"Are you alright?" the driver asked, as I sat and opened and closed my mouth like a goldfish.

"Stephenson?" I finally blurted out. "I thought you were..."

"That's my brother. He's the butler, I'm just a driver. We're twins, you see. I'm Edward, and he's James" Edward Stephenson informed me. I nodded slowly.

"I see."

"It's sometimes a little disconcerting for guests" Edward carried on. "Seeing one face picking them up from wherever, sometimes London, sonetimes York, sometimes even Cardiff. That's a slog and a half, I'll say! Anyway, seeing one face drive their bags away to the back door, then the same one smile welcomingly at them from the lobby, can get a few people wondering whether they're quite all right in the head, if you know what I mean?" He laughed at his own joke. I decided that this could be quite a pleasant journey, so I kept up the conversation as the cart bounced along.

"It must be" I agreed. "Tell me about yourself" I then added, settling myself for a long trip.

"Well, er, there isn't much to tell" Edward laughed. "Really, there isn't. Our father runs a odds and ends shop in London. Sometimes I go and visit him, when I take passengers to and from London."

"What's the shop called?" I asked.

"It's near Victoria Grove" Edward replied. "It's not the most obvious of things to spot. Stephenson's Ends, it's called. You can get anything from hats to fire stokers there. It's falling under hard times, though,  sadly. Most of mine and James's wages go to Father so he can keep it up and running."

I sighed, smiling sympathetically.

"I remember once, when James and I were little, Father bought a big ivory elephant into the shop. We used to sit on it all the time, James and I. We were devastated when it got sold. That was back in the days when buisness was better" he said wistfully.

"Well, maybe I'll drop in sometime when I'm back in London" I smiled again.

"Father would love you if you did" Edward laughed. "He barely gets anyone in the shop these days. Sorry, am I chattering too much,  ma'am?" he then asked quickly.

"No, it's rather enjoyable, why do you ask?" I replied suprisedly. Edward sighed.

"Only I was warned you might have a bit if a hangover when I picked you up, and you might have wanted to rest your eyes. I know all about sleeplessness, with my insomnia and all."

"You should take something for that" I advised.

"I do" Edward sighed. "I have sleeping pills I take before bed. I used to have a powder to put in my tea, but it did all sorts of strange things to my head. Made me mix up my dates, end up in the wrong place at the wrong time, made me forget stuff I'd done the previous day, that sort of thing. Very strange."

"Extremely" I agreed. "Are you sure you didn't take an overdose?"

"That's what James decided" Edward sighed. "He was the one who made me change my prescription. I'm so grateful, since I started on these pills everything's been spick and span."

"I'm glad" I smiled. "What's it like having an identical twin?"

"Hilarious fun!" Edward laughed. "Especially when you swap places. That's the best trick to play. James and I used to do it all the time when we were little. He would go and play with my friends and I'd go and play with his, and none of them would know the difference! We laughed so hard, ma'am, we did."

"I can imagine!" I smiled.

"I remember, we had an aunt at one time.  Strict Catholic. Neither me or James liked her very much. So, we'd wear the same clothes, sit the same way, do the same sorts of things, order the same food at dinner, that sort of thing. Then, whenever she addressed one of us as James, the other would reply, and then when she adressed the other as Edward, the first would reply. We also tended to swap places as soon as there was a distraction, and then tell her she was talking to the wrong twin!"

I laughed.

"It sounds like you had an excellent time!" I commented. "So how did you end up here?"

James sighed.

"We very nearly didn't" he admitted. "Both of us were a bit wayward as children, mainly because our mother had died young."

"I'm sorry" I said.

"Don't worry. I never really knew her. Neither did James" Edward replied, smiling.

"You were saying?" I asked. Edward laughed.

"We ran away to join a circus when we were ten. It was called Circus Impossible" he told me.

"No!" I gasped.

"We did" Edward laughed. "By that time, the shop was going downhill,  and we would try anything to get money. We made a couple of pounds, performing, doing odd jobs, the like, until we decided we'd had enough. We took the money we earned back to the shop, and began searching for proper jobs. After a stroke of luck, we ended up here."

"You must have been so lucky!" I said, genuinely amazed by the story.

"Well, James sorted most of the details" Edward admitted. "But really, I'm so grateful to him."

We must have talked the entire way to London, and when he dropped me off dutifully at 15A Praed Street I was sorry to see him go.

