His American Fling

by Brogan, Kim

  “Are you picking me up?”

  “Oh, Mags, you know I have a million things to do, I’ll send someone down to pick you up. You do know we’re getting married at Robscott Manor. We’re in the guest room and you’re in the Morning Suites.

  “I don’t remember. Where is the Morning Suite?”

  “On the east side of the east wing, overlooking the pond and front drive.”

  She still couldn’t place it, “Okay, I’ll see you on Friday.”

  *********************

  Maggie spent a few minutes in the small toilet space aboard the plane brushing her teeth and combing her hair before strapping herself in for the landing. After debarking, she looked outside and saw that it was raining as everyone rushed down the corridor to get in line to go through immigration. Maggie pulled out her passport along with her declarations page and chose what she hoped would be the fastest line. After waiting a few minutes, Maggie was surprised that her name was being called over the loudspeaker.

  “Miss Maggie McGee, please report to the United Kingdom Passport line number 3, immediately. You will find it to the far right of immigration.”

  Maggie looked around and saw the United Kingdom Passport line number three, and, after climbing under the rails, made her way over. Line three was dark with no one in it, but there was an immigration officer behind the counter.

  “Hello, I’m Maggie McGee.”

  He looked up, smiled and handed her an envelope. “Your passport and declarations page, please.”

  Maggie handed him the documents which he stamped. She stood, wondering what to do next. After a slight pause, the agent finally looked back up into her eyes.

  “Ms. McGee, you’re free to go, please enjoy your stay in the U.K.”

  “I’m free to go?”

  “Yes, you can pick up your luggage and go through the green line. I believe there are instructions in the envelope. Good day.”

  Maggie walked slowly towards the escalator down to the luggage area while trying to open the envelope. In it, there was a note that simply said that she was to have a porter take her luggage to the limousine area near the taxi stand. Maggie showed the note to the porter who appeared to know where to take her.

  Maggie followed and, after pulling three pounds from her purse, watched as the driver of a limousine jumped out and opened the back, loading her suitcase into the boot. She noted that there was another case in the boot. The driver opened the back door and Maggie started to climb in when her face came within inches of Campbell’s.

  “Ahhh!” She cried out, her body shaking. “I didn’t know you’d…”

  He looked handsome, his face covered in a short, stubbly beard that gave him a really hot and dangerous look. But, his eyes were tired. “If it’s any consolation, they didn’t tell me either. I just flew in from Germany.”

  Maggie took a seat next to him and started patting her hair and checking her clothing. Campbell looked impeccable, dressed in a gorgeous navy blue Armani suit that fit him perfectly. Maggie looked down at her trousers and the old baggy sweater, noticing a stain on the collar from the orange juice she had on the plane.

  They rode in silence for a while. Maggie smiled to herself, the last time she had ridden through the hills outside of London, they were bare of leaves and foliage. Now the rape was in bloom and the hills were covered in yellow blossoms as far as she could see. It was so unlike Southern California with its sun-dried brush and fire-sensitive canyons. The sun had come out, the trees were a bright spring green and flowers were blooming everywhere. What wasn’t yellow was green, unlike the brown and dry gray of the Southern California landscape.

  “So you just decided to leave without speaking to me?” Campbell said out of the blue.

  “I saw Gemma; I didn’t think you needed to speak to me.”

  “You saw Gemma?”

  “The ring.”

  “So you saw her ring and still didn’t think you should talk to me before you left England?”

  “I saw no need, you weren’t responding to my messages, my emails.”

  He chuckled. “You can hardly call that a reason to leave without talking to me.”

  “No, but I think the ring was.”

  Campbell looked at her, eyes blazing, “Yes, but I would have thought seeing the ring would have had the opposite effect.”

  Confused, she shook her head. “It doesn’t matter, does it? You were right—I had to go home sometime. We were doomed from the start. Campbell, it’s better for everyone.”

  “Really? Was it better for you?”

  Maggie turned away, looking out at the scenery, evading his stare.

