by Ed Nelson
Twerp didn’t like it; it would hurt his image as a tough guy if the stills got out. I didn’t intend to share; I didn’t know about the photographer. I hoped the tabloids paid him well.
It got funny when twerp decided he could shoot the longbow. He tried and tried and couldn’t pull the string back. Giving him a few minutes to look foolish the Director finally called for me.
I made certain to bend the bow in one smooth motion. I could hear cameras clicking in the background. There would be more than one sale made tonight.
I shot three arrows to make certain I was on target and then we had the money shot. That was where the whole place blew up when my arrow landed. Hollywood can do better than real life.
I had started a series of fires. They made it go boom. If I had done that in real life no one would have survived.
Everyone but twerp cheered when the scene went off perfectly.
Mr. Monroe who had been watching asked if I could do one more scene for them. It was where I stepped from the signal block to the moving train.
I told him sure. That meant another trip to makeup and costume, but it didn’t take long.
In Moscow, the train was moving five miles per hour if that, creeping along. They had it moving twenty miles an hour so the cars would be rolling back and forth as they do at speed.
I don’t blame twerp or his insurance company for not wanting him to do this stunt. I had said I would do it, so I did. Playing on boxcars in Bellefontaine paid off. The trick was to step from a stationary platform to one that was moving away from you.
To not fall on your face or to get hurt you had to launch yourself into a run and keep it up after you had landed for three or four steps until your body momentum was the same as the train.
If you did that it looked easy. The Director had me do it four times just to be certain that he had a good shot.
I asked if I would be paid scale for my work today. That took Mr. Monroe by surprise but he said yes.
Hey, I’m a professional who works for pay.
From there I went back to the stunt area. One thing I wanted to do there was practice my sword work. I hadn’t done any in a long time. I had to be rusty.
I was, but not as bad as I thought I would be. After a sweaty half hour, I called a halt and moved on to quarterstaffs. I wasn’t as rusty at that as I thought I would be. Maybe using a rifle with a bayonet attached in close quarters was enough to count. That trip to the Siberian frontlines was rough.
After that it was boxing. That I hadn’t done in a long time, and it showed. I was lucky not to be knocked out, even though I had a head protector on. If I hadn’t a mouthpiece, I would have been spitting teeth. I made a mental note not to get in any pure fistfights.
Unarmed combat yes, fistfights no. I had no rust at unarmed. Somewhere along the line, I had filled out even more. I hadn’t grown any taller, but I was bigger overall and stronger. Someone even mentioned I ought to try out as linemen with the Green Bay Packers.
That was a laugh, me, and football. Not being able to play football was one of those things that started me down on this path in life.
My very, very good friends the stuntmen had a little surprise for me. I don’t know how they did it, but I backed right into a water trough.
They were all sorry about that, your Dukeship, but I still swore to get even. I had changed clothes to practice so I didn’t have to drive home wet. I did think evil thoughts about what I could do to them.
About halfway the humor of it all caught up with me and I started laughing. What are friends for if not knocking you down occasionally?
I still thought I would get them back, but I was beyond burning the studio down.
Chapter 29
I even shared my day, including the water trough, with the family at dinner. They agreed that it was nice to have friends like that, but some form of revenge was in order.
After dinner I went to the library and using a yellow legal pad, I made a list of all my projects and their status. Everything was under control. Maybe not moving as fast as I wanted but under control.
The one that gave me the most heartburn was the space program. I had very little control over that. It was still in the investigation phase, and I couldn’t hurry that along. I wanted to blast off and do it now.
Feeling self-satisfied about how business things were progressing I moved on to my personal life or lack thereof. Even there I couldn’t make things happen.
Maybe I could. How about ads in the paper; lonely rich titled actor looking for a girlfriend. No one would answer that. Maybe not so good an idea.
When a huge yawn escaped me, I knew it was time to go to bed. I was looking forward to a solid night's sleep. I never slept as deep on planes, and I had certainly spent enough nights in the air in the last month.
I slept for two hours when the phone in my room started ringing. It took me a while to wake up enough to figure out what was going on. The phone kept ringing.
I managed to stumble over to my desk and answer it with a mumbled, “Hello.”
I recognized Empress Ping's voice on the other end.
“Rick, Haoran has tried to kill May-ling again. I have her on a plane to Hong Kong right now. Could you pick her up and take her someplace safe?
“Of course, it will take almost a day to get there.”
“I know, just hurry.”
“I will.”
After hanging up I started making calls. The first was to the flying service. I told them I had to be wheels up for a trip from Ontario airport to Hong Kong, as fast as possible. They told me the plane was fueled and catered so all they needed to do was roust out the crew. They should be ready to go in two hours.
I thought about leaving Harold here. About the time I thought that he appeared, dressed and ready to ensure I was dressed properly. How does he do that?
I called England and got the night desk at Buckingham Palace. I asked for a message to be passed on to Mr. Norman. I needed a haven for May-ling. Could we use Balmoral again?
