Transition Plan Chapter 127 - School Days Part 3
The next morning Jack and Jeanne rushed to be on campus, and like everyone else, they were very excited. They were just two ordinary students among thousands who were moving about like ants to their first class sessions of the fall semester at the University, and the only care some of those students had about the name 'Clayton' was to just find their class in Clayton Hall. The couple went arm-in-arm today like many other couples as they were now allowed, and were animated with anticipation. They had to separate at the campus central clock tower. Since Jack was in the management curriculum and she was on the accounting track, they didn't have any classes in common and had to go to different buildings for instruction.
Jeanne bubbled with enthusiasm for both of them, but was very reluctant to release Jack's hand, "I hate being apart from you. Sweetheart, how about we meet for tea at that little bistro right off campus at 4? I want to know all about your first day."
Jack agreed, "Sure. Me too. Good luck, dear."
Jeanne fretted and still didn't want to let go of her husband. Surrounded by masses of students rushing past them who didn't care one little bit what this couple was doing, she got up on tiptoes and pecked him on his lips, "Surely this is allowed: I love you."
"Love you too," he grinned savoring that little kiss. Jack thought Jeanne was amazingly beautiful today, and couldn't believe all that beauty was in his arms the night before. Her long black hair was in a simple pony tail. She was stunning, wearing a green and yellow ensemble. He looked dapper in his suit, like the rest of the young men. He lingered watching her disappear into the crowd, then turned and headed to class.
"My wife…" he thought warmly, and the sentiment was so powerful it spilled over into her mind as she walked and it felt like his real embrace to her. Despite the warmth of the morning, she got goosebumps.
...
That first day, they met a lot of their classmates in addition to their professors, and it was quite a new experience for them. They learned quickly this was the way 'normal' young people lived, at least those blessed with enough money and status to afford a college education. They had been alone with only each other or with family nearly exclusively since Jack rescued her, although Jeanne and Jane spent a lot of time with the Greystoke village women of all ages. But most of them were Jane's friends. Being in a new kind of human experience that was actually pleasant and friendly was therapeutic for them, especially for Jeanne, meeting quite a number of people from all over Scotland, England and other countries including India, other English colonies, and former colonies. She appeared to be the only French student. There were even a few 'Yanks' who were students, enrolled in international business degree programs. They seemed boisterous and cocky.
They paid close attention to the lectures of their new professors, but their teatime couldn't come soon enough. Nearly two hours and several cups of tea had passed in conversation between them at the little street café before they realized they were hungry for dinner and headed home.
A young woman was watching them more than casually and scribbled some notes into a journal after they left, then departed herself toward a different part of campus.
After chatting over their meal they did their required reading on their sofa with her very comfortably curled up in his lap with her book while he read his, turned in early, and they just cuddled happily atop their bed like it was one of their nests. They couldn't be happier.
They knew it would get harder fast.
…
After the second and third day of classes, they had a ton of homework to do, so they cut short their tea time at the bistro. They were so focused they hadn't noticed the same young woman observing them from a corner table, mostly because there were a number of the same students gathering there every day, several of whom they were getting to know.
Their new study desks received their first really hard workouts after a rushed dinner.
Jeanne was really feeling overwhelmed with her first case study. She was actually sweating across her forehead and it dripped on her ledger while checking her answers against the textbook answers. This was as hard as any day's work when she kept the illegal books for Jaeger. She was going to have to 'unlearn' some unsavory practices in bookkeeping, which would actually make her better at detecting fraudulent books, the role she wanted to accomplish for her father-in-law Tarzan.
She dabbed her brow, buried her face in her hands, and complained, "Jack, this is annoying. I could use that green eye shade next time we go to the bookstore."
He just grinned, reached into a hidden corner of his desk, and held up an eye shade to her pleasant surprise, exclaiming, "Your wish is my command."
Knowing that he had secretly bought it for her at the bookstore when she wasn't looking, she gave him a big grin, and gushed, "I love you."
"I know you do," he teased and winked, using one of her lines, to her great amusement.
He got up, walked over to her swivel chair, wiped her brow with his kerchief, placed the eye shade on her head, kissed her lips gently, accidentally smudged her glasses with his nose, and winked, "Perfect. For my favorite accountant."
She raised an eyebrow and snipped, "I'm the only accountant you know."
"Details…" he smirked. It was an old joke but it always made them laugh.
