FOLLOW YOUR HEART

Chapter 27 - An Amazing Woman

"Evening all," Sam's Scottish accent seemed to have broadened after his time in his native land. Standing beside him was a tall man with short blonde hair, who was no doubt Angus. No doubt because despite the fact he was fair skinned and fair haired, he looked so much like George it was frightening. They were like reverse images of each other. Everyone just stared at Angus and Sam, thinking that it was because he had forgotten to introduce his son, turned to remedy the situation. "This is my son, Angus."

He introduced Angus to each of them in turn, and to his credit the young man didn't turn a hair when he met Shawn and Camila.

"I remember you well from when you were a child, Angus. You must have been about fourteen the last time you visited," Tally smiled, holding out his hand.

Angus took it warily. "I'm sure you do remember, Mr Talbot, I was a right terror, sneakin' in and stealin' biscuits from cook, swimmin' in the pool in the middle of the night and such." Angus spoke with a broad Highland brogue, his "r"s rolling merrily.

"I do remember, Angus, but it was pretty restrained behaviour after what my father told me Sir Garry used to get up to!"

"I do recall him yellin' at me a time or two," Angus laughed. "I was a wee bastard, no mistake."

There was nervous laughter to his comment and he must suddenly have realised there was an odd vibe in the room. Sam had gone quiet and was slowly walking to the mantle. Everyone watched him in silence as he picked up the photo of Jamila/Putri with little George. It was a charged moment because he could not fail to notice the resemblance between his two sons, and the year was included on the banner behind Father Christmas's throne, so it wouldn't take a mathematical genius to add it all up. He stared at the photo and Camila couldn't see his face, he had his back to her. Did he already know about George? Or was this a shock to him? It was impossible to tell.

Tally and Pam looked awkward and Shawn was impassive. He was staring at her, he knew her well enough to know what she was thinking. Any other man would be giving her the warning look, and maybe not that long ago, Shawn would have done the same, but he knew her and trusted her enough to let her do what she felt was right. She walked up behind Sam and put her hand on his shoulder. He turned to face her.

"This is George," he said in an emotionless voice.

"Yes."

"Where did you get this?"

"George gave it to us," she said.

"You know George?" he asked in surprise.

"Yes," she said. "And Jamila."

"Jamila."

"Yes." His voice gave nothing away, she couldn't work out what he was thinking or hazard a guess at which scenario was the most likely. He was still a good looking man really, for his age, his body strong and fit because of his job. He would have been quite handsome when he met young Jamila, and a similar age. She hadn't been a young innocent, she had been a woman in her thirties, a strong, independent professional woman. Camila realised that whatever had happened between she and Sam had been an adult relationship, complicated and wrong, but it wasn't some older man taking advantage of a young girl. It wasn't a teenager being knocked up and left to fend for herself. There was a lot more to this than she knew, or had a right to know.

"She was so beautiful," he murmured, staring at the photo. "And I was so confused and broken over what was happening in my marriage. We didn't mean anything to happen. But....it was so special and wonderful, I've never forgotten her."

"But you knew about George," Camila prompted.

He reached out and touched the photo of the young boy's face. "Yes, I know about George, but I didn't know then. I found about him not long before Sir Garry passed. He called me into his bedroom, said he wanted to talk."