Probe

by Douglas E Roff

  Still she smiled an uneasy smile and pretended to look forward to a night at the Pub. Rationally, she did. Emotionally she thought this might be the front end of a course of conduct that would set the Team on a path she didn’t really want to go down. But this she kept to herself.

  Hannah fully understood the concept of “Debbie Downer”.

  The Americans arrived in early evening, escorted by Raoul and James, immediately attracting the attention that James had warned them they would attract. It was one thing to be a group of Americans in a neighborhood Pub; it was another to be two beautiful Americans in a neighborhood Pub escorted by the very dangerous and handsome Bentley brothers.

  Tongues began to wag immediately placing Vera in the arms of the less-than-rakish Raoul, by far the more handsome of the two brothers, and Hannah in the warm embrace of James. What this meant for the Pennington girls was estimated to be eventual heartbreak and tears. Some of the local lads were already volunteering to help them mend their broken hearts.

  Sadly, for those gents, it didn’t happen, nor would it ever.

  The evening was long and fun and eventually even Hannah let down her guard, finding out a lot more about her “lads” and protectors than they had originally expected. Certainly, much more than even Vera expected, whose natural curbs for inquisitiveness were rarely, if ever, engaged. She was not overtly nosey in the ‘busybody’ sense of the word; she just felt that when it came to her “gentlemen”, as she often called them, and particularly Raoul, she had a right to know everything just like any sister in any family anywhere in the world. This was her world, and she expected everyone to be open, and keep no secrets from her. From others, of course.

  The American couple met Doris and “Penny” Pennington, the sisters dating the lads, the boys’ mum and dad, and of course the lads’ sister, Agnes, a late and unexpected addition to the Bentley clan. Agnes was nicknamed Ginny for some unknown reason by her parents, and the name had stuck. As the night rolled on and the group became happier, lubricated by white wine and local beer, Vera noticed that both James and Raoul seemed not to be as at ease as they should’ve been. Hannah thought it unremarkable because their guys were always on duty; why would tonight be any different?

  Vera pulled Penny off to the side later in the evening, ostensibly while the girls were going to powder their noses.

  “Is he always this way when he’s supposed to be having fun?”

  “What way, Miss Vera?”

  “I’m Vera, nor Miss Vera, and you’re Penny, not Miss Penny. And we have a mutual interest in your boyfriend, Raoul. I’m worried about him. He isn’t being himself.”

  “Not sure what you mean Miss … I mean Vera. James is the talkative one; Raoul is always this quiet.”

  “Not with me he isn’t. I’m concerned.”

  Penny Looked at Vera, wondering who this woman was. Surely, she understood that Raoul “fancied” Miss Vera; as James “fancied” Miss Hannah.

  Penny said, “The boys. Well the boys are smitten, you know that of course.”

  “Smitten? Yes, with you and your sister. Surely you don’t think…?”

  “What else could we think? It’s what we both hear whenever we’re out with our men. About you and Miss Hannah.”

  “Sweetie have neither Raoul nor James mentioned that Hannah and I are a couple.”

  “Sorry?”

  “Penny, Hannah and are a couple like you and Raoul are a couple. We play for the same team.”

  Penny squealed aloud, covering her mouth as if something was bound to leap out. Oh, my lord, we never knew. We just thought…”

  “You just thought wrong. James and Raoul have known from the start that Hannah, and I are a couple, and we live together as a couple. And your lads have never, and I repeat never, acted out-of-line or improperly with us. Always perfect gentlemen, and always proper in every respect. But what shocks me, although it shouldn’t, is that Raoul talks about you constantly, as James does about Doris. I guess knowing the lads, their behavior should be rewarded.”

  “How so?”

  “The lads have been told that my relationship with Hannah, and our presence here in the UK, are strictly top secret and confidential topics; they aren’t allowed to say anything to anybody. You know, no pillow talk. Those are the rules.”

  “What rules? And what pillow talk?”