She beamed at him as he went back the couple of steps, sat back in his swivel chair, winked at her, turned around, and went back to his homework. For a few minutes, she played with her new shade, and adjusted it several times. Jack's simple thoughtfulness and fun surprise thrilled her. She smiled happily the remainder of the evening's study time and got her problem done completely. That little break did the trick to refresh her, and it was all the kind little things he did that endeared him to her. Three years into her new life of freedom, sometimes thoughtfulness and kindness with no strings attached still surprised her.
…
It only took a few more days of classes for Jack and Jeanne to individually distinguish themselves in class discussions and in quizzes and tests.
They also conducted their first jokingly-named 'interrogation session' with Professor Hopkins, during which he gave them scant praise, dismissed their early achievements, and spent more time grilling them on seemingly irrelevant subjects associated with being married that distracted them from being even better students. They'd seen him observing them on campus, but he described things that they did that surprised them that he knew. He did finally ask why their study habits resulted in so many high test scores. They emphasized that having a dedicated study area away from the kitchen and bedroom, taking simple breaks, and supporting each other daily was the reason. That seemed to frustrate him, and he dismissed that was an advantage to being a 'couple', lecturing them that single roommates can encourage each other too.
They also attracted the attention of their fellow students in other ways than academic performance. They were both naturally friendly, and Jack was also incredibly handsome to female classmates, who swooned over him when he wasn't looking. A very well-built Scotsman with dreadlocks and a beard in the modern age wearing a proper gentleman's suit like the other male students was uniquely striking.
Jeanne was beautiful in exotic ways with her darker complexion, amazing looks, and shapely body. She looked very studious in her glasses. Her unbelievably long, black, shining straight hair was breathtaking to anyone who saw it. She mostly put it in a simple ponytail, but Jack often braided it to make it manageable for classes, and she loved when he did that. Most people thought she was East Indian until she got to explain that she was born French but of Greek and Italian heritage, which her classmates thought was really fascinating.
Two of the elderly professors recognized Jack's family's name and its generational association with the University, and noted quietly to him after the classes, "No special favors for you, Mr. Clayton."
Which Jack quickly translated as: "We're going to work you harder than any of your classmates."
They did, but he was fully prepared, thanks to both his father and grandfather's warnings about treatment of legacy children at the University.
In her classes, Jeanne interacted well with a number of young women who wanted to form a study group to master particularly difficult assignments together and to provide social contact with each other. The French woman was friendly but cautious in social situations with other humans her age, preferring to be friends with the apes and other animals. She remembered the insults, racial prejudice, and being shunned by other children as a youth, making few friends until she met Jack and his Nigerian playmates. She was also worried about spending even less time together with Jack by being part of a female social group. But the young women seemed very inclusive and genuine in wanting to be friends with Jeanne, so she agreed to join their group, with Jack's support as well.
...
About six weeks into the fall semester, the girls approached Jeanne while she was at the tea house the young couple went to almost every day. It was a pretty popular place for many students to hang out between and after their classes.
One well-coiffed short-haired young woman with a headband was dressed in the popular short length flapper style of the time despite the October chill, cheerily greeted them as she had many times before, "Hi Jack, hi Jeanne."
"Oh, hello Edith," Jack replied and smiled.
Jack's amazing smile and good looks always pleased Edith, but she had her eyes on a certain engineering student named Bruce, whose smile was even more captivating to her. Edith admired Jack though, and thought Jeanne was one lucky girl to have him. Jeanne's new classmates understood quickly that Jeanne and Jack were girlfriend and boyfriend, but knew little else about them, how they met, and how they had the rare experience of both being in college together. They seemed to be thoroughly committed to each other and extremely comfortable around each other, like they had known each other for a long time.
Jeanne responded back too, "Hey, Edith. Your answer in statistics today was excellent."
"Thank you, Jeanne. I can't ever outdo you in the History of Economics class though."
The French girl quipped, "With my family heritage being nearly half of Europe it's hard not to pick things up from all my relatives."
Edith snickered. Jeanne had a very quick wit, but Jeanne's friend was not really at the bistro for small talk. She had an urgent request, "I'm sorry to interrupt you two lovebirds. I know you study with Jack in the evenings a lot, but remember our project is due Friday. We need to get together. All of us. Tonight. How about your place? I hear you have a flat. We just live in the dorms."
Jack and Jeanne looked at each other with veiled concern. No one could know about them, so she thought fast, "Well… I live way off campus. There are some areas that aren't so good to walk through without an escort. You'd all be walking home really late. And frankly, my… umm… roommate is really messy. The place is a disaster right now."
