Moonlight

I woke up when Jilly climbed into bed. My light was still on and my gripping detective paperback was beside me on the bed. Jilly put it away on the bedside table and turned off the lamp. Moonlight, from a full moon, streamed in the window. Don and Ella's villa is up the side of a hill and the other houses, all surrounded by trees, sit a little lower down on the hillside. We could see the whole moon looking very full indeed.

"Are you better now?" Jilly asked me.

"How was the meeting?" I asked back.

"Everyone seemed very focussed," Jilly said, putting her arm over my head. "They agreed that all our development projects should remain independent for the moment and be allowed to grow quietly. Hat wants to start up some new studies because he thinks the secret operations can use the cover and that we can afford it financially. Eddie was there and he said the new Jackster is selling really well."

"I guess that all sounds good," I said, not wanting to think about it too hard at the moment.

"That trollop Mimi Lapin dropped by," Jilly said, "Ella had let Amanda and me make scones for tea and Mimi came waltzing in the back door and right into the kitchen like she owned the place."

"She worked here for six months, Jilly, and Ella always lets her ex-au pairs have the run of the place when they leave. Ella says they continue to be her charges because they are always foreigners. She likes to practice her South Continent languages on them."

Jilly wasn't through yet. "'How's zhack?' was the first thing she said when she came through the door. Amanda was great. She said: 'What's it to you.'"

"She can't help being a flirt," I said, "It doesn't mean anything."

"She's a Rabbity bitch. You probably pity her because she's a poor lost soul on her own in a foreign country needing lots of male protection. A poor lost soul wearing skimpy peasant blouses showing off her massive cleavage."

"So," I said quickly, "Did the board talk specifically about any of our development projects?"

Crossing the moonlight we saw Jazlin Fly. She must have come in under the door. We saw her before we heard her buzz.

"I'm back," said Jazlin, "Arthur Pussycat brought me up from Chelseal. We saw a movie about thieving Walruses and he told me lots of stories."

"Did you get anything to eat," asked Jilly.

"I filled up on popcorn," said Jazlin.

"That's mostly just fake butter and salt," I said.

"I'm going down to bed now. I've got my cagepack in the living room. I just thought I'd say Hi."

"Sleep tight, sweetie," said Jilly.

"Sweet dreams," I told her.

"Bye now, Jack and Jilly!" said Jazlin, as she buzzed off. "Don't fight."