Brian climbs into girlfriend Charlotte's bed while her parents are away. This might not have been the best decision he's ever made...

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Disclaimer: The original characters and plot of this story are the property of the author. No infringement of pre-existing copyright is intended. All characters and places mentioned are fictitious.
This story is copyright (c) 2009 by Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

"Wake up!" Charlotte Benson hissed, shaking the body next to her. The body next to her groaned, and she clamped a hand over his mouth to muffle the sound. Startled into wakefulness, the boy started thrashing.

"Quiet! Keep it down!" She whispered in his ear. "I think my parents are back!"

Brian Westwood froze, ice forming in his gut. After a blissful night, this. He listened, and they could both now hear movement from downstairs. He began to panic.

"Out!" She breathed. "You'll have to hide somewhere. They are sure to come up and check I'm all right." She checked the bedside clock. Half seven. What were they doing back now?

Brian surged, carefully, out of the bed. He grabbed his clothes from the chair where they had been dumped the evening before. Like most young males obliged to get up in a hurry, he looked like he'd been pulled through a hedge backwards. He blinked the sleep from his eyes and looked around the small darkened bedroom. He tiptoed across to the built-in wardrobe and opened the door, checking to see if there was room for him. As he turned, he remembered his trainers, and went back and gently brushed them under Charlotte's bed with a bare foot.

Crossing the room again, he climbed into the wardrobe. Wincing as his bare feet found some of her shoes, he pulled the door to, letting the spring-loaded hinges complete the closing action. He crouched there in the darkness, the upper half of his naked body enveloped in her clothes. Under other circumstances he would have delighted in the perfumed smell, and the soft feel of her clothes, but at the moment survival ruled.

Charlotte could hear her father climbing the stairs. She had decided not to feign sleep, since she had in fact heard them entering the front door. As her door opened slowly, she turned in the bed.

"Daddy? That you?"

"Did we wake you, Charlie? Sorry about that," apologised Evan Benson. "We had a fire at the hotel and we had to evacuate."

Charlotte sat up, concerned. "You and Mums okay?"

"Yes, we're fine. In fact, the wing of the hotel we were in wasn't touched. Most of the main block was destroyed, though, so they had to close it and send everyone away. It's obvious that our conference was going to be cancelled, so your mother and I came home. Would you like some tea?" His voice took on a harder edge. "And what about Brian? Would he like some tea as well?"

"Brian, Daddy? He's not here." But she wasn't sure her voice sounded convincing enough.

"What's that doing there, then?" Her father pointed to her dressing table chair, which had Brian's baseball cap hanging from it.

"Uh, he left it here last time," she said, hurriedly.

"And his trainers? Did he leave in his socks last time, too?" Realising that Brian had failed to push the trainers far enough under the bed to avoid being seen, Charlotte remained silent. Disaster loomed.

Evan Benson, operations director of a small distribution firm, had spent time in the Army. Drawing on his military years, he issued an order.

"Come out, son. Now."

For a short while, Charlotte thought that Brian was going to brazen it out, but after a time the door of the wardrobe opened, and he climbed out, relieved to be able to stand properly again, but dreading what might happen to him next. He was holding his clothing in front of his naked body.

"You've obviously been here all night, then."

Brian remained silent.

"I'm expecting an answer, son!"

"Yes, sir."

"Sleep together?"

"Yes, sir."

"Sex?"

"Uh, yes, sir."

There was a sharp intake of breath, and Charlotte realised that her mother had arrived at that moment. She pushed her way into the room, but said nothing.

"Use a condom?"

"Of course sir! I wouldn't -" Brian stumbled into silence.

"Good, I'm glad to see my daughter's boyfriend isn't a complete idiot, then. Hand me your clothes, son."

"Pardon, sir?"

"Your clothes. Now." Evan held out his hand. Gingerly, Brian approached and handed over the bundle, keeping one hand in front of his genitals.

"Sir, what -"

"Wait, son. Charlotte?"

"Daddy? I'm sorry -"

"Enough. We'll sort this out downstairs. You're getting up. As we've just arrived home, we can all have breakfast together, and we'll talk about what's been happening while you thought your parents were away."

The two youngsters looked confused. Whatever they thought might happen, this wasn't it. However, there was a twist to come.

"Sir? What do I wear? Do you expect me to come down like this?" asked a desperate Brian.

"If you insist on walking around naked, I don't suppose I ought to prevent you. If you don't like that idea - it's still fairly cool downstairs - you've been standing in a wardrobe full of clothes. You've been getting rather close to my daughter, you can get close to some of her clothes. Understand me, son?"

Brian looked bewildered, then worked it out. Nooooo! He flushed. "Sir, I can't -"

Evan looked him in the eye. "Charlotte can pick you out something. Don't keep us waiting downstairs for long."

Adrienne Benson looked at her husband, and spoke for the first time.

"Dear, are you sure this is the right thing to do?"

"You of all people know it is," he replied. "Come on, let's leave these two love birds to sort themselves out."

Adrienne had got the bacon and eggs going, and the coffee was bubbling merrily away, when Charlotte edged slowly through the kitchen door. Although Brian was obviously in deep trouble, her own situation was not much better, and she was wary of making her own situation worse. It had been many years since she had seen her father that angry. She went to the cutlery drawer and fished out knives and forks to begin laying the table.

"Where is he?" asked her father.

Charlotte didn't reply directly to him, but called, "Brian."

He came through the door and stood, embarrassed, waiting to be inspected. He was wearing a grey t-shirt with a print slogan picked out in pink, a short straight denim skirt and a pair of Charlotte's flip-flops. Evan eyed him up and down.

"Anything under that skirt?"

"No, sir." Charlotte had dressed Brian in the barest minimum consistent with modesty.

"Not good enough, son."

"Pardon me, sir?"

"You've been my daughter's boyfriend for a fair while now, haven't you?"

"Yes, sir."

"I think you plan you marry her. Am I right?"

Brian's face came alive. "Yes, sir, I do."

Charlotte's face also came alive. Although she naturally had expected Brian to ask her to marry him at some time in the future, this was the first time she'd actually heard his intentions from his own mouth. Perhaps this wasn't going to be quite so bad, after all. On the other hand...

Evan explained. "I need to know that you've got what it takes to look after my daughter, son. That means, being able to take the credit when things go right, and being able to take the lumps when things go wrong. You made an error of judgement, son, and I need to know that you can take what's coming. If you can't do that, or don't want to, then you can leave now and never ever see my daughter again. Understand me?"

Brian gulped. He wasn't sure he liked the sound of what might be coming.

"Yes, sir."

"So, go upstairs and dress properly. That means everything, bra, tights, panties, the lot. Consider this a test of your character. If you come through it, Charlotte's yours. Charlotte, go and help him."

Charlotte put her handful of cutlery down on the table, tears in her eyes. She grabbed Brian's hand and pulled him out of the kitchen.

Evan and Adrienne started on their own breakfast as soon as it was ready, since they had been up for four hours already, and were quite hungry. It must have been ten minutes later, as Evan was pouring coffee for himself and his wife, when Charlotte led a sheepish Brian back into the kitchen.

This time, Charlotte had decided to go for broke, and dressed Brian in one of her floral summer dresses. The padded bra made the dress sit properly. Although Brian was half a head taller than Charlotte, they were of about the same build, so most of her clothes fit him reasonably well. He was wearing a pair of her sandals, and she had made an effort to comb his thatch into a roughly feminine style.

