A Getaway by LynnE

Chapter 16

Meg put the phone down thoughtfully. That hadn't gone well at all. She could hear the neediness in Ben's voice and, God help her, all it made her feel was impatience.

Two years ago she would have been thrilled to hear him wanting her like that. "Have I outgrown him?" she asked herself aloud. It was a terrible thing to contemplate, but Meg couldn't rule it out. She had changed so much, hadn't she?

The question dogged her long into the night.

* * * * * * *

Ben couldn't get a flight out until the following afternoon, and it stopped in Chicago and New York. He was furious, and briefly considered chartering a plane. But that was ridiculous. The expense would have been outrageous.

Suddenly, Ben was appalled at himself. When had he counted the cost before? Had his feelings changed? Was he outgrowing her? It was a very confused man who packed his bags the next morning.

* * * * * * *

Benjy was deeply unhappy when Ben told him he was taking a trip.

"When are you coming home, Daddy? I don't want you to go away."

"I have to go see Meg, Benjy. I won't be gone very long."

"Why do you have to go? Why doesn't she come back?"

"She can't right now, Benjy. Meg is busy working."

"But why do you have to go see her, Daddy?"

Ben led his son to the sofa and took him on his lap. "Right now you are sad because I am going to go away for a while, right?" When Benjy nodded, he went on, "well, that's how I've been feeling for days and days, ever since Meg went away. I am not happy when she is not here. I need to be where Meg is, Benjy, if I want to be happy."

"Can't you be happy with me, Daddy?" Benjy was trying to understand. Ben was sure of that. This was the question at the heart of the matter. He chose his words with great care.

"Benjy, listen to me carefully. There are many kinds of love in the world. There are parents and children, like you and me. There are men and women, like me and Meg. There are even preferences, like for ice cream or colors, as well. They are all different, and sometimes it's hard to give them all their due, to be fair to everyone at the same time. I have spent a lot of time with you lately, and I love to do it, but now I need to go and be with Meg for a while. To be fair to her and to myself; do you understand?"

Benjy shook his head.

Ben couldn't suppress a smile. "Neither do I really, you'll just have to trust me on this."

* * * * * * *


When Ben brought his bags downstairs, Maria was just coming in with groceries. She eyed the suitcases with a frown, "So, you really are going?"

"That's right, Maria. I'll be back in a few days, and I expect to find Benjy here when I return. If you want to move out, go ahead. But the boy and his nanny stay."

Maria bristled, "He's my son! I can take him anywhere I like. I'll leave town with him if I want to."

Ben put his bags down and walked towards her. Maria kept backing up until she could go no further. "If you do that, understand that I will find you, retrieve my son, and see to it that you spend the rest of your life fighting off as many criminal and civil charges as the best lawyers available can devise." Venom dripped from every word. Maria knew he meant it. Her bravado dissolved, and she stood, shuddering, as Ben turned his back and picked up his bags.

Outside, the taxi driver blew his horn. Ben opened the door to leave, then turned back to Maria. He said, "I must have been mad to let you move in here. I will deal with you when I get back."

It was a promise that did not bode well for Maria, and she knew it.

Chapter 17

"Tell me again why I'm doing this?" Tom Williams complained as his mother helped him on with his rented dinner jacket. At least they'd found one that fit.

Alice Williams shook her head, but replied patiently, "Because you owe Meg Cummings a favor, number one. Because you look cute in that jacket, number two. And because if you're going to be a big-time contractor you'd better learn to handle occasions like these, number three. Tommy, you should have gotten a haircut," she added.

"Too late now, Mom, Meg'll be here in a few minutes." He checked his reflection again.

"In my day, the gentleman picked the lady up." Alice remonstrated.

"Yeah, but the lady has a car, and this way the girls get to see 'Miss Meg' in her gown. Welcome to what's left of the twentieth century, Mom." He kissed her as the bell rang.

"Hey, I'm not THAT old!" She complained to his back.

There was a flurry of footsteps and high-pitched giggles, as the Williams girls, in their pajamas, raced for the door. Tom nudged his way gently through them and opened it. Giggles turned to gasps at the vision before them.

Annabelle and Imogene Kitchener had exceeded Meg's wildest expectations. The dress was perfect. She looked like she'd just stepped out of an 18th Century painting.

