Chapter Twenty-Two: Sir Richard Rodgers
Katherine Rodgers looked out the window to see Heathrow Airport appearing below. She felt the thump of the landing gear locking into place. It almost felt like a fairy tale to her although it was very real. Her husband's body bore the scars to prove it. Scars that proved the courage that brought them here. She leaned over and kissed her husband then looked across the aisle and smiled at her daughter. Okay, technically her step-daughter but it didn't feel like that.
She never consciously thought of Alexis as anything but her daughter or even sub-consciously for that matter. Nor did Alexis think of her as anything but mom. Alexis smiled back and winked as if she knew exactly what Kate was feeling. Maybe she did. Kate and Rick had what Esposito and Ryan called their shared mind thing and it looked like that was developing with Alexis as well.
They waited for a few minutes after the plane rolled to a stop. Rick took Kate's hand and pulled her to her feet. He kept his hand gently in the small of her back as they descended the stairs. A man in the uniform of a customs official met them at the foot of the stairs and smiled.
"Welcome to England Colonel Rodgers and ladies. May I have your passports please? Your luggage has been pre-cleared on Royal privilege. We'll get these stamped immediately." He led them through a VIP gate and less than two minutes later they cleared customs.
After clearing customs they were met by a Royal Marine officer. He saluted smartly then said;
"Colonel Rodgers, ladies, I am Major Rolfe Clyde-White of the Royal Marines. It is my honour to be your escort officer. Since you are a serving officer of The United States Marines, Colonel, we of the Royal Marines have claimed the right of hosting you and your lovely ladies. Since you are a pilot, Colonel we had a bit of a tussle with the fleet air arm but we were victorious."
He turned and smiled at the women. "May I be introduced to these very lovely ladies, sir?"
Rick was a little embarrassed. "Of course Major, my apologies. My wife, Katherine, our daughter, Alexis and my mother, Martha." The major shook hands with all three ladies.
"I am pleased and honoured ladies, one seldom meets three such lovely ladies in a group. You are a fortunate man, Colonel." Kate blushed. Then looked at the major and said;
"I am pleased to meet you Major Clyde-White and thank you for the compliment but I think the fortunate one is me. My husband is an amazing man with the biggest heart I know of." The major nodded. He's got to have a big heart to go with the size of his stones. Martha and Alexis both thanked him for the compliment, Alexis blushing much more than Kate.
They chatted for a few minutes until porters arrived with their luggage then the major escorted them to a navy blue Land Rover with Royal Navy markings. The porters loaded their luggage into the Land Rover and Rick tipped them generously. Once they were seated, the major said;
"We have taken the liberty of placing you in the Admiralty's VIP guest house at Whitehall. I hope you don't mind but we can guarantee your safety there and the paparazzi cannot get at you. Cheeky buggers, all of them. You are nearly as famous here as you are in the States. Very few Americans get knighted even fewer receive the DSO. There were no paparazzi at the airport because the airlines reported your ETA as two hours from now.
"What do you mean guarantee our safety? Kate asked. This is London, not New York."
"We have our share of our home grown crazies, Clyde-White said. And your husband's actions in the Middle East are well known here, which certainly didn't endear him to the Islamic militants. Unfortunately we have our share of those too. They might be able to penetrate hotel security but not a naval installation. All our security personnel working during your visit have been specially vetted.
I know that you ladies are going to want to do a little shopping as well as seeing the sights so a car and driver will be placed at your disposal as well as security personnel from the Marine Commandos, in civilian clothes of course. Hats and sunglasses should be sufficient to keep you from being recognized."
Since it would be great publicity for the Marine Corps Rick had been placed on temporary detached duty with the American embassy. They would have a month in Great Britain at
Government expense. Kate was especially delighted. She would have a chance to see her ancestral home. Rick had bought a top of the line DSLR camera for her.
About half an hour after they arrived at the guest house there was a knock at the door. The security officer answered it. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge walked in. Kate Middleton wore a casual pants suit and Prince William slacks and a sport coat over an open necked dress shirt. The Duchess embraced Kate.
"We would have liked to meet you at the airport, she said but that would have attracted unwanted attention. As it is, supper will be along shortly. I hope that you don't mind that we took the liberty of ordering a catered supper for us and that you'll forgive the intrusion."
Kate's eyes were wide and she had to fight down the urge to laugh hysterically.
"Intrusion, how could such a wonderful welcome be an intrusion? We are honored and humbled that you would do this for us." Kate Middleton's eyes sparkled with enjoyment of the moment.