"Don't just stand there, sit down and eat, or it'll get cold. Eat, eat!" Evan waved a hand at the table. He appeared to take little notice of the way that Brian was dressed. Charlotte made Brian sit, and then placed a length of kitchen roll in his lap to protect the dress before taking her own place. They both started eating, but because of the atmosphere, neither really tasted what went in their mouths.

"Coffee? Charlotte? Brian?"

"Thank you, Daddy."

"Y-yes, sir. Please."

Coffee was finished in dead silence, all parties knowing that the time of judgement was drawing near. Curiously, although Evan still had a thunderous look on his face, his wife seemed to be very calm about the whole thing, as though she had some idea about what was about to happen.

Evan looked at Brian. "It's a breach of trust, boy. I trusted you to look after my daughter, and you went behind my back. If you're like that now, how do I know you're going to look after her properly when you're married? Or are you just in it for her body. That it, son?"

"N-no, sir!" he stammered. "I love her, I really do." Charlotte glowed inside, but kept her face still. "You see, sir, it's just too much for me. When I'm with her, it's very hard to resist. I try very hard, sir, but it's difficult, and we both -" His eyes widened with horror as he realised that he'd implicated Charlotte in his actions.

"Yes, I imagine you both did," replied Evan, dryly. "Fortunately for you, I was once your age, and I remember what being in love was like then. Sometimes the temptations are very difficult to resist. However, if you gave in last night, what else are you likely to give in to? If you can't control yourself properly, how can Charlotte trust you either?"

"Sir, it won't happen again." Brian jumped up from his chair and stood, to attention. "Sir, I fully apologise for my actions. What I did last night was wrong, and it won't happen again, sir."

"Damned right it won't happen again, son. Without permission, that is."

Brian digested that little titbit. "Sir? What do you want me to do?"

Evan eyed the dress-clad boy standing in front of him critically. He doubted that either Charlotte or Brian fully understood what they'd done. Well, time to find out how much stomach the boy had.

"Because of the fire, I have an unexpected day free. Charlotte's mother and I were discussing how to use it up on our way home. We'd decided to have a day out, and take Charlotte as well, to visit the new development at West Beach. I know she's been talking about going round the new shopping mall there. Perhaps we should still do that, and take you along as well. Dressed as you are, of course."

Charlotte gasped. Brian's head started spinning with the idea.

"But sir! I can't go out like this!"

"You can, son, and you will, if you want my daughter. Like I said, I'm testing your character. Besides, it might not be so bad as you think. Have you looked at yourself since you put on that frock?"

"Er, no, sir, there wasn't time."

"There's a mirror in the hall. Go and have a look, and tell me what you see."

Brian stared at Evan as though the older man had just told him he'd grown another head, and then left the kitchen. Charlotte started protesting.

"Daddy, you can't! He'd -" She subsided when she caught her father's glare. Surprisingly, she felt her mother's hand on her shoulder.

"Your father's right, dear. If Brian can get through today, you'll know he can get through anything. And he's doing it all for you."

"But Mums! You're right, but won't he look a laughing stock? I don't think I want to be married to a laughing stock."

"You won't be, dear, you'll see." Charlotte had a feeling her mother wanted to say more, but instead Adrienne got up and began clearing the dishes away.

"As for you, young lady," Evan said, "I ought to ground you until you're fifty. However, as I said, I was young once, as was your mother, so I appreciate your position. I just wish you'd confided in your parents a bit more, perhaps this wouldn't have happened. That boy obviously thinks the world of you. Are you sure he's the Right One?"

"Oh, Daddy, of course I do!" She stopped. "I'm sorry, Daddy, I let you down."

"You did. Just remember, in the future, it may be Brian you have to trust, not us."

"Yes, Daddy. Sorry."

Shortly afterwards, Brian reappeared. "Sir? I hadn't realised. Nobody's ever said anything before."

"No, well I hadn't noticed either, not till Charlotte brushed your hair that way."

Brian, in common with most students, had a thick mop of hair, in his case dark brown. Getting their hair cut cost students money they'd rather spend on beer. Normally parted to the side, it covered his ears and reached over his collar. Charlotte had centre-parted it, and brushed it back over the crown, making it rise up in a feminine-like fashion. She had brushed the front forward, giving him an uneven fringe. With a little encouragement, it would completely change the shape of his face. Together with the dress, the overall effect was distinctly female.

Charlotte looked at Brian and saw the transformation for the first time.

"You're serious about this, Daddy."

"Yes, I am. I don't want to parade him in front of people he might know, and give him a reputation he might not want, but I don't think I need to. If you clean him up a bit, perhaps a bit of cosmetics, no-one will have the faintest idea who, or more importantly what, he is. You'll just be two girls out on a shopping trip, and he'll have learned a very valuable lesson." He switched to Brian. "Think you can manage it, son?"

"I thought it was going to be my worst nightmare, sir. I still don't know that I can do it, sir. Pretending to be a woman is more than just wearing the clothes and having a hairstyle."

"You saying you won't do it?"

"No sir! Just it's going to be a very long, hard day for me. I'm just saying I'll try my hardest, but it might not be good enough. But I'll do it anyway, because I want Charlotte."

"Trying your hardest is all I ask of you, that's all that can be asked of anyone. As I said, I don't want to parade you. If you want to draw attention to yourself, that's another matter, but if you come out with us, we'll look after you. That fair enough?"

"Er, yes, sir. When did you plan to leave, sir?"

"We'll unpack our bags and I've got to do some emails first. I think Charlotte's mother will want to freshen up, as well. You need to let Charlotte work her magic on you so you'll need a bit of time. Say one and a half, maybe two hours. Off you go, the pair of you."

The two returned - again - to Charlotte's bedroom. This time, they had a definite objective in mind. Charlotte looked carefully at Brian, thinking.

"You really want to do this?" she asked him.

"No," he replied promptly, "but I do want you. If this is the price that has to be paid, I'll gladly pay it."

She rushed to him and they embraced, kissing. She broke off almost immediately, saying, "We can't do this now, we haven't time. I need to turn you into something that can be seen on the street."

"What do you want me to do, first?"

"First, I think you need to go in the bathroom and give yourself a good, close shave. If you look in the left-hand cabinet you'll find a spare safety razor. You can't go around with that fuzz on your face, and I can't put any makeup on you if you're not smooth."

"Okay." She followed him out onto the landing and showed him where everything was in the bathroom. While he was busy, she considered what she would wear for the trip. She decided on a dress also. Normally, she wouldn't have overdressed for a shopping trip, but if she dressed down it might draw attention to Brian, which she obviously didn't want.

"Dear?" It was her mother. "Is Brian in the bathroom?"

"Yes, Mums. I wanted him to have a close shave before I started trowelling it on."

"Yes, of course. Do you want to borrow my cosmetic bag? Brian's got a different skin tone to yours, my selection might be better. I'd like the bag back sometime, of course. I've got to redo my own face before we set out."

"Oh, thanks, Mums, I will. Mums? You're being remarkably laid back about all this. Don't you mind Daddy bullying poor Brian about like this?"

Her mother looked at her carefully. "Do you think Brian deserves this? Do you think it'll make him think a lot harder in the future before he does something? Do you think it will make you think twice about what you two get up to?"

"If you put it that way," Charlotte conceded, "we did break the rules rather spectacularly. I'm just not sure about the actual punishment."

"I'll explain it to you one day, my dear. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to think about what I'll be wearing today."

Brian emerged, his face baby-smooth and soft and smelling of soap. They went back to the bedroom.

