“Do you know, my husband liked to beat me up. Truly, he took a sadistic pleasure in hurting me, not just me, our son too, which I couldn’t bear. No wonder he vanished into drugs, dear darhhling boy, soooo sensitive, mothers always say that about their boys don’t they” she gave me a confidential look and carried on. “Jasper was always luuuhvely to me, even in the worst drugged state he would neeevah hurt me, but he did take most of my jewellery last night, and do you know what I couldn’t care less, I wanted to sell it anyway. I don’t like it; most of the pieces were given to me as an apology for the brutality meted out. But certain pieces are missing which is why I’m here, so I can get the insurance on the stuff and get Jasper sorted out and awff those dreadful drugs. That was my son who nearly fell on you in the entrance. Sooo sorry” The lady patted her hand.

            Muffin’s eyes grew large with disbelief as she stared at this unknown elegant lady. Her mouth opened and closed like a goldfish gasping for air. Finally she managed to say out loud, “I. . . I . . . I think. . . I’m almost certain, I’ve got your jewellery. I found it on the pavement outside Bedford Mansions coming back from my choir practice at St Jude’s. That’s why I’m here, to hand it over to the police.”

            And so it was, the diamonds had found their rightful owner. When the young girl left, they both got up and side by side told their tale to PC Shepherd. Muffin did not make any jokes or ask him if he was good at rounding up criminals, somehow the puff and humor had been totally taken out of her.

            Lady Eve de Mornay, that was the name of the chic lady, insisted on crushing several notes into Muffin’s hand when they said goodbye outside, and said in her deep aristocratic tones “please come for tea, somehow I feel we’ll be good friends, you and I.”

Muffin nodded and smiled warmly at her new acquaintance. “Yes, me too, I hope so.”

            She thought she might want to wear a look of triumph when she saw John waiting for her at the doorway of the French café where they’d agreed to have lunch. He never liked to go into a restaurant on his own funnily enough. But when she saw him, she was so grateful for her normal life, with her normal husband, who was sometimes pompous but never really cruel, that she smiled beatifically at him and hugged him affectionately. “Lunch is on me by the way” she said a little breathlessly, “I’ll tell all over the asparagus and fillet steak I’m having.” And with that she took his arm and they went into Chez Victor, John’s right eyebrow raised in curiosity.

The End

Word count : 2,677

ã Giselle Sellier 2009

1 rue de L’Arbalete

Saint-Omer

62500

Pas-de-Calais

France