Alice found her voice first. "Miss Cummings, you look wonderful!"

"Thank you."

Meg's skirt billowed around her as she stepped over the threshold. With the crinolines, it took a bit of maneuvering, but she was getting the hang of it, and it was worth it. She'd stopped the evening's rum swizzle party at the Roseden dead in its' tracks when she left.

Mr. Barnhart had been, for once, speechless. Now the dress was having the same effect on Tom Williams.
Meg hugged each of the girls in turn. They'd made a special effort, washing their hands carefully and remembering not to step on her hem. Alice Williams couldn't resist; she took out her camera and Meg obligingly posed with each of the girls in turn. Lissa, three, said it best, "You look like a princess, and you smell like a flower."

"Hey, what about me?"

"Daddy, you need a haircut."

"Okay, that's it everybody, time to go to bed." Tom clapped his hands and doled out good night kisses, and off the girls went under their grandmother's watchful eye.

"Have a good time, you two," Alice called over her shoulder.

They climbed gingerly into the car and took off for the Governor's Mansion. As they skimmed along, Meg watched the scenery for a moment, before turning to her escort.

"I really appreciate this, Tom. I know it's not what you're used to."

"Well, life can't be all beer and wrestling," he grinned. "Besides, did you see the girls' faces? I wouldn't have missed that for the world. You look like, I don't know, a fairy princess? I just hope I don't screw this up, picking up the wrong fork or something."

"Yeah, me too," Meg sighed. Tom stared.

"This is my first formal dinner, too, you know. Three years ago in Kansas, my idea of a big time was a few beers and the Texas Two-step at the Buckaroo Bar, over the county line from Ludlow. That's my home town, Ludlow, Kansas. My dad was a farmer."

"How'd you wind up in California?"

Meg sighed. "It's a long story, Tom."

Chapter 18

Meg looked magnificent. She'd put her hair up in a french twist and wore pearl earrings. A tiny pearl charm on a chain, a little diamond watch that had belonged to her great grandmother, and a small gold link bracelet completed the outfit, along with the shoes and a matching silk reticule she'd had made. Her wrap was the pink satin that Imogene Kitchener had found, lined with fabric matching the dress. She wore white gloves that reached past her elbow.

She'd done her makeup very carefully, and sprayed on an old-fashioned heliotrope perfume that Mrs. Wynters had loaned her. The friendly desk clerk was thrilled to help. "Now I'm going, too, in a sense," she replied when Meg thanked her for offering it. "A dress like that needs something different. I am so pleased you like it."

The reaction from the party on the front porch exceeded Meg's hopes. A stunned silence, followed by applause and good wishes echoed down the driveway as Mr. Barnhart drove her to meet Tom. Everyone was caught up in the occasion. People love romance, Meg thought.

* * * * * * *

"What do you mean you can't find my luggage? Wasn't it on the plane?" Ben Evans was thoroughly disgusted. The flight had been long and tiring. He couldn't get a first class ticket and between screaming babies and people trying to sneak into the bathroom to smoke and setting off the alarm, he'd gotten zero sleep in coach. The food was atrocious, inedible, and Ben had been sandwiched between two of the fattest people he'd ever seen, each of whom kindly offered to eat his meal for him. He let them, on condition that they sat next to each other and gave him the seat on the end.

He was ravenous and tired and he felt filthy, and now they couldn't find his suitcase. The clerk at the airline desk assured him that it had probably just gone to the wrong end of the terminal and that all would be sorted out soon. He gave Ben a letter to show to the immigration inspector (they don't approve of people who arrive without luggage) and promised to find the bag and send it on to the hotel that day.

Ben grumbled and grabbed the airport bus to the Hamilton Princess, his hotel. When he got there he found they had no record of his reservation. "I'm awfully sorry, Mr. Evans, it just isn't here. And I'm afraid we're quite full. Perhaps I can find you someplace else, if you'll just have a seat and wait a bit."

The bit turned into an hour and a half. Ben sat starving, fuming, waiting. Finally the clerk called him over. "I've got a lovely suite for you, just across the road actually, at the Roseden. I'm sure you'll be very comfortable."