"I think I need to trim your hair." Brian looked alarmed. "Don't be worried. I'm just going to tidy up some loose ends, and make that fringe look more respectable. I'm not going to do anything that people would notice with your normal style. But, even if men don't notice your hair today, other women will, so it's got to look as though it's been styled properly. So sit down on this chair while I go and fetch the things I need."

She went and came back with a comb, brush, scissors, cape and a small bowl of water. She dipped the brush in the bowl and used it to thoroughly dampen his hair. Then, she used the comb to define a centre parting and arrange the fringe. She carefully cut the fringe straight across before turning her attention to stray tufts at the sides and back, shaping the edges under. Finally, she pulled her hair-dryer from a drawer and carefully dried his hair into shape, using the brush to make the top and fringe lie the way she wanted them to.

"There! That can dry properly while we sort the rest of you out. I don't think you can wear those sandals out. I'm going to have to find you something else, and preferably not the pair I want to wear."

Many pairs of footwear later, they both had a pair to wear. Brian still had sandals, but these had a two inch wedge heel. Charlotte had a pair of lightweight white shoes, three-inch heel, with a t-bar strap and cut-away sides. She hoped that her feet wouldn't get too warm in them.

"You can't possibly wear flats to the shops. Equally, you can't possibly wear anything with too high a heel, or with a heel you're going to get stuck in a drain or something, you're just not used to it. I think those you have on now are the best compromise. Try walking around in them, get used to them, while I figure out what I'm going to put on today."

Brian's dress had a cream base with floral patterns on it. Fairly straight, it had cap sleeves. Charlotte chose a sleeveless dress, also with a floral pattern, in a pale blue. Brian watched her put it on.

"It's like a military campaign, isn't it?" he said, "I mean, being a woman and trying to get ready. Most men I know just chuck something on and they're out the door."

"Yes! You don't call us 'high-maintenance' without a reason, you know. If you're just going to stand there and gawp, you can pull this zip up the rest of the way. Good. Now come and sit at the table so I can do your face. I can do my own easy enough, but we'll have to experiment to see what suits you."

She approached him with a pair of tweezers.

"What are you going to do with those?" he asked, alarmed.

"It's all right, it's nothing any of your mates would notice, I just want to clean up your eyebrows a little bit," she explained. "There are girls out there with eyebrows like yours, but usually they take the trouble to tidy up the edges. You've got a few stray hairs above and below I want to remove. Women will notice things like that, men wouldn't."

She pecked away carefully with the tweezers, taking great care with the hairline under the brow. She also cleared away some loose hairs between Brian's brows. She used a small pair of scissors to trim back one or two of the longer hairs. Finally satisfied, she showed Brian his face in the mirror, and as she had suspected, he couldn't tell the difference.

Her foundation wasn't any good, so she fetched her mother's bag and tried out hers, which proved more suitable, although not perfect. Eye-shadow, mascara, powder and blusher was shared between the two bags, and her mother had a suitable lipstick for Brian's darker lip colour. As Charlotte finished her own face her mother appeared in the doorway.

"Have you finished with my makeup, dear? Oh, good. Was I right about the colour?"

"Yes, he's got a brown background where mine's more a blue-white colour. Your colouration's a lot closer to his than mine is."

"Let me see you, Brian."

He stood up, and moved to the window to stand in the light so Adrienne could inspect him.

"My! I've got two beautiful girls, now. Making him up has taken a couple of years off him, hasn't it?"

"Thank you, Mrs Benson - I think."

"Nonsense, child. And your voice just about works, as well. Try not to raise your voice when you speak, and you'll sound quite normal. Now, come with me, I might have something for you."

Brian followed Adrienne out of the bedroom and down the landing to her own. Charlotte followed, curious. In the room, Evan was hanging his business suit up in the wardrobe.

"Goodness! You two have scrubbed up well! Which one's my daughter, again?"

"Very funny, dear," said Adrienne. "Can you let me get to the end wardrobe, please?"

She rooted about in the wardrobe before finally emerging with a shoulder bag, which she handed to Brian.

"There, dear. You can borrow this today. No woman would ever be seen in public without a bag of their own. You'll need to put a couple of tissues and some makeup bits and pieces in it for emergencies."

"Uh, thank you, Mrs Benson."

The bag was of white leather, good quality but slightly worn. Brian decided that it would help him blend in better if he had a bag that looked used.

"Do you think we need jackets or coats today, Mums? How warm do you think it's likely to get?"

"I don't plan to wear one while we're in the shops, but it might be worth putting something in the car in case it gets chilly later on. Have you got something that Brian can wear? I might be able to find something if you can't, although my styles might be too old for him."

"I don't know. We'll go and see if anything fits, first."

They tried on all of Charlotte's jacket collection. Only two fitted across Brian's wider shoulders, and one of those was obviously too heavy for the time of year. He ended up with a short fitted unbleached linen jacket. Charlotte, who had wanted to wear that one, settled for a jacket which looked denim but which was made of much thinner material.

Charlotte selected some essentials to go in Brian's bag, and he added his wallet, phone and keys, just in case. Bags over arms, the two young people made their way downstairs, one gingerly.

"While we wait for my parents to get ready, why don't you practise walking up and down, so I can see if you're likely to give yourself away."

While Brian marched up and down the hall, Charlotte eyed his movement critically.

"I don't think you're putting your feet down right," she said, finally. "Stand here and watch me walk. Pay attention to my feet. When you've got a heel, you have to put your shoe down like this," and she demonstrated. "You'll find it easier to walk if you can do it like that."

Brian tried, and said, "Oh, I see. Yes, it does make it easier. That's what comes from spending one's entire life in trainers, I suppose."

"Well, it wouldn't hurt you to wear proper shoes once in a while. Women do like to see their menfolk look tidy occasionally."

Brain walked up and down again, and found that his hips now swayed as he did so, his buttocks moving up and down in a strange manner. The heels make it much easier, but it's still going to require some concentration to do it all the time, he thought.

Charlotte exclaimed, "Oh! I never looked at your hands! Come here, quick. I think it's too late to do much now, though."

She inspected his hands, muttering, "They'll have to do. They could really do with a shaping up with an emery board, but we don't have time for that. You're lucky we didn't have advance warning, I might have ended up putting nail polish on you, as well." She held up her own red nails for him to see.

"If I'd had advance warning, I wouldn't be in this mess at all," he replied. "Now, I need to use the bathroom before we leave. Any special instructions?"

"Sit down, of course. Pull up the dress and slip, pull everything else down. Try not to let anything get wet. Girls usually wipe when they've finished. When you've adjusted your clothes again, make sure the hem of the dress is down all the way around. It can be very embarrassing when it gets caught in your tights or panties. Oh, and in a public Ladies' room, you should always check your face in the mirror before leaving. Off you go, I can hear Mums coming down the stairs."

Adrienne Benson was wearing a mid-blue two-piece with a matching bag and shoes.

"What happened with the fire, Mums?"

"We might as well wait till we're all in the car, your father can tell you both the whole story. I slept through part of the excitement, I'm afraid. Now, how are you getting on with Brian? He seems to be taking it very well, did he get upset at all?"

"He really doesn't want to be doing it, Mums. But he knows there's a prize waiting for him at the end of it, so he's prepared to go through the ordeal if he has to. He seems to have accepted that he has to do it, now."

"And what about yourself, my dear. After all, it's meant plundering your own wardrobe to dress him. That's a little bit more intimate than most women care to get with their menfolk."

