Miss Silver and the Captain.
Miss Silver and Frank Abbott are the creation of Patricia Wentworth. In her heyday she rivalled Miss Marple. What happens when the frumpy detective meets the dashing captain? Set just after WW2.
Not sure Abcarter quite knew what she was taking on when she/he agreed to BETA for me. Lets just say any grammatical or stylistic errors are all mine. Review are loved, and yes this is a repost.
Cocktails
Miss Silver had chosen the corner armchair, far enough from the window to be cosy (old country houses can be so draughty) yet close enough to still see the twilight illuminate the faces of the young people chatting and laughing around the unlit fire. Her old friend Mildred sat next to her chatting ten to the dozen.
"I do wish I could knit like you. I never could turn a heel. I do believe you must be on your third sock today. You are so expert; grey is such a dreary colour though. I do like to see young people enjoying themselves. That is why I let my niece Jenny invite her friends over. It is important that these young people get away from their work and have some fun. It's all right for the boys of course, but the young girls must feel it. If the War hadn't happened Jenny would be married by now. Poor Simon! He broke it off after the crash you know. Jenny has never been the same since."
She paused briefly for breath and Miss Silver took the opportunity to ask a question.
"He is coming today is he not?" Her hands continued knitting whilst she looked at Mildred, a kindly smile on her lips.
"Yes, and bringing some Yank with him. Oh dear that was very rude of me, but they can be so brash don't you think? Simon speaks very highly of him, and he has no family so of course I told Jenny that he could come. Well it is quite dark now isn't it? I am sure it is dark enough to put some lights on, and light the fire. The coal ration really doesn't stretch far enough. Do excuse me." Miss Silver inclined her head in permission, although Mildred wasn't really paying her attention, having already risen to go and light the fire.
Miss Silver observed the room. Jenny, so pretty with her blond curls and slender figure, a little too thin and pale, a little tired around the eyes. Her friend Ethel, plump and jolly laughing up at a tall young man, Frederick, Miss Silver remembered, the son of the local squire, rather serious and red in the face. Next to him another girl, short, vivacious, lipstick a little too red, jumper a rather too bright emerald green, Amanda, she worked in Jenny's office.
Jenny helped her aunt to light the fire. The kindling refused to catch, and as Jenny raised her head to ask one of the others for help, the door opened and Simon walked in. Miss Silver saw the blood rush away from Jenny's face, leaving her impossibly pale. Jenny put out a hand and touched the fireplace, the cool marble seemed to ground her, and she moved forward to greet him.
"Simon, so glad you could come." She allowed him to kiss her cheek, and turned to the man who had walked in with him. "You must be Jack," she said putting out her hand "so nice to meet you."
Jack took the hand, and raised it to his lips briefly, in an old fashioned gesture Miss Silver approved of. Jenny looked bemused. A slight blush touched her cheeks.
"The pleasure is all mine." He smiled. Jenny no longer looked as though she was about to faint. The chatter had died down, all faces turned to watch the captain. He rubbed his hands lightly together and walked towards the fireplace and his hostess. Talk resumed as he was introduced.
Miss Silver observed the interaction from her chair. When the captain had walked in she had paused knitting, now she wondered why. Danger, was the only word that came to mind. This man bought danger with him. It was not in her nature to be fanciful, so she examined her thought. Jack wore the uniform of the RAF, the insignia of a captain on his jacket. He wore the uniform negligently, raffishly. He was tall, dark haired, blue eyes. His hair just the wrong side of needing a trim. He already had the room laughing, all eyes on him apart from the girl in the emerald jumper. She was looking down at her skirt, pulling at a thread. Miss Silver thought she looked petulant and apprehensive. Jack addressed a word to her. She looked up and glowered. He laughed again. Yes, dangerous was definitely the word.
Frederick and Ethel handed round the cocktails. Miss Silver heard Jack begin an anecdote about a friend of his and a cocktail called a hypervodka. Mildred sat back down. "Really," she said, "he is very charming but those tales of his – not for mixed company, my dear Maude."
Miss Silver observed that times were changing, and began a soothing anecdote about a tea party she had attended before the war.
Jack drifted over to the chair beside her. Miss Silver had finished her sock and was now casting on a pair of bootees. She had observed Jack gracefully leave the group of young people as though naturally seeking a chair, but she had the feeling nothing this young man did was without purpose. She wondered what that purpose was.
Mildred introduced him, a little flustered, "oh, Miss Silver, may I introduce to you Captain Jack Harkness. He has been so kind to Simon since the accident."
