Lady Anne's Deception Read online

Page 6


  The marquess’s butler had recommended the seaside resort of Britlingsea as being “most exclusive” when he learned that her ladyship wished to remove herself from town.

  So that was how Annie had ended up at the quiet seaside resort with only her maid for company.

  Exclusive turned out to mean dull.

  The inhabitants of Britlingsea frowned on such seaside diversions as Pierrot and Punch-and-Judy shows. The promenade at the front where all those London trippers could strut was not for them.

  And so the tiny town was still very much as it had been in the days when it had been a fishing village. Long, narrow lanes of cottages led from the one main street down to a small, rocky beach. Large villas had sprouted up around the town and one Grand Hotel at the west end catered to rich holidaymakers. Annie had taken a suite at the Grand. Now she was trying to enjoy her newfound freedom, but she found life there just as boring as it had been with her in-laws.

  The sun was very bright and hot, with a hot August wind raising the dust from the cobbles and setting the striped awnings of the shops flapping. Glimpses of choppy blue sea could be seen at the end of each narrow lane leading from the main street. Great bunches of black sand shoes hung outside the shops, along with shrimping nets, buckets, and spades, Racks of colored postcards revolved on their stands.

  Then in the post-office window her eye was caught by a poster announcing: “Are You Tired of Being a Slave to Men? Why Shouldn’t Women Get the Vote? Come on Thursday, August 19, at 7:30 P.M. to the Masonic Hall and hear that great suffragette, Miss Mary Hammond, speak. One shilling. Tea and cakes.”

  Annie looked at it thoughtfully. Members of the Women’s Social and Political Union, the suffragettes, were often featured in the newspapers. They had become increasingly militant. They had planted a bomb in the home of Lloyd George, the Liberal leader, blowing up almost half of the furniture. They had claimed that it had merely been a warning, and suffragette leader, Mrs. Pankhurst, had taken the blame and had been sentenced to three years’ penal servitude. Another woman had thrown a steel spike through the window of Lloyd George’s cab. It had just missed his eye and cut him on the cheek. They had been damned as “man-haters,” even by avowed feminists like H. G. Wells, despite the fact that the leaders of the movement, if they were not happily married, at least carried no sexual resentment.

  But Annie believed them to be man-haters because of all the adverse publicity the movement had received in the press, and it was that that made her want to go to the meeting. It was already August nineteenth. She had nothing else to do after she had eaten her solitary dinner at the Grand Hotel.

  And so it was that she found herself that evening sitting on a hard bench in a drafty Masonic Hall listening to a large, tweedy woman telling her and about fifteen other women that men’s sole goal in life was to debase and humiliate women and to keep them enslaved. Miss Hammond did not belong to the Women’s Social and Political Union. She had once but aimed to form a splinter group. She had a sort of Lysistrata plan in which the women of Britain would unite by stopping marriage, stopping any form of intimate relations with men, therefore stopping child bearing “until the men are brought to their knees.”

  All of which seemed a splendid idea to poor, hurt, childish, humiliated Annie. She would have been amazed to learn that the leaders of the WSPU considered Mary Hammond quite mad. Miss Hammond did not want equality; she wanted superiority.

  She was, nonetheless, a forceful personality and held the attention of her small audience until a little, local woman on the front bench called out, “Wot! No more slap an’ tickle, then?”

  “No!” replied Miss Hammond, majestically. “And no cuddling or canoodling either!”

  Everyone except Annie burst out laughing, and had it not been for the prospect of tea and cakes, which they had already paid a shilling for, most of the audience Would have left.

  Annie did not know that every woman in the place was well aware of who she was until the lecture was over and she found herself being my-ladyed right, left, and center.

  The audience was more interested in the tea and cakes and the pretty marchioness than in the speaker. For Annie did not know the effect that smart clothes and a good lady’s maid had wrought in her. By any standards she was now an extremely pretty young woman.

  But one by one the audience left and Annie found herself alone with Miss Hammond, who had asked her to stay behind for a moment.

  “My dear Lady Torrance,” said Miss Hammond. “I was extremely flattered to find a young and beautiful member of the aristocracy taking an interest in my one-woman movement. It is only a one-woman movement at the moment, but I hope to swell the ranks, swell the ranks.”

  “I’m surprised everyone knew who I was,” said Annie.

  “The hotel issues a circular with the names of all its notable guests,” said Miss Hammond. “And, of course, people point you out to each other. What brought you to hear me, Lady Torrance?”

