Chapter 27

Whitfield was a tiny village. It continued to exist, as it had for centuries, to supply housing for the small group of families who worked on the ducal estates. Virtually all the houses dated from the time the castle itself was constructed. Unlike the castle, however, the small houses had never been restored or updated. The village contained a few small shops, a public house, and, of course, a church.

For centuries, the church had truly been, both physically and psychologically, the center of the village. Every major event affecting the country had been announced by a ringing of the church bells, followed by an announcement in the church. The German surrender in May of 1945 was announced there, as had earlier been the Nazi invasion of Poland. Wellington’s victory at Waterloo had been announced there, along with Nelson’s at Trafalgar. This was such a long-standing tradition, that, in Whitfield, if it hadn’t been announced in church it never really happened.

The town’s appearance had been essentially unchanged — except for continuing to age — for centuries. Until New Year’s. At about three in the morning, when everyone in town was sound asleep, the church began to be restored. Actually, a more accurate word would be transformed. In only moments, the church became utterly beautiful. At the time it was built, the masons doing the work were far from being the most skilled in England with the result that there was not a single wall that was true; now they all were. Everything in the church from the deepest foundation stone to the cross at the top of the steeple were all brand new. The cross itself was now solid gold.

Moments after the church’s transformation had been completed, it was as if a giant hand swept over the entire town, doing for every structure what had been done to the church. Houses that had only cold water and no indoor plumbing suddenly had the most modern of facilities. Even the villagers asleep in their beds had the beds themselves replaced under them. The only effect on the villagers was for them to snuggle more deeply into the most comfortable beds they had ever seen, let alone been fortunate enough to sleep in. In mere moments, it was as if Disney had created a Tudor English village sparing no expense to make everything from the largest structure to the tiniest detail utterly perfect.

Meanwhile, everyone was asleep in the castle, as well. All of them were in a state verging on shock. Their planned New Year’s Eve celebration had fallen flat; the girls were still in a state of shock now having been publically proclaimed as peeresses of the realm.

While Marion had become used to sleeping with her head on Don’s shoulder, tonight she fell asleep facing him with his arms around her to draw her body close to his. While their lovemaking had been beautiful, earlier in the evening Don sensed that Marion just wanted to be closely held. All night long, one or the other would semi-waken, kiss the other’s lips, and go back to sleep. Aside from his shock at Elizabeth’s reaction the day before, Don was more than a little uneasy thinking about her likely reaction to the run-down backwater of a village.

By ten o’clock, everyone was up and had eaten. In fact, since the exercise equipment Marion had ordered had been delivered and set up the day before, they all had their first good workouts in weeks. Now they had all eaten and were preparing for the wedding. In spite of the fact that it was New Year’s Day, a Federal Express truck had delivered Marion’s gown at eight-thirty that morning.

The day before, taking advantage of the five-hour time difference with New York, Barb had again called Nita Lucas. Nita, in turn, had supplied the bridal gown. The girls had just finished bathing Marion. Now she was naked in the bedroom as the girls organized her things, when there was a soft knock at the door. Karla opened it a crack to find a warmly smiling Elizabeth standing there waiting.

“You know, Karla, this is really neat!” Liz said. “After all, the father of the bride can’t help his daughter dress for her wedding, but I certainly can. And I plan to. May I come in?” Seeing Marion naked in front of a full-length mirror, she said, “Goody! I’m just in time. Marion, darling, would you please turn around so I can see you?”

When Marion did, Liz rushed over to her and said, “My darling, you are simply gorgeous! Your body is even better than I expected. And I expected a very great deal. No wonder Donald is so damned happy!” Then with a lovely little grin she added, “Woman, you could give a hard-on to a corpse, as long as he’s been dead less than ninety days!” The girls all laughed, particularly since the remarks were coming from the Queen herself.

Then Elizabeth undertook to dress Marion herself. When she finished attaching Marion’s diamond necklace, she just shook her head and said, “Darling, you are the most beautiful bride in the history of the world!” Slowly shaking her head she continued, “Isn’t there a line about ‘God works his wonders in strange ways?’ Marion, with your background, it must be utterly incredible for Don. Here he has a virgin whore! What an utterly marvelous combination.”

