Roger felt harried he had been directed to phone Octavian and meet with him. Georgina would have accompanied him but she had morning tea at 11.00am. The quality and quantity of his briefing left no doubt that, on his return, his report to his beloved, should contain the statement - Reggie is fully exonerated of any suspicion.
"Are you OK, Roger you look a little dazed?"
"Well last night was daze worthy."
"Oh, did I fail you this morning?"
He wrapped her in his arms.
"It would be impossible for you to fail me but last night was mind blowing."
Georgina face split in a recondite smile hinting at her depth of esoteric arcane sexual knowledge. Roger tried to match her smile.
Christ, he thought she was a virgin last week how could her smile hint at greater knowledge than his. He soon resiled, the ice thing was her idea, he wondered how much else there was to come.
"How do you know so much?" he asked.
"I can read Sanskrit."
"What?"
Georgina, still in his arms gave him a sumptuous kiss and pointed to the Colonel's copy of the Karma Sutra on the shelf.
"You'd better get going, you don't want to be late for your brother."
~~oOOo~~
Roger was shown to his brother's table.
"How are you Rags, you look tired?" Octavian said with a smirk.
"I am a little worn, brother dear, but what a wonderful way to be tired.
The smirk switched faces.
Octavian smacked a report on the table.
"I don't have time to read. I am too busy working for Georgina."
"Working, is that what its called nowadays?"
"Jealousy erodes your debonair mien, just tell me."
Rarely did Roger beat his elder brother, he was enjoying this.
"OK, but first Regina Slater was killed in a house fire in 1928."
Roger's eyes were rounder than his mouth.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, no doubt. The house fire was unusually hot but her remains were identified. This of course leads to the question who is YOUR Reggie?"
"I don't doubt her Eight, the identification must be wrong."
"Christ Rags, you picked her up off the street last month and you doubt ME!"
Octavian was unable to hide the anger in his voice.
"Not you Eight, the fuckwit who wrote the report."
Octavian face remained marble smooth.
"That is not the worst of your worries."
Wicklow delivered coffee, the interlude was enough to restore Octavian's smooth demeanor. After a sip of his drink Roger could see a smile was playing with the corners of his mouth.
"OK, what is the worst?"
"Brielle went to a pawn shop, then left with a parcel which she took to Little Sanctuary. She then met a striking blond woman at Regents Park. Their conversation was furtive and lasted over twenty minutes."
Roger ignored the inference.
"And your fuck interest?"
Octavian stared at his brother confirming again what a perceptive and aggravating twerp he was. He was indeed interested in Lola.
"Shouldn't the Best-man and the Bridesmaid out-fuck the bride and groom?"
"Even with Lola that was an impossible mission."
Roger glared at his brother until he looked away.
"Lola lost her tail in a woman's toilet, she was picked up some time later in Regents Park."
"Someone followed Reggie too, I imagine."
"Reggie, or whoever she is, went to the factory where she is making the cameras, she met with a man talked for a while and gave him a large box."
"You have so little common sense Octavian, your spy has overruled your humanity, you see intrigue in everything."
The use of his full name annoyed him, it implied censure.
"While you are pussy whipped, you've sniffed their cunts and will now deny all FACTS that distort the opinion of your gonads."
"The man Reggie met was a carrier, he delivered the cameras to Little Sanctuary. Reggie and Georgina installed them last night."
Octavian gave a so-what shrug. Which annoyed Roger, he snarled, "I'll bring you a pair of Lola dirty knickers, you can sniff them to fuel your dreams."
"Don't worry Rags, I have a pair."
"So what have you found out about Georgina?"
"Nothing yet."
Octavian was baiting his brother, he was not used to coming out on the wrong side of the debate. Roger stood with such aggression his chair toppled, drawing every eye in the Dorchester.
"I will continue to trust those I trust despite your machinations. When you find a human in that," he waved his hand indicating Octavian's head. "I'd be pleased to speak to it."
Roger spun on his heel and was gone before his brother could blink.
~~oOOo~~
"The Baroness of Carlton, your Ladyship."
It took Georgina a while to wake up to the fact that she was being addressed, a fact not missed by her visitor. The Baroness of Carlton, Judith Maxwell stood, a statuesque figure, in the doorway.
"Oh, Thank you Claire," Georgina stood and offered her hand, "please come in your Ladyship."
