Chapter 3

I woke to my comm alarm just a few hours later. I was trying to get my system back on track, so I had aimed for early morning Concord time. It was six o’clock, in fact, back home. I left the girls sleeping peacefully, snuggled together, and went to my desk. I had a fresh pot of coffee waiting. That was not normal.

“Georgia stopped by earlier, Chancellor, to check on Clarise’s needs. She made coffee when I told her you would probably be trying to reclaim your home schedule. She departed just a few minutes ago.”

“Will you call her to come back, please, Anna. Thank you.”

“Yes, sir, and as always, sir, you are welcome.”

A few minutes later, Anna let Georgia into the room.

“You called, sir?”

“Yes, Georgia, thank you for returning so quickly. Have you eaten?”

“No, sir, not yet. They are just opening now.”

“Let’s hit chow early. I need to talk with you about a job opportunity! Anna, if they rouse, lull them back to sleep if you can. If you just can’t get them to cooperate, ask them to stay here, relax and have some coffee. Tell them I’m bringing them breakfast.”

“Yes, sir.”

As we walked down the corridor, I started the questioning. “Georgia, are you happy around Lady Clarise? Are you OK with your current assignment, I mean?”

“I was, and I will be, I’m sure. Everything is fine, sir. Why do you ask?”

“You’ve been assigned to her for a year and a half now, and of late, like the last two days, I’ve seen a bit of a different side of you. Did you even know it was showing?”

“Oh, Goddess, NO! I had no idea. I don’t like being around you, Chancellor. You see through everyone!” She started laughing, then went somber. We entered the line for our meals, then after we selected them, sat at the command table, since it was empty. I put a little sign on the end of the table that said ‘Private’, to let the others know to move along and sit elsewhere. It didn’t happen often, but every once in a while, a unit commander or the ship’s captain would have reason to have a private conversation. Even I didn’t usually intrude when that was the case.

“Talk to me, Georgia. I don’t want you unhappy. You are too valuable to Clarise, to me, and I dare say, hoping you don’t get too full of yourself, to the Regency. Please talk to me, and even if it hurts, I need absolute honesty. Complete, unadulterated, raw, in its basest form, honesty.”

“I was looking for a job when I found this one. Might as well do as instructed. I am very fond of Clarise, sir, and of you as well. When you left for the Plassen conflict, I found myself in tears worrying about you. I tried to comfort Lady Clarise as best I could, without showing my true emotion for her as well. You asked for honesty, sir. I am sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. Yes, I asked for honesty. How fond, Georgia? I need to know that. Remember, honesty only.”

“Fond enough that I was wishing one of you would let me know you felt something for me. That fond. A child’s crush, evidently, since it wasn’t returned. I was just ... just hoping one of you would see the way I looked at you, or maybe just see ... I’m sorry, Chancellor, I’m way out of bounds here. Honesty is an ugly, ugly mistress unless one’s travels are virtuous. Mine would probably be considered not to be so.”

She was looking down at her meal when I spoke. “Look up, Georgia. Please.” She did, a tear forming in each eye. “And stop that immediately. Can you keep a secret?”

She put her face in her hands and shook her head. “Chancellor, what do you think I’ve been doing for the last nine months or so? No one ... no one knows how I strongly feel about you and Lady Clarise. No one.”

I had to chuckle at that. “I do.” She smiled, gingerly, but it was there. “Clarise once asked me what I thought of you and what might come of the three of us, how you would react, if she were to approach you. If you tell her I said that, I’ll have your hair cut in a bob and curled tightly.” That made her laugh. “Look, hon. Clarise and I are in love. Beyond love, even. We are happy with each other, yes, but if it were to make you happy to be with us, we could pursue that, I think. You will have to work with Clarise on that, and please don’t tell her what I told you. She will tell you herself if the conversation comes up.”

“What about the future Queen Mum, my lord? That’s just about put a stick in the spokes, hasn’t it?”

This time I just smiled so I wouldn’t draw attention. “Your ‘Queen Mum’, as you call her, isn’t in love with the man you are attracted to, dear one, she’s in love with the woman you are attracted to. If you tell Lady Clarise I told you that, I’ll dye your short curly locks a shade of purple and orange that will make your friends all vomit. Keep your trap shut with my secrets, honey bunch, and I may just make your little crush, your fantasy, come true. Would you like that?”

“Are you being serious with me, sir?”

“As serious as a screen door on a spaceship, love.” I had to laugh. I slay myself sometimes. Yes, I realized that didn’t make much sense at the time, but it made her smile. “Yes, I am. Dead serious. Play your cards right and you can keep that beautiful long auburn hair, too. Now, can I make you an offer you can’t refuse?”

“You have but to ask, my lord. I’d take a pay cut and a demotion to Second Lieutenant just to hear you say I have a chance to be in your personal lives. I’ll resign my commission, if need be, just to prove to you that I mean what I say and that I can be a positive force in your lives if only given a chance.”

“Better than that. A promotion to Lieutenant Colonel, or Commander, your choice, and a permanent assignment to Commodore Allison as her Executive Officer and Protocol Officer, as well as our personal pilot. Remember, this isn’t a cakewalk. You will also still be head of their security detail, I’ll provide you another body to assist with that, and ... you will be assigned to help with the official affairs of the ‘Queen Mum’ as you call her. She has a couple of little angels that take care of her personal affairs, as you already know.”

“Oh, my. By the will of the Goddesses, yes. A permanent assignment?” I nodded. “I accept. With all my heart, I accept. Sir, does Lady Clarise know yet?”

“Does she know about you being interested in us? You need to ask her. About me asking you to remain aboard and help me take care of my future wife and my mistress? Yes, she absolutely does. Georgia, I need you to know something. Seriously, hon, up front, I need you to know this. Clarise knows everything I do, everything I want, and everything I need. We share everything. I also need to know if you made me coffee this morning because you care for me or because you thought you needed to as the Commodore’s detail.”

She smiled and looked down at her almost empty plate. “I was just hoping to see you or Lady Clarise this morning, Chancellor. It wasn’t nefarious, nor was I feeling duty bound. I just wanted to interact with someone I feel love for and admire. That would be you two.”

“Do you mind making coffee once in a while?”

“Of course not. Why do you ask?”

“It was awfully good!”

She giggled. “Thank you, my lord. The promotion? Lieutenant Colonel OR Commander? Being a major now, does that mean you are giving me the choice of staying within the command with which you align or transferring to the Navy Fleet command since Lady Clarise is Magnus Navy?”

“Yes, the choice is yours. Everything remains the same, save the uniforms. Personally, I like seeing you in our uniforms. You look wonderful in them, and while being so very attractive, you project a certain level of control and competence one cannot overlook.”

“Thank you, sir, for the choice, but I’d just as soon remain under the auspices of the Cojourn Space Command. I was born Cojourn and although raised elsewhere during my parents’ travels, I will always be one of your minions.”

“Thank you, sweetheart. That makes me proud. Come, let’s go talk to the others. I’ll re-introduce you to Lina and Mina, the pretty little twins that take care of Gwyneth. They are seriously cute, as you saw, but way too shy. Maybe you can help us with that as well. Come on, Georgia, let’s get the day rolling.” We picked up a box we had ordered earlier, with four breakfast plates to go, and took them back to the suite. There should be coffee and juice available, if all went well.

When Anna knew we were back, she opened the door and we walked into my chambers. Clarise was up, sitting in the recliner reading on her tablet and sipping coffee. She was in near shock to see Georgia with me, and even more so to see such a broad smile on her face.