Heir to a Title Chapter 27.

Characters.

Ellie. (Eleanor) The prime Character.
Bill (William) her father, (obviously). Callie (Callisto) Ellie’s only daughter. Initially Callum - a transgendered son.
Charlotte. (Nana) Ellie’s Paternal Grandmother (Callie's great-grand-mother)
Sandie (Sandra) Ellie’s Older Aunt
Rosie (Rose) Ellie’s Younger Aunt
Henry Ellie’s boyfriend and husband. (Second son of the Duke of Denton)
Molly Duchess of Denton. Henry’s mother.
Bev (Beverly) Ellie’s aunt (Previously Uncle Bernard and brother to her dad.)
Jennifer. (Jennie) Beverly's older adopted daughter.
Beatrice (Bea) Beverly's younger adopted daughter.
Lucy, Henry’s oldest niece, Callum’s cousin.
Eleanor, Henry’s middle niece Callum’s cousin. Same name as Ellie.
Virginia Henry’s youngest niece, Callum’s cousin
Julie Ellie’s sister-in-law.
Angela(Angie) Beverly’s wife (kidnapped by pirates and rescued.)
Megan Beverly’s only blood daughter by Angela.
Margaret Arnold.(Maggie) Callie's best female friend. (Later fiancée)
Jane Arnold, Maggie's mother.
Peter Arnold, Maggie's dad.
James Denton (The Ferrety Denton) Callie's ambitious, uncle.
Callie turned from her dressing table as she spotted the reflection of her mother smiling through the bedroom door
“I've no objections to your coming with me mummy, I suppose there'll be several of your old tutors and lecturers who you'd love to meet again.”
Ellie smiled as she wiped a tear from he eye. Her daughter's departure from the nest and leaving for college was the final milestone to indicate that Callie was fledged. Callie's excellent grades had assured her of a place at Ellie's old college and Ellie had never returned there since Henry had died in the rail crash. She had mixed feelings but felt it only right that her only child should have parental support.
Her father had taken her on her first arrival and Ellie remembered his flush of pride when they first walked through the college gates; the first child in her family to have won a scholarship to Cambridge. Ellie would not have that delight but she felt an even greater thrill as she contemplated the repetition of her own first time of going up.
Callie sensed her mother's reflective mood and grinned.

“Will I find your name carved anywhere, you know; inside a desk or something?”

“Only on the honour's board darling, I was top of my class at graduation.”

For a moment Callie sucked her lip thoughtfully.

“Dunno' if I'll manage that Mummy.”

“Just enjoy your time darling and stay in touch with Maggie. Long distance relationships can get precarious.”

“We've got the internet these days Mummy and Skype.”

“Nothing beats a kiss and a cuddle darling, it's a pity the Varsity line hasn't been re-opened.”

“Talking of railway lines, I'll be able to learn to drive Daddy's locomotive, it's been on loan to the Nene Valley Railway ever since daddy died.”

“I think he'd like that if he's looking down on you.”
Callie didn't answer, she did not believe in gods or heavens but she often wondered about 'after-lives'. Ellie picked up on Callie's silence and changed the subject.
“Is everything packed?”

“I think so Mummy.” She gave her lips one last touch and turned with a smile.
“Shall we start then?”

Ellie nodded and with a final kiss and farewell to the Dowager Duchess the car scrunched away down the drive.

~oo000oo~

The drive to Cambridge proved easy. Ellie knew the road well but she felt honour bound to make a detour to the Nene Valley preservation railway to pay her respects to the railway that had brought so much pleasure to her and Callie's father during their university and courtship years. She had not returned to the railway since the death of her beloved husband Henry in the dreadful railway crash that had robbed Callie of her father and Ellie of her husband and best friend. She reflected silently as Callie followed the directions of the 'sat-nav'. Finally, Ellie's unusually long silence forced Callie to break the tension.

“Penny for your thoughts mummy?” Callie observed.

Ellie turned and touched Callie's hand gently before responding.

“They're worth more than a penny darling.”

Callie was quick to sense what was bothering her mum.

“Oh, sorry mummy; trains, daddy, the -.”

“Yes dear, I was just thinking back.” Ellie interrupted quickly.

It was Callie's turn to reflect.

