Biggles Bumps his Head

[Kismet]

No one obvious was watching. Bertie was rather impressed by the easy terms Biggles was on with Isobel. He'd had to follow Biggles a couple of times and had noticed that Biggles was on very easy terms with all of his women. He wondered why, when he'd always kept a distance in the past.

[Fairblue]

Perhaps it was because he had forgotten about Marie. Algy never discussed Biggles' affair with them except for once, when he remarked that 'that woman has a lot to answer for.' If Biggles didn't know that that woman ever existed then it stood to reason he wouldn't have any of the hang-ups which had been associated with her.

[StoneRoad]

Back at the flat. Algy rang Raymond to give his verbal report, whilst Ginger ran a bath, having lobbed their kit into the appropriate rooms, and arranged for tea and scones.

[Kismet]

Algy had answered the phone three times before he finished his cup of tea. Aditi left a message asking Biggles to give her a ring to say what he wanted to eat on Curry Night. A sultry French voice asked Algy to tell Biggles that they'd have to meet at three rather than half two for their wildlife photography and Miriam left a message confirming that she had obtained tickets for the lecture tour given by Bear Grylls.

'What is he up to?' Algy asked blankly.

[StoneRoad]

Bertie came into the flat on his own, as Biggles was escorting Isobel home in a taxi after watching The Mousetrap and would be back later.
Algy insisted on having a cup of tea and an explanation of recent events with Biggles before he would consider reporting on his and Ginger's activities.

[Fairblue]

"Nothing's changed much then," He remarked gloomily as Bertie recounted the events of the previous few days. "He's still a trouble magnet."

[Kismet]

Bertie nodded. 'And when all his new friends decide to start progressing their friendship into something else, he's going to be in an epic amount of trouble.'

[Fairblue]

"Don’t I know it," Algy muttered. "I'm just wondering what will happen when he remembers Marie."

"Who is Marie and why should something happen if I remember her?" said Biggles from the doorway.

[Kismet]

'Did you remember having seen the play before?' Algy asked, grinning. 'Has it made any little memories bubble up?'

[StoneRoad]

"Let's just say she made you very un-happy many years ago, and leave it at that for now, it's very late, I've flown a long way and need some blanket drill" Algy said.
Biggles looked at him, trying to work out the meaning, Ginger came in "Bath's ready Algy, Oh hello Biggles, Do you want the first dunking"
Biggles said "Will you mind if I do, Algy old boy, I'm still tiring easily"
"OK, as long as you don't go to sleep in it !" Biggles disappeared to the bathroom.

Bertie pounced on Algy "Now tell me about this Bally Marie, because it is something I need to know, whilst himself is swimming in suds"

[Kismet]

'Not my story to tell,' Algy said 'and it's probably covered by the Official Secrets Act. Don't ask Biggles about it, even when he gets his memory back, because he won't talk about it. Ever.'

[StoneRoad]

"So, if he asks again - before his memory comes back, the party line had better be 'someone who let you down, very badly, and it was a very long time ago and I don't know the details' " Algy told Ginger and Bertie

[Fairblue]

"He'll probably guess that you might, old boy, and not give you any bally peace." Bertie responded.

[Kismet]

'He can ask all he likes,' Algy said briefly, 'but some things are best forgotten.'

[Fairblue]

The next morning, Algy left before Biggles got up . He wanted to see the Air Commodore and get first hand account of what was happening.

[Kismet]

Biggles had a quiet morning with the papers, lunched late at a nearby cafe then trotted off to his rendezvous with Marie for a lesson in photography. He wondered, idly, why there would be trouble when he remembered her. She was very nice, Biggles thought, and he loved her sultry French accent.

[Fairblue]

He was even more puzzled when he left Marie to go home. She had noticed his preoccupation and he had told her what he had learned.

"But it could not be me, we 'ave nevair met before," she purred. "Marie is a common French name. Perhaps a mademoiselle who kept you company in the war, no?"

[Kismet]

Biggles agreed easily, and arranged to meet her again, for another photography lesson. Marie, he thought idly, wandering home, was the only female name linked to his own in his past. He wondered what the story was and what she had looked like.

[Fairblue]

Once home he got out all the scrapbooks, old photographs and records from his filing cabinet and started to go through them methodically, looking for anything that might be remotely connected with a Marie.

[Kismet]

Not a trace. Biggles concluded that she hadn't been very important to him after all.

[Fairblue]

He started to put things back. He had cleared away the old photographs and went to put away his records in his filing cabinet. He pulled the drawer out a little harder than he intended and the drawer popped out of its runners. A brown envelope fell out with it. He picked it up and looked at it. It was inscribed with his name, Major Bigglesworth, and the words On His Majesty's Service was in big bold lettering across the top. Turning it over, he could see a date and unit stamp, which had been placed over the flap, presumably acting as a seal to ensure it was not opened until it reached him. The year was very faint. It could have been 1917, 1918 or 1919. Still holding it in his hand he sat on his bed.

[Kismet]

Biggles looked at the title. Major. Algy had told him that he hadn't been promoted to Major until the very end of the war so the contents were no earlier than late 1918. Pleased with this deduction, he opened it.

[tiffinata]

A faded telegram fell out.

[Kismet]

It informed him of the death of his father.

Biggles closed his eyes and remembered him. A tired, middle-aged man who'd taught him to shoot and to ride. He'd expected high standards from James, but had allowed him many freedoms when he repaid that trust.

[Fairblue]

He looked in the envelope you see if there was anything else.

[tiffinata]

A blood-stained envelope. Biggles turned it over in his hands. Was it his blood or not?
Gently he prised the envelope open and extracted the letter.
The blood had stained through and made it difficult to read.

'Dear Captain Bigglesworth,
We have never met, although I feel I would know you anywhere.
I became your brother's batman after young Walter Symes was killed
Charles used to talk a lot about you and growing up in India.
He fought bravely until the end.
Yours sincerely,
Geroge Applestone.

[Kismet]

Biggles didn't have many memories of Charles. Charles had been away at school in India in his earliest memories, and busy with his friends during the holidays. Occasionally he had dropped in on him when he was poorly and read to him. Then he'd gone to school in England and Biggles hadn't seen him since. He'd received the occasional letter and dutifully sent ones back. What a waste, Biggles thought, suddenly full of regrets that he could never know his big brother on equal terms.

[Fairblue]

Walter Symes. He wondered if he had been any relation to Mrs Symes. Her husband, perhaps? Had he, Biggles, taken her on when he discovered that she was his brother's batman's widow? It became very important that he knew. Should he ask Mrs Symes or Algy, he wondered? Algy might be best. He looked at the clock. He should be home soon.

[Kismet]

Biggles wandered around his flat feeling rather at a loss. Memories seemed both very close and very far away. He wondered how he had felt when he first received those communications, what he had felt then? What he'd been doing when he was informed. Had he cried in private, gone on a binge, kept a stiff upper lip? He didn't know.

[Fairblue]

The sound of a key in the lock made him look up. He knew an overwhelming sense of relief when Algy came in.