I thought about letting my parents sleep but then thought better of it. I knocked on their door and let them know what was going on. They told me to be careful and to be safe.
I said I would. How do you remain safe when a maniac is trying to kill someone you are traveling with?
The quickest way at this time of day to Ontario was to drive. It would take about an hour so the crew might not even be in place when I got there.
Harold and I rode in the back of one of the limos. One of the guards was driving us. From the pictures taped to the back of the front seat, I realized it was Mary’s. I hoped they would get it back in time for her to go to school. If not, I would pay for it. If it were only cash, I would be getting off lightly.
Maybe I could forestall her by buying her a new horse trailer for Ajax. The current one was getting to look shabby. I wrote out a note to that effect and asked the driver to pass it on.
Since I hadn’t even folded it, he read it. He laughed, “She has your number, Sir.”
“Yes, she does.”
We arrived at the airport as the pilots were doing their walk-around of the aircraft. Nothing had fallen off, so they thought it might be safe to fly. The weather reports were fine, so we were good to go.
We were wheels up less than two hours after I had been woken up by the Empress. I did the only logical thing and went back to bed. I slept through our refueling stop at Anchorage. By the time I cleaned up, dressed, and had breakfast we were landing in Japan for more fuel.
There was a hand-carried message waiting for me in Japan from the Japanese Emperor’s staff. It was an invitation for May-ling to take refuge there if no place else was deemed safe.
I drafted a quick reply stating that this was a great honor the Emperor was extending and that we may have to take him up on that. It depended on what I found in Hong Kong.
This was enormous. The relations between Japan and China had been strained since the 1930s. The change in Chinese leadership must have t
riggered hope for the Japanese. The Emperor’s club, you know. I wondered if Queen Elizabeth was eligible for that club.
I did wonder how the Japanese knew. I soon found out. An English edition of the Straits Times had the attempt on its headlines. The whole world knew. From the story, I gathered that May-ling was in a convoy to a meeting.
She was hidden in a trailing car in the equivalent of an armored box. The ruse worked, the car that she appeared to be in was destroyed by an anti-tank weapon. All in the car were killed.
The car she was in immediately went to the airport as per its instructions where she boarded a plane and left. It was not known at press time where the plane had landed but they would keep us posted.
Damn journalists, they don’t care who they endanger as long as they can print something. I knew she was in Hong Kong at the Governor's mansion and Haoran would too if the papers had their way. They would even report what room.
We took off and made the relatively short flight to Hong Kong with no problems. The Governor along with May-ling met me at the ramp. We boarded the plane. The Governor told me that we were welcome at Balmoral, so I told him that was where we were going.
May-ling herself looked exhausted. She stood there in what she had been wearing for the last many hours. I wrote out a note for the Governor to transmit to my Mum.
I informed the flight crew we were to leave for Edinburgh immediately with a quick stopover in Ontario.
We took off, our total time on the ground was less than half an hour. Even the press would have a hard time keeping track of us.
Harold the perfect Valet, told Madam that he had several comfortable outfits she could choose from after she had a chance to rest and clean up.
She grabbed the offer like a lifeline. Then she surprised me. She hugged me tightly. She whispered into my ear.
“My Knight to the rescue once more.”
You could have knocked me over with a feather. I knew I was a Knight, but her Knight?
I decided now was not the time to pursue that thought. It was probably the stress speaking.
By the time she had slept, cleaned up, dressed up, and ate we were almost back to Anchorage. She wore slacks very nicely. I had never really seen her shape before. Let's just say she is shapely.
After a year or two of travel, we landed in Ontario. Mum was waiting as I requested with several suitcases of clothes for May-ling. The nice thing about Rodeo Drive was that they kept your size on file.
May-ling, Mum, and I had a quick conversation while they were refueling. Mum had been working the phones but had nothing to add. The person who fired the rocket got away. There was no sign of Haoran.
We flew to New York City, then on to Reykjavik Iceland, after that Aberdeen, Scotland. Our sleep and meals were so messed up it would take days to get straight.
There was a limo waiting for us in Aberdeen. The security guard accompanying us told me that it was felt that a lower profile was best. A convey for the trip might be safer but it would also advertise that an important person was in residence. It was decided that this was the lesser risk. I agreed.
No one tried to kill us on the way, so I counted it as a win. The staff was ready for us and had, ‘our.’ rooms waiting for us. What a trip.
The first thing that we did was to place a call to the Palace and ask them to let the Empress know that we had arrived safely at the same place we had hidden before and would be staying here for an indeterminate amount of time. I had deliberately not said Balmoral.
I wondered if I could finally get a good night’s sleep. I thought it was in the cards until that bagpiper started in the morning. There should be an open season on them, with no limit.
Chapter 30
I got up for my daily run after that horrid shock to my system. Bagpipes in the morning. I always wondered about the Scots. Now I knew. They are insane.
It was a wonderful day discounting the wake-up call. After being cooped up on the plane for days on end it was a delight to get out and stretch.
