Edward smiled to himself. He thoroughly enjoyed doing cool shit for his family. “Go on.”
“A month or two back after you said we could all travel, we took a long weekend and drove down through Salisbury to Bath, then on to Glastonbury where we overnighted at that residence you arranged.”
“You want the Cathedral in Salisbury?”
“Heavens no. I think it’s far more likely that you have pull with government, not God himself.”
Edward laughed. James was quite correct in his assessment.
“No, what I want is to borrow the grounds of the old Abbey in Glastonbury. Just for the afternoon, maybe the day. You know the history and legend, of course.”
“I do. What have you in mind?”
“An honor guard of my old mates from the SAS, and for the girls to be married in the remains of the old Nave. The grounds are beautiful, and the weather should be perfect.”
“You’re a romantic at heart, James. Never would’ve suspected it but there you have it. Always thought Raoul was the softie.”
“Things change, Dr. St. James. And I must keep up with the times.”
“Edward. Please call me Edward. You and Raoul and the sisters Pennington are family now. Tell your brother too. No more formality.”
“As you wish, sir.”
It was a start, thought Edward. “Sir” would’ve to go next. One step at a time.
***
Henry the VIII had destroyed Glastonbury Abbey during the pillaging of the Catholic Church in the twenty-seventh year of his long reign. Glastonbury Abbey fell victim during the five-year period known as the Dissolution of the Monasteries, from 1536 to 1541. Eight hundred monasteries, nunneries and friaries were in existence in 1536. When Henry was done in 1541, there were none.
But more important was the legend, which persists to this day, that the Abbey was the final resting place of King Arthur and his queen, Guinevere. The romance of the legend, and the beauty of the Abbey grounds, now beautifully restored even in ruin, were to James the idyllic setting to give away Miss Hannah and Miss Vera.
“And they know they can’t have family over for the ceremony, but it makes Miss Hannah and Miss Vera that their mums can’t be here. Anything you can do in that department would be, well, more than appreciated.”
“I’ll see what I can do. Who’s to officiate?”
“A local I guess. No idea really.”
“Leave that to me too. I’ll have a surprise for the lot of you. You going to tell the girls?”
“Nope. I was hoping we could copter down and surprise them. Plenty of room on the grounds to land. I’ll have Doris assure Hannah that it’s all good. I may drop your name too, just so they won’t worry.”
“If you drop my name, I’m not sure that will make them any less anxious. But, we’ll see.”
“Thanks, Edward. Can’t thank you enough.”
“No worries, you already have. I’ll let you know when the place is available. I assume on a Saturday, and very soon?”
“Correct.”
“Leave it to me. Consider it done.”
***
A few hours later, Raoul and James were on a multi-party conference call with six of their best mates from the old days. Most were now married and settled into a life with kids, wives, and school activities. They were happy to hear from the Bentley’s but had long been warned away from contact resulting from the price on the heads of the two brothers. Raoul and James had led a careful and quiet life until Edward reappeared, and even the blossoming relationship the men had with the sisters Pennington had to be carefully managed. The men loved their girls; they didn’t want them in harms’ way. Raoul and James had frequently discussed the terminal end of those relationships. The men perceived that they might never marry; it was just too dangerous even if the girls wished things otherwise.
When Edward appeared, and the danger increased in guarding Miss Hannah and Miss Vera, it seemed like a blessing. They could continue with the sisters knowing they would be even better protected than ever before. More fingers and toes to help with security; better precautions the sisters could easily be availed of. Of course, the men would now have to explain some things, but by then the ladies were already fully on board. They never wished to change a single thing in their lives and in their broader relationships notwithstanding the presence of pervasive imminent danger.
Doris and Penny now had two close girlfriends that they admired and respected. One was now their business partner, and excitement, and mischief seemed to follow her wherever she went. Her business contacts and access to interesting people made work less of a drudge, and more of an adventure. When they began socializing and traveling together, they found their new friends to be just like them – except for those cute American accents.
Vera was an unrepentant flirt with both women and men, but always within the rules of the British game. She was sophisticated and sexy and knew how to use her charm, and brains as much as her beauty. People liked Vera; she was down to earth and kind. She evinced no pretense nor any of the adverse qualities of the moneyed and arrogant classes.
Vera genuinely liked Doris and Penny; they enjoyed each other’s company and laughed about everyone and everything, from bakery terms Vera didn’t understand, to customers getting a bit too frisky, to Hannah in one of her infamous moods. James and Raoul were in for it too. Vera often counseled the girls on “boyfriend management” and often reported things the girls could use to disarm and inspire their men. Vera was a doll, adorable in every way and totally “one of them”.
Vera was larger than life and the girls gained confidence just being around her. They had entered a whole new world; one they could never walk away from now. The sisters Pennington were hooked, and happy to have been landed. They had no idea the length, breadth, and duration of their rollercoaster ride, only that they had paid for the ticket and would see it through.
***
“We need your help gents for a very special assignment. One day and you’re done. Drinks for a week on us anywhere you like.”
