by Brogan, Kim
Maggie nodded and jumped up naked, causing Campbell to smile broadly.
“Oh for God’s sakes Campbell, get your ass in gear.” Fiona jumped out of bed in her bra and grabbed her sweater, putting it on as she made her way down the stairs to the kitchen. Campbell snuck out the front door. Maggie rushed around, grabbing her toiletries and took a shower.
Fiona straightened up and, after clearing her throat, started screaming at Gemma, “What the hell was that about?” Fiona slammed her hand on the counter, causing the coiffed Gemma to jump back.
Gemma recovered and started smiling, almost grinning. “You can throw your fit, but when Campbell gets here, I’m chucking you and that tart out of here. I’m tired of you undermining our relationship. You’re doing everything you can to break us up again. I’m not going to let you do it to me twice and now—” She started giggling, “Now I know the secret you’ve been keeping from all of us. Let’s just see how often you get invited to things when they find out you’re a lesbian!” She poured the water into the teapot still giggling to herself.
Campbell came through the front door and down the stairs, “Good morning Gemma, Fiona.” He walked over to Fiona, gave her a kiss on her cheek and then did the same to Gemma as he took his coat off. There was definitely something going on, the air was filled with tension. Campbell raised an eyebrow, “Okay, what did I miss?”
Maggie came down the stairs in her purple turtleneck sweater and gray slacks. Campbell turned around and smiled at Maggie, “Good morning Mags. How are you?”
“Fine, thank you.”
Campbell winked at her behind Gemma’s back.
“Campbell, I think Maggie will be leaving us today.” Gemma said casually.
Campbell pulled his head back. “Really, Mags? Why?”
Gemma turned around to look at Fiona and Maggie. “I think Fiona might want Maggie to stay with her.”
Campbell poured himself a cup of tea, “Fiona? Do you want Maggie to stay with you?”
Fiona snickered, “Not really Campbell. You wouldn’t mind if I come over occasionally and shag Maggie would you?
Campbell shrugged. “Why should I?”
Gemma turned on him, “Campbell, as forward thinking as we are, we can’t condone two lesbians having sex in the next bedroom!”
Campbell turned to Fiona. “She’s right Fi, would you and Maggie mind shagging in the bedroom on the third floor?”
Fiona snickered.
Gemma’s face turned a purple red, “Campbell, you can’t mean that! They’re lesbians!”
“Sorry Gemma, I hate to correct you, but I’ve had sex with both of these women. I think the term is bisexual, at least in Maggie’s case. Fiona, I can’t speak for, I may have turned her into a full-fledge lesbian after we had sex decades ago.”
Fiona started to snicker. “Campbell, sex with you would turn any woman into a lesbian. Excuse me, Gemma, but it’s none of your business if I’m bisexual.”
Gemma calmed down, drinking her tea as she stood next to the breakfast bar. Fiona went over to the dining table and sat down. Campbell, seeing that Gemma was in no mood to make him breakfast took out some bangers and eggs from the refrigerator.
Campbell looked at Gemma and Fiona, “Can we table this discussion? I have to get back to Saffron Walden for the funeral as soon as I eat. And I’d rather not deal with this right now.”
Maggie went over and grabbed an egg from Campbell’s hand, gently pushing him out of the way. She said softly, “I’ll do it. Do you want it coddled?”
He smiled at her as he handed her the spatula, their fingers brushing as he let go, “Fried, the yoke not broken.”
“Sunnyside up?”
His face contorted. “Excuse me?”
“Sunny-side up? Do you want your egg sunny-side up or fried on both sides?”
The colloquialism made him chuckle. He had an urge to kiss her and tease her about it, but he knew they were being watched. “Yes, sunny-side up would be nice, please.”
She nodded and grinned, but because she had her back to Gemma and Fiona, they couldn’t see. She also gave him a wink back.
Campbell wanted it all to be over—his father buried, Gemma gone, Maggie in his arms. He was exhausted and he didn’t want any more challenges in his life. He watched her crack the eggs and begin to fry them for him.
“I need to call my mother, make sure she’s well, see if she needs anything before I get back to Robscott. Now, behave Gemma, everyone except you seems to know about Fiona’s proclivities. It’s hardly new news.” Campbell gave Fiona a look to tell her that he was having fun with this supposed ‘revelation’ about her.
