Fashion is Our Name Pt. 06

A New Rumor About Philip

When we woke in the hotel suite the next morning, Anne and Helen were gone, sneaking back to the twins. The rest of us were a little slow from all the excitement of the day before. Nicole and Vicky brought Inish and me coffee and croissant. The four of us lounged around, trying to put our calendar back in place. Molly would arrive around ten, and wanted to have a session with the architect and the engineer about the facilities support for the sewing equipment. I needed to be part of that discussion. Vicky and Nicole and Inish wanted to work on designs and consult with Adele.

My cell chimed. "You are such a terrible guy but I love you." Click.

They looked at me. "Call her back, she needs you to tell her you love her."

I mouthed, "Really?" They looked fierce and nodded.

I punched in the callback. A tentative voice said, "Hello."

"You are a wonderful woman and I love you." Click.

It rang again. "Put me on speaker."

"When do I get to model some of your new designs?"

Vicky answered, "There is a session at the Inn this weekend. Your boss is going to be there. Did she tell you she is Vice President of Marketing?"

"Nooo! That devil. I am going to beat on her now that I know beating is ok."

There was noise in the background. "The boys want to say hello."

"Hi Adrian," came from two voices.

"Hi guys, be good for Helen, we have to run and do work now."

"Bye, Adrian."

"It's ok to call you like this?"

My gruff voice answered, "Yes honey, but you have to keep our affair secret."

"Poof!" Click.

I went around pestering as they tried to get dressed. Nicole finally said, "Out of here or you are cut off."

I decided to meet Molly's train and left. It was on time and she walked to the head of the platform right into my arms. "Darling! I've missed you so." I swung us around and nearly hit someone.

We sat in the back of the cab and kissed for several minutes. She said in my ear, "I am jealous of the activity here. Vicky called me on the train and said we have a new recruit and you would tell me about her."

Molly emphasized "her."

"We fell into Helen totally by accident. She is the twin's nanny, but a student at LSE, and sharp as a tack. Has a body to die for. Wait until you make some of our dresses for her to model. She is coming to Kingham this weekend."

"Vicky said she was with you last night. What does that mean?"

I hugged her and laughed. "Honey, please forgive me. I had sex with all those women. They just attacked me and there was nothing I could do. Even that young one with the great body."

"You are a bad boy. Sex with five women last night? I suppose there is nothing for me."

My hand was down her blouse, fondling a fine boob.

"They totally drained me. But I promise no fooling around until we get together."

"Promises." I got a hot kiss and we were at the building.

The second floor was still chaos, but an architect's table had been placed in a sunny corner and we gathered there. Molly's earlier sketch had been transformed into a nice looking schematic plan with various symbols for power and lights scattered around.

I said, "I have to return a call, but I wanted to say that we really don't know how many people will work here, so please make provision for a generous expansion, and do the rough electrical and so on now."

I walked downstairs to listen to my voicemail. I didn't recognize the number. A feminine voice said, "Mr. Carruthers would appreciate your calling him at your convenience on his private number." She supplied the number.

Wondering what Tom needed me for, I punched in the number. "Hello, Adrian. Thanks for calling me so quickly. There is something you and I need to discuss face to face out of the office. Could you possibly see me at lunchtime today?"

"Yes, of course. There is a wild scene over here with the remodeling, but I am not essential. The work is going well."

"Good. Let's meet at the street level of the tube station on the Thames side of St. Paul's. Bring your phone so we can find each other if something goes awry. We can chat on the way to a good restaurant on the south side."

I went back to the engineer's meeting where Molly's sewing machine room schematic had red marks all over it. Molly gave me a worried look and motioned to a corner. "We'll be right back."

"I should molest you right here, but what is on my mind is the doubling or tripling of expense for the utilities. Can you really afford it?"

"What will the architect and the engineer think if they see you kissing me in this corner?"

"I'm not going to kiss you, I'm going to slap your face, impudent one."

Leading her by the hand, I walked back to the architect's desk. "I am embarrassed to say that our leading expert on sewing was helping me worry about costs, even though I told her she should have the design that her helpers need. I threatened to kiss her and she threatened to slap me. Which is it to be?"