  The smell of leather from the new limousine overpowered the last of her perfume. She sighed a little too loud, causing Campbell to turn. When their eyes met, they both saw the pain in each other.

  “I’m sorry Campbell. I wish I had never come to England and made your life so complicated. But, I hope things are better now that Gemma has what she wants. That should make your life is easier.”

  “Yes, she seems to be very happy. The title means a lot to her. She’s running the estates now and doing a wonderful job. Of course, my mother is disappointed, but I think she’s finally forgiven me.”

  “I’m surprised; I would have thought your mother would be happy.”

  “Hardly.” He leaned his head back. “Have you finished school?”

  “Yes, I take the bar in two weeks.”

  “Congratulations.” He tilted his head towards her. “You look, uh…healthy.”

  She chortled. “Yeah, my butt is chubbier. It’s the stress of studying for the bar. Did you resign from Addenbrookes?”

  He shook his head. “No, I took a year’s leave though. They weren’t happy, but I am an Earl with a lot of connections. After a large donation, they saw the error of their ways.”

  “Money talks and bullshit walks.”

  He snickered.

  Chapter 19

  The Bitch is Back

  I put my hand quietly on the seat. It was hard to keep from reaching over and touching him, but Campbell was a married man now and all I could feel was a deep sadness. He looked tired, unhappy, back to being what he was when we had met. But, then maybe this was just because he was riding in a limousine with me.

  I decided to change the subject. “So, how are Fiona and Henry doing?”

  He shook his head. “I still don’t believe it. They’re acting like teenagers, hands all over each other, kissing, calling each other pet names. I don’t understand why it took them so long to discover how they feel about each other.”

  “They’ve known for a long time. Well, at least Fiona has. Henry has asked her to marry him every Christmas for the last fifteen years. Fiona always wanted to say yes, but thought Henry would get tired of her like he tires of all his other women.”

  “Did you lock them in the wine cellar on purpose?”

  I nodded.

  “It’s a good thing Fiona didn’t know about the secret door.”

  “Secret door?”

  “Yes, there’s a secret door with a corridor going to the outside. Henry and I used to play in the cellar and use it all the time.”

  My mouth dropped and then I started laughing. “Oh my God! Henry could have gotten them out anytime he wanted?”

  Campbell chuckled but said nothing. Then he laughed with me. “How did you know that they’d end up together after one night in a cellar?”

  “I just took a chance. That’s all we need to find love, a chance encounter, a chance to say the right thing, a chance to do the right thing.”

  “A chance to run over someone with a bicycle.”

  I smiled. “Yeah, a chance to break a poor pedestrian’s arm and then give her a home.”

  “Maggie.” His voice went soft and I knew that he was going to say something endearing.

  “Campbell, please, let’s just get through this weekend as friends. I’ll go back and become a lawyer, you’ll go off and make little earls and Gemma has her
title. Everyone comes out of this with something they wanted.”

  “Easy for you to say. I’m not so sure it applies to everyone in your little scenario.”

  My voice went low, “I didn’t say we get everything we want.”

  He sighed and stared back out the window. I did the same.

  He finally spoke, “You’re right though. It would never have worked between us. You have your career in the States and I have this to mess to sort. It’s better this way.”

  I could feel my bottom lip trembling so I didn’t dare turn towards him, I just nodded an acknowledgement.

  We rode the rest of the way, another hour, in a piercing silence. When we arrived at Robscott, Fiona bounced down the steps of the entry and grabbed me up in her arms as Henry shook Campbell’s hand.

  “Good to have you back, Adair.”

  “Feels good to be home.”

  “I heard Gemma’s living in your Cambridge digs?” Henry asked.

  I walked by on Fiona’s arm just as Cambridge said, “Yes, at least until the remodeling is done on the manor.”

  I leaned into Fiona. “What remodeling is she doing?”

  “Oh, I can’t keep up with it. I think a few bathrooms and the kitchen. Do we have to talk about Gemma? I’d rather talk about you and Campbell.” Fiona turned to Campbell, “We never see you. Are you ever going to come home?”

