Dear Diary
Jack called to see me, the man he knocked unconscious escaped from the hospital, I had to call father to stay with me – against me betty judgement. While Jack was talking to father about the Wren Institute Hugh called – there had been a murder at the institute. I told father not to go anywhere.
The victim, a Mr Tode, was found at the observatory, he was the recipient of the prize the previous night. He had been unwell apparently, but I didn't think a thump from Dot's priest did him any good.
The rpiest, Father O'leary pinned his faith on God creating the world in 6 days and had no belief in science.
My father got a letter, he refused to show it tome and yet again he was cagey, he wouldn't show me the letter, was evasive, belligerent.
Jack and I searched through Tode's belongings after Mac told us he had been poisoned but she didn't know what with. There were various potions for his health and his work, his essays on his subject. However, much of the work was by another scientist, Osman Effendi, it would appear Tode had 'borrowed' his work.
Father managed to escape house arrest, he gave Bert a healthy slug of his tonic in his tea, which knocked him out; he took the cab. Searching father's bag for any evidence, perhaps the letter he received I found one from my mother, saddened that he had gone back to his old ways and telling him that if he didn't arrive on the ship she would be asking for a formal separation.
Hugh made a discovery; he went to see O'Leary and found him glowing – litrally glowing! Tode's handprints on his cassock . Tode was poisoned with polomium, highly radioactive and phosforecent.
It was all such a mess, the man chasing my father was his cousin, the previous Baron of Richmond upon Thames, presumed dead during the war. Father had paid him off in 1916, I saw him arguing with him when we were in London. But he came back, and toget to my father he murdered 3 people, now there isno chance of him taking the barony from us.
Things happened at a rush; Dot and Hugh decided to get married before I flew my father home to England – yes flew! Rash, yes, but desperate times require desperate measures. If he had told me the truth of his arrival in Australia maybe none of this would have happened, maybe those 3 people would still be alive ... who knows, all I know is it was a terrible waste of life.
So, with my father professing mother is the love of his life I made the decision to fly him home, at least I would be sure he got there. He has his money back and though he will probably not be able to buy back the estate they will be solvent and perhaps this time he will stay on the straight and narrow.
I am leaving so much behind – Jack and I almost kissed at the institute while looking for poisoned eye drops, this time the eye drops interrupted us – well Aunt P wasn't around – but I know now that we understand each other, I love him and I am pretty sure he loves me – I have never been in love before, I know that now He came to see us off and at last, even with father screaming that the plane may take off before I finished talking to Jack, we kissed. Jack kissed all reason out of me, so much better than the twilight waltz, giving me even more reason to return. So as I sit here, on my little bunk at our first aerodrome stop I hope Jack will keep my heart safe until such time as I see him again and can claim it back. My little swallow pin is pinned to my scarf and will stay there a constant reminder of all I have waiting for me at home – in Melbourne.