Chapter 3 – to play C
The next morning the friends, both wearing their riding gear, met for an early breakfast.
´If your bed is half as comfortable as mine, you had a good night,´ Beatrix said, adding honey to her tea.
´I can say the same,´ Clarisse responded. She didn't mention the dream she'd had about being touched by someone standing in the shadows at the other side of the room.
Thirty minutes later on they were on horseback. They rode for hours and had lunch in the grass next to a sandy road. At a small distance – too far away to eavesdrop and near enough to defend – the Queens' men sat down. The friends noticed that Joseph and general Coligny had found each others company.
´They seem to be getting along.´
´They are probably gossiping about their work. In a very discreet way. Do you know C that the general always introduces himself to his peers as Ben Coligny?´
Clarisse couldn't suppress a grin.
´Have you forgiven Joseph for his ambiguous remark?´ Beatrix wanted to know.
Clarisse took a bite of her tuna sandwich.
´It is just that I noticed you haven't said a word to him since we left Pyrus,´ Beatrix continued, taking a bite from her apple and waiting for her friend to reply.
´I just want to feel free here.´
´And not paying attention to your men helps you with that,´ Beatrix suggested.
´Indeed.´
Clarisse eyed her friend. ´All right, I am still pissed.´
´Just pissed?´
´And embarrassed,´ Clarisse sighed.
Beatrix threw the core in the bushes. ´What about flattered?´
´You know B, I wonder how Europe would look like today if you had reigned a couple of hundred years ago.´
´The British Empire would never have been and New York would be New Amsterdam!´
Clarisse added her fantasies to her friend's, who's reply was:´Flattery indeed.´
Clarisse looked caught.
Beatrix laughed. ´You didn't think you could change the subject just like that did you?´
´It was worth a try.´
Clarisse got to her feet. Beatrix grinned and followed her friend's example. They put their rubbish in a bin and signaled their men to prepare to leave. When they were riding again, Clarisse pointed out that the sky looked glorious. Beatrix couldn't but agree. Five minutes later she was still talking about fine skies but Clarisse just knew the subject she feared would be brought up sooner or later. She couldn't stand the tension and interrupted Beatrix's description of a Vermeer sky.
´If you meant to say that I should feel flattered because someone my own age thinks that I still have you know what, it isn't really flattery is it?´
´Juan nor Carlos were your age.´
Clarisse looked at her friend.
´What is that suppose to mean?´
´That it isn't an age thing.´
Clarisse made her horse go at a trot. Beatrix shook her head and smiled. ´Follow that horse,´ she whispered to her mare.
When she'd caught in on her friend, she apologised. ´I didn't intend to make you feel uncomfortable Clarisse,´ she added.
Clarisse didn't seem to hear her. She looked behind her and to Beatrix's great surprise said: ´We never talked about... that, did we? Have you ever discussed... you know what, with anyone?´
´Apart from telling the girls about the birds and the bees?´
´Apart from that. Rupert handled that with our boys, thank goodness,´ Clarisse laughed.
Beatrix decided to copy Clarisse's light tone. ´I only discussed it with my lovers and later with Ernst of course.´
´You did?´
´When I thought that there might be a next time. For the lovers.´
Clarisse threw her head in her neck and laughed.
´You know,´ Beatrix continued, inspired by the Manolo girl Clarisse had talked about the previous evening, ´those friends in Sex and the City discuss it all the time. The way someone kisses, or licks -´
´Oh God!´
Beatrix got a sparkle in her eye.
´Yessss,´ she hissed, ´that's the normal reply to such an action.´ She smiled wickedly.
OoOoOoO
Joe and the general looked behind them at the sound of their Queens' laughter. Even their horses seemed to have fun. Joe wished his Queen could laugh like that with him. He shook his head. Still jealous of 'B'.
OoOoOoO
The Queens were not the only ones who rose early. A little girl called Dolores woke her brother, telling him she was ready to go.
´Do you know what time it is?´
´Time to go Xavier. Come on. What if the cars are gone?´
Xavier closed his eyes, hoping his sister would leave but instead she pulled away his blanket.
