The Case of the Curious Cook

by Cathy Ace

  Carol met up with David and Albert, and the three of them had a fine time at all the stalls, then sat beneath the shady trees. The photographs Carol took would be the perfect mementos of a wonderful family day, the first time they’d used the large picnic basket she and David had been given as a wedding present. She couldn’t help but wonder how many more times she, David and Albert would attend the Chellingworth Summer Fete. She hoped it, along with many of the other annual events in and around Anwen-by-Wye, would become staples in their family life. She felt she was living in a lifestyle magazine as she flattened the checked tablecloth on the springy, verdant grass and delighted in the view of the marquees and Chellingworth Hall’s magnificent façade in the summer sun.

  ‘Love you this much,’ she said waving her arms around her, looking at her husband.

  ‘I know exactly what you mean,’ he replied as Albert squirmed in his portable car seat and pulled on his toes.

  Annie tracked down Tudor in the beer tent, where he had several barrels of ale and crates full of bottles on offer, and was being helped to serve by many willing hands. He told her he was pleased to see her because Rosie and Gertie needed more attention than he could give them. Annie took the puppies off to play, then the three of them collapsed in the shade, where Tudor found them. Annie was delighted to see he was carrying a bucket filled with cold bottles, and thrilled when he presented her with a few pork pies wrapped in a tea towel. The final flourish came when he pulled a couple of packets of hot sauce out of his pocket.

  ‘I hope it’s the right sort, it was the best I could do,’ he said as he presented them to her.

  Annie grinned. ‘Eustelle would throw a fit, but it’s me you’re talking about – any hot sauce is better than no hot sauce.’

  Christine met Alexander in the parking area, and they wandered the attractions together. She declined having her palm read by Gypsy Pritchard, and laughed when Alexander told her he knew her future in any case.

  ‘You’re a very clever man then, because I don’t know it myself,’ said Christine lightly.

  ‘Maybe I am. But I won’t say any more until I know your answer will be yes.’

  Standing close in the swirling throng Christine challenged him. ‘How do you know I won’t say yes now?’ She grinned wickedly.

  Alexander held both her arms and pulled her to him. ‘Did you enjoy your fizzy water in that pub in Soho, by the way?’

  Christine flushed. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I know you saw me in that pub. Why didn’t you mention it?’

  Christine decided to make a clean breast of it. ‘I knew something fishy was going on and I wasn’t sure I wanted to get to the bottom of it.’

  ‘Are you now?’

  ‘You mean do I want to solve what Annie would undoubtedly call The Case of the Dodgy Developer? I’m still not certain. I saw you hand an envelope of what I assume was cash to a trio of highly suspicious-looking men. If you’d like to tell me why that was, then on your own head be it.’ She stared him down.

  ‘I can’t change overnight, Christine, but I am making real alterations to the way I do business. Instead of fighting fire with fire, I’ve been trying a new tactic – new for me anyway – I put the fire out. What you saw was me buying off a competing developer. He wanted some houses I had my eye on, and I decided I’d try to talk him into stopping the campaign of terror he was waging against the residents, rather than … well, doing anything less savory.’

  ‘So you did something different. For you. Good. Did it work?’

  ‘It worked.’

  ‘I’m glad.’

  ‘Me too. And surprised.’

  ‘How did you spot me?’ Christine thought she’d done a good job of remaining out of sight in the pub.

  Alexander smiled. ‘Oh my darling – I know how you breath, how you move and how you smell. I couldn’t miss all that. I could feel you in the room.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Yes. And I could see your reflection in the facets of the glass paneling I was facing. That helped.’

  They hugged.

  ‘Just give me time, Christine? I can’t change overnight, but I can do it. We both need to learn to trust each other, don’t you think?’

  Christine nodded.

  ‘So, with that sorted,’ said Alexander after a few moments of thoughtful silence, ‘how about I buy you a beer? Or a bun?’

  ‘I’ve got a better idea,’ replied Christine playfully, ‘how about you try to knock a few coconuts off their perches and win some tickets we can redeem for a cuppa or two? More sporting all round, wouldn’t you say?’

  Mavis took tea in the refreshment tent with Bryn Jenkins, and was a little irritated by his underwhelming response to the conclusion of their case. She was pleased when Val joined them and showed only too well how overjoyed she was at the day’s news. As the daughter rattled off how the money could change their lives, the father sat looking into his cup of tea as though the world was about to end.

  ‘Come on, Dad, it’ll change both our futures. No more living under the same roof. I’ll be able to get my own place again now.’

  ‘The chapel needs a new roof. That’s where all the money will go,’ he said.

  Mavis was shocked. ‘But I thought you and Val owned the business jointly? Isn’t that what you said?’