Fiona stood up. “I’m going to go home and get ready. What are the arrangements tonight?”
Campbell shrugged. “I thought you’d all stay over. I’ve already told Dobby to prepare two more rooms. I’m afraid some of you will have to double up. We have a full house.”
“Campbell, you’re not going to let Maggie and Fiona share the same room…not with your mother nearby.”
Campbell turned, his face tight with control and stared at her. “My mother, as much as I love her, has no say in this. Robscott Manor is now my home and I will house my guests as I see fit.”
Chills ran down Maggie’s spine as she turned to look at Campbell. Even Fiona, her eyebrows raised, seemed somewhat shocked by his response. In less than a week, Campbell had gone from unable to conceive of being the Earl to exerting his rights as Lord of the Manor.
“The Phoenix Rises,” Fiona said.
Campbell smiled, “Besides, maybe Henry, Fiona and Maggie could all bunk together. I’m sure Henry would be up for a threesome.”
Fiona snarled, “Sorry, I don’t share. Well, I’m off.” Fiona walked over to Maggie and pinched her butt, making Campbell snort and Maggie squeal. “I’ll pick you up later, Mags.” She disappeared up the steps and out the door.
Campbell went over to Gemma and put his finger under her chin, “What is this animosity between you and Fiona?”
She motioned towards Maggie as if she didn’t want to talk to him in from of her. Campbell nodded.
“Maggie, is it almost done? Gemma and I need to have a chat.”
Maggie grabbed a plate, pulled the toast out, buttered it and put the eggs and bangers on it. “Here Campbell. Gemma, can I make you a plate?”
“No thank you, Maggie.” She said softly.
Maggie recognized a change in Gemma, a certain air of defeat. Campbell ate his food at the breakfast bar while Gemma stood staring at the door to the garden and drinking her tea, stone faced and silent.
Maggie made some toast for herself and when Campbell was done, she washed up the kitchen as Gemma and Campbell retired to the parlor to discuss things.
Campbell sat on the couch and leaned forward, holding Gemma’s hands in his. He patted her hands, “What’s going on? You’ve been absolutely atrocious to both Fiona and Maggie. Why?”
Gemma pulled her hands out of his and sighed, falling back against the sofa. She met his eyes and quietly explained, “When we broke up, I met Fiona by accident in London and she was vicious, claiming I was only after your title and that if I ever tried to return to you, she’d do everything in her power to destroy me. I come back and find a Yank literally under you. It made me realize that I was going to lose you forever and I felt like shite. When I went back home to Gordon, I was horrid to him, just horrid, because I was miserable thinking I had lost you. Then we get together again and the Yank keeps showing up, Fiona keeps throwing her at you, and you keep rescuing her. I feel like I’m drowning.”
“Gemma, I am truly sorry if I am the cause of your distress. Unfortunately, today is not the day that I can address this. We’ll talk later, eh? Right now, I need to concentrate on my father’s funeral and the estates.”
“Yes, of course.” She nodded and leaned forward. “Let’s get down to Robscott Manor. You can ring your mother along the way.”
Within minutes, Campbell had packed some clothes
and they were on their way to Saffron Walden after saying goodbye to Maggie. Closing the door, Maggie went upstairs, climbing back in bed so that she could smell the linens and be close to Campbell.
*********************
Maggie purchased a black dress earlier in the week as soon as she realized she was going to have to attend a funeral. It had cost her most of her spending money, but at least it was black and it was basic enough that it wouldn’t stand out. It was a boat-cut sheath with a short jacket that fit without binding anywhere on her body. After pulling the sheath on, Maggie put on her opal earrings, black nylons and pumps. She grabbed a small duffle case from Campbell’s closet and packed a few days change of clothes. Just as she was closing the lid, she received a call.
“Hello?”
“Hello Mags, it’s Henry.”
“Of course.”
“Are you coming to the funeral?”
“Yes, Fiona’s picking me up. We should be down there by one.”
“Great. I thought I better tell you that you’ll be expected to dress for dinner. Not too fancy, just a frock.”
