Chapter 19

Amanda's flight landed at National at 10:45 P.M. She walked out of the jetway and into Lee's embrace; after a tender kiss, he said, "Oh, it is so good to hold you again. Good flight?"

"Fine; everyone sends their love. Bob drove me down to the airport."

"I really don't know what we'd have done without the Van Slaars family's support."

"I don't either. Have you had a good day?"

"Yes; I'm here with you, and I had a surprise visit from my uncle today. I'll tell you all about it on the way home. Did you check a bag?"

"No, since I've got plenty of clothes at home. I just put a few things in this carryon in case we were spending the night at your apartment."

"Your house is closer, but I don't have any clothes there."

"Then let's go to the apartment, and tomorrow I'll go over and get some more clothes. Did you bring the Corvette or the Jeep?"

"The Corvette; the Jeep is still parked at the house."

Hand in hand, they went out to where he'd parked the Corvette; once they were in the car, he took her in his arms and kissed her several times. "That's to hold me until later," he said, and started the engine.

As he drove back across the Potomac, Amanda said, "What brought Colonel Clayton to Washington?"

"Research for his book, he says, but mainly I think he just wanted to come back and see some of his old buddies – and us. I invited him to come up to the Q with me and we had a good talk. He said he was proud of me, Amanda."

"Well, he is, but I'm glad he finally said it. You told him everything?"

"Yes, and then I took him on a tour of the place, since he still has his security clearance. He met Billy, which went great, and then I introduced him to Francine." He paused for effect.

"And?"

"He took her out to dinner at the Officers' Club at Bolling. They have live music on Friday nights."

"Dinner and dancing with Francine? Oh, my."

"Yes. There's twenty years' difference in their ages, but it was like something out of an old movie to watch. He shook her hand, he held it for just a bit longer than necessary, and she turned pink."

"Francine, blushing?"

"Yep. Never thought I'd see it. Anyway, we will see how it goes."

"Francine and Colonel Clayton…. Wow."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Who could have figured on that one?"

"Well, now that I think about it, it starts to make sense."

"How do you figure that?"

"Think about it, Lee. She's tired of the Jonathan Stones of this world who refuse to grow up; men her own age have let her down time and time again. The colonel, on the other hand, is older and if there's anything he can be counted on for, it's reliability."

"That's true. When Robert Clayton makes a promise, he keeps it, no matter the cost."

"Yes, he does. She's thirty-four, Lee, and her biological clock is ticking."

"Biological clock ….babies? You think Francine wants babies?"

"Yes, I do, and your uncle is still very capable of giving her those babies."

"Can we change the subject, please?"

"You brought it up," she pointed out.

"Yes, but just to tell you that they went out for dinner and dancing, not to suggest that they'd get married and have babies."

"Just don't rule out the possibility, that's all I'm saying."

Amanda smiled in the darkness of the car. It was funny, really, how squeamish Lee could be when discussing something like his uncle's sex life.

At ten o'clock on Saturday morning, Amanda was eating a late breakfast – she'd given up on trying to get Lee to eat anything – when the phone rang. Lee was sitting on the couch, reading the morning paper; he reached behind him and picked up the receiver, hoping that there wasn't a flap on at the Agency. "Stetson."

"Good morning, Lee. Did Amanda make it in all right?" Colonel Clayton asked.

"Yes, sir, she did. She's eating breakfast, and we have an appointment to see the house at eleven."

"Then I'm glad I caught you before you left. I called to ask if you and Amanda would like to join me and Francine for dinner tonight? You pick the place."

"Just a second. Amanda? Dinner tonight with my uncle and Francine?"

"Sure, that sounds good," Amanda said. "Where?"

"He said we could pick. Spencer's?"

"Sounds good. Ask if he wants to come see the house with us."

"Amanda wants to know if you want to come with us to see the house, sir."

"I'm a bit far away for that, Son. I borrowed a plane and flew Francine up to tour West Point; we're at Stewart right now, about to get in the car I also borrowed and drive down there. We can be back by six, though, if that will work for you?"

"Six is fine. Enjoy your day, sir."

"Lee, my friends call me Clay. Don't you think we've gone beyond the formal stage?"

"Yes, I do. See you at six, then."

Lee cradled the receiver and went into the dining room, looking a bit stunned.

"Is he coming to see the house?" Amanda asked.

"No. He called me from Stewart Field in New York. He borrowed a plane, don't ask me how he did it on such short notice, but he did, and he flew Francine up there to give her a tour of West Point. Stewart Field is about half an hour away in Newburgh; it's an old air force base, but during World War II cadets who wanted to earn their wings did some of their training there while they were still undergraduates. Now, it's a New York Air National Guard base and an overflow housing area for people assigned to West Point."

"Why West Point?"

"It's his old stomping grounds – he's a graduate, Class of 1954."

"How did a graduate of West Point end up in the Air Force? I thought it trained army officers."

"When he graduated in 1954, the Air Force Academy didn't exist, so in those days, graduates of the Military and Naval Academies could choose to be commissioned in the Air Force. He told me once that about a quarter of his graduating class chose the Air Force. Oh, and he says we're supposed to call him 'Clay', like his friends do."

"Progress. That's good. If he's thirty minutes away from West Point, though, how are they getting there?"

"Oh, he borrowed a car. I can almost guarantee you that he's going to take her on the scenic route, around the edge of Storm King mountain. It's full of twists and turns, but the views of the Hudson are spectacular."

"Sounds like fun."

"And then there's West Point itself – lots of history, beautiful scenery, and, for those so inclined, the famous Flirtation Walk."

"Is that what I think it is?"

"Yep. You'll have to find out if our Miss Desmond was kissed under Kissing Rock."

"Oh, I will. Believe me, I will."