King's College - chapter 50
A Little Bit of Edith
Saturday morning found Trevor Pembroke, reclining comfortably, with his toes hanging out of the bottom of the duvet on Edith's bed. "So, where's my coffee, my sweet? I hope it's coming soon because I can't negotiate life before my first cup." Edith was wrapped in a tiny slip of a oriental dressing gown. She brought 2 espressos on a tray and assumed her position at the side of the bed.
"Excellent...perhaps we can talk after I drink this. Until then...shut up." he said.
Edith wasn't sure she liked this attitude, but Pembroke was very posh...born into lordship…attended only the finest schools….had connections everywhere….dressed sexy chic and took care of his body impeccably.
After downing his espresso, Trevor proposed a plan for the day. "Here's what I'm thinking Edith. After I have my way with you this morning, my lovely vixen, we should go for brunch at Trafalgar Square, then we should head up to Kew Gardens for a bit of a nature walk. On the way back home we should stop at a few boutiques and find you something devastatingly sexy to wear for the evening...then dinner and a night of dancing. Have you heard of the disco "Head" in Soho? I know the owner and we will get first class service there, plus I'll get to see your little body move...something I'll always like.
Edith found the proposed schedule a bit daunting but it was better than sitting at home studying...perhaps… So much for being the intellectual, spiritual type who needed time alone to recharge her batteries. She was actually feeling a twinge of guilt having fed that line to Ellingham and having him generously, though reluctantly, acquiesce to her wishes. Now she would be non-stop partying for the next 36 hours. Pembroke's dictatorial ways were also getting on her nerves, but not enough for her to think he was anything but fabulous. The next thing she knew she was being grabbed by the ties of her dressing gown and pushed in the direction of Pembroke's turgid member.
Trevor laughed. "Time to go to work, my dear. You can't keep your man waiting."
Edith was relieved of her dressing gown and did what she had to do. She felt a bit resentful, but at least by tonight she'd have a new dress, as expensive as possible if she had her way.
Martin, on the other hand, went about his mundane business. He made sure his apartment was immaculate, got a haircut and started organizing the things he would need for the trip to Cornwall. Without specific things to direct his studies he found himself browsing all his back copies of the Lancet, as well as the New England Journal of Medicine, which was American, he had to admit, but qualified as desired reading for any clinician.
He decided to call Auntie Joan and firm up their arrival plans. The phone was picked up. "Auntie Joan, it's Martin. I'm calling you to firm up plans for Monday."
Auntie Joan sounded well. "Oh, Marty, I'm so happy to hear from you. You sound good. Uncle Phil and I will expect you around supper time and I know you will be bringing your young lady. Can't wait to meet her."
"Oh, Auntie, you will like her...she's very intelligent….and she makes me feel on top of the world….."
Suddenly, in the background he heard sounds of stridor, followed by violent coughing and choking sounds. "Oh my, Marty, Phil is having one of his choking spells again. I have to go. Sometimes if I slap his back he can get whatever it is out. I love you Marty. See you on Monday. Ta."
Martin was alarmed at the events that had just transpired. Uncle Phil was a huge, blustery man but in truth a gentle giant. He wasn't well educated, but knew horticulture and animal husbandry like the back of his hand. He also had considerable common sense wisdom, acquired at the "School of Hard Knocks". When Martin would visit, Uncle Phil was a perfect example of what it meant to be a real man. He and Martin would spend hours on his tractor, plowing the fields or shoveling the earth, turning the soil, but after supper and bath in the evening he would let Martin sit on his lap where they would look at books or Uncle Phil would read to him. Phil also treated Auntie Joan like gold. There was a row here and there but they always resolved it and you could tell they had great respect for each other.
If only he could have lived with them, Martin wondered, his life could have been a totally different thing than the hopeless abyss it turned out to be for years. But now he had Edith and things didn't seem as hopeless as they were before. He was in love and nothing else made much difference. But why would Phil be choking? Martin would look into that when he got there. That was certain.