  “I hate men,” said Annie savagely.

  “Yes, but you will find sometimes that we have to use the pests,” said Miss Hammond. “That is why I call my movement ‘Superiority for Woman’—no direct attack, you see.”

  She was a large woman with pale eyes and a mouth full of large, strong teeth. Her iron-gray hair was swept back in a bun, and she wore a mannish tweed suit with a short skirt that showed her ankles. She wore a man’s tie and a shirt with a shiny celluloid collar.

  But like quite a lot of people who teeter on the borderline of quasipolitical insanity, she had a warm, engaging, maternal charm and a humorous way of putting things, which belied the fact she had no sense of humor at all.

  “In fact,” Miss Hammond went on, “I have been invited to take tea tomorrow afternoon with a Very Important Person. I do wish you would come with me, Lady Torrance. You would be most impressed. He is a famous man who plans to support my cause. But it’s hush-hush. Very.”

  “Oh, please call me Annie.”

  “Annie, then. And you must call me Mary. I gather from your tone that your recent marriage is not a happy one.”

  But Annie would not discuss her husband. “Who is this V.I.P.?” she asked.

  Miss Hammond looked about her in the manner of a stage villain and whispered, “Mr. Shaw-Bufford.”

  “What? The chancellor of the exchequer?”

  “Shh! The same.”

  “I find it hard to believe…”

  “Oh, I know. But wait until you meet him.”

  “Is his wife…?”

  “He is not married.”

  “Then I don’t see…”

  “You will. Only say you’ll come.”

  “Very well,” said Annie.

  “Good! Splendid!” exclaimed Miss Hammond. “I shall call at your hotel for you at quarter to five tomorrow. The chancellor has a villa just outside the town.”

  When Annie returned to the hotel and had been made ready for bed by Barton, she sat in front of the open window, looking out at the sea and wondering whether she had suffered from temporary insanity. She, Annie, did not hate men. She wished she did. She wished she could remember her husband’s kisses with revulsion.

  But her whole treacherous body ached and burned for him.

  Mary Hammond was nuts. Absolutely, definitely, and quite positively nuts. If the chancellor of the exchequer was anywhere, it was not in Britlingsea. Mr. Shaw-Bufford was reported in the papers to be a sort of eighteenth-century gentleman, cultured, austere, with a biting wit. He had hoped, it was said, to be chosen by his party to be prime minister, but they had chosen the fiery Scotsman, James Macleod, instead.

  But one thing was sure. Mr. Shaw-Bufford was too grand and too ambitious a politician ever to be seen in the company of someone like Miss Hammond.

  Now mature, sensible, and grown-up people who wish to get out of an engagement send a letter of apology by hand, or telephone if they are lucky enough to have that wonder of science. But immature young people like Annie do the first thing that comes nat
urally, and so Annie decided simply to give Miss Hammond the slip. She would go out walking at four-thirty, thereby neatly avoiding that lady, and she would leave Barton to make her apologies.

  And so at precisely four-thirty the next afternoon, Annie tripped lightly down the red-carpeted steps of the Grand Hotel and across the palm-tree-studded expanse of the entrance lounge—and straight into the massive bulk of Miss Hammond, who was, it seemed, parked across the hotel entrance.

  “So you are early just like me, Annie,” said Miss Hammond. “I didn’t tell Mr. Shaw-Bufford that you were coming. That is going to be our little surprise.”

  “Yes,” said Annie, gloomily.

  Mary Hammond had at least looked like a sensible woman in the meeting hall last night. But today she seemed quite eccentric. Despite the heat of the afternoon, she was still wearing the tweeds, tie, and celluloid collar. Furthermore, she had cropped her gray hair, causing Annie to wonder why this man-hater should do her best to try to look like one.

  Annie still did not believe that she was to meet Mr. Shaw-Bufford. But after they had walked a little way out of the town, Miss Hammond stopped in front of an imposing villa and pushed open one of the wrought-iron gates.

  The gentleman who answered the door was Mr. Shaw-Bufford in person. Annie had seen photographs of him in The Illustrated London News.

  He was a tall, thin man of about forty-five, with a narrow, almost monkish face with deep-set eyes and thin mouth. His hair was silver.

  “Why, Miss Hammond,” he said in a dry, precise voice. “Who have we here? I thought I had made it plain that…”

  “Oh, but this is the Marchioness of Torrance!”

