Chapter 15

“Ah.” Reg was reticent. “I admitted that you were my girlfriend, Frances.”

“I have no problem with that, my darling boy. There must have been more.”

Prudence interrupted, “I told Mrs Compton that my tutor was also my boyfriend, when I was talking with her. I didn’t mean to, but it just slipped out. I was so proud of that status.”

“From what little I heard, it was a lot more than that, you lot. Give!”

Reg told her, “I was called to see Dr Henderson after classes, and he said he had heard that I had a girlfriend. I blurted out that she was Frances, and then he said that he had been told that Prudence was my girlfriend. That got me flustered, and I admitted both were true.

Then he went on about how difficult it must be, having two girlfriends. I stupidly corrected him by saying, no, I had four girlfriends!”

Frances declared, “So? It was the truth.”

“Yes, but Henderson then assumed things about our study group, and said that they must be platonic girlfriends; which prompted me to come out with, ‘Not quite.’ I was terrified at what was going to come next, but he said time was short, and that we would discuss this later. That was where we left it.”

Frances sighed. “I can see that you dug yourself into a hole, dear boy. That shows you remain unsure of yourself in dealing with people. It requires more tuition from us girls, I am afraid.”

“More tuition, Frances?”

“More sex, Reg, among other things. You need to be proud of us when you speak of us. For that, we need to be proud of you. That is what we need to work on: being comfortable with people means being comfortable with yourself. We can give you that reassurance, Reg.

Now, these glaciers: any ideas, Reg?”

He accepted that the sorry tale was over and the subject changed, so he pursed his lips as he considered the ice problem.

“I think that what the lecturer was getting at was, there are technically two types of glacier: the polar, or cold glacier, which is frozen all the way through; and the temperate ones, which have water inside them.”

Prudence giggled. “That makes for a very short essay, Reg.”

“I know. He wants details and reasons, explanations for the differences. I remember reading that polar glaciers are colder at the top, because the air temperature is so low. At the bottom of the glacier, pressure increases the temperature, and the resulting small amount of melt-water helps the glacier to flow, but not much.

Temperate glaciers, basically all those not at the poles, tend to be at or near the melting and freezing point of water, so that free water making its way down into the glacier tends to freeze where it is in contact with the ice, but stays as water if not, and the movement will keep it from freezing.

The temperature profile is the opposite of a cold glacier, as warmth can rise through the ice because it is not frozen solid. Thus temperatures at the top surface are higher than at the base. It is those glaciers that are most susceptible to melting quickly.”

“So why don’t cold glaciers move quickly?” Erika asked.

“Being polar glaciers, they are often frozen to the rock below. That bond is so strong that basal slip has trouble operating. It is only the pressure from above that causes a thin film of water to form on any loose rocks and other obstacles, and that allows slow movement. Such rocks on the underside of a glacier scrape away and cause the striations on basal rock, but you don’t get much movement. You also don’t get much debris from cold glaciers, or from ice sheets which build up new layers and expand by sideways creep.

Glaciers that are full of rock debris are all temperate glaciers, staying near the melting/freezing point. When they melt back, they leave piles of rock and sand detritus which the glacier had been carrying within it.”

“So that is all there is to it?” said Erika.

“Not quite. Despite the lecturer’s question, there is also a third category, the sub-polar glaciers. The can melt partially at the top surface, and refreeze at levels near the base of the glacier.”

“Ah, a sneaky assignment, eh?”

“I expect so, but not necessarily deliberate. You can probably score points by mentioning the third type, but I would concentrate on the original question. Now, I suggest you check on the latest data on glaciers, for a lot more has been learned about them in the last few years. The methods of flow have not been properly understood for a long time, so see what you can find out that is new.”

Prudence interposed, “Reg, you sound more and more like a teacher or lecturer every day; do you realise it?”

“I do? I simply find the scientific facts fascinating, just as I find you girls fascinating. I am finding more about you every day.”

Frances, who had been out of the room for some time, had come back in as he was speaking, and now said, “Reg, you are going to find out more about me and my family. I have just had my Dad on the phone.”

“Oh? What did he want? Looking for his rent from us?”

“No, he didn’t know any of you were semi-resident here. He says he got a call from my cleaner yesterday, as he pays her wages. She complained that she was paid for cleaning this house on the basis of me being here alone. With the additional residents, her time spent cleaning and tidying up has increased, so she was wanting to know how many hours a week she would now be paid for.”

“Oh,” said Freda. “We are not contributing to the finances, and the costs are going up, so he will not be a happy bunny.”

“Don’t jump to conclusions, Freda. Dad is not a martinet; give me a chance to speak with him.”

Prudence enquired, “Are you to phone him back?”

“No. He says he will be in the area tomorrow, so he will come here for dinner at six p.m.”

Reg was worried. “Does that mean you’ll want us out of the way, Frances?”

She glanced at him in annoyance. “No, it doesn’t! I have nothing to hide; none of you do. You will be here as normal, and Dad can meet you.”