"I really don't know how to explain it, since our lives are so different but ever since Wills and I met you two at your Marine Corps ball there has been a connection between us. We saw the news over here and when we saw Colonel Rodgers' plane crash I cried so hard. Wills wanted to have that reporter strangled."
Kate laughed at that. "That would have been too quick for her. As it is, the woman is having a miserable time. Her network is based in New York as is she. The New York Police Department is seriously displeased with her as is the police commissioner and the mayor. She can't move her car out of the garage without collecting a moving violation, an equipment violation or a parking ticket. The department isn't doing anything illegal. No one could drive in New York without violating some law if the traffic officers didn't overlook minor offenses or violations. In her case, they're not. Every i is dotted, every t is crossed.
Furthermore all the little courtesies and exceptions usually granted news crews have been withdrawn for her network. On top of official displeasure, Rick is a very popular native son of New York. Most of the good restaurants won't seat her. I think that before too long she'll be covering sled races in Frozen Butt Alaska."
Kate Middleton let out a delighted peal of laughter at Kate's comment.
"You're a breath of fresh air Katherine Rodgers. Most people are so formal around Wills and I except Harry of course and everyone knows that he's a madcap. We are going to have to work out some new diminutives here. We are both Kate's although my name starts with a C."
Kate rolled her eyes then laughed. "That's easy; the whole world knows you as Kate. I'll go with Kathy I've used that before anyway." The two men hadn't said anything yet, both bemused at seeing their respective wives connecting like old friends. Rick was especially surprised, in that Kate was usually such a private person. Prince William moved first, extending his hand.
"Welcome to London Colonel Rodgers. It seems that our wives have decided on informality so may I call you Richard?"
Rick smiled and put a hand on Prince William's shoulder. "Actually I prefer Rick but what should I call you?"
"Wills is my wife's name for me. My mates in flight training and my first squadron called me Billy the fish as I was serving under the name William Wales. My father is the Prince of Wales, so I think Bill would do quite nicely."
"Then Bill it is, Rick said, his eyes twinkling with good humor. This feeling of bonhomie was rare these days. The last few years, Rick Castle the bon vivant had been slowly disappearing as he became focused on working with the NYPD then the last year had nearly erased that part of the man who was now Colonel Richard Rodgers. Kate mourned the loss. The playful nine- year old on a sugar rush was nowhere to be found. He'd left the playground.
As Kate watched the two men and saw the humor in her husband's face she thought; maybe this month in Great Britain, especially with something as outlandish as him being knighted, will bring some of my nine-year old back. I do so miss that part of him. I can remember when I would have thought that impossible. Command has given him so much but it has taken too much away.
The Duke and Duchess exchanged places so that William could greet Kate and Kate Middleton could greet Rick. The initial greetings over with Rick called Martha and Alexis. Alexis blushed at being greeted by the royal couple but Kate Middleton immediately put her at her ease.
"Hello Alexis, what a smart ensemble you're wearing. You know that several events that you will attend will be televised. There are going to be girls all over Britain copying your style. And I daresay that my brother-in-law wishes he were a decade younger."
Martha was greeted just as warmly, which she returned with the aplomb of a veteran actress.
"I think that we should move into the dining room as the caterers have arrived. The duchess said. I thought that we should have a traditional English supper as it's quite similar to a typical American supper." They were served roast beef with roasted potatoes, peas, a Yorkshire pudding and apple pie. The meal passed with great conversation, although the men were a little put out when the ladies all ganged up on them, forbidding any talk of aircraft or military operations, Kate Middleton making the strongest point.
"Our dear Kathy is pregnant and that by itself is stressful enough, without having to rehear all the things that worried her. Light conversation only, gentlemen. On that note, Kathy are you hoping for a boy or a girl?"
That evening passed quickly and pleasantly, ending with an exhausted Kate snuggled happily in her husband's arms. The next morning though things became hectic very quickly. Both Rick and Kate had to be briefed on the protocol for investiture into the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George and then practice it. Rick had been told that it was an honorary knighthood as he was not a British citizen. He didn't know that Princes Harry and William had gone to the queen and the Grand Master of the order to plead the case that in this one instance an exception be granted and a full knighthood be conferred, arguing the same case that had been argued for the DSO, that Rick's actions had saved the lives of commonwealth troops.