  “Delighted to have the pleasure of entertaining you, Lady Torrance,” said Mr. Shaw-Bufford. “Come in, come in. I shall ring for Hodder to fetch another cup. I thought tea in the garden on a day like this would be very pleasant. I wonder if I could beg you to go ahead to the garden, Lady Torrance, while I have a little private word with Miss Hammond?”

  Annie nodded and walked in the direction of the garden, which she could see through the open French windows of a long room at the end of the hall.

  There was a table under an oak tree on the lawn. Out on the blue, blue ocean, white-sailed yachts darted here and there. Little, fleecy clouds curled across the deep blue of the sky. It was pleasantly cool in the shade of the tree, with only the sound of the gentle breeze moving in the leaves above her head and the hum of bees from a clump of hollyhocks beside the French windows.

  All at once she was glad she had come. Somehow she had at least managed to meet a distinguished politician like Mr. Shaw-Bufford. Miss Hammond could not be quite the madwoman she seemed or the chancellor would surely have nothing to do with her.

  A butler appeared with a silver tray and began to set a magnificent silver teapot, cream jug, and hot-water pot on the table. He was rather an unnerving-looking man. His livery of cutaway coat and striped waistcoat seemed to be too small for his great bulk. He had sparse strands of hair carefully combed over the top of his head. His face looked as if it had been smashed up at one time and then badly rearranged.

  He did not once look at Annie or make any polite remark that one would normally expect from a butler. He disappeared and, after a few moments, reappeared with a large tray bearing plates of cucumber and salmon sandwiches, a magnificent plum cake, and a plate of hot scones oozing with butter.

  Annie waited and waited after he had left. She was thirsty but did not want to pour herself a cup of tea until her host and Miss Hammond arrived.

  The minutes began to drag by. A wasp hovered over the strawberry jam and she impatiently shooed it away.

  Annie found herself wondering what it would be like to shed a few of her underclothes. She could feel the heat emanating from the horsehair pads on her hips and bust, the long Empire corset, and the layers of petticoats. The high, boned collar of her blouse was digging painfully into the back of her neck. Would they never come?

  Just as she had given up and was reaching for the teapot, Mr. Shaw-Bufford and Miss Hammond appeared through the French windows. Miss Hammond looked… well, strange. Sort of elated and frightened and defiant and furtive—all at once.

  “My apologies, your ladyship,” said Mr. Shaw-Bufford. “I fear we have kept you waiting. Miss Hammond, will you pour for us? I hope to hear your husband speak in the Lords when the House sits again, Lady Torrance.”

  “I never thought of him even attending the House of Lords,” said Annie, startled.

  “He is a powerful speaker and a great loss to the House of Commons. Were he not a titled man, then I would certainly persuade him to try to run for office.”

  “I have not been married long,” said Annie. “My husband is in France at the moment.” She gave a very brittle, little laugh. “I don’t know much about him at all.”

  That was surely the cue for Miss Hammond to expound her down-with-men philosophy, but she remained strangely silent. In fact the rest of the conversation did not touch on Miss Hammond’s interest at all. At one point Annie tried to turn the conversation in that direction, feeling that it was only polite to do so, but Miss Hammond only seemed to want to talk about commonplaces, just like any ordinary housewife.

  As it was, Annie had only eaten one sandwich and drunk one cup of tea when a look flashed between Miss Hammond and the chancellor, and, as if on cue, both rose to their feet at once.

  “We really must be rushing along,” said Miss Hammond. “The chancellor has a great deal of important papers to sign.”

  “Of course,” murmured Annie. “I am sorry our meeting was so brief, Mr. Shaw-Bufford.”

  “And I, too. Will you be staying in Britlingsea long?”

  All at once, Annie made the first grown-up decision of her life. She would return to London tomorrow. She would wait in town for her husband. And she would ask him why he had married her.

  “I shall be leaving tomorrow,” she said firmly. “On the early train.”

  “Splendid,” he said. “I have a compartment reserved on the London train and would deem it an honor if you would share it with me, Lady Torrance.”

  “Thank you. Miss Hammond—I mean, Mary—will you be coming, too?”

  Was Miss Hammond about to accept? Or did the sudden pale look that the chancellor cast upon her stop her?

  “No, Annie,” she said. “I still have work to do here.”

  And that was that.

