24. SOMEONE TO REMEMBER ME BY
IT was late afternoon when Bond and Solitaire returned from their two-week sojourn. Quarrel was there to greet them, as he had wisely sent him back in advance of their arrival, so they could spend their last few days in solitude. Quarrel put up quite a fight, but Solitaire soothed his fears by assuring him she was more than capable of managing.
Bond had healed up quite nicely. Quarrel's superb gourmet feasts, combined with Solitaire's daily applications of Merthiolate and tender loving care had helped to restore him to the peak of health. Bond even returned to his early morning pastime of taking a morning swim in the ocean. Solitaire always warned him to be careful, and gave him a kiss before he ran out to the crashing waves.
As she patiently waited on the beach for his return, Solitaire closed her eyes and found her thoughts drifting back to day they first met, their train trip to Florida, and most recently, of their horrible experience at the hands of that madman, Mr. Big.
She smiled as she remembered the special care Bond had given her when they finally reached Beau Desert. Although he had received the brunt of the punishment as the Secatur dragged their bodies through the coral reef, he disregarded his injuries and placed her needs first.
After he bathed her, Bond carefully tended to Solitaire's wounds, pausing as the sting of the cruel antiseptic brought tears to her eyes to lovingly reassure her. He then carried her to his bed and tucked her in. By the time Bond had reached the door, Solitaire was sound asleep.
Thoughts of doubt crept into her mind. Did he really want her, and want to be with her? Solitaire recalled her terrifying call from the pay phone in the drug store near her quarters. She had frantically begged Bond to take her with him when he left town that morning, even threatening to commit suicide if he didn't. He really had no choice but to concede to her demand.
A few days later in St. Petersburg, Bond and Leiter left her alone at the cabana, where Mr. Big's minions quickly recaptured her. How could he have been so thoughtless, or were his thoughts on other, more significant things? Was Solitaire insignificant, in Bond's eyes?
"Stop it!" she told herself. "Trust your feelings. Trust your powers." Solitaire remembered her premonition when she first saw Bond in Mr. Big's lair, and smiled with confidence in their future together. Good thoughts cast out bad. She vowed never to share her doubts with him, lest their time together be spoiled.
One night, lying under a cascade of stars, Bond and Solitaire made love for the first time. No words were exchanged. None were necessary. He was gentle and loving, just as she had hoped and dreamed. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day.
As the days passed, Solitaire's need and desire for Bond grew, and she hoped he felt the same. Their nights were filled with passion, and their days with conversation. She shared facets of her life no man knew. She wished she could be with him forever.
"Did you enjoy yourself, Miss Solitaire?" Quarrel's voice brought Solitaire from her reverie.
"We had a wonderful time, didn't we, Darling?" she replied, as she squeezed Bond's hand and smiled, leaving no doubt that their respite was most pleasant.
Solitaire's skin was glowing as well, as the halter-top of her brief swimsuit demonstrated. This was part of the wardrobe Commander Strangways ordered from Kingston, with certain specifications undeniably provided by Bond himself, she had teased.
"Miss Solitaire, I have prepared tonight's meal in your honor. And James, you received a cable this morning, which I left on the table in your bedroom. It's in cipher, marked urgent."
Quarrel retreated to the kitchen, while Bond walked toward the bedroom to decode the message, which he was certain originated either from M or the CIA, bringing news of his next mission or the condition of his friend, Felix Leiter.
"James, before you go, may I have a word with you?" Solitaire asked. She had an unusual look on her face, as if she had been waiting for the proper moment to share something with him.
"Darling, I need to read this message first. It might be a matter of life or death. Can it wait just a few minutes?"
"Yes, Darling. It can wait." Solitaire was slightly disappointed, but understood the urgency of the matter. She crossed to the washroom to freshen up and apply a fresh coat of lipstick, while Bond attended to business.
The message deciphered as a summons to return to England without delay, as a matter had come up requiring his immediate presence. It didn't go into detail, only stating that all would be explained upon his arrival.
"Quarrel," Bond called from the bedroom, "When is the earliest flight from Kingston tomorrow morning to London?"
"2:30 in the afternoon, James. I already made a reservation for you, just in case."
Solitaire heard the conversation from the bathroom, as she was changing and freshening up. She wished she had spoken up before he read the cable, but she was unsure of how to broach the subject and would surely have made a fool of herself trying. Now this revelation seems to have turned the situation upside down.