My Journal

By Harriman Nelson

12. All’s Fair in Love and War

Edith, Miss Bates, Mrs. Crane, Chip, and I, all of us, I think, were  a little surprised that instead of a quaint little tea house that the Peabody’s had invited us to, was instead a bone fide pub.

Several loud and  boisterous folks, some probably tourists, were  enjoying an island version of Fish & Chips, imported beers, and of course the local rum.

“They did say tea, didn’t they?” Mrs. Crane asked, confused,  as we hung up our raincoats on the communal rack in the entry. It was pouring outside and I couldn’t help being glad that Chip’s white slacks had been spattered with muddy water from the curb as one our two taxi’s had driven away.

In spite of that, if he’d wanted to impress Kate, he couldn’t have chosen better. The baby blue shirt complimented his eyes, and was frankly, the epitome of every girl’s Prince Charming. In fact, just about everyone had stopped talking and were gawking at this ‘Greek God’, as several of the female staff at NIMR called him.

There was just one problem with his plans. Kate was nowhere to be seen.

“Ah, there you are,” Chief Peabody called out, waving  from a corner table. Minutes after we were seated he added,  “I hope you’re not too shocked. But don’t let the atmosphere fool you. They put out an exceptional High Tea. Aunt Katherine’s helping in the kitchen….you weren’t able to talk the captain into joining us?”

“He sends his regrets,” I lied. “Darn problem with the repairs.”

Of course, there had been no regrets and no problem. When Chip had simply told Lee that we’d been invited to tea by Chief Peabody and his fifty two year old maiden aunt, well, I’d added nothing to the description. I could see the idea had bored Lee to death just thinking about it.

Hey, all’s fair in love and war. After all, I already had one rival for Kate’s affections. Not that Lee would intrude on my heart’s desire if he knew about Kate and how much I wanted to get a date with her,  but I didn’t want to risk it.

Of course, I had something neither of my boy’s had. Maturity. Kate and I were separated only by a few years and had far more in common than they could ever have. In addition, I was wearing a modest, yet well- tailored business suit that screamed success, burgundy tie (with a simple gold tie tack that was inlaid with  a modest diamond) and golden cuff links with the same attributes. I’d also switched my standard watch for the gold Rolex. In other words, if Chip wanted to butt horns for the lady’s affections, he had his work cut out for him.

Just then Kate emerged from the nearby kitchen door, pushing a linen draped cart, laden with a china tea service, and various baked good vying with each other for attention. “Afternoon, you must be Edith Nelson. I’m Kate Peabody. Mrs. Crane, Miss Bates…I’m so glad you could come. Please, won’t you sit down?”

We were enjoying the nuances of something called fairy cakes which looked and tasted a little like Twinkie’s, only they looked like mini cupcakes with a glaze instead of frosting. There were traditional scones, (At least I was familiar with them, as my grandmother had made them), an assortment of cookies, only they called them biscuits here, and slices of a rather good pound cake, complimented by a thick strawberry sauce.

As for the tea, well, there were two kinds to choose from. The kind you add cream and sugar to, or maybe lemon, and the kind the PM had plied Lee with. I noticed that Chip encouraged me to ‘try it’ while he abstained from that extra teaspoon of rum in his own teacup.

He was enjoying  discussing the culinary differences between our two great nations with Kate, who was equally delighted that someone other than she didn’t care how something was pronounced as long as it tasted good.

It was when I suddenly noticed the broach she was wearing was from the Star Gazers Association that I managed to play my trump card and asked if she’d like to do a little star gazing later, perhaps even from Seaview’s conning tower with our high powered telescopic binoculars. She was delighted and even squeezed my hand. Gotcha, Chip.

He was quickly reduced to discussing the difference between American and British football with Chief Peabody, while Miss Bates and Mrs. Crane listened to Edith’s reports on the various shops she’d visited.

Suddenly there were little feminine gasps echoing around the room and we turned toward what most of the women in the pub were staring at.

“Captain!” Chief Peabody called out, and rose, “over here! I’m glad you were able to finish repairs in time to join us.”

“Chief,” Lee said after raising an eyebrow toward me,  extending  his hand to Peabody as soon as he approached the table.

Lee’s pants too, had been splattered. But it wasn’t as noticeable as he’d worn his favored dark blue jeans. He’d added his light blue denim shirt. I couldn’t help thinking that he couldn’t have added more sex appeal if he’d been on the prowl, as he’d left the two top buttons undone, revealing some moist curly chest hair that I knew most women couldn’t resist. Add to that the fact the his damp hair had morphed into wild curls made him as attractive to the female of the species as a wet puppy.