Last night's 'study break' intimacy indeed made a shambles of their place because Jack really wanted some "Mangani girl/jungle boy" time after a nearly two weeks of abstention at the end of Jeanne's fertile time and period, but Jeanne couldn't tell them her roommate was Jack. He raised an eyebrow about being labeled the perpetrator of their flat's 'mess'. Even though it was true.
Jeanne tentatively noted, "Edith, I understand but… I… uh… better talk to Jack first."
Edith grinned, "Sure. Just come over to our table afterward. We really need your help, Jeanne. Jack will understand. It's not like you're married to him yet."
Jack and Jeanne exchanged a subtle knowing look.
Another friend, Hazel, who had joined them, mostly to admire Jack, teased both of them, "Though you two act like an old married couple already."
"Hush, Edith and Hazel," Jeanne couldn't help but blush deeply, which actually made the couple's cover more believable.
"If they only knew," both thought and exchanged glances, as the two co-eds went back to their table. All the girls were staring at the couple, wondering what they would say to each other, thinking how cute they were together. None of them had ever met a biracial couple.
Well aware of being watched by her classmates, Jeanne turned to Jack anxiously and took both of his hands into both of hers across the table, and stammered, "Jack, I… I kind of have to do this. This is a big, important project. We're simulating an entire accounting department in a business. I'll be late. But… I haven't ever studied without you. I'm… uh… a little afraid. We're never apart."
Jack encouraged her, "I'll miss you, but, you know, sweetheart, it's probably a good thing. You need other friends. Human female friends."
She insisted, "You're the only human friend I ever need. My lifetime boy friend. My best friend."
He rubbed the back of her neck for assurance. Jack didn't care if Hopkins was taking notes secretly in some dark place in the bistro, which they'd seen him do other places on campus 'checking' on them.
"I'll always be those things, dear. Go with the girls. You like being with the Mangani females and Ndidi's friends. These girls seem just as nice. You can study with them and talk 'girl things'."
"OK, cheri…" she agreed with uncertainty.
"And Jeanne?"
"Yes, Jack?" she said with a bigger smile after getting his support to go, and squeezed his hands even more affectionately.
"If you need to stay over with them at the dorm for the project and because it's important to be friends, then do it. Don't they call that 'pulling an all-nighter'?"
Her entire face brightened in happiness, "Yes they do. You're amazing, Jack. You knew what I was going to ask next. That's why I love you. Thank you so much!"
"'Love you too. Have fun. Don't worry about me. I have to finish an essay for English Comp. It's making me grumpy anyway. I'll fix some of those lamb chop leftovers."
She raised a skeptical eyebrow, "Do I trust you not to burn them again?"
"Yes dear," he assured her in an intentionally condescending tone, making her giggle.
Hazel whispered, partially reading their lips, "I think he said 'yes' and Jeanne told Jack she loved him."
"Awww," went the rest of them. All of them were envious of Jack and Jeanne's strong relationship.
Hazel speculated dreamily, "I wonder if there's any more like him at home?"
Everyone laughed hard at that. Hazel wanted anything that was male that moved and breathed.
Another girl named Greenly noted, "You know who he is, don't you?"
"A really handsome Scotsman with hair and eyes and muscles that won't quit?" asked Hazel enviously, setting off another round of snickers among the ladies.
Greenly shook her head in dismay, and quipped "Well yes those things are true, but no, girl. He's Count Clayton's son."
Edith was in disbelief, "The nobleman? The industry giant and African explorer? The family whose name is on so many buildings?
"True on all accounts," Greenly pointed out.
"Omigosh…" reflected Hazel.
Edith asked, "How did he ever find her?"
Greenly stated, "Well, girls. Just look at her. She's beautiful. If I was a boy and saw her for the first time, I'd snatch that right up in a heartbeat."
Edith noted, "Well, we have to ask her how they met tonight."
Over at their table, Jeanne pecked Jack quickly, squeezed his hands one last time, and nearly skipped over to the girls. Hopkins said light kissing was acceptable the last time they checked in for their weekly updates, because of their demonstrated academic excellence. The Professor seemed to have acquired a grudging respect for this pair.
As Jeanne went over to the girls' table, Jack admired her as he watched the familiar swing of her hips and sway of her body and swish of her hair as she walked. Jeanne's graceful movements were very nice in a dress, but even more incredible in the jungle and the numerous times in their flat when nothing interfered with his view. He paid their bill and headed home, hoping she would 'let go' and genuinely have a good time with the girls and not worry about him. She needed this, despite what she said to him.
