Chapter 26

When Marion awakened the next morning, she stretched and felt that she had never felt so good in her entire life. By now the light was streaming in the window; when she and Don had gone to bed the previous night, they had left the curtains open so they could enjoy the storm. It had passed through during the night and the morning was incredibly bright and clear. As she stretched, she looked at her arm and screamed.

Donald was instantly awake and asked, “What’s wrong, darling? What happened?”

“Just look!” she exclaimed. “My cuts — they’re all gone.” Then she realized that there had been even more changes. Touching her body was exactly the same as touching Karla’s or Barbara’s. Where the night before, while her figure was beautiful, she certainly didn’t have the muscle development of the other young women. But this morning she did. Continuing her exploration, she found that her tits were as high and full and firm as the others. Finally, her all-over tan was now almost as dark as Barbara’s. Looking at Don, she suddenly realized that similar changes had taken place in his body as well.

At that point she exclaimed, “Susie! Get your little tail down here this instant!”

When Susie instantly materialized over the bed she said, “You bellowed, Mistress?”

Marion couldn’t control her giggle at Susie’s comment. “As a matter of fact, I did,” she conceded. “What in hell did you do to Don and me?”

“Mistress, while I’ll concede that while ‘what in Heaven’ doesn’t exactly convey your meaning, we are sensitive.” Then with a grin she continued, “I’ve been after the Boss to get you all to clean up your language.” Then she pouted.

“And why, dear Susie, the pout?” Marion inquired.

“I remembered the Boss’s response. He said He’d consider it ... as soon as I cleaned up my own.” At that she sat down cross-legged on Marion’s belly and continued, “But what’s the problem? All He did was to speed up the process a bit. In a couple of months, you two would have been exactly like the others anyway, the way you are now. And with COMDEX and a lot of other junk, you’re going to be pretty busy. So anyway...” With that, Susie disappeared as suddenly as she had appeared.

The most marvelous lovemaking either had ever experienced followed. After a fast shower, they gathered the tigers, went to the stable and had a morning ride. When they returned to the castle, the tigers were beside themselves. “This has been the most fun of my whole life!” Duke declared. “It’s just so great to really be able to run ... And to do it on the Moors of the Scottish border! Boy!”

Marion ruffled the fur on his neck and gave him a kiss.

Again they found that the girls had prepared a huge American breakfast. They didn’t know which ones had done it, but had decided it really didn’t make any difference. All of them were spectacular cooks. Donald decided that there was something to be said for a big breakfast after early-morning exercise. With a grin Marion asked if the exercise he was referring to was in bed. When his response was to pinch her bottom, she just wriggled it and decided that the girls must be her daughters. After all, they were all anal erotic ... with at least a touch of masochism thrown in.

Following breakfast, with a wink at Don, Maria and Anna took Marion into the bathroom where they put her in the tub which, like the ones at the hotel, was like a small swimming pool.

“What’s the occasion for this attention?” Marion asked.

The girls just grinned, but didn’t respond. Instead they just worked more musk oil into Marion’s now perfect and completely unblemished skin. After a marvelous massage that put her to sleep on the table, they helped her off, giggling when she found she couldn’t even stand unsupported because her muscles were now so relaxed. Then after taking her back into the room, they dressed her in one of Barb’s finest dresses. It was white and looked utterly magnificent against her deeply tanned skin.

While she was standing in front of the mirror, Don came up behind her and put a perfect diamond necklace around her neck, and followed it with a matching diamond bracelet. When she raised an eyebrow in question, all he did was to shrug and say, “But Marion, dear, I thought all mistresses had diamonds.” She just giggled at his reply.

Turning around, Marion realized he was wearing his RAF uniform. When she asked, he just shrugged and said it was now very tight in the shoulders and loose at the waist. Since they were all going down to London for the day, he intended to stop by his tailor and leave his uniform to be refitted. The fact that they were going to London at all came as news to her.

Going downstairs they found the others very dressed up, too. When she asked the girls how they had managed to get dressed so fast, Maria just shrugged and said, “Mom, how long does it take to pull up a zipper, anyway?” Marion just giggled. Then she saw that Duke and Duchess were both beautifully groomed, too; Duke had a large black bow at his neck, while Duchess’s was white.

After boarding the 767 at Newcastle, while they were settling into their seats, a buzzer sounded. Picking up a handset, Steve Sloan was talking to the plane’s captain. “Major Sloan,” the captain reported, “I’ve just received some very strange flight orders from the tower. I thought you should know. Even though we’re only going to Heathrow, our orders are to climb in a spiral to angels 40 — that’s 40,000 feet, sir — before heading south. It’s really weird to climb eight miles when we’re only going a few hundred. I thought you should know.”

“It doesn’t cause us any problems, does it?” Steve responded. “We have all the fuel we need, and all that other good stuff, don’t we?”

“Absolutely, sir,” the captain replied. “We could fly to Prague if you wanted to. I guess we’re off, if you are all settled down in back.”

