I first met James Forrest in a train travelling from Milan to Varenna on Lake Como. It was not at all a romantic meeting, for my suitcase had just descended on his head, knocking him half senseless. But he struggled up, all brave, and started trying to get it back on the rack again, which was definitely a waste of effort as I was getting off at Varenna, the next station. Anyway, I needn't have worried, for almost immediately it fell down again, dealing him another telling blow on the side of his dark red dishevelled head. I discovered afterwards of course that this dishevelled look was not so much the suitcase as his normal appearance although the bump that was rapidly rising on his forehead was definitely the suitcase.
From THE MAN AT THE VILLA CARLOTTA, Chapter 1. This was an unfinished manuscript of Jane Shaw's. It comes to a sudden halt in Chapter 2. As we can see from this opening paragraph, it features Jane Shaw's unique sense of humour. The unfinished manuscript can be read at work is available at http://www.ju90.co.uk/villa.htm.
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