It also required approval of the U.S. State Department, which was granted. While Kate and Rick were occupied with these preparations Alexis and Martha were seeing some of the sights of London. Alexis particularly enjoying the Imperial Museum and the Tower of London while Martha was enthralled by the Old Globe Theater and the opportunity to shop at Harrods of London.
For Kate and Rick, that week passed all too quickly and Friday morning arrived, bright and cool. The awards parade was held in the courtyard of Buckingham Palace.*
Kate, Alexis and Martha had never attended a British ceremony so they followed Kate Middleton's lead, shopping for dresses at a boutique that she favored. All three ended up wearing simple but stylish knee length dresses in light weight wool with high heels, gloves and hats, the hats resembling hard berets. Kate wore a deep purple, almost black dress, Alexis chose gray with just a touch of lavender to it and Martha, grumbling a little because she couldn't wear her usual flamboyant outfits chose dusty rose.
They were honored to be seated on the reviewing stand between Kate Middleton and Prince Harry. Prince William had been chosen as the queen's representative. He was in uniform as Colonel of the Irish Guards. The Irish Guards band played as the colors company passed in review. Rick, of course wasn't the only person to be decorated. A major of the Marine commandos and a sergeant of the SAS both received the Victoria Cross.
Then Prince William commanded; "Persons to be decorated with the Distinguished Service Order, Center March!" Rick and three other officers stepped forward. Two men, both majors were awarded DSO's for service in Afghanistan and one, a lieutenant colonel for his actions in the recent incursion against the Islamic militants. Prince William stepped over to Rick.
"Today's award is truly an historic occasion. The DSO is rarely given to a member of a foreign armed force. Her Majesty feels that Colonel Rodgers' actions were unique enough to warrant it. In a complicated air action in the Middle East, Colonel Rodgers' courage and leadership enabled allied air forces to defeat an attack that very well could have destroyed allied ground attack aircraft, thus leaving our ground troops vulnerable to an entrenched enemy. There were twenty-four allied fighters involved against thirty-two of the enemy. Twenty- seven were shot down.
Colonel Rodgers shot own six of them, an extraordinary and heroic feat of airmanship. Congratulations Colonel Rodgers." Rick saluted and William returned it.
"Thank you sir." Rick said. After all the other medals were presented the families and friends of the awardees gathered around. Kate was beaming, so proud of her husband. Rick turned as he sensed someone approaching. The man wore the uniform of a Royal Navy Admiral.
Prince Charles smiled as he returned Rick's salute. "I can see that my sons were not exaggerating, Colonel. I was a fighter pilot at one point in my career. I never saw combat, thank God but I know what it takes to fly one. You have well- earned that medal Colonel as well as the gratitude of the British people."
As if that morning was not eventful enough, that evening was the investiture into the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George. The event was set for the early evening so that a reception and formal dinner could follow. All three of the Rodgers women were in awe as they walked into the formal audience chamber of Buckingham Palace. Rick wore evening mess dress uniform.
Kate had opted for a new Vera Wang evening gown in a deep blue that matched her husband's uniform jacket, white evening gloves, her diamond and sapphire necklace and the sapphire earrings Martha had given her. Her rich chestnut mane was worn in a French roll, exposing her slim, elegant neck. Alexis wore her first evening gown. Another Vera Wang gown similar to Kate's but in pure dazzling white. A heart shaped diamond pendent and diamond earrings. Her hair up in an identical style to Kates.
Martha completed the Vera Wang trio, her dress in blood red. The dresses were a not so subtle statement, in the colors of the American flag. Of course, those were also the colors of the British flag as well.
Prince William was again the queen's representative and would perform the knighting. Queen Elizabeth could not attend as she was ill with the flu. Again Prince William cited Rick's heroics and service to Britain. And also cited the unique situation to bestowing a full, not honorary knighthood on a non-citizen. He actually grinned at the look on Rick's face as he hadn't been told. After dubbing him the full mantle and chapeau of a knight were placed on Rick.
William grinned again as he stated, "You may now style yourself as Sir Richard Rodgers and your lady as Dame Katherine." Now we have come up with a procedure that might ease the awkwardness for some of our people. The paperwork has been prepared for you, your wife and your daughter to apply for dual citizenship in the U.K. If you agree all you need to do is sign the application. We have already been assured that the application will be approved. Think about it over the weekend and we'll complete the documents on Monday."
*Author's Note. I was unable to find out exactly how a British Army medal ceremony is run so I based it on U.S. Army protocol. I was a Serving officer of the United States Army.(Airborne)
Please review. I'm not too sure how I feel about this chapter.