"When Daddy made him go up and do it properly, I found it hard then. In some ways, I took it to be part of my punishment for letting Brian into my bed. I'm really sorry, Mums. We do love each other very much. I wouldn't have even contemplated what we did if we didn't have a proper, serious relationship."

"Let's just say that your father and I would have been a great deal angrier if you hadn't been in a serious relationship. Brian would probably be wearing tar and feathers instead of a summer dress otherwise."

"What about you, Mums? What do you think of what Brian did?"

"He's a good boy," her mother replied, "I could wish it hadn't happened, but it did, and he took precautions, so no harm was done, I hope. I think he'll make you a fine husband. But don't go telling Brian or your father I said that, though."

"It's funny," mused Charlotte. "I really enjoyed doing up his face and hair. I must want to mother him. I hope I have daughters I can do up like that."

"If you have daughters by Brian, they'll be very pretty, I think. If he looks like that with a little makeup, he'll have a good bone structure to pass on to your children."

Charlotte giggled. "If he found out we'd been discussing his married life already, he'd be out the door and running. Aren't men funny some times?"

Adrienne sighed, "Daughter, you don't know the half of it."

Brian reappeared, and Adrienne spoke to him.

"My dear, I don't suppose we can call you Brian while we're out. You name does have a feminine equivalent which is not that different sounding, so if you like, we can call you 'Briony'. Would that be all right, do think?"

"Briony." Brian tried out the name. "Yes, Mrs Benson, that would be a good idea. I did wonder what we would do, but I tried to think of another girl's name I might like. I didn't think of Briony, though. It's so obvious, but I've been, well, distracted."

"Very well, dear, for today, then, you will be Charlotte's friend Briony."

"Thank you, Mrs Benson."

Evan Benson came down the stairs, and deposited a bundle of papers in his study. He had put his sports jacket on over polo shirt and slacks. Then, seeing the ladies were ready, he opened the front door before showing them out. They walked into the driveway, and Evan headed for his Lexus.

"Ah, Mr Benson?"

"Yes, son? No, I can't call you son, today, can I? There a problem?"

"I was thinking, sir. You were got up at, what, four o'clock this morning? I don't mind you driving us to West Beach, but will you be too tired to drive us home again by tonight? Or weren't you thinking of being out that long?"

Evan stopped. "You're right," he said, "I'll get us there today, no problem, but by this evening I could be wilting a bit. Not enough to make me fall asleep, though, but possibly enough to make driving dangerous. Adrienne can drive my car, of course, but she'd be as tired as I am. So what's your solution? And what do I call you, today?"

"Today, sir, Mrs Benson says that I will be Charlotte's friend Briony. I can't drive your car, sir, but we could go in mine, if you don't mind."

"Huh. Clever as well as pretty, eh? I've no objection, er, Briony." Evan promptly changed direction to stand by Brian's Ford. Brian dug in his bag for his keys. Brian's car had been passed down by his father, so while it wasn't a recent model, it was large enough to seat the four of them comfortably. Evan sat in the front by Brian, while Charlotte sat beside her mother in the back. It was the first time Evan Benson had been inside Brian's car. He nodded with appreciation.

"You've - Brian's - looked after this car really well," he said. "I can't remember the last time I saw one so clean." Brian started the engine. "Runs smooth, too. These old Fords can get to sound a bit rough after so many miles, I know."

"Perhaps you'd like to talk about it with Brian some other time, sir. Which way do you want me to go?"

Brian had some initial difficulty in driving in heels, but after adjusting the seat he found a comfortable, and safe, arrangement. Evan directed Brian on to the main route west, and they settled down for the hour's drive. Adrienne spoke to her husband.

"Tell them what happened last night, dear."

"The alarm went off about four," Evan said, "and we all ended up in the car park in our coats over our night things. The main block of the hotel was obviously well alight. I think someone said it started in the kitchens. After they'd checked us off, it got a bit cold to be standing round dressed like that, so we got into our car, and both fell asleep for about an hour or so.

"Then one of the hotel staff came and tapped on the window. He told us the fire had been contained, but the hotel would have to close, and the fire people had agreed it was safe for us to return to our rooms, dress, and pack our bags. I found our CEO in the car park, and he said that as the conference rooms we were going to use had almost certainly been destroyed, there wasn't much point staying, and as we'd all had a disrupted night, to have today off. So that's exactly what we did."

Evan turned to look directly at Brian. "After all that, I was not best pleased to arrive home and find your car parked out front."

"I bet you weren't, sir. Sorry to have ruined your day."

"It didn't start well, I grant you, but there's still a lot of the day left. There's no need for any unpleasantness, today, we've done all that. Let's just have a calm day out."

They reached West Beach, and discussed where to park.

"Put it in the mall car park," said Adrienne. "Then we can all go round the shops while Evan and I are still fresh. After lunch, we can go and sit on the promenade, and you two can wander round the amusement park, if you like."

They stood waiting while Brian locked the car and put the keys in his bag. He walked over to them. Brian was now effectively in public, and it showed in his movements.

"Nervous, miss?"

"Oh, absolutely, sir. I'm completely petrified. If I wasn't a girl, I might use stronger words."

"Well, you needn't be worried. You look exactly like what you seem to be. My Charlotte's done an expert paint job on you. Just relax, and you'll get through today fine."

They walked to the entrance, Charlotte and Brian in front of her parents. Brian found it a terrifying experience. The breeze whispered past his legs, but it felt different with tights on, rather than say, bare legs under shorts. It ruffled the hem of his light dress, which felt as though it weighed nothing and exposed everything. He had to struggle to stop his muscles locking up. He managed by concentrating hard on walking properly. Even so, he was extremely conscious of the two mounds projecting from the front of his chest. He was certain that everyone, everyone in the car park was zeroing in on his breasts. He reminded himself that every woman had these things, and they all had to put up with what he was feeling, that it was normal for them. Charlotte, sensing his anxiety, grabbed Brian's hand.

"Is it all right for us to hold hands like this?" he asked.

"Yes! Girls hold hands all the time. Although not for the same reasons as I hold yours, of course. I'm going to have to be careful, though. You're my girl friend not my boy friend today, so I can't show you the sort of affection in public I might want to. Still, it's a lot less than you're having to put up with."

"Ain't that the truth. Say, this is a shopping mall. You're going to drag me round endless clothes shops, I suppose."

"Of course! Three women and a bag carrier, faced with a complex of shiny new shops, we're going to have some fun this morning." Brian groaned. "Keep an open mind, lover. You may learn something to your advantage."

"I somehow doubt that," Brian replied, but in the event he was wrong.

As they entered the air-conditioned interior, Brian was amazed that nobody paid him any attention, since he thought he stood out a mile. Actually, they paid Charlotte and 'Briony' attention, but only the sort of attention any two pretty girls would expect walking round shops. Brian was interested to notice that every single male who saw them checked them out, from teenagers to old men. He was even more interested that all the women checked him out as well, and he realised that their scrutiny might be the greater danger. The men checked out breasts, legs, backside and face, usually in that order, and some of them didn't bother with the face. Women tended to evaluate top-to-toe, considering the whole impression that the other person made.

Since the fashions which Charlotte and her 'friend' would be interested in would be different to the sort of thing Mr and Mrs Benson would want to look at, they had decided to separate and meet at a cafe later in the morning. Brian could see the logic, but wondered whether he might have been safer in a larger group. Evan Benson didn't seem to mind what his wife and daughter decided to do, so Brian just agreed with their plan without commenting. After the first shop, stock thoroughly sifted without incident, he began to relax, and even, perhaps, to enjoy himself.