Being as lightly loaded as it was, the giant aircraft sped down the runway and began a steep spiraling climb to its assigned cruising altitude. When the plane leveled off and began heading south, Maria and Anna got out of their seats and began preparing to serve coffee.

At that moment there was another call on the interphone, and again Steve picked up the receiver. “Major Sloan, look out a window on either side,” the captain said. “And I’ve been asked to pipe this communication into the main cabin. Here goes.”

Steve was seated on a sofa on the plane’s starboard side. Turning in his seat, he looked out the window. There, only a few feet from their wingtip, were two RAF F-15’s. “There are eight of them, sir,” the pilot reported. There are two more off our port wingtip, as well as two more ahead and above, with two others below and behind.”

Over the PA system, they heard, “Good morning, all! A lovely day for flying, isn’t it? I am Wing Commander Byron Baxter. I understand Air Vice Marshal Sir Donald Whitfield, Duke of Northumbria, is aboard. Is that correct?”

Taking the mike from Steve, Don replied, “I’m here indeed, Commander Baxter. But what brings you chaps up here this morning?”

“The lads wanted to, sir,” came the quiet reply. “If you look closely at my aircraft on the fuselage just forward of the wing, I think you’ll see why.” There on the fuselage was the emblem of the RAF’s 17^th Fighter Squadron, Don’s outfit from the Battle of Britain days. “Sir,” the wing commander continued, “we also heard that Queen Karla of Bohemia is aboard and that she’s the granddaughter of Karl Kosta. Is that also correct, sir?”

“Indeed it is, Wing Commander,” Don replied. “And it warms my heart to see the insignia of the 17^th. But I still don’t understand.”

“Well, sir, there’s a squadron tradition that you may not know about. In the squadron mess over the mantel, where customarily there is a picture of our reigning monarch, we have two photos: yours and Karl Kosta’s. Of course, since the photos were taken in 1940, I suspect you’ve changed a bit, but your pictures are still there. Over the pictures are the words, ‘The best of the few.’ The squadron tradition is that every month at our formal dinner the most junior officer present offers the toast, ‘Gentlemen: To Donald Whitfield and Karl Kosta: The best of the few.’ They haven’t forgotten what you did, and they never will. They just wanted you to know, sir.”

Tears had come to Don’s eyes as he replied, “Wing Commander, I really don’t know what to say, except that I am moved.” Then he continued, “Have you ever heard of William Walker, Commander?”

“Indeed we have, sir,” the Wing Commander replied. “He was in your outfit early in the war, too, wasn’t he?”

“Yes, he was. And his granddaughter is aboard today, too.” Then Donald chuckled and added, “Of course, Wing Commander, for security reasons, they probably didn’t tell you who you were really supposed to protect. We have two Royal Bengal tigers aboard, and they’re an endangered specie, you know.”

“Good heavens, sir!” The commander replied. “And it’s no wonder we weren’t told. I’m not sure my chaps could have borne up under such responsibility. Do you think I should whistle up the rest of the fighter wing, sir? I mean ... the responsibility!”

Meanwhile the flight of nine planes were cruising south through a crystal-clear sky. The Wing Commander came back on the radio and said, “Sir, there’s one more thing I think you should know. The last time Her Majesty visited the base, she came to the mess and saw your pictures where hers is customarily hung. Well, sir, the general commanding the base saw it and had a bird.

“But before he could really warm up and ream us out, Her Majesty put her hand on his arm and said, ‘General, His Grace, the Duke of Northumbria, is a very close personal friend. And knowing his accomplishments during the Battle of Britain, I can only say that it is most fitting that his picture — and Karl Kosta’s — should be hung over the mantel. I would take it as a personal favor, General, if you would leave things alone.’

“But then a couple of weeks later, we received a package. In it were two silver frames with the royal coat of arms. They were accompanied with a hand-written note from Her Majesty saying that she thought these new frames would be more appropriate.” There was a pause and the Commander continued, “Sir, I understand that Queen Karla did not even know that her grandfather had flown with the RAF. Is that true, sir?”

“Indeed it is, Commander,” the Duke replied. “But why do you ask?”

“We ... we ... Well, sir, we thought that perhaps she might like to have a copy of our picture of Karl Kosta.” Again there was a pause. “Sir, we learned that Her Majesty is to marry Douglas Whitfield, who also holds a Victoria Cross. We also know that she was awarded the highest-ranking medal for personal heroism in the Czech Republic, and that it’s named after her. So anyway...”

Karla took the mike from Don and said, “Commander, this is Karla Kosta. There is absolutely nothing that could please me more than to receive a picture of my grandfather. As far as anyone knows, I am his only surviving descendent, and I would be thrilled. I cannot thank you enough for your kind offer.”

“Consider it done, Your Majesty,” he replied. Then he added, “I guess it’s that time, folks. Hope you enjoyed your flight. I can assure you that my lads did.”