  “I had to take an apartment in Munich and in Paris. We have lawsuits in both cities. The Munich lawsuit will go to trial next month. If it goes our way, we’re sure the Paris lawsuit will settle.”

  “What’s going on Campbell?” I asked.

  “We’ve had to sue my father’s former business partners for interference with a business advantage and breach of contract. It’s a nightmare.”

  “You aren’t practicing medicine at all?” Fiona asked.

  His face dropped. “No, not now.” Campbell turned to Henry. “How do you like Barts?”

  “It’s in tatters. I don’t know how they manage to function half the time. But, they seem to be responding to my suggestions.”

  We all went inside and had tea. I had to agree with Campbell, the genuine affection between Henry and Fiona was almost too much. I guess it was the dam bursting after twenty years of unrequited love. I was actually very happy for them and touched that I had a small part in making two people so happy.

  Robscott Manor didn’t look any different, but I hadn’t been into any of the bathrooms or the kitchen yet to see the changes that Gemma was making. I thought that later I’d sneak down to the kitchen and take a look at the renovations.

  We all chatted for an hour and then Fiona jumped up. “Well, now that you’ve had tea, you both better get upstairs, take a nap, get ready and we’ll be back to run through the rehearsal at four.”

  Fiona kissed me on the cheek (no air kisses between us) and within seconds had disappeared out the door with Henry following close behind. I turned to Campbell completely at a lost.

  He chuckled and rang for Walker who appeared rather quickly. “Walker what room is Miss McGee in?”

  “Her luggage has been sent to the Morning Suite, my Lord, at the insistence of Lady Raleigh.”

  Campbell looked somewhat disturbed by this information, but cleared his throat and waved at me. “Please show her to her room.”

  I climbed the stairs with Walker, who walked as if he had a group of geriatrics following him. I wanted to hurry him along, but we traveled at the rate of a State Funeral. We walked by a door that was opened to a huge bedroom in which the maid was busily unpacking Campbell’s luggage. We carried on, walking like turtles to two doors down. Walker opened the door for me to enter. It hit me that I was only two doors down from Campbell which meant my sitting room was probably next to his bedroom. I walked into the room and after several instructions from Walker about my room and the servants, he finally left. I scuttled through the room to the door leading to what Walker said was the sitting room. I opened it and my suspicions were right, the sitting room had a door on the far side which probably connected to Campbell’s sitting room.

  It meant that Fiona had cruelly put me into the Dowager Countess of Falkirk’s former rooms. I wondered why Gemma hadn’t taken up residence in the Morning Suite. It meant that she was probably sharing Campbell’s room like most of the married couples out in the real world. Actually, it was pretty romantic when you thought about it.

  I wanted to see if the door was a closet or, as I suspected, an entrance to the Earl’s rooms. As I approached, I was fairly sure it would be locked, but the glass knob turned easily in my hand and the door opened quietly. Looking in, I could see an ornate fireplace with a leather couch in front of it. The fireplace was flanked by shelving holding books and stereo equipment. A large flat screen television was hung above the fireplace and other furniture, including a small bar, were scattered throughout the room.

  I walked into the middle of the room and was rather proud of Campbell. He had managed to keep his sitting room masculine despite sharing it with Gemma. I was looking at the gorgeous ceiling with its dramatic mural of a gorgeous naked female angel with dark wings and an orb in her hand when my reverie was broken.

  “Mags? Do you need something?”

  I snapped my neck and turned so quickly I almost lost my balance. Campbell was standing with one towel wrapped around his waist and the other drying his hair. His nicely sculpted chest was covered lightly in dark hair, the same under his arms. I could see the very top of his happy trail peeking out enticingly from his towel. Just looking at him made my blood rush, warm and gooey, to all the right parts. I was hot all over.

  My voice was stuck and I had to clear it, “I’m sorry, really. I saw the door and thought it might be a closet, but then I saw the gorgeous ceiling. I had to come in to look at it. I didn’t mean to invade your privacy.” I said all of this as I backed up to the door to leave.

