The Hundred Year Wait by Amelia Price Page A

and dry. If anything starts to look infected go to
your GP and get it checked out,” the woman said and gave Amelia a
grin.
    “Thank you.” As
soon as the paramedics were out the door, she flicked her gaze onto
Mycroft. “How long will your car be?”
    “Half an hour, at
most.”
    “Good, I'm a
little tired now.”
    “You should have
slept more last night. I do believe I ordered you to,” he said,
teasing her a little. She looked down, as her cheeks flushed.
    “I tried, I really
did.”
    “I'm not
cross.”
    Now that the
police and paramedics had left, the farmer hovered by the kitchen
sink. Mycroft left his charge where she was to go over to him.
    “It's a long
journey to get her home. Do you have a blanket you wouldn't mind
parting with for a few days?”
    The farmer nodded
and rushed off yet again. When he returned he had a patchwork
woollen blanket in his hands.
    “Thank you. I'll
see this is returned to you and you're suitably reimbursed for your
help. I appreciate your cooperation with this... predicament.”
    Dismissing the man
with a nod, Mycroft took the blanket over to Amelia and insisted on
wrapping her in it. She tried to tell him she didn't need it but he
ignored her anyway.
    “Do as you're
told, Amelia,” he said, and looked her in the eyes.
    “As you
command.”
    He sat down again,
pleased to notice the sparkle in her eyes that accompanied her
words. Emotionally she appeared to be recovering already. Satisfied
that he'd done all he could and wouldn't be needed until his car
arrived, Mycroft sat back and closed his eyes. He knew it would
appear as if he was napping, but he wanted to go back in his
memories and look again at the Thames Barrier area as well as the
North Koreans who had ambushed them. Any extra information he could
drag up from his memory could be useful.
     
     

Chapter 10
    Amelia fought
against the waves of sleep that threatened to roll over her. She
felt very warm and snug, wrapped from head to bandaged feet in a
blanket and towel. It was a stark contrast from the earlier
cold.
    Beside her Myron
sat and waited for his car to come fetch them both, and, still
fidgeting in his own kitchen, the farmer tried to make himself
busy, cleaning a speck here and there, and rearranging the
counter-top utensils.
    This day had been
the most eventful of her life but she tried not to think too much
about it. While Myron was with her she felt safe and it made it
easier to be calm. Throughout the whole abduction, and then in
their escape, he had remained stable and constant. It had helped
her keep herself going when she'd wanted to just curl up and
pretend none of it was happening.
    She couldn't
decide if the swim had been the worst part or the walk afterwards.
While on the boat, she'd known as she was working herself free that
no one appeared particularly interested in her and afterwards she'd
been buzzed with enough adrenaline she'd functioned without
thinking. It wasn't until she'd had to face the cold sea and the
threat of nature that fear had found her.
    To keep herself
going she'd told herself it would impress Myron. Every moment since
she'd first been grabbed she'd kept her mind dwelling on what she
could gain by being strong. The positive focus had made it easier
to keep her emotions from overwhelming her. Although, shock had
caught up with her when she'd realised it was over and she was safe
again. The desire to cry and wail had welled up inside her so
fiercely she'd struggled to contain it. Crying had its place, and
she knew she would need to do so at some point soon, but now wasn't
the time. She needed to keep quiet and keep focused until the
terrorists were stopped.
    If she moved too
suddenly pain shot through her feet and wrists, so she tried to
stay still, but she'd never been much good at it. Sleep would be
the best healer but her desire to know what was happening, and help
where she could, kept her from succumbing to that idea.
    To while away the
time she allowed herself to study