  “Because the rules are the rules, that’s all. That’s all I can say. But I see now why they haven’t said anything about the Hannah and me situation to you. Until now. And what do you mean ‘what pillow talk’?”

  “I mean ‘what pillow talk’? I have no idea what you mean. We barely see each other anymore.”

  Vera said, “This does explain a little, anyway.”

  Vera thought for a moment. “Go get your sister and ask James to go for a walk with us. No Raoul and no Hannah. Quick as a bunny; I want to settle this here and now.”

  Penny walked off, still a little confused. She thought she knew what ‘playing for the other team meant’, or even them being a couple, but was too shy to think it aloud. Miss Vera and Miss Hannah were Americans after all. Who knew what they were up to? Penny didn’t consider herself worldly, or even ‘with it’. She was too busy running the family bakery with her sister and finding an hour or two a week for Raoul to worry about anyone’s else’s complicated lives.

  A few minutes later James and the sisters reappeared at the door to the Pub, James with a slightly worried look on his face.

  “Penny said you wanted to see me? Everything OK?”

  “Peachy. Now we three girls are going for a walk and you will accompany us. But you will lag back an appropriate distance as the conversation doesn’t concern you. Rather, it is about you, so don’t listen in. Are we clear?”

  “I…?”

  “Good. I’m glad we have that straight. Now let’s go ladies.”

  ***

  They went for their walk, which resulted in Vera getting an earful, and was horrified by what she heard. Not that James or Raoul had done anything wrong, just that Vera was horrified that they hadn’t done anything right. At least not to Vera’s way of thinking.

  “We shall set this right, starting tonight.”

  When the four got back inside the Pub, Raoul was already looking sheepish. Hannah knew someone was in trouble; she hoped it wasn’t her.

  As the evening concluded, and everyone was saying their goodbyes, Vera announced to James, and Hannah that they would all be staying at the Loft tonight, and for the entire weekend. Hannah thought to ask why but decided that Vera had made plans, and she would need no input from her into that process. Vera had lost her normally light smile, having replaced it with her most solemn look, Hannah knew better than to argue, or to even inquire.

  James said, “We’ll drop the girls off at their flat, then go directly to the Loft.”

  Vera said, a look of consternation on her face, “No, I said we are all going to the Loft and staying for the weekend. That included Penny and Doris. If they want to go home and collect some things, OK. Otherwise we go directly to the Loft.”

  James looked at Hannah. “We can’t Miss Vera. Orders. From you know who.”

  “Countermanded by a higher authority. Me. Call him if you need to. We don’t move until you do.”

  Hannah said, “It’s all right, James. I’ll take full responsibility. Just do as she says. I’m pretty sure we’d all like to get home. Tonight, that is.”

  Vera turned to the girls. “Need anything from home?”

  The girls looked at each other, then the lads.

  Raoul started to say, “Not sure this is…”

  Vera snapped, “What Raoul? Proper? Bugger proper. Girls you can get your things in the morning unless you need something for tonight.”

  “Doris said, “We work tomorrow morning. Early, Miss … uh, Vera. Might be better if we do as the lads say.”

  “No, it most certainly doesn’t. If you work all day tomorrow, and
have a good day of sales, how much would you make?”

  Wha…?”

  “How much would you make? Anyone?”

  “Maybe a thousand pounds, a little more, a little less. Why?”

  “I’m buying your entire day’s inventory. All of it. You will have one thousand five hundred pounds in notes by tomorrow afternoon. And we three girls are going shopping tomorrow while Hannah stays home with James and decides how best to deal with his nibs. Raoul is coming and carrying our packages and not saying a word about work or propriety.”

  Raoul started to say something.

  “Shussh. Not a word out of any of you. Especially you Mr. Raoul Bentley. We’re going to have a little talk you and me.”

  James smiled like the brother who didn’t get caught, knowing Raoul was in for it. Vera looked at James.

  “You too mister. The only one worse than him is you. We have a lunch date, the three of us, and you had better have good excuses.”

  “What did I do?” protested James.