  ‘We do,’ replied Val. ‘Half of whatever we get for those miniatures is mine by rights, Dad.’ The young woman looked distraught. ‘I’ve been hoping it would happen, and now it has. If you want to give your half to the chapel, then you do that. I’ll do what I want with my half.’

  ‘You’ll do as your father tells you,’ snapped Bryn.

  Mavis saw the pain in his daughter’s eyes, then saw the tears well up. She wondered if she should leave them alone because she was pretty sure a storm was about to break in front of her, but she was too late.

  Val Jenkins stood and looked down at her father’s bowed head. ‘Sorry, Dad, it’s time. I’ve done my dutiful daughter bit, and I’ll carry on doing it until we can liquidate our assets, then I’m off.’ She paused to draw breath and gave her attention to Mavis. ‘Thanks for all the work you’ve done for us, Mavis. Your invoices will be paid by our joint business. Your efforts have freed me. I’ll never know how to show you how grateful I am for that. Without exaggerating – you’ve saved my life. I’m going to have a pint to celebrate. Bye, Dad.’

  As she left, Bryn lifted his head and said, ‘Terrible thing, alcohol. It can ruin a person, like her. I happen to know she goes to the pub several times a week, whatever she might say about evening classes and so forth.’

  Mavis weighed her response carefully. She stood and picked up her shoulder bag. Before leaving she said, ‘Goodbye, Bryn. I’m sure we’ll be able to conclude our business swiftly, and without having to meet again.’

  At 3 p.m. on the dot, Althea, Henry, Stephanie and Clementine gathered on the little stage, and Tudor leapt into action as the master of ceremonies. His voice boomed out across the estate and the large crowd gathered in spots where they could get a good view of the proceedings.

  Henry and Clementine did a pretty good job of speaking to the assembled masses about how their mother had inspired them throughout their formative years and into their adult lives, then it was Stephanie’s turn to take the microphone.

  The duchess thanked everyone who’d worked so hard to make the event such a success and presented a check to the local children’s charity which was raising funds for its literacy outreach. Then she called upon Tudor to speak, at some length as it all turned out, about how influential Althea had been in the local, and wider Welsh community. Applause rang out on several occasions, then he called for quiet, and Stephanie took center stage again.

  ‘I know we can sometimes take a person for granted, especially when we are able to forget they are, actually, a person … not just a title. Althea Twyst is my mother-in-law, and she is a wonderful woman. She has welcomed me into the family with warmth, humor and humility, and I was in l
ittle doubt that the best birthday present she could ever have would be what’s about to happen. Ladies and gentlemen …’

  The recorded strains of the Welsh national anthem were piped through the loudspeaker system and anyone who was sitting, stood. As throngs of people dotted across the grounds in front of Chellingworth Hall joined in the signing of ‘Mae hen wlad fy nhadau,’ a procession of men, women and children filed onto the stage behind Althea and the rest of the Twyst family. As the rousing end of the anthem rang around the picturesque estate, and Welsh flags fluttered proudly in the summer breeze, Stephanie took Althea by the hand and drew her toward the microphone.

  ‘Your Grace – Althea – your work in the community has changed the life of every person you see on this stage today. These people are just some of those who have benefitted from your fundraising efforts for fighting cancer, local literacy groups, book supplies for hospitals, youth groups with their focus on sports, the arts and music, activity groups for the elderly and many more. They all wanted to come today to thank you.’

  Applause and shouts of support brought tears to the dowager’s eyes. She stepped forward and took the microphone.

  ‘They don’t need to say thank you to me, I should be the one saying thank you to them. Having a reason to get up in the morning is all I ask for, and I know today, more than ever, the best reason to get up and get going is to help someone in some way. Thanks to my friends at the WISE Enquiries Agency for letting me work with them to do that, and thanks to all the groups represented here – and those who aren’t – for allowing me to lend a helping hand.’

  A rousing chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’ was led by Henry while his mother greeted everyone, individually, on the stage.

  As they moved away, Henry whispered to his wife, ‘Mother seems to be genuinely happy. I’m delighted – and it’s in large part due to all your wonderful arrangements and hard work. Thank you so much, my dear. I only hope her birthday next year doesn’t prove to be something of an anti-climax after this one.’

  Stephanie smiled up at her husband. ‘I don’t think it will be, Henry dear. It’ll be the first birthday she’ll celebrate as a grandmother. That’s pretty special, isn’t it? Do you think she’ll like that?’

  Henry stood stock still among the swirling group. ‘Do you mean …?’ His wife nodded, and squeezed his hand. ‘Is that why you’ve been a bit off color?’ She nodded again. ‘Bless my soul,’ was all Henry could manage.