by Ed Nelson
“That’s a shame, if you see him, tell him I told him to straighten up and fly right.”
His eyes got big as he said, “Okay, can I tell my parents you said that?”
“Certainly.”
May-ling couldn’t keep her mouth shut.
“Is Rick a big deal around here?”
“The biggest! When he won the golf grand slam was great. Now he is running around with the Crown Princess of China!”
You could see it in his eyes when the coin dropped.
“That’s you, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Are guys going to come here and try to kill you?”
I told him, “I hope not, at least until after I finish my cheeseburgers.”
Ann spoke up for the first time.
“We will be gone from here soon; they won’t catch up with us, so Bellefontaine is safe.”
That had to be the moment that Chief Woodruff entered the restaurant and made a beeline towards our table.
“I just got a call from the FBI. They have agents on the way, but they want you to go to the airbase. A load of Chinese just left the Dayton airport heading towards Springfield.”
“Thanks, Chief. Eat up, ladies.”
We quickly finished our food and rode back to my house in a police cruiser. Before we left the restaurant, I made an announcement.
“Sorry to eat and run, I had hoped to stay longer but the bad guys have found us. Tell everyone I said hi.”
We hadn’t unpacked yet, so it was easy to grab our clothes and go. The waiting police car took us out to the airbase.
When we reached the front gate one of the airmen got on the phone and announced that Cowboy has arrived.
As we walked to the Base Commanders' office May-ling asked what all that was about. I replied in a very off-handed way, “That is a holdover from when I saved the US from the Soviets trying to drop hydrogen bombs on us.”
That was fun, I could see her confusion, was I lying?
When we arrived at the Commander's office, we were escorted right in.
It was the same Commander that had relieved Colonel at the time, Hawthorne. He shook my hand and gave a half-bow to the ladies.
“It has been a long time, Rick.”
“A lot of the water under the dam since then.”
“Yeah, I bet the Soviets are still regretting that stunt they pulled. Little did they know that night was going to be their downfall.”
“They started it.”
“And you finished it. Did you know there is a memorial stone out back with the dates of the incursion inscribed? It doesn’t say anything else, just the dates.”
“Who had that put up?
“President Eisenhower, he couldn’t give you public recognition but wanted something done. If you dig it up on the bottom side is your name. Weirdest memorial I have ever heard of.”
“I have always liked Ike. I even have a button that says so.”
The Commander just shook his head.
“I’m not supposed to talk to any strange women that may show up here so that I may deny any involvement with them.”
“Then I won’t introduce Crown Princess May-ling or her mother the Dowager Ann.”
“It was nice not to have met them.”
The two ladies stood there amazed.
“If the Colonel is questioned later and he is careful with his answers he will not have to tell them you have been on an American military base.”
“Won’t they just beat it out of him?”
“America is America, like China is China, no they won’t.”
The Colonel's phone rang. It was the front gate, and the FBI was here. As fate would have it, I recognized both of them when they entered the office.
They were the same two agents who of the day of the incursion told me I was just trying to be a hero again, that I hadn’t seen anything.
They remembered me too. I decided to let it go. This situation spoke for itself.
“We are ready to take you to wherever you want to go.”
“The Cleveland airport, we have a charter flight waiting on us.”
They didn’t groan. I had just told them they had another five hours of driving and then four more to get back to Columbus, just in time to go to work.
Sometimes things in life work out.
As we were leaving Chief Woodruff who had been sitting in his cruiser waved us over.
“A report just came over the radio that a carload of Chinese just passed the State Patrol office on 68.”
“Can they be slowed down?”
“The wing tire salesmen have pulled them over for speeding.”
“Thank the state police for me.”
“Will do, also I’m pretty certain they will be speeding when they go through the Mary Fulton school zone.”
“Thanks, Chief, I owe you. Now we have to use this head start.”
We settled in for the long ride to Cleveland. Both of the ladies slept most of the way there. I sat there with many and no thoughts going through my mind.
They centered around, how did I get in this pickle, and what next? I managed to nod off.
At Cleveland, there was a flight waiting for us. We were barely out of the car, and it was wheels up. In Canada, we all presented Diplomatic passports and let it be known we were in transit.
This was reinforced by the 707 that taxied up next to our small charter plane.
The plane had no decorations. Just the tail number.
The tail number meant nothing to me. We boarded the aircraft, and I was home, or at least my home away from home. It was my aircraft; someone had thought to have the fancy paint job removed from my jet.
How they were able to have a new tail number assigned I didn’t know. When I asked the Chief Pilot, he told me that was a privilege given to Queens Messenger Flight One.
The plane had been fueled and catered so we left for our short hop across the Atlantic. A short hop when compared to the Pacific crossings we had made.
Both women knew their way around and headed for my bedroom. That was okay because I headed to the hold for one of the little sleeper cabins there.
