Chapter 11

“Hi, Julian. Who is your friend?”

“Freda, meet Pat Trumble. Pat, meet my sister, Freda. Can we come in?”

Freda stepped out of the way. “Oh, sorry, Julian. Do come in Miss Trumble, and make yourself at home, dinner should be ready shortly. I’ll let Mum know you are here.”

She rushed back to let the rest of the family know that Julian and friend had arrived. Mrs Dangerfield gave her instructions on what to do with what she had been working on, and left the kitchen to go towards the front door. She met Julian in the hallway, and he made the introductions.

“Mum, this is Pat Trumble, and she is a nice girl. Pat, this is my mother, who can be nice when she wants to be.” He grinned.

Mrs Dangerfield welcomed Pat with a hug. “Ignore him, dear. You are very welcome, for this is a very special occasion.”

“Oh?” she said. “Is it someone’s birthday?”

“No, dear. YOU are here. That’s what makes it special. Julian has never brought a girl home before, so you must be very special.”

Pat was surprised, then very pleased at the compliment, and smiled sweetly, waiting for what came next. The dining room door opened and Mr Dangerfield and Reg came out to meet the newcomer. Julian was quick off the mark.

“Pat, this is my father, and the young man next to him is my brother-in-law, Reg Robertson.”

Both of them shook hands with the girl, then Reg call back: “Girls! Come and meet Pat Trumble.”

In moments, three more plain-faced girls entered from the kitchen, and Pat was wondering whether they were all sisters of Freda. Just like Freda’s mother, none of them could be described as pretty, and Pat expected they would be unmarried sisters.

She got a real shock when Julian did the introductions.

“Pat, be prepared for a surprise. These three – Frances, Prudence and Erika – I am not certain yet which is which, but these three and Freda are all Reg’s wives.”

Pat gaped, truly shocked to the core with surprise. Julian went on, “Just so you don’t run screaming to the police, none of them are legally married in the normal way. They held a Commitment Ceremony at the university they are all attending, announcing that they were all married to each other, even if English law prevents a legal marriage.”

Prudence, the very tall girl, informed Pat, “We are bonded in a group marriage in all respects except for English law, Pat. We all love each other and are happy to be wives to Reg. He had very little say in the matter, I have to say. He just deserved us; that’s all I will say.”

Pat blurted out, “And here was I thinking you were sisters of Freda...” and then she stopped as she realised she was commenting on their plain looks. Frances put her mind at rest.

“Pat, don’t worry. We know we do not have good looks. We have Reg instead, and that makes us happy. The poor daft soul thinks we are wonderful girls, and he loves us to bits.”

Miss Trumble turned to look at Julian, who remarked, “Don’t look at me, Pat. It was all news to me when it happened, but they are all happy to be together, as far as I can see, so just live with it. I’ll be happy with just one girl.”

As he said that, his face reddened, but Pat didn’t notice. She was looking at Reg, who was smiling with pride. He told her, “I am very pleased to be the husband of these girls. They changed my life entirely, and I will be eternally grateful.”

He gave her a new cheeky smile as he asked, “What do you think of Julian, so far?” (this was a reference to the Morecambe & Wise Show’s running joke, to which the answer was always ‘rubbish!’)

Pat recognised it and said, “Yesterday I would have said: rubbish’, but now I am not so sure. I rather like him.”

Julian gave a start, and turned to her, a huge smile on his face. “Thank you, Pat. You have made my day!”

Mrs Dangerfield instructed, “Right. Everyone through to the dining room. Freda, stay with me to help serve. Father, you direct everyone to their seats.”

She swirled round and left them to it.

After dinner, the question arose of whether Miss Trumble was to be taken home, or provided with a bedroom. She was horrified at the idea of Julian doing the four-hour round trip again.

Please let me stay! I can crash anywhere, rather than have Julian do that horrendous round trip.”

Julian said slyly, “Sure you don’t want to put me up at your place?”

She elbowed him in the ribs. “Too soon, fresh guy. Too soon.”

Mr Dangerfield told her, “We do have a couple of spare bedrooms, after the Robertsons decided to share...”

“That would be wonderful, Mr Dangerfield, but just the one room will do me. I presume Julian has his own?”

“Indeed so. We will make sure he does NOT disturb your sleep; will we, Julian?”

“No, Dad, I will not disturb her sleep.”

Freda looked him in the eye. “Julian, that doesn’t mean you can go in and sleep beside her.”

He responded quickly, “The very idea never crossed my mind, Freda.” He grinned at her, then dropped the grin, to glower at her.

“Good. I, on the other hand, will be having sex with my husband, so ignore any loud noises you hear from our bedroom.”

Julian snorted, “Just you, Freda?”

“Who knows, big brother. Whatever takes Reg’s fancy, is the rule. In my parents’ house, though, I get first dibs.”

He laughed and passed this on to Miss Trumble. She giggled delightfully, then whispered to Julian. “Any of them pregnant?”

His eyes opened, and he whispered back, “Never thought of asking. You go and ask Freda.”

She found an opportunity to speak to Freda I confidence.

“I was wondering, Freda. Are any of you girls pregnant, or hoping for it?”

