Chapter 64

Marks fears were of course totally groundless but Anthony sensed that Mark had been tense, particularly as Mark had hovered in the entrance hall until he was satisfied that Anthony and Frances had arrived safely and in good fettle.

When nobody else could hear he clicked his fingers and said, "Heel!"

Mark rushed to him.

"Gotcha!" said Anthony with a huge smile and patted Mark on the shoulder. "Relax, Mark, and have a party. I'll whistle if I really need you."

Mark smiled back at him. "Thanks, Dad," he whispered.

Victoria watched this little scene with happiness and love. The two men she loved most in her life, both so handsome in their Mess Kit, were clearly very, very fond of each other but respected each other despite the huge gap in military seniority and experience.

Mark led Victoria into the anteroom and looked for James. He soon spotted him with Jenny beside him and moved in their direction. It took a long time. All his old friends stopped him to have a chat and meet Victoria. She looked radiant and thoroughly enjoyed the attention. Everyone was entranced by her beauty, her quick wit and ready laugh.

At last they reached James. "Ah," he said. "The bride and groom. Am I allowed to kiss her, Mark? After all I need to practice for the great day."

"I'm happy," smiled Mark. "I leave the final decision to her."

Victoria nodded demurely but her eyes were sparkling. James put his hands on her shoulders and gently kissed her on the lips.

"Yum!" he said.

"I might let you do it again one day," she giggled.

"Roll on," said James cheerfully. "Did you enjoy the parade this morning?"

Victoria nodded enthusiastically. "Wonderful!" she exclaimed. "The way everyone worked as one was amazing and I thought the transfer of the Colours was very moving. I actually spotted you too."

"There you are," said James to Mark. "I always said I stood out in a crowd."

Mark snorted but said nothing to him. "Were you there too?" he asked Jenny.

"You bet," she replied, "and I agree with Victoria. It was splendid."

"I'm sorry," said Mark. "I didn't see you or I'd have come over at least to say good morning but I was a bit pre-occupied."

"I'll bet," said Dickie Valentine joining the group. "You weren't going to get caught on the hop again. Your face yesterday afternoon was a picture."

Victoria slipped her hand under his arm. Mark merely smiled. "Colonel Chris has given me permission to bash up Peter Wickens," he said.

"Cooh!" chorused James and Dickie.

"Your father was brilliant," said Dickie to Victoria. "He acted as though it was the most natural thing in the world. No-one is going to forget his visit in a hurry."

"He shook me again this morning," said Mark. "He recognised every one of your guard and spoke to them this morning on parade."

"Golly," said Dickie. "If they'd all been from my platoon I could understand it but they came from all over the battalion. Hand picked by the RSM, even Morris."

"A lovable rogue and a jolly good chap to have about. Hey, where's your partner, Dickie?"

"Got snaffled by Jean Holdsworth who knows her mother. I'd better go and rescue her. Excuse me a moment."

At that moment the Frenches arrived. "Hang on a moment," Mark said to Victoria. "I'll go and get Diana. She won't know a soul."

He was back in a few minutes and introduced a shy Diana to the rest of the group. Victoria took her hand. It did not take long for her beauty to attract two unattached subalterns and she soon relaxed.

Soon afterwards Peter and Angela Wickens came over.

"No fisticuffs here," warned Dickie nudging James in the ribs.

"I'm sorry, Mark. I really should have apologised to you sooner but didn't get a chance yesterday evening and the parade this morning was the only thing on my mind," said Peter. "I really should have warned you."

"It was a stroke of genius although I didn't feel it was at first," Mark smiled back. "But it turned the visit into something memorable for the lads."

"And Daddy's been chuckling about it ever since," added Victoria.

"I'm glad," said Peter sincerely. "Do me a favour. Look after my beloved Holdsworths when they get to Tidworth."

"You don't have to ask, Peter," said Mark.

"We all will," said Victoria.

"We'll just have to restrain ourselves a bit so that General Anthony isn't accused of nepotism. He told me he had to fight hard to get him."

"Worth the fight," interjected James. All the men nodded.

Jenny cleared her throat nervously. "James told me you were a family but I never realised you were all so close," she said. "And it's not just the officers. You talked about that chap Morris as though he were a friend. What did he do yesterday?"

Victoria laughed. "He took the mickey out of Mark," she said. "Daddy asked them if they thought I'd made the right decision in choosing Mark and Morris said, 'She hadn't met me' and then he wished us the best of luck."

Everyone laughed and James said to Dickie, "You didn't tell me that."

"No," said Dickie airily. "I didn't want Mark to get a big head."

There was more laughter.

They were duly summoned into dinner by a bugler. Unmarried partners were seated next to each other which delighted Mark and Victoria who was pleased to find Dickie on her right. Mark was equally pleased to find Diana on his left.