FSE

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Here we go...Self edited this time so I apologise for any mistakes that I may have missed.

Comments and ideas appreciated as always.

Chapter 16.

Charity settled herself into one of the loungers under the straw awning by the pool. She placed the Mojito cocktail that she had ordered on the side table and slitted her eyes as she watched Jessica stroking effortlessly up and down in steady, rhythmic lengths. There were few other customers in the water at this time of the day, but a lion and and his mate were matching each other, stroke for stroke in adjacent lanes. There were infra red sunlamps shining down from the canopy and their heat infused her in the humid atmosphere.

Jessica rested her chin on the poolside next to Charity's lounger, inviting her to join her again. It wasn't that she had anything against swimming, it was the her long fur tended to become matted when in contact with chlorine infused water for any period of time. Although she knew she was having a grooming session shortly, she refused politely as she was just to tired to make the effort. She had had more strenuous exercise in the last twenty four hours than she had had in the last few years. She smiled as she felt her body flush at the memories, concluding that she would no longer brush Felix's advances off as she had done of late. Maybe it would help her loose the extra few pounds that had started to appear from nowhere recently!

There was a couple of light splashes as an otter couple launched themselves off the high-board, twisting and somersaulting in perfect synchronization in mid-air, before entering the water, ripping the surface tension of the pool apart in a couple of concentric rings worthy of the Olympic teams. They surfaced again fifty feet down the pool, breaching with puffs of held breath spraying droplets of trapped moisture into the air. "Looks like fun," Jessica said turning back to Charity having been distracted by the couple.

"To strenuous for me, I have never liked diving. I have an inner ear problem that the rapid pressure change exacerbates. Swimming, dipping and floating are my limits when I am in the water," Charity replied, taking a sip from her long glass.

"Sure you won't join me?" Jessica asked again.

"Not worth it now," Charity glanced at the pool clock on the wall, "It is almost time for our treatments."

Jessica glanced up at the timepiece and grinned, "Time to show those otters how it is done then!" She pushed off from the poolside and stroked over to the exit ladder by the solitary lifeguards chair, climbing out. The bored looking mink who was watching over the pools occupants barely glanced at her until she paused. "How deep is the pool?" she asked him.

"Forty feet, madame," he answered.

"Thank you," Jessica nodded in reply.

The mink followed her swinging tail with his eyes as she headed towards the concrete staircase leading to the diving tower. The otters, having exited the pool at a different ladder paused by the bar in their return to the staircase, whispering to each other as Jessica started her climb. The lions also noted her assent and rested themselves against the poolside in the shallow end.

Jessica climbed past the low board, all too aware that she now had an audience. It was unusual enough that she was swimming, after all it was rare that the avian species like dragons were seen in the water, never mind doing what she was about to do. She grinned to herself. The private girls school she had attended in her teens was lucky enough to have its own twenty metre deep diving pool in its grounds, and the instructors had insisted every girl regardless of species learn to dive as well as swim. They had allowed her to fly up to the platform though, rather than haul herself up the steps. She was passing the second, twenty foot platform now, but didn't pause as she began heading for the top one that the otters had used. The hardest thing that she had had to learn, was to over-ride her body's natural instincts to snap her wings open as she leaped out into space.

"Excuse me ma'am. Is your friend about to do what we think she is about to do?" The male otter asked, startling Charity as he and his mate had come up behind her lounger without her noticing.

"I wouldn't put it past her," the Persian replied, turning to the couple, "She tends to be a bit of an exhibitionist."

"Won't she hurt herself? Her wings must take a hell of an impact when she hits the water from that height," the female asked in return.

"I wouldn't know, but I would trust her to know what she is doing. I have only really known her as a friend for the last day or so, though we have met socially before. She is the mate of one of my mate's employee's," Charity answered turning to look back up at the platform where Jessica was standing now in a self conscious pose, "We are being treated at the company's expense."

The otter couple nodded in unison, and then perched on one of the empty recliners as Jessica positioned herself of the edge of the concrete platform.

Looking down the forty five feet to the poolside Jessica observed and then mock saluted her audience before turning her back on them. She scuttled back to the platforms edge until just her foot talons were holding her to the rough concrete lip. Taking a deep breath and ensuring her wings were folded tight against her back, she straightened her neck and closed her eyes before bending her knees and using the launch muscles in her thighs, flipped herself up towards the ceiling and out into space at a slight angle. Performing a smooth backwards somersault, and brushing the pools roof with her feet she twisted her tail in a loop to avoid further contact, slipping its tip under her Bikini top as she tucked into a ball as her rapid descent began.

Time seemed to slow as she passed her launch point, and unfolding sinuously she adjusted her body into a pike maneuver, before straightening her tail out behind her again and extending her arms out straight above her head. Aligning her snout with her flattened palms at the last moment, pinning her wing elbows against her neck with her horns, she closed her nostrils and scythed into the water in virtual silence, just one misaligned tail ridge raising an errant splash of water.

Allowing the water to slow her plunge, her natural buoyancy stopped her from hitting the pools tiled bottom, and she curved her spine slightly, her momentum carrying her in a slow curve under the water until with a flick of her tail, she surfaced, exhaling exultantly. Drifting towards the shallow end she dropped her feet and stood gracefully. The otters clapped while both the lions and Charity grinned at the smiling dragoness. The lifeguard was drop jawed as he turned to glance at the bar-keep who had joined the Mustelids in their audible congratulations. The mood was ruined slightly as with a couple of bubbles, Jessica's Bikini thong surfaced in the diving pit and floated towards the side. She shrugged her shoulders and swam over to the errant piece of attire and without getting out of the water slipped it back on again under the surface without embarrassment.

"Where did you learn to do that?" The male otter asked as she drifted over to Charity's lounger. The two lions had resumed their exercise again now the show was over.

"In senior school. I am a bit out of practice, my tail caught as I entered the water," Jessica replied.

"It was hardly noticeable my dear. We have been practicing for months and could only wish for such a smooth entry," the female otter piped up.

"The furred girls at school used to gel their fur down for the competitions. Most of the splash is caused by trapped air. Having scales I don't suffer from that, so it was pure carelessness on my part. I have not dived for a couple of years."

