Agatha Raisin and Kissing Christmas Goodbye Read Online Free Page B

thirty thousand pounds to the upkeep of the cricket club because Sir Mark had always looked after them. I refused. Then they wanted the village fête here. Sir Mark always had it. I
refused. They said there had always been a fête at the manor since time immemorial. I said, “Tough.” So they have meetings and grumble. “Come into the twenty-first
century,” I told them. “I don’t expect you to pull your forelocks and act like peasants, so don’t expect me to act like the lady of the manor. Shove off.”’
    Agatha stared at her. ‘Don’t you think one of them might have it in for you?’
    She laughed. ‘No. They like grumbling.’
    ‘How long do you want me to work on this case?’
    ‘The weekend should be enough. I said I was putting the place up for sale right after my eightieth birthday.’
    ‘But apart from wanting to keep it as a family home,’ said Agatha, ‘won’t they inherit a great deal of money from you? I mean, this estate must be worth a
mint.’
    ‘They won’t inherit much. I had to stand on my own two feet and run the business. They should learn to do the same. I’m going to have a technical college built and dedicate it
to the memory of my Hugh.’
    ‘And do they know this?’
    ‘Yes, I told them a few months ago.’
    ‘Did you ever make a will leaving them anything?’
    ‘Yes, I left everything to be divided equally amongst the four of them.’
    ‘And have you changed that will?’
    ‘I’m going to change it next week to make sure that the college is built. As soon as this place is sold, I shall start the building of the technical college. I am in good health and
want to see the work completed before I die. If there’s anything left over, they can have it.’
    ‘But they can inherit the technical college!’
    ‘No, I’m leaving that to the state.’
    Agatha took a deep breath. ‘Are you tired of living?’
    ‘Not a bit.’
    ‘Look, under these circumstances, if you were my mother, I might be tempted to kill you myself. Do your children love you?’
    ‘I suppose so. Jimmy does.’
    ‘What does Jimmy do?’
    ‘He owns a newsagent’s and general stores in Upper Tapor. I bought it for him so he’ll be all right.’
    ‘Did he want a shop?’
    ‘The poor lamb is very shy. He didn’t know what he wanted to do. I said a shop was the idea. Meet the public. Get out of himself. I hope I’ve given you enough information
because I’m tired and would like to lie down.’
    ‘Have you got anyone who could run us back to our car?’
    ‘You’ll find Jill, the groom, in the stables. Ask her. Now if you don’t mind . . .’
    Jill was a cheerful young woman. She said, sure, she’d run them back, and soon they were jolting down the drive in an old Land Rover. ‘Does Mrs Tamworthy keep many
horses?’ shouted Agatha over the roar of the engine.
    ‘No, not her. She rents the stables out to people in the local hunt. Makes a lot.’
    Agatha fell silent. She kept wondering why Mrs Tamworthy had put herself in so much danger.
    When she was driving Roy back to Carsely, she asked, ‘What are you going to do with yourself next week while I’m at work?’
    ‘Lead a healthy lifestyle. Go for walks.’
    ‘You’ll get bored.’
    ‘I doubt it. I’ll be so busy wondering about this birthday party. It’s all very weird. Like an old-fashioned detective story.’
    ‘Don’t worry,’ said Agatha. ‘Nothing will happen. I’ve come to the conclusion that she really is a bit unbalanced.’
    Sunday was a wearisome day for Agatha and several times she considered going into the office just to get away from an ecstatic Roy who had bought ten copies of The Bugle and who kept
reading out bits of the damning story on Green Desire.
    Toni turned up promptly for work on Monday morning. She was looking forward to her new job. She had no illusions about the detective work she would be doing, but she could make
her own hours and be her own boss, and that appealed to her.
    ‘Now,’ said