With the warmest smile she added, “Donald Whitfield is our foremost living hero, Marion. To have you sharing his bed creates Heaven for him here on Earth!”

Upon descending the stairs, the women learned that Don and Doug had already left and were waiting at the church. They all kidded Steve about having to escort all the women by himself.

To Elizabeth, Barbara said, “Isn’t it awful what we do to our heroes? Just think! He has to handle five horny women all by himself.”

They all howled with laughter when Elizabeth interjected, “Six! I’m here, too, you know, and Philip is off showing the flag in some obscure state or other, so...”

Donald had shared his concern regarding what the Queen would think of the village and the church. However, they had been having so much fun with her they were now convinced that it would not create a problem.

Monroe was driving the lead Rolls limousine. When they rounded a curve and found the village in sight, he gasped and said, “My God! What has happened to the village?”

It was the first time any of the others had ever seen it. “What’s wrong?” Steve asked. “It looks perfect to me.”

“That’s what’s wrong, sir,” Monroe insisted. “Yesterday it looked like the buildings were all about to fall down. Now it looks like ... like ... I don’t know what it looks like, but it’s utterly beautiful!” And it was.

After alighting from the car, they awaited Marion who was riding in the Queen’s limousine. When they joined, Elizabeth exclaimed, “Good Lord, what an utterly perfect little village! I’ve never seen anything like it. I shall return very soon when we have some time to explore.” Then with a warm smile at Marion she said, “My darling daughter, are you ready?”

When they entered the church, the organ — now a perfectly restored 18^th century pipe organ — which until then had been playing incidental music, thundered out with “The Wedding March.” Anna led the bridal procession, followed by Maria, then Karla, and then Barbara, the matron of honor. After a space, Marion paced down the center aisle on the arm of the Queen. There were two surprises. First, it appeared that every villager was present. Second, there seemed to be dozens of press photographers taking pictures of the unprecedented event. Never in history, as far as anyone knew, had the Queen ever given a bride away.

Reaching the altar, Elizabeth pulled back Marion’s lace veil, and then kissed her with all the love she could convey. Marion instantly returned the kiss in kind. Then taking Don’s hand the couple passed through the communion rail to kneeling benches placed before the altar. To Marion’s surprise, the priest began the nuptial mass.

Finally, it came time for the exchange of vows. At that point something truly startling occurred. The priest was displaced by what appeared to be a glowing golden cylinder about six feet, six inches high, and about three feet in diameter. From the glowing cylinder, a stentorian voice was heard. “Marion and Donald, please join hands.” They did instantly. Then the voice continued, “Ladies and gentlemen, we are here today to join in Holy Matrimony Donald Whitfield and Marion Walker. I cannot tell you how pleased I am, nor how pleased multitudes of others are, as well. Please look at the windows at the front of the church on each side. You will see something interesting.”

As the people did, their eyes instantly widened. First of all, because previously the windows had been so dirty and aged that little light penetrated, there was not a soul alive who could have said whose image was in the stained glass. But now, and in spite of the fact that the windows were on opposite walls, sunlight was streaming through both of them. “On the right, you see St. Claire of London. Today I am formally announcing her canonization.

“As some of you may know, Claire was Donald’s first wife. She was killed on Christmas Day, 55 years ago, when a hospital in which she was working was bombed. On the left, you see St. Karl Kosta, the grandfather of one of the bridesmaids today. If it is true — and I certainly believe it to be — that ‘greater love hath no man than he who lays down his life for a friend,’ then Karl Kosta is certainly Donald Whitfield’s friend.” The Voice then told the story of the fateful day when Kosta died.

As He spoke, though, the people were utterly astonished. Because, while initially the images in the stained glass were normal, with leading separating each piece of colored glass, now the colors all appeared to merge. Now the images appeared to be more like back-lighted photographic slides. Both Claire Whitfield and Karl Kosta were smiling happily, and Karl even appeared to be making the V-for-victory sign with his right hand.

