Return to Redemption

"Good morning, gentlemen," Captain Jameson said, slipping into the foyer with a determined step.

Both men stood to attention and offered a smart salute as they replied in unison, "Good morning, sir."

"Shall we proceed to the conference room?" he suggested, gesturing his lieutenants toward the corridor.

The officers fell into position behind their commander and follow him down the length of the hallway into a moderately sized room, taking seats at a round table placed near a large window void of covering.

"Has either of you men seen Mr. Hunter about the grounds yet?" the captain asked.

"No, sir," they replied, again in unison.

Hearing the approach of footsteps in the corridor, the men who were assembled waited with eager anticipation to discover who it was that would lead their recovery party into the midst of enemy territory. The door opened, allowing Ian Hunter to enter with a timid Rebecca Halloway trailing along behind him. It wasn't until Rebecca stepped fully into the room that she saw Captain Jameson, and a long, slow sigh of apprehensive realization escaped her lips which had parted in surprise.

Captain Jameson studied the girl through a quizzical expression, as if she had somehow wandered into their gathering by sheer coincidence, but the look of dismay that lingered on her face told him otherwise and he cast a sidelong glance at Ian Hunter to mutter, "By any chance, Mr. Hunter, is this the liaison you've arranged to escort my men into France?"

Mr. Hunter cringed at the angry scowl that shadowed the features of Captain Jameson but he remained frozen in place, his eyes darting nervously between the contrite girl and the livid officer.

Rebecca stepped forward to whisper, "Captain, I'm so sorry...I had no idea-"

"No idea of what, Miss Halloway?" he demanded. "Was it complete strangers you were expecting to find here?"

"Yes," she admitted.

Her penitent response only served to irritate him further and he took her arm in a firm grasp to lead her into the corridor, away from the attentive ears of the two officers staring on in surprise from where they sat at the table.

"Tell me, Rebecca," he growled, towering over her. "How long have you made a habit of rescuing prisoners of war?"

Rebecca glanced away in her discomfort and admitted, "This is the first time, sir."

"And why, pray tell, did you volunteer your services this time?"

Rebecca glanced up at him and murmured, "Those men need my help, Captain."

"Ah, yes," he snapped in a sarcastic tone, "it is your duty to save the world...how could I have forgotten that?"

Rebecca remained quiet, at a loss for words, while Captain Jameson began to pace about the small confines of the corridor. "What were you thinking, Rebecca?" he muttered at last.

Rebecca studied him for a time, wondering how mere words could ever possibly begin to explain the ache of longing she had carried in her heart during the past six months. When Mr. Hunter had approached her to discuss the possibility of helping to rescue a group of captured English sailors, her first thought was to accept without question, however after meeting with her parents' reluctance she determined she would seek the Lord's will in the matter, trusting Him to direct her steps rather than following the whims of her own selfish desires. A weary sigh escaped her and she said, "Oh, Captain...I was thinking of you."

He peered down at her, irritation clearly evident in his expression.

"Never in my wildest dreams could I imaging that I would ever see you again, and not a single day has gone by that memories of my time with you don't haunt my soul. I've missed you more that you'll ever realize, but then, out of the blue Mr. Hunter presents this opportunity, and I accepted the task because when he told me about the prisoners, I envisioned men like Mr. Andrews and Eddy...and even Lieutenant Burgess. How could I possibly say no to men like them?"

He continued to give ear to her rambling words, taken aback by her humble reasoning in her decision to assist with the rescue mission, and while he felt a momentary pang of empathy for the girl, it did little to suppress his anger. "I will have no part of this plan, Rebecca," he said in a low tone. "Go home."

Rebecca cast a pleading glance at the officer and said, "Captain, please, give me a chance...I can do this! I can help to free your-"

"No," he snapped. "You can't because I will not allow it. Now go home."

Rebecca took a tentative step towards him and said, "Remember the Pepita, sir, and how adamant you were that I not go with the men then? Everything turned out just fine in the end."

"This is entirely different," he growled.

"It's really not that diff-"

"Do not argue with me!" he shouted, infuriated by her persistence.

Rebecca remained rooted in place, hesitant to leave, but just as hesitant to stay. When he saw that she did not obey his command to depart he said, "You may remain out here all day if you wish, Rebecca Halloway, but I will not consent to this foolish notion of yours."