Easy As Biking in the Fall.
by Angharad
part:300-2

"So who do you think could have done it?" The copper had asked and I'd related my serious spat with Mrs Soames the previous day. They went and talked with her and she was not impressed.

She came to my front door and ranted at me for several minutes.

"Margaret, please shut up." I said this quietly but the rant continued. So I said it a little louder, still she continued her tirade. So I went for it, "SHUT UP!" I yelled and she stepped back and was quiet. "Thank you," I said quietly, "Now you can come in and we'll discuss this like adults or we can shout at each other like a pair of fishwives."

She paused for a moment and came in. "Simon, put the kettle on there's a good chap." His jaw seemed to gape but he did as he was told.

We went into the lounge, "Before we go any further, I have not accused you of anything," I said, "the police asked if we had any enemies and I said no, but I had had a row with you the day before. I did add that I didn't think it was you or Gregg, because your MO is a direct approach."

"Oh! Well I admit I think you're a weirdo, but I don't do damage to property."

"Would you care for a cup of tea or coffee?" I asked, falling out with this woman had upset me and consumed lots of energy. I had also acted in a rather common way and my mother would have been so disappointed in me, because as her daughter, it would have reflected upon her. I therefore felt a need to patch this up a little.

"Erm," she looked at me as if I was really weird, "coffee, please."

"Simon, one tea, one latte, si vous plait."

"Coming up ladies," he called and banged about in the kitchen.

"I'm sorry I lost my temper the other day," I said, although I didn't really mean it.

"I suppose I was equally to blame, I was jealous of you." She blushed and looked at the table.

"Of me, how could you be jealous of me?" I shook my head in amazement.

"You're young and pretty with a nice body shape and lots going for you. I'm getting on and don't like it. Besides, I've seen the way Gregg looks at you."

"Surely not after you put him right the other night?"

"I didn't tell him."

"What! You didn't say anything?" I was astonished.

"When you first told me, I promised I'd never tell another. I may lack your education and looks, but I'm still a woman of my word."

"Thank you Margaret."

At that moment Simon brought in the drinks and left after winking at me, he'd also brought in some chocolate biscuits. I proffered them to Margaret, who took one.

"Despite what I said the other day, I'm not interested in Gregg, I love one person and that is Simon, whom I shall marry in a year or two."

"Isn't he the son of the banker chap, Lord somebody or other?"

"Yes Viscount Stanebury."

"So you've met his father?"

"Henry?, gosh yes, he's a lovely guy, mad as a hatter, but lovely."

"And he knows about you erm...., you know?"

"Yes he knows all about my murky past and it doesn't seem to worry him or the rest of the family."

"Oh!" she sat back and chewed her biscuit and sipped her coffee.

"Does that surprise you?"

"Yes and no, but what about heirs, aren't they into carrying on the family name stuff?"

"I don't know, if they are they haven't said so, but I did."

"You did?"

"Yes I told them I couldn't conceive or bear children."

"Oh, it's a pity that they can't do something about that for you."

This could have been a catty statement full of ironic false sympathy, but it wasn't it was genuine.

"Right now, just looking after Simon is enough, you know that all men are like little boys."

"Tell me about it, Gregg shouts to me from the bedroom, where did he put his socks? I mean it's laughable." It was and we both chuckled.

We ate another biscuit.

"We didn't do anything to your car you know."

"I know. Did you see anyone around that afternoon?"

"Only some scruffy looking youth or young man."

I described Gordon Bennett and she nodded. It figured, maybe I'd asked for it. I would speak to Melvin, or maybe send Simon around to speak with him.

Before she left, I gave her back the key. "This isn't meant to sound patronising, but I need someone to keep an eye on the house as the will means I have to keep it for two years. So would you be interested, doing the sort of thing you did for Daddy. I'll give you say twenty quid a week?"

"Yes of course I will, but don't tell Gregg you're paying me anything."

"Your secret is safe with me." I said and winked.

"Likewise," she said.

"So what did you tell Gregg about the other day?"

"I told him it was PMS."

"And he believed you?"

"Yes, he has long memories of my mood swings."

"Oh! Okay. I suppose that means he'll never come near me again."

"Exactly," she smiled, and I nodded.

"What about the car?"

"He only knows it's been vandalised."

Simon poked his head around the door, "They are coming to get the car in an hour."

"What are we going to use?" I asked.

"The courtesy car, they say they'll need three days."

"Fine, thanks for sorting that," I said and he nodded back at me.

"He's a nice looking fellow," Margaret blushed as she showed her own fantasies.

"My Simon? Yeah, I suppose he's not too bad for a chinless wonder."

"What!" she exclaimed and then we both laughed.

Much to my surprise Margaret hugged me as she left, "I'm sorry I was so rude to you the other day. You're a very lovely young woman and it was wrong of me."

"I'm sure neither of us came out of that encounter with any credit, so shall we cross it off the record?"

"Let's do that, shall we?"

We hugged again and it seemed I might have made a new friend in Bristol.

After she had left I mused on where we went next in solving the mystery of my vandalised car, eventually I decided. "Simon, how do you fancy fish and chips for tea?" I called out to my large fiance.