Love Above All by Juliet McCarthy

Author:Juliet McCarthy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, contemporary
Publisher: F+W Media
Published: 2013-02-04T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

“Mr. Vice!” The sharp address from the commander presiding from the head table over the test pilot school dining out brought the fledgling second lieutenant instantly to his feet.

“Yes, Mr. President?” the vice answered smartly.

“Since the conclusion of the entertainment,” the president paused for effect, “the atmosphere at this function has deteriorated. Despite the charming presence of our guests, many of the officers present are not acting like gentlemen. I believe I just saw Captain McLaughlin fire a dinner roll at Major Bennett.”

“It was stale,” Captain McLaughlin quipped.

“All the more serious. It could have injured the man.” That remark got the appropriate response from the assembly of officers and all focused their attention on the audacious young captain. “Well? What do you have to say for yourself?”

“Mr. President. I wasn’t aiming at Major Bennett. I would never, repeat, never, take up arms against a senior officer. I was trying to get his guest’s attention, sir, Captain Ryan.”

The commander peered over his glasses, along the row of elegantly appointed tables, until he spotted the young woman seated next to Major Bennett. One of the new doctors. He had seen her with Martin at the club on numerous occasions. She looked a little too cerebral for Martin’s tastes, he thought, especially attired in that mess dress uniform with the demure white blouse and its rows of starched ruffles. Her hair was swept back off her face into a twist of some sort; it looked like one of those deceptively simple but contrived styles women wore in the 40’s. In a sea of smiling, inebriated faces, she appeared sober and serene. Was she enjoying herself, he wondered?

“And just what did the doctor do to warrant your attention, Captain McLaughlin?”

An impish grin spread across the pilot’s face. “Hit me with a roll, Mr. President, sir.”

The commander threw back his head and laughed at the incongruity of the prim little doctor hurling a bread roll across the room. “Ah, ha. The plot thickens. Captain Ryan!”

As Susan rose to address the president of the mess, some joker in the back of the room shouted: “Stand up!” She obligingly hoisted her narrow skirt and climbed up on the chair so everyone could see her diminutive figure.

“Well?” demanded the commander.

“Guilty as charged, sir.”

The president made a face of mock disapproval. “I’m surprised an upstanding officer like yourself would resort to such uncouth behavior. Have you an explanation for your breach of conduct?”

“Yes, sir. Someone … ” She hesitated for a moment to try and keep from laughing and regain her composure. “Someone dared me to throw the roll.”

“Who?”

The chair wobbled dangerously and Martin reached up and took her hand to steady her. “My escort,” she answered crisply. “Major Bennett.”

As punishment, all three miscreants had to march to the grog bowl, partake of the heady brew of punch and toast the mess. Susan forgot to salute the president before she turned the empty cup upside down on her head and was made to repeat the whole routine all over again.

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