'I'll do nothing of the sort,' I said indignantly, carrying the cake ship to the door.
'Don't be seen, Lovejoy,' Bea warned anxiously.
I smiled as Florence came staggering in with her two suitcases. I took the cake to the taxi, placed it on the back seat.
'Move up the road a few yards, mate,' I told him. 'I've a case.'
'That'll be extra,' the driver said sourly.
'Isn't everything?'
He gunned his engine and went up the hill a little. I went and took one of Florence's suitcases. Who'd have thought a load of old photographs would weigh so heavy? Well, she'd promised to give me some as a present, right? I could sort out which ones, as I travelled. It would save her bother.
'I'll just carry this across,' I said helpfully. 'No, it's fine. Nobody'll notice in the traffic.'
'Lovejoy's escaping,' Polly announced. 'I can tell.'
Little swine. I beamed at her. 'Back in a sec.'
I carried the case to the taxi, made sure it was beyond the view from Bea's teashop window, and loaded it in the boot. I got in.
'Where to, mate?'
'The George.'
'Going with that new cruise ship group, are yer?'
I thought for a second. 'That's an idea. Where does it sail from?'
'Southampton. I can do you a special rate all the way.'
Duty is for doing, the brigadier said. But I was neither an officer nor a gentleman.
And wasn't it my duty to scarper when I was being hunted?
'You're on,' I told him. 'Stop at the George first, drop this cake off.'
'You got the money? It's quite a way.'
'Just get going.'
And sat back ready for the journey. The taxi could take the new one-way out of town.
The End
