Part 2 (2/2)
”I can't stay very long,” said James. ”Just dropped by to see how you were.”
”My morning for callers,” said Agatha as the doorbell went again.
When she opened it, she saw with surprise and delight that her visitor was Detective Sergeant Bill Wong. ”Heard through the grapevine you were back,” he said cheerfully. ”May I come in?”
”Of course,” said Agatha, longing to give the young man a hug but feeling uncharacteristically shy. ”I've got James here and a newcomer, Mary Fortune.”
Mary looked up as Bill Wong came in. She saw a small, chubby man with an oriental cast of features and very shrewd eyes.
Agatha went to get another cup and Bill followed her into the kitchen. ”Compet.i.tion, Agatha?” he asked gently.
They had come to know each other very well during what Agatha thought of as her 'cases', but she felt that last remark had been going too far.
”I don't know what you mean,” she said huffily.
”Oh, yes, you do,” said Bill, taking a cup from her. ”You'll be getting a face-lift yourself soon.”
Agatha grinned at him. ”And I'd nearly forgotten how much I like you.”
Somehow Bill's very presence made her face Mary and James with equanimity. She introduced Bill properly to Mary and then asked him eagerly about what he was working on.
”The usual round of things,” said Bill. ”You haven't been around for a while, Agatha, so no one has been getting themselves murdered. But there have been terrible amounts of burglaries in the villages. They come down the motorways from Birmingham and London, finding the villages an easy target because people here don't go in so much for security and burglar alarms, and a lot of them still leave their cars unlocked and their doors open. You're well protected here, Agatha. Very sensible of you to get that alarm system in.”
”Perhaps we should all follow Agatha's example,” said James.
Mary gave a little laugh. ”Some of us are not made of money. I think I will continue to trust human nature.”
”I don't think Agatha here is made of money either,” said Bill sharply, ”and considering the reason that she got the system in was because her life was under threat, I think that remark of yours was uncalled for.”
It was obvious to James that Mary was not used to being pulled up for one of her 'little remarks'. Then he realized with surprise that Mary quite often said things which could easily be cla.s.sed as b.i.t.c.hy. He began to feel he had made a bit of a fool of himself over Mary.
Mary turned slightly pink and said quickly, ”I didn't mean Agatha. How could you think such a thing! You didn't think I meant you, did you, Agatha?”
”Yes, I did,” said Agatha.
Mary spread her well-manicured hands in a deprecatory gesture. ”What more can I say? I'm sorry, sorry, sorry.”
”You're forgiven,” said Agatha gruffly.
”When is your greenhouse arriving?” asked Mary.
”Today. Any minute now.”
Bill's narrow eyes filled with humour as he looked at Agatha. ”Never tell me you're going in for serious gardening?”
”Might try my hand. I've joined the horticultural society.”
Bill raised his hands in mock horror. ”Don't tell me someone is going to be murdered. Don't tell me you will be going in for any compet.i.tions.”
”Why not?” asked Mary in surprise. ”That's part of the fun. We have the annual show and it's a very friendly affair, I gather.”
”You haven't had Agatha in the society before,” said Bill.
”How's your book coming along?” Agatha had turned to James, feeling that if Bill went on he might reveal how she had once cheated in the village baking compet.i.tion.
”Slowly,” said James. ”I try to knuckle down to it and all the while I'm praying for the phone to ring or someone to call to distract me. Are you going to use the greenhouse right away, Agatha?”
”Yes, I'm going to get some seed boxes and plant some things.”
”Tell you what,” said James, ”I'll go to the nursery with you and help you to choose something.”
Agatha brightened but Mary said, ”We'll all go.”
”Let me know, anyway.” James got to his feet.
”I'd best be going as well.” Mary picked up her coat. ”Lovely coffee. Probably see you later at the Red Lion. Come along, James.”
James immediately felt like sitting down again, but he went off with Mary. Agatha slammed the door behind them with unnecessary force and went back to join Bill.
”Handsome couple,” commented Bill maliciously.
”Drink your coffee,” said Agatha sourly.
”I'm teasing you. He actually doesn't like her.”
”But I gather they've been an item!”
”They might have been. But not any more. Take things easy, Agatha. Relax. If you behave in a quiet, friendly way to him, he'll come around.”
”I've decided I'm not interested any more. I mean, if he fancied someone like Mary Fortune, I don't think I want to know.”
Bill shook his head. ”You don't know much about him. There's your doorbell again.”
Agatha ran to the door. Perhaps he had come back. But it was the men with the greenhouse.
Bill took his leave with promises to return and left Agatha with the workmen.
By the end of that day a small new greenhouse glittered at the end of Agatha's garden. She restrained an impulse to rush next door to ask James to come with her to a nursery the following day. He might just remind her that Mary wanted to come along as well.
So instead she went to the Red Lion. It was one of these odd evenings when the pub was thin of company. She talked to a few of the locals, her eyes always straying to the door, waiting for the tall figure of James Lacey to appear.
She made her way home finally, slightly tipsy, and went disconsolately to bed.
The following day she felt bloated, old and downright plain. She sadly took herself off to a local nursery to ask their advice and returned home with packets of seeds, seed trays and instructions which she had written down. She worked busily, planting trays of chrysanthemum, Coltness Mixture and Rigoletto. Then she planted trays of Arctotis hybrida, or African daisy. By evening she had finished her work with trays of hibiscus, a variety called Dis...o...b..lle. The hibiscus and the chrysanthemums were supposed to be sown in February and planted out in May, but she had been told to sow the African daisies in March. But, thought Agatha, the work was so soothing and it was nearly the end of February anyway. All of them would then be planted out in May.
Next door, James could see Agatha bent over her work in the greenhouse. He felt disappointed that she had not asked for his help.
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