Words required:

Stationary, stationery, privilege, niece, parallel, tyranny, guardian

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The gravestones stood silently, row upon row, like soldiers long forgotten, a scream shattered the silence...

Major strolled along, head held high with a grin on his face, if it was possible for a cat to grin, but there he was, the grinning guardian of Genevieve's grave.

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Jean had laughed when she had first noticed the cat follow her on her weekly visit to place flowers on Lucien's mother's grave. He would sit and watch this curious habit, motionless, like a statue. Then follow her home again.

That was during the day.

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A young couple were strolling hand in hand through the cemetery, so intent on gazing lovingly into each other's eyes that neither noticed the stationary animal lurking in the moonless night, amongst the memorials to the friends and families of the Ballarat residents. As they passed Genevieve's grave, Major let out a piercing howl, scaring them out of their wits and causing them to flee, screaming like banshees, through the trees and out onto the road that ran past the cemetery.

The story went round Ballarat like wildfire, that there was a malevolent spirit roaming the graveyard. In the police station Matthew, Charlie and Lucien were discussing the several complaints about the disturbances and came to the conclusion that it was probably some youths having a laugh, larking about, so they set up a patrol, supposedly for a week. Matthew's niece, Rose, got wind of it and persuaded her uncle to let her join them. He had no fear that she would be scared, in fact it was the kind of thing she was likely to get up to, having that sense of humour, but he did let her know it was a privilege to be allowed out on patrol with the police, and she was not to publish anything in the Courier without his say so. She agreed.

The first night yielded nothing. Bill and Ned were on patrol and all they noticed was the Blake's cat out for his evening stroll. Bill shook his head, even the darn cat thought he owned the place. They noticed he sat for a while at one grave before he wandered off, presumably home to his chair in the living room.

The next few night's also were quiet, all patrols reported nothing, except the cat. Jean and Lucien discussed this one night over sherry and whisky.

'It only happens when couples are strolling there,' Jean observed.

'Not somewhere I would take my lady-love, for a romantic stroll.' Lucien commented.

'Glad to hear it,' Jean would prefer a walk round the lake, herself.

'Perhaps that's what we need to happen.' Charlie had wandered in, glad it wasn't his turn for the midnight stroll. 'I'll suggest it, maybe if Rose and I go for a stroll tomorrow, we'll get to the bottom of this tyranny.'

'Oh I don't think it's that bad,' Lucien protested, 'it's not some despot trying to frighten the good folks of Ballarat into submission.'

'Dunno about that, doc,' Charlie took the offered whisky, 'nobody walks through the cemetery these days.'

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Matthew had agreed to Charlie's idea, he had got used to the idea that one of his officers was dating Rose, and Charlie was a good copper. When he'd mentioned it, in passing, she had grinned and said she could date Bill if he would prefer. He'd laughed at her and said that wouldn't be necessary.

Charlie picked Rose up and they walked into town, planning dinner at the Chinese restaurant before walking back through the cemetery.

'So what do you think it is?' Rose asked.

'I think the boss is right,' Charlie mused, 'it's some kids larking about.'

'Well, it's interesting that it's stopped now there's a patrol.' Rose admitted this was more than likely to be the case. 'Are you going to arrest them?'

'Nah!' Charlie laughed at the thought, 'just give them a ticking off. Nobody died, nobody's been hurt. Maybe threaten them with letting their parents know.'

'If I get any decent pictures I'll persuade Edward to publish, name and shame?' Rose suggested.

'Good idea,' Charlie nodded as he paid the bill, 'ready to go ghost hunting?'

'Yep.' She linked her arm through his and they wandered out into the night. 'Good night for it.' She observed, 'no moon, cloud cover.'

'Ha ha.' Charlie smiled.

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They wandered hand in hand between the parallel rows of graves, apparently gazing into each other's eyes. Once or twice they stopped for a quick kiss. As they passed Genevieve's grave they moved into the clump of nearby trees for a proper kiss. Just as Charlie's hand slid a little further down Rose's back the piercing howl flung them apart in shock.

'Bloody hell!' Charlie yelled and looked around, over Rose's head then he laughed.

'Major!' he called, 'come here, you daft animal.'

Major came and wound himself round their ankles and Charlie bent down and picked him up.

'Well, it looks like this is the culprit,' Charlie grinned, 'want to publish and be damned.'

'Jean said he follows her every week,' Rose whispered, slowly regaining her composure. 'Let's take him home.'

'Mmm...' Charlie mused, 'Jean's going to be embarrassed about this.'

'Why?' Rose was surprised at his thought, 'not even Jean Blake can make a cat behave.'

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'Hello, you two.' Jean looked up from her knitting, 'nice evening?'

Charlie held out Major, 'Found the culprit.'

Lucien burst out laughing, 'Really!'

'Just by your mother's grave.' Rose sat next to Jean and grinned, 'that clump of trees, just right for courting couples,' she went a little pink, 'he waits until you're 'preoccupied' and then howls.'

Jean grinned, 'Well, I never.' She giggled, 'Major saving the reputations of some of the girls.'

'Perhaps he should have his own stationery, 'Major the Cat, Chaperone to the young ladies of Ballarat.'' Lucien suggested, raising his glass to the animal, now sleeping on his chair, as usual.

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A request/challenge from my yr 6 pupil, for a Major the Cat story.