"They gelled their fur? With what?" The male asked, looking interested.

Jessica grinned, "Petroleum jelly for the most part...those that didn't have boyfriends," she replied, winking nonchalantly.

It took a few seconds before the otter pair blushed at her suggestiveness, "Ah, right. I am not sure that a public pool would appreciate that," the male answered eventually glancing at his mate.

"Well it is water soluble, so in my opinion is better than the Jelly. Where you would apply it though when you haven't got private changing cubicles is the bigger question though!" Jessica turned and stroked towards the ladder before climbing out.

"Don't mind her, she is rather forward," Charity assured the embarrassed couple, "Takes some getting used to."

"People get used to me quite quickly," Jessica said as she walked over tapping water out of her ears with a talon. "Sorry if I offended."

"You did not offend ma'am, but you gave us something to think about. We are hoping to enter as a mixed synchro-team in the nationals later this year. Any tips are an advantage. We will ask our coach her opinion on the subject before we try it though." The male grinned, kissing his mate on her whiskers. She grinned at him again, blushing.

"Well judging by your performance, you will do very well. Now Charity and I must head for the treatment rooms for our pampering," Jessica finished, smiling as she held out her hand to the Persian who took it and heaved herself up with an exaggerated sigh.

"Thank-you." The otters replied in unison, nodding and heading for the platforms stairs, talking quietly to each other.

"You ready?" Jessica asked Charity as they headed back towards the changing area.

"Yes, I have been looking forward to this. Though Manuella did a great job on my internal muscular structure amongst other things, I still have far to many tangles in my underfur." Charity responded. She glanced down the corridor where they had received their massages as a middle aged doe walked past in a robe and entered number three. A few seconds later the door at the far end of the corridor opened and the pine marten emerged. She grinned at them waving, then entered room three, the lock snicking shut behind her.

"I wonder if Georgina did cancel her appointment?" Jessica mused. The end door opened again and the ocelot emerged in a fresh robe, before slipping into room two with a smile for her previous client, "I guess not," Jessica finished grinning.

Collecting their robe and sarong from the shower area, they slipped them on and walked back to the reception desk. The koala looked up smiling, "Your groomers await you in room six," he pointed at the opposite side of the desk down the other entree from the reception. "I trust everything has been to your satisfaction so far?"

"It has been perfect thank-you. We anticipate this afternoons treatment with relish," Jessica replied while Charity nodded.

"Good, good. I assure you that you will not be disappointed ladies," the koala finished as they headed down towards the other rooms.

"I really hope not," Charity replied over her shoulder.

****

The clock in the boardroom ticked over finally to six P.M. Mr Jupiter cleared his throat and shuffled the paperwork in front of him. "So ladies and gentlemen, you all know what you are to do now?"

Everyone nodded in unison.

"Good, I see no reason for us to be tied up in here any longer. If anything else comes up, we can notify each other through the normal channels. Felix, you return to Warrington and fix up the office to welcome Clyde, the shareholders have released ten grand for the cosmetics in the interim, so make sure it appears appetising to him. The shareholders vote next week on releasing funds for a rebuild here as well, regardless on if Austran sign. Ruth's input at the meeting yesterday has at least sparked them into action for once in their lives!" The eagle smiled, as the rest of the table grinned at Ruth, "If Austran sign, the primary shareholder revealed at the club last night that he will also support a relocation and rebuild of the Warrington office, as was also suggested. So Felix, make sure you have possible site locations at the ready if everything goes well.

"Ruth. I believe that you have your interrupted holiday to resume. So put your feet up for a few days, and be ready to entertain Clyde when he arrives. Austran are rerouting him to Manchester, and he is expected on Wednesday of next week, so a week tomorrow, though he will not be meeting us until Thursday afternoon; he at least will have the leisure to recover from jet-lag that we couldn't afford you. That should give you enough time when you get back to sort out any outstanding affairs in your Macclesfield office. Lionel, Belinda and I will both join you at Warrington on Wednesday as part of the welcoming committee. Felix, make sure you book a limousine when we have his flight arrival time, and one for the following day."

Ruth and Felix nodded.

"Right then, let's call it a day. Some of us have mates that await us, and others have dates. I wish you all well in whichever applies to you," Mr Jupiter laughed at his own perceived wit, the employees joining in politely. The eagle stretched his wings and hopped down from his battered perch at the tables head as Belinda moved in to collect all his paperwork for him.

Everyone else followed suit, stacking their own papers into their briefcases, before leaving the room. Ruth reached over and put a hand on Jane's shoulder as she passed last, "You do know that if you meet us in a couple of hours at the Draheal, you will not have me to yourself? Jessica will not just sit back and watch," he said watching the doe for her reaction.

Jane pouted a little. "But surely she will understand it is for business purposes," she answered after a few seconds, licking her nose.

"That will make no difference to her Jane. You should also know that Felix and Charity will be in the room as well, as per an agreement we made last night," Ruth stated firmly.

"I don't like the idea of an audience you know Mr Ruatha..."

"Ruth, if we are to get to know each other," Ruth interrupted her.

"Ruth then. Ah well...I am not bi-sexual you know, so as long as she doesn't expect me to satisfy her, what can she do?" Jane continued.

"You will have to choose to find out I suppose," Ruth grinned, "Either that or bring along a male you trust is capable of fulfilling her requirements."

"No, absolutely not. I will not have any others involved in my test of you. If you are as well trained as you claim to be, you should be able to continue long after you have finished with me," she grinned saucily at the thought, her tongue flicking out again instinctively.

"Very well then. Are you in or within a week of your season?" Ruth asked straightly.

"Pardon? That is not a question you should normally ask a lady you know Ruth." Jane answered staring at him, appearing to be offended.

"Something tells me Jane that after our conversation at lunch, you are not really going to be offended by that query," Ruth replied returning her stare.

She grinned at him, licking her nose again in reaction, "Your right I suppose, I deserved that. The answer is no, I have been on the pill for over fifteen years to avoid complications. The clients I offer my incentives to tend to prefer sheath-less intercourse so it prevents the complications that could occur were I not. So no, you do not need to provide protection, it would be superfluous and just mutes the sensations."