"Judith... like you I detest all this Ladyship bullshit."
Judith took the offered hand.
"Come and sit Judith, I'm Georgina.
Judith had waved goodbye to her forties a long while ago but this farewell was not reflected in her imposing body and regal countenance. She hadn't worked at all to deny her senescence it appeared that aging had treated her kindly or maybe beauty like hers didn't fade. Her fine bone structure was fleshed in skin that remembered every smile and grimace but only just. Despite light lines around her eyes and mouth, her green eyes drew Georgina's gaze. They were almond shaped and sparkled like emeralds, they sat on top of a petite nose and generous mouth.
Dressed, she had the body of a thirty year old, it flowed in and out in classic proportions accentuating an ample bust, lean waist and full hips.
She broke Georgina's scrutiny, "Thank you Georgina."
Claire returned with a tray, filled with mignardise and petit fours.
"Ashley has outdone herself Mam, the kitchen staff are hoping she made too many."
Georgina smiled.
"I told them they were dreaming," Claire said as she left.
The women chatted easily and whilst Georgina had every intention of leaving some sweets soon there was none.
Georgina put her cup down, smiled at Judith and said, "Now, what can we do for you?"
Judith returned the smile, "I'm disappointed that your husband is missing but I am glad he is, it makes this easier."
"Please take your time."
Georgina sat back in the chair, pointedly.
"Well, I have never had an orgasm."
Judith drew a shuddering breath, Georgina sat up and gripped her arm.
"Please go on," she said.
"I didn't worry when Fredrick was alive, he was very predictable and excitable, a quick grope three pumps and that kept him happy for the week. With his lack of imagination he could never be the architect of an orgasm, even had I been capable."
Judith eyes unfocused, creases found traction on a face that previously seemed immune to them.
"Please go on Judith, if I can help, I will."
"I saw a psychologist when Frederick died, he said I had to re-visit the trauma. Of course I told him that was poppy cock and he was a charlatan. Seeing you two, so obviously in love, when I was threatened by the revolver, made me think about it again. I when I heard you both climaxing in the toilet I became very jealous, then determined. Will you help me relive my trauma?"
She opened her bag and handed Georgina a cheque for fifteen hundred guineas.
"I'll take up the foundation membership."
"Thank you, congratulations on being the first female member."
"You are welcome my dear."
The conversation which had briefly lighten quickly darkened again.
"What form did the trauma take?" Georgina asked.
Judith swallowed hard. The debonair editor of Woman's World blushed, then hid her face in her handkerchief. Georgina heard a gentle sobbing. Her thoughts went back to Richard and how it had been easier for her to tell her story in first person. Reggie also relived the episodes as if they were actually happening.
Georgina knelt beside Judith she pulled a hand free and kissed it to gain her attention.
"Oh, I'm so sorry Georgina, I'm just being silly, forgive me."
"Judith, please tell me."
Georgina had cheated that was not the way society demanded she respond, she was supposed to retreat and console.
"All of us here are damaged, we have shared our stories and can see the light, with each others support we MAY end up being normal, whatever that is. Would you like my support?"
Judith shuddered she had received so little compassion in her life she distrusted it. She earned everything by her own efforts.
"What do you want for your support?" she said brutally.
"One of our members wants a dominatrix, Reggie said she'd do it but she could do with some support."
"You want me to help little Regina beat some sick masochistic mummy loving twerp?"
"Yes."
Judith straightened to her full height, "Keep the cheque but I want nothing to do with you."
She stood and headed towards the door.
"Come back here and sit!" Georgina said in a massive voice.
Judith wavered.
"Unless you park your arse here immediately I will send Roger around to beat you!"
Judith's veneer shattered, she looked like a little girl. She wasn't fooled by Georgina's act but something had broken inside her. By the amount of tears she shed it could have been a dam.
Georgina went to her and drew her into her embrace, placed Judith's head on her shoulder and rubbed her back. When Judith managed to shore up her breach and the tears lessened she said, uncharacteristically.
"Thank you Dear, will you help me?"
Georgina smiled, "Yes, for free. I have the man I've loved since I was eighteen, real friends who would die for me and more money than I could ever spend."
"If I get over this, I will help Regina beat any number of spineless wonders, if I can wear a mask."
