Raisins and almonds - Poisoned Pen Press (UK)

Raisins and Almonds
so we had to walk back in the snow, you remember?’ she asked
fondly, and Benjamin Abrahams chuckled.
‘I could smell trouble in France—there were synagogues
desecrated and much anti-Semitic dreck in the newspapers. The
Protocols of the Elders of Zion, feh! Even when everyone knows
that it is a Russian forgery, they were reprinting it. So when the
chalk drawing was sold, we came out here to join my brother
Chaim—he was not doing well in business and wanted a position,
and he’s family, of course, and a great help Chaim is, my
right-hand man, eh Chaim?’
‘A mitzvah,’ said Chaim. ‘A blessing.’
‘No, no, Chaim, don’t say that. You’re too modest. I couldn’t
have managed without you,’ said his brother.
Chaim shook his head, smiled, and took some more sherry.
It was evidently an old argument. Mr. Abrahams continued, ‘So
I came here and bought a house and a little property—we are
very lucky. And you, Miss Fisher?’
‘Phryne, please. I was born here and I was very poor until a lot
of young men were killed in the Great War, and then I was suddenly
rich and hauled off to England. After I left school there wasn’t
anything for me to do but Good Works or flower arranging, so I
ran away to Paris; and then I came here because a man hired me
to find out if his daughter was being poisoned by her husband. I
like it here. I bought a house in St. Kilda. I have a maid and a staff
and two adopted daughters, a cat called Ember, and just yesterday
my household was increased by a new puppy. I’ve been very lucky,
too,’ said Phryne, who was always willing to count her blessings.
Mrs. Abrahams beamed upon Phryne. This wealthy young
woman was content in her independence and would not give
it up to snare a rich boy, even one so beautiful and attractive as
her son Simon.
‘Tell me, do all the Jews in Melbourne speak with one voice
about policy?’ asked Phryne. ‘There seem to be a number of
views on immigration. And Palestine.’
‘No, no, one voice? Ten thousand voices. There is a divide in
the Jewish community,’ responded Mr. Abrahams. ‘Those across