A Dream Came True

‘Well, I’m sure I do me best,’ said Mrs Adams, much gratified. ‘Such a nice young lady too—me and Shirl saw that first go off—we’re glad ter ’ave her.’

She melted visibly under Professor Cator’s charm, and Jemima, watching, saw that he could be very charming indeed if he wanted to. He shook Mrs Adams’ hand. ‘I’ll leave you to your supper,’ he said pleasantly, and bade her good evening. With Jemima ahead of him he went downstairs and into the shop where Shirley was still pottering about, although the closed sign was on the door now. ‘’Ad a nice chat?’ she asked brightly, and unlocked the door. The Professor gave her a pleasant smile, nodded briskly to Jemima, then got back into his car and drove away.

‘What’s in the basket?’ asked Shirley as they stood watching the Rolls’ imposing back disappear.

‘A cat. He rescued it and took it to a vet to be cured. He’s taking it to his home.’

‘Where’s he live?’

‘I’ve no idea.’

‘We’ll, if I was you, I’d jolly well find out. He’s a bit of all right—’andsome and loaded. I fancy ’im.’ She shot a look at Jemima. ‘Don’t you?’

Jemima was going upstairs. ‘No—no, I don’t. You see, I don’t know anything about him. Besides, he’s got a smashing blonde.’

‘What’s that got to do with it?’ asked Shirley.

Jemima turned round to look at her. ‘Everything in the world. She’s the loveliest girl I’ve ever seen, Shirley, and she wears clothes straight out of Harpers.’

They were on the landing and Jemima turned away to go to her room. ‘I must just tidy myself,’ she added.

‘Well, and she may be a raving beauty,’ said Shirley, ‘but you’ve got class, Jemima—stands out a mile, it does—she’ll loose ’er looks by the time she’s thirty, and you’ll be just like you are now.’

‘Thanks, Shirley.’ Jemima gave a chuckle. ‘But I’ve not got long to go—I’m twenty-seven, as near as not.’

She was kept busy for the next few days, the replies to the invitations she had sent out were coming in fast and Lady Manderly was enjoying herself giving orders and then countermanding them, changing the refreshments almost hourly, sending back the dress she was to wear, arguing with the caterers. And all of it done through Jemima, who spent hours on the phone placating the irate people at the other end.