Page 63 of A Very Bookish Murder
Millie, who was sitting next to Brigitte, put an arm around her and said, ‘It must be a great relief to you that Jodi is gone, but you mustn’t feel guilty about feeling that way. After all these years having to keep your marriage a secret!’
Everyone else digested the news in silence, and the other diners returned to eating and drinking. Low conversation resumed, except for the elderly pair at the next table, who were now openly staring at poor Brigitte.
Penelope cleared her throat noisily. ‘As far as I’m concerned,’ she said, ‘that leaves one obvious suspect and one only.’
‘Who?’ asked Morwenna anxiously.
Everyone was looking at Penelope now, the air tense.
‘Laura, of course,’ said Penelope.
‘Howdareyou?’ Laura asked, looking furious.
‘Not that you were likely to inherit much from what Brigitte’s told us,’ Penelope continued loudly, ‘but you already admitted you came here to kill her!’
‘I also told you – but I don’t suppose you were listening because you hardly ever do – that someone else killed her before I could do the deed. Not that I could have done it anyway.’ Laura was staring hard at Penelope.
‘We only have your word for that!’ snapped Penelope. ‘Of courseyou’re not going to admit to the killing! You must think we’re all completely gormless!’
‘You have a police record, and most probably for good reason,’ Laura said, narrowing her eyes, ‘so do not go accusing me, you overprivileged bitch!’
‘What did you call me?’ Penelope was standing up now.
Ally was beginning to panic because this was turning nasty.
‘Overprivileged bitch!’ Laura had now got out of her seat and was advancing slowly round the table towards Penelope, with both Millie and Brigitte trying somewhat to hold her back. Penelope was standing up, stock-still, shoulders back, fists clenched and breathing heavily.
Penelope was the first to throw a punch, which completely missed Laura and struck poor Millie, knocking her to the ground.
‘Stop this at once!’ Callum shouted. He’d appeared from nowhere and was now standing between Laura and Penelope, keeping them apart.
Laura, saying nothing, just turned around, picked up her bag from where she’d been sitting and marched out of the room.
Penelope was now slumped back in her chair, and Callum turned round towards the other diners.
‘Please, everyone, accept my sincere apologies,’ he said. ‘These ladies have been through a very traumatic time, and I’m afraid their emotions have got the better of them this evening.’
There was some murmuring before everyone resumed eating, and as Ally and the others left the dining room, she heard one man call out, ‘Do we have to pay extra for the cabaret? Best entertainment I’ve had in years!’
TWENTY-FOUR
As they streamed into the reception area, Ally turned to Millie, who was holding one hand against her eye. ‘Are you OK?’
‘No, it’s very, very painful. I’m wondering if she’s cracked the bone, and I know I’m going to have the most awful bruise,’ Millie replied.
‘Let me have a look,’ Ally said.
Millie lowered her hand and displayed the vivid red mark and swelling around her eye.
‘We need to get some ice, pronto!’ Ally said, turning to Callum.
Penelope who, until now, had remained tight-lipped and furious, dissolved into noisy tears as she plonked herself down on a sofa. ‘I’m so sorry, Millie,’ she wailed. ‘Youknowthat punch was meant for Laura!’
‘Yes,’ Millie snapped, ‘but it doesn’t alter the fact that I’m going to have a black eye by the morning, a real shiner!’
Callum had reappeared with a bag of ice cubes which Ally pressed against Millie’s sore eye, instructing her to keep it in position. Then she stood back and surveyed the scene: Penelope still weeping noisily; Morwenna helping Millie to keep the ice in place; Brigitte sniffing and dabbing her eyes. What an evening!How could a supposedly celebratory dinner go so very wrong? Asking for motives and confessions hadnotbeen a good Idea. Neither was the gin at lunchtime.
Callum turned to Ally. ‘Can we get them all out of here, Ally? I think we’ve had sufficient drama for one evening, and they’ve had far too much to drink.’ He stopped and sighed. ‘I blame myself for starting the ball rolling by letting them have the freebie bottles, but I’d no idea it would end like this. How about I get my car out and drive you all back up to the malthouse?’