Then the Voice said, “If Claire and Karl appear to be happy, I can assure you it’s only because they are! In fact, it’s fair to say that it would be nearly impossible for them to be more happy than they are. And for Claire, it would be impossible.”

His attention then seemed to shift to the bridal couple. The marriage vows were exchanged along with rings. Finally, the voice said, “What I have joined together, let no man put asunder! I now pronounce you man and wife. Donald, you may kiss the bride. But please confine it only to a kiss until you’re out of the church!”

At that, the tension in the church, which had become palpable, broke. The people began to howl with laughter. Don and Marion were laughing so hard, they could hardly kiss, but they managed. Then to the sounds of Mendelson, they fled down the aisle. To the astonishment of both, outside the doors of the church was a contingent of RAF officers commanded, Donald realized, by the Air Vice Marshal of Fighter Command. The couple made their way under the arch of swords to the waiting limousine.

Before following his father down the aisle, Doug announced that everyone present was invited to a reception immediately following in the castle’s Great Hall.

Because they were in a limousine, Marion and Don arrived back at the castle before anyone else. Moreover, the entire castle staff including John Monroe had attended the wedding so there was no one present when they returned. However, when Don opened the great door, sitting side by side in the entrance hall were Duke and Duchess.

“Good afternoon, Marion, Duchess of Northumbria!” Duke communicated. “Boy, that really sounds great, doesn’t it? And we can’t tell you how happy we are to be able to share your joy. And, Mistress, you certainly appear to be joyful!” he concluded.

“And, Maid Marion,” Duchess said, “I don’t believe you have ever looked more beautiful or more joyful! Ever, in your entire life.” Then, to Marion and Don’s great amusement, the giant cat actually looked embarrassed.

“There’s more, isn’t there?” Marion asked shrewdly.

“Yes, Your Grace,” Duchess said bashfully. “Could ... Would ... Might a real duchess give a tiger named Duchess a ... a ... a ... kiss?”

“I think I just might be able to do that. If you’re willing to settle for just a peck, of course. I mean, my dear Duchess, I now am a peeress of the realm, and...” With that Marion wrapped her arms around Duchess’s neck — or as far around as she was able to reach — and then really unloaded all of the love she felt for this wonderful creature. In just a moment poor Duchess collapsed in a dead faint.

“Good heavens!” Duke exclaimed as he began to lick his unconscious sister. “Why did you have to kill her?”

“But Duke,” Marion replied, “you’re her brother. Why didn’t you protect her?”

Slowly shaking his head he replied sorrowfully, “I cannot.” Then looking into her eyes with his own eyes filled with sadness he explained, “We exist solely to serve you. If you said you wanted to eat her, Duchess would have lain on the ground to make it easy for me to kill and then butcher her. She would have kissed me and thanked me in advance for what I was about to do. Then I would return her kiss, kill her and butcher her for your pleasure.”

“You would really do that, wouldn’t you?” Marion asked in amazement. “For a partially-reconstructed whore?”

“No, Divine One. For a woman uniquely blessed by God Himself,” Duke replied. “You see, we are both charged specifically by the Holy Spirit to protect you from all harm. Needless to say, the protection we offer is unto our deaths.”

“Oh!” said Marion. “Then you will protect me from the Duke’s great cock that he drives into the very depths of my being, won’t you?”

“I’m sorry, Mistress, but that we cannot do. You see, you took your vows in the presence of God Himself; you promised to love, honor and obey. If he wishes to probe your wetness with his cock, you must obey him, and Duchess and I are forbidden to interfere.” Then with a tiger’s grin, Duke added, “Besides, you already told His Grace that you were an experienced prostitute, and it was impossible for him to hurt you. You didn’t lie to your lord and master, did you?”

“Darling, what am I ever to do?” Marion asked Don as she turned toward him and put her arms around his neck.

“Suffer, wench!” Donald replied. “But if you’re very good, I may go easy on you. Perhaps I might even permit you to offer your body to the whip occasionally as a way to escape from my other ... attentions.”

