Jean got off the train and looked around, nothing had changed, but then why should it? It was almost comforting.
A figure was waving madly on the platform and she smiled to see Rose there to greet her, as promised. As Rose had forgotten to book her into a hotel she wasn't sure she would remember to meet her, but here she was, grinning broadly and jumping up and down like a two year old!
'Jean!' She screamed and flung her arms round her, 'Oh I am so glad to see you.'
'Well, it's good to see you too, Rose.' Jean grinned back.
'Come on, you can change at Matthew's and then tonight you can have my room, my penance for forgetting to book you a hotel.' Rose tried to look contrite but excitement took over.
'Don't be silly,' Jean smiled, 'I'm not taking your room, something'll turn up.'
'Only Mattie 'n me know you're coming, we wanted to surprise Matthew. He misses you, you kept Blake on a tight leash.' Rose squeezed her arm, she knew Matthew had not told Jean how difficult Lucien was to work with these days. But Jean somehow understood.
'I hope he's not too much of a nuisance.' She mused.
Rose didn't answer, Matthew would tell her what she needed to know, if she needed to know it.
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'Where's Matthew?' Jean asked
'At Blake's. I wanted to make sure both of them got there, so Mattie's in charge.' Rose laughed.
'Good idea.' Jean nodded her agreement and Rose left her to freshen up and change.
She made some tea while Jean was upstairs, she would change afterwards. Deep down she hoped, as did Mattie, that Lucien would see Jean and tell her she should come home, but that little flirt Joy McDonald was going to be there. She encouraged Lucien to drink, she had him wrapped round her little finger, or so it seemed. Mattie said it was disgusting, she was young enough to be his daughter, but,
'At least he isn't sleeping with her,' she had once confided in Rose. 'Well not at our house, he always comes home to sleep, passes out in his study more often than not.'
'How awful,' Rose had commiserated with her friend. Joy had wheedled her way onto the staff of the paper and she was always trying to get in on the crime stories.
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Jean came down the stairs and Rose gasped. She wasn't wearing anything glamorous, or daring, a simply styled emerald green dress, slim skirt with cheeky kick-split, fitted bodice with elbow length sleeves, flared peplum over her slender hips and neckline low enough to be interesting and high enough to be respectable for a widowed grandmother.
'You look lovely, Jean.' She complimented the older woman, thinking Joy McDonald couldn't hold a candle to her.
'Thank you.' Jean smiled, this shade of green was Lucien's favourite, but she kept trying to convince herself she was not dressing for him.
Rose went up to change while Jean drank some of the tea she had made and thought about the coming evening. There were people she was looking forward to seeing and some not so much. But most of all she was looking forward to seeing Mattie and Charlie, and Alice, and meeting the new Superintendant, Carlyle.
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'Come on Lucien.' Mattie called into the study, 'and you too, Matthew, you're the guest of honour.'
Matthew pulled a face and Mattie laughed,
Don't be so grumpy.' Mattie had become quite friendly with the ex-Superintendant through her work as a nurse and as Rose's friend. She teased him regularly.
'Well,' Lucien stood up, 'I, for one, do not want to get on the wrong side of Rose so we'd best go, old friend.'
Matthew levered himself out of his chair and picked up his stick. Lucien had got him an elegant cane to placate him or he refused to use anything to help his walking.
Mattie drove them to the club, she could keep the keys away from Lucien if he got too much whisky inside him, but she hoped he wouldn't as Jean would be there. She pulled up a little way down the street and they walked the rest of the way. Halfway up the steps they heard a voice and Mattie's heart sank,
'Lucien, Lucien!' Joy Mc Donald tripped up to meet them,
'Joy,' Lucien beamed, 'lovely to see you.'
Joy linked arms with the doctor and they followed Matthew and Mattie inside.
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Matthew's face split into the widest grin when he saw Jean. She went to him and kissed his cheek,
'Hello, Matthew.' She said, sweetly, 'how lovely to see you up and about.'
'Jean,' He gripped her arm, 'Jean, you look so well.'
'Thank you.' She smiled, 'so do you.'