Molly was pink and mortified. The woman architect, whose name was Clarissa, came up behind Molly and whispered, "You would turn down a kiss from him?"

Which is how Molly got a long hot kiss from me with clapping in the background. Then I held her hand and slapped myself with it.

I hastily excused myself before I could get into any more trouble, and exited for the tube.

Chapter 16 - Tom's Strange News

Tom was lounging against a building wall when I got to the top of the subway steps. He was in good barrister dress, and I noticed the disciplined way he walked toward me, light on his feet, with eyes on the crowd.

"Hullo there, let's go this way." We headed toward the river, but stopped in a small open garden with benches. He went to a particular spot where we were hidden by shrubbery, which was trimmed enough for us to detect anyone lurking about. I was thinking SAS and he acknowledged that by saying, "It's best when sensitive things need a conversation to find an open but protected space."

"Adrian, I've run across some information that may shock you. Fortunately, it's not bad news, but it will shock you, nonetheless. I'll be candid and tell you I would not ordinarily be having this conversation with someone your age. But my sources tell me you continue to show astonishing maturity. That valedictorian speech has even been mentioned in London. And the number of beautiful women who surround you is also getting attention. A long time skirt chaser like myself would be jealous in other circumstances."

They smiled at each other and Tom stifled a laugh.

"But here's the story. Someone, not the Special Branch, has picked up your father's trail, and suspects that he is alive and well hidden in Slovenia. I am anxious for more details, as are you, I am sure. But that's all I can say at the moment. You and I do not have the resources to be involved, but I am told Her Majesty's government is very curious indeed as to what has been going on. So our job is to relax and let those who call themselves professionals pursue the affair."

"Is he likely to be killed by his own people?"

Tom looked at me sharply. "I certainly hope not. Over the years, he has done many useful chores. But, as you suspect, he is in a double dealing business, and may be into things we, and the government, have no knowledge of. Adrian, he was always a good friend to me, and didn't seem like a person, even though he lived dangerously, who would go back on our government."

"You said there was another item to discuss."

"Yes. This one is strange in a different way. It appears, and I emphasize appears, that your new girlfriend, the Duchess, is somehow involved in the Philip business."

This time, it was I who jerked upright. "That seems incredible."

"Here is what I know, which is very privileged and you must not let it loose to anyone, especially the Duchess. Her husband was recruited in school for casual covert work. He was very intelligent and widely traveled. When he fell in love with Anne, she was immediately a person of interest to the intelligence community. Apparently, her brains, beauty and athleticism all made her a potential asset. My source could only say that she has been seen in the company of known highly placed MI5 people. The possible tie to you is that she was overhead in a conversation using the name Sandringham."

We sat there for a minute or two. Too much to absorb instantly. I stood and headed toward the street and allowed Tom to take the lead again. He respected my silence and we walked briskly to the bridge and over to the south bank. After several turns on narrow streets, he headed into a pub with an ancient sign whose paint was long gone.

"This is a hangout for legal types with business on this side of the river. Don't know any of them, which is just as well."

Assessing my mood, he ordered two whiskeys. His eye on me, he said, "Cheer up, Adrian, there is a good chance both of these matters will turn out right in the end." We toasted each other and tossed it down.

Waiting for the fire in my throat to subside, I decided this needed to be a grown up moment. "You were kind enough when we first met to treat me as a man and not a schoolboy. You've done that again and I am very appreciative. A few weeks ago, Nicole and the ladies in Kingham were sitting in my bedroom in their lacy nothings and said, 'Adrian, you will never be a schoolboy again, use these last ten days well.' I did, but it's over. You've brought that home to me this morning. There's no more room for schoolboy behavior, is there?"

He waited a moment, and said, "Adrian, underneath that handsome exterior of yours is toughness. I guess you must have your mother's looks, and your father's toughness inside. You are going to need it, I suspect. I'm very happy to know you. Ask me for help when you need it."

