Chapter Three: Observing

Once James finally falls to sleep, I leave while I look around the estate for Mathis and M. I find him guiding her around with his hand placed on her lower back.

I wonder how James would behave witnessing Mathis' sudden familiarity with M?

I hang back and find a paper to at least pretend to read in the sun. I cannot make out what they are saying but M smiles and laughs at one point.

Mathis is laying on the charm as Mr. Tanner and her bodyguard approach her. M straightens and becomes all business. She excuses herself from Mathis laying her hand on his forearm and smiling before she follows them inside.

M is an attractive woman and well kept for her age. Mathis sees me and approaches.

"Are you charming our new guest?" I can't resist teasing him.

"As much as she will allow me too, yes."

"What are we going to do? I was going to convince him to take me to Venice to the bank branch there and remove the cash to pay for what needs to be paid for."

"I know. I have contacted Mr. White and he will be contacting her man Mitchell. Apparently the lad owes much on the horses and needs funds. He has become a bit of a disgruntled employee...living a life several paces behind real power will do that too you."

"At least he doesn't have an adolescent crush on the teacher."

"Bond does? Really, I wondered. Not that she is not a handsome woman and very accomplished."

"You pointed it out...he smiles at her. James resting face is not naturally a smile. An agent such as him...with what I have seen him do. No, he admires her and is withdrawing from me merely because of her presence."

"Surely you can seduce him away from M for long enough…"

"Why? What is the plan?"

"Try to get him to ask for some time away and go to Venice. I will relay you the codes once White and Mitchell spend some time with M."

"What of Tanner?"

"He will be eliminated or used as leverage."

"I don't want to see anyone hurt. I just want to sail away with James and have this all over with."

"What about your lost love?"

"I do not think he's alive...I do not believe or trust this Quantum."

"I agree...we will be lucky to leave here alive. The temptation of having the head of MI6 within their grasps and with 50 million locked in the pretty woman's head...you and James need to be elsewhere. I will meet up with you as soon as I can."

"How long do we have?"

"By tomorrow evening I should think. The doctors are going to clear James to leave today."

"I have the boat rented. I was going to surprise him and now I will be lucky to tear him away from M."

"Do not be insecure my beautiful one...James will go with you. I think he is falling for you."

"Now you change your tune, before you were on about how much he smiles at M."

"Yes but as you pointed out M does not sleep with him and I spoke with her...she is married."

"Since when would that matter to James. He admitted to me that his type is always married."

"That is the trick of the trade when it comes to seduction for information. Soft targets, the women of powerful men."

"M is the power, not her husband."

"Most likely, and that is an entirely different enticement. However, that woman would never sleep with one of her agents. I have no doubt of that...far too professional."

"James does seem to thrive on challenges."

"So do I but that woman's gaze can cut to your soul. Very disarming."

"Why my dear Mathis...you sound flustered."

"Well it is not often I meet a woman with her intelligence and joie de vivre."

"Joy...I never sensed joy in her. She seems the bitter witch to me."

"You are looking at her through the jaded glasses of a jealous lover. I spent the last hour wandering around sharing conversations on art, history and literature with her, in this beautiful place. She became charmingly animated and passionate about the discussion."

"Perhaps she is seducing you for information Mathis, she is the leader of spies."

"I considered that, however you do not have to be an agent to become the leader of a government organization such as MI6."

"Do you think she is really here just to look after Bond? That does not fit with your observation on her professionalism."

"I am not sure...she may have sentimental feeling for him or that the 50 million is being asked for by the PM."

"I suppose...I will be glad to leave. You don't think they will hurt her too much do you?"

Mathis' look is not reassuring. "I do not think they will be gentle."

"I will go look in on James."

"Yes it is best you make and assert your presence."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

I walk to James' room and hear laughter within. I stand outside the door to listen.

"So the doctor says you are on the mend well enough to come home."

"Yes well the antibiotics have eliminated any infection from my beating."

"How is it that the three of you were taken...and only you were beaten so badly?"

"I have wondered that myself. I think Mathis is worth looking into."

"Just Mathis? The girl gets a pass?"

"I assume the treasury vetted her."

"Yes, but situations change."

"She is jealous of you."

"What! Why on earth for?"

"I apparently light up around you M...you are irresistible after all."

M's throaty laugh moves through the door.

"007 you know better than to flirt with a superior."