“Sorry mummy. D'you want to give the railway a miss?”

“No darling. We've come too far out of our way now. Besides, I've arranged to meet an old friend of mine and your father's. I wrote to her when you qualified for Cambridge.”

“Would that be-?”

“James; yes but she lives full time as Jackie now. The last time I saw her was at your dad's funeral. It'll be nice to meet up after all this time.”

They turned off the main road at the familiar junction which Ellie had come to associate for ever with the railway and the carefree days of youth, romance and university. Soon they arrived and Ellie felt her stomach knot with pleasure as she spotted Jackie standing with some other society members. Jackie turned as she realised the unfamiliar car carried a very familiar passenger.

Ellie had hardly got out of the car before Jackie was embracing her tightly. They squeezed each other for several minutes as emotions swept over them while Callie stood close by waiting patiently to be re-introduced. It had been a long time. Eventually the old friends parted tearfully and introductions were made as Jackie led them to the platform where Ellie recognised another old familiar friend; the professor who had taught her to drive Jessica and who had passed Henry fit to take out a full passenger train. A thrill of memories caused her heart to thump as she noted the uncharacteristic name-plate and shining coat of green paint that Jessica now sported. She turned to Jackie as more tears started to flow.

“So she finally got her name-plate then. Bit unusual for a common-or-garden workaday tank engine isn't it? And the green paint, I thought that was for express locomotives only.

“She was named officially in memory of Henry. You know how he loved his Jessica.” The green is to demonstrate her importance to this railway.

“O-oh yes,” Ellie nodded slowly as she turned to Callie. “Well darling, she's got steam up, d' you fancy a short trip?”

“Can I?” Callie wondered uncertainly.

“She's your locomotive darling, I'm sure she's spruced up for this very occasion.”

A collection of nods from the gathered society members confirmed this and Callie self-consciously climbed into the cab. The waiting fireman introduced himself before Callie turned to look out over the little gathering and smile as she saw Jackie emerging from the station office in a pair of engineers' overalls. Jackie joined Callie with the fireman on the footplate and explained that a short trip had been organised once Ellie had changed.
They waited briefly until Callie spotted her mother also emerging from the same station office in a similar pair of overalls.
Once Ellie had clambered onto the footplate she grinned and gave her daughter a 'twirl'.

“Does my bum look big in this?”

Callie grinned then stepped back to let the driver operate the locomotive. She was surprised when the driver gave a brief nod to her mother who slid comfortably onto the little seat, released the brake and slowly opened the throttle. She turned and grinned at Callie's shocked look.

“Yes darling, your dad taught me when we were at college together.”

“Crickey Mummy! Good on yer girl!”

Ellie eased the throttle open some more and soon the locomotive was steaming 'light engine' towards Peterborough. Callie just turned to Jackie and wagged her head wonderingly.

“My mum's full of surprises, are we going all the way into Peterborough?”

Ellie wagged her head as she concentrated on the road ahead.

“No darling, just to the first stop on the line. We have to get to college before lunch then get you registered.”

Callie fell silent and just watched as Jackie and her mum fell to chatting over old times. By the time they had returned to the depot it was as if they had never been apart and as they left the footplate, Callie could not help but notice the glimmer of a tear in her mother's eye.

“Grit in your eye mummy?” Callie asked knowingly.

“I still miss your dad you know.” Ellie replied. “Go and get us a couple of cups of tea while I change out of this delightful overall.
As they sat in the canteen Jackie rejoined them.
“I've got a bit of news for you, she grinned.”

“Go on,” Ellie prompted.

“My daughter might be coming up to Cambridge next year. She's already got the grades and she's under-aged. She's taking a year out while she decides what to do.”

“Oh that'll be lovely.” Ellie enthused. “You're going to have to tell me about her.”

“All in good time Darling,” Jackie replied, “she's dying to meet Callie after reading your letter.”

“Why didn't you bring her up today?”

“As I said, she's doing the 'year out' thing. Currently she's rescuing tigers or something in Vietnam and Cambodia.”

