Chapter Nineteen: Chance Encounter
"Come on, beautiful. Rise and shine." Jefferson Voltaire drew back the curtains, letting a flood of golden sunlight into the room.
"Mm." Charity Bentham moaned and rolled over on her tummy, turning her freckled face away from the bright morning light. She knew she was back in London, just from the buzz of helicopters. Millions of people were wide awake and dressed already, zooming here and there like busy bees. Just thinking about all that energy made Charity feel even more like taking it easy, and enjoying all the soothing scents in her heavenly hotel suite.
"Come on, lover." Jeff gave the girl's bare bottom a loud smack. "Up and into the refreshing pine-scented shower. We've got a lot to do today. You've got to testify against Dr. Margaret Carlton."
"Oh, Ford! I'd forgotten all about that nasty woman." Charity sat up in bed, pushing the tangled red hair out of her eyes. She wished Jeff could accompany her to the private hearing. The handsome Alpha Plus scientist had brought her back to London, but the World Controllers wanted her own eyewitness testimony.
"Don't be nervous," her gorgeous male companion soothed, pulling the disheveled redhead into his arms and kissing her soundly. "You'll be just fine all on your own. A helicopter will pick you up at ten. My office is screaming for me so I have to fly in a different direction. Now off you go into the scented shower!"
Charity really did feel much more awake after standing under a cascade of cool and misty fragrances, inhaling the invigorating scent of a pristine pine forest after a sudden spring shower. Her heart was pounding as she stepped into the rooftop helicopter, smartly dressed in a peach blouse and short emerald green skirt.
"I'm here to testify before the World Controllers," she squeaked, fumbling to unsnap her smart tan briefcase and then nervously presenting her papers at the massive deak in the main lobby.
The pale, languid girl behind the desk looked bored and haughty, clearly thinking herself very grand even though she was just another Beta secretary. "Please take a seat, Miss Bentham. You'll be called at the proper time!"
Charity waited for what seemed like hours, seated on a hard wooden bench beneath a massive clock and a stern portrait of Our Ford. People came and went but they were all Alphas, the women slim and haughty, the men all tall and strong and terribly attractive. Charity hoped someone might stop and talk to her. But none of them even bothered to look her way. Sitting on the bench all by herself, Charity began to feel very uncomfortable. She'd been too nervous to eat before she left the hotel. Now she was getting hungry for a good breakfast, or perhaps an early lunch.
As her stomach growled, and the clock ticked, and the minutes dragged more and more slowly, Charity kept wondering why the great Dr. Jefferson Voltaire couldn't have come along with her. He'd been happy enough to keep her company last night! But everyone belonged to everyone, so she couldn't assume that having Jeff the night before meant that they were truly friends. Charity remembered how good it was, having Jefferson Voltaire. Quite divine. But all that only made her feel more abandoned.
"I say, old girl, would you mind moving that pretty little case and sliding over just a tiny bit? You're taking up the whole bench!"
"Huh?" Charity hadn't really noticed the big, hulking older man, because she'd been staring off into space and thinking of Jeff. Now she felt very confused. The man did look strangely familiar!
"Charity, dearest! I didn't mean to startle you. I was only having a bit of a joke. Don't you remember me, dearest? It's Humphrey!"
"Oh, Your Fordship!" Something clicked the moment Charity heard that familiar laugh. It was Humphrey Babcock, the kindly old bishop she'd played rocket golf with a few weeks back. Once she placed him properly, Charity was very glad to see him again.