Page 67 of The Good Neighbour

The Professor snapped to attention at that. “Very well put.”

Josh glanced at Mrs Wimpole who was staring hard at Marsha.

“How wonderful for the Professor to benefit from your seamstress’s viewpoint,” she said.

Josh stifled a grin. “She seems very nice.”

Mrs Wimpole gently led Josh over to the food. She selected an olive and popped it in her mouth.

“How is Hugh getting along?” she asked. “I believe photographs of the two of you in Milan are doing the rounds. My grandson keeps me up to date with viral whatnots.”

Giggling rang out from the bathroom. He hoped that didn’t mean the suit didn’t fit well. The Professor was engrossed in whatever Martha was telling him. Poor Sidney could only listen in. Josh would be willing to bet Sidney wouldn’t be used to not being in the centre.

“This is going to sound like I’m being paranoid,” Josh said. “I’m beginning to think it’s all connected.”

Mrs Wimpole snapped to attention. “In what way?”

“I don’t know,” Josh replied. “Hugh himself says he’s hardly A list so why would people bother to jump on a bandwagon? Those pictures of us in Milan can’t have made much money. It’s not as if we’re Charles Worthington and Luis Salvatore.”

“This is true,” she replied. “When the press came for them, it was all I could do to keep the vile parasites out of Queens Crescent.”

Josh remembered the story of Mrs Wimpole and the Professor barring the paparazzi from their little street.

“What is our evidence?” she asked.

“None really. Someone bad-mouthed them on a talk show, the footage from the wedding and now these photos.”

Mrs Wimpole stared off into space. “All seemingly unconnected except for Hugh.”

“Like I said, I’m probably being paranoid.”

She took another olive and chewed it, clearly deep in thought.

“Leave it with me,” she said. “Getting to the bottom of mysteries like this is right up my street.”

Josh didn’t think Hugh would approve of the neighbourhood sleuth getting involved. Although now Mrs Wimpole had the scent, resistance would be futile.

“Perhaps I won’t mention it to Hugh just yet,” Josh said. “He’s stressed out enough about all this.”

Mrs Wimpole winked. “The secret is safe with me.”

A sense of foreboding crept over Josh.

“Only if you’re sure.”

“Sure about what?” the Professor asked as he inspected the food.

“Joshua thinks there may be dark forces at work with all this nonsense poor Hugh is experiencing,” Mrs Wimpole explained.

The Professor took a sip of champagne and stared at Josh.

“Then we’ll root them out,” he declared. “Have no fear of that.”

Mrs Wimpole clutched the Professor’s arm. “That’s exactly what I said.”

She also shot a victorious smile at Martha. It would be a brave woman who tried to upset this particular apple cart.

He was so lucky to have these people in his life.