The Grub-And-Stakers Quilt a Bee Read Online Free PDF

mild vexation that her husband had not yet made his appearance. Mr. Fairfield did have a tendency to become absorbed in his work, but she had been endeavoring to instill in him a regard for punctuality out of courtesy toward their hostess.
    “Minerva said his tardiness was of no moment, as supper was only going to be cold meat and salad, and she had everything ready in the fridge. The two remaining ladies sat on the porch a while longer. As time passed, Mrs. Fairfield grew increasingly restive.
    At last it was decided the pair of them would stroll down to the museum and wrest Mr. Fairfield away from his labors by brute force if necessary. This was said in jest, according to Minerva. Mrs.
    Fairfield seemed in no way concerned for Mr. Fairfield’s safety or well-being, merely somewhat testy at his apparent lack of consideration.”
     
    “I can believe that,” said Dittany.
    Sergeant Mac Vicar gave her an indulgent nod and went on. “By this time, needless to say, they assumed Mr. Fairfield would be alone at the museum. Everybody else would have gone home to supper some time ago.”
    His hearers nodded. People in Lobelia Falls all ate breakfast, dinner, and supper pretty much at the same time as their neighbors.
    So many of them belonged to so many different committees, clubs, and whatnot that careful synchronizing of family habits was the only way to get members to their meetings on time.
    “The two ladies entered the museum together,” he went on.
    “Having found the door still unlocked, they naturally assumed Mr.
    Fairfield remembered that his wife had asked him to close the attic windows before he came away. Mrs. Fairfield wondered if he was still up there gloating over some serendipitous find. She expressed dismay at the prospect of climbing all those stairs again, whereupon Minerva, who as you know is a fount of boundless energy, volunteered to make the ascent.”
    “As Mrs. Fairfield knew darn well she would,” said Dittany.
    “Dittany, were I not so well acquent with the inherent sweetness of your nature, I should begin to entertain a wee suspeecion you have developed a certain animosity toward Mrs. Fairfield.”
    “I wouldn’t call it a certain animosity, Sergeant Mac Vicar. More a chronic pain in the neck. Which I suppose I’d better try to hide or you’ll be hauling me in as a suspect. Changing the subject back to where it was, what did Minerva find when she went up attic? Is that a more appropriate remark, eh?”
    “Entirely suitable. Minerva found two of the windows still open and Mr. Fairfield not present. She closed the windows and went back to tell Mrs. Fairfield, who became somewhat alarmed at this report and suggested they search the grounds, such as they are.
    This, the ladies did, starting in opposite directions. It was Minerva who came upon the lifeless form of Mr. Fairfield.”
    “How ghastly!” This time, Dittany hadn’t had to search for the appropriate rejoinder. “What did she do?”
    “Let out a yelp, according to her own testimony. That fetched Mrs. Fairfield, eh, who burst quite understandably into sobs and outcries. Minerva pacified Mrs. Fairfield as best she could, then used the museum phone to call me away from a dish of tea and a portion of excellent grosset fool with which I was ending my evening repast,” said the sergeant in a voice from which he was unable to keep a tinge of regret.
    Arethusa noticed. “This was hardly the time to think of gooseberries,”
    she chided.
    “I could not, as my grandchildren say, agree with you more.
    That was why I asked Mrs. MacVicar to set the remainder of my grosset fool in the icebox and came here at once. To resume my narrative, Minerva Oakes then summoned Dr. Somervell, although there was no doubt Mr. Fairfield was already dead as a finnan haddie. The doctor arrived immediately after I did and confirmed that Mr. Fairfield had indeed shuffled off this mortal coil not long since.”
    “He was presumed to have gone up to shut the