Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2017 05:22:59 +0000
From: Robert Me <winchesterbornbred@hotmail.co.uk>
Subject: Albert Dowling Chapter 26

Please donate to nifty otherwise I will send my toothless 20 year old dog
round and he will......Oh bollocks, just donate or I will send one of his
toothful sons round!


Just joking but please do donate, thank you.

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Namu once told me I would come through a dark tunnel. Maybe, just maybe I
would?


I opened the letter from my father and after reading all the pleasant
things he said it seemed he got to the real reason why he was writing.


"Albert,

I desperately need to talk to you and require at least a whole day to do
it. I know you will not want to telephone the Manor now and therefore pick
any day and write to me telling me which one, I will be available for any
of them and will travel to London the day before and book into the
Dorchester and perhaps you could join me for breakfast and I can say all
that is needed to be said.

Albert, all I can say now is, if we meet, I maybe able to help you
understand.

However, there are many things you need to know and I am afraid most rather
sad.

With regards. Mathew."


I reread that a few times wondering what the sad news would be, but it was
so bloody obvious! I sat there staring at my writing pad. "Miller's
buggered off and his bloody Lordship wants me back!" Now my big problem, do
I want HIM back after what he did?" I picked my pen up.


Private Donald Parsons, my batman, 30ish chubby and devoted to looking
after me, stood back and admired his work. He then came back and flicked my
shoulders with the clothes brush, then stood back again. I just had to go
through this routine every morning or Donald would get upset.

"Major, even if I say so myself, I don't think I have ever pressed your
uniform so perfectly, you sir are the smartest officer in the entire
British Army."


"Thank you Donald, but I am Royal Air Force now. My taxi is here may I go
please?"


"Indeed you can Major and may I say that the reunion with your father will
be a special time for you both!" He handed me my gloves and baton. "Thank
you Donald, have a good day yourself. I will be late, just how late I have
no idea." He went to the door to my apartment and opened it. I went out
feeling more nervous than any time in my life.


The taxi stopped outside the Dorchester and for the first time wondered how
on earth my father could afford to stay here!

The door bloke doffed his hat and opened it. I took mine off and went
in. It was like stepping into a palace, it dripped millions. Another bloke
who turned out to be the concierge came towards me. "Good morning Major
Dowling sir, it's a great honour to welcome you to the Dorchester, please
follow me." The Times piece was only a few days old and now every bugger
knew who I was!


My father stood up and came to me with both hands held out beaming all over
his face. "Albert, it's good to see you and welcome home, everyone at the
manor are so proud and pleased your fighting war is over, they all send
their regards."


"Everyone?"


"Yes Albert, everyone." We were in a private room, beautifully furnished
and over looking Hyde Park. We made small talk whilst eating breakfast and
to be honest I was glad when it was finished and the table cleared and the
two waiters left us alone. We got up and sat in armchairs opposite one
another.


"Albert I have a lot to say much of which will upset you, but you need to
know but the first thing to say is I am here at his Lordship's request. I
have thought through all I need to say to you but just in what order
though, I am still at a loss. I am afraid I will be talking for some time,
but please do butt in any time." I smiled at him. "Just say all you have to
Mathew and I will try to keep quiet." He returned my smile and took a deep
breath.


"Albert, I have the sad duty to inform you that Sir William was killed at
the Somme as were your friends from the school, Trevor and Namu at Ypres."
My heart sank and had to fight to stay in control. Three of the most
beautiful males I had ever met and to hear this was another blow to add to
the many I knew had also been killed in this stupidity.


"As you know Sir William was a war artist but was unfortunate in being in
the wrong place at the wrong time. The two boys were in the catering Corps
and died together during a bombing attack. We have not heard of any others
who may have died from the school but many of the older boys joined either
the army or navy.

Ben was aware that Sir William had been killed, but Albert even though at
this moment you may not be too effected to hear this right now, I have to
tell you Ben also died, two days after you saw him and his Lordship in bed
together, his dreadful injuries finally took him."


"He seemed fine when I saw him."


"Yes it would have seemed that way, but if he was laying on his right side
you would not recognise him because of his horrific injuries." Despite all
I was being told I became aware of a very tiny light at the end of a very
long tunnel.


"I was called to his Lordships study after you had come to the Manor the
last time and saw what you saw and he told me all about your relationship
and how much in love you both were. I had known there was a very close bond
for some time and all I need to say Albert, I was without any negative
thoughts about it, in fact I was delighted and I will explain why later but
this needs to be said first and it's all about his Lordship and Ben." That
bloody light just went off. I braced myself and waited.


"Albert if I have one good quality it is I have never lied to any other
person in my entire life and I am most definitely not now. What I am about
to say is the truth, please trust my words....Albert, his Lordship and Ben
were not in a relationship neither were they in bed together in a sexual
manner. Ben was only in bed with Lord Penton to be comforted by him so he
could remain calm for the last few days of his life and indeed so his
Lordship could grab a few hours sleep himself knowing Ben would be
settled. But Albert there is so much more about this, have you any
questions so far?"


"Just one. I thought a lot about what I had seen but one thing stood out,
Jonnie was wearing pyjamas, he never wore them when..., well you know."


