Sappho's Commando

TWENTY-THREE (ISELEN POV)

I take a quick look at my watch while lying on the blue duvet, smiling again when I see the canopy above my head. The room is a little cold and, for a second, I consider whether I should take my clothes off and sneak under the warm blankets while waiting for Ruby. I'd love to light a fire in the fireplace but I don't know if it actually works and I wouldn't want to be the one responsible for burning this Scottish castle to the ground. Although making love to the doctor in front of the fire would be very romantic.

Dinner wasn't that bad after all. I met another aunt and more cousins, all of them are a bunch of standoffish snobs and they all were impeccably dressed despite we were in a mansion in the middle of the countryside. I'm happy because I brought my most elegant shirt in my bag, I didn't look too out of place thanks to that, even if it couldn't compare to the fine wool dress in a rich burgundy shade that Ruby's mum was wearing. The food tasted a little bland, but I ate worse things in the army, and it was lukewarm. Apparently, the kitchen is so far away from the dining room in this huge building that it's impossible to keep the soup hot while it travels through the corridors. Ruby apologized quietly, but I smiled amused in response.

I understand the reasons why my pretty doctor feels mortified and prefers to stay away from this house, it's true that the members of her family are not the kindest persons I've met, in fact, some of them are really rude. And her castle is not the most practical and comfortable place to live, but it's picturesque and the gardens are amazing. I guess another woman would consider this visit a failure and the experience very uncomfortable, but I thought it was funny. By now, Ruby should know that I'm a tough cookie and it takes a lot more than a homophobic mother and a family of freeloaders to scare me.

I admit I started to get a little bored when the butler entered the dining room to serve the second course while her aunts, uncles and cousins, talked about people I didn't know but who had grandiose-sounding last names and described mansions and private clubs in London I'd never heard of. The doctor was desperately trying to steer the conversation back so I wouldn't feel left out, though it was useless, of course, because making me feel out was precisely what they intended to do. Honestly, they did me a favour. That way, I could ignore them without remorse and focus on my conversation with the beautiful officer from the Royal Highland Fusiliers since, as the guest of honour, I had to sit to the right of the hostess.

I was chewing my beef, it was a little dry but the whisky and mushroom sauce that came with it was delicious, and thinking about how to cheer Ruby up because it broke my heart to see her so overwhelmed and worried, when I could feel the little devil sitting on my shoulder to whisper in my ear. I tried to ignore him, I swear, but the opportunity was too good to pass up, even if it meant that the doctor could get angry at me. I couldn't bear to see her so sad for even another minute, so I listened to the naughty little devil and moved my leg until I found hers beneath the long white tablecloth, gently brushing her ankle with my foot.

Ruby looked at me puzzled, she probably thought it had been an accident, until she noticed my mischievous smile and the teasing gleam in my eyes, and she kicked me discreetly. I raised an eyebrow, silently asking her if she thought that was enough to stop me, and moved my foot back towards her calf. Yes, definitely, Major Lange-Campbell was starting to get seriously angry, and her second kick was harder. In fact, it hurt a little. I pouted, disappointed, while the butler collected the dirty dishes and her family was distracted. She looked at me in disbelief, frowning an shaking her head. I stuck my tongue out at her while the butler returned pushing a cart with desserts, and she rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of a smile on her lips.

The chocolate cake with berries was delicious and I enjoyed it while talking to the doctor and making funny faces to try to make her laugh. Ruby managed to hold it in for a few minutes but finally burst out laughing, surprising her family, those snobby idiots didn't get the joke and that made us laugh even more. I think they finally realized that their attempt to give me the cold shoulder had failed and they tried to interrogate me again while we were having coffee in the library after dinner. This time the questions were more personal, about my relationship with Ruby and our work. I had to make an effort to answer diplomatically without revealing too much information.