Ben groaned inwardly. Meg would think he'd done this on purpose. "Isn't there anywhere else?" he asked. The clerk shook his head, "It's high season, Mr. Evans. In fact, the only reason we've found this is because the people occupying it, a Mr. and Mrs. Weiskopf, left early to be with their daughter, who is having a baby. It's really a lovely place, sir," he assured Ben, anxiously.

Ben swore under his breath and took the chit the clerk gave him. He hiked across the road and up the long driveway and presented himself at the desk at the Roseden. Mrs. Wynters looked at him pityingly.

"Did you have a bad flight, sir?"

"Among other things. Look, the airline can't find my bag, so I have no luggage. Could I borrow a robe or something? I've been wearing these clothes forever."

"Don't worry, sir, one of the bellmen can lend you something. George is about your height and weight, I believe." She handed him a key, "Please go up and be comfortable. Have you had anything to eat? No? Well, we don't serve anything but breakfast here, but I'm sure we can find you something."

Something turned out to be a lovely dish of scrambled eggs and toast with jam, some fruit salad and excellent coffee. Ben started to feel human again. George came along and presented him with a plain white shirt, black chinos and a pair of black socks, refusing a big tip. "I'm glad to help, sir," was all he'd say.

There was a fluffy terry robe hanging inside the bathroom door. After his makeshift dinner, Ben showered and changed. He felt as if his luck might be turning at last.

Chapter 19

When they arrived at the governor's reception, Meg and Tom found themselves directed to a table headed by Sir James and Lady Leah Handelman. Sir James, a portly, red-faced financier of jovial disposition, made the newcomers very welcome. "Sit down, sit down. And welcome! My dear, look what lovely young people they've sent us!"

Lady Handelman, shortsighted, homely, but with the kindest of hearts, added her generous welcome to her spouse's. She took Meg's hand in hers, leaned over and whispered, "Don't be nervous, dear. Just do as we do. Jimmy and I are old hands at this."

Meg was instantly at her ease. This is going to be a memorable evening, she thought.

* * * * * * *

Ben answered the knock on the door, hoping it might be the luggage. He found himself confronted by a couple in their 50s. Sam and Sylvia Jacobson stared at the stranger.

"May I help you?" Ben asked.

"I'm sorry. We were looking for the Weiskopfs. We thought we might invite them to dinner." Sam looked puzzled.

"I'm afraid they've left. It seems their daughter is having, or has had, the baby…"

"Sam," Sylvia clucked, "I knew we should have checked our messages first. They did say it could be happening any time." She turned to Ben. "I'm so sorry we disturbed you, sir."

"That's quite all right. Are you enjoying your stay?"

"Yes, everything is so lovely here, and all the people are so nice. We've met so many delightful people. Your neighbor across the landing here, Meg Cummings, is absolutely the most beautiful girl, for instance."

"Oh, really?" He was praying he'd come across someone who knew something about Meg. She's just across the landing. He didn't know if that was good or bad.

"Beautiful is right," chimed in Sam. "Did she look like a million tonight, or what, huh Syl?"

"Mmm, what a gown she had on! I used to have a figure like that," Mrs. Jacobson sighed.

"Hey, you're still gorgeous!" Sam announced, loyally.

Mrs. Jacobson leaned in to whisper to Ben, "That's the other good thing about Bermuda. Romance is everywhere."

Ben laughed, trying desperately to figure a way to get them back on the subject of Meg. Fortunately, they did it on their own.

"She came down about an hour ago, we all just had to stop and stare. I've never seen a more wonderful dress! Like a movie star she looked!" Sam enthused. Sylvia nodded.

"She was going to the Governor's Ball. Today is the Queen's Official Birthday, but you must know that, being from England and all. You are from England, aren't you?"

"Originally, yes, but I've been in the States a long time. I'd quite lost track of Her Majesty's Birthday, actually." Ben tried to sound interested, "would this be at the Governor's House?"

"That's what Meg said, wasn't it, Syl?" She nodded.

The Jacobsons chatted a bit more and went off to their dinner. Ben closed the door thoughtfully. Their description of Meg gave him an irresistible urge to see her. He couldn't bear to wait.

Ben checked the directory in the desk. He called for a taxi.

The taxi left him at the perimeter of the Governor's compound. Ben headed for the back, knowing that it was the likeliest place to find a way in. He couldn't mix with the tuxedo-clad crowd at the front and hope to be allowed inside.

