The seamstress wasn't surprised by her mistress's summons, given the gossip that was raging through the Palace; reverberating as though it had been related to the populace at large by the town crier.
It had been impossible for staff in the vicinity of the sitting room to ignore the shouting yesterday and a smug Jade had been more than happy to share with anyone what she had heard through the door. The gossip mill was well fed overnight and during the morning as an anxious grandmother waited for her friend.
Archie and Terri were, with the clock, awake and alert when Constance arrived, as they had been for many hours, deprived as they were of their privacy by the brooding presence of the clock. It had ticked loudly during the night, waking often to chime and then snuffle and curse,
'Obviously having nightmares,' was Terri's comment.
Archie cuddled her close to him, content with her presence and warmth as the cold night gave way to a frosty morning. They listened intently as the seamstress settled down to a tete a tete with her mistress.
'Given the efficiency of our bush telegraph I assume you know what happened yesterday?'
Constance and her mistress were old friends; there was no need for her to pretend any innocence of the facts,
'Yes I do. A most extraordinary request from Crystal.'
'What am I to do about it? She's such an unpredictable child, headstrong, stubborn. If I refuse her...' The sentence drifted off as Constance lifted a slender hand and said,
'You mustn't, it would be folly. The child wants to create a confrontation. She thrives on it. As for Jade, she'll fan the flames.'
'I know. I am not quite as ill informed about Jade as people think. I know about the grass...Is that what they call it?'
'Yes Ma'am.'
'You may wonder why I haven't had the Master dismiss her.'
'Let's leave that aside for the moment. We can save that option for later. The thing to do now is change Crystal's view of Jade.'
'How?'
'The first thing is to cut off her access to her product. The second, as the young people say, is to make it uncool to be seen with her.'
'Uncool?'
Constance smiled slightly,
'Yes, it's death to young people's relationships if one party is uncool.'
'I see. How do we achieve this wonderful result?'
'With the help of Jade herself and a young, good looking protection officer.'
'For Crystal?'
'No Ma'am, for Jade.'
'As they say in the novels, please tell me more.'
Crystal's subsequent interview with her grandmother was a model of inter-generational love and understanding. Crystal got her way, and a hot water bottle with a pretty cover. Her grandmother smiled, effortlessly implementing Constance's suggestions, as Crystal beamed and agreed with her conditions for her gap year security.
There was not a quibble from Crystal about the composition of her party for the gap year. Jade was to attend her and her present security detail was to be bolstered with the addition of a Constable Jeffrey Davis. Crystal didn't care about Davis, the security was inevitable: they were all fat old farts; all they did was stand about and look grim.
She didn't give a toss about them, with Jade she'd lead them a merry dance. She went away smiling, clutching Archie and Terri to her chest.
In her bedroom Crystal flung Archie and Terri onto a chair where they landed with a thump and were quickly covered with a coat and a knitted hat. After that she went out to tell Jade everything, slamming the door after her.
'Archie? Are you all right?' Terri said with concern as she landed on him and heard him gulp as the air went out of him.
'Yes, but are you putting on weight my love?'
She bit his ear which prompted him to say,
'She's gone out and we seem to be alone...'
'Shut up stupid, don't waste time.'
Jade received Crystal's news in triumph. What fun she was going to have - travelling the world, all expenses paid. The girl was easy, she'd keep her doped up - there wouldn't be much to do. Jade would do whatever she wanted. Only three weeks until they were to leave. She could hardly wait.
When Crystal returned to dress for dinner Archie and Terri were asleep. Terri woke first to the sound of a match striking and the unmistakable sweet smell of a reefer.
'So she has a supply,' she thought, 'I wonder how long that will last.'