That was when I found out that Harold was even on board. At least I would have clothes to wear.
We landed in Aberdeen and were driven in a limo with tinted windows to Balmoral. This was to be our home for the next while.
I had read that this is where Victoria and her faithful servant John Brown spent a lot of their time. There were many rumors about them, but I consider them just that the ravings of jealous people that didn’t have any true friendships.
Even if they did, get over it, they are both long gone.
Balmoral can best be described as comfortable. Though described as a castle it was built as a home, not a defensive work. The original castle had been torn down by Prince Albert after building the new home. No cold drafts here.
While there I was able along with the others to tour, the flower gardens including the Garden Cottage for Victoria’s children, Baile-na-Coille for her Highland servant, John Brown, and Karim Cottage for her Indian Secretary, the Munshi Abdul Karim.
The entire estate of fifty thousand acres surrounded by the Cairngorms National Park is privately owned by the Royal family. There would be no stray Chinese here even if they found out where we were.
We were settled into large suites of room for our stay. Mine was so large you could park a car in the bedroom.
My first morning there Harold won me forever. He had a kilt in the Jackson tartan. He also had all the other gear with it.
I wanted to wear it to breakfast but he talked me out of it. There was going to be a private event with the royal family this weekend and I should save it for then. He was right as usual.
Chapter 23
We settled in at Balmoral. It is beautiful. The climate is nice, the land surrounding it is scenic. Most of all we could move around without looking over our shoulders.
Friday the Royal family came to visit. They
had ridden their train to Edinburgh and then a caravan accompanied them to Balmoral.
I dressed for dinner in my new kilt with the Jackson Tartan. Harold helped me dress. I found out once more that a Valet could be a lifesaver at times.
The plaid was typical Scottish with red being the dominant color with black and navy-blue stripes.
He helped me into a white collared button-down shirt with cuffs. I used my solid gold cufflinks with my coat of arms. Next, he positioned my kilt to the right height at the waist and knees.
I then donned my socks with garters and flashes in the Jackson colors. The brogues were tied in the high front style.
He made certain that my kilt pin with my Hong Kong coat of arms was in the correct place to keep the kilt from flapping open at the wrong moment.
My sporran had the Jackson coat of arms on the front. My small sgiandubh was in my right sock. The emblem on its haft matched the kilt pin.
Lastly, I put on the vest and then the jacket both a dark blue. I had a team in the colors but elected not to wear it in the house.
As to underwear, none of your business.
I must say I looked quite spiffy.
When I entered the anteroom to the dining room where we were gathering for dinner all eyes turned to me. You could have heard a pin drop; they were in such awe.
At least no one snickered.
The Queen saved the occasion.
“Duke Richard you look fine dressed for dinner, in a true manner. Some of these other gentlemen should pay attention.”
Since the only other gentlemen dining were husband and son, I thought was she going a bit too far. She had saved me from ridicule, at least from May-ling who had to put her hand in front of her mouth.
Her mother Ann saw nothing wrong with what I was wearing. It was telling that the wait staff approved of my attire as they were deferential in their treatment. I have never heard so many. ‘Your Graces.’ They were only outdone by, “Your Majesty.”
Prince Phillip was a real brick about things, he made a point of complimenting my turn out and then describing his first time wearing his. According to him, I was blessed since I didn’t have knobby knees like most Scots.
Other than May-ling looking like she was going to burst into laughter every time she looked at me dinner was lovely.
I was seated across from the Queen who had Phillip on one side and May-ling on the other.
The Queen kept up a lively conversation with May-ling. You could tell she was taking her measure. I was sitting between Ann and Princess Anne.
The Princess was not interested in talking to an old guy like me though she did want to know if I had any advance knowledge of Mary’s next collection release. When I didn’t, she lost interest.
The Dowager Ann spent her time listening to the conversation across the table. I could understand her wanting to know how her daughter was faring so let her be.
Not an exciting dinner but the food was good.
The next morning, I was awoken by the most ungodly sound on earth. Bagpipes.
I rose and performed my morning rituals and then dressed to go for a run, right after I tracked the Piper down and killed him.
There was a coffee service set up outside of my room, so I delayed the planned murder to enjoy a cup. Two cups later I decided that going to the headsman wasn’t worth killing the Piper.
He was safe for another day as I started my run. It was a beautiful day for running. The temperature was just right, and the sun was shining. There was a trail that headed towards some wood, so I took that.
On my way, I passed a shooting and an archery range so I knew where I would be spending time. I was making mental notes about this place for when I established my country retreat.
They had over a hundred years to get it right, so why try to reinvent the castle?
The Royals departed Sunday, so we had time to ourselves. I soon developed a daily routine of using the ranges. There was a Gilly in charge of them who had a stock of weapons that made me drool.
The longbow he loaned me was a work of art. He told me that they didn’t know its provenance but that it had been here since day one. Almost a hundred years.
