The Flag of Truce

*** Preamble

The Airline industry always sought ways of making their engines more safe, efficient, and robust. They have also sought to affiliate themselves with Cambridge and Oxford Colleges where engineering sciences were a paramount part of that College’s curriculum.

They have believed for some time now that there was one particular scientist who had successfully enhanced their engines by her experimentations into the coating on the inside of the Jet engines they used. She was currently engaged in experimentation on the jet propulsion system and its fuel efficiency within the engine which was hugely encouraging. Her findings were being evaluated by the board of a top Airline Company and by one board member in particular.

Sir William Chilcott was a vastly experienced design engineer who had worked all his life for his company, and some would say he did this to the detriment to the quality of his home life. He had already been knighted for his services to their industry, and was now a company Vice President. He was a highly regarded member of his board of directors who worked closely with the Colleges in Oxford. Professionally, he was well liked, with a keen eye for business, but well regarded by his team who all reckoned that he was a very thoughtful boss. He never failed to reward a project well done, or a personal event such as the birth of a baby or a special birthday.

He was always on the lookout for new talent that would enhance the company profile. He had a particular girl in his sights, and had established a good working relationship with her which had already paid a huge dividend.
He invited it and she readily called him Bill, glad that the Title “Sir William” could be eschewed for the more casual version of his name. He in turn called her Beth, although all of the College Dons used her full name, Elizabeth.

Because he was such a senior member of his company, his word carried great weight. Nonetheless, she felt entirely at ease with him and knew his knowledge was vast. As a result she could present her findings to him in the knowledge that he would and could read between the lines and quickly raise all of the pertinent and difficult questions. She keenly felt the challenge to convince him of her successes while she was acutely aware of his wicked sense of humour and ability to wind up those around him.

They had many working lunches together, either a casual sandwich and bint of bitter, or a relaxing break in a luxury restaurant which he always sprung on her out of the blue. Initially she felt uncomfortable in her casual clothes going to lunch with his company team in that rather large chauffer driven Rolls Royce, but gradually as she found a style of clothes that would work in the lab as well as on such occasions, she got used to his spur of the moment lunch proposals.

Neither ever imagined that they would meet outside work.

*** Chapter One. Our Reluctant Heroine.

Location:- Oxfordshire, England.

Elizabeth Grattan having already established her career, decided that she was going to win her local Club Championship in 2011. She had the determination and the game and nobody was going to derail her in this mission especially the Ladies Club Captain, a renowned social scene stealer.

Elizabeth Gratten was extremely fit, with apparel to match her lifestyle. This particular member of the female gender was more often in designer track suit tops, jeans, and her Nike trainers than in fashionable ladies attire. Indeed she subconsciously sought to mostly hide rather than reveal her marvellous figure. She was a strong shouldered 5 foot 8 inches tall girl with a slim 25 inch waist and 36inch hips. She liked her figure but was a little disappointed in her 34b cone shaped bust.

She had auburn hair, sparkling grey eyes and a beautiful slightly freckled face. She kept her hair at shoulder length and mostly unruly looking, and other than an occasional conditioner spent virtually no time on it. Her nails were always a mess from too much time spent in work and enjoying her own life to notice that she was not your typically” girly” girl. She decided that her legs were her best feature, so lately she decided to alter her dress code to accommodate casual style skirts both to work and socially. In a little make up and high heels she could sway with the best of them, even in a golf skirt and fetching polo top she had received plenty of compliments.

All Elizabeth’s friends and family called her Beth, and they recognised her fiercely independent and stubborn ways. Her friends would all confirm that she was a “no nonsense” practical type, who clearly underestimated how good looking she was. She was always a bit of a tomboy who got into a lot of scrapes with her parents. She was a happy but mischievous child, getting caught regularly climbing trees, and scrambling up rocks. Being the only girl and middle child of five, with four boisterous brothers, she quickly learned to play with them and stand up for herself. As she grew up to womanhood, she left home to work and establish a life of her own.

Given the enjoyments of outdoor pursuits of all of her family, it’s no surprise that she enjoyed outdoor sports of all types including golf, tennis, swimming, ladies rugby, and cycling. She was very competitive even when just cycling to work, always pressing herself to achieve a fast time. She valued her own privacy and all her colleagues, friends and family accepted that they should call before entering her work or home space.

Her main extravagancies were her all terrain push bike, her Ping ladies golf clubs and sportswear, which she always looked smart in. She loved action movies with female leads. Her not so hidden vice was her love for real ale, and most barrelled beers, and occasionally even those potent but pricey bottled European ones. She thrived on complex fiction including the old John Le Carre books, and David Baldacci thrillers where the solution to a puzzle was the paramount plot.

She enjoyed rugby which she played really well but was a little uneasy when she found out that so many of her rugby team where not quite straight. In this 21st century she was OK with all of that, once she wasn’t the object of any of their desires! She had noticed a few admiring looks as she left the showers so decided to cover up carefully before leaving the shower cubicle. She had always avoided one particular butch looking girl who regularly hit on other interested girls in the showers and looked like she could spank just for fun. Judging from some of the squeals Beth had heard emanating from the Shower room, she obviously got her own way sometimes. Beth never looked in to see what was going on in there; really that girl was too much!

Beth had inherited all of her parent’s brains and had breezed through a 1st Class Honours in aircraft engineering and had secured a great job in a laboratory within the Oxford University campus that she had previously studied in. The job had a good social scene so she was kept busy both work wise and at weekends. She had a wide circle of casual friends both male and female, and enjoyed an active social life. She enjoyed her job immensely and had a great relationship with one of her sponsoring companies.

