forward to for the next few weeks?”
“Linguine is the pasta Sidney” Felicia told him “I imagine we will have a variety of them” she smiled.
“Primavera” means spring in Italian” Beth added, “it's just spring veg in sauce with pasta”.
“I don’t know why we don’t just call it what it is” Sid sniffed, taking a cautious bite “but yeah, it's lovely”.
Dessert had been cleared away and coffee was served and Sid looked across to find his wife dropping her head on the floor. “Go to bed love” he told her “I’ll come later” she took his hand and squeezed it smiling.
“I love you, Goodnight Milady” she stood up and on slightly heavy feet left the room.
“Goodnight my dear” The Countess drawled. When the door closed she looked at Sid “she thinks you want to sleep with me”.
“I do” he smiled his cheekiest grin “but you have someone else” he gave her a look “who is it?”
“I don’t” she bit her lip and smiled “I called someone else when you were in England and Monty left, and I didn’t think” she swallowed “but he picked up and”.
“Is he here?” Sid asked
“No” she hesitated, “he’s working, but he’s going to come out” she smiled “I feel quite giddy”.
“Do I know him?” he asked, lighting a cigarette.
“About 10 years ago, he was in my life briefly, when you were doing National Service” she swallowed “he asked me to leave Monty then, I didn’t” she laughed “he was reckless and stupid and it was invigorating, but dangerous”
“You’ve never offered to leave Monty for me” he pouted
“Hmmm not suited to living in a caravan” she told him “anyway I didn’t offer to leave him, he asked me too”
“And if he asks again?” Sid queried
“Then we all go back to England” she looked him in the eye “so I can’t leave before June”.
“And what do I do if we go back, this guy needs a driver does he?” he was teasing and she smirked.
“He might” she stood and took his cigarette from his unresisting hand “he might need a lockpicker?”
“Oh in which case I definitely don’t approve of him” he laughed “Fliss, you’re safe” he reminded her.
“Now I have my shadow back”.