by Ed Nelson
What a good friend! I could almost forgive him for being a lawyer.
Chapter 7
Later at home, in the library, Mum, Dad, and I had a conversation on an issue that had been bothering me for some time.
“Empress Ping was trying to find which gulag I was in and if she had found it, she would have sent forces in to pull me out. I have heard nothing about what you thought or were doing.”
Dad got a harsh look on his face.
“Rick, we were working with the US and British governments before that show trial to have you freed. It had become apparent early on who had kidnapped you.”
“After the show trial, the whole world was told you were dead. They even showed the firing squad shooting. They didn’t show your body.”
“To say your Mum and I were devastated is putting it mildly. We didn’t know what to do. We requested your body and kept getting a runaround.”
“CIA found out that you were still alive, as you were seen being walked out of that courtyard. All that had to be done was to find which train you were being put on. There it fell apart. The Russians lost you!”
“The people who kept the records of who was sent where thought you had been executed. They had no record of you being put on a train. It finally took Popeye working with the Russian mafia to establish that you had been put in a car that sat on a siding for two days.”
“There was no record of which train that car was attached to or where it went. It was as though that car didn’t exist in the system. Later we found that was the exact cause. It was a special car that the KGB used, and no records were kept.”
“We narrowed it down to seven different possible camps. We had people sent into every one of them. By the time we found out the one that you had been held in you were gone.”
“The camp was in an uproar. You had disappeared, the dogs couldn’t get your scent. It seemed you jumped off a cliff and went away.”
“Since that is what I did using a hang glider I’m not surprised they were confused.”
“After that, it was waiting to see if you got out.”
I looked at Mum, she appeared uncomfortable.
“Rick, I’m sorry if we appeared unfeeling, we were trying everything. Between MI6 and the CIA, they opened up the entire Soviet prison system. They found agents which they thought had been dead for years.”
“Well, that was a good thing.”
Dad spoke up, “Your Mum made a trip into Russia.”
“What for?”
“She questioned the head of the KGB gulag system as to your whereabouts.”
“And he didn’t know?”
“No, he wouldn’t talk.”
“Why is that?”
“Dead men tell no tales.”
“Ouch.”
“You don’t touch my children.”
“I like your attitude Mum, and I apologize for thinking that nothing was being done.”
“JFK was afraid we were about to start World War III over it. He pleaded that we didn’t do anything that could go public.”
“Public?”
“He told us to do whatever we had to do, but don’t get caught.”
“Always good advice, and I thought he didn’t care.”
“Rick, no matter the issues between our families he is the President of the United States and cares about all of his citizens.”
“All of them?”
“Except for a few major Republican donors of course.”
“Of course.”
“To change the subject, I saw a young lady at dinner tonight and Mister Wingate introduce us. I’m going to ask her to go on a date tomorrow.”
“Ah, the beautiful Princess Olga. We saw you staring at her most of the evening.”
“I was that obvious.”
Mum laughed as she poured more tea for herself.
“At least you were able to eat your soup without it dribbling on your shirt.”
“You think she noticed I was staring.”
“She must have, she had to be careful when she peeked at you. You both were quite funny to watch.”
“I hope her father didn’t take umbrage.”
Dad broke in, “He winked at me when we made eye contact.”
“Then he won’t be cleaning his weapons when I go to pick Olga up, that is if she will go out with me.”
“Oh no, he has bodyguards, they will be cleaning theirs.”
My Dad can be mean.
At that, we called it an evening and retired to our respective quarters. It took me a long time to get to sleep, thinking about what my parents must have gone through when I went missing. I also gave some thought to a blue-eyed blonde.
The next day after my morning rituals I called the Beverly Hills hotel and asked for the Glucksburg suite. I was put through to a secretary or bodyguard, not sure which.
“May I speak to Her Highness Princess Olga?”
“May I tell her who is calling?”
“I’m Richard Jackson the Duke of Hong Kong.”
“Hold one moment while I ask her if she is taking calls.”
Glad I brought out the Duke title, it sounded like I needed everything I had to even get past the secretary.
“Hello, this is Olga.”
“Princess, this is Richard Jackson, we were introduced at dinner last night.”
“Yes, I remember you.”
“I’m calling to see if you would like to go to dinner with me some night this weekend.”
“Only if it is to a real place that American teens go to, I’m so tired of formal dinners.”
“I know just the place; it is called the Hamburger Hamlet. It is a hangout of Hollywood High students.”
“That sounds delightful! Would Friday evening work for you?”
“Yes, it would, the sooner the better.”
Now, why did I say that?
“Okay, now I have to find out what American girls wear and not what is in the movies.”
‘I’m afraid I can’t help you there.”
“That is no problem. I will look at the Lady Mary collection in the latest catalog.”
“You know Mary is my sister?”
“No, I didn’t, I should just call her.”