  It was strange, Annie reflected on the train the next day, that although she and the chancellor chatted generally of this and that all the way to London, although she found him to be a charming companion, she was surprised that he did not seem to want to talk about women’s rights or, indeed, refer to Miss Hammond at all.

  She hesitated a little when he offered to escort her to the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company on the following night. It was a special charity production, he said, of “The Pirates of Penzance.” All at once she accepted. He was a gentleman—which is more than could be said for her husband!

  CHAPTER FIVE

  It was two more weeks before the marquess returned to London. And those two weeks had made a great difference to his wife. She had become accustomed to the house and the servants in St. James’s Square. She had discovered the pleasures of shopping and sightseeing by herself. And she had several very pleasant outings with the chancellor of the exchequer. He rarely discussed politics with her, and when she had asked him point-blank what he thought about women getting the vote, a subject that was beginning to interest her strongly, he turned the subject aside with, “It is too serious a matter to go into at the moment. I would prefer to talk about something else.”

  He was comfortable company in that it was somehow like going out with no one. She was not aware of him as a man, only as a quiet, often witty escort whom she forgot about as soon as she had left him.

  Marigold, of course, got wind of her friendship with Mr. Shaw-Bufford and promptly called to tell Annie that the whole of London was talking about them. But t
his Annie knew to be untrue. She had quickly made a few friends among the society women who had viewed her friendship with the chancellor with equanimity, and since all were high sticklers, Annie knew they would not hesitate to caution her if she were doing anything wrong.

  She was quickly becoming accustomed to the life of an independent married woman. No Marigold around day and night to taunt and sneer, no Nanny or Miss Higgins to reprimand, no parents to make her feel rejected by their lack of interest. For it seemed as if her mother and father’s sudden burst of affection for her had died the day after she was married. The countess had not even considered it strange that the marquess should leave for France on his own. A woman was not supposed to question her husband’s mode of conduct. A good wife was a submissive wife. Any other attitude led to conflict.

  It was something of a shock, therefore, when Annie walked into the breakfast room one morning to find her husband calmly eating toast and marmalade and reading the morning papers.

  He was wearing a magnificent dressing gown, and his black hair was still tousled from sleep. He grinned at her amiably, remarked that it was a fine morning, and buried his head in his newspaper again.

  Annie drank her coffee with angry little sips and glared at what she could see of her husband. “Did you enjoy your stay in Paris?” she asked at last, her voice thin and hard.

  He put the paper down. “Very,” he remarked. “I didn’t spend the whole summer there, of course. I’ve been down to my country place to look over things for the last month at least.”

  “You’ve been… and you never thought to write or… But you couldn’t have been there. Marigold sent me a French newspaper cutting with a photograph of you and a Miss S.”

  “She’s late with the news, isn’t she?” said the marquess amiably. “That photograph was taken at least a month ago—in fact, it must have been six or seven weeks ago.”

 