That night the girls worked really hard and got the project done faster than they expected, and so they had additional time to stay up late and simply build their friendships. Jeanne discovered all her new girl friends were commoners from Scotland and England, and so she managed to avoid admitting her peerage by talking about her father's life as a French soldier. They spent a lot of time together discussing all sorts of subjects, including family, annoying siblings, social status, food, the never ending battle about losing weight and staying pretty for that 'special someone', and fashion.
When the subject turned to boys and boyfriends, few of them had good stories to tell. Jeanne did not voluntarily discuss her relationship with Jack. The only good story the other girls shared was that shy engineering student Bruce had finally worked up the nerve to ask Edith out on a date this coming weekend, and she said 'yes'.
The girls had teased her mercilessly over that. Jeanne had the best quip, "Remember, he's an engineer. He'll probably measure your lips and the angle he's going to come swoop in on you before he kisses you!"
It took nearly five minutes before they all stopped laughing and teasing Edith about other naughtier things an engineer might consider doing to his girlfriend. Jeanne hadn't had this kind of fun since hanging out with the burlesque dancers. But this was much better.
But that little joke caused the girls' focus to squarely be on Jeanne and her Jack. Edith asked her point blank, "All of us told you our boy problems. You and Jack seem so good together. How do you do that?"
She blushed but answered as best she could, "Well, we talk a lot about everything. There's a lot of give and take. We pray together. And we try to be there for each other. Like tonight. Jack could have insisted that we study, but he let me go with you ladies. I guess the best thing is that he treats me like his equal. Until Jack, I never met a boy who did that. Boys always think they're better than girls and they can't stand it when we try."
There was general agreement about that.
Hazel was candid, but not in a threatening way, "And he's so handsome. I'd love to hug that if you ever get tired of him, Jeanne."
They all laughed, but the mention of Jeanne's physical attraction to Jack made Jeanne really blush and the girls all laughed and teased her, but not meanly. It was all supportive and in very good fun. Jeanne was really enjoying herself. These were nice girls. She really wanted to be friends with them. They made her feel good about herself and about what she had with Jack, especially after hearing some of the difficult relationships the others had with boys or longed for unsuccessfully.
Edith asked her an even more probing question, "Are you two going to get married after college?
Jeanne hated to lie, and she nodded in an even deeper blush. She tried to answer as truthfully as she could while managing not to admit they were spouses already, "Marriage is something really important to us."
She held back explaining the significance of her bracelet, but felt the weight of her engagement and wedding rings under her blouse, unable to tell the whole story and show them the truth. Jeanne hoped the girls would forgive the lies when the truth finally could be known.
Edith asked a question that was too close to the mark, "Do you wish you two could be married already?"
She lied further, and regretted that she was still too convincing doing so, "We do. Frequently."
Greenly interjected rather bluntly, "Do you know you're dating Count Clayton's son?"
"Yes, Greenly. I am, and I hope all of you will not speak of it again after tonight, so it doesn't get… complicated for us, please," but she said it a little more tersely than she wanted. Everyone agreed to let the subject end.
There was something not quite right about Greenly that bothered Jeanne. She seemed to know too much, or was too direct. Or something…
Edith interrupted Jeanne's thoughts with one last question about about Jack, "Tell us how you two met, Jeanne, please. You guys are so happy and it seems like you've known each other forever. We want to know. And then we'll stop pestering you."
Jeanne told the story that she and Jack had carefully rehearsed, with as much truth as possible like Jack had told the Chancellor, but left much of the story out, "We are happy. Truly. Well… 'we' started about a dozen years ago.
The girls gasped. They could do the math.
"You... you met as... children?" Edith asked in amazement.
Jeanne nodded her head to her friend and began their story, "During the Great War, Jack's father and my father served in one of the African campaigns. Our families were brought together, and there Jack and I met and played together as children. We discovered we were not only good friends, but we had real feelings for each other. For eight years we were… uh… separated during and after the war, but when we met again, we discovered those feelings were still there, and in fact were even deeper as teens. Our parents have blessed our relationship, although he's a nobleman and I'm a commoner. The Clayton's don't care about me being 'worker class'. They want us to be happy. I love Jack's mom and dad. Jack and I have not been apart since our reunion and now we are living the blessing of going to college together."
Details of any of that special operation in Kamina and her abduction were well-protected British and French military secrets, as were any details of her rescue, and their marriage rededication was never publicized outside of Village Greystoke and its insular, very protective small population.
The other girls were truly moved by Jack and Jeanne's tender 'fairy tale' reunited childhood sweethearts love story. Several were in real tears.