"Very well, one other thing though. Are you sensitive?" Ruth asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I am scaled all over Jane...have you had a dragon before?"

"Well...no. Most of Overland's biggest clients are ground-bound, or they wouldn't need us. I have never suffered difficulty down there if that's what you mean. A single act should not cause me irritation," Jane replied, tongue flicking again.

"Who said anything about a single act? Anyway I can always sooth you if you react badly," Ruth said smiling at her and running his hand down from her shoulder and cupping her pert buttocks, causing her to jump.

"Not in here Ruth, the room has CCTV," she glanced up at the camera cowling in the corner, "Relationships amongst staff in the office are frowned upon as distracting. What I do outside of the office has deniable plausibility to the company," she flicked her tongue again pulling away from Ruth a little. "We will see if you can do as you promise later, not now." Her tongue flicked again, and she turned leaving the boardroom, glancing over her shoulder at him.

"That tongue flicking must get annoying," Felix commented as he stood, having remained silent during the flirtatious negotiations.

"Had you not noticed she does it only when she is caught out or nervous?" Ruth replied grinning, "She was the same at lunch, but doing it much slower to suggest sensuality."

"I hadn't thought of it that way before," Felix replied grinning as they both headed towards the door.

"It is the same way that you felines start purring when you are feeling happy or pleasured, instincts that have never been bred out of us in evolution. Rabbits have uncontrollable sex-drives. Dragon's can still breathe fire etc. Deer, stags included, twitch their ears and flick their tongues if they feel threatened or uncomfortable. She joked about me never playing poker, her species would be even worse than me!"

Felix laughed at that, "Well I look forward to watching you and Jessica remove some of her fears if she shows."

"Oh she will show Felix, sniff the air."

Felix did as instructed and grinned, "Ah, she was excited about it then,"

"Oh yes," Ruth held his middle talon out in front of Felix's nose. It was slightly damp and very pungent.

"You didn't goose her did you?" Felix asked giggling.

"I did, got rid of her didn't it," Ruth replied giggling, putting his arm over the Abyssinian's shoulders as they stepped into the lift, "Come on, let's go and inform our mates that there will another guest tonight."

****

Lance fetched the last box of files down from the shelving and placed it on the stack of others, "Right that's all the crap from the last few years. If they want to see more, they will have to help us fetch from the cellars. It pretty much covers everything from when everything starting going pear shaped."

Elizabeth sneezed, as an errant waft of dust was stirred up by the last box. She opened the lid and glanced at the dates on the files, nodding. "What aspects of the business did you want to keep from them?" she asked.

"Well there are the payments that I made to try and failed to bribe a few acquaintances and politicians into awarding contracts to the companies I held shares in," Lance replied looking up, "But they are all entered in my tax returns and year end figures, so can't be removed. My bigger worry is that they will ask where some of the cash withdrawals have gone."

"What do you mean?"

"The ones that were used to remove some competition permanently. Malaprop could only perform personal services for me. When I required, say a company to be ruined I had to go to specialists," Lance answered seriously.

"How much are we talking Lance?" Beth asked looking concerned.

"Between 2007 and 2010 I paid out around twelve million in bribes and cash until the whole market crashed down around me."

"How did you get around that in your tax returns?"

"I didn't, I paid the tax on on the outlaid cash as well. I have never defrauded the revenue. Those bloodhounds come after you with knives sharpened on the spines of their previous victims. Whitehall couldn't give a fuck where private money goes after tax has been paid on it," Lance said sitting back down into his wing-back.

"So if you hadn't tried to bribe your way out of trouble, you might have had enough to weather the storm?"

"That is possible, but foresight is something I am not possessed with. By the time I realised it was becoming futile, I was in to deep. The market could have changed, and I was already debt ridden, so I kept fighting until I could fight no more. When I couldn't borrow anymor and missed my first few repayments, the banks came knocking. The rest you know about. I have kept the Giles name from the Crown courts by the skin of my teeth."

"Magistrates surely?"

"No Beth, Crown court. Magistrates only do basic bankruptcies. One on my scale would have been investigated, and then all the missing money would have to have been accounted for. I would have ended up in jail for fraud or worse." Lance replied, defeated. "We would have lost everything. Still could if my siblings don't help."

"They won't help you, you know. They might help us and Jessica though. I seriously doubt you will be able to retain control of any rescue package they come up with." Elizabeth stated staring into the shadows that had enclosed her mates face.

"For that, Jessica would have to be here and mated suitably," Lance muttered, without leaning forwards into the light.

"Will you never let up on that. What is worse Lance? You ending up in jail and penniless, or Jessica happily mated and back in the family seat while you and I take a back seat in the running of the properties. Even if her mate's colour is perceived as wrong by you?" Elizabeth asked seriously.

"The family would still loose status if it had a commoner in it's succession..."

"But not as much as if it was destroyed by an investigation. I don't want to loose you to prison Lance, and I'm damn sure you don't want to end up in there either," Beth said interrupting him.

The room remained silent for a moment or two, "I will have to interview this Ruth Ruatha, if he is indeed still mated to Jessica. If there is anything, and I mean anything in his history that could effect the Giles family name, he will not be allowed to set foot on the family properties. That is the last I will say on the matter Elizabeth. I would rather rot in hell than give up the last principles on which I was raised." Lance said leaning forward back in to the light.

"Well let us hope that the demons don't hold your welcoming party to soon then," Beth replied, standing and leaving the study without his leave.

He opened his mouth in order to stop her, but then his jaws closed slowly in the silence. "Females!" he muttered to himself and sat back in the empty study, nothing but his own thoughts interrupting his peace.

****

Malaprop slipped the dirty crockery from afternoon tea into the dishwasher, then pulled the steaks from the larder in order to reach room temperature, covering them with a cotton towel. Quickly ensuring the kitchen was clean, he fetched the printouts from earlier and carried them upstairs, placing them on Lady Elizabeth's dressing table in a neat stack. Heather had already taken care of the bed, so he slipped through the connecting door and straightened up Lance's room. He sniffed at the sheets, and decided they could do with a change soon. Lance was starting to shed scales in places now with his age, and the dust tended to contaminate the silk. Quickly checking the en-suite for cleanliness and toiletry supplies, he closed the door and headed back down into hallway.

