God Rob Ye Merry Gentleman Read Online Free PDF

never queried the reference to Beauchamp as a Senior, but he couldn’t resist asking, ‘You didn’t come into Belchester in the Rolls, then?’
    â€˜No.’ Suddenly Hugo was quite animated. ‘Manda bought us both mobility scooters for Christmas, and we’ve used today to try them out. No more tricycle for me! Hurrah!’
    â€˜And,’ his relentless friend continued, to regain the limelight, ‘you can check with the others who had not noticed anything missing when I last spoke to them.’
    â€˜And Beauchamp would be happy to identify the person you specifically named?’
    â€˜He would. Now, I’ve a little plan with which I hope you may be able to help out.’ As she explained, a smile broke out on the sergeant’s face, and he agreed at once. ‘I’ve always wanted to do something like that. I’d be delighted. And now I must get on with recovering the stolen items and taking our imaginative chummie into custody.’
    Hugo lifted his eyebrows and exclaimed, ‘I say …’ as Lady Amanda interjected, ‘Not you, you silly old fool – the thief.’

CHRISTMAS EVE
    Lady Amanda had arranged a little drinks party before she and all her cronies went for Midnight Mass, and a little light supper, of course, to sustain them through to the late hour: a little out-of-season asparagus and a few bite-sized caviar canapés – one knows the sort of thing. When the old-fashioned bell-pull started to be yanked, the library table was laden with plates of delicious bits and pieces, both sweet and savoury.
    The party of local decrepits who arrived at the grand entrance to Belchester Towers were well wrapped up – furs for the ladies, cosy cashmere for the men – and hats, scarves and gloves abounded. But they were not in the least irked, for they knew that the Beauchamps pére et fils , would convey them from the reception to the cathedral, all crushed in and toasty in the Rolls and the Daimler and, as they were the cream of the county (or, at least, the scum that rose to the surface of it) no local member of the Constabulary would dare ticket them for overcrowding.
    It was about eight thirty, when coats had been shed along with overshoes, and other outer garments had been put away, and the guests were just starting to descend on the delicate and delicious bites of food that there was an urgent peel on the front door bell, and Lady A winked at Beauchamp Senior and indicated that he should answer it while Beauchamp Junior called, very loudly over the buzz of excited chatter, ‘Pray silence for our special seasonal visitor.’
    â€˜Would you please fill your plates,’ requested his father, equally loudly, ‘charge your glasses, and pray be seated for tonight’s very special event.’
    The ‘mature’ guests, having been brought up to obey an authoritarian voice which sounded as if it knew what it was talking about, immediately assembled on the chairs and sofas scattered round the book-lined room, leaving the library table looking as if it had played host to a swarm of locusts with particularly large appetites.
    â€˜My Lords, Ladies, and gentlemen, may I introduce to you our special guest for this evening, Detective Sergeant Father Christmas.’ Beauchamp needed no megaphone to project his voice.
    Standing before them was DS Glenister in a Santa suit he had bought fairly cheaply at the market – for he would need it when he had children of his own – doing his best to beam at all the old dinosaurs. So where were the presents, thought Lady Amanda, looking vainly for a little seasonal sack dangling from one shoulder?
    â€˜If you would all like to raise a toast to the sentiments of the season’ – Beauchamp was at it again – ‘we shall adjourn now to the dining room, where I think you will find what our red-suited friend has brought for us, as well as a bowl of traditional eggnog for