Charlotte decided that it was her task to teach him the basics of women's fashions, so kept up a running commentary as they went from one shop to the next. Despite himself, Brian became interested on two levels. Besides giving him an insight into how Charlotte's mind worked, he also began to understand why women chose to wear what they did, and why therefore there was so much choice. Charlotte complicated matters by using Brian's size and colouration as a contrast to her own, and began picking out things she said would suit him. Despite showing disinterest, she persisted, and without quite knowing how, he found himself in a changing booth with her, each with an armful of clothes to try. Charlotte slipped out of her dress and Brian reluctantly removed his.

"What if someone else comes in?" he whispered.

"They won't. I had a word with the assistant and said you're shy, which is true enough. Now, just slip this over your head -"

They both tried on everything they had brought in. Charlotte gave Brian chapter and verse on why certain things suited her and not him, and vice versa, and she made him tell her his thoughts on how each item suited either of them. She ended up buying a dress, two skirts and two tops which he thought looked good on her. By the time they were ready to join her parents at the cafe they were each carrying six bags. In addition, Brian had gained a narrow metal hair band and a necklace made of odd-shaped stones that matched his lipstick, with a matching bracelet with smaller stones which just did up round his left wrist.

"Can we carry some of those bags for you two ladies?" came a voice from behind.

They turned to see two young men, about Brian's age, probably students like him, behind them. Each was dressed casually but tidily. Charlotte gave them a smile.

"That's kind of you to offer," she said, "but we're meeting my parents just around the corner. Thank you anyway." She smiled again at them, and then turned and carried on walking.

"Interesting," said Brian. "Obviously, I've never been on the receiving end of male interest before. I think I could get used to have young men running round after me."

"I, of course," replied Charlotte, "have got a young man running round after me. They're being polite and helpful, that's all. And if you did get someone interested, what would you do with them? I know you're not gay."

"No, no argument there. Definitely, categorically, not. But it's interesting seeing the world from your perspective. I thought today would be a walk through hell, but it's turning out quite different."

Evan got up as the two girls arrived at the table, and remained standing after they were seated.

"What can I get you to drink, girls?"

Brian realised that that might be a trick question, and looked enquiringly at Charlotte.

"I think we can manage a small cappuccino each, please, Daddy. Is that all right, Briony?"

"Yes, thank you, Mr Benson."

While Evan was away ordering the drinks, Adrienne said to them, "Have any trouble, dears?"

"No, Mums. You were right, everyone has accepted Briony without question. It was a struggle to get her into the changing rooms the first time, but we've had a lot of fun since, haven't we?"

"I have to admit, Mrs Benson, that it hasn't been as bad as I imagined it would be. I'm not sure I'd use the word 'fun' though."

"There's something about 'a coward dies a thousand deaths', as I remember," Adrienne replied. "Things are very rarely as bad as you think them to be." Her eyes flicked over the additions to Briony's costume. "I see you've entered into the spirit of the thing, then."

"Yes, Mrs Benson. Charlotte said I would look more natural with some accessories. I'm not sure I agree, there's as many girls here without jewellery as with, but it wasn't worth making a fuss over."

"You look very nice, dear."

"That's what my mother always says." He grinned suddenly. "But she's never seen me dressed like this."

Evan came back with the coffees, and they discussed what to do next. He had found a map of the mall at an information booth they had passed, and he spread it on the table for them to examine. They plotted out a route through the rest of the complex, which would leave them at a department store near the seafront entrance at about lunch time.

Brian put down his cup, and realised that the lipstick mark on the edge was his. Adrienne saw his glance and realised the cause. She spoke to her husband.

"Dear, I'm going to the Ladies with these two to freshen up. We may be a little while."

"I'm okay, dear, I'll wait here."

"If you don't need to go, can I suggest that Briony gives you her keys and you take these bags to the car? I don't think we need to carry them around with us all day, do you? You can take our two bags as well."

Evan gave his wife a sour look, but he nodded, as she was right. It would save him waiting while they went off, and save them waiting afterwards while Brian, probably with Charlotte, carried the bags to the car. Brian opened his bag and handed over the keys before the three women rose and made their way to the powder room. Evan was left wondering how he was going to manage fourteen bags.

Brian was petrified once more. On rare occasions, he had visited Ladies' rooms as a student, but this was not the same at all. He knew any slip would be instantly pounced upon, and he'd probably be ejected from the mall, if not arrested for some obscure sexual crime. He struggled through his business in the cubicle, to find the two Bensons waiting for him when he emerged. Fortunately, there seemed to be no-one else in the Ladies at that moment.

"What? Look, you've both had way more practice at this than I have," he whispered.

"It's all right, dear," Adrienne soothed. "Now let us fix your lipstick for you before someone comes in."

"We didn't exactly have a lot of time for him to practice putting his own lipstick on, Mums," protested Charlotte.

"I know, dear. Now hold still," she added to Brian while she deftly remade his lips.

They each checked that each other had everything in exactly it's right place before trooping out into the cafe. They stood outside waiting for Evan to return, and after a short while he came back, handing over the keys to Brian, before they set off down another hall full of stores. This time they stayed as a group. Brian became fascinated, as they trawled through the offerings, as Charlotte and her mother bounced ideas and thoughts off one another, often including him in their discussions. Evan mostly stood to one side during these conversations, trying to look disinterested, as most men would, and as Brian had in the past.

Eventually, they ended up at the department store. This time, Charlotte wanted to go round the lingerie, but felt that that would be too embarrassing an ordeal for Brian, so went with her mother while Evan wandered round the haberdashery and furnishings departments with Brian while they waited.

"How're you doing, son?" asked Evan softly, when they reached an open space in the bedding department with no-one near them.

"Well, sir, it's not my first choice of outfit for coming to a new mall, and I've not quite died of fright, yet. I like to think I'm managing so far, sir. I've learned a few things I might not otherwise have done, sir."

Evan nodded. "That was the general idea, son. I might ask you about what you've found out, later on this evening. You seem to me to be bearing up well."

"Thank you, sir. It's been hard, on occasions. I hope I don't get any more assignments as tough as this one."

"Works the other way round, son. Once you've done this, anything else you'll get asked to do should seem simple by comparison."

"I believe I'll have to take your word on that, sir."

The Benson women appeared - with two more bags - and the party headed for a nearby restaurant for lunch. Adrienne had some words of advice for Brian once they had been seated.

"Keep your napkin on your lap, dear. Cut up your food smaller than Brian would normally, and pull it off the fork with your teeth. That way, you won't lose so much lipstick. Try to eat slower, as well. I've seen you eat food at our house, remember. Today, you have to be more lady-like. You don't want to get food on your clothing."

"Yes, Mrs Benson. What sort of meal should we be eating now?"

"I suggest one of the light lunch options. You don't have to go for a plain salad, if you don't want to. You can always top up if you need to when we get back home."

"Thank you, Mrs Benson."

Lunch passed without any embarrassing incidents, so much so that Brian relaxed into his role without realising it. After the usual checkover by the women, they emerged from the mall and walked the few yards to the promenade. To try and aid their digestion, the four walked gently off in one direction, returning after twenty minutes or so. By that time, Evan had had enough, so they found a sheltered seat overlooking the beach and sat down. Evan opened a paper he had bought on their walk.