"That will become clear. After a while we realised Ben wanted to go to his
Lordship's bed. Using hand signals he was telling us it had to be your
side. We learnt that he needed his Lordship to be with him during the night
to give him reassurance and feel safe. I would stay with Ben and talk to
him as we knew he could still hear but unable to speak. All his
communication was through limited hand gestures. His Lordship would go for
his bath and then get into his pyjamas before he came out of the bathroom
and then get into bed and almost as soon as he got there and holding Ben's
hand, the poor boy fell asleep. I would always stay for a while and I can
assure you by the time I went out they were both asleep, his Lordship was
drained and completely shattered and even more so when he woke up and found
your medallion and ring.

Now let me tell you how Ben became so dreadfully injured." The light had
come back on and the tunnel a lot shorter. I know that sounds selfish
considering all I was being told but I was now able to understand and be a
small part in that awful time. Jonnie was no longer "Lord Penton" he was
Jonnie again and Ben no longer "Miller" he was my best friend again.


"Ben was a Sargent in charge of a company of horses. He had around 200 of
them and 20 men to look after the animals. At 5am on this day he and others
were preparing to get a number of them harnessed up ready for their work
when the compound Ben was in came under air attack and of course the horses
were in panic. Ben was not injured by the bombs but by his charges. He was
thrown to the ground and trampled many times causing horrendous injuries to
the entire left hand side of his body breaking every bone on that side, but
by far the worse were the injuries to the left hand side of his head and,
not wishing to be too descriptive, that side was completely smashed in. He
should have died there and then, which would have been a merciful thing to
have happened but what kept him alive was the deep mud churned up because
of rain and may hoofs. It would seem that every time Ben was trampled he
was pushed deeper into the mud which cushioned each blow to his head and
body.


His men got him out and he was taken to a medical centre and it's obvious
he survived. His Lordship was informed because Ben had him as next of
kin. His Lordship had him bought to the manor and arranged nursing
provision for him so he could die in some relative comfort, it took three
months for that to happen and finally past away two days after you were
there.


Albert, this next part is mostly about you and Ben. We learnt quickly and
it was pure luck on his Lordships part when Ben was given your dressing
gown to wear during the day, he could not be dressed as normal. He was
always in a high state of emotion and the dressing gown he was wearing at
the time became soiled and the only one at hand was yours. I and the
nursing staff were amazed when his Lordship wrapped it around him telling
him it was yours and Ben instantly became calm and even clapped his right
hand on the arm of his chair telling us he was content.


So, what with wearing your dressing gown and lying on your side of the bed
and with the comfort of having YOUR lover comforting him throughout the
night, helped Ben to die in relative peace, but even that is not the end of
the story, but please let us finish this in my room, I have got something
for you there which will give you much to think about and what I have to
tell you."


As we went to Mathew's room I was no longer thinking of lights or tunnels,
they no longer existed but although I knew this could have some sort of
happier conclusion there was apparently much more to be told before I could
give it any thought.

We settled into arm chairs and Mathew continued.


"We all knew that Ben was approaching the end of his life and he was very
calm as he got closer. He had been washed and then he was put back into
your dressing gown and laid on his left side. Just his Lordship and myself
were with him until the end but just as he died a remarkable thing
happened. He opened his right eye and smiled at us and said one word in a
plain voice. It was as though he had regained his ability to speak and said
one word, or rather one name....and it was yours Albert and then he past
away."


I did not hide my tears as they flowed down my face unable to say a
word. We sat in silence for a long, long time until Mathew felt I was able
to listen to more.


"His Lordship and I know without doubt Ben was in love with you but when he
realised you and his Lordship were what you were Ben told you of his love
for Sir William and he could not have any more physical moments with you
and of course by that time you did not want more anyway. Yes, Ben and
William were very happy and would have had a lovely life together in
different circumstances, but Jonnie and I are certain where Ben's true
feelings were Albert and now you know two very special men were in love
with you and one of them is mourning the passing of a friend but mourning
the loss of you as well.....Albert, that man is devoted to you and I know
he will never find another with whom he can have a life with...., any more
than you can....Ben is at rest in the Penton family plot at the Manor
wrapped in your dressing gown, Jonnie is at home waiting and praying you
will go back to him and I am positive that is what you want as
well.....Albert those last words are my words, his Lordship never asked me
to say them."


Once again we sat in silence for a long time. I got up and went to the
window and looked out over Hyde Park. People were strolling around and
riders were trotting up and down the bridal path, it was as though there
was no war being fought and coming to it's conclusion but many still being
killed. I thought of all that I had been told and really in comparison to
what was happing in Europe I knew conversations like this must be happening
throughout the entire world.

I had learnt all about Ben and his dreadful injuries and his eventual
passing, but I had also regained my best friend who I now knew he had been
in love with me, but there was also Jonnie and as I continued to stare out
of the window I knew that he did nothing wrong and it was just a huge
misunderstanding.


"Mathew?"


"Yes Albert."


"Would you please ask Jonnie if I could visit the manor some time so I can
pay my respects to Ben?"


"Of course I will." I turned to look at him. "Mathew, you said there was
something you had to tell me and you have bought something for me?" I
continued to look at him and it was obvious he was becoming uneasy, I knew
this next bit was going to be a struggle, for both of us.


"Mathew, you are about to tell me you are not my father. I know I am right
because there is nothing else that could make you so uncomfortable at this
moment."


"Yes Albert, you are right but first may I call reception, we both need a
whisky or two?"

___________________________________________________________________


winchesterbornbred@hotmail.co.uk