Many sides to the same story

A note slipped under the door to her suite led Melisandre to Lady Anastasia's Millinery. She was met at the door by Lady Anastasia herself and invited to view the new season's selections.

Familiarize yourself with the situation before taking action.

How may I serve Madame today? purred Lady A.

Melisandre produced the note.

Lady A slapped the closed sign on the door, drew down the shades, and said in a voice dripping with honey-coated venom,” you can't trust that snake Twitchy Smith. He'd sell his mother down the pike for a tenner and throw in her poodle for free.”

Several cups of tea, and a few stronger beverages later, a more complete picture emerged. Lady Anastasia (because the punters won't pay any kind of money for hats made by someone named Annie Blockton) had seen Rosa Maria Di Fiorini, had, in fact, waited on her the morning of the night she decamped from the old port town.

“Before you send anyone off in pursuit, let me tell you something: she was happy, I tell you, happy. No one's ever been really sure about that Archibald, but if anyone will be the making of such a man, it'll be one like your girl” Anastasia insisted.

By dinner time, Mary Rose (for whom her niece was named, Melisandre being a reinvention like Anastasia) and Annie were co-conspirators in keeping the whereabouts and destiny of the lovers a secret, just one more mystery to circulate in the old port town.

Loyalty

Melisandre didn't think it would take much time, but even she was surprised by how quickly the twitchy little man appeared. "Call me Smith," he said in response to her question. Neither one of them believed in that particular spot of fiction, but the name would do for now.

He speculated that she might be a person interested in news about the previous owner of a fine pair of snakeskin boots. She, in return, speculated that if some other person might supply information on that topic, she'd be able to express her gratitude in a small way. She further speculated that said gratitude might expand in direct proportion to any the expansion of such information to include news of any companions, particularly those of a female nature.

"Smith," whose real name could actually have been Smith, shrugged, told all, pocketed her money, and told himself it was nothing that his old pal Archibald wouldn't have done, had the shoe - or snakeskin boot - been on the other foot.

Your loyalties are clear when it comes to friends.

Waiting wasn't a pleasure, but it generally got the job done

A financial investment will yield returns beyond your hopes.

Admittedly, Melisandre DiFiorini had a flair for the dramatic. She also had a sly and subtle intellect. Little to be gained, in her opinion, storming into the old port town demanding answers about her nieces. She installed herself in a modest suite at the Hotel Garamond, visited the hotel bar at odd hours, and generally let it be known that she would pay – well – for information. The answers she needed would come, with time and a little money..

With a Nod to the Piano Man

Brenda and Eddie were still going steady since the summer of '75...

You and your wife will be happy in your life together.

...and Brenda had had enough of waiting. She put on her serious shoes and by the end of the evening, progress (in the form of a ring on her finger) had been made. Eddie wasn't exactly sure what had happened.

What Point In Arguing?

Avoid senseless contradictions with others.

Morris never understood why casual strangers so often remarked on the ways in which pets and their owners resemble one another. He and Myrtle thought it a strange observation to make - especially for so many to make - but it was a point of courtesy with them to avoid saying anything that might escalate into conflict.

Blunt? Outspoken? Well, Direct, Anyway.

Be direct, usually one can accomplish more that way.

It was while she was in grad school that Kirsten decided on her philosophy of life: tell it like it is. She won some friends; she lost some friends; she was always true to herself. Even now, several decades later, she shoots from the hip, every time.

The Girls Usually Get Their Man

You have the ability to analyse and solve any problem.

The McTavish family made it a policy to employ the best money could buy; Jax Blorgan had tracked many a wayward McTavish in the past. Dixie, Divine, and Dimples had never let Jax down before. They had the scent of the boots yet persisted in going to ground at the door of St. Crispin’s School for Girls.