Chapter 12: Dinner with Catherine

As he flew back, Catherine and Rebecka had their heads together whispering. Whatever Catherin was saying Rebecka kept shaking her head no. He watched as the maid finally gave in with a sigh. Jake wondered what it was about. He landed in the same place as before, and he and the Marines assisted the women out of the launch. As he was escorting the two up the front steps, Rebecka asked, “So Jake, do you plan on sleeping on the Lady or are you going back to your ship?” Jake missed the next step. Catherine burst out laughing and ran up the steps and into the house. Jake righted himself and finished climbing the steps. He turned and Rebecka said, “Sorry. She has always had a wicked sense of humor.”

Jake smiled. “I find it wonderful, and I’m growing to love the sound of her laugh. Think nothing of it.” The maid nodded and preceded him inside. She said something to the butler as she passed. After assisting Jake with his overcoat and hat the man led him into the front parlor. Then he brought him a nice, honeyed ale. Jake didn’t have long to wait. Within ten minutes the butler showed Lady Janis and a young lieutenant into the room.

Janis handled the introductions even remembering Grace’s name. Grace let Lady Janis rub her snout a few times then retreated back to Jake’s shoulder. Lady Janis carried the conversation for several minutes until the second and third couples arrived. The couples were Admirals Teller and Bromfield with their wives. The men gathered in the parlor and the women disappeared upstairs, theoretically to assist Catherine. Jake learned that Admiral Jones had begged off tonight. He was still experiencing infrequent headaches. Admiral Bromfield the base commander came in his stead.

They had just finished discussing Jones’ health when another Lieutenant came in escorting Lady Ann. She took one look around the room and exited quickly. Jake saw her taking the stairs two at a time. Bromfield said, “According to intelligence sources, when a lady is the last to arrive at a dinner party, she misses out on the best gossip. Lieutenant you may want to keep that in mind for future engagements.” The men chuckled, but Jake filed that away.

Teller said, “He’s right. My wife hates gossip. Just asked and she’ll tell you. If I make her late to a dinner party though I get to sleep in my office. Gossip is like currency to woman. They don’t have to spend it. They just to seem to have to collect it.” Bromfield nodded his agreement.

“Sir, why is none of this taught at the academy? I would think it would definitely be of benefit to the officer corps,” Jake asked.

“And rob us old men of our favorite form of amusement. Blasphemy I say! Watching young officers after they get married stumble with their wives is almost as good as watching new airmen slip the hull the first time,” said Bromfield.

All the men laughed at the comment. They had all seen it happen. Slipping the hull was a rite of passage more than anything else. Fresh airmen were tossed over the side of the ship on a safety line. They had to swing across the bottom of the ship and grab the line on that side, then attach the line to their harness and release the original line. Then climb back on board. Jake could still remember lying on the deck of shaking with fear and adrenaline having just come over the rail.

The men didn’t even get to finish their drinks before the women came downstairs. They all seemed to have been infected by Catherine’s case of the giggles. Even the admirals’ wives giggled when they glanced at him. both admirals gave him a questioning look. Jake sighed and said, “We might as well get this out now. Maybe then Lady Bedford will be able to compose herself for dinner.” Catherine laughed and nodded for him to continue. “The name of my airship is the Lady’s Dream. Most of the crew and I just call her the Lady, or My Lady. Earlier I asked one of my crewmen if he would need a ride to mother’s home. He said bold as can be he was going to accompany a young woman home and planned to sleep on the Lady.” Bromfield roared with laughter. Teller held his side as he tried to hold back his mirth. When everyone settled down Jake said, “In his defense when he heard what he had said he quickly amended his state to his was planning on sleeping on the ship.” Catherine had that wicked grin again, and Jake could see mischief twinkling in her eye.

Lady Janis said, “Captain Harrow so we were wondering are you planning on sleeping on My Lady or returning to your ship.” That did it; everyone lost it again.

Jake winked at Catherine and said, “Why Lady Janis I plan to do both. I’ll return to my ship and sleep on My Lady.” The group laughed their way into the dining room and were seated around the table. Jake understood Catherine had set the seating order. She sat her and Jake at the head of the table closest to the door. With the two admirals and their wives across from them. Next to Jake was Lady Janis and her escort with lady Ann and her escort making the table uneven. Jake wondered if anyone would comment on the unorthodox seating arrangements. The usual custom was to seat couple across from each other.

Dinner was an excellent roast beef, and the eels loved every bite. Catherine had two plates, one for herself and one for the eels. She would cut a large chunk off their plate and call one of them quietly, then feed her to the side. When the two had finished nearly half of a roast, she gave them three dinner rolls each. The conversation ended when the two eels started humming and floating behind her. The second and third rolls, she tossed over her shoulder and the eels caught from the air. When they were finished, she excused herself and took the eels into a room and put them down on a blanket. Other than during Catherine and the eels’ show the conversation was light and carried easily. On few occasions, Jake was startled to find Catherine’s hand on his thigh. It happened infrequently but he did figure out her pattern. She would bring her napkin to mouth then instead of returning it to her lap she would place it and her hand on Jake’s leg. The woman had that glint in her eye throughout dinner.