It would be a hour or so before he needed to start the preparation on the evening meal, so he decided to do an inventory on the larder and supplies in order to make sure he had enough food to accommodate the family on Friday. He quickly discovered he was short of various items and pinning a list on the calender, he resolved himself to a shopping trip on Thursday. 'Damn it, the gardeners,' he cursed to himself, and went to pick up the phone extension on the wall, dialling the usual maintenance company.

"Hello, Mow and Blow Grounds Maintenance Limited. Violet speaking, how may I help you?"

"Afternoon Violet, Malaprop here from Regent's manor. Any chance you could get a team over for a few hours tomorrow or Thursday for a cut and tidy up. Lord Giles has decide to throw a gathering at short notice on Friday." Malaprop replied, sighing to highlight a false exasperation.

Violet laughed, "I'll just check the schedule Sir...Yes I have a team of four available on Thursday morning. Do you want me to charge to the account as usual?"

"Yes thankyou. Usual procedure, ring the bell and I will deactivate the net."

"I will make a note for the foreman. Been a while since we have been in hasn't it?" Violet responded, a keyboard clicking in the background as she made a note on the job-sheet.

"Yes, I ran the mower over last time it needed it. This dry summer means things have slowed down a little, and Lord Giles decided to try and save a little cash. Took me ages to work out how to start the bloody thing," Malaprop laughed.

"Oh well, we live to serve our employers I suppose...would you believe they have cut the canteen service from here. We have fetch our own food in now in the office," Violet responded giggling.

"It sounds like hard times all round then dear. At least I don't have to worry about that, living on site here. You at least don't get woken at all hours if there is a problem though."

"No I suppose I don't...Look talking about all hours, you sure we can't meet for a drink at some time sexy?" Violet asked putting on her most sultry voice.

Malaprop paused for a few seconds. Violet, he knew from the time she turned up to provide the maintenance quotes, eighteen months previously was a forty something, widowed, single mum of four rapidly maturing teenage dragon-lets. She was a pale silver, almost grey in colour, but had kept her shape despite motherhood. She had been trying to hit on Malaprop since that first day, despite his gentle brush-offs. "You know I can't do I can't do that Violet, much as I would love to. Every time I try and make a date, they end up getting cancelled when something comes up. It's not fair for me to pretend I can have a relationship with you. If you ever bump into me at a club on one of my rare nights off, I am sure we can come to an arrangement though," he replied quietly.

"Such a shame a stud like you has gone to waste...I will have to start clubbing then in the hope that we bump into each other," Violet responded, the pout clearly sounding in her voice.

Malaprop sighed quietly, 'You are unlikely to turn up in any of the clubs I frequent,' he thought to himself, lips quirking at the thought of Violet showing up in any of the 'gay dungeons' he could be found at in his spare time. "I will certainly look forward to it, should that ever happen," he reassured Violet out loud.

"Very well then Sir," Violet said reverting back to her professional self, "The team will be with you on Thursday then. Good-bye." The phone clicked as she hung up at the other end. It was obvious by the way she rushed it that someone else had appeared in her office, foreshortening the flirting. He thanked whoever that may be for rescuing him from her attentions.

Grabbing a trug from the rack, he opened the kitchen door and went out into the vegetable patch in order to collect the ingredients for the evenings salad. The chilli's were ripening nicely, so he collected a few of them alongside some fresh lemongrass and a home grown ginger root in order to make the paste for the steaks. Neatly cutting of the excess foliage, he dumped it in the composting bins. Glancing at the raised beds, he selected spring onions, some iceberg lettuce, fresh kale, some celery, a few tomato's from the greenhouse and a few roots of fresh horseradish. Placing the trug on the bench, he forked up a couple of potato plants, throwing the tubers into the trug with an eased practice.

He would never make a gourmet chef like Jools, but he could get by comfortably in the kitchen when it came to basic, wholesome food. The feral chickens had laid a few eggs in the hen-house, so he added them to the trug, and then chucked the spent potato plants in the compost as well before heading back into the kitchen.

The potato's were all small, so he just grabbed the scrubbing brush and ran them under the tap to clean them, scrubbing the stubborn bits of soil from any crevices and used his talons to de-eye them. Placing a saucepan of water on the ring, he added a splash of olive-oil, some sea-salt flakes and a pinch of dried basil and mint, stirring it gently until it came to the boil before dropping the cleaned tubers in for twenty minutes before removing them to cool.

Grabbing his meat mallet, he put the steaks on the butchers block and tenderised them for a few minutes before leaving them to rest. Selecting the large mortar and pestle from the shelf, he diced the chilli's and lemongrass into the grit-stone bowl, before grating in the ginger root. Pulling the jar of peppercorns off the spice rack, he added half a dozen to the mix. Neatly cutting the fresh leaves from the horseradish tubers, he grated a few ounces of one into the bowl alongside the rest or the ingredients. Pouring a generous amount of balsamic vinegar in to the mortar, he added a splash of olive oil, and two freshly separated egg yolks. It wasn't conventional, but it helped bind the seasoning paste to the raw meat, and both Elizabeth and Lance enjoyed it. He settled into a steady rhythm with the pestle for a good twenty minutes before the dressing was reduced to a smooth, pale green paste.

Turning the steaks over he beat them heartily again with the mallet, then placing them on a shallow baking tray, he slathered a layer of the mortar's contents first on one side, then flipped them and did the same to the other. He sealed the tray with clingfilm, and then placed it in the plate warmer at twenty degrees centigrade to sweat. He made a quick vinegarette for the salad, adding a few more mixed herbs, then quickly and efficiently sliced and diced the fresh vegetables into a large salad bowl and added the-by now cool potato's-before tossing it all together with a few shredded horseradish leaves. He placed the bowl in the fridge, before cleaning all the surfaces and doing the washing up.

He heard the study door close with a thump, and footsteps heading towards the kitchen as he was hanging up his apron. Elizabeth stuck her head around the door to see if he was in. "Can I help you lady?" he asked.

"Any luck in your search?" Elizabeth asked slipping in and closing the door behind her.