To the surprise of everyone, the RAF flight followed them down in their approach to Heathrow. The only change was that the section that had been below had moved up to be level with the two lead fighters. The F-15’s came all the way down until the 767 was at only 500 feet. Then they leveled off and flew away. When the great plane landed, the passengers had disembarked on mobile stairs and were waiting for cars to pick them up.

At that moment the RAF flight returned, this time flying down the runway at an altitude of only 100 feet, in two flights of four planes each. Flying just under the speed of sound, there was a deafening roar as the planes passed, and then went into a vertical climb after kicking in their afterburners.

“Darling, I’m utterly overwhelmed,” Marion whispered. “Never have I seen anything like that. And darling, you certainly are the best of the few!”

As she said it, she still didn’t know the purpose of their trip to London. But when three black Rolls limousines with royal markings appeared, her suspicions were confirmed. Moments later the three, escorted by police in both cruisers and motorcycles, roared out toward London and Buckingham Palace.

When they arrived at the palace, the presence of the two tigers caused consternation. When Karla assured the equerry that the tigers were very well-behaved, he allowed them to enter but clearly didn’t like the idea at all.

Entering the state receiving hall in the palace, Karla was greeted by the Queen with the words, “Are you married yet? If not, why not?” Karla just giggled, and then she gave the Queen a kiss on the lips. Elizabeth was again startled by the incredible love and Divine grace in her kiss. When they eased apart, the Queen asked, “To what do I owe this wonderful surprise? What brings you down to London on New Year’s Eve? Are you celebrating in town?”

“No, Your Majesty,” Karla replied. “We came down to introduce some people to you, if we may.” Turning toward Maria, she took her hand and led her to the Queen. “First, Your Majesty, may I present my sister, Maria, la Duchesse du Bourgogne? I hope you will welcome her to your kingdom.”

Maria executed a perfect court curtsy, and then kissed the back of the Queen’s fingers. “Your Majesty, this is a great honor, indeed,” she murmured.

Having just glanced into Maria’s eyes, the Queen suspected something. Taking both of Maria’s hands in hers, she pulled the girl close and kissed her. As she expected, Maria’s kiss had the identical love and grace that Karla’s did, if not quite to the same degree. Easing away, Elizabeth looked deeply into Maria’s eyes and saw the same love and grace there, too.

“Your Grace is most assuredly welcome in my kingdom,” she said. Then with a very winsome grin she added, “But it does seem that we have been having all kinds of problems with Burgundy. Why I seem to remember — and it couldn’t have been more than 500 years ago — that we were fighting constantly with you people.”

“Proving again, Your Majesty, that old enemies can become good friends,” Maria replied with a very warm smile. Then she added, “If Your Majesty pleases, it would give me great pleasure to present our third sister. Although she is only a marchioness, Queen Karla and I so hope that you won’t hold it against her. Your Majesty, this is our sister, Anna, la Marquise de Flandres. I hope you will also welcome her to your court.”

“It seems to me that we chewed up Flanders’ fields terribly during the unpleasantness in 1914-1918, Your Excellency. I so hope you won’t hold it against us,” the Queen replied.

After curtsying, kissing the Queen’s fingertips, and then kissing her on the lips Anna replied, “Your Majesty, this is the greatest honor of my life. And, Your Majesty, had it not been for the United Kingdom, there would be no Belgium nor any Flanders. We shall always remember and always be grateful.”

“Finally, Your Majesty,” Karla said, “there are two more introductions ... perhaps the most important of them all.” Turning, she motioned to Duke and Duchess who paced side by side and in step to a point in front of the Queen. There they sat on their haunches and looked into her face. “Your Majesty, it is my pleasure to present Duke and Duchess. They are Royal Bengal Tigers.”

Momentarily nonplused, Elizabeth remained motionless in the presence of the two giant cats. But she extended her hand to Duke who reached out a paw, let her rest her fingers on it, and then gently kissed the back. Duchess, after performing a very graceful curtsy, did the same thing. Only then did she realize that the tigers could actually communicate.

Duke was saying, “I believe it was your ancestor, Queen Victoria, who declared us ‘Royal’, Your Majesty.” Elizabeth was shocked when she realized what had happened but then shocked everyone in the chamber by roaring with laughter when a single large tear rolled down Duke’s furry cheek and he communicated, “Pity we lost India!”

At that the Queen wrapped her arms around his neck as far as she could reach and kissed his cheek. “And you, Duke, are too much, as the Yanks would say.” Turning to Duchess she said, “And do you share Duke’s feelings about India, Duchess?”

“Oh, yes indeed, Your Majesty,” Duchess replied. “But, you see, my brother, Duke, usually communicates for both of us. I hope you don’t mind?”

“Of course I don’t,” the Queen replied. Then she stepped back a few steps so she could admire them both. “But I’m sure you didn’t come all the way down to London just to meet me,” she added shrewdly. “You’re bodyguards to the Queen and her family, aren’t you?”