Shut Up And Drive! Ch. 03

Angela carried out the request without comment, just as Stella had known she would. Marie sat open-mouthed wondering what could have transpired while Stella had been changing, that had prompted the unexpected and unwelcome reappearance of Estelle.

Young Greg gulped down the remainder of his coffee and went to beat a hasty retreat outside, to the safety of his van. However, Estelle's commanding finger, pointing at the seat he'd just vacated, sent him scurrying back to the chair.

"I have Miss Estelle on the line for you, Mr Warender," Angela said into the handset, before passing it to Stella.

Estelle took it without uttering the, customary "Thank You!" Then the three onlookers were surprised by Stella appearing yet again as they listened to her side of the conversation.

"Daddy? Thank you so much, for arranging Angela and Gregory looking after the house for me." ----------- "Yes well... you see, daddy, I need to ask a really big favour of you. May I continue borrowing both of them for the rest of the day, please? I've still got to arrange getting the locks changed on the house, but I really do need to put in an appearance at my own office today, as well. There's some long overdue major changes I've got to get organised there today." ----------- "I understand he's been up all night daddy. But couldn't you find someone else to cover Gregory's shift for him this evening. The poor lad will have been stuck here all day. He deserves the night off. Besides, I suspect he'll have somewhere very important to go tonight" ----------- "Thank you, daddy!" ----------- "No Teddy's got to get some work done today, he's been a little busy with other things of late. Marie has been kind enough to offer me moral support today." ----------- "Yes of course, that Marie. Who else could I be talking about?" ----------- "Thank you, daddy. Bye."

Stella hit the disconnect button and then stood there beaming at her audience.

"My father sends you his love, Marie, and suggests you've been avoiding him of late."

"I've been avoiding someone, but it wasn't your father! And if you try to pull another stunt like that on me, Stella, I'll bloody-well brain you. Your scared the life out of all three of us for a minute there."

"Sorry, but I just couldn't resist it. That was a real hoot; you should have seen your faces!" Stella replied with a grin.

Eventually it was decided that Angela and Gregory would wait at the house until the locksmith had changed the locks. Then Gregory would then drive Angela home.

"That should give you plenty of time to get ready for this evening, Angie." Stella said with a grin.

"Why, where am I going?" Angela asked.

"You're dining at Romano's with Gregory here. My treat to the pair of you for watching the house for me today. Go on, Angie call the restaurant and book the table. Then I can tell them the bill is to go onto my account, and I can make sure they know you are expecting gold star service, or Estelle will want to know why!" Stella smiled and then turned her attention to Gregory.

"Dark suit and tie job, young man. And if you haven't swept her off her feet by the end of the evening, I'd suggest you avoid me completely in future." Stella smiled again at the confused looking lad. "Now come along, Marie, if we can time this right we can sneak into the office while most of them are still at lunch."

"And scare the arse off them as they come back?" Marie enquired.

"Wind them up a little, in fact, Marie. I've got a really good one planned for them, so don't you dare warn them I'm coming, Angie!" Stella smiled.

Angela hadn't been planning any such move. Her mind was too busy trying to understand the morning's events. She knew that it must actually be her boss' daughter giving her orders, but Angela could not equate the woman to the Estelle she thought she'd known so well.

----------TWT----------

Meanwhile back at Ted's Studio

Ted's meeting with his client had taken a lot less time than he'd expected. It seems the man had already decided that it was Ted he wanted to paint a family portrait, and the visit was really just to enquire about the cost and discover how the operation would be undertaken. Much to Ted's pleasure, the guy did not appear at all fazed, when he quoted his usual fee. Once the guy had left, Ted returned to his studio with the firm intention of getting some work done.

He was unaware of what drew his attention to the window a while later, but through it he saw the immaculately maintained vintage E Type pulling up at the curb.

"Shit! What the hell does she want?" Ted said out loud to the empty room -- slightly aggrieved at being disturbed in his labour.

He then watched as Douglas (Lady Toddhunter-Brown's chauffer), dressed as always in a doubled breasted grey suit, struggled to extract his bulk from the drivers seat, straightened his jacket and smoothed his hair, before putting his cap on.

While going through his standard routine, Douglas glanced up at Ted and smiled. There was a mutual understanding between the two men that cannot be adequately explained here. Then Douglas -- looking completely out of place -- walked around the sports car and, standing very smartly, opened the nearside rear door to allow his employer to alight from the vehicle.

Her Ladyship's use of the E Type informed Ted that at least she was making a social call upon him. Todsie invariably made her appearances in her extremely large, impressive (also vintage) Rolls Royce when on official visits. The sight of the E Type led most people who were familiar with her Ladyship to relax a little.

Not that either incarnation of Lady Toddhunter-Brown frightened Ted, as they were won't to do many people.

Ted glanced back at the new painting of Stella he'd just begun -- not the work he should have been attending to that morning -- sighed, and flipped the cover down over it. Then he quickly made his way downstairs to put the kettle on, before Douglas (or Nancy herself) could beat him to the task. Ted was retrieving the silver tea-service -- a present from Todsie he rarely used -- from of a cupboard as Douglas opened the cottage door to allow his employer to enter his Gallery.