'Come and tell me all about that granddaughter of yours.' He pulled her to a table, he could put up with anything because Jean always made things better. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Lucien enter with Joy. She had to admit to a little disappointment that she was still around, and she seemed to be clinging to Lucien, grinning as if she was the cat that had got the cream. But when Lucien saw Jean he immediately disentangled himself from Mrs McDonald and went over.
'Jean..' he suddenly found himself riddled with nerves.
'Hello, Lucien,' Jean smiled at him, and nobody else mattered, 'how are you?'
'I'm...well.' he stuttered, 'yes, I'm well.'
They were interrupted by a waiter offering drinks and others coming to talk to Matthew. Joy dragged Lucien away to the dance floor. Jean watched for a few minutes then returned to the conversation with Matthew, Alice and Frank Carlyle, who she took to quite quickly. Ballarat was in good hands, she felt.
Matthew noticed perhaps a hint of sadness in Jean's eyes. He had known her for long enough to know she would not stand in the way of two people who wanted to be together, but deep down he knew she still loved Lucien, god only knew why, and Lucien loved her, so much he couldn't even admit it even to himself.
Lucien finally managed to free himself from Joy when she went to powder her nose. He made his way over to Jean, who he noticed had not danced with anyone, and, nervous as he was, he knew that was not right. He coughed, politely,
'Mrs Beazley,' he held out his hand, 'may I have the pleasure?'
Jean looked at the hand, then let her gaze wander up the arm until she looked into his clear blue eyes. She smiled, a small smile, and took his hand.
'I'd be delighted, Dr Blake.'
For the first dance they said very little. Lucien breathed in her scent, noticed how she moved so gracefully, how light her touch on his arm. He kept hold of her for the next dance, a little more sure of himself.
'How is Amelia?' He asked.
First of all she was surprised he had remembered her name, so it too her a second to answer,
'Beautiful, as are all babies.' She whispered.
'And Christopher and Ruby?' Safe ground he thought.
'They are well.' She knew he was struggling but wasn't quite sure how to help him.
'I didn't know you were coming.' He pulled his head back to look in her eyes, 'nobody said.'
'Only Rose and Mattie knew,' She smiled, 'they wanted to surprise Matthew.'
'Oh.' They were bumped by the Tyneman's.
'Where are you staying?' Lucien wondered, as far as he knew, with the Begonia Festival on, Ballarat would be rather full.
'Actually, I don't know.' She smiled at this, 'Rose forgot to book me in. She's offered me her room, but that means she's sleeping on the couch.'
'Your room is empty.' Lucien murmured, 'why don't you come and stay with us?'
'Oh, I couldn't, Lucien.' Jean shook her head, 'the talk...' A feeble excuse.
'Tosh!' He whispered, rather too loudly for Jean's comfort. 'It's still your room, silly to throw Rose out of her bed when there's a perfectly good one available.'
'Lucien...'
'As far as I remember, you are on extended leave to visit your family.' He put to her, 'and that means you are still my employee, so I order you to use your old room.' There was a twinkle in his eye as he said it, and she felt him pull her a little closer.
'Yes, Dr Blake,' she looked down, 'as you wish.' He couldn't see the smile that played around her lips.
'I do wish.' He stopped being masterful, and whirled her round the dance floor, right past a frosty looking Joy McDonald!
Lucien felt he could go on dancing like this forever, just so he could have Jean in his arms, Jean felt the same but neither would admit it to the other.
They were just into their fourth dance when Charlie tapped Lucien on the shoulder,
'Sorry, doc,' he whispered, 'you're wanted. Body by the library.'
'Bugger!' Lucien cursed softly.
'Hello, Mrs Beazley,' Charlie greeted her, 'glad to see you here.'
'Thank you Charlie,' Jean grinned back, 'it's nice to be here.'
'I'll see you back at the house, Jean.' Lucien gave her a peck on the cheek, which made her blush and lower her head again.
On his way out, he stopped by Matthew's table.
'Matthew,' He bent down and whispered in his ear, 'would you see that Jean gets back to my house. She's in her old room tonight.'
'Will do.' Matthew shook his hand, 'Thanks, Lucien, for getting me here.'
Jean watched Lucien leave the party and headed back to Matthew, herself watched by Joy, who was not best pleased that the housekeeper had turned up.
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So what will happen now? Jean back in his house, have the girls been scheming?