“Well, Pat, as we are all doing university courses, we have got implants for birth control. We intend to get pregnant, but not till after we graduate.”

Pat nodded. “Quite a sensible approach. What’s your advice to me about Julian?”

“Candidly, I am not sure any more. He used to be an egotistical asshole, but he is different with you. He obviously respects you, which is a great start. If you want to stick with him, make sure he knows that you should be his priority, not him. If it works, you will be all right, as he is a nice guy underneath all his bluster.”

“Thanks, Freda. Good luck with your new family. It looks like it is working for you.”

“I intend it to be. We have the capacity to be a great team. Good luck with Julian.”

Next day was for getting ready for the next stage of their journey. Wrapped presents were left behind for the parents, and similar parcels were handed over to be opened on Christmas day. The cars were fuelled and otherwise prepped for travel; tyres checked for damage, air pressures confirmed as satisfactory, window glass cleaned inside and out; windscreen washer bottle topped up, and so on.

Mr Dangerfield had a quiet word with Reg, when they could get away from the ladies.

“Reg, any more problems that I can help with, legal-wise? I gather the squadron leader episode has subsided.”

“That is so, sir, and the police have some evidence about the car accident that Prudence witnessed. The fuzz have recovered the Range Rover, and got fingerprint and DNA evidence. The culprit is a relative of the same you-know-who, but is currently on holiday. He will be apprehended on his return.”

His father-in-law nodded happily. “Good, good, good. Glad to hear that.”

Finally, plans were made for the route to the next destination: the LeBrun parents’ home. Frances gave a description to the others. Despite owning a range of buildings all over England, the LeBruns lived in a quiet cul-de-sac in the village of Berry Hill on the edge of the Forest of Dean. The house itself was large, set back from the road behind a tree-lined driveway. Frances’ father used one of the large rooms in the five-bedroom house as an office for his business. He employed an efficient lady, always found in a business suit, to run the office and organise his routines such as staff pay and conditions, insurances, repairs and maintenance, and so on, while he concentrated on utilisation of the buildings, finding clients to take up rents and leases, and any negotiations in the way of buying and selling properties.

Mr Dangerfield insisted that he ring Mr LeBrun to tell him the Robertson clan were coming over the next day. He admitted quietly to Reg, “It doesn’t do any harm to let a relative by marriage know that you are a lawyer with a good reputation. It might get you some business in future.”

Reg told him, “Point taken. I have no objections, sir. It makes sound business sense.”

“Good, good, my boy. You and I will get along well.”

Mrs Dangerfield interrupted them.

“Daddy, Julian has just asked me if Pat can stay another day, so that they can go sightseeing today. I have said yes, providing you agree. Do you?”

“Indubitably. The signs look good for the boy at last, my dear.”

“I think so, but let’s not push them. Let it happen naturally.”

Reg looked from the one to the other, and just grinned, as part of this conspiracy. He thought it looked good, too.

Mrs Dangerfield said, “Perhaps we can get Julian to show Pat the garden. I can tell her about his interest in plants when he was a youngster; his fascination with how plants grew and reproduced. Daffodils and tulips produced new bulbs and gladioli new bulbils, all attached to the parent bulb or corm. It was miraculous to a young lad.”

Mr Dangerfield commented slyly with a grin, “What happened to the non-interventionist policy, Alicia?”

She flushed, saying, “Shush, dear. I was just intending to be sociable!”

Mr Dangerfield made his phone call to the number Frances gave him. He came back to Reg afterwards. “That was interesting, my boy. It seems you will not be their only relatives visiting. A couple of cousins of Frances will be there as well as you.”

Reg perked up. “Oh? Should we know anything about them? Maiden aunts, or an entire family line with them?”

“No. Apparently just a pair of 17-year-old girls. Twins. Why teenagers would want to visit an aunt and uncle, I can’t imagine, unless they were pressured; being sent over so their parents could do something on their own.”

Reg laughed, seeing the point. “Yes, such teens prefer being with other teens. To them, older folk are just boring! Fortunately, my wives and I do not see ourselves as teenagers any more; we feel more grown-up now.”

“You certainly act more mature, Reg. All your girls do, not just my Freda.”

“I am very pleased to hear that, sir. I couldn’t have told you that, myself. I had a bad upbringing until recently, and these girls rescued me from myself. I had never had a girlfriend before I met them, and they adopted me, for want of a better term, and taught me the social niceties that I had missed.

Then they decided that they wanted me more than just a friend who could tutor them in their subjects. I hate to admit it, sir, but they seduced me, one after the other, in collusion I now understand. For some unknown reason they decided they loved me, and for a similar unknown reason, I fell for them and now cannot envision life without them. Isn’t human life a peculiar and wonderful thing?”

Mr Dangerfield cleared his throat before saying, “Reginald, a couple of decades ago, I was a young and brash lawyer, but not a very attractive one. I had some business which brought me into contact with a young lady accountant who turned out to be Alicia. She was very plain-faced, and shy – except when it came to accounting! I fell for her personality and have never regretted it.