Nancy Toddhunter-Brown was a woman who had presence. The two inch heels on her shoes took her height to a smidgen over six feet. She was broad -- rotund, some people might say -- but she could not truly be described as fat. Her personality was gigantic, overpowering to many. And, when she chose, Nancy's voice... Well, let's just say Lady Toddhunter-Brown had never needed to resort to the use of a PA system when giving a public speech. Which, owing to her vocal prowess, was a duty Lady Toddhunter-Brown was frequently called upon to undertake.

"Good morning, milady. To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?" Ted asked -- with a humorously sarcastic tone to his voice -- as Lady Toddhunter-Brown entered his gallery.

Todsie had visited Ted not ten days previous and it was unusual for her to call into the gallery more than once every two months or so. Her visit the previous week had been an official one. She'd brought an acquaintance along who was looking to have portraits of his daughters painted, to introduce him to Theodore.

"Good morning, Teddy. It's so nice to hear that you are so delighted to see me."

"Come-on, Todsie, I'm always pleased to see you..."

"While I'm signing cheques, or introducing you to new clients," Lady Toddhunter-Brown interjected with a smile.

Almost ignoring her comment as if he hadn't heard it, Ted went on.

"...but I'm an artist, Todsie, and you know that I need quiet and solitude to work in. I have to create the right ambiance."

"Bullshit, Teddy!" Todsie smiled back at him. "But I do have to admit, you are learning. Now if you could just add a little... bewilderment with the world in general into it, I might even start to believe you myself. These people are expecting to find a certain je ne sais quoi, an aloofness, a disconnection from the real world about you, Teddy."

"Lady T, you didn't come charging in here this morning to lecture me on how to handle my clients."

"Of course not, Teddy. I'm here, because I've been hearing some very disquieting rumours about your social life."

"Oh my, and just what do these unfounded rumours impute, Todsie?"

"Teddy; it's not unknown for members of your particular profession to enjoy the odd dalliance with some of their married clients. I suppose it's considered acceptable by some... Or possibly I should rephrase that. Ignorable behaviour, amongst your more bohemian or avant-garde peers. However it's come to my attention that you've been seen keeping company with..."

"Keeping company!" Ted interjected with a wry smile on his face.

"Quiet, Teddy. Todsie is speaking!" She admonished him was a smile.

Lady Toddhunter-Brown liked Ted and enjoyed his company. Much like her chauffer Douglas, Ted was polite and respectful towards her at all times, if a little mocking and cheeky on occasion. But neither man ever appeared to display the sycophantic behaviour that she'd learnt to tolerate, but which annoyed Nancy so much.

"Now, it's been brought to my attention that you've been seen keeping company with the Warender girl."

"Bloody-'ell, Todsie, that was soddin' quick." Ted smiled back at her. "We only started... keeping company, on Sunday afternoon. And boy, have we been keeping some bloody company, if you get my drift? Non-stop until this morning, to be precise! Stella had to go home to procure a change of attire."

"No untruths now, Teddy. You were seen with her on Saturday evening," Lady Toddhunter-Brown replied, in her best schoolteacher tone.

"On Saturday evening, Milady, Estelle Warender... or Cooper as she's become... was as pissed as a fart, totally senseless. And I put on my best Sir Galahad act. I intervened into what could have developed into a very upsetting experience for the young lady, and transported her to the General, where she could safely sober-up under medical supervision."

Instinctively knowing that he was telling her the truth, a somewhat relieved Lady Toddhunter-Brown smiled back at Ted. But she added the word "And?" for she was aware that there had to be more to the story.

"It seems that Stella's marriage to Cooper has not been all that it should have been, Todsie. From Stella's account, Cooper's been playing the field for a number of years now. On Saturday, Stella decided to ambush him with his latest floozy in the Pig and Whistle. I'm not sure what she really intended; embarrass him in front of witnesses, I should imagine. Anyway, while trying to mingle with the crowd to keep a low profile, Stella accepted a drink or two from the wrong sort people. I was forced to step-in before things got out of hand."

"Just like Sir Galahad would!"

"Of course, Todsie. What else would you expect of me?"

"Teddy, I've always known that you would do the right thing. However I'm not too sure that the Warender girl is the right woman for you. You've had a certain fascination for that woman for a very long time now. Anyone who's closely examined your studio, as I have, knows that for a fact. I just need to assure myself that you are... thinking this through to its ultimate conclusion."

"Nancy, Stella says that she's going to divorce Cooper and marry me as soon as we can arrange it!"

"Oh my, that is a surprise. But that girl has always known what she wanted. I'm more worried about how long she'll want it for! Teddy, I've always known that you were infatuated with the woman, please don't let that blind you to her shortcomings!"

"She was a right little bitch, you mean. But Stella doesn't appear to be a bitch anymore. Besides, she'll be my bitch, won't she?"

"Very well, I can see that you've made your mind up. However I hope you won't object if I have a word with the young woman myself."

"Would it make any difference if I said that I do object, Nancy?"

"No, of course not!"

"Then it was a rhetorical question, wasn't it? As always, you'll do whatever you think best, Nancy."

"Teddy, you know I look upon you as a surrogate son. The black sheep of the family I'll concede, but still like you are my own flesh and blood. After all, your mother isn't around to keep an eye on you, is she?"

"Nancy, I have to admit that you are like a favoured aunt to me. However, on occasions you very much bring Lady Bracknell to mind," Ted smiled at her.

Lady Toddhunter-brown smiled back at Ted.

"There you go with that flattery again, Teddy. I'm only looking out for your best interests, young man. Now where's that tea you were making, or do I have to serve myself... again?"

End of chapter 3

TWT