“OK, mate. What’s the catch? Are we babysitting, fighting, or robbing a bank?”
“None of the above. Our employers are getting married, and we charged with their security and other assorted items. You’re to squeeze into your old dress uniforms, break out the ceremonial swords and act as their honor guard.”
“Who are they? And why are you doing this?”
“You all remember Dr. St. James? It’s his family. This is important to him, so it’s important to me. And to Raoul.”
“What are you expecting us to do?”
“Get on a helicopter with Raoul and me, fly down to Glastonbury, cross swords for the couple to walk under, then share a pint or two and come home. Easy peasy.”
“Who are they again?”
“Miss Hannah Parker, our boss and Miss Vera Capri, of Portland, Oregon, USA.”
“Who are they marrying?”
James was stunned. He thought of Miss Hannah and Miss Vera as a loving couple and had long since stopped noticing that they were both women. That fact had mattered to him at one time and he had the expressive vocabulary and book of snide comments to prove it. But his prejudice and ignorance, as well as Raoul’s, had dissipated as rapidly as he had come to genuinely know and appreciate his new charges. They were tough but kind; smart but humble; quick witted but able to take a verbal punch.
James admired his boss, more each passing day. She would never be properly British, but with Vera at her side, she would do her best. Affect and pretense formed no part of Hannah’s character and James genuinely appreciated her willingness to hear out his counsel. They were a team, an effective team, and he felt important in her eyes and judgement. That mattered to him; that she was a woman and in love with Miss Vera seemed never to matter and was wholly irrelevant.
Vera, on the other hand, loved everything British, could tell the most ribald jokes with charm and mischief, and amuse a
nd disarm everyone around her. She was a positive force in the Universe, at least in their small Universe.
Vera made every effort to speak proper English; James considered that the language was, after all, called English, not American. So, few Yanks got that; Vera was one. She was without guile or pretense and her sweetness, kindness and humility were entirely genuine.
“Lads, they are marrying each other.”
Silence. Six men with tongues couldn’t form a single syllable.
“Say again,” said one of his oldest friends. “We’re intending to honor two…”
“Careful mate,” said Raoul. “These lassies are our friends. Close friends. Close as family.”
“No disrespect intended, but I am not sure this is a job for me. I should leave it at that,” said one man.
“As you will, mate. Anyone else need some time to think? Perhaps our own friendships should likewise up for reconsideration?”
Another of the men on the line said, “Nuthin’ to do with that, James. But you can’t ask us to countenance … this. It ain’t right, mate. We’re God fearing folk.”
“And I suppose you needed to approve of the wars too, then? Right? As I recall, you told me that the wars were wrong and immoral. But you went anyway. You could’ve mustered out. You didn’t.”
“What I did was for God and Country. This is not. It violates my conscience. I must pass too.”
“Let me understand that, when I, James Bentley, ask you as a friend, for a personal favor, you decline. Is that what you’re saying?”
“Put it however you wish. My answer is still no.”
“I assume your friendship with Corporal Jenkins is likewise at a close. I wasn’t aware.”
“Jenkins and I go way back. Nothing you could tell me about him will ever change that.”
“Really? He moved to California last year. Married his long-time lover. His boyfriend, Corporal Peterson. I’ll let them both know your thoughts on their family. Two kids, a boy and a girl. Both adopted. I thought you knew.”
“That’s a lie; I don’t believe you. He would’ve told me.”
“And yet, he didn’t.”
One of the other men spoke up, “Everyone knew, mate. Except you. He knew how you felt but valued your friendship more than telling you the truth. Wished he could’ve been honest with you. What James said is true. Sorry if the truth is inconvenient.”
The man had nothing more to say, to add. He clicked off.
The other men were in and their personal beliefs and preferences, if at odds, were never a factor. Their personal issues didn’t matter; for these men, it was solely a matter of comradeship and loyalty. That they had put their lives on the line with James and Raoul, so often they couldn’t recall the number. James and Raoul had done that thing, that one thing that had saved all their lives, and earned the brothers a price on their heads. The brothers had taken all the heat for the company’s actions, even for those on the call this day. No price was ever placed on anyone’s head, save the brothers Bentley. Everyone else remained anonymous and safe.
This wasn’t a debt that could forever remain unpaid and this minor task couldn’t possibly equalize the scales. They owed the brothers a great deal more, though to James and Raoul, all scales were now in balance. Their friendship would endure well beyond this episode and when the lads met Miss Hannah and Miss Vera, even those inclined to side with the sole hold out would become changed men. When they later discovered that Vera Capri, late of YouTube fame, was one of the women to be married, they had a quiet conversation with themselves, and adjusted their thinking, and world view, just as they had for Jenkins and Peterson.
For these men, it became a conscious decision to be better, to be more inclusive and less judgmental. They were Brits, strong willed and strongly opinionated, but equally fair. Perhaps old habits and beliefs persisted, but conscious exceptions had been made for the two men they considered worthy of meriting those exceptions. Undoubtedly, strong views and prejudices remained. But perhaps, just perhaps, there was a little less prejudice in the world for at least five men.
