The oak tree falls 3/10

The lady in the clothing shop was very attentive once Lucy had a word with her and it didn’t seem too long before she was dressed from top to toe, in ‘the very latest fashions suitable for young ladies’.

There was a rather strange moment when she was asked to try on a dress with long tight sleeves. “Would the young lady kindly remove her monitor, it seems a little bulky to suit this particular style.”

Joan hadn’t got a clue as to what a monitor might be, but Lucy came to her rescue and fumbled with the strap of her wristwatch until she’d got it undone. The dress didn’t meet with Lucy’s approval in any case, but she examined the watch and gave Joan a very strange look as she handed it back to her.

Finally her old clothes were wrapped up in a large brown paper parcel, for her to take away.

“We really have no means of disposing of this style of garment,” the shop lady said, obviously trying very hard not to be rude about her old things.

Lucy paid for the new clothes and together they headed back to the hotel. “I promised I’d take you back to your uncle when we’d finished our shopping.”

Joan went straight up to the reception desk and asked for the key to room 503.

“I’m sorry miss, but your uncle booked out this morning shortly after you went out together. He left your suitcase for you to collect, but no other instructions. Didn’t he arrange where you were to meet?”

Joan shook her head and looked round to Lucy for help. Lucy came to the desk and asked the clerk if there was an address on the booking form. “Then at least we’d know where you’ve come from and can arrange to send you home again if necessary.”

The lady pressed some buttons and a panel lit on the desk in front of her. “I’m sorry,” she said, “the reservation was made by a hand delivered letter and no address was given. Payment was made for one night only. That’s all the information we have I’m afraid.”

“Well maybe he made an arrangement to meet you somewhere after you’d been on your shopping trip,” said Lucy “and you’ve forgotten where to go.”

Lucy thought for a moment or two before continuing. “I think you’d better come and stay with me for a while, until your uncle comes to fetch you. The money left over will keep you for a week or so if necessary and you can help out in the shop if you want to do something to fill in your time.”

Lucy held Joan’s hand and together they walked back to the hairdressing shop. She took her straight through the shop and up some stairs to the flat where she lived. Once there, Lucy asked Joan to open her suitcase.

“After all, there might be some sort of clue inside as to where you live.”

To their surprise the case was empty, except for two bricks wrapped up in some old rags. There was no makers label or any other means of identifying anything.

“Right young lady, I think you’ve got some explaining to do. You used to have a very strange hairstyle; dress in some very odd-looking clothes and you have an antique on your wrist worth a small fortune. Have you any way of explaining yourself?”

“I’m sorry Lucy, but I really can’t remember anything before I got out of the taxi with my Uncle Malcolm.”

Lucy grinned, “at least you seem to be getting some of your memory back, you’ve just remembered your uncle’s name.”

“That’s strange. I know he’s my favourite uncle. But somehow the name Malcolm makes me feel a bit frightened.”