Never Not Yours

Chapter 11

Schnitzel with masala chips made Little Vienna the tavern of choice for meals in Coventry; this delicious dish was a mouthwatering manifestation of the owners' marriage. I was glad to see that Miku had the same reaction to the food as I did as a boy. Unsurprisingly, the Bankwells also chose the menu's most coveted item. Beverage-wise, our ladies shunned the offer of beer with turned-up noses, opting for the sweeter savour of red wine instead.

As we ate our flavourful dinner, the Bankwells treated us to an engaging array of anecdotes. The seasoned storytellers painted vivid scenes, told amusing jokes and sewed ensnaring intrigue. We listened with bated breath. By the by, we heard of Colette's upbringing in Guadeloupe before her wayfaring father brought the family to France and finally to England.

When his wife had finished her familial account, Wayne said, "My mama was Irish and my papa was English. There is not much else to tell on that front."

"Oh, you must tell us how you met your beautiful wife," Miku smiled.

Wayne turned to Colette. "Shall I or shall you, my sweet?"

Beaming, she replied, "I always prefer your account of that evening."

"As you like," he winked at her, took a drink of beer and began. "I am no lover of London."

"The man practically loathes the place," Colette added.

"Quite so. However, I found myself in the city in the company of friends; a troublesome prospect if ever there was one. And I was in no mood to leave the house. As was their way, the lads coaxed and coaxed me until I relented and agreed to attend the opera with them that evening. I attended but had no intention of enjoying myself. I succeeded right up until the opera opened. My eyes became fixed on the vision that was Colette as Mandane. If the sight of her sufficed to seize me, then her voice bewitched me thoroughly."

"So you are a singer Mrs. Bankwell--Colette? Forgive me."

She waved a hand. "You need not beg any pardons, Roy. And yes, I am capable of carrying a tune."

"She is being far too modest," her husband said. "For when she sang The Soldier tir'd of War's Alarms in the third act, I was smitten. Meeting her acquaintance was a must. It was then that I learned the true meaning of a friend in need is a friend indeed."

"May I interpose here, my sweet," Colette placed a hand upon her husband's.

"Please do," he smiled at her.

"Where were we? Oh, yes. My blue-eyed admirer was wanting to make my good acquaintance after the--"

"It was more of burning yearning, my soul," Wayne interrupted.

"Hush, you," Colette said playfully, drawing a smile from me and a giggle from Miku. "You surrendered the reins to me and I should like to continue unimpeded."

"As you like."

"Thank you. My dear Wayne had a burning yearning to meet me after the opera. And as luck would have it, our meeting was made possible by one of those troublesome lads."

"Proving that there is some use to them, after all."

"Ahem," Colette cleared her throat.

"Apologies. It shan't happen again, my love. Please go on."

"Thus began our courtship. Many balls, strolls through the park and one wonderfully late evening later, Wayne asked me to be his wife on the misty banks of the Thames. It was far too grand a gesture for me to resist."

"It was quite charming, wasn't it?" Wayne teased.

"And to think, you would have missed all of this," she said, gesturing to herself, "had you decided to stay in that evening."