‘I spoke to Agatha today, James,’ said Bill. ‘I don’t know what she was doing at the battlefields, but Agatha likes to compete with people. You’d better watch out. Maybe she plans to turn out her own guides. No, I shouldn’t think for a moment she was stalking you.’

Detective Sergeant Collins listened outside Bill’s door. She was jealous of Bill and highly ambitious, so she often listened to his calls, hoping to steal a march on him. But Bill’s call this time seemed to be nothing important. Only some chat about that infuriating Raisin female.

The days before the wedding seemed, to Agatha, to hurtle past and soon she was in her car being driven to Sussex. Agatha had agreed to let Toni drive because her hip was hurting again. A surgeon had told her that she really must begin to think seriously about having a hip operation.

Toni was wearing a leather jacket over a black T-shirt. A broad leather belt was slung low over her slim hips and her black trousers were tucked into a pair of pixie boots. Her fair hair was cut short and layered.

Agatha glanced at her sideways and sighed. Her own figure, although she had lost weight, seemed to sag even more these days. She had been neglecting her exercises. Sometimes early fifties felt young enough to her, but on days like this, seated next to the glowing youth of Toni and going to her ex’s marriage to a gorgeous girl, she felt ancient. Agatha’s legs were still good and her brown hair thick and glossy.

The countryside sped past. ‘Half a league, half a league, half a league onwards,’ muttered Agatha.

‘Oh, we got that at school,’ said Toni. ‘“The Charge of the Light Brigade”.’

Agatha winced. She had forgotten where the quotation came from.

‘What’s in your enormous suitcase?’ asked Toni. ‘We’ll only be there for a couple of days.’

‘Because I don’t know what to wear,’ said Agatha, ‘so I brought as much as I could. I don’t know whether to be dressy or smart casual.’

‘They’ll all be wearing hats like the Duchess of Cornwall,’ said Toni.

‘I haven’t got a hat.’

‘Neither have I. You always look smart.’

‘How’s business going?’

‘We’re actually beginning to make a profit.’

Agatha fought down a surge of competition. Just look where that character defect had got her. Making a right fool of herself. At least she could try to keep clear of James.

Toni hit that idea on the head by saying, ‘There’s some sort of pre-wedding party tonight at Downboys.’

‘Why?’ moaned Agatha. ‘The groom’s not supposed to see the bride before the wedding.’

‘I don’t think that bothers people these days,’ said Toni.

‘Why did you book us in at a pub? Doesn’t Hewes boast a hotel?’