Miss Silver offered her hand; she had the feeling he was about to kiss it, but changed his mind for some reason. He shook it gently. "A pleasure to meet you, Ma'am."
Miss Silver inclined her head graciously and gave him a slight smile "So nice to meet you, Captain."
"Please, call me Jack. Captain makes me feel like I'm on duty, and I'm here to relax."
"I believe you have been helping Simon in his recovery."
Jack wondered for a moment what she would say if she knew just what form his help had taken. He looked at her and experienced a slight shock. He had already realised there was more to this little governessy woman, hence the hand shake rather than the kiss, but now he had the feeling she had looked right through him, and that nothing could be hidden from her. His thoughts turned to a certain Doctor.
"It was nothing. He just needed a little moral support. To get his confidence back. He's a really good kid."
"Surely you are both of an age, Captain," Observed Mildred.
"Well there are few years between us. I have more experience, so they feel like boys to me." He cringed inwardly, knowing that in another age what he had just said would have an entirely other meaning. Fortunately Miss Silver and Mildred took him at face value.
"You joined the Royal Air Force rather than the American air force, Captain?" asked Miss Silver.
Jack nodded. " I was already working in England when war was declared. I volunteered a few months in."
"What did you do before the war?"
"I was a sort of police officer, but I could already fly, so though I would be more use in the airforce."
"There was another Captain Jack Harkness, an American related to the Norfolk Harkness family, such a coincidence you both having the same name, and being captains in the RAF. He died though I believe, such a waste," remarked Mildred.
Jack felt his insides still and grow a little cold. Miss Silver was looking at him intently. "Really I hadn't heard of him. Can I get you ladies a refill?" He stood up and walked over to the drinks trolley. He could feel Miss Silver's eyes boring into him.
"Well he is very informal," said Mildred. Miss Silver nodded. There was something about the captain. Some mystery. She watched as he leant down to speak to Simon. A curiously intimate gesture between two men.
Simon rose and went to talk to Jenny. Miss Silver approved; they made a charming couple, and whilst she understood the scruples that made Simon end the engagement when he believed he would be unable to provide a suitable income, it was now obvious that he had improved beyond measure.
Jenny let him take her hand and they walked over to the window to talk.
Captain Jack returned with two glasses of dry sherry for Miss Silver and Mildred. As he placed them on the occasional table the lights flickered and went out.
"Dear me," Miss Silver allowed herself to use her strongest expression.
"Oh what a nuisance, a fuse must have gone. I've never been very good with those sort of things," said Mildred.
"Allow me, just show me where the fuse box is." Jack took Mildred by the arm and led her from the room.
Within moments the lights flickered back on and a few seconds later Jack and Mildred returned. Mildred was all smiles, but Jack had a thoughtful expression.
"Well it must have been a fluctuation in the national grid. All the fuses were fine," Mildred said with a smile..
Jack was silent, and Miss Silver glanced at him. He gave her a reassuring smile, but she still had the feeling that he felt there was something else wrong beyond a flickering light.
The party broke up soon after dinner. The clear twilight had turned to wintry dusk, rain spattered occasionally against the French windows. Frederick left by the window to walk back to the manor house. Amanda needed to cycle down to her digs in the village and wanted to get going before the rain got worse. She turned down the offer of a lift from the captain and Simon.
"No thanks! I've seen the way you drive, I'd rather get there in one piece!" The words could have been teasing, but there was an undercurrent of spite directed at Jack. He lifted an eyebrow and smiled. Rather predatory Jenny found herself thinking. She had made an arrangement to meet Simon for tea the next day. The tiredness was lifting as she thought about how he had held her hand, and talked to her, making her feel that she mattered to him. He had explained how Jack's support had helped him to find his confidence again. Personally, she found the captain a little overwhelming, but if he helped her Simon, she would only think good of him.
Simon was quiet on the drive back to Ledlington. Jack glanced over at him. "That went well I thought."
Simon smiled. "I feel guilty about deceiving Jenny."
"But you love her right? So what's to feel guilty about?"
"You and me? Remember?"
"It was one night Si. You can't let it ruin the rest of your life. Ruin Jenny's life. She loves you, any one can see that."
"You really don't see things the way I do, the way this small town does, do you Jack? What I did with you puts me beyond the pale. If any one found out…."
"No one's going to find out, Si" he placed his hand on Simon's thigh.
Simon jerked it away. "Don't!"
Jack sighed and changed the subject. "I'll drop you off, then I need to go back to the house."
"The flickering lights?"
Jack nodded. "There was a power drain, but I couldn't investigate properly with Millie around."
"The French window has a loose catch. I don't suppose Millie has fixed it. It's been that way for years."
