Epilogue

'Another hat? Getting a bit extravagant, aren't we?'

Ida sighed, and took off her latest purchase, without bothering to chastise Clarence for, yet again, neglecting to knock.

'Come on, Ida, cheer up…'

She turned round, to see him looking at her with earnest concern. And a black eye, a souvenir from the fight with Trelawney. Apparently the other art students were very impressed.

'Any new clients?' asked Clarence, sitting down on the edge of her desk, clearly intending to keep the one-sided conversation going.

'Aaah well, it's only been three days…' he answered himself, 'do you fancy taking the afternoon off and…'

'…how could he do it?'

'What?'

'You know what I'm talking about, how could he do it?'

'We don't know all the ins and outs of it…'

'…I don't need to.'

'Come on, it's all worked out, hasn't it? That Trelawney chap isn't going to bother anyone again, Miss Hertford's alright…'

'….oh is she?' Ida went and sat on her bed, 'it's all such a frightful mess, Clarence. I thought everything would be simple. Right and wrong. Simple. But nothing's simple…'

He came to sit beside her, and took her hand

'Some things can be,' he said.

For the first time in days, Ida found herself smiling.

'You know, Clarence,' she said, 'there is something I've been meaning to ask you about…' she reached over to her coat which was hanging from the back of the bedroom door. 'This…ah…sketch, from your studio, I wasn't quite sure…'

There was a knock at the door. Clarence sprang up from the bed and went to stand by the fire place, whilst Ida went to open it.

'Mr Holmes,' she said, flatly, 'what can I do for you?'

'May I come in, Miss Greene?'

……..

10 minutes later, Holmes was seated in her one and only armchair, whilst Ida leant against the edge of the desk

'So, let me get this straight,' she said. 'You've just been engaged by this rich old woman…'

'…Lady Caroline Crispin-Eastwood…' supplied Holmes

'Oh! Her! She's not that old,' interjected Clarence. Ida ignored him, and continued,

'…right, so, she's lost some of her jewellery, and she suspects that a member of her family might have taken it….'

'…that's right, yes…'

'…and you want me to pretend to be her lady's-maid and find out what's happening…'

'…Lady Crispin-Eastwood is amenable to the idea…'

'Oh is she?'

'I thought that your little piece of subterfuge working in the Hertford's house was….well done…'

'Well done?'

'Of course, you did ruin it with the ridiculous graphologist scenario…'

'….oh…'

'…but, Miss Greene, I have absolute faith in your ability to carry out this assignment…should you choose to take it on.'

'Well,' said Ida, primly 'I'll just have to think about it.'

'You would be rewarded, naturally…'

'…I should hope so…'

There was a momentary pause.

'Please, Miss Greene, it really would be of enormous assistance if…'

Ida glanced over Holmes' shoulder to see Clarence grinning at her. She smiled back.

'I shall assist you in any way I can,' she said.

THE END

Well, that's it guys...Thankyou very much to everyone who's been reading and I hope you enjoyed it!