Bishops Move

11. Bishop

She had been nervous since I picked her up and I could understand why, so tamping down my desire to get her to talk to me I had kept quiet on the journey to the airport.
I had known the moment her thoughts had changed to negative ones, her whole body tensing up and it had be fortunate that one of Tally's pieces was now on display and seemed to break her from her thoughts.  Her eyes were drawn to it, the piece commanded attention and she wandered closer, barely registering me at her side.
"Wow" she whispers making me laugh and her jump at the sound.
"I know, it's incredible isn't it. One day I'll take you to see one of her exhibitions" I promise her, knowing I will keep it.
"The artist is female, you've seen her work before?" She asks softly.
"She's married to a family friend now, but I first saw her work when she did a huge exhibition in Hyde Park a few years ago, now I keep asking her to do a exhibition in Scotland, I'd offer my estate but I wouldn't want the public coming in and she is in high demand elsewhere" I explain. and I nod,

"Freedom - Talulah Blackbourne 2023" she reads aloud "It's beautiful" she say's looking back at me with a smile, the first real one I have seen from her.
"You're right, it's beautiful, Come on, we need to check in" I say gazing at her before guiding us deeper into the airport and towards the VIP check in area.

"Where are we going" she queries as i steer her towards the desk, "this is for private planes" she points out and I chuckle again.
"I know, The Breitmeyer's plane is taking us home, Maisie insisted"
She looked around nervously "I've never flown private before" she mutters, "I though that was only for celebrities" she adds as a whisper but continues to follow me, her gaze widening as we are treated by name and shown through to the departure lounge.

We aren't there for long as the plane is ready for us as soon as they are notified of our arrival and i enjoy the expressions on Cressy's face as we board, biting my lip to ask questions, she looks a mix of terrified and excited. Jumping when the stewardess Catherine appears to take her bag and see her into a seat. I follow and choose the seat opposite her, watching as she stares around.

"This is one of their smaller planes, their families have several between them" I tell her and she lets out a nervous giggle, blushing as she covers her mouth with her hand looking embarrassed.
"Sorry" she mutters out, looking down at the floor before I see her straightening up and looking at me, Jamison had warned me she had a core of steel, same as Emily and this was my first glimpse of it. "I don't mean to laugh but I've never been on anything like this, private planes have never crossed my mind as being accessible to someone like me"

I lean forward and catch her gaze with mine "Private planes are just a tool, they use them for work and to move around safely, You deserve access as much as any other person and more than most i suspect" and she blushes, fidgeting in her seat.

I ease back, not wanting to scare her and start telling her about Mary, Pluto and Maisie's adventures growing up, allowing my stories to fill the silence and by the time we are airborne and out of London airspace she had laughed and asked the first question.
From them I talked in the direction of those questions. I told her about the TV fiasco that I had been roped into and she had laughed as I had grumbled that people still came up and tried to squeeze my muscles.

Catherine had offered refreshments half way through the journey and we had enjoyed a light breakfast, finishing our coffees just before the captain announced we were coming into land at Inverness.  Catherine reappearing with Cressy's bag and helping us disembark.

Jamison had arranged for Cressy's main bags to be sent directly to Greystones, so she only had a small bag and I had my case, so we could move quickly through the airport to where i had left my car.
"This is mine" I say unlocking the car and placing my case in the boot before opening the door for her.  When I get in I see she looked bemused at it. "What?" I ask and she rewards me with another giggle.
"I just hadn't imagined you would have a custard yellow car, did you choose it?" she giggles out, causing me to smile too.
"I'll have you know this was an original colour, this is a vintage E-type jaguar, I brought this with my first years wages, its the first thing I had ever saved for, my choice of car.  My father had a Bentley and we had an endless supply of land rovers on the estate but I saw this in a magazine as a boy and always wanted one.  I knew I was privileged growing up, I could have used some inheritance, or asked my parents to buy it for me but it was my dream and I wanted to have earned it" I stroke across the walnut dashboard and grin at her.
"It's beautiful" she agrees, holding my gaze, "I would have done the same if I could" and she turns to look out the window.

Her interest in her surroundings showed as we drive out through Inverness and into the surrounding countryside.  I promised to bring her into town one day, she reminded me she was here for work and I had told her we could do it on her day off.  She had tried to tell me she would use the bus, that she didn't need to disturb me, but I told her I wanted to and she again quieted.

When we went through the village I named the businesses and residents who were a core part of our community, she had blushed at the interested looks we had received driving through, ducking down as I had waved back at people and then we were turning up the road to Greystones and I watched as she got her first look at the house. She smiles and looks happy and the door to the house opening and Mary bustling out as I park up.