  “It’s not what you did; it’s what you didn’t do. Tomorrow. Lunch at noon. Then we go shopping.”

  Vera turned to Penny and Doris. “And as for you two, call whoever you need to call and close the bakery for one day. I can send out Raoul with a sign we can make up at the office if you need one. Breakfast is at nine in the morning sharp in our apartment. Attendance is mandatory; Hannah and I will cook. At least I will cook.”

  Hannah and James were suppressing a laugh they knew would never find expression, otherwise Vera’s tirade would go from gentle rebuke to Hurricane Vera with no intermediate steps. Raoul had no idea what was going on and the girls just let it happen.

  “Where to?”

  Vera said, “Home James! I always wanted to say that.”

  ***

  When Vera and Hannah climbed into bed, a single candle lighting their bedroom from a distance, Hannah cuddled up to Vera.

  “You were very … assertive tonight. You were the lady in charge. I … liked it. A lot.”

  Vera looked at Hannah, who was always the tough one, always the one in charge. “Did you now? I suppose you need a stern talking to also. Don’t you?”

  “I do. Yes, I do. I’ll behave. I mean, if you really want me to. Otherwise…”

  Chapter 39

  The next morning, Penny and Doris were shown to Hannah and Vera’s Loft apartment by James and Raoul. To the extent that James and Raoul thought they were invited to breakfast, they were wrong. Vera was at the front door and her body language was sufficient to tell the men that they could stand guard outside as per usual. They hadn’t done that in months; Vera always had the boys in for breakfast. Hannah quietly read daily reports or the Guardian, while James busied himself with his own reading. Vera cooked, and Raoul assisted.

  It was their system and they enjoyed it. James and Raoul didn’t like being left out. It made them feel as though they had done something wrong. They hadn’t, had they?

  Miss Vera seemed unhappy with them both, especially Raoul. But just why they couldn’t fathom.

  Vera had the ladies seated and was cooking in the kitchen gabbing the entire time. Normally morning chatter was between Raoul and Vera with “quiet contemplation” centered on Hannah and James. Hannah was waiting for whatever Vera was planning to begin and wished she wouldn’t engage in girlfriend foreplay.

  Out of the blue, Vera asked Penny, “Do you ever just stare at Raoul? I mean does he ever distract you just looking at him? He distracts me. And I don’t even like men. He’s just so, so you know … whatever. He’s not a pretty boy; neither is he ruggedly handsome. That’s James; quiet like a volcano before it erupts. But Raoul, he’s just … ungodly beautiful.”

  Vera and Doris laughed aloud; this wasn’t the first time she had heard this question or some variation of it.

  Penny said, “He’s completely unaware what a Greek God he is. No idea. Not a clue. Always too busy to pay attention to girls growing up; tried to be studious, and serious like his big brother. Eventually, according to his mum, he just stopped thinking about women, followed his brother into the SAS, then worked like a madman until he was about thirty. By then he had no idea how to talk to women, and for that matter, neither did James.”

  “He’s not, you know, uninterested, is he?”

  “No, not at all. He has all the gear and knows how to use it. He just is very particular about his interests. Very particular and very selective. That comes from his brother. Raoul enjoys having sex, but he can’t seem to talk about it. Very taboo, very off limits.”

  “Is he you know, romantic?”

  “Vera! Really!” said Hannah. “This is none of your business. Stop prying!”

  “Oh shush, Hannah. You say I’m prying, but I’m not. I’m trying to help, and I intend to do just that.”

  Vera turned to Penny. “Now, how do the lads treat you? Do they tell you how much they love you?”

  Doris looked at her sister. “Well, you know, not in so many words. The boys show us as much affection as they know how. We understand.”

  “How many words? Any words?”

  Doris was getting uncomfortable with the questioning, but Penny wasn’t. She wanted more from Raoul than a squeeze of the hand. She knew he loved her but seemed incapable of expressing his emotions. Doris was willing to wait forever in hopes of change; Penny wanted what she wanted, and right now.