"What's the time?" I asked him, as he helped me down from the cart.

"Four fifteen, ma'am" he replied, checking the watch on his left wrist.

"Thank you" I smiled. "Isabel should be in, then."

He nodded, depositing my bags at the doorstep and climbing back into the cart, driving away. I knocked on Isabel's door. When she opened it, she looked amazed to see me.

"Allie!" she gasped. "You're back so soon!"

"Yeah" I sighed. "Things didn't exactly go to plan."

"Your dress!" was Isabel's next comment. "Look at it! It's so posh! You look like a proper lady in that!"

"These are all the same" I told her, pointing at the two suitcases next to me. "But I'll never be wearing them again. Let me get in, and get changed, then we'll shove these suitcases in the attic and I'll tell you everything."

"What have you been up to, Allie?" Isabel sighed, helping me drag the suitcases into the hall, and shutting the door behind us.

"So much" I sighed. "Almost too much. Let's sort these suitcases first."

A little while later, I was sitting in my old blue gingham dress at Isabel's kitchen table, having related my entire experience to my sister from start to finish.

"You know, Allie, I never realized men found you attractive" was Isabel's first comment.

"Shut up!" I gasped, hitting her on the arm.

"I'm being serious!" she replied. "Newham, Arthman, and Deputy Inspector Fisher, Allie! You're going to have to make a decision at some stage!"

I sighed.

"I won't be seeing any of them again, Izzy. I don't have to choose anything."

Isabel smiled knowingly.

"Shut up!" I exclaimed, hitting her again on the arm.

"I didn't say anything!" she laughed.

"You were doing that look!" I complained. "The 'I'm-right-and-you're-wrong' look!"

Isabel sighed

"But seriously, Allie. You can't really leave this case unclosed. You said so yourself, Martin Savoy could hang innocently if you do not do something!"

"But what can I do?" I groaned, frustrated. "I don't have a clue who the thief is!"

"You've been there for three days" Isabel said patiently. Go over the whole three days in your mind, Allie. There'll be something  there you've missed."

I looked at her hopelessly.

"Do it!" my sister ordered. "Go back in your room, lie on the bed, and go through everything you know in your mind. You'll find something. I know you will."

Obediently, I hurried up to my room. I really didn't think this was going to work, but there was no saying no to Isabel.

I lay down, and went back to the very first day I had arrived. My seven questions flowed through my mind

One, who is the thief? Two, why do they want the jewels so badly? Three, how did they steal the diamond ring? Four, how did they steal the ruby bracelet? Five, why does Stephenson have so many blue stamps? Six, who on earth is Arthman and how much does he know, and Seven, where are the jewels now?

After crossing off three and six, I read through my problems again.

One, who is the thief? Two, why do they want the jewels so badly? Four, how did they steal the ruby bracelet? Five, why does Stephenson have so many blue stamps, and Seven, where are the jewels now?

Stamps, I thought. Why were they even on my list? And that bracelet, I murmured. Did Catherine Kendel even remember to wear it?

I plodded slowly through my experiences, forcing myself to work through every little detail I had been told, found out, or seen myself.

I vaguely sensed a picture beginning to form. It felt like I was looking through frosted windows at the true course of events. Why was the thief taking so many risks? Surely the thefts of the ring and the bracelet were far too risky for any sane person to attempt! There were two distinct personalities here, but were they working together, or against each other? Why had Davinia Longleath's sapphires been found in Martin Savoy's room?

I mentally slapped myself. That actually told me why the jewels had been stolen, and also that my tip off to Arthman about watching the jewel market in Britain had been a very good idea. Now I was down to three questions as I continued my struggles through my memories. I heard Isabel come in, leaving a cup of tea on the side. She jolted me out of my trance, and I sat up, taking the tea.

"Anything?" Isabel asked me. I sighed.

"Perhaps."

"Is there anything you need?" Isabel said gently, sitting on the end of the bed as I sipped my tea.

"Quiet" I smiled. Isabel looked to leave, and I let her, standing up with my tea and heading over to the window looking out. Across the road from Isabel's flat lay an old, abandoned theatre, and it still had lots of its old posters up, singers, magicians, plays, and variety acts of all different kinds.
I dropped my teacup.

"Isabel!" I yelled,  sprinting to the door.

"Isabel, I've got it!"