After dinner, the group moved to the solarium for dessert and drinks. Catherine encouraged the couples to stroll in the garden but held Jake back. He was wondering what she had planned. He didn’t have to wait long. She turned to Admiral Teller and said, “Admiral I will be going with Jake in a few days. He plans to head to the Teeth and salvage an airship. My maid and two ladies and I will be going with him. I know you will want to send guards and an escort ship or some other nonsense. You will not do so. The reason is this, we will be working in the mist. While in the mist we will be undetectable, unless there is one of your ships floating above us. I cannot tell you that you can’t increase the number of patrols in the area of the teeth. That is your prerogative. The one concession I will grant is this. Before we leave the mist, we will use the wireless to inform you we are about to do so. I have no wish to fired on by the Air Corps or anyone. If you wish to know more, you are welcome to stay after the other guests leave and I will tell you what I am able. Know that this salvage will mean a good deal of money to Captain Harrow, and I won’t let anyone compromise his operation.”

When she finished, Jake wanted to crawl under the table. He figured the Admiral was about to set Catherine to rights. Instead, the Admiral said, “I thought that might be how the wind was blowing. Can we expect an invitation?” Jake’s eyes bugged out. Teller just smiled at him with a look that said you are a lost cause.

“I will ensure you do Admiral. I hope to be back before my uncle arrives. I plan to make a deal with him. One I think is in everyone’s best interest. If you give me your word to tell no one. I’ll tell you about the deal.” She offered Teller smiled. Then said, “Let me guess. You abdicate to him. He adopts you as his youngest child and you get to marry Jake. Might throw in you keep your personal holdings and so on.” When Teller saw her shock, he smiled. “Young lady I’ve been in this game for a long time. I’ve learned to read people well over the years. I knew what you would do before you did, I wager. You have my word I won’t speak of this to anyone. Just remember I was the one who commented about wishing you were secure on one of the reserve force. I might have told my XO to let slip that Commander Harrow would be on one of those reserve force ships. I can’t remember I’m getting forgetful in my old age.” He smiled a warm and fatherly smile. “I have three daughters. I watched my middle one do the same thing when she met her husband as you did when you asked to meet Jake. I thought about warning him and making it a fair fight. Then I decided he had run wild long enough.”

“When has it ever been a fair fight when a woman chases a man?” his wife asked.

“Good point. Anyway, we wish you two the best of luck. If you’re not back when your uncle gets here, I may plant a few seeds for the two of you. I figure I owe Jake that much for getting rid of Durand for me.”

Catherine stepped forward and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you.”

She stepped back and pulled Jake’s arms around her, leaning back into his chest. Teller asked, “Want to tell me what you’re really going after? I know it isn’t the Raven. The engines you bought are almost bigger than she is. I had someone do some checking. I can find a single ship large enough to require those four engines on and that can power them.”

Catherine shook her head against Jake’s chest and said, “Sorry sir. You’ll have to wait and see like everyone else. Do you know anyone else that has put the pieces together?”

“I don’t and I doubt anyone will. If I hadn’t helped him with the permit. I wouldn’t have been able to put it together. I figure whatever you two are going after is big and worth a small fortune. I want a favor for my silence. I want a message three days before, two days before, and the day you come out. I think I might be taking the Ruth out for maneuvers in the Teeth about that time.”

Catherine said, “Deal. We should join the others.” She stepped out of Jake’s arms and pulled his hand leading him out into the garden.

The two of them walked hand in hand and enjoyed the cool night air. She pulled him into a hedge opening twice to sneak kisses. He felt like could float back to the ship by the time he left her. She had said she had things she needed to do the next day and asked if he would come for dinner the following evening. He had agreed. She had given him another soul stealing kiss before he left. It was late when he and Grace secured the launch and made it to bed. Gail was firmly wrapped around Catherine’s arm as they flew off. He had circled until she waved up at him from the front porch.

He slipped off to sleep thinking of that mischievous glint in her eye, and the wicked grin on her face.

The next day was more than hectic. At eight Pat woke him to remind him of the meeting with the Chancellor. Jake only had time for a quick stretch and shower before he had to leave. Grace was even more clingy the usual today. She made every task a little more difficult. He figured she was missing Gail. He was surprised and happy to see Catherine waiting for him next to an Air Corps launch when he got there. She fussed over his shirt for a minute and then took his arm and walked with him to the workshop.

To say the Chancellor was thrilled was an understatement of global portions. He offered the use of college’s airship if Erma needed it. Jake never had to even hint that college might get the original blueprints. The man was tickled just to get a certified copy. It would be a recreation that was displayed not a copy. It seemed the same to Jake. When he mentioned that to Catherine, she explained the recreation would be like the original. It would be on similar paper as the original. It would even be artificially aged to add to the effect. She said it was about selling the feeling to those who came to see it. Jake still felt it meant the same. To him a copy was a copy. The Chancellor had begged the two of them to come to the unveiling of the full set. He planned to make an event to remember for years to come. Catherine had reassured the man that, if at all possible, they would be there. She gave Jake a quick peck before they parted in their different launches.