a Mrs Gloria Comfort. When we get out
of here, however, the first thing we do is to go up to Charles Street in London and see if Mrs Gore-Appleton is still at the same address. Then we’ll start on these names.’
‘Have you paid for the whole week in advance?’ asked Agatha.
‘Yes.’
‘So don’t you think we should stay the whole week and get our money’s worth?’
‘I should die of boredom,’ said James, turning away to pick up his pyjamas and so missing the look of naked hurt in Agatha’s eyes. ‘May as well both get our medical
check-up, have a swim or a massage or something, and then get the hell out of here.’
Agatha found at her medical the following morning that her blood pressure and cholesterol levels were both a bit high. After a breakfast of muesli and fruit, she looked at her programme and went
to the masseur to be pulled and pummelled, then a sauna and then to the gym for the morning’s aerobics.
James was already there. The class was led by a blonde with long, long legs and a staggeringly beautiful figure. Agatha panted and sweated, aware the whole time that James’s eyes were
fastened on the vision leading the class. From wanting to stay on the whole week, she suddenly couldn’t wait to get out of the place. After the class was over, she fidgeted impatiently while
James chatted to the blonde instructress.
Over a meagre salad lunch and fruit juice, James looked at his own programme. ‘Going easy on me for the first day,’ he said. ‘Not much this afternoon. Like to go for a
swim?’
Agatha had a sudden mental picture of her own body set against the glory of that of the instructress. She shook her head. ‘I thought we should be getting on with our
investigations.’
‘Right you are,’ he said easily. ‘But I thought you wanted to stay.’
‘Mr Adder is over there and keeps darting little looks at us.’
‘Agatha, I don’t believe you. I think the aerobics class was too much for you.’
‘Not in the slightest. I got a little puffed, that’s all.’
‘I wouldn’t worry about Adder. It’s quite pleasant here.’ He laughed at the baffled look on Agatha’s face. ‘It’s all right. We’ll go. What excuse
shall we give?’
‘I have these fads. I’m a temperamental lady. I’ve changed my mind.’
‘That should do the trick. If you’ve finished, go and start packing and I’ll deal with Mr Adder.’
Dealing with Mr Adder proved trickier than James had expected. He listened in silence to James’s tale of a temperamental wife, and then said, ‘We don’t give refunds.’
‘I didn’t suppose for a minute you did,’ said James airily.
Mr Adder leaned forward. ‘Have you heard of co-dependency therapy?’
‘I beg your pardon?’
‘I think you could do with some counselling, Mr Perth. We like to supply our customers with the best of service, and that includes looking after their mental welfare as well as their
physical well-being. You appear to be in prime condition and yet you are married to a lady who gets you up in the middle of the night to run up and down the stairs. It strikes me that you have
agreed to her whim to leave without protest. You have been taken hostage, Mr Perth.’
‘Oh, Agatha and I get on all right.’
Mr Adder leaned forward and tapped James on the knee. ‘Provided you always do exactly what she wants, hey?’
James put a shifty look on his face. ‘Well, it’s her money, you see.’
‘And you go along with everything she wants because she holds the purse-strings?’
‘Why not?’ demanded James. ‘I’m not getting any younger. Don’t want to go out and look for work at my age.’
A look of distaste crossed Mr Adder’s features. ‘If you choose to earn your money being at your wife’s beck and call, then there is nothing I can do for you. But I have never
come across a man whose appearance was more deceptive. I would have judged you a strong character of high morals and firm convictions who could not be
of here, however, the first thing we do is to go up to Charles Street in London and see if Mrs Gore-Appleton is still at the same address. Then we’ll start on these names.’
‘Have you paid for the whole week in advance?’ asked Agatha.
‘Yes.’
‘So don’t you think we should stay the whole week and get our money’s worth?’
‘I should die of boredom,’ said James, turning away to pick up his pyjamas and so missing the look of naked hurt in Agatha’s eyes. ‘May as well both get our medical
check-up, have a swim or a massage or something, and then get the hell out of here.’
Agatha found at her medical the following morning that her blood pressure and cholesterol levels were both a bit high. After a breakfast of muesli and fruit, she looked at her programme and went
to the masseur to be pulled and pummelled, then a sauna and then to the gym for the morning’s aerobics.
James was already there. The class was led by a blonde with long, long legs and a staggeringly beautiful figure. Agatha panted and sweated, aware the whole time that James’s eyes were
fastened on the vision leading the class. From wanting to stay on the whole week, she suddenly couldn’t wait to get out of the place. After the class was over, she fidgeted impatiently while
James chatted to the blonde instructress.
Over a meagre salad lunch and fruit juice, James looked at his own programme. ‘Going easy on me for the first day,’ he said. ‘Not much this afternoon. Like to go for a
swim?’
Agatha had a sudden mental picture of her own body set against the glory of that of the instructress. She shook her head. ‘I thought we should be getting on with our
investigations.’
‘Right you are,’ he said easily. ‘But I thought you wanted to stay.’
‘Mr Adder is over there and keeps darting little looks at us.’
‘Agatha, I don’t believe you. I think the aerobics class was too much for you.’
‘Not in the slightest. I got a little puffed, that’s all.’
‘I wouldn’t worry about Adder. It’s quite pleasant here.’ He laughed at the baffled look on Agatha’s face. ‘It’s all right. We’ll go. What excuse
shall we give?’
‘I have these fads. I’m a temperamental lady. I’ve changed my mind.’
‘That should do the trick. If you’ve finished, go and start packing and I’ll deal with Mr Adder.’
Dealing with Mr Adder proved trickier than James had expected. He listened in silence to James’s tale of a temperamental wife, and then said, ‘We don’t give refunds.’
‘I didn’t suppose for a minute you did,’ said James airily.
Mr Adder leaned forward. ‘Have you heard of co-dependency therapy?’
‘I beg your pardon?’
‘I think you could do with some counselling, Mr Perth. We like to supply our customers with the best of service, and that includes looking after their mental welfare as well as their
physical well-being. You appear to be in prime condition and yet you are married to a lady who gets you up in the middle of the night to run up and down the stairs. It strikes me that you have
agreed to her whim to leave without protest. You have been taken hostage, Mr Perth.’
‘Oh, Agatha and I get on all right.’
Mr Adder leaned forward and tapped James on the knee. ‘Provided you always do exactly what she wants, hey?’
James put a shifty look on his face. ‘Well, it’s her money, you see.’
‘And you go along with everything she wants because she holds the purse-strings?’
‘Why not?’ demanded James. ‘I’m not getting any younger. Don’t want to go out and look for work at my age.’
A look of distaste crossed Mr Adder’s features. ‘If you choose to earn your money being at your wife’s beck and call, then there is nothing I can do for you. But I have never
come across a man whose appearance was more deceptive. I would have judged you a strong character of high morals and firm convictions who could not be
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