    Agatha Raisin 31 - Hot to Trot Read onlineAgatha Raisin 31 - Hot to TrotBeatrice Goes to Brighton Read onlineBeatrice Goes to BrightonDeborah Goes to Dover Read onlineDeborah Goes to DoverDown the Hatch Read onlineDown the HatchHot to Trot Read onlineHot to TrotBeating About the Bush Read onlineBeating About the BushDeath of a Policeman Read onlineDeath of a PolicemanEdwardian Murder Mystery 04; Our Lady of Pain emm-4 Read onlineEdwardian Murder Mystery 04; Our Lady of Pain emm-4The Waverly Women Series (3-Book Bundle) Read onlineThe Waverly Women Series (3-Book Bundle)The French Affair (Endearing Young Charms Book 2) Read onlineThe French Affair (Endearing Young Charms Book 2)Death of a Witch hm-25 Read onlineDeath of a Witch hm-25Summer of Discontent Read onlineSummer of DiscontentPenelope Goes to Portsmouth Read onlinePenelope Goes to PortsmouthThe Day the Floods Came ar-12 Read onlineThe Day the Floods Came ar-12The Quiche of Death Read onlineThe Quiche of DeathDeath of a Dentist hm-13 Read onlineDeath of a Dentist hm-13Edwardian Murder Mystery 03; Sick of Shadows emm-3 Read onlineEdwardian Murder Mystery 03; Sick of Shadows emm-3Agatha Raisin The Deadly Dance ar-15 Read onlineAgatha Raisin The Deadly Dance ar-15Agatha Raisin & the Vicious Vet ar-2 Read onlineAgatha Raisin & the Vicious Vet ar-2Lessons in Love (The Regency Intrigue Series Book 3) Read onlineLessons in Love (The Regency Intrigue Series Book 3)Those Endearing Young Charms Read onlineThose Endearing Young CharmsAgatha Raisin and The Wellspring of Death ar-7 Read onlineAgatha Raisin and The Wellspring of Death ar-7Death of a Macho Man hm-12 Read onlineDeath of a Macho Man hm-12Lady Fortescue Steps Out Read onlineLady Fortescue Steps OutThe Wicked Godmother Read onlineThe Wicked GodmotherAgatha Raisin 18 (2007) - Kissing Christmas Goodbye Read onlineAgatha Raisin 18 (2007) - Kissing Christmas GoodbyeAgatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death ar-1 Read onlineAgatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death ar-1Agatha's First Case Read onlineAgatha's First CaseLady Fortescue Steps Out (The Poor Relation Series, Vol. 1) Read onlineLady Fortescue Steps Out (The Poor Relation Series, Vol. 1)There Goes The Bride Read onlineThere Goes The BrideAgatha Raisin and the Terrible Tourist Read onlineAgatha Raisin and the Terrible TouristThe Folly Read onlineThe FollyThe Chocolate Debutante Read onlineThe Chocolate DebutanteHiss and Hers: An Agatha Raisin Mystery Read onlineHiss and Hers: An Agatha Raisin MysteryThe Education of Miss Paterson Read onlineThe Education of Miss PatersonAgatha Raisin Love, Lies and Liquor ar-17 Read onlineAgatha Raisin Love, Lies and Liquor ar-17Molly Read onlineMollyDeath of a Poison Pen hm-20 Read onlineDeath of a Poison Pen hm-20Hamish MacBeth 15 (1999) - Death of an Addict Read onlineHamish MacBeth 15 (1999) - Death of an AddictDeath of a Witch Read onlineDeath of a WitchHamish Macbeth 24 (2008) - Death of a Gentle Lady Read onlineHamish Macbeth 24 (2008) - Death of a Gentle LadyDeath of Yesterday Read onlineDeath of YesterdayMrs. Budley Falls from Grace Read onlineMrs. Budley Falls from GraceThe Daring Debutantes Bundle Read onlineThe Daring Debutantes BundleBusy Body: An Agatha Raisin Mystery Read onlineBusy Body: An Agatha Raisin MysteryPretty Polly Read onlinePretty PollyThe Case of the Curious Curate ar-13 Read onlineThe Case of the Curious Curate ar-13Death of a Travelling Man hm-9 Read onlineDeath of a Travelling Man hm-9Death of a Bore hm-21 Read onlineDeath of a Bore hm-21Rake's Progress: HFTS4 Read onlineRake's Progress: HFTS4Miss Fiona's Fancy (The Royal Ambition Series Book 3) Read onlineMiss Fiona's Fancy (The Royal Ambition Series Book 3)Hamish Macbeth 19 (2003) - Death of a Village Read onlineHamish Macbeth 19 (2003) - Death of a VillageLady Lucy's Lover Read onlineLady Lucy's LoverMilady in Love (The Changing Fortunes Series, Vol. 5) Read