The rest of the meal was consumed with discussion about money, the building renovation, and plans for the new company. I asked for assistance with the legal and business details and he said that one of his smartest helpers would give a call. On the way out, he said that it would be helpful if Philip's disappearance was no longer mentioned by Nicole or myself. "With the Duchess involved in the company, I expect my government friends would be unhappy to see any mention of Philip in some media feature."

Neither of us mentioned to the other the obvious problem of my dealing with a female spy in my bed. As we parted, I grimaced to myself about that being another thing a man was expected to handle.

Nicole and I needed some private time. I quickly realized that she shouldn't be drawn into the news about Anne. Which might not even be accurate news. But we did need to share the news about Philip. I decided to go back to the hotel and organize my thoughts.

I had just entered the empty suite when the phone chimed. "Are you recovered from last night?"

"You have the finest nanny in all of England."

The laugh was long and breathy. "The twins are napping and she is here on my bed with me." The phone went on speaker and an equally breathy voice said, "Adrian, I'm scared to death. I got guy sex and girl sex and lots of work assignments. And she has me in her grip, insisting the twins will never let me loose from being their nanny."

"What about the guy who flirted with you? Doesn't he get any attention?"

I heard a key in the door and Vicky came in by herself. I put my finger to my lips and motioned her to my side on the sofa.

The two on the phone sighed and giggled. Helen said, "She told me about Maryann. What do I have to do to earn a story of my own?" More giggling.

With a little male edge, I said, "Anne, your nanny has lost it. Perhaps if we put her in the scullery with me this weekend, some discipline will return."

There was a muffled "scullery?" in the background and Anne said, "We have to go. I will explain about chores up north."

Vicky was slipping out of her dress and mouthing "Drink?" at me. I went to the corner bar and made two gin and tonics. It was early for cocktails, but I needed the gin.

She got us arranged on the sofa with the blanket over her legs and turned up her face for a kiss. I was instantly reminded that I had loving friends who cared for me, and pressed back.

"Missed me, did you?" We put the drinks down and had some wrestle time. She got my hair in both hands and asked, "What were Anne and Helen up to?"

"The twins were napping and they were lounging on Anne's bed and decided to call their latest man friend."

"I like that. 'Latest man friend.' They are both completely at sea over you. Didn't you hear all the giggles? Grown women who giggle are out of it."

"Even you?"

"Even me. None of my men friends ever made me giggle like you do."

The door opened again, with three bodies and many packages flooding in. "Will you look at this. We give her a few minute's head start and she is all cozy with him, drink in hand. She's not even the Innkeeper any more."

There had to be hugs and kisses all around. I went to work on more drinks while dresses were hung up and the bed was converted to lounging site. "Adrian, get in the middle there so we can beat on you."

After a few minutes of happy wrestle, I said, "Let's have a business meeting and compare notes."

Inish said, "Adrian, we are smelly from a hard day's work. Maybe your women should clean up first?"

I pulled her to my front and licked under her arm. She screamed, "Nooo! That's bad. I'm all sweaty."

I growled, "I'll have you all, sweat or not." The others took Inish's advice and left her to fight with me. I quickly got her underwear off, but she flailed away, keeping me, and especially my hard cock, at bay.

"I suppose you are just going to take me. Force your big self on my weak and quivering body."

Her eyes were flashing, daring me to use rough sex. There was pink flush over her front and a band of sweat across her brow. I collapsed and closed my eyes. Her toe prodded me, anticipating a trick. I reached for the foot and took the toes in my mouth. She bent and tried to beat on me, then gave up and fell into my arms.

"After that night, you are not into beating me, are you?"

"Give me a kiss."

"Are we still engaged?"

"I am very confused about that. Do you want to be engaged to me?"

She tried a long, wet kiss, which was still going on as Molly and Nicole wandered in, toweling off.

"He wants to know if I want to be engaged to him."

"That's not very nice, although he does have a small problem, with five and maybe six lovers."

Inish sat up, a little teary, and helped with lotion for the other two. "I love him, but I am not jealous of the rest of you. I'm in love with you too. He is right, this is confusing."

Vicky stood in the doorway, taking in the conversation. She sat on the bed and pulled Inish into her arms. "As long as he doesn't marry one of us, there is no bigamy, no adultery, nothing that would bring scandal to our families. Right now, he is the young man with several girlfriends and no one is fussing. Don't we need to keep it that way?"

