Part Two – The Basics
Chapter 1 – And It Won't Be Long
Gen had slept the whole night through. He'd woken up at seven and had a leisurely breakfast. He'd strolled to the office and then read the newspaper from front page to back. He'd had some coffee, one milk, no sugar, then gone over the reports sent from the regional office.
He could get used to this schedule. Unfortunately he knew that his reprieve would be short. Bellemere would be back any day now.
Convincing his mother of the fact was proving difficult.
"I don't know how you can sit here and do paperwork when one of the citizens of your village has been kidnapped!" She glared at him from across his desk, annoyed that her son, who was usually so pliant, chose at this moment to be an officer of the law. Just like his father, she thought.
"Bellemere wasn't coerced onto the ship," Gen repeated patiently. "I spoke with the men at the docks. She talked with a few captains, discovered which one was heading in the direction she wanted to go, and then walked up the gangplank. There was no kicking or screams or cries for help. In short, there was no dramatic kidnapping. Bellemere volunteered."
"And where did she find the money to pay for this voyage?" his mother asked triumphantly, certain that she had found a flaw in his argument.
"Marine recruits are given free passage on whatever ship takes them to Kerris Island; the captain of the ship is paid by the Marines upon arrival." It was a stroke of genius on the part of the Marines for coming up with that idea. It kept the recruits – and the supply ships – coming regularly to the out of the way training post. Gen reached for a pencil so that he could start his paperwork.
"What is that sitting in the pencil holder I bought for your birthday?" she asked stridently, intent on keeping the argument going.
Gen glanced at the pinwheel. He'd found it slightly crushed in his uniform the day before. "It's something I won."
His mother sniffed. "It's not very professional to have toys in the office."
He turned his attention to the memos he'd penciled onto the first notice. It wasn't that interesting, but perhaps his mother would get the hint that the 'case' concerning Bellemere was closed. "Can you wait two months before seeing her again?" he asked.
"Two months? Why do you say that?"
"Two weeks of sailing in fine weather to get to the training base. Another two weeks before she quits. Then two more weeks to get back here." He looked up from his report. "I stretched the estimate to two months to take into account bad weather and general Bellemere-ness. She'll manage to get into trouble either coming or going and that'll delay her homecoming."
"They give recruits a chance to quit?" His mother had assumed that even pretending to be interested in the Marines led to an iron clad contract and the loss of your soul.
"A few years back, the Marines were accused of press ganging. They began allowing recruits to quit to counter those claims."
"Well, that's alright then, if she can come home when she wants," his mother said, finally acceding the point. "You two will be the death of me. First you run off to the Academy to become an officer and now Bellemere pulls this crazy stunt."
Gen remembered those arguments. She'd not been too thrilled about his decision, saying that his chosen career was a dangerous one. Perhaps being an officer was hazardous on the larger islands, but the worst thing that happened in the village was local kids' throwing toilet paper over their neighbors' trees.
Oh, yes, and there was Bellemere – but she was out of his hair for now.
His mother put his lunch on his desk. "It's egg salad. Make sure to finish it all."
"Yes, mom," he said, not looking up from his paperwork.
He waited until the door shut behind her, then let out an involuntary sigh of relief. He was glad he had laid his mother's fears to rest about Bellemere's safety, but the fact that Bellemere was gone would rankle her for some time. She'd have to blame the girl's departure on someone – and that would be him.
He frowned and pressed the pencil harder into the notice. All he'd said to Bellemere was that she would have disappointed her parents with her behavior the night before. He hadn't said that they would be disappointed in her. He certainly hadn't said that the only way to fix that mistake was to join the Marines.
It made no sense that a girl with an unruly streak a mile wide would choose to join one of the most conservative military establishments in the world. But then again when did she ever do anything that made sense?
She'd gotten a silly idea into her head. She'd realize her mistake and come back home when the opportunity presented itself. He had no doubt about that.
Gen made a note to himself that he should get the door to the cottage fixed before she returned.