onlineMilady in Love (The Changing Fortunes Series, Vol. 5)Colonel Sandhurst to the Rescue Read onlineColonel Sandhurst to the Rescue(17/30 Love, Lies and Liquor Read online(17/30 Love, Lies and LiquorHasty Death Read onlineHasty DeathDeath of a Nurse Read onlineDeath of a NurseDeath of a Scriptwriter hm-14 Read onlineDeath of a Scriptwriter hm-14The Chocolate Debutante (The Royal Ambition Series Book 5) Read onlineThe Chocolate Debutante (The Royal Ambition Series Book 5)Sally Read onlineSallyTilly Read onlineTillyDeath of a Dreamer hm-22 Read onlineDeath of a Dreamer hm-22Miss Davenport's Christmas (The Love and Temptation Series Book 6) Read onlineMiss Davenport's Christmas (The Love and Temptation Series Book 6)Death of a Dreamer Read onlineDeath of a DreamerDuke's Diamonds (Endearing Young Charms Book 1) Read onlineDuke's Diamonds (Endearing Young Charms Book 1)Agatha Raisin and the Christmas Crumble (short story) Read onlineAgatha Raisin and the Christmas Crumble (short story)Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden ar-9 Read onlineAgatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden ar-9His Lordship's Pleasure (The Regency Intrigue Series Book 5) Read onlineHis Lordship's Pleasure (The Regency Intrigue Series Book 5)The Homecoming Read onlineThe HomecomingHamish Macbeth 02; Death of a Cad hm-2 Read onlineHamish Macbeth 02; Death of a Cad hm-2Agatha Raisin and The Potted Gardener ar-3 Read onlineAgatha Raisin and The Potted Gardener ar-3Death of a Glutton Read onlineDeath of a GluttonHamish Macbeth 02 (1987) - Death of a Cad Read onlineHamish Macbeth 02 (1987) - Death of a CadThe Wicked Godmother: HFTS3 Read onlineThe Wicked Godmother: HFTS3The Glitter and the Gold (Endearing Young Charms Book 7) Read onlineThe Glitter and the Gold (Endearing Young Charms Book 7)The Viscount's Revenge (The Royal Ambition Series Book 4) Read onlineThe Viscount's Revenge (The Royal Ambition Series Book 4)Her Grace's Passion Read onlineHer Grace's PassionHenrietta Read onlineHenriettaAt the Sign of the Golden Pineapple Read onlineAt the Sign of the Golden PineappleThe Blood of an Englishman Read onlineThe Blood of an EnglishmanSomething Borrowed, Someone Dead: An Agatha Raisin Mystery (Agatha Raisin Mysteries) Read onlineSomething Borrowed, Someone Dead: An Agatha Raisin Mystery (Agatha Raisin Mysteries)Emily Goes to Exeter Read onlineEmily Goes to ExeterDeath of a Cad Read onlineDeath of a CadAgatha Raisin and the Wellspring of Death Read onlineAgatha Raisin and the Wellspring of DeathDancing on the Wind (The Regency Intrigue Series Book 8) Read onlineDancing on the Wind (The Regency Intrigue Series Book 8)A Marriage of Inconvenience (Endearing Young Charms Book 5) Read onlineA Marriage of Inconvenience (Endearing Young Charms Book 5)The Ghost and Lady Alice (The Regency Intrigue Series Book 6) Read onlineThe Ghost and Lady Alice (The Regency Intrigue Series Book 6)Hamish Macbeth 04; Death of a Perfect Wife hm-4 Read onlineHamish Macbeth 04; Death of a Perfect Wife hm-4My Dear Duchess Read onlineMy Dear DuchessMrs. Budley Falls From Grace (The Poor Relation Series Book 3) Read onlineMrs. Budley Falls From Grace (The Poor Relation Series Book 3)Agatha Raisin and the Haunted House Read onlineAgatha Raisin and the Haunted HouseThe Education of Miss Patterson (The Love and Temptation Series Book 3) Read onlineThe Education of Miss Patterson (The Love and Temptation Series Book 3)Agatha Raisin and The Walkers of Dembley ar-4 Read onlineAgatha Raisin and The Walkers of Dembley ar-4The Original Miss Honeyford Read onlineThe Original Miss HoneyfordA Spoonful of Poison Read onlineA Spoonful of PoisonHamish Macbeth Omnibus Read onlineHamish Macbeth OmnibusAgatha Raisin and the Busy Body ar-21 Read onlineAgatha Raisin and the Busy Body ar-21Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden Read onlineAgatha Raisin and the Witch of WyckhaddenHamish Macbeth 08 (1993) - Death