´Come on!´
Forty minutes later, as the church bell struck to announce it was seven 'o clock, they crossed the village square. Dolores was chatting happily, thrilled to be on an outing with her brother. As they walked the dead end road leading to El Chalet she got nervous. ´What if they have dogs to chase us away?´
´We can walk here if we want to little one.´
´But the dogs won't understand that.´
Xavier laughed. ´Don't you worry, I will tell them to sit still so I can make a picture of them.´
Dolores giggled. Xavier had played on these grounds when he was a child and he remembered that near the garage the wall surrounding the estate was partly replaced by a fence. It was difficult to reach the spot for the bushes weren't welcoming and the ground was covered with stinging nettles. When Xavier put Dolores down on a strip of grass her chagrin and the noise she made expressing it, were stopped by an item from his survival kit: a lollipop.
´I don't see any cars do you?´ she lisped.
Xavier used his most powerful telephoto lens and he had to agree with Dolores. From where they were standing only a side of the large garage and the front side of the stables were visible. And still that was a better view than the one they had had from the entrance gate which only showed a long empty drive.
´They were really there Xavier, really really.´
´I believe you sweetie. But we'd better return home.´
Xavier was about to remove the lens when he heard whinnying. Two riders holding the reigns of pitch black horses came out of the stables. He viewed them through his lens. They made a fine couple: the man was balding, yet attractive and the female rider was beautiful, with long legs and curves in all the right places. Dolores pulled at his sleeve.
´Could you make photos of the horses Xavier? Please?´
He nodded and placed his finger on his lips. She quickly put the lollipop in her mouth to prove she would be quiet. Xavier shot a series of pictures and on arriving home he developed them. At lunch time he handed them to his little sister. She gave him a hug and showed the photos to her grandmother Inez, who lived with them.
´Santa Maria,´ the woman cried out after she had put on her glasses. ´That is Reina Clarisse.´
Xavier grabbed the photos and studied them with new interest. ´Really grandma?´
´Si si, get me my magazine Dolores.´
The girl ran away to return with the latest issue of her grandmother's gossip magazine. Inez turned pages until she had found one with a picture of the Genovian Queen. ´See?´ she told her grandson.
´Fuck!´
Xavier received a slap on his arm.
´Ay! Sorry grandma.´
´Huh!´
´Are you sure it's her?´
´Si si, look boy!´
OoOoOoO
Clarisse entered the drawing room.
´There is nothing better than a hot shower after a day's riding.´
´Absolutely,´ Beatrix responded.
´Have you called Ernst? How did he feel?´
During the ride from Pyrus to their holiday address the friends had talked about the Dutch prince consort, who had had a heart attack four months previous and was still recovering.
´He had taken a walk in the garden with Sophie. He had no difficulty keeping up with her.´
´Good, being outrun by a three year old must be very annoying.´
´Indeed. The last time I took a walk with him I had to keep myself from screaming because it was going so very slowly.´
´I know. It would take Rupert minutes to make it from the bed to his bathroom after he had an attack.´
´Fortunately we can plaster a smile on our faces,´ Beatrix replied.
´Do your girls see through you?´
´They take after me. Sometimes I feel they can read me like an open book.´
´I don't think Pierre and Philippe can read me easily.´
They sat in a comfortable silence. Beatrix hoped that her friend would mention a certain someone, apart from herself, who could read her. When Clarisse folded her hands around her glass of Darjeeling tea and inhaled the scent, Beatrix figured she would have to enter the subject herself. ´It is a good thing that I like to read a good book, even though it's written in Genovian cipher.´
Clarisse affectionately smiled at her friend.
´A new chapter would be nice though. I could do with a tale of romance.´
Clarisse frowned.
´I preferred the look you gave me just before,´ Beatrix commented.
Clarisse took a sip from her tea.
´A writer,´ Beatrix continued, ´can decide which road to take. And sometimes she just doesn't know where the path is leading to.´
´Romance... if Joseph wants something more - ´
´Something more?´
Clarisse sighed. ´If he wants... to love me... I thought about it today and... He's wonderful but it's just so complicated B.´
Clarisse walked the room under the pretence of admiring the flowers on various tables.
´We would have to keep it a secret and would it work? Employer, lover, I mean... It's just... And maybe he's just being kind to me and he doesn't want - ´
´Clarisse,´ Beatrix interrupted.
Clarisse looked at her friend.
´Tell me honestly. If he just wants to be friends, would you be sorry?´
They stared at each other.
´Damn you B,´ Clarisse whispered.
´C, believe me. That man is head over heals in love with you.´
Beatrix wished she had her sketchbook near, to capture the bliss that slowly showed on her friend's face.
