Deep Water by Tim Jeal Page B

my knees to you. But all he did was climb onto a dirty old …’
    ‘That will do, madam,’ thundered Borden. He gestured to Justin to leave his chair and come closer. The boy did not look at Andrea before obeying. ‘You listen to me, young man. If I hear you’ve been within a thousand yards of one of His Majesty’s ships, I’ll have you in police custody within the hour. You and your friend almost rammed HMS Stork the other day. Why was that?’
    ‘It was a mistake,’ quavered Justin. ‘My friend’s no good at sailing.’
    ‘Just tell him from me to stay away, will you?’
    ‘Yes, sir.’
    ‘Or you’ll both find yourselves in police cells.’
    ‘Yes, sir,’ faltered Justin.
    Borden pushed back his chair and rose. ‘I hope your mother won’t tell you it doesn’t matter, because it most certainly does.’ He thrust out his jaw. ‘Just remember that.’
    ‘You know I’m not his mother,’ cried Andrea, addressing Borden’s back as he turned to leave. The moment Justin began to sniffle she realised she should not have corrected the man. Her remark would have seemed a rejection to Justin. To make up for it she hugged him and then he really started to sob. Until then, the whole scene had been poignantly reminiscent of that famous painting of the brave and lonely boy being questioned: When Did You Last See Your Father? Not that a gruff old salt and a stereotypical stiff upper-lipped young officer could be expected to be touched by anything so vulgarly sentimental.
    While trying to comfort Justin, Andrea started to feel let down by Leo. It was too bad of him not to have told her about the sailing incident. Though even if the boys had actually hit the side of a warship, that couldn’t excuse Borden for having spoken to Justin like a criminal – particularly after he had apologised.
    Though Borden had departed, Harrington lingered , leaning elegantly against the door frame. Tall, slim, clean-shaven, with brown eyes and dark hair, his whole body conveyed arrogant English sangfroid . She hated his indifference to Justin’s tears.The great value of Justin’s father’s former duties compared with the insignificant work Harrington and his colleagues were doing made her ache with resentment.
    Andrea said dryly, ‘I suppose I should thank you for not bullying Justin, too.’
    He looked past her towards the window. ‘I don’t disagree with what Captain Borden said.’
    ‘Do you ever?’
    ‘Almost daily.’ His eyes met hers with a candour that confused her. ‘Blast, I shouldn’t have said that.’
    ‘Do I look the type to tell him?’
    ‘Of course not.’ He laughed loudly, once more confounding her earlier assumptions. ‘But that’s not the point really,’ he added, becoming solemn again.
    ‘I get it,’ she said sharply, ‘loyalty, no matter why. Well, since I won’t be telling any tales, may I ask a favour?’ He nodded eager agreement, making her feel guilty, but only for a moment. ‘Tell Captain Borden that Justin’s father was a pilot who risked his life every day till he died, unlike some officers.’
    Harrington neither avoided her eyes nor attempted to contradict her. He simply retreated a step as she pushed Justin past him. They were well ahead by the time he came after them. ‘I’m so damned sorry, Justin,’ she heard him call out.
    Expecting Harrington to follow, Andrea wondered what she would say. But when she and Justin reached the main hallway, the corridor behind them was empty.
    Justin cried some more in the car and begged hernot to tell Leo he had been upset. Andrea reluctantly agreed.
    ‘It’s because you mentioned my dad. I was all right until you did.’
    She wished she could believe him but she couldn’t. Her thoughtless remark about not being his mother had left him vulnerable to self-pity, that deadly foe of all stoics. When he admitted how surprised he had been that she had stuck up for him, Andrea was mortified. She knew she deserved to feel bad. She had wanted to be