“Oh, my darling,” Marion sighed with her voice dripping with sarcasm, “would you really? Just think! Karla pleaded to be raped to get some respite from the inhuman beating she was suffering.” She paused for a moment and looked up at the ceiling. Then she nodded her head sharply and said, “Had you been present, though, rather than suffer from your raging cock I’m sure she would have elected for them to continue whipping her. For myself, darling, I prefer the whip.”

Don just grinned and stuck out his tongue.

By this time people were arriving from the village and a receiving line formed near the great hearth. One of the first people through the line was John Fox, the horse trainer. Because Don figured that Marion would know very few of the guests, he preceded her in the receiving line in order to make introductions. When Fox was presented to her, his first words were, “I knew it!”

“And what did you know, John Fox?” Marion inquired.

“I just knew that not even His Grace could possibly be so foolish as to let you run around loose. A woman of your incredible beauty and grace would have to become the mistress of the castle. And I can already hear the announcer at the Edinburgh Horse Show announce, ‘And now, riding Satan, Her Grace, Marion, Duchess of Northumbria!’ And when the people in the audience see you, they will go utterly wild.”

Then he slowly shook his head and added, “I guess I saw it the first time I laid eyes on you, but it was confirmed by God Almighty Himself this morning. As beautiful as you are physically, that is a mere shadow of the incredible beauty you have within. I guess it’s just a physical manifestation of the Divine grace you have inside.” Slowly shaking his head he concluded, “Nothing gives us — me and all the others in the village — greater joy than to welcome you here as the Duchess of Northumbria.”

Marion thanked him for his gracious welcome and then greeted their butler, John Monroe. Monroe apologized — his apology was dismissed — for being so presumptuous as to be at the head of the line. “But, Your Grace, I truly wanted to extend my warmest welcome to you before I attend to my duties.”

Then he shook his head and added, “This is the greatest day for Prendwick Castle in at least fifty years. I really cannot tell you how delighted I am that you’re here.”

Then after a pause he said, “I suppose I should contact an agency, or run an ad, or something, to get a cook—”

“You will do no such thing, John Monroe!” Then with a lovely grin she added, “Don’t you think I’m at least adequate as a cook?”

Monroe blushed with embarrassment and stammered, “But no, Your Grace! Certainly you don’t intend to do the cooking?”

“I most certainly do!” she declared. Then with a lovely warm smile she added, “But since His Grace and I may travel occasionally, might there be a woman in the village who would like to cook for you and the staff when we’re away?”

Although he was utterly stunned, Monroe agreed that there were several who would love to do it and could use the extra money. When Marion pulled his head down and melted her lips on his, the poor man fainted from the power of her kiss. Only her new strength enabled her to easily hold him upright until he regained consciousness. When he did, moments later, he said almost exactly what Fox had said about her inner beauty and grace. Then he went off happily to begin serving champagne to the guests.

The third person through, to the great embarrassment of both Marion and Don, was the Queen herself. After kissing Marion on the lips and feeling her incredible power, she diffidently asked if she might join them in the receiving line to greet her subjects. They were honored by her offer. Moments later, the full line was in place. The Duke was at the head, followed by Marion, then the Queen, Karla, Doug, Maria, Anna, Barbara Sloan, and finally, Steve.

It proved to be in many ways the funniest receiving line in the history of the North Country. Aside from meeting their new Duchess, who all agreed was the most perfect woman alive, the guests were able personally to meet the Queen of England, along with the Queen of Bohemia, the Duchess of Burgundy and Norfolk, Duchess of Suffolk, and finally the most beautiful American they could imagine. In addition to congratulating the couple, everyone wanted to tell them of the incredible changes that had taken place in their homes overnight. It was the happiest day anyone from the village could ever remember.

As the line to meet the couple came to an end, the Queen’s chief equerry appeared carrying a very large box. Elizabeth smiled in pleasure as he approached. “Oh, goody!” she exclaimed. “I was so hoping your gift would arrive in time.” Motioning to the equerry to give it to the Duke, she said, “Please open it. I really want to know if you like it.”