Why can’t I learn to keep my mouth shut, Mary and my date, now what could go wrong there?
“Should I tell her to expect your call?”
“No silly, I know she is your sister, I was just teasing.”
“You got me good.”
“That is a woman’s job, keep the men guessing.”
And I asked her on a date?
“Rick, I have one serious request.”
“What is that?”
“My stepmother will ask for your help in getting into the movies. Don’t get involved with her in any shape or form. She is bad news, and I fear for father.”
“That is an easy promise to make. She rubbed me the wrong way as soon as I met her.”
“She is evil and hurts people because she thinks it is fun.”
Maybe I should have her call Mary, or better yet Mum. Well, not Mum, His Highness might not take well to being made a widower twice.
We agreed that I would pick her up Friday evening at six o’clock.
To make the week go faster I played several rounds of golf, went horseback riding, and even was able to surf on a good day.
Friday I was in a tizzy about what to wear. At five o’clock I came downstairs in a blue sport coat and chinos with a blue broadcloth button-down shirt.
Mum sent me back upstairs to put on jeans and a madras shirt. I tried to object but she was forceful. No one messes with Mum when she is forceful. I thought of a certain KGB head when I went to change my clothes.
All became clear when I met Olga in the lobby of the hotel. She was wearing jeans with a madras shirt, it was untucked and tied at her waist.
Gee, I wonder who had been talking to each other?
With the top down on the T-Bird and Paul Anka on the radio, I drove us over to the Hamb
urger Hamlet.
I wish I had given my choice of restaurants more consideration. The first person I saw was Nina sitting with Tuesday Weld.
I almost backed out, but Olga whispered.
“I know who she is. I read all the papers. Be nice and let’s have dinner.”
When we were seated, I managed to sit with my back to Nina. I didn’t want to make eye contact. I would have no idea what to say.
I didn’t have to say anything because Olga told me.
“They just left.”
“Good, that would have been a little awkward. Why I don’t know, she left me.”
“Would you want her back?”
“No, twice burnt and all that.”
We had an enjoyable dinner of cheeseburgers and fries. We also talked about our respective lives. We knew a lot of the same people, as we both traveled in some pretty high circles of society.
We took a long way home, and I got a kiss on the cheek when I walked her in.
It might have been more, but I recognized one of the bodyguards waiting for her.
Chapter 8
Olga and I spent Saturday at the beach. The surf was up, and she is an expert surfer. Seeing her in a bikini left me up.
We had a good time. We grabbed lunch at a taco stand. It seemed like we knew a lot of the same crowd. Not that I was friends with many of them. They were what I had been calling Eurotrash.
I would have to change my mind about several of them, but she agreed that many of them were worthless.
They were titled, rich, and bored with no direction. Rather than find something worthwhile to do, they drank, partied, and had a generally good time. They also were rude, obnoxious, and privileged.
If they got into trouble Mummy or Daddy would bail them out or cover up their wrongdoings.
I began to get uneasy feelings about Olga. Yes, she is beautiful, smart, and used to moving in better circles. She also knew too many in the wrong circles. Was she an observer or a participant?
It didn’t take long to sort it out. She had an invitation to a party in Beverly Hills at an actor’s house. I knew of him and his ways. I told her I had other plans.
She tried to get me to change my mind by telling me that the actor had the best drugs.
I still begged off, telling her I had a family event. I did it was called dinner and watching TV with the family. At dinner I related to my parents what I had learned about Olga, they agreed that she wasn’t good news.
I didn’t understand my little sister. She offered to show Olga one of her necklaces. Mum told her it wasn’t necessary yet. Made no sense to me, but whatever.
I did contact my Chief Pilot and told him I would like to fly to Oxford tomorrow. I was going to visit my Grand Mum and friends at the school.
The phone rang right after I finished arranging my flight in the morning. It was Olga. She told me that she had decided not to go anywhere tonight as it would be no fun without me.
She asked, “Do you have plans for tomorrow?”
“Yes, I have an early flight to England.”
“Are you running away from me?”
Coward that I am, I told her no.
“How long will you be gone?”
“About a week, I have to see some people and check in with the Coldstream Guards.”
I was making this up as I was talking. I hadn’t given any real thought as to what I would do in England. Though what I was telling her actually made sense.
“Can I come along?”
I am a coward.
“Yes, if you want to. I can’t guarantee any parties or a good time, this is semi-business.”
“Thank you, I have to get away from my stepmother. She is driving me crazy. She is convinced that I can talk you into getting a screen test.”
“I don’t know what gave her that idea.”
“She found out that you are invested in movies, so you can make things happen.”
“Be ready at seven, I will have a car pick you up at your hotel.”
“Will we be flying first class?”
“No.”
“Oh.”
“Please be ready on time, we don’t want to miss the flight.”
“All right.”
I arranged for one of our limos to take us to the airport. She was ready and waiting in the morning. She had two large suitcases packed and ready to go.
