Chapter 61

Auntie Elizabeth couldn't come to the ceremony but her sister was cruising the British West Indies and happened to be in the neighborhood. It is often the case that a spare Royal just happens along to take on the duties of the Commonwealth.

Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowden, Viscountess Lindley, Companion of the Imperial Order of India, Grand Dame of the Victorian Order, Grand Dame of St. John of Malta, stepped up to the bow of the boat and smashed the bottle of champaign against the now battleship grey paint. The ensign of the Navy of Nevis and St. Kitts broke out at the mast head.

She was heard to mutter, "I'd rather drink it and bust the empty bottle," which was not at all that unusual for Maggie. "I name this vessel, 'Pretty Penny, ' and commend her into the keeping of Her Royal Highness, Andrea, Princess Slagle Most Excellent, Koenigsknecht, Dame of the Realm of Rákóczi-Hapsburg." She stepped back and hugged a niece she didn't know she had.

"Beth sent me," she told a blushing Andrea, "She mentioned you're a Doctor ... I have this pain..." and broke out laughing, "History, my dear, is fascinating. Although mine has been painful and painfully misrepresented, we do get on. The war in London is my history. Churchill, Winnie, you know ... used to pinch my cheek and tell me how pretty I was ... and then had the nerve to tell me my choice for a husband was unacceptable. I say, is there anything to drink?"

Over libations, she settled into the leather couch and patted the seat, "Come tell me the story of this yacht turned warship."

Andie sat and commenced, like all good fairytales, with those famous words, "Once upon a time," and added, "I bought a sailboat..."

The telling took several hours and a bottle of good old corn liquor ... the perfidy of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, took much repeating ... and "You have got to be kidding."

"I swear..."

"Four days?"

"I swear..."

"How much gold?"

"Thirty Tons ... no really."

"Straight trade?"

"Well, they trashed the King's Knight..."

"National Geographic?"

Andie concluded with, "Auntie Beth sent you."

"I would love to go..." said Maggie. "Andy ... you be careful out there."

They hugged without crushing and air kissed cheeks. As soon as Maggie was off the boat, Andie staggered to the salon.

"David, put me to bed before I fall down ... Tomorrow is going to suck ... Do we have to restock the liquor cabinet? No, David ... I said put me to bed, not take me to bed. Good night, David."

David shut the door and continued on to the crews quarters. "Captain ... what are we going to do with you and your men?"

"Chief Sanchez said he's fixing things. We've had a lovely time. Not at all what I expected we'd do."

"We're going to be under way in about an hour."

"We're packed ... Sanchez has a barrack for us. Andrea gave us a little something from the ballast for our 'extra service, ' as she so aptly put it. She's a nice lady ... and such a shot! We took her to the range a month ago and she shot Expert. You were off base doing something with Lance Corporal Jones ... probably illegal ... liberating equipment again, I suppose. Sanchez does have his little ways."