"Yes Ma'am. I have placed a full folder of information on your dressing table. It was as I suspected, Ruth Ruatha had very important parents who were of good colours. They were serving in the diplomatic services for Thatcher when the were killed by a bomb in Ireland. I am meeting Alan tonight, not a date. He was listed as attending their funeral." Malaprop replied.

"Alan Giles? Lance's brother?" Elizabeth started at that news.

"Yes, I enclosed him a separate note in with the letter about Friday when I came across his name. He sent the courier back asking me to meet with him. It looks like knew the Ruatha's quite well." Malaprop answered her quietly.

"Well that is interesting. Keep me updated. We finished in the study on a rough note concerning Jessica, so I will retire to my room until the meal is ready and read through the rest of what you have left me." Elizabeth said nodding, heading towards the door.

"Very well ma'am, I will be serving in around thirty minutes unless you want me to delay it."

"No, that should be sufficient time. We shall have to make a plan of how to approach Lance when we have all the information...that is of course if Jools successfully contacts Jessica." Elizabeth answered as she opened the kitchen door.

"I am fairly sure that the meeting this morning was successful Ma'am. From the time that Jools messaged Master Lance, and the obvious lie that was in the message, he has deliberately stalled in giving Master Lance the news. I would hazard a guess that Jessica and Mr Ruatha will have left London by tomorrow when Jools confirms it is them."

"Mmm, and Lance didn't realise that Jools was lying?"

"No, I effectively distracted him when he made another derogatory comment about our shared sexuality. He backed off without analysing exactly what the words I read him." Malaprop replied grinning.

"I can imagine he did. Good work Malaprop. We will see what tonight throws up with Alan, and then either tell Lance before or after the meeting. I would suggest that should Jools contact you directly, you reveal what you have found out. Something tells me my mates mind will be swayed when he discovers who he so rashly dismissed as common muck all those years ago." Elizabeth finished, smiling and leaving the kitchen.

"So do I Lady Elizabeth, I am looking forward to have someone to spar verbally with again in the house," Malaprop said quietly to himself as he slipped some plates under a hot lamp, his mind slipping back to some of the arguments he and Jessica had had while she was furthering his knowledge of the English language and customs. His mind slipped back further to when he was bouncing her up and down in the air and testing her wing muscles in the gymnasium. Lance had employed personal trainers for her fledging, rather than supervising it himself. Little Jess, and then James later had come to him for extra training when he had the free time from his duties.

He smiled, remembering her first solo flight at the age of eleven. He had also taught her rudimentary defence and combat skills at Lance's request, though it had become apparent when she hit puberty that she would never have any trouble with males, as she had made a move on him. She had learnt well, as she had effectively stripped him of his clothes before he had managed to pin her to the carpet in his room where she had ambushed him. No mean feat for a female who was only thirteen at the time. She had asked him then, straight to his face why he was not aroused at her forwardness. He had dismissed her, saying that trying to seduce someone the same age as her father was wrong, and he could easily be jailed if he was found in her company as he was at that moment. She had apologised immediately, backing off and never trying with him again, instead, beginning her challenging of him mentally.

At the time the properties and investments were doing well for Master Lance, so were fully staffed. He heard a few weeks later from the head housekeeper at the Chateaux where they were holidaying that she had seduced one of the kitchen boys instead, who had been summarily dismissed for his actions. It was soon after that she had demanded a full education and she had been transferred to the private girls school she had been pushing her father for since she had turned eleven. He had missed her then, and had studied hard himself while she was away so he could compete with her when she returned each break with all her tales of excesses.

He glanced at the clock, realising the time had passed to quickly, and stepping into the hall he struck the dinner gong before returning to the kitchen to serve up.

****

Jools stirred slightly in his sleep as Adam slipped his arm out from underneath him. The flats buzzer sounded again, alerting him that someone was at the front entrance. Pulling on a loose bathrobe he quickly walked to the video phone by the front door. "Hello?" he said answering it.

"Mr Giles?" The young hawk standing in the blocks foyer queried.

"No, but I am his valet. Mr Giles is currently sleeping. How may I help?" Adam answered, noting the courier uniform the bird was wearing.

"I have a letter for a Mr J Giles that needs signing for, Sir." The hawk replied.

"Is it okay for me to sign?" Adam asked, "I would rather not disturb him unless it is absolutely necessary."

"Your signature will be fine Sir. Can you let me in and I will come up?" The hawk answered.

"Fly up to the balcony, it will save you the lift. We are on the top floor, riverside. I will await you there."

"Thank-you Sir, that will save me some time." The hawk saluted the camera and turned exiting the foyer.

Adam quickly slipped back into the bedroom where his somnolent mate let out a quiet snore. He grabbed a pair of loose shorts and a T shirt slipping them on to make himself slightly more presentable in public. He also pulled a fiver from his wallet on the dresser before walking back into the lounge and opening the balcony doors.

The young hawk, seeing the glass partition open fluttered in to a neat landing and folded his wings before fishing the letter out of his carry pouch alongside his electronic signature device. "Can I have your surname please Sir?" He enquired pulling the stylus from it's holder.

"Giles," Adam replied smiling and watching the hawk for his response.

The hawk paused for a second, glancing up before typing it in, "Initial?"

"A," Adam replied with a smile at the silent hesitation in the young avian.

"Sign here please Sir," he asked, handing the device over to the wolf, who neatly scribed his mark on the touch-screen. "Thankyou," the hawk continued as he accepted the machine back.

"Your welcome," Adam replied as the hawk handed him the velum envelope while slipping the machine back into his pouch. The wolf handed the hawk the fiver in return, getting a salute and another thankyou for his tip. He turned and then launched himself off the ledge before winging his way back down the Thames towards the financial district.

Looking at the watermarked envelope Adam smiled seeing the Giles crest. "I'll bet he is heading for Arnold's offices," he muttered to himself as he turned and re-entered the flat, sliding the glass closed behind him, flicking the latch.

He glanced at baroque french clock that sat on the mantle over the false fireplace, noting it was two thirty. He wasn't tired, and he was likely to disturb Lance if he tried slipping back into bed, so slipping his reading glasses on he sat down at his writing bureau and continued his entry of the Southampton restaurants figures into the tax returns, which had been interrupted by his mates return and playfulness that morning.