"I think I'll sit here for a bit. Do you ladies want to go and do something else? You can leave me here if you like, I'll look after the bags for you."

The others understood that Evan would probably have a short nap, due to the disruption of the previous night.

"I'm a little worn out too, dear," Adrienne said. "I'll stay here as well. Do you two want to go and look at the amusements? Briony dear, if you do, remember you're wearing Charlotte's dress, and it's easy to mark it if you're not careful. Try not to do anything a tidy nineteen-year old girl wouldn't."

Charlotte looked at Brian. "That okay with you?"

Brian nodded. "If you don't mind us leaving you, Mrs Benson. I shouldn't think we'll be too long. In fact, I think it's a bit cooler now than when we came. Perhaps the weather is changing."

"Are you feeling the cold, dear? You're not used to being dressed like that, after all."

"I don't think so, Mrs Benson. In fact, normally I'd be wearing a T-shirt and jeans. The distribution of warmth and coolness is a little different, perhaps, but I'm okay. If you look out to sea, there's a bit of a haze sprung up."

Charlotte said, "That's settled, then. We all have phones if anything comes up."

She took Brian's hand and led him along the promenade. About a quarter of a mile away, the amusement park was in full swing, although at this time of day, and season, it wasn't crowded. They went in. Charlotte considered the rides carefully before suggesting that it wouldn't be a good idea for Brian to try any dressed as he was.

"Quite a lot of these are designed to get girls to show more than they might want to," she explained. "When you're up there, and your skirt comes flying up, you might show more than you intended. Also, if we go on the roller coaster, you'd be expected to scream, and if you screamed, you'd probably empty the park in seconds. It would be completely out of character. Looks like some of these rides aren't that clean, either. No, I think we'd be better off just wandering round the arcades and giving some money away." Charlotte had no illusions about the purpose of amusement arcades.

They each had some coins to spare, and wandered round the shed full of noisy machines, occasionally venturing a coin in some machine they thought looked less crooked than the rest. They stopped by a crane machine, discussing whether or not to try for a soft toy.

"Couple of girls like you look just right for a couple of guys like us," said a voice behind them. They turned. "Fancy a bit of fun, then?"

The speaker was about Charlotte's height, dark-haired, a teenager, dressed in black t-shirt and filthy denim cut-offs. His mate was a little taller, fair-haired, in a red t-shirt and camo shorts. Both had thumbs tucked in pockets, and both looked tough.

Charlotte said, disdainfully, "I don't think we'd like the sort of 'fun' you'd be likely to provide. Go away."

Dark-hair persisted. "We'd treat you to some of the rides," he said, carefully not saying that he'd want something in return. "How'd you know if you don't try? Five minutes round the corner, that's all we ask."

"Look, I told you, not interested. Find some pond life your own level to harass." Charlotte took Brian's arm and led him away from the pair. The youths stayed put, watching the two girls move towards another part of the arcade.

"Not happy," muttered Brian. "How often does this sort of thing happen? To girls generally, I mean, not just you."

"Far too often I'm afraid," replied Charlotte. "Mind you, considering where we are, I suppose we're fair game. Especially dressed like we are. We probably stick out like a sore thumb. Come on, let's go down here."

She led Brian down another aisle full of machines. Brian belatedly realised that the world Charlotte and all her kind lived in was not the same one that he lived in at all. There were compensations, like the two guys they had met in the mall, but also many dangers a man would not even notice. In fact, if Brian had been there, rather than Briony, he doubted whether the two youths would even have bothered them. He was still mulling over the implications when they eventually emerged in a different part of the park. They continued ambling past the rides and amusements, finally halting in front of the Tunnel of Love.

"How about trying that? No-one's skirt is going to be blown up in there, I don't suppose," Brian proposed.

"Hmm. Apart from the significant point that it's designed for couples, which we don't appear to be at the moment, once we got inside you'd only want to kiss me, and we'd both come out the other side covered in lipstick." She paused, struck by the imagery. "Hmm. What an interesting thought, but one best explored in private, I think. No. I doubt this will be the last time we come here, Brian can definitely treat me next time."

Brian was disappointed, but said, "It's a deal. This afternoon's gone a bit flat, hasn't it? I never thought I'd live to say it, but even the shopping was better than this."

They found a booth which involved throwing rings over pegs, and Charlotte came away with a stuffed pink pig, much to Brian's disgust. With it clutched in her free hand, they finally decided that they had exhausted the possibilities of the park and walked out back on to the promenade. As they walked back, the two youths appeared from behind a hut where they had obviously been waiting.

"Guess what, it's those two stuck-up bitches again," said dark-hair, feigning surprise.

The two stood in the way. Charlotte and Brian perforce had to stop.

Fair-hair spoke. "Bet they've got shiny toys in those bags, what say they show them to us." It was not a suggestion.

Dark-hair moved towards Charlotte, fair-hair moved towards Brian, corralling them against the front of the hut. Fair-hair reached for Brian's bag, and he reacted. He swung his hand as though to slap the boy's face, but at the last second closed his fingers and leaned into the swing. His fist hit the boy's nose and fair-hair fell on his bottom.

"Ow!" He put his hand to his nose immediately, and took it away to show blood. "You hit me!"

Brian turned to dark-hair. "Want a sample?" he said, his voice entirely un-lady-like.

Dark-hair, confused by a female who acted so aggressively, stepped back, and then, pulling his mate to his feet, backed away in the direction of the amusement park. Brain watched them go, and when they were out of sight, leaned back against the hut with relief. His veins were filled with adrenaline, and he was shaking. The encounter had completely terrified him and he had reacted without thinking. Charlotte touched his arm.

"Thank you, darling," she said, "If you'd been a real girl we'd probably had to hand over our bags. Sometimes, being female has real downsides. Come on, lets find Mums and Daddy." She took his hand and they began walking back down the promenade.

Brian's thoughts were churning. Supposing the youths hadn't backed off? What then? He couldn't fight effectively, not dressed like he was. He'd fall over, balanced on these heels. He couldn't run away, either, he just wasn't used to the footwear. Charlotte might be able to run, she'd been wearing heels for years, after all, but she wouldn't be able to run faster than two youths in trainers. That's why women had learned to try and defuse situations by using their tongues instead. That's why the youths had backed away, because he hadn't acted to type, but acted in a way they weren't expecting. Damn! For the first time that day, he wished he was dressed normally.

By the time they reached the sheltered seat where Evan and Adrienne were sitting, he had calmed down considerably. A glance showed them that Charlotte's parents were both dozing, paper askew across Evan's lap, the bags tightly wedged between their bodies. To avoid disturbing them, Charlotte and Brian decided to go and sit on a seat nearby for a while.

"Darling, you were very brave, back there," she said, clutching his hand tightly.

"I didn't feel it," he replied, "I don't think I ever felt so helpless before. I acted purely on instinct, and I think it was just luck they went away when they did. I can't defend you, dressed like this. I want to defend you. I want to protect you."

"You did defend me! You're my knight in shining armour."

"It's hardly armour, is it?" he said wryly, plucking at the skirt of the dress. "Perhaps I'd better think of it as a superhero disguise."

She giggled. "You're already wearing the tights! I'll have to make you a cape."

"Dearest," Brian said earnestly, "it's obvious to me that you need looking after, and I think I'm the man to do it. I know we haven't spoken formally about it, but I'd like you to marry me. I think I have just sufficient funds to buy you a small diamond. You know I love you, and I'm fairly certain you love me. I've a year left in college, and I'm fairly sure to get good grades, so I've reasonable prospects. Will you marry me?"

