Page 28 of A Very Bookish Murder
‘That’s very sweet of you,’ Ally said, wondering if Magda was aware that he planned to entertain so many ladies on his lawn. ‘I have to warn you that there’s one husband as well, belonging to the French lady.’
‘French, eh?’ Hamish looked impressed. ‘Apart from anything else, I fancy reacquainting myself with my old friend, Penelope. Friend or not, though, I’m damned sure she’s your killer!’ He paused. ‘Surely these ladies wouldn’t have anything better to do on a sunny Sunday afternoon?’
‘I’m sure you’re right,’ Ally agreed. ‘Have you time for a cup of tea?’
‘No, thank you, my dear. I must be on my way. See you all at three thirty!’
The literary ladies were cock-a-hoop when they got back to the malthouse.
‘A realearl!’ Joyce exclaimed.
‘Oh, wow, wait till I tell them this back home!’ said Millie.
‘Somebody needs to go down to tell Morwenna and Laura,’ Joyce said, ‘and what about Della? Has she decided yet if she’s staying or going?’
‘I bet she’ll stay when she hears about this,’ said Millie.
‘It’s years since I last saw the old devil!’ Penelope boomed. ‘Can’t believe anyone’s married him, given his age and reputation!’
‘I think you’ll find he’s a changed man,’ Ally remarked. ‘And his wife is only a few weeks away from giving birth to twins.’
Penelope hooted. ‘I’vehad twins! Both off my hands now, thank God. I shall certainly be able to give her some first-hand advice, like where to find a decent nanny and all that.’
That should be an interesting conversation, Ally thought, since Magda had no intention of employing a nanny.
Ross had been talking about trying to find somewhere different to eat on a Sunday evening, and so Ally thought it was best to call him before he made any arrangements.
‘Hamish is hosting apicnic?’
Ally could hear the disbelief in his voice.
‘Yes, for all the women, who he calls the Ladykillers! I think he’s just curious.’
‘Hmm,’ said Ross. ‘The old bugger probably just wants to be surrounded with ladies all afternoon.’
‘Oh,Ross!’
‘Once a lothario, always a lothario! Not that I think he’s going to be wildly excited by any of that lot, with the possible exception of the red-haired Irish lady.’
‘Yes, she’s very attractive,’ Ally agreed.
‘Shall I wear my shorts?’ Ross asked.
As the remaining ladies had decided to relax over the weekend, they were all free to go to the picnic. After that, Ally assumed they would all do their own thing the following week; time to contemplate, and to write and to enjoy the countryside. That was, after all, what they were supposed to be here for.
The only person who was staying on but not the slightest bit interested in the earl’s picnic was Laura. She’d apparently said something to the effect that she’d prefer to watch grass grow than kowtow to some hereditary peer with a brain probably about the size of a peanut. Ally wasn’t entirely surprised. Apart from having found Laura somewhat rude and offhand, she was plainly having an affair with Owen. And she was now top of the board!
TWELVE
Everyone walked up to the castle. The Scottish saltire had been erected on the flagpole solely in their honour, although Ally wasn’t sure that they were aware of that. The path to the Italian garden wound around the western side of the castle, and on the nearby lawn, a spectacular buffet had been set up on a long table draped in white tablecloths. There was seafood galore, crab, shrimps, prawns, salmon, trout, plus quiches, pies and all manner of salads, plus several bottles of wine chilling in an ice bucket.
The women gasped.
‘Good old Hamish!’ Ross exclaimed to Ally. ‘Trust him to do it in style.’
‘I should think poor Mrs Jamieson and Mrs Fraser have been busy for hours,’ Ally added.
‘My God!’ exclaimed Joyce. ‘Whatever happened to squashed sandwiches and Thermos flasks of tea?’
