Jack the Ripper – A Love Story ( Excerpt 104 )

Jack the Ripper – a Love Story ( Excerpt 104 )

Once I had gotten over my initial shock, I got all my guests seated the handed out their presents. Fred said, ‘This is really good of you, but there was no need?’ ‘it is just something I did in the spur of the moment, after all it is Christmas, and as you no doubt know, I almost forgot.

They sat and opened their gifts, Lizzie looked admiringly at the silk stole I had bought her and said, ‘Oh! this is just beautiful Jack, some poor woman doesn’t know what she is missing, than you so much, maybe you should have a word with my husband about what us ladies like.’

‘Thank you! Jack, said Fred, ‘I’m in for another bout of earache. He then opened the box containing his pipe. ‘For once, you have me speechless, this must have cost a fortune, this is the sort of pipe a man like me dreams about!’ He stated with some conviction.

‘I had a reasonable idea of the type of pipe you liked to smoke so I went to a tobacconist I know, gave him a rough description and this is what he came up with, I take it, I made the right choice?’ I queried, knowing full well I had by the smile on his face.

‘The right choice!’ said Fred, ‘You would have been very lucky to have made a better one, this could almost have been made for me.’ ‘ I suppose in a way it was, I described you to the tobacconist, told him what you liked and this was his suggestion, if anyone should take the credit he should, I merely paid for it.’ I stated.

This wasn’t totally true, I had gone to the tobacconists but with a more or less fixed  idea of the pipe that I wanted For Fred, I was shown a catalogue and chose a pipe made from a calabash gourd with a porcelain bowl. It had a beautiful shape and large bowl and I knew that Fred would take to it Immediately.

‘May I also say how grateful I am for this wonderful stole,’ Intoned Irene, ‘It was so kind of you to include me in your present giving.’ ‘It was my pleasure, you are a guest in my home and there was never a thought of not including you.’ I stated truthfully.

(C) Damian Grange 2018