"Yes and I love to do it anyway."

"Always trying to catch me off guard?"

"Yes."

"Well stop it. Breaking into my flat was bad enough...I do not wish to be accused of choosing favourites."

"I am honoured."

"By what?"

"To be a brand new 00 and your favourite."

"Those drugs must be getting to your head...I never said you were my favourite so stop inflating your own ego through your imagination."

"I have a very vivid one of those where you are concerned M."

"That is all I need...you spreading rumours. Now, how about we focus on something real? What about the girl?"

"Real, you don't trust me to flirt the truth?"

"007 you are beginning to move into very dangerous territories now what about the girl?"

"What about her? And you know I love danger."

"Stop it Bond! Can she really be trusted...remember what I said? Remove yourself from the equation and judge dispassionately, now what is she?"

There is a pause and James' response is too quiet for me to hear.

I knock and open the door. I try to look happy and surprised to see M standing holding James' hand where it lies on the bed. James' thumb is absently stroking her small hand.

James does not even pull away from her in embarrassment. M attempts to release his hand as she turns to face me but he continues to hold and caress it.

In the pit of my stomach a stone is forming. I cannot begin to explain the feeling as it rises like frustrated bile from the pit inside me. It crawls from there up towards my heart and my eyes betray me.

M steps back slightly and her posture becomes almost defensive as she looks at me. Bond frowns at me.

"I am sorry to interrupt this...this little interlude. I would have thought there were rules against fraternization with the staff, M. There are in my office." I spat out with a venom I could scarcely contain.

I am bloody well jealous of an old woman! My feelings for James Bond are clouding my mission...my reality and it is plain to see that Mathis was right. Bond is infatuated with a woman old enough to be his mother.

"Vesper...what are you on about?" James remarks.

I cross my arms, tapping my foot impatiently on the floor waiting for her to leave. M bristles and pulls her small frame to her full height.

"Ms. Lynd...I will not dignify that with a response now stop acting the petulant child." M says to me as if the insinuation is absurd but then he is still holding her hand.

"Fine. I apologize M. I see the way he suddenly lights up around you and after having him here and being his only female companion...I suppose I got use to being the only one that he looked at like that."

"You do know what he does for a living correct?"

"Yes, ma'am."

James pulls on M's hand. "M don't...please."

M looks at him and smiles but her face is full of malice when she faces me.

"007 is my agent and he will act and seduce women and sometimes men of all ages at my command. Do you truly understand the implications of this?"

"Yes but what if he runs away with me instead? I have a sail boat ready to take us on holiday to Venice."

M turns quickly to James.

"Bond?"

"I had nothing to do with this...don't look at me like that. Vesper...can we speak of this later?"

M responds to defuse the situation somewhat. "No...no I will leave. I have a job for Tanner anyway. I suppose she is here to assist you, to get ready for dinner. Mathis will meet us in the dining hall at 6."

I smile at her as sweetly as I can manage to force my features to obey. "I will assist him and we will be there."

M pulls her hand out of James' grasp and moves past me to the door.

"I hear the doctor says you are good enough to do things on your own now 007. I do hope you are not getting too comfortable and becoming soft."

"Never ma'am. In fact, why don't you and Vesper run along and I will shower and get ready on my own like a big boy. You two need to get to know each other better and learn to play nice."

"Bond...you presume too much telling me what I should and should not do!"

"Sorry M...but it will make our time here much less stressful if you two lovely ladies can get along."

"There is no reason we should even try...she and I will not ever be in the same circles Bond, and I do not have to make nice with your girlfriends...incase you have yet to notice, I am not your mother!"

"I never thought you were! I have never been under any illusion that you are even remotely motherly M, but I did expect a level of politeness that you seem to have forgotten."

M looks somewhat chastised and James looks at me in a way that implores me to cave in order to smooth things over with the stubborn woman.

The jealousy in me is seething but I manage a genuine smile. I need to control these side effects of my emotions.

"M, please come have a glass of wine with me before dinner while we await the invalid and see if he can suddenly manage to dress himself for once."

M smirks. "Men. Such babies. Come on then Ms. Lynd, let's sample some of the local Italian wine. Tanner should just about be done and join us."

I think that that is about as close to an apology that I will be getting from the old battle axe.

So I smile sweetly and follow her from the room pretending to be a united feminine front against the inherent laziness of men.

To be continued...