“You’re joking!”
He chuckled. “Sorry Mags, but after my cock up before, I thought I’d ring you and let you know.”
“Thank you Henry, I really appreciate it. I’ll pack a few more things.”
“Then we’ll see you soon, ta!”
“Ta.”
Maggie sat down on the bed and sighed. She went to the closet and pulled out the dresses and skirts that had just been returned from the cleaners. She packed a few more things and then waited for Fiona to pick her up.
Fiona arrived looking like she had just stepped out of British Vogue in her Versace long sleeved black dress that tied on the side of her waist and dipped down just enough in the front to give her a hint of cleavage. Maggie locked up and they made their way to the car. As soon as they were settled in the car she turned and looked at Maggie. They both busted out laughing.
“Sorry Mags, I just didn’t know how else to get Gemma out of the room. If she saw me in there in any other capacity, she would have snooped around and found your rather ardent lover. By the way, I haven’t seen Campbell in the buff since we all went skinny dipping five years ago; he still looks great in the nude. He must be working out. I was quite touch by his show of affection towards you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so potty over someone.”
“Really? I can’t believe that. Surely, when he first started dating Gemma he was more affectionate.”
She giggled, “Campbell? You must be joking. Public display of affection is frowned upon in his family—deeply frowned upon.”
“Oh, thanks for the warning. But, now everyone’s going to think you swing both ways Fiona.”
“These days that’s rather passé. No one is really going to believe it darling. Not with my scorecard.”
Maggie smiled and leaned back on the headrest.
“I do have to say that I was quite impressed that Campbell actually took a chance at getting caught and ran back to Cambridge to shag you.” She raised an eyebrow and glanced over at Maggie.
“He didn’t come back to shag me. He was emotionally depleted and just wanted to relax.”
“And what better way than to get in a good shag?”
“Fiona, he could have shagged Gemma, he came back to me for support.”
Fiona stuck out her bottom lip in thought. “Fair enough, I think you’re right. Goes to show you that he might just be in love with you!”
“He said he was last night.”
Her mouth dropped open as she snapped her neck around to look at Maggie, “Campbell said, “I love you” last night?”
“Yes.”
“And he wasn’t in the middle of an orgasm?”
Maggie’s face dropped.
Fiona snickered and shook her head. “Oh Mags, men say the strangest things when they’re about to come.”
“But he meant it.” Maggie glared over at her and nodded vehemently.
“I don’t doubt he meant he was fond of you. But, you need to hear those three words when his little head is dormant.”
Maggie clenched her jaw and pouted. “He meant it. I know he did.”
Fiona gave her a look of reluctant agreement, but said nothing. As they drove along, Fiona asked Maggie about her life in California and her reasons for going to law school.
After listening to Maggie’s tale of woes, Fiona turned serious, “Maggie, I really admire Americans, they truly believe that they can do anything, no matter what their station in life. I don’t know if faced with what you went through that I could give it another go, dig myself out of the hole.”
Maggie chuckled, “Oh, Fiona, I have absolutely no doubt that you would do fine. You’re a hardy breed. I’m quite amazed at how thick skinned you aristocrats are. You’re taught quite young how to take a punch with dignity and I’m afraid I wasn’t. I find it much harder to be cruel or to accept criticism.”
Fiona grinned, “Touché! That, Maggie, was a backhanded compliment. It seems you are learning quickly!”
Maggie grinned too. “Speaking of aristocracy, is there something I should know before I get to the funeral?”
“Yes, something very important. Turn around and look on the back seat, behind you. I brought that for you.”
On the back seat of the Jaguar were two fashionable hats, one black with some white decoration on it. The other, directly in back of Maggie was black too with purple and blue plumage. These were the type of hats that were sold before Ascot and the Kew Garden Party in the finer shops, usually ranging from £100 to £500 and up. Having shopped in some of the smart Cambridge boutiques, Maggie had seen and admired hats like these. They were beautiful and exquisitely made, but way out of her price range. Of course Maggie had tried on several of the hats despite the beady eyes of the sales staff who didn’t hold back their looks of distaste when the American tourists playfully tried on the hats and took pictures of each other.
“Why?” Maggie turned back around in her seat.