Her work on recent engineering projects had won the praise of both department Heads and lecturers who recognized her analytical skills and great work ethic. They were also appreciative of her efforts which had led to the expansion of their engineering faculty by a Large Global aircraft company. This company that she had brought success to were always challenging her, which she loved.

She prided herself on having a keen brain which she used to select and set herself up in a beautiful but compact Studio apartment. This was in an excellent location within easy reach of the local park which had a cycling lane that took her quickly to work.

Unbeknown to her, her mother had long ago finished studying her daughter and had seen a mix of character traits from her highly motivated daughter. These traits included an intolerance of fools; with little hang ups that made her slow to show her loving nature, quick to hide her marvelous figure, and a fiercely independent spirit. Until her daughter finally came to terms with who she really was, she did not hold out any hope for a grandchild from her only girl. She had shunned all of the girly dresses and girl’s toys from a very young age, in favour of dressing up in a soldier’s uniform to play with her brothers and then graduating to sports gear and a robust pushbike.

Beth had a good friend called Jill and they regularly spent lunchtime together. Meeting her friend, she did admit that she had no love life to speak of but at 25 years of age was in no hurry to plunge into a love affair. She commiserated with Jill who was getting over a boyfriend who had split up with her just as they were planning to move in together.

“I envy you, Beth. You have gone through life without any of the heartbreak that I have had. You do keep your heart safely locked up! I thought that dishy lecturer was just the guy to get you interested. He seemed very keen. Didn’t you date him a few times?”

“I did, and he came closest. He was a very handsome guy, easy to talk to, attentive, with lovely eyes and a great sense of humour. We got on really well. On our third date at a dinner dance in the Golf Club he kissed me out on the veranda, but nothing happened, not even a slight toe curl! I went out with him after that and I kissed him after a romantic meal in the new fish restaurant off St Giles, but there was no spark, even though I was interested in trying. We parted ways after that. I sometimes doubt if I can give up my independence for any man, I value it so much. Maybe the love of my life is just not out there?”

A mutual shoulder shrug and rueful grin indicated the probable truth of this.

They decided that a bit of retail therapy was called for so headed off to London for a girl’s weekend, staying at a friend’s apartment in Kensington. They spent their first day in the boutiques of Chelsea and South Kensington, with a brief stop in the famous pub that devoted a huge amount of wall space to Winston Churchill memorabilia. Beth enjoyed tasting new beers served there so had to be dragged away!

She was also very pleased with her shopping, having seen a not too girly but beautiful skirt in a retro boutique, and a high fashion pair of shoes and matching bag. As they got close to their loaned apartment that evening they decided they were famished so on the spur of the moment they requested a table in an Italian restaurant that they liked. The salad starter and shared calzone pizza did not disappoint and the sparkling white wine really did hit the spot. They spent the entire meal gossiping about all of their friends and their current love interests.

As they were finishing up their meal, Beth spotted Melanie Chilcott arrive into the restaurant with two men. As usual she looked radiant, in the latest fashion, with elegant shoes that likely cost a fortune. Beth was hit with a sudden fit of pique that she couldn't rationalize. She really didn’t like her golf club captain Melanie Chilcott one bit, especially when she flaunted all of her wealth and charms on her boyfriends arms. Her vacuous lifestyle was just the opposite to Beth’s career, with little other than self preening. It was typical of this girl that she had a constant string of admirers, who followed her like meek little lambs. She was so unlike her father who had a warm nature and genuine appreciation of those around him.

With a diary full of boyfriend’s numbers it was time Melanie was taken down a peg or two and Beth was the girl to do it! Beth had decided to show no mercy this time so roll on the upcoming golf competition, she was ready to do battle, and was going to win come what may!

*** Chapter 2. Melanie Chilcott.

Melanie was a voluptuous 5ft 3 inch blonde, with adorable blue eyes, the epitome of the “English Rose”. She was very fit with a full figured bust line and petite waist. Her beautiful blue eyes and long eyelashes gave her a distinct advantage in her favourite pastime, flirting. She was always immaculately styled. Her blonde hair was shoulder length and she was very adept at selecting different hairstyles to match the event she was attending. Her legs were shapely and in a dress and her favourite 4inch high heels she looked much taller, and very poised.

Melanie’s father was a high ranking senior boardroom member of an International Airline company, while her mother was a prominent if slightly shallow Oxford socialite. Melanie’s mother basked in the limelight of her husband’s status, and delighted in hearing his title when introduced to new acquaintances. Melanie was her mother Delia’s delight, and was very much loved, in a slightly overbearing way.

As she was the only child of wealthy parents she didn’t have to work. She didn’t get to see her father much as he was always thoroughly engrossed in his company business. He did love her and always made a little time to play with her when she was small. Now that she had grown up, he was more often in the background, leaving her upbringing to his wife. His title belied the amount of hard work he did, which meant that Melanie was totally fussed over by her mother.

She did what a lot of spoiled girls from her exclusive girl’s school did. She devoted a lot of time to cordon bleu cooking, learning languages, socializing, playing tennis in her local club, and followed in the family tradition of belonging to the local golf club as well. Indeed from the time she was a junior member she had represented the club in many competitions.

Melanie liked to move around a lot, flitting from one interest to the next, doing some amateur dramatics along the way. She prided herself in arranging a whole array of social events around Oxford and was the “constant student” who as yet had never finished her Arts Degree. She did a lot of charity work for the local cancer care team, and was well liked by them, especially when her fund-raising included tennis or golf events which were always well attended.

She also loved to dance so always included some musical entertainment in her events.