"Of course I will, silly!" She leaned in close to hug and kiss him, but remembered the circumstances at the last second and pulled back slightly. "I've been waiting for you to ask me for some time now. Besides, after today, I don't think Daddy will let you get away from me."

"Can't argue with you there," he said.

The two of them sat on the seat, holding hands. To distract Brian from the confrontation, Charlotte started to evaluate the male passers-by in the way she often used to do with her girlfriends. She told him what she thought of each as a possible prospect, praising and damning in equal measure.

This one," she said in a low voice, "has money. Look at the way he's dressed. But the person he loves is himself, a woman wouldn't get a look-in. Those two, now, are a pair of hunks. Not too muscley but obviously fit. Trouble is, you can't tell which one of them has currently borrowed the brain cell. This one behind is not too bad. Looks to have a reasonable personality, but his clothes are rubbish. Look at those trainers! Ancient. Might not have much money, I suppose. Be all right for a date, though."

She got Brian to join in, seeing if he could figure out how the various men who passed would seem to a woman. It took him a while, but he finally worked her method out.

"If that's what you think of the men passing by," he protested eventually, "how is it you ended up with me? I think I'd fail most of the tests you've applied today."

"Probably," she agreed cheerfully, "but when I met you I was young and innocent," she said with tongue partially in cheek. "I'm older and wiser now."

"That's because you've got to know me better. We've both changed since we met. We've adapted to one another. Bet you never thought I'd be sitting next to you wearing your clothes, though. I certainly never did."

"Nor did I! If you'd come up with the idea yourself, I think I'd have run a mile, screaming. It's only because Daddy made you. But now we have spent the day together like this, I think I rather approve. It's made me see another side of you, and I like you even more for it. Of course, asking me to marry you helps quite a bit."

Afternoon turned into late afternoon. The haze had now hidden the horizon, and the heat had started to go out of the air. Charlotte shivered, and wondered whether it was time they should be going. As she looked around, she spotted the two youths approaching, accompanied by three others.

"Don't look now, trouble comes," she said in a low voice. Opening her bag, she got out her phone and speed-dialled a number. Without putting it to her ear, she made sure the call had connected, then put the phone back in her bag, with the line still open, and zipped the bag. The movements made it just look like she'd acknowledged a text. Then she and Brian stood up as the boys surrounded the bench. Dark-hair stood in front of the group, hands on hips. Fair-hair stood just beside him, a wad of blood-spotted tissue in one hand, which he occasionally dabbed to his nose.

Dark-hair spoke. "You hurt my mate's nose. You're both going to pay for that. And we'll have those bags as compensation. Understood, bitches?"

Evan Benson, even when not at work, carried two phones, a personal one and a work one. Although his family normally called him on his personal phone, he had set up Adrienne and Charlotte on his business phone as well, linked to a separate and distinctive ring tone, for use in emergencies. Thus it was, when the 'Reveille' sounded from his jacket pocket, Evan, as any serving or veteran soldier would, came instantly out of sleep. It took him a second to figure out where he was, and then he came to his feet, the newspaper falling unnoticed to the ground.

Adrienne stirred. Evan shook her, and when her eyes opened, he said, "Charlotte's in trouble, dear."

He stepped out of the shelter and looked around. He spotted the group by the next bench with the two girls in the middle of it, and strode over.

"There a problem here?"

Dark-hair turned, and saw a middle-aged man standing to one side.

"Don't think so, grand-dad. We was just having a discussion with my girlfriend, wasn't we, guys? We was just about to leave, wasn't we, guys?" He grabbed Charlotte's arm, intending to shepherd her - and probably Brian - along with the group, away from the interfering old guy.

"Girlfriend? I don't think my daughter would want to consort with low-lifes like you," grated out Evan.

In case the youths hadn't made the connection, Charlotte said, "Daddy? These boys just won't leave us alone. Get off me." She pulled her arm free from dark-hair's grip.

Fair-hair said, "This one hit me before. My nose is bleeding." He waved the bloody tissue for Evan to see.

Evan grunted. "You probably deserved it, then."

Brian stared at the hangers-on, and the three backed away a little. They didn't like the way the situation had suddenly turned, and dark-hair had played down the previous encounter with the two girls. Dark-hair stuck his hand in his pocket.

"I'd leave that in there if I were you, son," said Evan, "Special forces unarmed combat training includes disabling - or killing - knife assailants."

Dark-hair looked paralysed for a few moments, and then he very carefully withdrew his hand from his pocket, being sure to show that it was empty. The hangers-on backed away even further. Dark-hair scowled at Evan.

Fair-hair began to retreat. "Come on, Josh! It's not worth it. Let's go," he called.

"Leave. Now." Evan ordered, in no-nonsense tones.

Dark-hair spat on the ground and then turned to follow the others. They walked away very slowly, one of them turning every so often to look at Evan and the girls, who had now been joined by Adrienne.

Charlotte moved to embrace her father. Adrienne opened her arms and gathered Brian in. Apart from the odd handshake, it was the first time he had had any bodily contact with Charlotte's mother. Although she was shorter than him, he was comforted by her touch.

"There, dear. It must have been frightening for you," she said. "This is what we have to put up with sometimes."

"Thank you, Mrs Benson." Brian was shaking again. "It was a bit of a shock. The second time was, too."

"The second time?" Brian disengaged from Adrienne.

"Let's go," said Evan. "It's beginning to get chilly, and if we hang round here that bunch may just decide to try their luck again."

The four began to walk back towards the mall entrance, both pairs holding hands.

"Yes, the second time," Brian repeated, "They started annoying us in the amusement arcade, and Charlotte warned them off. Then when we come out of the park, they tried to take our bags. So I thumped one of them. The bloody nose was a bonus. He certainly wasn't expecting a dainty girl to hit him."

"The advantage of surprise," remarked Evan, "Good."

"Sir?" asked Brian, "I didn't know you were in the special forces."

"Never said I was, girl."

Brian replayed the confrontation in his head, and realised that Charlotte's father had merely made a statement of fact. The youths had simply read into it what they wished to.

Once in the warmth of the mall, Brian said, "Uh, sir? Could we stop at a cafe on our way through? I could do with a drink, and, I, er, think I might need to fix my face." Behind him, Adrienne smiled.

When the women emerged from the Ladies' room Evan had already got their drinks and organised a table. They gratefully eased into the seats.

"I think my feet have had enough of heels for one day," remarked Brian.

"Considering you've never worn them before," said Adrienne, "I think you've lasted very well, don't you, dear?" Her husband nodded. "Lots of women can only wear heels for a certain number of hours. Of course," she continued, "if the occasion demands it, we just grit our teeth and carry on. There's a lot of maintaining appearances involved in being a woman."

"So I've been learning, Mrs Benson. I should last out till we get back to your house, never fear."

Drinks consumed, the party left the cafe and wandered back through the mall to the car park, choosing a different route to return. None of them felt a particular desire to plunge into further shopping, but at least they could take note of what shops were in the other areas of the mall, for future reference. The pink pig and the most recent bags joined all the rest, and they set off homewards. This time, Evan sat in the back with Adrienne.