I grabbed Inish and went to the shower, letting the others mush that around for a few minutes. Inish sobbed on my chest and said she was sorry that she was such an emotional twit and she would try to grow up a little.

"What if I said I love you the way you are?"

"Oh Adrian, this is so foolish. I have the best lover and the best friends, and need to be thankful for that. Very thankful."

By the time we went back to the bed, she was smiling and said to the others, "He fixed me up, like he always does."

Molly passed cheese and crackers and reported that her sewing ladies were going to die with excitement when they came to try the new machines in the new sunlit workroom, which was promised for a month from today. It had been decided that acquiring new sewing help in London should wait until the Kingham expert women had everything running well, and could provide instruction to new people.

Inish, Nicole and Vicky were equally excited about the meeting with Adele, who had spent all morning opening up to them about her clientele and their thinking on clothes and fashion.

"Adrian, that lunch was the finest idea. She is still talking about it, and giving us many secrets no one else would ever extract from her."

Nicole continued, "She is very excited about the new company, and talked about the energy that flows from you and Anne."

Inish pouted, "We were very careful not to let on about your lusty ways with us, but she kept mentioning that she was sure you would bed the Duchess soon. It was very hard on your poor women."

I repeated "poor women" and went around with kisses for everyone. We were sinking fast from the long day and all the excitement. They pulled me down and made a huddle of arms and legs and kisses and marvelous breasts pressing here and there.

"If we nap, we will never get to dinner. What if we put on walking clothes and sneakers and go to a decent restaurant a mile away or so?"

Out on the sidewalk, headed toward a Spanish place across Oxford Street toward Regent's Park, Vicky asked, "Adrian, the last time, there were four of us and it was the Compton family. How are you going to explain five?"

"With our accents, we can't pass for Americans, even if we wanted to, which we don't. I guess this is an extended family outing. Vicky and Molly and Inish are from the Midlands. Nicole is the cousin from Paris. I am a callow youth from Cornwall, come up for a week with my relatives, and being outrageously flirty because I've just passed out of school and gained my majority, which gives me new freedoms."

Molly and Vicky grinned, and Inish and Nicole were very suspicious. Despite my uncomfortable morning, I was in good spirits. Perhaps the cousin from Paris and I could have some private words.

As it turned out, the restaurant had an extensive tapas menu, and we spent two hours grazing on almost a dozen. Along with entirely too much cava, whose bubbles made us very gay indeed. I whispered to Nicole to pay, since my role was so junior.

As we walked out, I asked, "May Nicole and I walk by ourselves? Tom had some news about money this morning that I need to discuss with her."

There was no problem about that and we crossed the street, arm in arm. I asked, "Are you and I still ok with each other? These others aren't bothering you?"

"Adrian!" She punched my arm. "They are like family. A loving family, not the horrible mess that was mine in France."

My arm was tight around her. "What Tom wanted to talk about this morning wasn't money. It seems his confidential sources say there is a rumor that Philip is alive and in Slovenia."

She stopped and stepped back. "What a shock! Do you suppose it is true?"

"I don't know what to think. Philip couldn't confide in us, and didn't. Did he ever mention Slovenia to you?"

"No, except one time we were talking about an Adriatic vacation and he said the Julian Alps were beautiful."

"Tom told me the government was pursuing the rumor, and he would pass along whatever he learned."

We resumed walking, thinking our own silent thoughts. She looked up and said, "How do we deal with a man we thought was dead, but may not be? A lover and a father to us."

I hesitated. She pressed my hand between hers. I asked, "You remember we talked about whether Philip loved us, or loved anyone."

"Yes," she said, "I think his work made him build a wall to limit how close he got to people, even family."

I smiled at her, "Do we build a small wall that says 'Might be alive' on it?"

She leaned up and kissed my cheek. "A fine idea. We can't stop our lives because of this news. He wouldn't want us to."

We walked on. Just before we caught the others, she said, "No point in telling them, is there? Two of us wondering and worrying is plenty enough." She laughed and punched my arm.