Edith was counting. She knew when the African campaigns were because she lost an uncle in those battles. She observed candidly, "But Jeanne, that makes you..."
Jeanne really didn't want knowledge of them being older to get out but had to admit, "Yes, we're a little past 20 years old. We… um… got a late start on college."
Hazel quipped with a mischievous smile, "Now it all makes sense. No wonder you guys act like old married couple. You are old. But I like older guys."
They all exploded in laughter again and the RA in the dorm stopped at Edith's open door and gave the girls a nasty look to keep it quieter. After they all settled down girls assured Jeanne that age didn't make a difference to them. Hazel gave her the biggest hug.
Jeanne glanced at her watch and her eyes grew wide.
"Omigosh, it's midnight!" Jeanne exclaimed, shocked at how fast the time had gone.
Edith advised, wiping the happy tears from her eyes with a kerchief as she invited, "It's too late to go home safely, Jeanne, especially if your flat is way in the city. Stay with us. I'm sure Jack won't mind and would rather you be safe."
Jeanne agreed, "OK. He actually already told me I could. But I have to leave really early to meet him for breakfast. I promised him I would help quiz him on a mid-term he has tomorrow."
Their 'girl talk' continued another hour, and she stayed up to participate, but fortunately the attention shifted away from being on her the rest of the night. It was actually quite fun hanging out in the dorm, but she felt guilty being with all the girls having so much fun while Jack was alone and probably still doing homework. After Jeanne put on someone's borrowed nightgown, hiding her ring necklace while she changed, she closed her eyes, felt that Jack was still awake, and thought 'good night' feelings to him, which came right back to her with his blessing to stay over. She was so grateful that the miracle that saved their lives continued to bless them in so many ways.
After that simple contact with her husband, she reengaged with the girls until everyone finally was so tired that they said goodnight and went back to their own dorm rooms with their roommates. They all vowed to get together often. Jeanne slept on a makeshift cot in Edith's room. It was comfortable compared to many awful places she slept during her kidnapping, and she could never tell them that she had slumbered very contentedly on such simple accommodations as tree branches and moss in nothing but Jack's arms. As she lay down, she felt the familiar shape her wedding rings safely hidden underneath the nightgown, longing to wear them.
It had been a great time with the girls, but a short sleep.
Jeanne knew her true responsibilities, so she got up at dawn, dressed quietly, said goodbye to her very groggy and slightly hung over new friend Edith, hurried across campus, and silently entered their apartment and bedroom. For a few moments she sat on her side of the bed and admired the young man who was her husband, taking in his sleeping body from top to bottom. He had a pleasant dreaming look, perhaps of her. Jack's 'sleepwear' as usual consisted of only wearing his wedding ring on the chain around his neck.
"All mine," she thought happily. She scooted closer and gently kissed Jack awake after she started breakfast so he'd smell it cooking.
She continued to sit while he stretched and turned on his side, and she groomed out the overnight tangles in his dreadlocks and rubbed his neck, broad shoulders, and muscled back affectionately, "My goodness you're a handsome man when you're sleeping. The girls were all completely right. I'm so lucky to have you. All of them are having boy problems. Or they want a boy."
He grinned as he propped his head up on one arm casually, "Oh? So you talked about boyfriends instead of doing homework?"
She gave him a look, "After we got done, silly man. Well, I'm the only one with a steady boyfriend whose 'steady' is on campus. A lot of girls broke up with their guys from grammar school and are ready for a new adventure with 'real men', not 'school boys'. Edith and Bruce are having their first date, though."
"It's about time they go out. I've been coaching him. But the others? Not surprising, actually. What did you tell them about us?"
Bruce and Jack shared an English Comp class together and were becoming friends, and were aware that Edith and Jeanne were friends already.
"Pretty much what you and I agreed to say if the subject came up – I left out the kidnapping part. The girls all thought that being childhood sweethearts is pretty romantic."
He smiled, "Well it is pretty romantic. You did great. Did they get any more curious?"
Jeanne frowned a bit as she explained, "It was awkward at one point. They asked about wanting to be married and joked about acting married already. And then Greenly told them all you were the Count's son, but I asked them to keep that quiet. They all did."
"Well, the Chancellor didn't force me to hide my surname. Anyone with any brains at all is going to figure that out. Remember I told you some of the professors are giving me harder study assignments just because I'm 'a Clayton'. I hope Greenly didn't do that to be mean to you in front of the other girls."
"It didn't seem that way. I think she thought it was nice a nobleman took interest in a mere commoner," she winked, but didn't mention to Jack she had her concerns about Greenly.