When she realized that we weren’t heading into LA to catch a flight she asked where we were going. I told her the plane was in Ontario. She didn’t know where that was at.
By this time, we were pulling into the airport through the private aviation gate. We pulled up to the 707 which had the stairs out for us.
She had a look of confusion until she realized that the plane was in my colors with my coat of arms on the tail.
“I thought we weren’t flying first class.”
“We aren’t. This is much better.”
We settled in quickly and departed immediately. After that, I gave her a tour of the plane. She couldn’t believe that I had a duplicate wardrobe in the hold and that Harold traveled with me to care for it.
She became very friendly and somewhere over the Atlantic, I joined an exclusive club. Events just progressed until it happened. I learned a lot from Olga. She appeared to be a very experienced teacher.
Not what I had in mind for the first time, but no complaints.
I noticed that the stewardesses were very polite to her, but also cold and distant. They didn’t appear to approve of her.
Not that it was any of their business.
I spent a few hours in the cockpit adding to my flight hours. When I came back, I got the third degree from Olga. She knew that I was the Duke of Hong Kong and a movie actor but not much else.
I was open with her about my business ventures. She was very interested in what I was worth. Since I was proud of what I had accomplished I told her all. It’s not bragging if you have done it. I had done it.
I probably should have been a little more discreet about my net worth, but she is my love.
Changing my mind, I diverted the flight from Oxford to London. I didn’t want to spend the first few days of what I visualized as my honeymoon at my Grand Mums. Instead, I planned for us to stay at the hotel on the Strand.
She loved the hotel suite that was ready and waiting. I told her about my different properties around the world. She was impressed and let me know it in some very physical ways.
We didn’t leave the suite for two more days. Finally, we decided you could only spend so much time alone. So, we went sightseeing.
The next day I told her I had to check in with the Palace. She pouted that she couldn’t go along, but soon got over it.
I called Mr. Norman and told him I was in England and that I would like to see him. He told me he knew I had arrived three days ago. It appears my comings and goings are reported.
When I arrived at his office, we spent several hours going over my recent adventures. He told me that the Queen had followed the attempts to locate me closely. By asking to be updated it kept the pressure on to keep looking.
Daily reports were given about the trail I was leaving across Siberia. Most of it is by deduction. Who else would steal horses and rob banks and create general mayhem with a longbow? They never could catch up with me, but they could follow my trail. It was better than any James Bond movie.
I told him about the movie being made, “Escape from Siberia,” and my cameo appearance. He had a good laugh at that.
MI6 also had informed him about my venture into Laos. He told me, Good Show, but there couldn’t be official recognition for something that didn’t happen.
I replied that I preferred it that way.
He then directed the conversation in a direction I hadn’t seen coming.
“I understand that you are seeing Princess Olga Glucksburg.
“Yes, I am.”
I didn’t tell him she was in my hotel suite. I suspected he knew.
“Rick, for various re
asons she nor her father will ever be received here at the Palace.”
I wish I handled the next part better. I told him that if she wasn’t welcome, then neither was I. He remained calm and told me that someday I would understand, and it was for the best if I didn’t see the Queen today.
I left the Palace in a huff. About halfway back to the hotel, I started to wonder why the Glucksberg’s weren’t welcome.
Later I even asked Olga about that, and she replied it was some silly financial issue. Before I could ask another question, I became distracted and forgot about it.
The next afternoon we drove up to Oxford and met my friends Tom, Steve, and Bill at our favorite pub. We had a good time telling stories. They were taken with Olga who was dressed to the nines, at least for a student pub in Oxford.
They vied with telling her stories about upside-down sailboats and license plates in Monaco. I was amazed that the disgraceful license plate affair had become a grand adventure.
They wanted to know if I was coming back to Oxford. I told them that I had no plans at this time. After a pleasant afternoon, Olga and I moved on to Grand Mums.
While we were riding in the limo over to The Meadows Olga told me that my friends were nice but a little plebeian for her and that in the future we would have to travel in the better circles.
That set off a second alarm. She didn’t care for my friends, and there was a silly financial issue in her background. I was sure it was nothing and that my friends would grow on her.
There Harold was waiting with our luggage. Having a valet was a good deal!
When I introduced Olga to Grand Mum it wasn’t the reception I was expecting. Grand Mum was polite but reserved. In turn, butter wouldn't have melted in Olga's mouth.
I asked Grand Mum if Queen Mum had visited recently. It turns out she had left this morning. She wouldn’t be back until after I was gone, mores the pity.
Not being completely dense I figured that some investigation was in order.
Chapter 9
The Princess and I were shown our rooms. Me to my own, and her to one in another wing of the house. Was Grand Mum trying to tell me something?
While Olga was changing clothes and freshening up, I place a call to the States. I knew who would have all the dirt by now.