There Goes The Bride Read Online Free Page B

could kill that girl.’
    Toni awoke next morning. There was a note on her pillow. ‘Gone hat hunting. If I’m late, don’t worry. I’ll take a cab to the church. Agatha.’
    Agatha had done a lot for Toni. She had rescued her from a drunken home and had found her a flat and a car. So Toni felt slightly guilty at enjoying being free of Agatha’s often domineering presence for a short time at least.
    She washed and changed into a straw-coloured raw-silk suit. Toni glanced at the clock. No sign of Agatha. She didn’t want to be late getting to the church. She had found out last night that there hadn’t been a field set aside for the parking and because she was wearing very high-heeled sandals, she wanted to get as near the church as possible.
    At last she decided to leave. She met Bill Wong, who was staying at The Jolly Farmer as well.
    ‘Where’s Agatha?’ he asked.
    ‘Gone to buy a hat. She said not to wait for her. She’s taking a cab.’
    ‘Is she bearing up? I think she’s hating all this.’
    ‘No, she’s fine.’
    ‘Had you anything to do with letting those dogs out?’ demanded Bill.
    ‘Me? No, of course not. You’re not on duty now, Bill.’
    ‘Those dogs could have savaged someone.’
    ‘But they didn’t, did they?’
    ‘No,’ said Bill. ‘Some sort of kennel man appeared and took them off.’
    Outside the pub, Toni said hurriedly, ‘I’ve got to dash. I hope Agatha makes it on time.’
    It was a warm spring day with only a few fleecy clouds on a pale blue sky. But despite the warmth of the day, the old church was cold and damp inside. Toni joined the Cotswold contingent, answering muttered demands as to where Agatha had got to.
    James appeared from the vestry with his best man, an old army friend, Tim Harrant. The vicar took his place. The organ played softly.
    ‘I’ll go out and see if I can find Agatha,’ whispered Roy, who was wearing a white suit and a white Panama hat.
    ‘He looks like the man from Del Monte about to say “yes”,’ muttered Harry.
    The organ played on. The congregation shifted restlessly. There was a new arrival, but it was only the family’s French friend, Sylvan Dubois.
    Suddenly Roy appeared, shouting from the church entrance, ‘She’s coming!’
    The organ music died away and the church was suddenly filled with the strains of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’.
    Heads twisted round and then turned back in disappointment as only Agatha Raisin walked in, wearing a peculiar sort of toque embellished with pheasant’s feathers.
    She and Roy squeezed into the pew next to Toni. ‘What’s happening?’ hissed Agatha. ‘Where’s the bride?’
    ‘Don’t know,’ said Bill. He turned and looked at the entrance. ‘Here comes trouble. Toni, if you had anything to do with letting those dogs out, you’re in for it now.’
    Alarmed, Toni watched as a plain-clothes officer, followed by several policemen, walked up the aisle. The detective bent his head over Olivia Bross-Tilkington and said something. Her sudden shriek rose up to the hammer-beam ceiling.
    Then the detective faced the congregation. ‘Miss Bross-Tilkington has met with an accident,’ he said. ‘I want you to give your names to these police officers, but do not leave the area until we tell you, and hold yourselves ready for questioning.’
    The vicar was trying to console Olivia Bross-Tilkington. Her frantic eyes raked the congregation, settling on Agatha, who had taken off her hat.
    ‘That’s her!’ she screamed. ‘Murderess! You killed my daughter!’
    She burst into noisy tears and was led off into the vestry by the vicar.
    A table was carried to the entrance. Three policemen sat down behind it and began to take names and addresses as people left the church.
    Agatha slowly approached the table and started to give her name and address but only got as far as Agatha Raisin.
    ‘Go back into the church and sit down until we are ready for you, Mrs Raisin,’ said the policeman.
    Dazed, Agatha went