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Having enjoyed the best an his journey back from the pub to The Willows He knew exactly what time the bus would appear to take him home, and arrived at the bus stop with a couple of ranted that people would avoid his company

Cornelius unlocked the front door as the clock on the nearby church struck three He was looking forward to the inevitable fall-out when it sank in to Margaret and Elizabeth how rinned as he headed towards his study and glanced at his watch, wondering when hejust as he entered the room He chuckled to himself It was too early for Mr Botts, so it had to be Elizabeth or Margaret, ould need to see hiently He picked up the phone to hear Frank’s voice on the other end of the line

‘Did you remember to withdraw the chess set fro with any formalities

‘What are you talking about?’ said Cornelius

‘Your beloved chess set Have you forgotten that as it failed to sell this , it will automatically coiven orders to withdraw it, or tipped off Mr Botts about its true value’

‘Oh my God,’ said Cornelius He dropped the phone and ran back out of the door, so he didn’t hear Frank say, ‘I’m sure a telephone call to Mr Botts’s assistant is all that will be needed’

Cornelius checked his watch as he ran down the path It was ten past three, so the auction would have only just begun Running towards the bus stop, he tried to recall what lot number the chess set was All he could remember was that there were 153 lots in the sale

Standing at the bus stop, hopping impatiently fro a passing taxi, when to his relief he saw a bus heading towards hih his eyes never left the driver, that didn’t o any faster

When it eventually drew up beside him and the doors opened, Cornelius leapt on and took his place on the front seat He wanted to tell the driver to take hih Street, and to hell with the fare, but he doubted if the other passengers would have fallen in with his plan

He stared at his watch – 317 p it had taken Mr Botts thatto dispose of each lot About a minute, a minute and a half perhaps, he concluded The bus came to a halt at every stop on its short journey into town, and Cornelius spent as ress of the minute hand on his watch as he did the journey The driver finally reached the High Street at 331 pm

Even the door seemed to open slowly Cornelius leapt out onto the pave run for years, sprinted for the second time that day He covered the two hundred yards to the auction house in less than record pace, but still arrived exhausted He charged into the auction rooinally purchased from the estate of’

Cornelius’s eyes swept the roo in the corner with her catalogue open, entering the hammer price after each lot had been sold He walked over to her just as a wonised slipped quickly past him and out of the door

‘Has the chess set come up yet?’ asked a still-out-of-breath Cornelius

‘Let h her catalogue ‘Yes, here it is, lot 27’

‘How much did it fetch?’ asked Cornelius