Ellie nodded sagely and they drifted into reminiscing about old times. Jackie told a couple of amusing stories about Callie's dad during their college days and soon it was time to hit the Cambridge road again. Reluctantly, mother and daughter parted company with Jackie and they arrived at the college soon after twelve.
“Your room is close to my old room,” Ellie explained, “I'll sort out a porter while you make your way to the office, get registered and collect your key.”
They completed moving in and then Ellie took her daughter on a guided tour of the college. As they visited each location, she regaled Callie with stories of various hilarious events until they arrived at the main refectory where various societies and clubs were touting for new members. It was now early evening and Callie didn't have much time after sorting out her lecture timetable so she made straight for the LGBT society's stall only to find a queue. She so wanted to introduce herself but the society was closing down until the morrow and her mother, Ellie reminded her that she had to confirm her booking at the hotel.

“You've got the whole of Fresher's week to join the LGBT society so I'll pick you up at about seven and we can have dinner, then I suggest you meet with your sisters; I presume you've already determined where they are meeting. Fresher's week is usually an exciting but stressful time for first year students.”

Callie grinned and they parted company. When she was returning to her room she was accosted by a group of students who wasted no time in trying to 'pick her up'. She recognised them as a typical group of predatory final-year students looking for 'fresh meat'.

“Not tonight boys, I've got a lot of unpacking to do.”

“Tomorrow night then babe's?”

“Can't say yet boys. I'll have to see what the night brings.”

“Oh. So you're going out then. May we ask where?”

“To dinner with my mummy.”

The word 'mummy' sent a clear message to the group and they moved on for easier pickings.

'Nothing changes,' Callie told herself as she flopped on the bed exhausted.

Her mobile phone awoke her as dusk was beginning to fall.

“Hello Mummy. No I fell asleep. Will you give me an extra hour to get ready?”

“No problem darling, Jacky's decided to join us so I can reminisce with her until you get here. Don't make too much fuss about clothing. Jacky's in jeans and casual embroidered top while I'm in a casual skirt and ruffle blouse.”
“So jeans and tee-shirt-?” Callie probed.

“Jeans are okay but perhaps that lovely cream blouse with the 'cavalier' sleeves.”

Ellie's suggestion saved Callie from having to decide and she was soon ready. She grinned as she checked the mirror, 'her mother certainly had an eye for fashion.' she thought.

Next she chose a pair of two inch sandals and slung her shoulder bag over shoulder before exiting her room. At the end of the corridor, the ancient stairs curved around to the courtyard and she felt a thrill of anticipation of spending her first night in uni while her sandals clicked loudly on the old stone slabs. As she trotted eagerly down the worn stone steps she encountered a group of students gathered below her in the hallway by the main door. The group of heads turned as one and Callie cursed inwardly as her view of hair and crowns changed to one of upturned faces. Their gazes followed her descent until one face grinned appreciatively.

“Hello darling what room are you living in?”

Callie smiled deceptively in an attempt to defuse any potential invasion of her space as she replied courteously but uninformatively.

“The one overlooking the quad.”

For a moment the sarcasm in her reply escaped them as they continued to stare expectantly until the first questioner slowly realised she had told him nothing. When it dawned on him as Callie was already near the door. He squawked plaintively.

“Hold on love, all of them overlook the quad.”

Callie glanced over her shoulder knowing that the provocative view of her curvy bum, modest heels and the curve of her twisted neck would cause another stir, then she replied with one word whilst smiling as sweetly as she could.

“Duuuh!”

With that she stepped out into the old stone cloisters and stalked boldly out of the college. She didn't even look back for long experience had told that the briefest glance would have been taken as some sort of invitation.

A short walk brought her to the restaurant where they had agreed to meet and she she was led to her mother's table. She felt her mother's eyes appraising her affectionately as she followed the maitre-de to the table.
“Hi mum hi aunty Jacky.”
She took her seat after swapping brief hugs and their meal proved enjoyable. The walk home also proved uneventful and she finally flung herself on her bed and smiled to herself. 'Her first day at coll' had been uneventful,' she concluded and such was the jist of her text message to Maggie who was also enjoying her first night at Oxford. They chatted and giggled until well past midnight.

“Happy freshers' week darling,” Maggie finally offered.

“Same to you babes, love you lots. Tsch, tsch.” Callie replied.

Sleep overtook her within minutes of closing her mobile.