  If this Vera Capri could change all that, she was in. All in.

  “They don’t say much and none of it’s ever romantic. They don’t know how. They expect us to understand that it’s just the way they are. Until now, I thought I could live with that. But then we see how they’re talking about you, and we know there is more. They see more. And we’re the ones who deserve to be the objects of their affections. It isn’t fair.”

  “Penny!” said Doris, “Really this is too personal. Stop it this instant!”

  “No! Maybe you want this to go on like this, but I don’t. I deserve more; we both do. If Miss … if Vera can help us with them then I for one am all for it. I won’t pretend I want this for the rest of my life. I don’t and either do you. Now let’s listen to what she has to say, and if it helps, it helps. Can’t hurt, can’t make things worse.”

  The topic and conversation shocked Doris. Finally, she sighed and said, “OK Vera. What’s your plan?”

  “No plan. But I have some ideas about what needs to be done, given what I know about the situation.”

  Doris said, “And what is it you think you know, exactly?”

  Vera didn’t understand the hostility in the room, even what she sensed from Hannah. But she cared about the boys, and their emotional well-being enough to put up with some attitude. They would all thank her later, and she would collect her thanks in multiples. For now, she would ignore the attitude. She knew to press on, so that is what she did.

  “Quite a bit actually. Because I listen and don’t comment, and I listen very carefully when it comes to Raoul and James. I listen, and I interpret what matters to them. If you’re careful and encourage them, they tell you everything you need to know. What I know is quite a lot, and, sadly, much more than you Doris. I’m sure we both agree how heartbreaking that is.”

  Hannah said, “Vera! Don’t be cruel.”

  “Cruel? Not cruel at all, but these two couples need to start talking to each other about what they feel for each other and stop this silly game they’re playing. The boys love you girls; all they ever do when we speak of talk about their girls. But they’ve only shared that with me, and that’s just fucking sad. Excuse my French. So, buck up girls we going to have an intervention, and right now.”

  “A what?”

  “An intervention,” said Hannah. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Vera. This is in fact none of your business. This isn’t the smart thing to do.”

  “And the ‘smart thing’ to do would’ve had me back in Portland and you here. I wonder how smart that was? Not smart but we to
ok a chance. Same situation here.”

  Vera went to the door, expecting to see the lads just outside. They were sitting across the hall from the door reading.

  “Gents, you’re up. Step right this way. We need your input on an important matter.”

  ***

  The four ladies sat at the table together; the boys sat close by sitting in chairs drawn up nearest their girlfriends. The men looked puzzled as if asking why they were there, and what this was all about. Vera wasted no time.

  “James, do you remember what you, Raoul, and I did last Saturday?”

  James was quietly defensive, discerning somehow that he was about to be trapped by his own words and actions. Yet he had no idea what Miss Vera was getting on about.

  “Yes,” he answered slowly. “We were out at the Manor last Saturday. As I recall you called us to come over to your apartment for breakfast at around seven, we ate and talked, then Miss Hannah, and I spoke for an hour or so about the upcoming week’s schedule. We have that chat every Saturday morning. Nothing, as I recall, out of the ordinary from any other Saturday morning. Why do you ask?”

  “I’m getting to that. By the way, neither of you’re in trouble in any way with me or Hannah or your girlfriends. So, drop your guard, and don’t look so suspicious. Nobody is upset, mad or crazy.”

  The men looked relieved. They visibly relaxed.

  “But what did we do after that? Do you remember that? What the three of us did?”

  “Sure. Miss Hannah went over to the Tech Centre as she usually does to do whatever she does there every Saturday morning. I assume she spoke with Dr. St. James.”

  “But what did we do?”

  “Raoul and I sat on the couch, and you changed into you football togs. Then we watched a game; I think it was Real Madrid and Barça. Nothing on in England until later in the day, maybe in the evening. I think we were planning to go for a walk and just enjoy the day. No rain, and you thought Miss Hannah would join us later.”