S e c r e t s

Miss Mountford bid farewell to Mister Sponge the Auctioneer. Well – who would have thought it? Uncle Cedric leaving her such a treasure in his will! That old vase that stood in the window at the top of the stairs was, she now knew, one of the finest and rarest examples remaining of Bong Dynasty china. Uncle Cedric had been something of a traveler and had bought back all sorts of eccentricities from around the globe. One of the less appealing souvenirs – which she had also inherited – was his collection of geckos from the jungles of Borneo. Her cat Montague was an accomplished policeman if one should “accidentally” escape from the reptile tank. Meanwhile the yellow-banded ridgeback thought he’d found the perfect refuge and made for the vase at the top of the stairs. Surely Montague would not find him there? On the interior is a bird’s nest. The signature acorn hangs from a vine. The number “97” indicates that this is the 97th piece David Lawrence has carved for Harmony Kingdom.