****

The scale buffer whirred to a stop for the final time and the vixen removed her protective goggles as she placed it to one side before applying a coat of colour preserving oil to the smoothed edges on Jessica's tail tip. "All done Ma'am. I suggest that you apply another coat of oil in around twenty four hours to get the best results."

"I will have my mate cover me thoroughly again when we get home tomorrow afternoon then, thankyou," Jessica replied, smiling as her tail was released from the padded constraints by the vixen.

"Do you need to buy any more oil?" The vixen enquired gesturing at the shelves of various unguents, lotions and creams that were clearly displayed for her perusal in the treatment room.

Jessica smiled, "I have sufficient for the moment, thankyou," she replied. There was no way she was going to purchase the same oil that she could get a less than half the price from elsewhere. The vixen nodded in response, disposing of the used cotton rag in the pedal bin.

Charity sighed as the stoat who had been grooming her underfur out stood from her attentions and placed the long toothed comb back on her workstation. The attentions that had been paid to her fur and claws had been so relaxing after the earlier massage session, she had been a virtual state of catatonia since the first strokes of the anti-tangle combs in her attendants arsenal had contacted her.

The clock on the rooms wall told her that it was approaching three-forty and she remembered Jessica's words earlier about going to visit the dragon that had shown up at the mornings breakfast. "That was wonderful miss," she directed at the stoat who was carefully cleaning the combs she had used of the white hairs that had accumulated from the Persian's coat.

"You're welcome Ma'am," the stoat replied as she placed the errant strands into her disposal pouches before hanging the combs on their pegs on the tables board.

"Jessica, shouldn't you be getting off soon?" Charity asked the dragoness who was stretching after climbing down from her treatment couch.

Jessica cracked her shoulder joints and glanced at the clock in turn before answering, "Yes, I will have to nip up to the room and grab a flying jacket. This is to loose for city flight," she gestured down at her sarong. "What are you going to do for the hour or so before Felix and Ruth return?"

"I am going to have a kip. This old lady is quite exhausted after yesterday evening and today," Charity replied, grinning as she also slipped off her treatment bench.

Jessica laughed, "Fair enough grandma, go get some beauty sleep to go with your groom," she replied with a smile. "I would ask you to come with me, but I need my privacy when I am meeting with uncle Jools this time."

"You going to be okay on your own?" Charity asked concerned as they left the treatment room together heading back towards the reception.

"I will be fine Charity. I can take care of myself quite happily. Malaprop, my father's butler and bodyguard may be difficult to get along with at times, but he taught me combat and self defence skills when I was a child; I furthered them with courses that I took at school and Oxford. I have a brown belt in aerial skirmishing and a black in hand to hand. It would take more than one fighter to bring me down now, though I am a little rusty. I am still not quite sure how Ruth managed to pin me in our mating bout on Sunday morning. The only way he won was by playing dirty and knocking me senseless with his electrical attack." She rubbed her freshly filed and shaped nose horn ruefully as she spoke.

Charity laughed nervously in response, and the koala looked up from his monitor on the reception desk. "You look ravishing ladies. I trust this afternoons treatments were as satisfying as this mornings for you?" he asked.

"They were perfect, thank-you," Jessica replied answering him.

"Be sure that you commend your staff when you get the chance please," Charity continued for her.

"I will do so Ma'am," the koala replied, "I hope we see you again at some point."

"Should we ever find ourselves staying here at the Draheal again, I assure that you will." Jessica returned as she headed towards the lift with Charity.

They arrived back up at their private hallway and pulled out their entry-cards, "Jessica, be careful please," Charity said as she scanned the silver suites door.

"Don't worry, I will dear," Jessica responded tapping her midriff with a talon and smiling, "After all I have more than just Ruth and I to care about now."

Charity smiled, "What time do you want to eat?"

"Whenever the boys are back. I will be back no later that five thirty, so when they get here we can go straight down after they have changed," Jessica replied stepping through the open suites door. "If it sets your mind at ease, I am going to the Battersea tower flats opposite the power station. Jools lived in the riverside penthouse last time I saw him. Don't send out the police unless I haven't returned by six though." Jessica joked as Charity laughed.

"Very well, no search parties until then, then." Charity replied, allowing the door to close behind her as she headed for the bedroom and a much needed snooze.

Jessica stripped her sarong off as she entered the room, nodding as she noted that everything had been tidied up in her absence and the ruined bedding changed. Opening the wardrobe she selected a tight fitting cotton blouse and some tailored jeans. Glancing through the door at the vista outside, she noted it was sunny, so just grabbed a matching denim jacket from where it had been hung neatly.

Putting her blue carry pouch over her shoulder, the suites entry card was slipped into it along with her phone and purse. And after a few seconds pause, her personal alarm. Exiting the suite she called the lift and awaited it's arrival.

****

Lance placed his steak knife down on the plate next to the remains of the salad. "What do have we in for dessert?" He asked, as Owen came to collect his plate while Malaprop collected Elizabeth's. She had finished slightly before him as usual.

"I did not prepare anything special Sir," Malaprop replied. "We have some ice-cream in and some of the apple pie remaining from the weekend. I am shopping tomorrow or Thursday in order to get some food prepared for Friday."

"Mmm, I will have the apple-pie with a scoop of ice cream. Make sure there is a good selection of food for the family. I know the larder is empty for a reason, but we must ensure that my siblings are not going to go hungry," Lance responded after a few seconds.

"Nothing for me Malaprop," Elizabeth answered in turn. "I may have a biscuit later on if I feel like it." She turned to Lance, "I am going out at around seven thirty Lance. I phoned Olivia when I left you in the study as she has been having some problems in her relationship with Drew. Things are not going very well, so I agreed to lend her my shoulder."

"Who's Olivia?" Lance responded sharply.

"No-one you know. I met her a few years ago when I was attending the W.I meetings. She is a young mare and we have remained friends. I need a sympathetic ear as well, if you catch my meaning." Beth replied, staring at him.

