The Murders of Richard III Read Online Free

exasperation. His sense of humor triumphed, however, and he smiled sheepishly.
    â€œThere are several groups interested in Richard the Third. I suspect ours is the freakiest of them all.”
    â€œThat’s nice.”
    â€œYou needn’t be sarcastic.”
    â€œI’m not being sarcastic. There is no happier outlet for our inherent aggressive instincts than the belligerent support of an unorthodox cause. I myself,” said Jacqueline proudly, “am a member of the friends of Jerome.” She watched Thomas sort through his capacious memory for potentialhistoric Jeromes, and added, “Jerome is a place, not a person. It’s an absolutely marvelous ghost town in Arizona. It sits on top of an abandoned mine, and if we don’t get busy, it is going to slide right down the hill into—”
    â€œThat’s even crazier than our organization.”
    â€œOne attribute of eccentric groups is their lack of sympathy for other eccentrics. Tell me about Richard’s friends.”
    â€œDon’t call us that. It’s one of the names of the older organization from which we reneged when they denied Sir Richard’s illegitimacy.”
    Jacqueline had again produced her tatting. She studied it fixedly for several seconds before she looked at Thomas.
    â€œJust say that again, Thomas. Slowly.”
    â€œOur founder and president is Sir Richard Weldon,” Thomas explained. “He claims to be descended from one of Richard the Third’s illegitimate children. The Richard the Third Society wouldn’t accept his claim, in spite of well-documented—”
    â€œThomas!”
    â€œWell, it could be true. Richard had several bastards; everybody did in those days.”
    â€œThat resolves all my doubts. You tempt me, Thomas,” Jacqueline said pensively. “I’d like to meet Sir Richard…Weldon. That isn’t the department store?”
    â€œStores, not store. They’re all over England. But you’ll like Sir Richard,” Thomas added with seeming irrelevance. “He’s a nice guy, even if he does have an idée fixe. The house party is to be at his home in Yorkshire. It is a special meeting of the executive board of the society. Usually we forgather on the anniversary of Richard’s birthday—October second.”
    â€œHe was a Libra,” said Jacqueline, interested. “That’s a point for your side. Libras are well-balanced individuals, not liable to bursts of passion or ungoverned rage. They are sensitive to beauty, fond of justice—”
    â€œNow stop that!”
    Jacqueline grinned. Then she sobered and shook her head.
    â€œThomas, I’d adore coming to the meeting, but I don’t think I can manage it. I had planned to go home early next week.”
    â€œWhy must you? College doesn’t open till the middle of September. You’re not worried about the offspring, are you? Surely they’re old enough to manage for another fortnight.”
    â€œOh, they’d be delighted to have me stay away permanently. They have my car, my TV set, my refrigerator, and my bank account—such as it is—at their mercy. They are probably having nightly orgies.”
    â€œThey can’t be doing anything too bad….”
    â€œOh, yes, they can. However,” Jacqueline said, brightening, “they manage to keep me unwitting. So far they seem to have buried the bodies and settled out of court.”
    â€œYou’re a damned unnatural mum. I don’t know how they put up with you. Jacqueline, you’ve got to come. I’m counting on you.”
    â€œIt’s not polite to visit people without an invitation. I was brought up to be a lady.”
    â€œI’ve already told Sir Richard you’re coming. He’s delighted.”
    â€œOh, you have, have you?”
    â€œDon’t be so hostile. You haven’t asked me why the meeting is extraordinary.”
    â€œWhy,” said