"I'd trade a dozen women of peerage to have you instead."
"Just a dozen? You sound just like Akut," she teased.
He just rolled his eyes and assured her, "Dearest, I'm sure it will be just fine with your friend. You always have a good sense about that kind of thing."
Jeanne smiled at her husband's compliment but then got a serious look, "Jack, after last night with the girls, I've been thinking."
"About what?"
"You have so many animal friends. If you want me to have more human friends, then you should too. Maybe you should find some reason to be with the other boys you're classmates with."
He gave her a skeptical look, "Well most of the guys are pretty competitive. They aren't all that friendly. It is the management class after all. Everyone wants to lead, and no one wants to follow. I don't see any of us hanging out."
She asked him to consider, "How about playing sports with guys that aren't in your management classes?"
"Me doing sports?"
"Yeah, I mean just look at you, big guy. You're built for sports," she said with great admiration.
He grinned and replied, "Well you do that all the time, dear. Hmm. I did see there were tryouts for a very strange game called 'cricket'. 'Cricket' is something to eat, not play."
They really laughed at that one.
Jeanne showed her ignorance of the game too but encouraged him, "I don't know much about cricket, Jack. It's something you English invented, but I do kind of like the players' uniforms, and you'll get to carry a big flat board with a handle and hit things with it. I would like to see you play."
He grinned at her French nationalist jab, "That's a 'bat' and I'd be a 'batsmen', Jeanne, and I only hit a little ball. But don't 'like' the other men too much in their uniforms, dear."
"Well, well, well. You have been studying the game. So try playing. Don't worry. I'll be your biggest, best fan."
"Well, OK. Tomorrow night is the organizational meeting at the Athletic Arena. Bruce is going to join the team. It might be fun to play cricket with someone I know. The Dean of the Management School wants all of to be part of some kind of scholastic or athletic team or club, so maybe I can be a team leader in some way. Wanna watch me try out?"
"Yes, I would, dear. It'll be fun. Tomorrow at class I'll ask Edith to come with us and watch Bruce. I'm sure he'd like that. Joining the cricket team will be perfect."
"Of course," and then he inquired, "Jeanne, sweetheart? How was last night?"
"I already told you. It was work. And then it was 'girl fun'."
"No, Jeanne. I mean: how did you feel about what happened? Did you think you were missing something? For the past… twelve hours you were 'just one of the girls'. Only knowing this college world, and not another one filled with talking animals, or bad men, or slavery or kidnappings, or Counts and Countesses and Castles. Or me."
She didn't hesitate one single moment, taking his hand, "It was quite fun Jack, being with the girls. Someone had an illegal bottle of wine in the dorm and we passed it around. It's amazing how fast girls can get tipsy who've never had a sip of alcohol, but it never affected me. Thanks to your encouragement dear, now I have friends who are girls. I like them. I got a glimpse of the other side of life. A life you and I have never tried, and it was nice."
"Sounds like you enjoyed your time away from me. This could be something you do more."
"I did for certain and I do want to go out with them again. But I kept thinking only of you, Jack, and if you were lonely. I wouldn't trade having the life of a single college co-ed for any moment – good or bad - we've had or shared together. The whole time with them was exciting, but I didn't feel like I've missed anything just being single. Those girls, for all their friendship and camaraderie, are still lonely inside, looking every day across dozens of male faces for 'that special something' I already have in you: a permanent companion in my life. My first choice was and is my best choice - my only choice. There will never need to be another choice."
Jack's emotions soared, but he asked, "You know you're the only one for me too, cherie, but really? How are you so sure?"
Jeanne leaned toward him, and cupped the sides of his face in adoration and spoke emphatically, "Jack, my dear husband, you never have to doubt me. Of course I'm sure. I made a promise to you and God at that jungle altar: 'never forsaking you for another'. I've never wanted any life other than the miracle of a marriage you've given me every day for the past two years, saving me from a horrible life of slavery and my soul from an eternity of evil. No one else risked everything to save me. You did. In eight years you never gave up on me. And when Meriem ruled my life that first six months back together, you still never gave up on me. In that brief glimpse of life in the jungle with you when I was 8, I saw something I wanted so much that I endured everything to get it back. And I did. Jonathan Robert Clayton IV, I love you more than anything in this entire world, and everything you are and have given me so freely. I'll always be your girl, Jack."
For Jack, it was an incredible, heart-stopping confession by the love of his life as intense as anything she had ever told him at the peak of her rehabilitation time in the jungle.
