The Name's Oliver - Ben Oliver. Ch. 159: Duty vs Ethics, Pt. II

[ladybug53]

You're so very good at your mysteries and cliff hangers ! This just leaves me wanting so much more . I wonder what this mysterious woman wants from our Ben ! Only time will tell . Great update ! 

[Schipperke]

Is that the beekeeper mask from Supernatural? Very clever to use it as a double for a mourning veil. (Is that what it's called. It doesn't sound entirely right) What does this mysterious woman want with Ben, I wonder?

Yes, it's the beekeeper hat and veil.  It's not quite right, but it was the closest I could get to a mourning veil.

You're so very good at your mysteries and cliff hangers ! This just leaves me wanting so much more . I wonder what this mysterious woman wants from our Ben ! Only time will tell . Great update ! 

What does she want?  All will be revealed soon, I promise.

Oooh. Cliff hanger!
I'll get you, Schip! And your little dogs too! (Hee Hee, Wizard of Oz)

The dogs and I are all agog with anticipation! 

[RainBeau]

Ha, that's funny, because Schip has lots of dogs.
Oh boy! I think sometimes I should wait for a few chapters to be posted before I read because of all the cliffhangers!

[Schipperke]

Ha, that's funny, because Schip has lots of dogs.
Oh boy! I think sometimes I should wait for a few chapters to be posted before I read because of all the cliffhangers!

You can never have too many dogs.   

Oliver - he for whom the hero of this story was named - is standing on my lap, front legs on my chest, telling me it's time to throw the ball for him. 

I don't try to write cliffhangers, really.  It's just that I try to find a good place to end a chapter because otherwise the chapters would go on and on, and poor Oliver would never get to chase his ball.  But I promise the next update will reveal what the lady in black wants from Ben.

[Swirl-Girl]

But the real question is, when?

[Schipperke]

But the real question is, when?

When will the next update be?  Probably tomorrow.  The screenshots are ready.  The update is written.  What remains is for you to savour the suspense for a while.  And as we all know, savouring takes time - it should not be rushed. 

[Blayzen]

I knew that woman in black was suspicious...After all, there's not a woman in the world who can cross paths with our dashing hero and not talk to him! (As was so wonderfully illustrated in the previous update)

*Savouring Patiently* 

[Schipperke]

In the Valley of Dragons, Part III

Diary Entry

I sat down beside the woman in black and asked who she was and what she wanted of me.



"My name is Lady Olive Benson," she began.  "My husband's family is one of the oldest and most socially prominent in Dragon Valley.  No doubt you've heard of him - Sir Fforbes Benson."

No, I hadn't heard of him.  And I didn't care about his social position.  If she expected me to be impressed by the name, I wasn't.  I just sat waiting for her to get on with it.

She continued, "My husband and I were happily married for many years. 



"Sadly, our union was never blessed with children so my dear Fforbes was the last of his line.  I say we were happy, and we were ... but for one thing.  There was a cloud hanging over my husband.  A youthful indiscretion - very minor," she emphasized, "but my husband's family was very upright, very proper.  And of course, he had his position to think of.  As a leader of the community, it is important to give the little people something to look up to and respect."



What a snob.  If she was trying to impress me with her superiority, it wasn't working.  I wanted to tell her what she could do with her social position and snobbery, but De Luca's words came back to me:  "You are an ambassador for the Federation, Oliver.  Be on your best behaviour."
So I sighed inwardly and tried to appear interested in this rich woman's posturing. 

She said, "If my husband's family had found out about his minor indiscretion, they might have disowned him.  But he managed to cover it up - he thought.  Then one day a - person - contacted him and demanded money or the story would be given to the news media."



Her voice shook with emotion.  "This person has been bleeding my husband for many years.  The family fortune is mostly gone.  We have had to accept huge cutbacks in our living standard.  We had to sell the manor house and move to a smaller cottage.  Then one day we were returning home and my husband suddenly turned his head and said, 'What is that strange music?' 



"I could hear nothing but the ice cream truck parked out front.  As I was telling him that, my dear Fforbes began to fade away.



"And just like that, he was gone.  Of course, my husband was a little older than I, but he was such a vigorous, alive person, it's hard for me to take it in.



"My poor Fforbes was barely in the ground when the phone rang.  That despicable creature who had been bleeding my husband all those years is now demanding money from me!"

I pointed out that blackmail is illegal and suggested she go to the police.



"Not the Garda!" she said emphatically.  "If I went to them, the whole sordid story would come out.  I will not have my husband's name besmirched.  People gossiping about him, inventing tittle-tattle - no, absolutely not.  That's why I've come to you.  You aren't part of this town.  You must deal with it."

I wondered what "minor indiscretion" her husband had committed all those years ago, but didn't ask.  It really didn't matter to me.  Whatever it was, he was beyond worrying about it at this point.  And if what he'd done had been against the law, he was beyond punishment too.  I knew the most effective way of dealing with blackmailers was to tell them to go ahead and publish their dirt, but Lady Olive was obsessed with her social position and the family's good name.  She'd never tell the blackmailer to "publish and be hanged."  I asked her what she expected me to do.



"You must stop them!" she exclaimed.  "I have no money, none at all.  I told the blackmailer that.  The despicable creature replied that the real estate market was booming these days and I should be able to get a good price for my house.  That house is all I have!  I won't be driven from my home by that llama's offspring!  You will help me, won't you?"



Well, what could I do.  I didn't like Lady Olive Benson much, but I was under orders to be nice to the locals.  And she was a lady in distress.  I comforted her and said I'd do what I could to help her.

[ladybug53]

Ohh....I was so engrossed into this update that I was sad to see the end . I really need to read more..much more . I love those black and white photos . Awesome !

[Audren]

"Olive Benson?" "Ben Oliver?" Why do I get the sense that the similarities between their names is not coincedental?

[Schipperke]

"Olive Benson?" "Ben Oliver?" Why do I get the sense that the similarities between their names is not coincedental?

You know how unimaginative I am with names.  It might just be that I couldn't think of a better name for her.

[Audren]

You know how unimaginative I am with names.  It might just be that I couldn't think of a better name for her.

Hmm. Forgive me if I doubt the straight answer of one of our most illustrious mystery writers. 

[Schipperke]

Hmm. Forgive me if I doubt the straight answer of one of our most illustrious mystery writers. 

Hehe.  You have a suspicious mind, my friend!   

[Louise56]

Now Audren have me wondering too. I wouldn't have seen the similarities myself lol. Awesome updates!

[ladybug53]

I'm with Audren and Louise on this . I think that's a mystery all by itself . I'm so looking forward to the following updates .