The Mistletoe Mystery Read Online Free PDF

I upset Bertram. However, I had the sense not to say this to Richenda.
    I didn’t see much of Richenda for the rest of the day. She had gone to lie down and relax in preparation for tonight’s adventure. I, on the other hand, had a thousand and one things to see to before the other guests began to arrive. Most of the party would turn up tonight, the 23rd of December, in time for dinner. One couple were arriving just after breakfast on Christmas Eve and then the celebrations would really begin.
    Sam made good on his promise and brought in bough after bough of holly and mistletoe. I set one of the housemaids to following him around to both clean up the mess he was dragging through the house and to ensure that nothing was placed too near candles or the wretched gas lamps. All this wasn’t helped by an artistic bent that had suddenly developed in Sam. No sooner than he had finished one room when he would think that a bough would look better somewhere else and begin the work all over again.
    ‘You’ve got to stop him, miss,’ said Lee. ‘I thought at first he was doing it to cause mischief, but if I so much as move one leaf he shouts and then trembles on the edges of tears.’
    ‘That sounds most unlike our Sam,’ I said.
    ‘It’s this house at Christmas,’ said Lee. ‘It’s getting to us all.’
    ‘Nonsense,’ I said briskly and set off to apprehend Sam. I found him in the middle of Mr Bertram’s study surrounded not only by holly and mistletoe, but also boughs of pine and ivy. ‘What on earth –’ I begun.
    Sam turned a tear-streaked face to me. ‘The master said how he needed it to be perfect and no matter how I try, I can always see room for improvement!’
    ‘How I wish you felt that way about boots,’ I said meaningfully. ‘Of course, it’s not possible to do something perfectly, Sam. Mr Bertram meant that he simply wanted to do your best.’
    Sam sniffed. ‘He said how much he paid would depend on how good it is.’
    ‘Well, I shall highly recommend you and suggest he pays you top price. But honestly, Sam, everything is covered in greenery. You have to stop now before you turn the entire house into a fire trap.’ I knew at once I had said the wrong thing. I continued quickly, ‘I suggest you store the extra boughs in small outhouse by the kitchen door. Then we will have replacements should anything wither over the festive season. You should cover them with wet sacking to keep them fresh. I’m sure Mr Bertram will pay for the extra effort.’
    A war between fear and greed raged on Sam’s face. Greed won. ‘So I’ve kind of done the job twice, m’um?’
    ‘I shall certainly suggest that to Mr Bertram,’ I responded.
    I left Lee and Sam to clear the extra greenery and attempt to get the leaves, mould, and any of the small inhabitants that had been clinging to the branches out of the house. When I returned half an hour later to check through all the rooms I was pleasantly surprised to see how good a job they had done. The house looked wonderfully Christmassy. Candles were burning in the entrance way where the most unreliable of the gas lamps were. The candles had been placed carefully in sconces so they would not blow out when the door was opened. The effect was extremely warm and welcoming. I heard Mr Bertram come up behind me.
    ‘Well done, Euphemia,’ he said. ‘The house looks truly lovely. Mrs Tweedy has been showing me the menus you have planned and I don’t believe Mrs Wilson in her heyday could have done better.’
    I blushed with pleasure. ‘You have an excellent staff here, Mr Bertram. They have all put enormous effort into house party. I believe all of them, despite some superstitious foolery, are most loyal to you.’
    ‘So much of this is down to you,’ said Mr Bertram, reddening slightly under the candlelight. ‘My employing the factor, rebuilding the village cottages, and stream-lining the farm were all your suggestions. You make a fine …’
    ‘Vicar’s daughter,’