Our first child was Julian, and he was okay in looks. However, when we had our second child, Freda, it became slowly clear to us that she had inherited her mother’s looks. Alicia decided she didn’t want to risk having more children that might inherit her facial characteristics. As a result, Julian and Freda are our only children. You, my boy, are in my eyes another son that we never had, so I am pleased with Freda’s choice of a husband.

Going on from there, I understand that you come from a deprived background, and that is the ‘bad upbringing’ you referred to? Is that so?”

“Yes, sir, though I did not feel that I was deprived, until recently. I never knew anything better was available, and I was happy with learning as much as I could. Freda and the girls have made me a more rounded person, fit to be in company.”

“I understand, my boy. In that case, as Freda’s husband, I do not want you to feel restricted in what you can do. I have had a credit card prepared in your name, and I want you to use it to buy any personal things you, or you and Freda, feel you need. There is an initial one thousand pounds credit on the card, and Freda can let me know as and when she thinks you need more. Take it, so that you can make me proud to be your father-in-law, Reg.”

“But sir, so much money!”

“Reg, I am a successful lawyer and Mrs Dangerfield is a good accountant, so we have more than enough to keep us happy. Julian is already doing well for himself, and I like what I see of that new girl of his. Julian may have found his girl at last. We want you and Freda to be happy as well, so money should not be anything to divide you from your girls. Take it with our gratitude for making Freda happy.”

“Very well, sir. On that basis, I will. I shall consult Freda before spending anything from it. I will not waste your money, sir, be assured of that.”

I don’t expect you will, Reg. Remember, Freda will inherit half of all we have, though I don’t expect that will be any time soon. You and Freda will be well off in years to come, but don’t let that stop you making your own fortune in the meantime.”

“I shall do my best for my girls, sir. I want to be able to support them properly, so I need a well-paying job. A good degree will be a fine start, I believe.”

Freda put in an appearance at this point.

“Sorry to interrupt, Daddy, but I have to speak to Reg. Prudence looks to be coming down with another migraine, darling. Any ideas?”

“What has she eaten in the last 12 hours? Any chocolate, bananas, soft cheeses.!”

“I think no to all of these, Reg.”

Mr Dangerfield intervened. “Not so, Freda. There was soft cheese in some of the sweets we ate. That may have been the trigger food.”

Reg agreed. “Sounds right, sir. Freda, did Prudence get migraine pills from the doctor as we advised?”

“Yes, Reg. I think the university medic got her a prescription for Migril.”

“Right. I read up on that. Find them and give her a whole pill right away, and a half pill every half hour until the symptoms cease getting worse. She wants to be in subdued light and low noise level for now, and she probably would do best if asleep. Any drinks, warm only; do not make them hot, as she will feel them even hotter.” He turned to speak to Mr Dangerfield.

“Sir, may we put her in our bedroom with darkened light levels?”

Mr Dangerfield was quick to respond.

“I can get my wife to sort this out. She had an aunt who was sensitive to migraine, so she knows the routine. Leave that part with me.”

“Has she been sick, Freda?” Reg wanted to know.

“No. She feels nauseous, but no sickness as such.”

“Good. Once she is in bed and less light-afflicted, she should start to feel better. If you can find a double eye-patch – a sleep mask, that would help. I must go and cuddle my Prudence, to let her know she is our total concern.”

He hurried off without another word. Freda spoke to her father, “That’s what I mean, Daddy. He is fixated on what is best for us girls. I couldn’t ask for a better husband.”

“I had already come to that conclusion, pet. I have given him a credit card with a thousand pounds limit. He needs spending money of his own, so he doesn’t feel economically inferior to you girls. Contact me if more is needed, Freda. I know you are dependable. You will keep him right.”

“Quite so, Daddy. That sounds very sensible. I may have to push him to spend it, you know. He would happily buy all his clothes from charity shops.”

“Teach him about quality, Freda. He needs to be presentable for future job interviews and suchlike. It takes time to be comfortable in new clothes, so the sooner he gets used to these, the better. Dress him up for any important social events where you should be seen. Remind him that his wives are top quality girls, not second-hand at all, so he and his clothes must live up to that standard.”

“I know, Daddy. We have been insisting on him having new clothes for special events such as dances. He is able to keep up with us, fashion-wise, for such social events, but only under pressure from us! Is he a typical husband, Daddy?”

“I am afraid he is, but he will get there, Freda. You may have to push him a little, but he is a quick learner, I believe.” He paused. “Did Prudence have a migraine problem, before now?”

“Yes, when she first stayed with us. She didn’t know what hit her, but we recognised what it was, and put her to bed. Reg did the nursing next morning when we girls had to go to our classes. He helped her later when she was vomiting into the loo, and he never commented on her nakedness, which amazed her. Then afterwards, he said she had a really nice body. That freaked her out, as no-one had ever told her she had a nice body, her being so tall and all. From that point on, she was putty in his hands, and begging to join us. We argued, but eventually agreed she had what it takes to be a ‘Reg’s girl’. She has not let us down.”

“So she was number four of the set. Can I presume that this is the lot, Freda?”

“Daddy, I have never thought of that question. I presume so. Reg is not looking for anyone else, I know. He is gobsmacked enough with having four wives running his life!”