Murder in Montparnasse (33 page)
‘Mr Jenkins!’ she cried, ‘Oh, how very nice to see you.’ Phryne had felt bad about allowing Mr Jenkins to return to the tyrant Chambers, but could not see that she could do anything about it.
‘Miss Fisher,’ said Mr Jenkins, not stammering. ‘I never would have left on my own, you know,’ he confided, sitting down next to Phryne. ‘Miss Lizzie just took me along with her. Told her father she needed me and I was entering her new husband’s employment. He didn’t even yell. He just grunted and told me to go to hell. So I went,’ said Mr Jenkins, a little dazed by his good fortune.
‘Jean-Paul!’ ordered M’sieur Anatole. ‘Open the Romaneé Conti. The 1921.’
Glass in hand, M’sieur Anatole rose to make a speech. Phryne sipped. Another astounding wine. Elizabeth stood beside M’sieur Anatole and took his unoccupied hand. She was easy with him, Phryne noticed, easy and friendly. She had clearly overlooked the moustache.
‘When I consider how sad and lonely I was a month ago I am amazed at the benevolence of le Bon Dieu, although le Bon Dieu had some help in bringing us to this desirable conclusion. Our kindness to our poor kitchen boy Sam has brought a great reward. A wife who knows how to cook, a new waiter who does not drop things,’—he looked at Jean-Paul and Jean-Paul looked right back and pouted attractively—‘A rich dowry and her own self, a skilled and clever and loving girl, whom we hope will be very happy with us as we will be happy with her.’
Elizabeth blushed and both wives and Berthe smiled at her.
‘A lot of this we owe to our redoubtable guest, Miss Fisher. A toast!’ The guests stood up. Phryne sat where she was, full of delicate food, with a feast of saumon en aspic to come, appreciated and comfortable and very pleased with the world.
‘To Miss Fisher!’ they chorused, and everyone applauded.
Phryne raised her own glass to them, remembering feasts past and contemplating feasts in prospect, and proposed a toast of her own.
‘To happy endings,’ she offered.
Everyone drank.
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