Mossy's Family

By Gregory J. McKenzie

This is a prequel to my first book SNIPERS! It tells a Christmas story about the birth of the youngest character in the first two books of the SNIPER series. There is a young woman, well young in Twenty-First Century terms, an older man but not too much older and a fractious family. The power figure appears to be the patriarch of this family. Abraham Feelgood is a hard man who is the richest man in Australia. He wants to marry off his eldest daughter Hera to increase his political influence. Hera has no intention of letting her father railroad her into marrying someone she does not love. Her secret ally is her mother. Mary Feelgood is not going to let her daughter be pressured into marrying anyone. She works behind the scenes to scuttle all of her husband's attempts at marrying off his daughter.
Then Hera meets the man of her dreams at a dance. She falls in love with this dashing army officer. But her father finds out. He uses his considerable political influence to get this troublesome suitor sent on an overseas posting. His intent is obvious when that posting is to a combat zone. The two lovers must find a way to continue their romance whilst being separated most of the time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tablo Publishing
• Release date: Nov 26, 2019
• ISBN: 9781922355676

Book preview

Beginnings

The Feelgood Charity Hospital Ball was a big social event in the harbor city.  All eligible young women from the well to do families attended. It was the closest thing to a coming out party that was so still blatantly a social event. Started by Mary Feelgood some ten years previously, it was the highlight of the city's Autumn social season. Most young woman had kept their slim summer figures specifically to allow them to squeeze into impossibly tight dresses. Men came because the females were all from connected families. Matriarchs made sure all the city's eligible bachelors attended. Even the wives of military commanders got involved in a bit of matchmaking.  One such wife was presuring her husband into ordering some of his officers to attend this ball. She started very craftily by saying in a wounded voice,

Well I think it is just too much..... I said Ron that it is just to much!

Colonel Ronald  Mackenzie was trying to ignore his wife at breakfast time, just like he always did for the last twenty years.  But he knew that tone of voice from his wife meant business so he obediently gave his cue line in a neutral tone of voice,

"What is too much dear?'

His wife now assumed her censorious tone of voice,

That Admiral saying to the Prime Minister that his command will supply all the officers needed for the most important ball of the season. Who does he think he is? Why should those Naval officers be the only ones to go to the best Ball of the year. Mary Feelgood is the richest woman in Australia. And I hear that her sister Hilda will be there this year. Only the finest young ladies get to go to that ball. No it really is too much.

Noticing that his wife had given him another opportunity to be supportive, Colonel Mackenzie replied in a tone copied from that of his wife's current mood,

That Admiral wants to be made the new Vice Admiral.  Old Vice Admiral Voyages is retiring soon. The Prime Minister has a few Admirals to pick from but he won't do it without wide consultations. Everyone knows that Abraham Feelgood has a say in all military appointments. The Navy has huge construction contacts coming up. Feelgood has his fingers in many construction companies. He will want to squeeze out any rivals. Getting on Mary Feelgood's good books can not harm that Admiral's chances for the top job.

Mrs. Mackenzie now sprang her less than subtle trap. In a forceful tone of voice she exclaims,

"Just so Ronald. But why only him. If it works for a naval Admiral why can't it work for An army Colonel?'

The look she now gives her husband made him squirm. Colonel Mackenzie did not need reminding, especially by his wife, that he married a general's daughter. But that General was now retired. If Colonel Mackenzie wanted future promotions then he would need to impress his political masters.  So he picked up on his wife's thread and said in a hesitant voice,

So you think I should offer to send my officers, the young ones of course, along to this Feelgood run Ball?

His wife gave him one of those smiles that spoke volumes to a whipped husband. But she kept the scorn out of her tone when she replied,

"Exactly so! I have a list here of all the young unmarried officers under your command. Major Lee kindly drew it up from personnel records. They could be all given provisional leave if they agree to go to the Ball. A few I had to delete after talking to some of the other army wives.  We don't want any scandals coming back to threaten your promotion. Now do we?'

Any husband of twenty years of marriage knows the answer to that question. So Colonel Mackenzie replied in a deadpan tone of voice

No dear.

Mrs. Mackenzie now sounded every inch the daughter of a general when she said,

Indeed not. You can get Major Lee to write out the leave permissions in the morning. Best to leave the invites to me. I know a few ladies on that Hos[ital's charity committee. They owe me a favor or two. Don't forget to send the Office of the Prime Minister notice of your officers attending the Ball. He will then have to wangle an invite for you and me.  Not what will we wear? Your dress uniform will have to go to the cleaners. My best dress will have to go to Andre. He is the best in the city.  I hear that even Mary Feelgood uses him for her daughter's dresses. Now how old are they? Let me see the oldest is Hera. Yes she is old enough. Some might say a bit too old for a Ball but no daughter of Abraham Feelgood is ever too old. Then there is Hilda Feelgood. Yes she is just old enough.... So now who to call first?...

Colonel Mackenzie slipped away to his office. He knew from past experiences that his wife would now ignore him whilst she buried herself in preparations. Ronald Mackenzie could not think of a more blissful outcome. Determined that nothing must up set this latest plan of his wife's fertile imagination he got Major Lee onto the leave formalities. He knew from bitter experience that a disappointed wife could make his life a living hell.

Abraham Feelgood was another husband who was glad of a distracted wife. Though he loved Mary, Abraham Feelgood loved business better. He loved to make money of course but after the first billion he lost interest in the mere accumulation of wealth.  Nowadays he was more interested in the power his wealth could attract. This meant alliances. Abraham Feelgood had being buying politicians for decades. But politicians came and went. Even Prime Ministers did not last for any extended length of time. Particularly in Australia, politicians had short power life cycles. But the rich families simply switched from the last to the newest political guru. These rich families held the reins of power. The richest man in Australia, Abraham Feelgood, was determined to be the driving force behind all future political power games. 

This Charity Ball that his wife ran every year was a golden opportunity to curry favor with the rich families. Abraham Feelgood had done favors for many of the rich city families.  He gave prospective husbands highly paid jobs, got rid of undesirables by any means available and directly funded any business ventures that would bind rich families to his future interests. 

Now he was going to cash in a few favors. Abraham Feelgood had decided to win the support of the second richest family in the harbor city. This he would do the old fashioned way. Marriage was still more about money and wealth in