  He shrugged lightly. “Mi casa es su casa. Make yourself at home.” He started to go back into his room, “Have you seen my room?”

  “Just in passing.”

  He motioned with his wet head to follow him. I kept staring at his shapely body. His shoulders were wide, white, and well defined. The biceps were deliciously sinewy, yet powerful in their appearance. Looking at his body, I had to exhale sharply to keep my blood pressure from going through the roof. I missed those arms, his lips, and the end of his happy trail.

  I walked through the sitting room and then through the ten foot door into his territory. I was struck by how elegant and regal the room was. It had large windows overlooking the garden and maze and a side window overlooking a small lake that lay at the end of the groomed garden. The entire room was covered in deep azure drapes with a gold weave and ribbon at the top and bottom. I reached out and fingered them. They were made from fine silk damask. In front of the fireplace were a desk and chair as well as two overstuffed chairs. Along the walls, attached through the drapes were works of art. I noticed a statue of another winged angel holding up an orb that served as a light. The bed looked as if it was a massive king sized bed topped with a canopy that sat at an angle to the room to take advantage of the gorgeous view of both the fireplace and the garden. The bedspread was made of silk and cotton in a light blue with gold braid and tassels at the bottom. In the middle was a gold circle with the same dark angel embroidered into the fabric. The room was beautiful, neither masculine nor feminine. I was very impressed with Gemma’s taste.

  “My you did a great job decorating.”

  “I haven’t touched it.”

  “I meant the royal you. You and Gemma.”

  “Gemma? I wouldn’t let Gemma decorate it. She has enough to do with her own renovations. It’s the same as when my father was alive. I see no reason to change it. I find it beautiful. I did make some changes in the sitting room. The television and the stereo.”

  “Are you going to live here or in Cambridge?”

  “When I finally get everything settled, I hope to go back to Addenbrookes.”<
br />
  “I hope you do too. You’re a great doctor.” I couldn’t help but smile, but he didn’t smile back. “I’m going to go to take my shower now and then take a nap.”

  “Good idea.”

  I walked through the sitting rooms to my room, pulled out the underwear that had been carefully packed into the drawers of a large chifferobe. I was already regretting coming. In an effort to preserve what dignity I still had, I had come to England embracing a lie, a lie that would keep people from pitying me.

  I put on a pair of black leggings and a green tunic sweater. Springtime in England is still chilly, at least for someone from California. And big houses tend to be perpetually chilly. The tunic sweater had a cute choir collar and an empire waist, the rest of the sweater billowed down like a short skirt.

  I knew my face was chubbier. I had gained ten pounds since going home. I was just hoping to hide all the excess pounds I had put on since going home by wearing clothes that weren’t form fitting.

  Having slept most of the way over, I wasn’t really tired. I grabbed my bar review book and went down to the library to study. I was immersed in Res Ipsa Loquitur when I heard a noise. Looking up, I saw Campbell. He seemed somewhat surprised to see me with my nose in a book and papers spread out all around me.

  “Oh, Mags, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were studying, I was going to invite you to go down to the pub with me for an hour or so.”

  I thought about it. I should study, but I was always studying. I slammed my book closed, “I’ll just take this up to my room.”

  “Don’t bother, the staff will return it to the room. Come along.” I stood up and went with him. On our way out the door, Campbell gave orders for the staff to put my things in my room.

  A late model Jaguar pulled up and Campbell replaced the driver as I got into the passenger side. We started off down the gravel road towards the village.

  “Where’s the Rover?”

  “In the garage. I have to rotate the cars now or they don’t get driven. My mother uses the Rolls.” He went into detail about the cars, that there were six including his Rover and that he was thinking of selling the Land Rover and Ferrari. I listened, but I had no sympathy for his plight. At home I was driving a 1984 Honda CRX and praying I could keep it alive until I passed the bar. We pulled into the pub and were immediately greeted in the parking lot by a couple getting into their old Vauxhall.