Lance glanced at Owen who waiting for the glass he was still holding in his hand. "Very well. Don't return to late as we still have a lot to do over the next couple of days. You can help Malaprop in the kitchens with some of the pastries. Do you want him with you for your flight over?"

"No, besides you heard him before, he is going out himself dear," she responded contritely. "I will of course help him and Heather to prepare the food for Friday."

Lance snorted, "Well be careful then. Not had any trouble for a while, but we are still targets you know. Make sure you are carrying your alarm-net pass as I will not be getting up to switch the system off if you activate it."

"I doubt it dear, but I will watch my back and take my pass," she finished her wine, then handed Malaprop the glass before pushing her chair back and standing. "I will go and prepare now."

Lance waved Owen away with a glare, and sat back in the carver chair where he was sitting at the head of the table to await his pudding, still nursing the glass next to his chest. "Bring me a large brandy when you return Owen." He ordered.

Malaprop allowed Lady Elizabeth to exit the dining room in front of him, before following her. She had stopped in the hallway and signalled him to allow Owen to enter the kitchen before she spoke. "I am coming with you to see Alan tonight. The information you left me was very informative, but I have decided that I need to hear what Alan has to say myself as well."

"Very well Lady Elizabeth. I suggest that you depart a few minutes before me, and wait for me by the lodge gate. I doubt that Master Lance will watch you leave, but he may question it of we depart together."

"Good point. I will do as suggested. See you there at seven forty-five then. I will dress casually as the pub is unlikely to be upmarket, yes?"

"It is not to bad. Army Veterans tend to use it as a watering hole so there is rarely trouble in there. It is reasonably priced and clean, so you will not stand out unless you dress in your finest," Malaprop smiled as Elizabeth grinned back at him.

"Ah, that's good at least. Should have thought of Alan's past before I made a stupid comment like that. Very well, I will wear a skirt and blouse rather than a dress. I don't own any trousers as you know." She responded heading for the stairs. "Send Heather up if you can find her please."

"I will do so Ma'am," Malaprop answered and entered the kitchen as Owen emerged with Lance's pie and ice-cream. "Do you know where Heather is?" he asked his colleague.

"She was going to take a shower after we had cleaned the lodge. We both got rather dusty, and it takes ages for her to neaten up her rosettes after she has washed. You know me, I just step in the fur dryer and I am fine," he gestured at his plain grey fur.

Malaprop smiled, "I will try her quarters then. Lady Elizabeth wants her help in getting dressed."

"Very well, I suggest you knock though first."

"I will, don't worry I will." Malaprop replied taking his dirty crockery into the kitchen as Owen headed back to the dining room. "I will also ignore the fact that your dirty clothes may still be around in her room as well," he muttered quietly to himself as the door swung shut behind him.

****

Jessica circled the block of flats that was so familiar to her from the times she had spent there, visiting Jools and Adam in the past. Everything looked normal from the outside, and from the fact the horrendous pink and mauve curtains were still hanging inside the bedroom of the penthouse, Jools and Adam were still very much in residence. There was no other thing for it, she altered her wing angle and glided in to land on the balcony in silence.

Folding her wings carefully she peered through the glass into the lounge area, noting that it was empty. quietly she knocked on the french windows. Adam's head appeared from the bedroom and a beam split his face as he quickly strode over and opened the door. "Jessica my darling. It's been such a long time. Come in, come in," he greeted her.

Jessica sighed in relief. Adam's natural reaction was all she needed to assure herself that there was no duress involved in the meeting that morning. She enveloped the wolf in a loving wing hug, bussing his cheeks with her lips. "Hello Adam, it has been to long my dear. The old queen up and about yet?" she asked staring into her surrogate uncles eyes.

"The old queen sugarpuff, is getting dressed," Jools' voice called from the bedroom.

"Come on out then Uncle. It's not like I haven't seen it before you know," Jessica called back teasing.

Jools laughed, "That was a long time ago dear. We are both a little older now you know," he answered emerging from the bedroom with just a pair of white chef's trousers on.

"Ah, and here I was thinking you were putting on one of the gifts I sent you?" Jessica continued grinning.

"Gifts?" Adam queried.

"The mystery outfits love," Jools replied for her, walking over and hugging the wolf to his chest and kissing him.

"Hey hey, put on a full show or cut the soppiness out you two," Jessica grinned pulling the two of the to her body in a group hug. "I was worried you were under duress when you came this morning to The Draheal Jools. I had to come and find out for myself."

Jools and Adam extracted themselves from Jessica's hug, "And are you reassured sugarpuff?" Jools asked.

"Yes Jools. I extend my trust to you again as much as before. Now what are we going to do about father?" Jessica responded.

"Ah, hang on a second," Adam said and walked across to his bureau, "This came via a courier while you were asleep love." Adam handed the envelope to Jools as he returned from where he had left it.

Jools raised his eye-ridge and made a show of blowing on a talon dramatically before slitting the velum open neatly across the top. He scanned the neat calligraphy over quickly and then handed the foolscap over to Jessica, "Nothing more than what I told you this morning apart from the time," he said as she looked it over.

"Mmm, at least it looks like he is finally doing something about his situation. Nothing mentioned in it about me though." She paused for a few seconds. "Tell him you have found me and Ruth, and that we are quite happy as we are. If and only if he comes up with a genuine reason for me to meet with him will I come, and only then if the place is public and well patronised. I am not going to go to the manor, even with Ruth. There is to much danger involved for myself and my eggs."

"You sure you want me to do that?" Jools asked,concerned.

"Yes. He will only try other measures that are not so polite if I don't. I would rather meet him on our terms rather than his," Jessica confirmed with a sigh.

"Very well. I will let him know it is you at the Draheal after you have left tomorrow morning...you are leaving in the morning like I suggested?" Jools asked.

"I don't know yet. Ruth has not confirmed it for certain. I know he has permission to resume our holiday on Thursday, because I booked us back into the hotel we were staying at before he ended up in Australia. He sent me a text this morning."

"So you will have to be gone then by that morning. Good, I will not let Lance know until then, then. Is you do leave in the morning, text or email me so I won't have to obfuscate again with your father."

"I will Jools, I will. I can trust you with my contact number now. Give me your phone and I will save my number into it for you. I know how you are like with technology," she said grinning at him.

