"It's no use they don't appear to be here" Rose cried.
"Maybe you ought to tell the police, in case somebody has taken them or handed them in?"
"It might be worth it, I'll have to wait until later this afternoon as there is a sergeant there I don't really want to see."
"Have you been in trouble with the police then?" Emmet asked as he peered into yet another bed of roses."
"Oh no surprisingly, no I used to go out with him you see, until his wife caught us in bed together."
"Oh. I bet that didn't go down too well."
"Not really but she didn't actually inform his Gov'nor, he would have lost his job if she did. Anyway if anyone had pinched my keys, they are bound to fling them straight in the nearest bin when they realise there is nothing worth taking at mine."
"I'm sure it can't be all that ba-"
"Rose! I'd know the hemline of that dress anywhere" that unmistakeable repressed shriek, caused Emmet to pivot round in a nervous panic.
"Emmet! What are both doing out here? Rose I hope you haven't been misbehaving with Mr Hawksworth." She whispered, hoping desperately that no one was listening. Despite having a great deal of affection towards her sister she didn't like it being made public that they were related.
"Of course not our Hyacinth, I came down this way last night when I was on a date and I can't find my keys so I am re-tracing my steps. I bumped into Emmet and he kindly offered to help me look before he went to work." She smiled sweetly hoping that this might encourage her sister to believe her tall tale.
"It-it's true" Emmet stuttered.
"Oh, I guess that is why I didn't see you leaving for work earlier Emmet." Hyacinth smiled.
"Well are you going to just stand there chitchatting or are you going to help me find me keys?"
"I will not help a complete stranger find some keys, I am a very busy woman I don't have the time to help you when I have to organise tonight's social function." Emmet and Rose turned to look at each other equally as confused.
"Well can you ring our Daisy and see if she is in while we look?"
"Daisy is out looking for Daddy, he's gone off again on a mission of national security." Emmet suppressed a laugh and Rose just rolled her eyes in desperation.
"Well we have looked high and low for them and they are nowhere to be seen, so I may as well come with you and Richard to find father."
"No!" Shouted Hyacinth before looking every which way to ensure she wasn't over heard, it is after all very vulgar, shouting in the street.
"Well what should I do?"
Before Hyacinth could think up a suitable reply Liz came running down the street clutching a pair of tights.
"Rose, I think you must have dropped these, I found them on the stair-" Sh looked at the reactions of all three people, stood out on the street. It was clear from Hyacinth's deeply shocked complexion and Emmet's bursting with anger, that she had dropped the pair of them in it.
"Rose! Have you spent the night with Emmet?"
She nodded "But it's not what it looks like!"
"I am not discussing this in the street get in!" She ordered Rose and Emmet inside her house, Liz followed feeling obliged to defend Emmet in particular, and after all it was her fault Hyacinth had jumped to the wrong conclusion.