I swear I couldn’t miss the target with it. I wondered if I could pinch it but realized that would be poor repayment for the hospitality. It did make me want to start a search for another bow like it.
Ann and May-ling would watch me at times. May-ling even asked if she could try my bow. I handed the six-and-a-half-foot-long bow to her knowing full well that the one-hundred-and-fifty-pound draw weight was far beyond her.
It was fun watching her struggle for a minute. Snicker at my kilt will you!
Things were different at the shooting range. I wasn’t that proficient with firearms. I could point and pull the trigger slowly. Well, that is unless the other guy was shooting at me. Then it was fire away.
I suppose that is why so many shots are missed in gun battles. When the other guy is shooting at you there is no time to aim, pull the trigger, and be surprised by the weapon firing.
The Gilly in charge of the range walked me through rifles, shotguns, and handguns. I fired off hundreds of rounds. I thought I was getting pretty good.
Then Mailing came along. Once more she borrowed my weapon, a handgun, and wasted the target. She also blew my theory about aiming out of the water as she pulled the trigger as fast as she could.
The recoil would draw the pistol up, but she had it back down faster than I could see. She blew the center out of the target.
I knew when I was beaten and complimented her. She told me that her father had insisted she become proficient with firearms starting when she was six years old, she had fired tens of thousands of rounds in her life.
We did go horseback riding several times. She had a good seat. That is, she rode well, I wasn’t thinking of other things.
We talked about our futures. She had to abandon her school plans as she would never be safe in an uncontrolled public setting. This was even after Haoran being captured.
I asked her about who she saw as a future husband. This was more of idle curiosity, as I knew I would never be eligible. Heck, I didn’t even know her that well.
She told me that her husband would probably be picked out by her mother and grandmother. He would be a high-ranking Chinese as they didn’t have the traditions of the Europeans in bringing Royalty in from other countries.
She seemed fine with that thought and I had no interest, so I let it go. We continued to enjoy our ride together sharing this wonderful countryside.
We received an update on Haoran and it wasn’t good. He appeared to have disappeared off the face of the earth. Like us, he had found a safe haven.
At least we were in a position of being able to communicate with our families. Saint Patrick's day came and went. The staff celebrated by wearing orange.
I listened to Ann explain the holiday to her daughter. She agreed that any man who could chase snakes out of a country should be a saint.
I received updates on my businesses regularly. I was even given an office to work out of. This settled life was wonderful. Work when I wanted, run or practice weapons when I wanted.
There was even an expert in unarmed combat available. All I can say is that I was rusty. He knocked the rust off and about a yard of my skin.
When we went at it, we only wore tight pants. Barefoot and shirtless we went at it. I noticed that we had started drawing a crowd. Mostly the young ladies who worked on the estate.
The first time that May-ling saw my fans she was a little snippy, but her Mum had words with her, and she kept quiet after that. Tightlipped but quiet.
As far as me I appreciated the pretty young ladies. They took to flirting in the hallway with me. One even went so far as to deliver me a cup of hot chocolate at bedtime. Enough said.
Chapter 24
Our days at Balmoral can be described as idyllic. My family even came over for a week. The kids thought that it was great because it got them out o
f school for a week.
Denny spent his time taking pictures or snaps as the locals called them of the castle and its environs.
He became popular with the young ladies of the staff, and he freely took pictures and had them developed locally. I don’t know if he got served late-night hot chocolate or not and didn’t want to know.
I did have an embarrassing, for me anyway, conversation with the Dad. The box of condoms he had given me several years ago when I went to Hollywood was now exhausted.
Where could I get more? He told me a good Valet would take care of that problem. Just leave the empty box where Harold would see it, and a full one would appear.
I did, and it did, wonderful.
I did ask Dad about Denny. He told me that Denny was on the verge, and he would take care of it.
That was good because I still remember the horrid threats made by Mum if I made her a grand mum too early.
For some reason, during the conversation, Dad asked how I was getting along with May-ling. I told him she was okay, that we were getting to be friends.
“Why do you ask, Dad?”
“Just wondered, you two seem to spend a lot of time together.”
“That’s just circumstances, we will both be going in different directions in life.”
“Total change of subject, have you kept up with the new space program?”
“A little bit. It is exciting, but I think this new NASA is already becoming a bureaucracy.”
“How would you speed it up.”
“They appear to be doing most things linearly.”
“They are trying to get a man in orbit, which is good, but they should be building moon habitats so when they land, they can stay. They are working on a manned mission, but it is there and back.”
“There are no plans to create an enormous stockpile in space to support a permanent outpost on the moon.”
“Furthermore, this drive to declare no national or private ownership of any portion of the moon or other planets is ridiculous. It removes all incentives for private enterprises to do anything other than to make a profit off of supplying services to the government. It is being argued in the halls of the UN, but I will have it a done deal before they can act.”