The Dead of Winter Read Online Free Page A

She’s got caterers coming in for this weekend, but mostly it’s just Mel and some part-timers. She does a fantastic job.’
    â€˜Runs this place? As a conference centre?’
    â€˜Well –’ Toby continued to hand around the refreshments – ‘believe it or not, in summer they use this as a wedding venue. October to March it will, hopefully, also be conferences, but the company that owns Aikensthorpe has been properly up and running less than a year, and they need to get the secondary accommodation finished before they can really get that off the ground. They’re converting what used to be estate cottages and the stable block. Melissa took over last April, and she’s trebled the bookings since then, prices too. Lucky we booked early on.’
    He sat down and helped himself to a sandwich. ‘Eat,’ he said. ‘Before Viv and Robin get stuck in. Typical students,’ he added, ‘always up for free food.’
    â€˜And you’re not?’ Viv objected.
    â€˜Oh, I don’t deny it.’ He laughed.
    Viv flopped down in the low chair beside him, and Robin pulled his own seat closer. Joy tucked in beside Rina on the little sofa, and Tim wedged his chair between that and Toby’s seat.
    â€˜How much trouble am I in?’ he asked.
    â€˜Depends,’ Joy told him. ‘Have a sandwich. You don’t think straight when you’re hungry, and I want this explanation to be a good one.’
    Rina sipped her tea, surveying the little group. The film people obviously knew each other well, and Toby appeared to have some knowledge of Melissa and this house. He and Tim also seemed to have fallen back easily into their old friendship, which was interesting for Rina who knew very little about Tim’s youth. She and Joy were very much the newcomers here.
    â€˜So,’ she said. ‘I suggest we start at the beginning and get the context right. What is this place, why are we all here, and why, Tim dear, did you not tell us what was going on?’
    Toby smiled at her. ‘You’ll need more tea,’ he said. ‘This is at least a three-cup story.’
    He waited until everyone had settled with sufficient food and drink before beginning. Outside, the night was drawing in early; looking at her watch, Rina saw it was only four o’clock, but the darkness was profound. She wondered if they could close the curtains. As if reading her thoughts, Viv and Robin got up and pulled the heavy drapes across. ‘Shut the night out,’ Viv said. ‘It’s a bit grim, isn’t it? Makes you wonder why on earth they built a house in such an abandoned place.’
    â€˜Ah, there speaks a true urbanite.’ Toby laughed. ‘So, on this dark and stormy night, let us begin.
    â€˜Aikensthorpe Hall was built in 1854 by a rich mill owner by the name of Albert Southam. Like many rich men of his age, he was also interested in experimentation, in science and in religion. You’ve got to think of the historical context here. Spiritualism was just getting started, the Universalist Church was suggesting that anyone could be saved, not just the select few, and Darwin was suggesting that we might not be the result of one single, once and for all, act of creation. Science was moving into the seance room and photographing the phenomena, and both the stage magicians and some of the more unscrupulous mediums were making use of early special effects. God and his angels and the possibility of life after death had become legitimate areas for experimentation and investigation. Literally, nothing was sacred any more – or at least not so sacred that it couldn’t be profaned by the scientific nosy parker poking it with a stick. It was a truly fascinating time, and we’ve got some real experts lined up for the weekend.’
    â€˜Melissa mentioned coaches arriving tomorrow?’
    â€˜Yes, that’s right. There’s been a big conference up in