Adam laughed and punched Jools on the shoulder, "She's got you there love," he said.

Jools grinned ruefully and went back into the bedroom for a minute, before coming out again in a long sleeved linen shirt and his chef's jacket over his arm. Swinging his other arm he launched his phone at Jessica who snatched it out of the air with one hand, grinning at him. "You still won't catch me out that way uncle. I may be older, but I have not slowed down that much." She unlocked his keypad and quickly typed her new number in for him, saving it under sugarpuff.

Adam fished his phone out from his pouch and passed it over to her as well, raising his gently greying eyebrow. "Better save it in mine as well, this old queen keeps loosing his under the cushions!" he said, ducking as the blue dragon launched his jacket at him.

"Less of the old, pup, just because you are a year or two behind me. Thanks sugarpuff, I will text you in the morning and await your answer. Now unless I want my finances to end up in the same state as my brothers, I will have to get to the restaurant," he tilted his head towards the clock, pointing out it was nearly five o'clock. "Stay a while and catch up a bit with Adam if you wish, but I must hit the skies." He smiled picking up the thrown jacket from where it had landed. Adam immediately helped him on with it, Jools' shoulders clicking with the beginnings of the arthritis that would eventually ground him.

They walked towards the balcony together, Jessica opening the sliding glass for him and bowing him out. He clipped her horns with his hand at her mock servility, getting a giggle from her and Adam. "Getting a bit nippy already," Jools said sniffing the breeze. "Soon be Autumn."

"Sod off, it's barely August!" Jessica decried.

"You know the British summer sugarpuff. If things don't go well you would be better off heading to Australia with your mate if the option is still open. The kids would do well over there you know." Jools said turning to face her and kissing her cheek.

"No, these kids are going to brought up as Brit's not Aussies. Besides you know I never liked travelling much. I was always reluctant even when we spent the holidays at the properties in France and Spain."

"I seem to remember a certain break when you were thirteen that you enjoyed rather a lot..." Jools started, grinning.

Jessica bent and grabbed him by his knees, flipping him in a single smooth movement over the balcony's edge. Adam rushed to the edge as Jools opened his wings flapping a bit until he levelled out and pulled away from the buildings face before circling back up to the same level. "You idiot! What if I had hit the lower floors?" He called across without landing.

"Then I would have followed you over and caught you Uncle. You may be getting old, but your reactions are still fast enough to correct a fall. I can carry your weight in flight now you know."

"Pup, smack her one for me. I will have to leave now, or I would give her a good hiding myself for that little stunt. I will test you on your strength at another time Jessica." He turned in the air and headed off towards the city and his nights work.

Adam turned to her with a serious look on his face, "You could have killed him you know," he said seriously.

"No Adam, I couldn't. I know my strength, and you know we always used to test each other in the past. I'll bet by the time he comes home tonight he will be joking about that trick, just like he always used to. I could have comfortably arrested his fall if he had knocked himself out on the way down. Trust me." Jessica reassured him.

"He is getting slower with his age sugarpuff," Adam continued and slid the door closed behind them.

"I know Adam, that's why I made sure he was thrown well clear of the building when I launched him. If it had been windy I would have just flattened him for that memory he was just airing."

"Mmm, what was that he was remembering anyway?" Adam asked grinning as he sat down on the couch, patting the cushion next to him.

Jessica sat next to him, leaning into his chest fur, "Oh, something I would rather forget. I seduced a kitchen boy...a young buck hare if I remember correctly. I thought I was ready for my first sexual experience at the time as I had already been rebuffed once before, but I regretted it after we had our fumble in the cellar. The sommelier caught us and the bay ended up getting the sack despite my pleas for clemency on his behalf. Lance went nuts, telling me I should have saved my maidenhood for my mating night. It was the first time I really lost it with him you know. We'd had our spats in the past, all daughters do with their fathers, but was the first time I thought he was going to strike me," she paused laughing for a second, "At least it finally persuaded him to allow me to have a private education. He thought by shipping me off to an all girls school, it would curtail my natural drive. He was more innocent than me in that respect. Within the first week of arriving in the dorms, I had barely slept in my own bed! The things that were not part of the curriculum were more fun than the actual studying!"

Adam laughed, "Butler's training was pretty similar from what I remember, though it is a little different where boys are involved. My classmates used to smuggle girls in from the local town. I found a few bed-mates of my own though, even if the rest of the school ostracised us. I guess I was just lucky when Jools hired me after I qualified at the top of my class."

"Oh we had a glory gap in the schools wall that the older ground-bound girls managed to sneak out of in the evening. I used to fly into town when my stipend allowed me the freedom to buy a few drinks. I may be bi, but I have always preferred male company," Jessica responded, nibbling at the long hairs that were hanging from Adam's chin.

"Oh lay off you little seductress!" Adam laughed, pushing her away. "I have never lain with a female, and I am not about to start now with my surrogate daughter!"

"Really Adam, you think of me as that genuinely?" Jessica asked looking at him quizzically.

In response Adam pulled her into a hug, kissing her on both cheeks, "Of course I do, and so does Jools sugarpuff. You will always have a bolthole here if you ever need it."

"Thankyou Adam, you don't know what that means to me." She looked at the clock sighing. "Now I had better get back to the hotel, or Charity -Ruth's bosses mate- will send out a search party for me. I promised I would be back no later than six."

"Very well dear, I will look forward to you getting together with us and your mate soon," Adam said standing stiffly and holding out his hand to pull Jessica up from the overstuffed sofa.

Pulling herself up gently on his hand, she followed him back to the balcony window with a smile. He opened the door again letting her exit before him. She turned to kiss him goodbye, but he grabbed her by the base off her tail and her spine ridge by her shoulders and smoothly punted her over the rail with his foot up her derriere.

She screeched, flipping herself into a glide before circling back up to the old wolf who was holding his stomach in mirth from catching her out. "I'll get you for that you old queen," she called laughing, before heading back up the river in the fading light.

"I know you will sugarpuff...and I am looking forward to it," Adam said to himself as he turned and re-entered the flat, heading back to his paperwork on the bureau with a sigh.