I could only hope that Kate wasn’t of the same mind.

“May I introduce my aunt, captain.  Katherine Peabody.”

For a moment Lee was tongue tied, then he managed the niceties. “How do you do, Miss Peabody. A pleasure to meet you.”

For a moment all Kate could do was stare in return.

Uh oh. I was sunk. Chip was sunk. All our plans, including our attire, for naught. Lee and Kate were smitten with each other. Call it instinctive, call it lust, first impressions be damned. You could cut the raw sexual tension between them with a knife.

Finally that stiff upper lip the Brits are so famous for took over, “How do you do Captain Nelson-Crane,” she said.

“Lee, please,” he said, extending his hand.

“Kate,” she accepted his hand and put hers over it.

“I um, I’ve never had a real British tea,” he said as he sat down across from her in the chair that he’d grabbed from the stack of chairs against the wall.  “If you don’t count the Bermuda Tea that the Prime Minister brought me.”

“Yes, the admiral and commander were telling us that earlier.”

Damn. Double damn. I was no longer Harriman. I was ‘admiral’ again.

“What do you recommend, ‘Kate’,” he asked not even looking at the tea service or the delicacies.  I couldn’t help thinking that the name ‘Kate’ as he’d said it, had never sounded more…exotic.

As she gazed at him, I could almost hear her responding, ‘I recommend that I strip you naked and ravish you right here on the table.’

Of course she hadn’t said anything like that at all. It was just the sour thoughts of a very jealous old man.

The High Tea, normally supposed to be a delightful British diversion, became an ordeal. While conversation in the party continued, I had little to contribute. Chip tried, in vain, to swing the topics back to something he could excel at, but it was no use. No matter what he said, even Kate fiegned interest, it was apparent that she was far more interested in studying Lee’s eyes.

“I see you’re interested in astronomy,” Lee said fingering her broach a bit too closely I thought. But since Miss Bates and Mrs. Crane didn’t seem to find it so, again, I was fast turning into the green eyed monster. “How would you like to do some star gazing with me,” Lee continued, “ Perhaps aboard Seaview?”

“Too late, captain,” Chip said, “She’s already accepted the admiral’s invitation.” I couldn’t help notice the inflection he’d used on ‘invitation’.

“Of course,” Lee said, trying to smile as if I’m merely extended the invitation as a hospitable gesture. But he knew now. God help me, he knew.

I didn’t know which was worse. The fact that Chip was out of the running or the hurt in Lee’s eyes. He wouldn’t pursue her now, no matter how much he wanted to.

“Actually, my dear,” I suddenly told Kate, “I think Lee would be a far better instructor than I. He knows all about some of little known  mythology that goes with astronomical calculations. Might make it more interesting than me just pointing them out. Besides you must know all of the stars by name anyway…”

“I…are you sure, Harriman?” she asked, knowing my original offer had been of a romantic bent, not that of an instructor.

“Harry,” Lee began, about to decline the substitution.

“Well, I think if I have any more of these cupcakes….’

“Fairy cakes,” Miss Bates corrected.

“Fairy cakes, I’ll explode. Chief Peabody, Kate, it’s been a real pleasure, but I think I’d better go before my Chief Medical Officer puts me on report for over indulgence.”

“Oh, he wouldn’t, would he?” Mrs. Crane asked.

“Oh he would,” Chip said. “In fact, I don’t look forward to getting chewed out myself. I’ll call us a cab, Admiral.”

As we waited for the cabs, as the ladies freshened up prior to returning with Chip and I to  Seaview, Lee took me aside, “Harry, you didn’t have to do that. I’d understand. I…”

“Lee,” I grabbed his arms, “it’s okay…but…remember one thing. She’s old enough to be your mother. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. Several May December romances work out. But…there could be complications…”

“Like in the nasty glare my mother’s been giving me all night?”

“You noticed that, did you? Yes. People will talk.”

“We can handle it…Harry? Thanks,” he said earnestly, then returned to the Peabody’s table. I noticed the Chief was busy at the bar with some friends, a subtle way to give Lee and Kate a little extra time alone together.

Alone together, I sighed. And later tonight when he brought her to Seaview and climbed up in the conning tower to look at the stars, they’d be alone together again.

My heart should be breaking, I knew. But for some strange weird reason it wasn’t. The green eyed monster had also been quelled. Reduced to just a tinge of loneliness.

My boy was happy. That’s all that mattered.