Jack shed tears hearing her tender words of endearment and commitment to him, and he declared, "Words cannot begin to tell you how much I love you, dearest Jeanne."
She just smiled and her eyes twinkled, "That's why God gave us this, sweetheart."
She reached for and interlaced both hands with his and both closed their eyes while she sat and he lay sprawled on his back. The feelings they had for each other surged through their connection were truly staggering. The connection was always a wonderful experience. It seemed extra special this morning. They savored it for some time, playing their special emotional games with each spouse letting wave after wave of shared emotions roll over each other and mix together in their minds.
Thus joined emotionally, she couldn't resist her equally strong physical attraction to her husband that was building up inside her. She smiled and asked, "When is your first class, dear?"
"10," Jack answered, hoping where this might be going.
She said, "My group project class is at 1 pm, and I have nothing before it. It's not even 7 am yet. Breakfast has to simmer awhile. Make room for me, husband. I missed you beside me last night."
With a gleaming, loving smile, Jeanne unbuttoned her blouse and let it drop, and loosened her bra strap and let Jack remove it the remainder of the way, revealing her twin rings on their own necklace nestled right in the middle of the cleavage of her amazing exposed breasts. She stepped out of her boots, then peeled off her hose and skirt and remaining undergarments in one quick, deft movement, causing Jack to raise an eyebrow. She removed her pony tail holder, laid her glasses on the dresser beside the bed, shook her hair all around her, and lay down next to Jack.
She made good on her promise to be his biggest fan, but in this particular instance, it was for their favorite full-contact sport.
…
At one of the faculty buildings, a young brunette girl knocked on a professor's office door.
"Come in," said Professor Hopkins.
"Yes, sir."
Recognizing who it was, "It's early, Miss Greenly, but have a seat please."
He closed the door.
She opened her journal on Jack and Jeanne and said flatly, "I have something to new to report."
She'd made more than a dozen visits with Hopkins with her journal entries since the beginning of school.
"And?" he encouraged.
She reported, "We girls all started out as usual at the bistro and they were at the table they always sit at. It's quaint, actually. It's kind of isolated in the corner of the shop and labeled 'Table 17', like it means something special to them. As usual there was no sign of rings and they were very discreet in their affection."
Hopkins frowned, "Tell me something I don't already know."
Greenly explained in a detached manner, "We had a study party last night, and Jeanne joined us, as I encouraged the other girls who know her better to ask her after class."
"What happened then?"
"She helped us with the project due today."
"That's not much to report," complained Hopkins.
"Well that's not all."
"So tell me," he ordered impatiently.
"We all talked 'girl talk' for several hours after we were done, and she told us about how Jack and she met and fell in love. We were all in our sleep clothes, and I could see her twiddle with some kind of hidden jewelry under her gown. The collar was all the way up her neck, so I couldn't see anything."
"Probably her wedding rings. We ordered them to never show them in public. Did she admit anything?"
Greenly sighed and stated, "No, she lied about her status… convincingly. When asked, she admitted to wanting to be married to Viscount Clayton and said that they've discussed it, but didn't divulge anything else."
For the first time in this session Hopkins actually cracked a smile and observed, "Really? Well that's interesting. She lied when directly challenged. That's good news. They are following orders."
Greenly puzzled, "But I thought you didn't want good news about them?"
Hopkins explained, "I don't. She lied to protect them as a couple, but lying is itself against the Student Code of Ethics."
Greenly was shocked, "Professor Hopkins, surely you don't intend to reveal them by catching her in a lie that you and the Chancellor expressly ordered her and him to commit. That's entrapment."
Greenly was in pre-law.
Hopkins hotly chided the young woman, "That is a disciplinary action not for you to offer your opinion. You are paid to observe for this study. That's all."
Greenly bristled, "I won't be a party to that. I think this girl and her husband have been through a lot more difficulties than she's willing to talk about. I can feel it. Leave them alone and let them enjoy being married students and just let them live happily and graduate. With honors, Professor. I've been watching them a long time now. Jeanne and Jack are both brilliant people. That's the kind of people you're dealing with here. They are Clan Clayton, Professor. Their family has been part of the University for centuries. Why pick on them"
Hopkins lectured her sternly, "I told you not to draw conclusions, Miss Greenly. Being married is the problem, young woman. It's against our rules, but the Chancellor misguidedly agreed to let them attend because we really needed the Count's donation. Let me tell you about the real world, Miss Greenly. Great academic programs only survive because of great generosity. There are people more important to the future of this University than our senile Chancellor, and they and their money want things to remain the same. The Clayton's are lightweights as benefactors compared to the rest of the people with real money and power in Scotland. If Miss Jacot and Mr. Clayton fail, we get to keep the their contribution. That's the deal the Chancellor made with the Count. We're just helping them fail. Let's see if either can be guided to lie about something else more important. Then we have a violation we can talk about and do something about, and our 'problem' with Miss Jacot and Mr. Clayton disappears without even having to bring up the real issue. Then nothing changes, and things stay the way they should be."
