beautiful green eyes and a great idea leaped into her mind.
“Yes, I can do this,” she said. “You haven’t given me much time. Leave it to me.” She turned to George. “Perhaps we could have dinner sometime in the coming week to discuss progress?”
He hesitated slightly. “Splendid idea,” said the vicar. “Plan our campaign. There is a very good restaurant at Mircester. Trixie, my wife, is particularly fond of it. La Belle Cuisine. Why don’t we all meet there for dinner on Wednesday? Eight o’clock.”
“Fine,” said Agatha gloomily.
“I suppose so,” said George with a marked lack of enthusiasm.
Agatha’s staff, consisting of detectives Phil Marshall, Patrick Mulligan, young Toni Gilmour and secretary Mrs. Freedman, found that the usual Monday-morning conference was cancelled. “Just get on with whatever you’re on with,” said Agatha. “I’ve got a church fete to sell.”
Toni felt low. She had been given another divorce case and she hated divorce cases. But she lingered in the office, fascinated to hear Agatha Raisin in full bullying mode on the phone. “Yes, I think you should send a reporter. We’re running a real food campaign here. Good home-village produce and no supermarket rubbish. And I can promise you a surprise. Yes, it
Next call. “I want to speak to Betsy Wilson.”
Toni stood frozen. Betsy Wilson was a famous pop singer. “Tell her it’s Agatha Raisin. Hullo, Betsy, dear, remember me? I want you to open a village fete next Saturday. I know you have a busy schedule, but I also happen to know you are between gigs. The press will all be there. Good for your image. Lady-of-the-manor bit. Large hat, floaty dress, gracious—come on, girl, by the time I’m finished with you I’ll have you engaged to Prince William. Yes, you come along and I’ll see if I can get the prince.” Agatha then charged on to tell Betsy to arrive at two o’clock and to give her directions to Comfrey Magna.
“Thick as two planks,” muttered Agatha, “but she’s coming.”
“But she’s famous!” gasped Toni. “Why should she come?”
“Her career was sinking after that drugs bust,” said Agatha. “I did a freelance job and got her going again.”
She picked up the phone again. “News desk? Forget about the healthy food. Better story. Fete is to be opened by Betsy Wilson. Yes. I thought that would make you sit up.”
Toni waited until Agatha had finished the call and asked, “Can you really get Prince William?”
“Of course not, but that dumb cow thinks I’m capable of anything.”
At dinner on the Wednesday night, only Trixie Chance greeted Agatha’s news that Betsy Wilson was to open the fete with delight. George Selby said anxiously, “But the village will be overrun by teenagers and press. It’ll be a disaster.”
Agatha felt panicky. She now had the nationals coming as well as the local newspapers.
“I’ve got it,” she said. “Vicar, you open the fete with a prayer. Get yourself a good sound system. Think of the size of the congregation. I’ll get Betsy to sing ‘Amazing Grace.’ Set the tone.”
The vicar’s eyes shone. “I can see it now,” he said, clasping his hands as though in prayer.
“Yes, so can I,” said George. “Mess and rubbish everywhere.”
Trixie squeezed his arm. “Oh, Georgy Porgy, don’t be a great bear. Little Trixie is thrilled to bits.”
She’s five feet eight inches, thought Agatha sourly, and people who refer to themselves in the third person are always crashing bores.
“It’ll be marvellous,” said Agatha. “It’ll really put Comfrey Magna on the map!”
She wondered how she could manage to engineer an evening with George on his own. Mustn’t seem too
In vain during the meal did George try to protest against the visit of the pop star. The vicar and his wife were too excited to listen to him.
What was worse, George was beginning to look at her with something like dislike in those grass-green eyes of his.
He leaned across the table, interrupting the vicar’s enthusiastic plans and said coldly, “I’ve decided I don’t really want to be part of this.”
“But George,” wailed Trixie, “we depend on you to organize the marquees and things.”
“I am sure the very efficient Mrs. Raisin can take over from me. I only chipped in because Saint Odo’s is a beautiful church and the fete was one way to raise funds towards the necessary repairs as well as sending some money to charity.”
“Listen,” said Agatha, panicking as gorgeous George seemed to be vanishing over the flat horizon of her present manless life, “here’s an idea which will get you so much money you could build a cathedral. It will only mean one day of chaos. You put up barricades at the two roads leading into the village. You charge five pounds a head for entry. You get a couple of farmers, say, to contribute fields for parking. Haven’t you any Boy Scouts or Girl Guides?”
“Yes, we do,” said the vicar.
“Draft them in to park the cars and dib, dib whatever, you’ve got a fortune.”
There was a startled silence. The vicar looked as if someone had just presented him with the Holy Grail. George gave a reluctant smile.
“I suppose it could work. We don’t have much time.”
“Call an emergency meeting in the village hall tomorrow,” said Agatha eagerly.
“There are only a few days left,” cautioned George.
