Raven's Wordzzle Challenge #94

Hi everyone
I was very late catching up with Challenge#93, which I did not get round to posting until just before this one today. So if you have come here directly from Raven's Mr Linky for Week#94, here's a link to the previous episode in case you would like to read that one too.

Raven's Wordzzle Challenge #94

space cadet, silver lining, wood, turtle soup, minaret, ice, grease, sales, mandala, mug
broken bones, slide rule, garbage, Chinese, sanguine

The Slumber Party Mystery
Chaper 41 - An Invitation to Lunch

To Skittles, the pastor could just as well have been speaking from a minaret, or trying to explain in Chinese how to use a slide rule. All he heard was a distant mumble, while staring at the back of William's neck, trying to decide whether the young man hand actually put grease in his hair to achieve that spiky hairstyle, and wondering whether Diana approved of that.

Every cloud has a silver lining, though. After the service, both Diana and William turned around to greet him and Matthew, and Diana gave them a dazzling smile.

"John, I was hoping you'd come!" she said. "Who is your friend?"

"This is Matthew," said Skittles. "Another space cadet - sorry, internal joke. Police officer. And Matthew, this is Diana Haven."

"Matthew Turtles," said Matthew, shaking hands with Diana, and then looking inquiringly at William.

"William Wood," said William. "I'm in sales."

Since Skittles had already informed Matthew in a whisper during the sermon who the young man next to Diana was, pointing him out as "the delivery boy", this remark almost caused Matthew to choke, but he managed to collect himself.


"I warned Bumblebee I might be bringing along one or two guests for lunch," said Diana. "Perhaps all three of you would like to join me? Only..." She looked hesitantly at Matthew, who raised his eyebrows, not knowing what to expect next. "I'm sorry," said Diana, and now he saw that it was she that was nearly choking with laughter. "I really can't help it. It's just that old B suggested he could make turtle soup... I do apologize, if I had known who John would be bringing along, I would have asked for another menu, but..."

Luckily, Matthew was of sanguine disposition, and laughed as heartily as Diana at this joke, which lifted some of the general tension for all of them.

After the main course following the turtle soup, they had ice cream and coffee (served in mugs) out on the terrace, and Diana then brought up a discussion of the sermon they had been listening to - or were supposed to have listened to. Skittles suddenly wished he had been paying more attention. All he remembered was that it had been something to do with avarice.

"I mean," said Diana, "that reference to the mandala was really brilliant, wasn't it. Here today, gone tomorrow, and then you have to start over. I do wish Grandpa had more of that attitude." She turned to Matthew. "My grandfather collects things," she explained. "All kinds of things. Even old broken bones!"

"But Diana," said William. "Those bones are ancient relics, aren't they..."

"Well, so he claims," said Diana. "They look to me as if they could have been dug up from any old garbage bin!" She turned again to Matthew and John. "Would you like to see them? You're police officers, maybe you can tell the difference!"