Read Online Canapés for the Kitties by Marian Babson - Free Book Online Page A

death.” Petunia lowered her voice and her sisters moved closer in order to hear. “But the manner of it!”
    â€œA duff mushroom in the mushrooms a la Grecque could happen to anyone.” Lily persisted stubbornly in her defence of the vicar’s wife.
    â€œ That is why it was such a brilliant method of murder!” Miss Petunia pointed out triumphantly.
    â€œMurder!” Lily’s eyes gleamed. “I say, Pet, are we on the trail again?”
    â€œBut who – ?” Marigold breathed.
    â€œThe least likely suspect, of course.” Lily looked around the hall thoughtfully. “How about the gypsy fortune teller? Bad lot, those gypsies, anyway.”
    â€œShe wasn’t here last year, dear,” Miss Petunia reminded her sister. “Besides, she’s not a real gypsy, she’s Miss Plotz, the librarian.”
    â€œThen who?” Lily’s eyes narrowed, the tip of her nose twitched. Everyone was under suspicion now.
    â€œYou will remember that I was one of the judges last year,” Miss Petunia said. “After Lady Mallerwynn opened the bazaar and did her usual round of the stands, thoughtfully buying something at each, she then went directly to the judging platform on the stage. You might not have noticed it, but she had brought her own silver spoon and silver pickle fork to use in the tastings. The mushrooms a la Grecque were the first of the picklings to be judged. They were opened in her presence. When she removed the pickle fork from her capacious handbag, I noticed that there was something soft and small stuck on the tines – so that she shouldn’t inadvertently stab herself if she groped quickly for a handkerchief, she said. ”
    â€œYou mean that Lady Mallerwynn?” Marigold gasped.
    â€œPrecisely! She was, of course, the first to taste – and it would be quite easy for her to add a mushroom as well as take one out! Then it was my turn to taste but – as everyone knows – ever since that terrible holiday we had in Athens, I have never been able to stomach Greek food. So I simply pretended to taste the mushrooms although, naturally, I gave Mrs. Christian the highest mark on my scoring pad, for everyone knows she’s a wonderful cook. Then poor Mr. Mallory actually did bite into his mushroom – and we all know the consequences!”
    â€œLady Mallerwynn!” Lily’s fists clenched. “And she let the vicar’s wife take the blame!”
    â€œOh, it’s so unfair!” Marigold cried. “Especially as poor Mrs. Christian is such a martyr to neuralgia!”
    â€œIs she?” Miss Petunia was intrigued. “How do you know that, Marigold?”
    â€œHaven’t you noticed? I have. Every time we’re talking together like this and I glance over at Mrs. Christian, she’s grimacing – bravely trying to hide her pain.”
    With one accord, all three turned their heads to stare at Mrs. Christian. Sure enough, she was grimacing, wincing –  in fact, she flinched.
    â€œPoor woman!” Lily said. “We must do all we can to help her.”
    â€œIndeed,” Miss Petunia agreed. “That is why we are here. We must keep careful watch today and miss nothing.”
    â€œBut, Pet,” Marigold demurred. “Lady Mallerwynn isn’t here this year, so how could anything go wrong? Besides” –  her eyes clouded – “why on earth should she have wanted to kill poor old Mr. Mallory?”
    â€œAh!” Miss Petunia adjusted her pince-nez and looked at her sister meaningly. “Just consider the similarity of their two names. It is my suspicion that Mr. Mallory, recently retired from a life in the merchant navy, was really the rightful Lord Mallerwynn and heir to all the fortune and estates. Since returning to his native village of St. Waldemar Boniface and taking up a hobby of genealogy, he would have begun to realize this and be making plans to lay