Reg was still unsure of himself with this meeting. “What do you want us to do or say when he is here, Frances? I don’t want to say something that will make things difficult for you. Will I just be your evening tutor? I am happy to do that, if it suits you better.”

“No, Reg. You are my boyfriend, and I will tell Dad so. How much I say about your relationship to the other girls will depend on his attitude to you and me, and what he thinks of you as an individual. Are you girls prepared to leave the decision to me?”

There was a pause while the others thought about it, but they soon saw the sense in that Frances was saying, and all agreed to leave her to decide how to present them. Reg finally spoke.

“Frances, I was only vaguely aware you had a cleaner: I have never seen her. I admit I was puzzled that the house was always tidied up, but stupidly I assumed you must have done some of it in your spare time. Sorry. The only way I can apologise is by saying that my family could never afford to have a cleaner, so it didn’t occur to me that you had one in regularly.”

Frances waved a hand at him. “Forget it, Reg. It is not important. For that matter, I should have mentioned it to at least one of you, but I didn’t.”

Freda told her, “I never thought about it, Frances. I simply assumed you had someone who ‘did’ and never gave it another thought. It is correct that she should be paid more hours with five of us here, and if your Dad wants a contribution from each of us, I am happy to chip in to cover it.”

Frances was again showing signs of frustration with her partners. “Freda, if I wanted you to pay part of the costs, I would have said so much earlier. I know you can afford it. It is truly not a matter of costs; it is more about lack of communication.

I should have spoken to Heidi – the cleaner — about her hours, and fixed it with Dad to up her pay accordingly. I should also have spoken to Dad about the extra residents, so he would not be surprised, but I didn’t.

It was all my own fault. I was so besotted with Reg that my own responsibilities went out of my head; and that was not the fault of Reg. Let’s face it, girls: Reg was never the one making the sexual approaches. It was me, and then you girls, doing the approaching. Poor Reg never knew what hit him, until he suddenly found himself with three girlfriends, and now four with Prudence joining in.”

Erika was willing to admit it. “You are right about that, Frances. You were so generous in allowing us to have part of Reg that none of us noticed that we had taken him over entirely. He has never complained, so must be happy with us, but we certainly did the taking, for he was there for the asking. He didn’t know how to say no, and just accepted his world as it was.”

Prudence chipped in, “I am sorry, girls. I found you girls and Reg already functioning as a group — a little clan — and thought I could join it. It took me a while to get it through my thick skull that it had become much deeper than simply friends, but I still wanted in. I hope I have not made things difficult for any of you; I did not intend it to be so.”

Frances dismissed her worry. “You are welcome as part of our little commune, Prudence. Reg has made you one of us, and you have shown willing to become one with us. I place you as part of our loving family, if you want to be.”

“Oh, yes, please, Frances!” Prudence declared, almost sobbing her agreement.

“Right. That is fixed, then. Let’s hear no more about it.”

Reg was as usual still uncertain. “So how do you want me to act, Frances? Be very lovey-dovey with you and ignore the others; or what?”

Frances gave him one of her delightful smiles. “Dear Reg, please just be yourself. Wait until one of us says or does something, and react in the appropriate way. That could be anything from a shrug to a cuddle. If it is words, you can stick to the facts. You are good with facts, my love.”

“All right, Frances, but I am still a bit scared of facing your father.”

“Reg, any boy is bound to be scared, meeting a girlfriend’s parent. It is a natural reaction, so don’t fret over it. Take it as it comes, my dear.”

Reg nodded, being willing to accept what he was being told, but not wanting to say any more about his fears.

The earlier encouraging ambience of the evening had been lost, and no-one voiced interest in sex, so they all retired to their own beds early for once.

The morning started off normally, until they remembered their evening meal and Frances’ Dad going to be present. They went off to the university in a sombre mood, and buckled down to their studies. Even their lunch break was dull in comparison with the usual banter, and when another student made a derogatory remark about Reg’s companions, it took a great deal of effort for him to say, “Not everyone is perfect, not even you, mate.”

This remark stung the student, and he went off again without saying any more. Reg and the girls resumed eating without speaking about the confrontation.

Prudence followed the car as normal, although she already knew the way. It had become a routine now, that she followed the car on her own machine.

They arrived at the house, and Mr LeBrun’s car was in the driveway, so they used the garage for their own transport before entering the house, Frances assuming the lead.

“Hi, Dad!” Frances greeted her father in the living room with a hug and kiss. He was a balding, middle-aged man of just under six feet, with a pleasant-enough face. “Meet our study group.”

She introduced the girls first, and then Reg.

“This is Reg – Reginald Robertson – and he acts as tutor for the study group. He is a great teacher, Dad, as well as being my boyfriend.”

“Hello to all of you. You are very welcome if Frances approves of you. It looks like she does. This is the first time Frances has introduced me to a boyfriend of hers, so perhaps I should be honoured?”

Frances berated him. “Don’t be coy, Dad. Reg knows he is my first and only boyfriend, just as I am his first girlfriend.”