Before reaching the Bensons' house, Brian had to pull over to refuel. His original plans for his trip to visit Charlotte hadn't included a trip to the beach, and there wasn't enough in the tank to get him back to the Bensons' house. He had nearly filled the tank when he realised the corner he had painted himself into. How would the cashier view a supposedly nineteen-year old girl offering to pay with a credit card labelled 'Mr Brian Westwood'? Most times they probably wouldn't even notice, but given his luck had already run out at least once today, he didn't want to chance it. Fortunately, while he was hanging up the nozzle Evan climbed out and came to him.

"I'll get this one, Briony. You go and get in the car."

"You sure about this, Mr Benson?"

"Yes, of course. Don't forget, we were originally going to go in my car anyway." He grinned. "Besides, it's cheaper this way. Your car does better mileage than mine."

There was a road house next to the filling station, so they decided to have an early meal there and save having to cook when they got back to the house. They had an uneventful meal, although the two girls received a lot of attention from the other mostly male diners. By now Brian had got used to it, although the level of scrutiny was beginning to wear a little thin. He was grateful when they finally left to complete their journey as the sky darkened. As he finally pulled up alongside the Lexus, Brian breathed a sigh of relief, although he was fully aware the day hadn't finished yet, and there might be hard questions to answer.

Evan led the way into the house, and the bags - and the pink pig - were found temporary homes till the morning. They all settled in the living room, Evan with Scotch, Adrienne and the youngsters having tea. The house was cool, so Adrienne put the fire on, low. Adrienne had a book to read, Evan had a bundle of newspapers, but he didn't open them to start with. Charlotte and Brian just sat on the settee, holding hands and watching the fire reflected on their knees.

"Son, I think you did well, today. Quite surprised me, actually. You were quite natural most of the time. But that wasn't the point of the exercise. Tell me what you learned, today."

"Sir, the first thing I learned was that, however carefully you lay out a plan, there's always the possibility that external forces that you can't control will screw it up."

"True, son. Nobody plans a hotel fire. Go on."

"Then, it seems that once those forces have upset your plan, you can't necessarily predict the consequences."

Evan nodded.

"Next, at the start of today, I knew next to nothing about women, but I didn't know that then. Now, I'm a whole lot wiser, sir, and I think it's going to make me a better man. Now I understand why Charlotte looks the ways she does, and why she acts the way she does. Leastways, I've made a start. I'm not sure I'll ever find out the whole story."

"Recognising your own limitations?"

"Yes, sir, that's it exactly. Then, I discovered that the worst ordeal in the world doesn't seem so bad once it's over, sir. It's just like you said, though I didn't understand what you meant at the time. Furthermore, it wasn't really that bad, except at the start. I think it was as much a fear of the unknown, as anything. I did have some fun, today, sir, even though I didn't believe that was possible. There were some parts that were a lot less funny, though."

"I'm sorry about that, son. I hadn't planned any confrontations today. But I think you both handled those little rodents exactly right."

"Thank you, sir. It made me realise, though, that women have to use different techniques to resolve situations. Since they can't use strength, they have to try and talk their way out, in general. When I hit that guy, it was so unexpected that they backed off immediately. Didn't stop them coming back, though," Brian added ruefully.

"I'm not surprised," said Evan, "imagine the loss of face caused by being hit by a girl! No, there was no way they were going to let that lie. Anything else?"

"Yes, sir! My first thought was to defend Charlotte, sir, whatever I looked like. I want to go on doing that, sir. I want to look after her. I asked her to marry me. Is that acceptable, sir?"

Adrienne looked up from her book, towards Charlotte. "Did you say yes, dear?"

"Yes, Mums, of course! Although we realise we might have to wait till Brian finishes college."

Evan Benson held up his hands. "Son, you've done more than enough to convince me. I know that my daughter will be safe in your hands. You both have my blessing. We can talk tomorrow about what you two do next."

"Tomorrow, sir? I should be really back in college by then."

"Can you stay the night, and leave in the morning? You're going to need some time to clean up before you leave here."

"Well, I -"

"You can have the guest bedroom tonight, dear," said Adrienne.

"Provided you stay there, of course," added Evan.

"Yes, sir! I've learned my lesson. I think I can stay, sir. My first lecture is tomorrow afternoon."

"That's settled, then," said Adrienne. "I'll hang your boy clothes up ready for you in the morning. Or did you want to change now?"

"No thank you, Mrs Benson. If you don't mind, I'll stay as I am for this evening. These clothes are quite comfortable."

Evan grunted, and picked up a paper to read. Charlotte and her mother started discussing the shops they had visited earlier in the day, mentioning fashions each other had seen that the other might, or might not, be interested in. Brian just let it all wash over him, relieved. He stared at the flickering flames. He'd just had an experience he could never have imagined himself having, and he had found out many things about himself and about Charlotte, and women in general. There was a movement beside him, and Charlotte kissed him on the cheek.

"See? It doesn't matter now if I get lipstick on you. No-one's going to complain, and I know what's under the war paint and the glad rags. Thank you for looking after me today. Oh! Have you got a tissue? Mine are a mess."

Brian turned and picked up his bag from beside him on the settee and opened it. He pulled out a tissue and handed it over. Charlotte furrowed her brow.

"Mums? I don't ever remember you using this bag you lent to Brian. In fact, I don't ever remember seeing it before."

Adrienne looked up from her book. "That's because it isn't mine, dear. It belongs to your father."

"What?"

"It's Evan's bag. You see, a long time ago, when your father and I were courting, Evan found himself in a similar position to Brian. Not exactly the same, but very similar. My father did to Evan what Evan did to Brian today."

The two youngsters looked at Evan Benson with mouths open. Unperturbed, he looked up at them over the top of his paper.

"It's all true," he said, "although I have to say I think Briony here is far prettier than Evelyn ever was."

"Mums!"

"I didn't know he was going to do anything today," said Adrienne. "It's not something you can plan for. It was entirely possible neither you nor Brian would ever find out. It's possible it would never have happened to him. But the circumstances were such that, when your father found Brian in the cupboard, he knew just how to deal with the situation."

Brian found his voice. "Sir? Knowing that you had to go through the same thing has just made me feel a whole lot better."

"Why, son? Are you vindictive?"

"Oh, no, sir, quite the opposite. I just feel like I'm a member of a small, exclusive club now."

Brian and Charlotte looked anew at her parents. Evan had hidden depths his actions since meeting Brian had never revealed, while Adrienne's curious attitude today was explained.

Adrienne looked at Brian. "Dear?"

"Yes, Mrs Benson?"

"Do you think that perhaps Briony might want to visit Charlotte in the future?"

Brian turned red with embarrassment, although fortunately the low light in the room disguised most of it. Then he remembered what he'd done today, and composed himself.

"I've been desperately trying to think of a way to bring the subject up, Mrs Benson. I think Briony would like that. I learned a lot today, but I feel there's still more to find out. What do you think, Charlotte?"

"If you'd asked me this morning, I don't know what I would have thought of the idea. I think it's brilliant, I've gained a new girlfriend as well as a fiance."

"Yes, well, I'd want to keep it low key to start with," he said. "No mad shopping trips to the coast. I just want to get used to the idea properly first."

"Of course, I'd want to see Brian, as well."

"I wouldn't be worried about that. Brian is going to buy you a diamond, remember."

"Your father kept it up for nearly two years," said Adrienne. "In fact, he only gave it up when he went in the army. I think you were nearly a year old, then, Charlotte. That's settled, then. I'll clear out the wardrobe in the guest bedroom. Brian can use one side, and Briony the other. Do you want some more tea, girls?"

Charlotte and Briony looked at one another, their minds full of amazed thoughts. The next year was certainly going to be very interesting.