of a Glutton Read onlineHamish Macbeth 08 (1993) - Death of a GluttonDeath of a Gentle Lady hm-24 Read onlineDeath of a Gentle Lady hm-24Ms. Davenport's Christmas Read onlineMs. Davenport's ChristmasAgatha Raisin Kissing Christmas Goodbye ar-18 Read onlineAgatha Raisin Kissing Christmas Goodbye ar-18Lady Anne's Deception Read onlineLady Anne's DeceptionAgatha Raisin The Perfect Paragon ar-16 Read onlineAgatha Raisin The Perfect Paragon ar-16Edwardian Murder Mystery 02; Hasty Death emm-2 Read onlineEdwardian Murder Mystery 02; Hasty Death emm-2The Constant Companion Read onlineThe Constant CompanionHamish Macbeth 14 (1999) - Death of a Scriptwriter Read onlineHamish Macbeth 14 (1999) - Death of a ScriptwriterGinny Read onlineGinnyHamish Macbeth 10 (1994) - Death of a Charming Man Read onlineHamish Macbeth 10 (1994) - Death of a Charming ManHamish Macbeth 03; Death of an Outsider hm-3 Read onlineHamish Macbeth 03; Death of an Outsider hm-3The Love from Hell ar-11 Read onlineThe Love from Hell ar-11The Scandalous Lady Wright (The Regency Intrigue Series Book 4) Read onlineThe Scandalous Lady Wright (The Regency Intrigue Series Book 4)Hamish Macbeth 17 (2001) - Death of a Dustman Read onlineHamish Macbeth 17 (2001) - Death of a DustmanHamish Macbeth 13 (1997) - Death of a Dentist Read onlineHamish Macbeth 13 (1997) - Death of a DentistThe Paper Princess (The Royal Ambition Series Book 7) Read onlineThe Paper Princess (The Royal Ambition Series Book 7)Rainbird's Revenge: HFTS6 Read onlineRainbird's Revenge: HFTS6The Perfect Gentleman (The Love and Temptation Series Book 7) Read onlineThe Perfect Gentleman (The Love and Temptation Series Book 7)Sir Philip's Folly (The Poor Relation Series Book 4) Read onlineSir Philip's Folly (The Poor Relation Series Book 4)The Witches' Tree--An Agatha Raisin Mystery Read onlineThe Witches' Tree--An Agatha Raisin MysteryDeath of an Outsider Read onlineDeath of an OutsiderHamish MacBeth 03 (1988) - Death of an Outsider Read onlineHamish MacBeth 03 (1988) - Death of an OutsiderAgatha Raisin and the Perfect Paragon Read onlineAgatha Raisin and the Perfect ParagonDeath of a Chimney Sweep Read onlineDeath of a Chimney SweepThe Dreadful Debutante (The Royal Ambition Series Book 1) Read onlineThe Dreadful Debutante (The Royal Ambition Series Book 1)Something Borrowed, Someone Dead Read onlineSomething Borrowed, Someone DeadAgatha Raisin and The Murderous Marriage ar-5 Read onlineAgatha Raisin and The Murderous Marriage ar-5The Highland Countess Read onlineThe Highland CountessDeath of a Chimney Sweep hm-1 Read onlineDeath of a Chimney Sweep hm-1The Skeleton in the Closet Read onlineThe Skeleton in the ClosetSusie Read onlineSusieAgatha Raisin and Kissing Christmas Goodbye Read onlineAgatha Raisin and Kissing Christmas GoodbyeRegency Gold (The Regency Intrigue Series Book 2) Read onlineRegency Gold (The Regency Intrigue Series Book 2)The Marquis Takes a Bride Read onlineThe Marquis Takes a BrideHamish Macbeth 16 (1999) - A Highland Christmas Read onlineHamish Macbeth 16 (1999) - A Highland ChristmasDeath of a Liar Read onlineDeath of a LiarHamish Macbeth 01; Death of a Gossip hm-1 Read onlineHamish Macbeth 01; Death of a Gossip hm-1Love and Lady Lovelace (The Changing Fortunes Series, Vol. 8) Read onlineLove and Lady Lovelace (The Changing Fortunes Series, Vol. 8)Death of an Honest Man Read onlineDeath of an Honest ManThe Desirable Duchess Read onlineThe Desirable DuchessDeception (Daughters of Mannerling 3) Read onlineDeception (Daughters of Mannerling 3)A Highland Christmas hm-16 Read onlineA Highland Christmas hm-16Polly Read onlinePollyThe Savage Marquess Read onlineThe Savage MarquessAgatha Raisin 03 (1994) - The Potted Gardener Read onlineAgatha Raisin 03 (1994) - The Potted GardenerPushing Up Daisies Read onlinePushing Up DaisiesDeath Of An Addict Read onlineDeath Of An AddictBanishment (Daughters of Mannerling 1) Read onlineBanishment (Daughters