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The Gemma Brightman
Story Episode 2 |
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When Gemma and the Ashtons arrived at the Embassy the following night, the cocktail hour was in full swing. The guest of honor, President Roosevelt's close advisor, Harry Hopkins, had not yet arrived, and the crowded room was vibrating with the noise of laughter and conversation. | |
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A startlingly beautiful woman
with the looks of a Hollywood starlet approached, and Gemma brightened
with recognition.
"Candace ! I was just
wondering if I would see you tonight. "
Gemma was happy to see her
good friend again after weeks of being cooped up in her office outside of
London. Candace Wells was a Navy nurse who had survived the trauma and
chaos of Pearl Harbor, and had been transferred to the U.K. to train
in-flight nurses at the American Hospital wing. Gemma's friendship with
her dated from their freshman year at the University of Chicago, and she
was so glad to have a close friend stationed nearby for company. The
transfer had been therapeutic for Candace as well for she had lost her
fiancé in the attack on Pearl.
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"I've been trying for fifteen
minutes to escape Monsieur Moonshine's attentions, " she sighed, giving a
nod over her shoulder. Gemma glanced at the dowdy correspondent behind
Candace, who was smiling obsequiously at the fiercely-scowling Russian
ambassador. Gemma laughed,
" 'Monsieur' must have asked
the Ambassador for an interview. "
Paul Emery glanced their way
and winked. The attempts at sly lechery on the part of this middle-aged,
paunchy American journalist was an old joke between Gemma and Candace, his
standard one-liners to women giving him his nickname among them:
Moonshine.
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Gemma and Grace chatted
pleasantly for a few minutes, catching up on news, when Gemma noticed the
Colonel moving toward her, accompanied by a distinguished-looking man with
an impeccably groomed beard and mustache. Something about him startled
her. Did she know him ? Her mind ran a quick scan, but she could not place
him.
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"Captain, may I introduce
my very capable assistant, Gemma Brightman ? Gemma, I'd like you to meet
Group Captain Richardson."
The captain had only the
merest trace of a smile as he took her hand in a brief clasp. Gemma felt a
jolt of...what...recognition ? She was sure she didn't know him, yet there
was something unsettling about his face. She felt she knew what he would
speak before he actually did.
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"I'm very pleased to meet
you, Miss Brightman. I have a high regard for your father."
His voice was surprisingly
soft, though deep and sonorous. His next words were in French.
"I was privileged to
accompany your father on an archeological expedition with some of my
colleagues from Oxford. Please give him my warmest regards."
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Gemma, surprised that he
knew her father, wanted to question him about the location of the
expedition, but with a brief, probing look at her, he turned with a slight
bow, and moved away. She glanced at Colonel Ashton, who merely said,
"The Captain appears to be a
man of few words. Can I get you a drink ?"
She nodded, and tried to
compose herself so as not to betray her puzzlement.
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Later, at dinner, she noticed him helping a
very elegant and aristocratic woman to her seat next to his. |
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Whenever she glanced that direction during
dinner, she noticed them in quiet conversation. |
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Once, Gemma found him looking intently at
her, and she involuntarily looked away. Afterward, as she waited with Pamela
for their coats to be brought, he passed without so much as a glance at
either of them. Gemma whispered to Pamela, "Do you know that man?" |
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Pamela smiled, "Oh, that's Sir Colin Richardson. A cool, unapproachable type, though heaven knows, many have tried. I wouldn't let him cross your mind. He's engaged to Caroline Ashley-Ford, or about to be. " "The woman he is with tonight ?" "Yes, darling. They'll put each other in a deep freeze. She's as glacial as he is. My advice to you is to stick with our predictable Yanks. Less mystery, but lot's of red-blooded play !" "I wouldn't mind some of that play if only I could add about six hours to my day !" Gemma smiled, trying to deflect any misunderstanding of her interest in Sir Colin away. As she put on her coat, she thought it odd that Colonel Ashton hadn't mentioned anything about Captain Richardson's elevation to knighthood. |
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"Oh,
Gemma, I have so much to tell you," said Candace softly as they moved down
the Embassy steps. "Will you have time for a visit tomorrow before you catch
your train back ?" "Of course !" Gemma smiled warmly at her friend. "We
didn't have nearly enough time tonight to talk !" They made plans to have
tea the next day near the hospital where Candace worked.
As Gemma stared at the rain-soaked London
streets from her cab home from that night, she couldn't help thinking about
her encounter with Captain Richardson. Three things occured to her : one,
she hadn't spoken even a word to him during their introduction; two, when he
had talked of her father, he had spoken in French; and three, though his
manner was indeed cool, there was something in his eyes which contradicted
his manner....a deep restlessness, or perhaps preoccupation. Naturally,
Gemma loved a good puzzle, but the human ones were not so easy to cipher.
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