Agatha Raisin and The Wellspring of Death

'You can come in now,' called James. 'That's the lot. They're all coming.'

Agatha rose and went back in.

'What about food?' he asked.

'Normally I'd get people like Mrs Bloxby to help me,' said Agatha, 'but as we are supposed to be running this on behalf of the water company, we'd better hire a catering firm. We'll have something like cold salmon and salad and strawberries and cream.'

'The strawberries are past their best.'

'People eat strawberries, no matter what. They like the idea. It's like fish and chips. What a good idea, particularly on a cold night, you think, all warm and hot and golden and smelling divine. In fact, all you get is a sodden packet of greasy food which lies like lead in your stomach.'

'What about tables and things?'

'There's only six of them and two of us--that's eight. My kitchen table's quite large and I'll borrow a table from the school hall for the champagne. They can't all be hard drinkers. A bottle a head is generous enough.'

'Right. What I suggest is that you pay for the lot and let me know how much it comes to and I'll pay half.'

'I feel I might be able to get the water company to actually foot the bill. I didn't press hard enough.'

'Ah, but that would mean the Freemonts might attend as well, and the purpose of this party is to see how they act once they're all together.'

'I thought you suspected the Freemonts.'

'I'll get around to them.'

Agatha looked at him thoughtfully. 'So we're back in business again, James.'

'Mmm?' He looked up from some notes he had been making. 'Oh, yes, back in business.'

'Don't you feel any awkwardness?'

'Don't let's get into that, Agatha.'

No, thought Agatha, don't let's ever talk about feelings, about the times we made love, about the rows, about pain. Let's just go on like a couple of bachelors interested in crime.

'I'd better go and talk to Roy.'

'You do that,' he said cheerfully.

Why did I say anything? mourned Agatha as she let herself into her cottage. I promised myself I wouldn't. What else did I expect? A human response? From James? Rats!

Roy came clattering down the stairs. 'How did you get on with lover boy?'

'If you mean James, cut it out. They're all coming.'

'What about little me?'

Agatha suddenly didn't want Roy around. She was already planning what to wear.

'Skip it this time, Roy,' she said. 'I'll be too busy to cope with a house guest.'

Roy looked hurt. 'Be like that. But remember, I won't always be at your beck and call when you need me.'

'I thought your only interest in me was to further your career.'

'I think I'll get an earlier train if there is one.' Roy looked offended.

'We'll have lunch. You can get the afternoon one.'

It was a silent lunch.

'Look,' said Agatha, relenting over the coffee. 'I haven't been straight with you. I really do want James all to myself,'

'Waste of space, sweetie.'

'Perhaps.' Agatha sighed. 'Let's not quarrel. I'll drive you to Oxford. We'll have a better choice of trains.'

'You can do something to make up.'

'What?'

'I've always wanted to punt.'

'What? At Oxford? On the river?'

'Yes.'

'All right. Finish your coffee and we'll go now.'

Agatha managed to find a parking place in the High and they walked down to Magdalen Bridge and down the Steps at the side to the landing-stage.

'I haven't been here before,' said Agatha. 'I didn't know the river would be so narrow here. And there are so many punts out. Are you sure you want to try this?'

'Yes, yes.' Roy gave an excited little skip. 'I read about it in a Sunday supplement.'

When they asked for a punt, the boatman told them the charge was eight pounds for an hour, twenty-five pounds deposit and to leave identification.

'I'm a bit short,' said Roy. 'Could you...?'

'Oh, all right.' Agatha paid the money and left her driving licence.

'I feel this is a mistake.' Agatha scrambled on to the seat of the punt. Roy seized the long pole. 'There are paddles,' said Agatha. 'Wouldn't it be a good idea to paddle to a quiet bit?' There were not only punts but rowing boats.

The boatman pushed them out. Roy dug the pole in and pushed. The punt swung in a wide circle and bumped into a puntload of students.

'Steady on,' called one.

Roy was pink with embarrassment. 'I'll use the paddle.' He shipped the pole and crouched down in the bow and paddled. After a few false starts and a few more bumps, they headed up the river.

Then he stood up and took up the pole again. Agatha lay back in the punt and decided to ignore Roy's amateurish efforts. The sun was filtering down through the trees. Conservatories were glittering on one side, a cricket pavilion on the other, willow trees trailing in the water, dappled light and peace. But not a typically English scene, thought Agatha, looking at the students. I always imagined everyone in white and ladies with parasols. The students all looked terribly young and undernourished and seemed to favour black shirts, tatty jeans and pony- tails--the men, that is. They came from a mixture of nationalities. She was roused from her reverie as a branch banged against her head.

'Look where you're going!'

'Sorry, just getting the hang of this.'

James. Would she and James ever get together again? Would she ever stop thinking about him? Why was it Guy meant so little? Perhaps because sex did not mean intimacy. Talk was intimacy. Friendship was intimacy. Perhaps if she had practised friendship a bit more in earlier life, she would know better how to handle him. Or just leave him alone, said a cynical voice in her brain. It's sick. You need an exorcist.

'I'm really getting good at this.'

'Can't you steer a straight course?' asked Agatha. 'You nearly banged into that rowing-boat.'

'We're doing fine,' said Roy. 'You just dig the pole in, Aggie, and thrust--'

To Agatha's horror, he pole-vaulted and landed face-down on the grassy bank while Agatha and the punt went shooting off in the other direction.

The punt hit the opposite bank with force as she instinctively rose to her feet, and Agatha was catapulted into the river.

Roy jumped in to save her, swam towards her and made ineffectual grabs at her hair.

'Leave me alone!' shouted Agatha. 'My handbag's in the punt. Get it. I mean, get the punt.'

Under the delighted gaze of a boatload of Japanese, Roy seized the rope at the front of the punt and towed it to the bank on which he had first landed. Agatha swam after him.

He helped her out.

'All right?' called a Japanese student. 'Very funny. You in a film?'

'No,' said Agatha curtly. She rounded on Roy. 'Let's just get back in that damned instrument of torture and get back.'

As the amused Japanese looked on, they got back on board. 'We'll pull you back,' shouted one.

'No, we'll manage,' said Roy.