of Mannerling 1)Amaryllis Read onlineAmaryllisHamish MacBeth 06 (1991) - Death of a Snob Read onlineHamish MacBeth 06 (1991) - Death of a SnobThe Paper Princess Read onlineThe Paper PrincessHamish Macbeth 06; Death of a Snob hm-6 Read onlineHamish Macbeth 06; Death of a Snob hm-6The Dreadful Debutante Read onlineThe Dreadful DebutanteAgatha Raisin and the Fairies of Fryfam Read onlineAgatha Raisin and the Fairies of FryfamHamish Macbeth 22 (2006) - Death of a Dreamer Read onlineHamish Macbeth 22 (2006) - Death of a DreamerDishing the Dirt Read onlineDishing the DirtMinerva Read onlineMinervaDeath of a Nag hm-11 Read onlineDeath of a Nag hm-11Hamish Macbeth 18 (2002) - Death of a Celebrity Read onlineHamish Macbeth 18 (2002) - Death of a CelebrityQuadrille (The Love and Temptation Series Book 5) Read onlineQuadrille (The Love and Temptation Series Book 5)Death of a Glutton hm-8 Read onlineDeath of a Glutton hm-8The Westerby Sisters (Changing Fortunes Series) Read onlineThe Westerby Sisters (Changing Fortunes Series)The Scandalous Marriage (The Dukes and Desires Series Book 7) Read onlineThe Scandalous Marriage (The Dukes and Desires Series Book 7)The Adventuress: HFTS5 Read onlineThe Adventuress: HFTS5Death of a Valentine Read onlineDeath of a ValentineDeath of a Nag Read onlineDeath of a NagDeath of a Dustman hm-17 Read onlineDeath of a Dustman hm-17Hamish Macbeth 09 (1993) - Death of a Travelling Man Read onlineHamish Macbeth 09 (1993) - Death of a Travelling ManThe Loves of Lord Granton (The Changing Fortunes Series, Vol. 2) Read onlineThe Loves of Lord Granton (The Changing Fortunes Series, Vol. 2)Agatha Raisin and a Spoonful of Poison ar-19 Read onlineAgatha Raisin and a Spoonful of Poison ar-19To Dream of Love Read onlineTo Dream of LoveAgatha Raisin 04 (1995) - The Walkers of Dembley Read onlineAgatha Raisin 04 (1995) - The Walkers of DembleyHamish MacBeth 01 (1985) - Death of a Gossip Read onlineHamish MacBeth 01 (1985) - Death of a GossipDeath of a Maid hm-23 Read onlineDeath of a Maid hm-23Belinda Goes to Bath Read onlineBelinda Goes to BathDeath of a Kingfisher Read onlineDeath of a KingfisherDeath of a Charming Man hm-10 Read onlineDeath of a Charming Man hm-10Death of a Prankster hm-7 Read onlineDeath of a Prankster hm-7The Miser of Mayfair: HFTS1 Read onlineThe Miser of Mayfair: HFTS1Hamish Macbeth 05; Death of a Hussy hm-5 Read onlineHamish Macbeth 05; Death of a Hussy hm-5A Governess of Distinction (Endearing Young Charms Book 6) Read onlineA Governess of Distinction (Endearing Young Charms Book 6)The Westerby Inheritance Read onlineThe Westerby InheritanceDeath of a Hussy Read onlineDeath of a HussyHamish MacBeth 07 (1998) - Death of a Prankster Read onlineHamish MacBeth 07 (1998) - Death of a PranksterHamish Macbeth 20 (2004) - Death of a Poison Pen Read onlineHamish Macbeth 20 (2004) - Death of a Poison PenMiss Tonks Turns to Crime Read onlineMiss Tonks Turns to CrimeEdwardian Murder Mystery 01; Snobbery with Violence emm-1 Read onlineEdwardian Murder Mystery 01; Snobbery with Violence emm-1Agatha Raisin and the Wizard of Evesham Read onlineAgatha Raisin and the Wizard of EveshamHamish Macbeth 12 (1996) - Death of a Macho Man Read onlineHamish Macbeth 12 (1996) - Death of a Macho ManYvonne Goes to York Read onlineYvonne Goes to YorkA Highland Christmas Read onlineA Highland ChristmasSweet Masquerade (The Love and Temptation Series Book 4) Read onlineSweet Masquerade (The Love and Temptation Series Book 4)Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wykhadden Read onlineAgatha Raisin and the Witch of WykhaddenThe Dead Ringer Read onlineThe Dead RingerAgatha Raisin 05 (1996) - The Murderous Marriage Read onlineAgatha Raisin 05 (1996) - The Murderous MarriageAgatha Raisin 07 (1998) - The Wellspring of Death Read onlineAgatha Raisin 07 (1998) - The Wellspring of DeathAgatha Raisin: As the Pig Turns ar-22 Read onlineAgatha Raisin: As the Pig Turns ar-22