“At a funeral for an Earl you’ll be expected to wear a hat.”
“Oh?”
“I didn’t think you had one with you, so I brought you one.”
“I have nothing like that.” Maggie stared back at the hat again, having never worn anything of its grandeur.
“You’ll look good in it.”
“You think?”
“Trust me. I’ve got your back, as they say in the States.”
Maggie gazed out through the windshield at the church they were approaching, amazed to see the number of cars parked or being parked. The sign for the parish church read that it was St. Mary the Virgin, the largest Church of England in Essex. It was an old stone church with a tall spire that could be seen throughout the countryside for miles. The clock on the side of the church indicated that they had twenty minutes before the ceremony to get settled. There were valets in smart uniforms and gloves to park the cars of the more important people. Fiona drove up to the valets, not questioning if she was important enough. The valets took her keys as the two women retrieved the hats from the back seat. People were walking towards the church, the gravel crunching under their feet while voices spoke in hushed tones. Maggie saw the media taking photos and shooting footage of everyone who was going into the church. Fiona grabbed Maggie’s arm and walked her over to the side yard where she took the hat from Maggie’s hands and placed it on her head at a slight angle, anchoring it with combs. Maggie felt like a schoolgirl being dressed for her first day at Kindergarten.
Chapter 17
A Cup of Kindness
After retrieving our hats and coats from the back seat of the car, I walked next to Fiona as she fixed her own hat and made her way inside, stopping to air kiss every other person and to occasionally shake a hand or two. I was introduced to four of the air kissers; people Fiona said later were the ones I really needed to meet. I looked around at the scores of well-dressed, nose-in-air gentry, and have to admit my heart was beati
ng like a snare drum. Organ music by Mendelssohn, then Bach, followed by Vaughan Williams played as people filled in the pews.
I thought we might sit about half way up, but Fiona charged the full length of the aisle to the second pew back and stood waiting for the people already occupying the pew to move down to accommodate us. They did without question as soon as they saw that it was her.
Turning to me as we entered the pew she said, “Leave a spot for Henry.” The pew in front of us was occupied at the far end by Penelope, her husband and their children. Next to her were a man I didn’t know and then Lady Falkirk. I looked around and didn’t see either Henry or Campbell. Waiting patiently without saying a word, I kept silent as Fiona turned to the couple sitting next to her and began a hushed conversation with them. I watched Penelope lean back and talk to her mother behind the unknown man’s back and then I watched as Gemma walked up to the front pew, received a hand from Lady Falkirk, squeezed it and then sat next to her, leaving the seat on the other side of her open for Campbell on the end. I cringed when it became apparent that Gemma would be sitting directly in front of me. She saw me, but completely ignored me. I have to admit, she also ignored Fiona.
The bells rang at two pm, but the service did not start right away. People were still filing in and as I looked around, the pews were spilling over into the aisles. The crowd quieted down as an altar boy came out and lit some of the candles. The music began again, playing Jerusalem as a choir sang the hymn. I turned and watched as Campbell, Henry and four other males carried the coffin up to the pall. The casket was placed gingerly onto the pall and then Henry and Campbell came over to take their seats. I scooted over towards Fiona as Henry slipped next to me, putting his arm behind me on the pew. Campbell, sober and calm, went to take his seat next to Gemma, but looked back at me. I’m not sure anyone else saw it, but his face softened slightly as we exchanged glances.
The Bishop of Colchester took the pulpit which towered over the congregation like a skyscraper over a village. There were several readings, including one by Lady Penelope. The Earl’s grandsons both went up and read a poem by Lord Byron. The choir sang again and then the gentleman next to Lady Falkirk, who I discovered was Viscount Adair, Campbell’s uncle, made his way to the pulpit and gave a very moving eulogy about duty, honor, England and how this all fashioned to make the Earl who he was. There were tears, but not from the Earl’s immediate family. They were very stoic, but I wasn’t. I started to cry as the eulogist listed the Earl of Falkirk’s good works and told a story of how he took Campbell to India, encouraging him go to the hospitals with him. It was in India that Campbell decided to dedicate his life to medicine. By the time he was done, I loved the Earl, and yet, I had never met him.