Clarisse walked toward Beatrix and kissed her head. Then, like a schoolgirl, she plumped down next to her.
´Do you really think so?´ she beamed.
´Cross my heart.´
Clarisse sighed with contentment.
´It feels so good.´
´I know,´ Beatrix softly said.
They held hands.
´If only it could stay this way.´
´Unfulfilled?´
´No, that's not what I mean... I wish that this feeling could stay. This feeling of... security.´
Beatrix winked at her friend: ´In your case sweetheart, I think that feeling will always stay.´
OoOoOoO
Joe had volunteered to walk to the mansion to get some tea-bags and eggs. He checked the surroundings but there was nothing to worry about. Vilais, who had been hiding behind a tree near the entrance gate during the morning, had not reported anything worth while. Joe greeted a Dutchman standing guard near the back door. He carefully opened the door to the kitchen. If she caught him, he was in trouble.
So why did you go Joe? Because you want to see her. Just make sure she doesn't see you.
Not once had she talked to him or given him a smile since they'd left the Castle.
The kitchen was empty save for Ben Coligny who was making himself something to eat. ´Mr Romero. Would you like a cheese sandwich too?´
Joe shook his head. ´No thank you. I only came to get some supplies my men forgot. You will not join us outside the stables to eat?´
´No I won't thank you. I am going to do some reading. Why are you whispering?´
´I think Her Majesty wouldn't want me to be here.´
´Nonsense. Despite what you might think – Oh, you mean your Queen.´
Joe nodded.
´Well, you'll know best Mr Romero.´
The general added some chive to his sandwich and left. Joe searched for tea and a bowl to carry eggs in, thinking about how he had hated Ben Coligny in those moments before the Queen of the Netherlands had stepped out of her car. And now? The man was easy going, although he kept his distance, he was intelligent and the best part: he wasn't Queen Clarisse's lover and therefore a very likeable man. Joe quietly opened cupboards. He soon found tea but it wasn't until the last cupboard that he found a big bowl. He had just located the eggs in the loaded refrigerator when he heard footsteps. High heels. It wasn't his Queen, but still... He couldn't leave the kitchen without being seen so he hid himself in the store room.
The Queen of the Netherlands entered the kitchen to choose a bottle of wine to go with the dinner one of her men was collecting from the restaurant. She smiled. Someone had used a lot of shower lotion after the ride. ´Good evening Mr Romero.´ The silence seemed to increase for someone tried very hard not to be present. ´It is your lotion.´ Did she hear a sigh? She smirked. A door opened, revealing a sheepish looking head of security holding a pink bowl.
´Your Majesty. I was looking for eggs and tea.´
´That is a plain meal Mr Romero. If you need more, please take it.´
´One of my men claims to be a master omelet maker ma'am.´
´Than you'd better bring some frying-pans with you as well. I doubt the stable's kitchen provides it.´
´That has been arranged, thank you.´
The Queen figured this was the best chance she had. ´What about the other thing Mr Romero, will that be arranged as well?´
´I'm sorry?´
´Her Majesty is not too pleased with the remark you made.´
His expression showed that he knew what she was referring to.
´I think you should talk about it before you leave for Pyrus,´ she told him.
After the Queen had left, taking a bottle of wine with her, Joe put eggs in the bowl without realising what he was doing. It wasn't until he came in view of the stables that it dawned on him: she had not looked at him as if he was a cockroach. In fact, she had seemed understanding. He shook his head. Really Romero.
OoOoOoO
´What shall we do tomorrow?´
´The weather will be good so we could just sit on the lawn,´ Clarisse suggested.
´That sounds perfect.´
´Besides after this meal I doubt we will be able to go on an outing.´
´Doing nothing at all sounds attractive.´
´Then nothing it is, with lots of ice-tea and lemonade and delicious sandwiches. By the by, this is an excellent wine.´
´Thank you. I chose it with care.´
´Maybe there's a hammock in the little summer-house.´
´That would be the thing C.´
´I can still picture those warm days when the boys were chasing each other or playing football with Rupert and I was near, in a hammock, listening to their excited voices.´
´Those were the days,´ Beatrix agreed.
They spent the remainder of the meal talking about the past but when they bade each other good night Beatrix again asked Clarisse if she was still upset about Joseph's remark, adding: ´Knowing how he feels about you it's...cute.´
´Teddy bears are cute, green monsters are not,´ Clarisse retorted.
´I just think you should talk about it... Sweet dreams C.´