There Goes The Bride Read Online Free

reluctantly followed him outside.
    He looked the same as ever, thought Agatha miserably – tall and handsome with his blue eyes and his thick hair going a little grey at the temples.
    ‘I can’t think of a more polite way of putting it,’ said James. ‘But were you stalking me?’
    ‘I don’t know what you mean,’ said Agatha defiantly.
    ‘Well, let me spell it out for you. I went all the way to Balaclava and saw you fleeing the hotel. Then I went to the ANZAC landings – and guess what? You were just leaving there as well. Were you chasing me?’
    Agatha opened her mouth to lie, to give a furious denial, but then she thought, what does it all matter any more? He’s getting married.
    ‘You upset me at that engagement party of yours when you said I had never listened to you. I wanted to prove you wrong. I had a holiday due to me. I’d taken a tumble down the stairs and I think that must have addled my wits. I was going to stun you with my military knowledge.’
    James began to laugh. Then he said, ‘Oh, Agatha, you are an original. Let’s take a stroll and talk about something else. You’re looking very well. How are things at –? Oh, what is it?’
    One of the nearly naked young men had materialized beside them. ‘Mr Lacey,’ he said, ‘your fiancée wishes to speak to you.’
    ‘All right. Tell her I’ll be with her in a moment.’
    ‘Whose idea was it to hire the Naked Servants?’ asked Agatha.
    ‘Felicity thought it would be fun.’
    ‘And you were happy with that?’
    ‘Agatha, don’t needle me. I’ll tell you this,’ said James with sudden passion, ‘if I could think of a way to get out of this bloody forthcoming marriage, I would.’
    ‘Shoot her?’
    ‘Don’t be flippant. Stop creeping around us!’ The latter to a Naked Servant who had appeared beside James and was avidly listening.
    ‘I only came to tell you that Miss Felicity is wondering where you are,’ said the young man huffily.
    ‘I’m coming,’ said James wearily.
    Agatha sadly watched him go.

 
Chapter Two

    A GATHA RETURNED TO her table. Charles, with Mr and Mrs Bloxby, came up to join her, followed by Harry, Toni and Bill Wong, and Agatha’s ex-employee, Roy Silver.
    They put several tables together to form a sort of Cotswold party. The band was taking a break and so they were able to talk.
    ‘Mr and Mrs Bross-Tilkington look such an ordinary staid couple,’ said Mrs Bloxby. ‘I must admit the Naked Servants shocked me.’
    ‘It was Felicity’s idea,’ said Agatha.
    ‘Oh, dear,’ said Bill. ‘I wonder what James thinks of it all.’
    ‘There’s worse to come,’ said Toni.
    ‘Like what?’ asked Agatha.
    ‘At the end of the party they have a competition where we vote for the handsomest servant. Then that servant is raffled off.’
    ‘You mean, pimped off,’ said Agatha.
    ‘No, the winner of the raffle gets to sit on the Naked Servant’s lap. Nothing more than that.’
    The vicar, Alf Bloxby, got to his feet. ‘We’re leaving,’ he said.
    Mrs Bloxby didn’t protest. ‘It’s not really my scene, Mrs Raisin.’
    ‘Nor mine either,’ said Agatha. ‘But I don’t want to drag Toni away.’
    ‘Oh, you can drag me away any time you like,’ said Toni. ‘Doesn’t Felicity have any young friends? I mean, there’s about five people her age and the rest are wrinklies and they all seem to be leering at the servants. It’s creepy.’
    Agatha hesitated. ‘Apart from a few of James’s friends and his sister, the rest of us here are his side of the church, so to speak. If we all get up and walk out, it’ll look rude. Then we should really thank our hosts and we can’t all march up to them together.’
    The Bloxbys sat down again. ‘You’re right,’ said Mrs Bloxby. ‘I wish something would happen to end this party.’
    Harry and Toni glanced at each other and then Harry said, ‘Toni and I are going out for a bit of fresh air.’
    Just after Toni and Harry had left, Agatha found herself