A group of men loitered at the kitchen entrance. Ben noticed that, save for their red jackets and black bow ties, they all were dressed like him; he realized George had lent him a waiter's outfit. That was his ticket inside. He edged up to the group and stood, slightly to one side. In a matter of moments the catering manager bustled out, "all right gentlemen, the guests are assembled, let's get going, shall we?"

Ben went in with the rest.

Chapter 20

"Where's your jacket?"

Ben feigned embarrassment. "Must have left it on the bus," he mumbled.

"Well, you can't wait at table like that. Into the kitchen with you, we can use another pair of hands there, I guess. But really, lad, you have to come with the proper duds next time." He patted Ben's arm, encouraging him regardless of the mistake.

Despite his bluster, Arnold Gibson was a kindly soul. He didn't want to turn the fellow off; he looked a bit worn out, like he could use the work. He put Ben to the task of checking the trays before they were picked up, making sure everything was as it should be before the food went to the dining room.

Ben made no attempt to escape. He realized that his best opportunity to observe Meg unnoticed would be after the meal, when the dancing started. Besides, he hated to see anything mishandled, and the kitchen was a disaster waiting to happen.

The Governor's Mansion was a lovely old place, but the kitchen was antiquated and inconvenient to the ballroom. Mr. Gibson was pleased when he noticed the quiet authority with which Ben kept untangling the inevitable service bottlenecks. Without Ben's management, the staff would have spent the night running into each other.

"That one's a keeper," he murmured.

* * * * * * *

Dinner was sumptuous. Meg and her companions talked and laughed about everything: music, sports, travel, business, family life. Sir James had an endless supply of tales, some taller than others. She and Tom relaxed and had fun.

As the dinner went on, the Governor and sub-minister Brough made the rounds, chatting with the guests. Couples came and went, socializing between tables. Nobody paid any attention to Peter Hopkins, tucked away at a corner table far from the Governor's, drinking.
As the dinner continued, the orchestra arrived, replacing the string quartet that had played during the early part of the meal. Big band music filled the air. Couples got up to dance. Meg and Tom joined the crowd.

Ben heard the music and slipped away from his post. He had no trouble finding Meg, following the admiring glances of most of the men in attendance. There they were in the middle of the floor, Meg and Tom Williams, dancing. Off to one side, an elderly woman cooed to her husband. "Aren't they simply the loveliest couple? They look so happy together."

Indeed, Meg had never looked more radiant. She smiled at Tom, relaxed in his arms. Ben looked out from behind the screen separating the ballroom from the serving area, almost sick with envy.

* * * * * * *

Suddenly, the crowd parted. It was Peter Hopkins, and he was very drunk.

"Don't you look the bloody princess?" he shouted at Meg. "Too bad nobody knows the truth about you…" Meg and the others stood frozen, shocked at the sudden outburst. Hopkins raged on.

"Lovely, isn't she? Looking at her, who would imagine what she really is?"

Sub-minister Brough tried to intervene: "See here, Hopkins, it's time…" Hopkins pushed him roughly aside.

Tom Williams stepped between Hopkins and Meg. He took off his dinner jacket and folded it carefully, handing it to Meg. "I've been looking for an excuse to get out of that all night," he told her with a grin.

Tom turned to Hopkins, "One more word and you'll be sorry," he warned. Tom hesitated, looking for something to add. "Ah, the hell with it-," he said, and punched Hopkins anyway. He went down as if he'd been shot.

"I'm sorry, folks," Tom announced, turning to the crowd, "but this jerk had the nerve to get mad at Miss Cummings here because she fired him for doing a lousy job. He deserved what he got, from her and from me."

He collected his jacket from Meg and they turned toward their table to a round of applause from the assembled guests, led by Brough and the Handelmans. Meg, embarrassed, headed back to take her seat.

Hopkins staggered to his feet and cut in front of her.

"Tell all your admirers about your lover, the married man you live with! The man you persuaded to abandon a sick wife and a five-year-old son! You're nothing but a rich man's whore!" he shouted.

Meg, mortified, protested, "No, that's not true! It wasn't like that!" She turned to the horrified onlookers, pleading, "Please, you've got to believe me!" The room whirled around her. There was a face at the edge of the crowd. Ben?

Her knees gave way. Tom Williams caught her as she fainted.

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