TITLE: The Case Of The Stolen Stars
AUTHOR: Talepiece
RATING: 12 cert.
PAIRING: Vastra/Jenny
SERIES: The Casebook Of Madame Vastra
CONTINUITY: This is the 2013 Christmas story of the Vastra/Jenny detective series.
SUMMARY: Vastra and Jenny investigate a most unusual theft.
DISCLAIMER: I only play with them, no-one pays me to do it.
CREDITS: This story is based on GK Chesterton's Father Brown story, The Flying Stars.
NOTE: Many thanks for all the lovely reviews on this site and for the email feedback (link on the web site). I hope to start posting Volume Two of this series in February next year.
A very happy non-denominationally-specific holiday season to one and all!
POSTED: December 2013

For Madame Vastra and her beloved companion Jenny Flint, their first Christmas at Paternoster Row came to a rather unexpected conclusion when they solved a theft but a few doors away from their own home. The retrieval of the Flying Stars was to cement the reputation of these remarkable women with their neighbours and bring them the lasting gratitude of the City magnate, Sir Leopold Fischer.

Jennifer Strax Vastra-Flint
London, 1948

Madame Vastra and Jenny Flint settled down in their new sitting room with matching sighs of pleasure. They had enjoyed their first Christmas luncheon together in the hours before and were now looking forward to a quiet evening of repose. Sated as they were with turkey and all the trimmings, accompanied by a selection of very pleasing wines, the women were comfortable to remain in companionable silence and allow their bloated stomachs to forgive them their indulgence.

Vastra looked around the room with some satisfaction. They had worked hard this past few months, toiled greatly to bring their new abode into line with Jenny's very exacting standards when it came to one's living arrangements. The somewhat destroyed house - having suffered greatly in their adventure cleansing the place of the terrible evil that had infested it - had been reworked a great deal.

A large part of the library had been sacrificed to allow Madame Vastra a hothouse of sorts, a room better suited to her own cold-blooded nature. The dining room, study and sitting room had all been adjusted accordingly, with rooms moved and reconfigured to an alarming degree. Indeed, it had cost them the benevolence of their neighbours, due to the endless bumping and banging, the to-ing and fro-ing of workmen and the like.

Vastra considered their new home with an entirely biased eye and decided that it must be quite the best residence in the country. It was exactly as she and Jenny wished and required it to be. All thanks to Jenny, Vastra thought and raised a glass of port to her friend.

Jenny grinned, a slightly lopsided grin at that, and lifted her own glass in return. She was sure that she knew what Vastra was thinking; she'd been looking around the house for days, beaming in pleasure and pride at what they had done. They had created the perfect house for them both... the perfect home. And now they could settle back and enjoy the fruits of their labours.

She looked at the little Christmas cards that had pride of place on the sideboard and her smile grew wider. Vastra had been baffled by the arrival of these little tokens of esteem and had remained so, even when Jenny explained their meaning. Still, to Jenny they were a sign that though they had few friends excepting each other, they had some. Lucy they would see the next day, a Boxing Day invitation having been included with the card. Charles Borlsover - released from his incarceration in the Middelssex Asylum and now recuperating in a sanitorium on the coast - had sent warmest greetings. Even Mrs Jenkins had sent a cheap, flimsy little thing that Jenny adored just as much as any other.

Vastra followed Jenny's gaze and considered the Christmas cards with a more mellow eye than she had originally. They bought her young friend so much pleasure that it was difficult not to feel a liking for the strange little things, if a begrudging one. She had been confused by much of this Yuletide business, most especially when Jenny suggested that they attend Mass at the Cathedral. Her shocked expression had made Jenny laugh aloud and that was enough to encourage Vastra to accede to her wishes.

So in the past few days Vastra had run the gamut of these festive celebrations. There had been cheap bits of decorated card, sparkling scraps on a small pine tree in the hallway - Vastra feared that they would be picking up needles for ever more - and there had been the preparation of a feast that an entire family could not have demolished in more than three days. Though the two women had made a valiant effort to succeed in that endeavour.

Jenny had made a particular show of serving the plum pudding and had been greatly pleased when the portions allocated to Vastra and herself had contained a ring and a coin, the thimble that was also secreted in the thick, dark concoction remaining in the leftovers. Vastra had asked - in something of an alarmed tone, she was willing to admit - how such things had found their way into the food on their table and Jenny had laughed again and explained that it was another of those ridiculous traditions, of which there were so very many at this time of year.

Jenny would not, however, explain what the significance of the items was, insisting instead that Vastra shouldn't trouble herself with such silly human superstitions. For some reason, that had worried Vastra more than the presence of metal objects in her food. No matter now, Vastra told herself and smiled at Jenny's drooping eyelids, for she would find out in her own good time and there was a relaxing evening ahead of them to consider it further.

And then the doorbell rang.

"Bleedin' 'ell" Jenny muttered.

Vastra stood, waving Jenny back into her seat and walked to the door. On the way, she took up her gloves and veil, donning both before opening the door to reveal a young man beyond. His broad smile showed bright between the cap that was pulled low and the scarf which was raised high on his chin.

"Madame Vastra, forgive me for interrupting your evening," he said, "but Miss Adams sent me to invite you and your companion to an entertainment."

Colonel Adams and his daughter had been among the few people in the area who had welcomed them with open arms. That despite the very recent passing of Mrs Adams to some undisclosed illness. They had both been shaken by the loss but were friendly when introducing themselves to Vastra and Jenny.

"Indeed, how kind of them," Vastra said, wondering what exactly constituted an entertainment for these humans, "Pray, do step in from the cold."

She stepped aside to let the young man in and closed the door with some relief. The man pulled off his cap politely and nodded in thanks before beaming a smile at Jenny, who had come to stand in the doorway of the sitting room.

"I do beg your pardon for disturbing your Christmas evening, ladies, but Ruby insisted that you be invited."

"Invited to what exactly?" Jenny said.

"Ah," he considered for a moment, "well, a pantomime of sorts. I can't vouch for the quality but the enthusiasm is running high and it will surely be a sight to behold...of one description or another."

"A panto? At the Adams' house?"

"That is the plan, yes," he said, though he didn't sound entirely sure of himself, "Please do come, Ruby would be most pleased."

"Then we would be happy to attend," Vastra said. She was buffeted by a wave of annoyance from behind her and turned to add, "That is, if you don't mind, my dear?"

Jenny rolled her eyes, "No, of course not. We'll be with you in five minutes or so, Mr...?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mr Crook, John Crook; I'm Ruby's fiance."

"Then it is a pleasure to meet you and a pleasure to accept your invitation. Do inform Miss Adams that we will be with you in but a few moments."