Hopkins thought smugly, Like our biggest university donor wants. If I'm successful he promised I get to be Dean of the Social Sciences college – just one step away from Chancellor.
Greenly was more angry than stunned and replied, "Professor, forget that ploy. Jeanne Jacot is the smartest girl in her accounting class. It's like she already knows how to do it all. You'll never catch her lying or cheating academically. I know Jack is just as smart and honest."
He stood over the small young woman directly in her face to intimidate her, "Then we have to make them fail in other ways. Miss Greenly, I want you to trail them home one night, see them go into their jointly-owned flat, listen for them to have relations, then come report back to the Code of Ethics Committee you have reason to believe they are cohabitating and fornicating. Both are major violations of the moral conduct ethics clauses of the Code. If they say nothing about being married, as they have been ordered, they're out on morals charges between unmarried students. If they admit to being married, then they violate their promise to never reveal being married publicly. Then they have to confess that they lied to cover their marriage up, and only the Chancellor, you, and I know that. So that's another violation. We have them, Miss Greenly. And they'll be expelled before the Chancellor ever hears about the Ethics Committee action. Just think about this: you'll have saved the University a change that will be our financial ruin if we do it. There are people who will be so grateful to you they will pay your entire four years here."
Greenly was utterly astonished by the moral and ethical ensnarement Hopkins had planned for the Clayton couple. The young woman agonized about this new assignment and its consequences for her and for them.
She drew herself up and emphatically stated to her study leader, "Professor Hopkins, I absolutely refuse to do what you ask. I never signed up for this. I can get money for tuition some other way. You asked me to listen to see if Jeanne ever talked about being married. Well, she'll never do that. She drank a lot of the wine you arranged for the party, and she said nothing in a perfect setting to tell us everything. Jeanne will never disobey the Chancellor. She and Jack are doing exactly what the University forced them to do and God bless them for honoring those impossible demands. Jeanne's a nice, sweet girl and Jack is just as good, and I wish he was my boyfriend. I will not be involved in trapping or framing Jeanne and her husband. I was paid to observe, not to be your stooge. So what if they're married? There isn't any difference between them and any other students. I see that every day. No one needs to study that. The University is wrong about this. Get someone else to be your spy. I quit."
Hopkins was taken completely aback, "But you can't. You agreed to this. I'm paying you."
Greenly snapped and threw her journal across Hopkins' messy desk, "Watch me quit. Keep your damn benefactor's money. I don't care. I won't do this anymore. I just want to go to school. If this what the University stands for - picking on two excellent students who just happen to be married against your idiotic rules and what rich alumni want - then I don't want to be a student here anyway. I like Jeanne. She's fun. I want to be her friend, not betray her. I'm done. Don't worry. I won't expose your precious little trap. Unless give me reason to."
There was literally nothing left to say, so Hopkins coldly dismissed her, "Good bye and good luck, Miss Greenly."
She left, slamming the door. Hopkins stepped to the window, and muttered, "Damn…"
Greenly fought back tears as she clutched her books and headed for her first class. She never felt so alone and so isolated and felt like she was drowning in this conspiracy. She was involved in something truly terrible and was shocked how fast it had escalated. And she wanted to be a lawyer some day.
"Some lawyer I am," she whispered to herself.
But she knew she had to tell the one person she thought could be a friend that would be crushed by the consequences of what was happening. Greenly couldn't work up the nerve to do so, because she'd have to admit to spying on Jeanne, and the young woman worried she'd lose her new friend forever. And then she would have no one as a friend at the University.
…
Hopkins dialed the phone, "Hello. Yes, sir, it's me. We're having a little trouble here with the… uh… research. I need you to find me someone who's persuasive enough to convince someone the error of her ways. Meet at the usual place. I'll explain."
…
Authors Notes: In my 'tip of the hat' to the Disney cartoon show "Legend of Tarzan", I skip a generation by using Jane Clayton's English friends' names - Greenly and Hazel - to be young Jeanne's classmate friends. The third girl, Edith, is really the show's character 'Eleanor' which we all know I've used for another vital character in the early part of this story.