I must have run ten miles instead of my normal five. It felt good until it didn’t. All of a sudden, I was tired, and I felt my legs start to cramp. I needed water and salt.
That’s when I realized I had no idea where I was at. I was still on the grounds or in the national park but beyond that lost. At least I was on a trail. I could turn around and backtrack.
It would be a long and slow slog, but it had to be done. I walked slowly with a slight limp for about a mile when I heard bells jingling behind me. It was a cart being pulled by a pony.
The driver was a lassie, and I don’t mean the dog. She had auburn hair, a fair complexion with freckles, and a cute button nose.
She pulled up beside me and asked if I would like a ride. I thanked her for stopping and told her I most certainly would accept the ride.
I climbed aboard her little pony cart. I could see that she was hauling baked goods in the back. Not only could I see them I could smell them, they were heavenly.
She told me her name is Nicola MacGregor. I started to introduce myself, but she interrupted me, “We all know who you are, Your Grace.”
That took me aback a bit. I didn’t realize that the general public would recognize me. I said something to that effect.
She laughed, “One of my stops is at the kitchen at Balmoral. The staff wags about you all the time. They follow you in the papers. Other than the Royal family, you are the most interesting guest they have.”
“Though you might have to step up your game now that they have met Princess May-ling.”
“I think I now understand why the Queen refers to the unruly MacGregors. Troublemakers all.”
She laughed at that.
“Aye, we have done that a wee bit.”
“You say some of these baked goods are going to the kitchen at Balmoral?”
“Yes.”
“Since I’m staying there would it be okay if I ate a bun or two? I’m starving.”
“I suppose it would be okay, but you have to tell them, so they don’t think I’m one of those unruly MacGregor’s trying to short the count.”
“I’ll do that.”
With that, I turned and opened a bag of cinnamon buns. She reached into a small box beside her and offered me a slab of butter and a knife to spread it.
“This is my favorite way to start my daily trip.”
As I daintily ate the first one in two bites, I told her it was a shame she had no coffee.
“The thermos is under the seat if you don’t mind sharing a cup.”
I think I fell in love at that moment. We continued down the road at a sedate pace for another mile or so. There was a small shop at a crossroads.
“This is my first stop.”
I helped her carry bags of bread, rolls, and buns into the shop. A tall young man was standing behind the counter. He scowled when he saw me.
Nicola said, “Now be off with you, Robert Sturgeon, I’m just giving his Grace a ride as he has strained his leg.”
She turned to me, “Your Grace, I would like to introduce you to my intended, Robert Sturgeon.”
We shook hands, he was no longer scowling as she had made her position clear.
I still loved her for the coffee. I did tell him he was a lucky man. If he hadn’t been here, I might have whisked her away as they did in so many of those Highland Romances.
He laughed at that. “Me Mum reads those; I’ll have to tell her I about lost my fair Nicola to a Duke.”
“Give me a head start, she may try to chase me down.”
We had a good laugh at that. We all thought those books were silly. Always the rich noble and the poor young lass.
This rich noble and poor young lass went back to the pony cart and continued down the road. After another two stops, we reached the tradesmen's entrance at Balmoral.
A guard at the gate told me that people were looking for me. An emergency hadn’t been declared but the questions were coming more frequently.
After stopping at the
kitchen and confessing to eating a full dozen of the cinnamon buns I went to the lobby where I knew I could find a footman to spread the word that I was back from the wilds of Scotland.
I didn’t even make it to the lobby when Ann spotted me. She and May-ling demanded to know where I had been. I told them about pulling up lame on my extended run.
I’m not certain they believed me because I had walked it off. I even took them to the kitchen to introduce my savior, but she was pulling away in her pony cart.
It even got a little tense when they saw Nicola give me a cheerful wave as she left the grounds. May-ling muttering about reading about those Scottish girls meeting rich nobles.
I let that one go, I wasn’t going to try to convince her she had it backward and that it was English girls meeting a rich Highlander Laird that was the trope.
It wasn’t even lunchtime on our first day here and I was in trouble. I don’t know why May-ling was upset; it is not as though she was my girlfriend.
I had to clean up and change after my outing, so we didn’t meet again until lunch. They had decided to go riding for the afternoon. I had enough outdoor exercise for the day so told them I would be spending my time in the library.
That worked for about half an hour. It was too nice a day to spend inside. The book on Scottish farming practices was easy to put down.
I went for a stroll in the extensive gardens. The place is gorgeous. They were several gardeners at work pulling weeds. I keep angling deeper into the gardens when I rounded a corner and saw a Scotsman sat on upon a bench. I was pretty certain he was Scottish as he wore a kilt.
“Good day to you, Sir.”
“And to you, young man. What brings you this deep into the gardens? Most young people get bored and go back.”
“It is so beautiful here, and I was in the library, I felt stuffy so here I am.”
“Vicky was like that; she was always wandering around.”
“I don’t think I have met her.”
“She has been gone a long time. I keep hoping she will come back so I linger here. I think she met up with Al and chose him over me.”
