way, hoping to see Marie in the lounge or if unlucky have to wait until lunch before joining her. I was horrified to see her in the lounge with not one man, but two, because the second man was the driver of the purple Mini. I was also hurt by the way Marie merely nodded to me as I went past, though later when the men left her she came over to where I was having some coffee and seemed her old charming, beauti- ful self, her blonde hair shimmer- ing in the sunlight while her clothes seemed fresh and crisp on her curvaceous form. I asked who the men were and she said they were friends of one of her brothers, and they too were in- terested in antiques. She gave me their names but I did not know anything from that and we ar- ranged to meet that evening for a meal as she had another en- gagement for lunch.

Left to my own devices I rang the hospital to hear if Cicelia was any better, but there was no change. I had a lonely midday meal in Marie's absence and won- dered if it would be worthwhile going down to Hampstead for the afternoon as Marie expected us to meet for dinner, so I mo- tored down the Motorway and turned off the Finchley Road early in the afternoon. The shop looked as lifeless as before, and again I was lucky the car was parked well away from the en- trance and I was less like my pre- vious self, though much more noticeable in another sense. The young man, James P. to me, with his colleague of this morning, I presumed the other man was the owner as his sirname was the same as the proprietor written on a notice about opening times in the otherwise annonymus win-

dow. It was unremarkable com- pared to Polykoff, though Rog- ers might seem strange in other lands.

I now had two people working out of a shop that had sold Cicel- ia the beautiful piece of old jade and the last place she was known to be going on the day of the ac- cident, if that is what happened, and to get to Lewisham from there without a car would have meant Cicelia could have done nothing else and could not have been expecting to see me at the appointed time. I decided to leave a message for the police- man who had been seeking infor- mation at the hospital, naming the men and the shop as the last place Cicelia had been known to visit. The Purple City Mini car might be full of clues to a foren- sic check.

I was feeling grubby from all the motoring and walking, so I motored back to the hotel for a nice long soak in a warm scented bath before preparing for a hoped for meal with only Marie. I wondered if some of my lack of success on the friday could be from my rather untidy machismo image with glasses, though I don't feel I am extreme either way. It might be that the tweed suit, excellent for exploring houses, salesrooms etc, was not as smart as James P. or his pin striped coleague, and she might be sick of the sight of farming types. Winifred could be all the things I wasn't well made up, ex- spensively dressed, tonight I would let my painted toes peep out from the thin strapped high heeled shoes, but avoid Maries slim line by having a full skirt with a matching blouse in a becoming shade of blue, with blue the principle color in ear

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rings, and bracelet.

When I entered the dining room and looked round for Ma- rie I was shaken to see her at a table with two men, and they were of course James P. and his Hampstead partner, I went over, and was introduced formally, Marie had decided to help the evening along with a more ob- vious mix. I made sociable com- ments, through out the meal and fended off James who appeared to like what he saw, and al- though I was pleased by the tri- bute, I would have enjoyed Marie on her own. As we moved in to the television room for our cof- fee I was delighted to hear Marie turn down an excursion to a nearby pub with dance floor and made similar excuses to James. Marie then wound up the even- ing for our escorts and we went up to my room! There Marie said she wanted a very private talk with me and said she hoped I would forgive her but did I re- member my offer if she saw a TV!

Quivering inwardly I said, cer- tainly, if there was any way I could help her I would do it, if it was within my power. Marie smiled and said "Winifred, I like you very much, and I don't us- ually find such femininity, re- freshing and exciting as I have found these last few days with you. It was spoiled when you were not available on friday and you sent your partner instead. I was certainly very abrupt and curt with him, now I feel I under stand what has happened, so I want you to help me in the next hour or so to solve a mystery. I feel you have been handicapped in your dedicated work by a lack of a keen outside observer, and I am offering my services. I feel