Found

Sue kicked the radiator, it answered with a few ominous rumbles and a deep seated grumble.

‘Don’t you argue with me!’ she shouted at it giving it yet another kick producing only the same result but with an even angrier sound.

‘Don’t upset it,’ Holly laughed ‘it will give up completely if you do.’

Sue glared at it and pulled her coat tightly around her.

‘Anthea’s late today. She’s usually here first getting her wonder super arrangement in pride of place.’

‘Haven’t you heard?’ Holly asked in her well known stage whisper.

Before Sue had time to answer, other than to give a very puzzled look, a voice boomed across the hall shaking the cobwebs and removing the dust from the much maligned radiator.

‘Lay deez, how lovely to see here in this place of magic and beauty once again. Are we ready to transform the mundane to the magnificent?’

A few groans were answer to this, Anthea’s usual over the top greeting.

‘So sorry to be late girls. A problem to be dealt with before I left.’

Sue noticed a few raised eyebrows and not a few whispers, plus an exaggerated wink from Holly.

No time to quiz Holly, Anthea demanded full attention when giving instructions.

‘A winter arrangement incorporating items from the environment, being as off the wall as you wish. The more unusual the better.’

They had all been attending Anthea’s flower arranging classes for some time now and were well used to her occasional eccentricities. Her arrangement was always put on a small table on the stage arriving covered with a red satin cloth. Sue was tempted to play a recording of a drum roll or a fanfare as the masterpiece was unveiled. Anthea did not disappoint.

‘This industrial glove I found lying in the road and thought it would make a suitable centre piece. I have called it, ‘All that glisters’. There was a little round of applause, she had indeed made a very interesting arrangement and the glove did not look out of place.

She clapped her hands, ‘Now my dears down to work and let’s see what you can come up with.’

They each went to their usual tables and began unwrapping their items. Anthea went to the furthest corner and began a conversation on her mobile phone.

Sue cornered Holly as they topped up their coffee cups. ‘Give with the gossip.’ She hissed. Holly made sure that Anthea was still occupied. ‘Well!’ she loved to tell a story, especially when she had an audience and Doris, the most elderly of the group, had come to join them. Unfortunately she was slightly deaf.

‘Well,’ Holly began again. ‘Anthea is having an affair!’

‘What’s that dear about Anthea and her hair?’

The subject of the conversation had by this time finished her phone call and had heard her name mentioned.

‘Are my ears burning?’ she came to join them.

‘Just saying how nice your hair looks dear.’

Anthea primped a little in a puzzled kind of way. ‘Girls, girls. No time for idle chatter. Back to work.’

‘Tell me!’ Sue whispered as they made their way to their table.

‘Anthea is having an affair with’ here she paused for effect,    ‘ Josh, the mechanic who does the MOT’s.’

The hall, typical of its kind, Victorian, high ceilinged, wooden floors and wonderful acoustics. Voices carried well, especially with Holly’s stage whisper. Sue often wondered if she did this on purpose. A number of heads turned and whispers began. Poor Anthea completely engrossed in Libby’s startling creation, something to do with a lager can and chrysanthemums, was completely unaware and was quite surprised to see all eyes on her when she looked up.

‘Do we have a problem girls?’