Ти Кинси - Christmas at The Grange - A Lady Hardcastle Mystery (Kindle Single)

There was another round of applause, which we took with a theatrical bow.

I held out the pearl pendant.

‘I think this is yours,’ I said as I handed it to Mrs Beaufort.

‘Oh no, dear, I’m afraid that’s the one part you got wrong.’

I frowned in puzzlement.

‘It’s yours, m’dear,’ said Lady Farley-Stroud. ‘We’ve got one for you, too, Emily.’

She produced a jewellery case from behind her back. Lady Hardcastle opened it to reveal an identical pearl pendant on an identical gold chain.

‘We wanted to give you both a special present for bringing so much light and laughter to the village,’ said Sir Hector. ‘Everyone chipped in, but we didn’t think you’d accept them unless you earned them. I reckon you earned them, don’t you?’

‘You’re really too kind,’ said Lady Hardcastle. ‘We really can’t. This is too much.’

‘Speak for yourself,’ I said. ‘I’m absolutely thrilled. Thank you so much, everyone.’

Another round of applause was followed by Sir Hector calling for three cheers for us both. And that, in turn, was followed by one of the best cups of tea I’ve ever tasted.

FIVE

We were persuaded to stay for lunch, and agreed only on the condition that Inspector Sunderland could join us. We’d dragged the poor man all the way from Bristol just to put the wind up the people who had been trying to hoodwink us, so we thought it only fair. Lady Farley-Stroud agreed. Her sister-in-law, Mrs Adaway, looked as scandalized as ever, and that sealed the deal.

‘You know, sis,’ said Sir Hector, ‘I don’t think I’ll ever tire of seeing your face go purple like that. Never change, m’dear, never change.’

At first there was only one topic of conversation at the table as everyone talked over each other trying to explain their part in the deception. Planning had begun in November, it seemed, with a lengthy exchange of letters and wires between the various family members as they thrashed out the details of the scheme.

‘Footprints leading out,’ said Mrs Adaway. ‘I said it time and again. “How did he get away?” I asked. But no one listened.’

‘I did listen, Aunt Joyce,’ said Cornelius, ‘but it was hard enough getting up the drainpipe without having to get back down it as well. We just didn’t think she’d notice such a tiny detail.’

‘Could have just left marks with your shoes from the ground,’ she insisted. ‘No need to actually climb down. Footprints was all that was needed, not circus acrobatics.’

‘Joyce, dear,’ said Sir Hector.

‘Yes, Hector? What?’

‘Shut your tater-trap, there’s a good girl.’

‘Well, I never!’ she harrumphed, but she was drowned out by the laughter.

As lunch went on, more general chatter resumed. Inspector Sunderland became involved in an enthusiastic conversation with Sir Edward, who specialized in criminal law. Lady Hardcastle and I were persuaded to tell a few tales of our adventures as agents of the Crown.

‘. . . and so she grabbed him by the wrist, worked some sort of magic with feet, knees and elbows, got the knife out of his hand and threw it at his accomplice. The first chap went down like a sack of potatoes and the other was bellowing in rage to find that the searing pain in his shoulder had been cause by his mate’s knife,’ said Lady Hardcastle.

I do like to tease her about her storytelling, but she always makes me look the hero so I wouldn’t want her to stop.

With lunch over, we said our goodbyes and wished everyone a safe journey home. Hattie Beaufort brought down the case for my new pendant, and we left, clutching our spoils.

‘Can I give you ladies a lift down the hill?’ said Inspector Sunderland as we drew up beside his motor car.

‘No, thank you, Inspector dear,’ said Lady Hardcastle. ‘I think it’s a lovely day for a walk. Do you agree, Flo?’

‘Lovely,’ I said. And we set off for home together.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

T E Kinsey grew up in London and read history at Bristol University. He worked for a number of years as a magazine features writer before falling into the glamorous world of the Internet, where he edited content for a very famous entertainment website for quite a few years more. After helping to raise three children, learning to scuba dive and to play the drums and the mandolin (though never, disappointingly, all at the same time), he decided the time was right to get back to writing. Christmas at The Grange is the fourth story in a series of mysteries starring Lady Hardcastle.

You can follow him on Twitter – @tekinsey – and also find him on Facebook: www.facebook.com/tekinsey.