When Marion opened it and saw what was inside, she gasped and whispered, “Oh, Your Majesty! It’s utterly exquisite!”

Then she dropped to her knees on the floor and proceeded to unpack its contents. It was a full sterling silver tea and coffee service along with a large tray. Every piece was engraved with the coat of arms of the Duke of Northumbria, as was the tray. But the tray had an additional message: “To Donald, Duke of Northumbria, and Marion, his Duchess, on the occasion of their wedding. This is presented with all the gratitude of the British people to those whose heroism made their continued freedom possible, by Elizabeth II, Regina.”

When she read the inscription, Marion just breathed, “Your Majesty! It’s utterly magnificent!”

“And to one of my closest friends, it’s still Liz! Clear?” she whispered back.

At that Marion grinned at her sovereign. As she did, she realized the utterly incredible change that had occurred in her life in less than a single week. From a prostitute, she was now on intimate terms with the Queen herself! And this on top of a level of personal happiness she had never even dreamed of, let alone ever even hoped to achieve for herself.

At the appropriate time, Barbara and the girls wheeled out a huge and utterly beautiful wedding cake. As Marion and Don prepared to cut it, the Queen, having first assured herself that everyone present had a filled champagne glass, nodded to her equerry who had been standing quietly in the corner, observing. For him, too, it had been a truly incredible day.

Seeing her nod, he raised his voice and said in a stentorian voice, “Ladies and gentlemen, Her Majesty, Elizabeth II, Queen of England!”

Instantly there was silence in the room. Then someone began to sing God Save the Queen. Instantly, everyone joined in. And it was considered to be most appropriate on the most memorable day in the history of the castle and its small village.

When they finished their beautiful anthem, Elizabeth said, “Thank you, so very much. As often as I have heard our anthem, I have never heard it sung with such feeling. I can’t tell you how it warms my heart.”

She paused and then continued, “But the reason my equerry asked for your attention is that I am preempting the best man. Normally, it is the best man who offers the toast to the bridal couple. But since the best man is the groom’s grandson, what could he possibly say? Could he tell the truth, and risk being cut off from the dukedom? I think not.

“On the other hand, as the person senior in rank to His Grace, Donald, 12^th Duke of Northumbria, I am not so hindered. After all, what could he possibly do to me?” She paused and suddenly looked alarmed. “Good grief! I just realized, he could do a great deal. For example, without His Grace, and you, his loyal retainers, who would guard my northern frontier against marauding Scots?” She paused again, pursed her lips and then nodded. “I shall speak to my prime minister straightaway when I return to the palace.” She paused as a wave of laughter swept over the crowd.

Then she continued, “Years ago, when my late father, King George VI was still on the throne, I vividly remember the accession at which Donald Whitfield was awarded the Victoria Cross. Perhaps the reason I remember it so well is that the then-Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, was also present.

“After making the award, my father turned to Sir Winston and said, ‘Without that man, Sir Winston, we might have lost the Battle of Britain.’ Sir Winston replied, ‘No, Your Majesty, we would certainly have lost. Had it not been for Donald Whitfield, you and I, Majesty, would be in exile, in a German prison, or dead! It is not a possibility, Sire, it is a certainty.’

“At the same time,” the Queen continued, “I also vividly remember the expression of sadness that was a constant with His Grace. When I asked — and I was quite young at the time — I learned that almost simultaneous with his great air victory that broke the back of the Luftwaffe, his wife, Claire, was killed when a German bomb hit the London hospital in which she was working. For Donald Whitfield, nothing changed ... until last week.”

The Queen paused to look around at the crowd and then continued, “What happened last week? This marvelous woman, Marion Walker, came into his life. Now look at him! Have you ever seen a happier-looking man in your life? On the other hand, with the prospect of sharing his bed and his life with Marion, any man would look happy. But there’s so much more! Today, God Himself witnessed their exchange of marriage vows. And who was the happiest person in the Church? St. Claire of London. She seems to rejoice in Donald’s new happiness.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in a toast to the health and continued happiness of two of the finest people in the kingdom, Donald and Marion Whitfield.”