To James and Raoul Bentley, this was progress.
Chapter 11
The day arrived with great anticipation and the puzzle parts that would comprise the day were in place, and the gathering eager for the event to get started. Adam and Misti, along with Edmund and Noki had their roles, which were largely not to get in the way, help keep the Suarez girls focused on the roles as flower girls and monitor and prevent any excesses by Edward that could affect the beauty of the surroundings. Bethy was there along with Mark and Julia, with Maria and Agustin rounding out family.
Edward, true to his word, had secured permission for the wedding to take place at Glastonbury Abbey on the preferred and designated Saturday, though the task of obtaining permission had been much more difficult and much costlier than he had originally anticipated. A few calls to the governors of the British nation, even at the very highest levels, hadn’t produced the desired result. He was forced to call upon two very old friends to make any progress. Even they had found the process annoying; one because it necessitated his return to the UK, the other because he was extremely busy.
The man who had been abroad was quite annoyed with Edward, not just for interrupting an important process with which he was intimately and critically involved, but because Edward had requested his presence at the wedding to officiate. That he was now retired from government was of no consequence; Edward asked for him to attend, so attend he did. Most of the man’s pushback was purely theatrical, designed to impress upon Edward that his time was exceedingly valuable. The man had read about Miss Vera Capri, and the Pennington sisters in the tabloids, and was interested in meeting them anyway.
Another old friend of Edward’s, an American, also knew the girls well and had found them sympathetic, trustworthy, and reliable. Their conspiracies were of no international concern nor did they merit the attention of the security services. But to the American, they were essential and had to be kept quiet, out of the press and away from prying eyes. This included senior levels at the American Embassy in London. And at home.
***
But before the ceremony could begin, James and Raoul had to first collect their honor guard, make sure they were presentable and get them on the way by helicopter to Glastonbury. They met the lads, supposedly five in number, at the small airfield a few miles distant from the Manor. To his great surprise, not only were the five there but, so was the sixth who had declined the earlier offer to participate. The lads had each spoken to him and reminded him of his obligations to the unit; they had been through much and it was his duty, if not privilege, to be called upon by James.
James approached his old mate. “I’m somewhat surprised to see you here Harry. I thought you had religious and moral reservations preventing you from attending.”
“Nothing has changed, James. I still don’t like this travesty, but the lads imposed upon me and reminded me of my duty, so against my better judgment, here I am. I will never be comfortable with this, and this wasn’t an easy decision. I’m not doing this for them, or even for you. I’m doing this for the unit.”
“Go home Harry. Just leave now while your legs can still support that arrogant piece of wood you call a head. You aren’t welcome here. This is supposed to be a celebration of love and commitment and I am unconvinced that you won’t do something stupid. If that’s what you’re thinking, your presence is unwelcome. So, go. Go now.”
“You’ll regret this insult, James. You and Raoul and those things you call friends. I know who they are. They will never be safe. Either will you.”
The lads had gathered around, not understanding what was being discussed or taking place. When they heard the conversation, they were shocked. Had Harry completely lost his mind?
James continued, “Leave now before I take offense to your infected mind. And, Harry?”
“What?”
“If word leaks out about this
event, if you mouth a single solitary syllable about my friends or what or where it’s taking place, be assured that Raoul and I will find you. And when we do, all sentiment and history of comradeship will not prevent me from killing you in the most horrific way. Then I will come for your family and ease them from the burden of mourning your death. That includes your brothers and sisters. It occurs to me that you had something in mind for today, some display of superiority that would’ve disrupted the event and ruined the day.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about, James. I came to support the lads. That’s all.”
The men were looking at James, wondering what he was carrying on about. Harry was there to help, that’s all.”
“Why are you armed, Harry? Why did your wife toss you out? Anything to do with the writ she obtained keeping you away from her and your kids?”
“She’s a slut and the kids are most likely bastards. Not mine, anyway. Not pure; mongrel bastards.”
“I want you out of here and now. Remember what I said. Breathe a word and I’ll hunt you down.”
“You don’t scare me, not in the least. If you touch me or mine, I’ll go to the press. They’ll be sure to let your friends in Iraq and Northern Ireland know your whereabouts. Then your fun begins, you mongrel son of a whore.”
James started after Harry but was restrained by Raoul and the lads.
One of the lads spoke up. “Push off Harry. Don’t contact us ever again. I speak for everyone when I say you’re no longer welcome in this unit.”
***
Edward hadn’t only been busy securing the necessary permissions and confirming someone to officiate, he had been super busy coordinating key additional surprises even Misti and Bethy had been unable to pry out of the old codger. Nothing they said or did could convince him to talk; indeed, he remained behind to finalize his surprises. He would join them in Glastonbury, but he had tasks to complete first. One, he allowed, had been more difficult than he had supposed.
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