Agatha Raisin and the Love from Hell

be made to see reason.’
    ‘Does he talk to anyone about his troubles?’
    Agatha laughed. ‘James! Not on your life.’
    James at that moment was sitting in the vicarage parlour facing the vicar’s wife, Mrs Bloxby.
    ‘It’s not too late to call?’ James was asking.
    ‘No, not at all,’ said Mrs Bloxby, amused that James had not seemed to notice that she was in her night-gown and dressing-gown.
    ‘I really don’t know what to do about Agatha,’ James said. ‘I am a very worried man.’
    ‘What is the matter? Would you like some tea or something stronger?’
    ‘No, I feel if I don’t talk to someone, I’ll burst. You’re a friend of Agatha.’
    ‘I hope a very good one.’
    ‘Has she said anything to you about our marriage?’
    ‘If she had complained to me, I would not tell you. But as a matter of fact, she has not. What was the scene in the pub about? It’s all round the village.’
    ‘I went along to the pub and Melissa was there, so we had a drink together. Agatha came in and threw a jealous scene.’
    ‘That is understandable. It is well known in the village that you had an . . . er . . . episode with Melissa before your marriage.’
    ‘Well, it’s all the other things. She’s a lousy housekeeper.’
    ‘She has Doris Simpson to clean for her, that is, her own cottage. Why not let Doris do yours?’
    ‘But Agatha should do it.’
    ‘You are very old-fashioned. You cannot expect a woman who has been successful in business and who has always paid someone to do her cleaning to do yours.’
    James went on as if she had not spoken. ‘Then, she knows I hate the smell of cigarette smoke. She smells of cigarettes.’
    ‘Mrs Raisin was smoking when you first met her and when you were married.’
    ‘But she promised to give up. She said she would. And she said she would never smoke in my cottage. But she puffs away when she thinks I’m not looking.’
    ‘You said, “my cottage”. It’s a very odd marriage. Why did you encourage Mrs Raisin to keep her own cottage?’
    ‘Because mine is too small.’
    ‘The pair of you have surely enough money to sell your homes and move into a bigger house.’
    ‘Perhaps. Now she’s taken a job. A public relations job for some shoe company in Mircester.’
    ‘What is wrong with that?’
    ‘Agatha doesn’t need to work.’
    ‘I think Mrs Raisin does need to work from time to time. Perhaps you made her feel like a failed wife. Do you complain a lot?’
    ‘Only when she does something wrong, and she always glares at me and says something rude.’
    ‘And does she often do something wrong?’
    ‘All the time – bad meals, sloppy housekeeping, tarty clothes . . .’
    Mrs Bloxby held up one hand. ‘Wait a minute. Mrs Raisin’s clothes tarty? Really, I cannot allow that. She is always smartly dressed. And it does seem as if you complain a lot and you are not prepared to compromise on anything. I know you have been a confirmed bachelor, but you are married now, and must make certain allowances. Why are you so angry and touchy?’
    There was a long silence and then James gave a sigh. ‘There’s something else. I have been having these recurring headaches, so I got a scan. It says I have a brain tumour. I have to go in soon for treatment.’
    ‘Oh, you poor man. It is operable?’
    ‘They are going to try chemotherapy first.’
    ‘Mrs Raisin must be distressed.’
    ‘She does not know and you are not to tell her.’
    ‘But you must tell her. That is what marriage is all about, sharing the bad times as well as the good.’
    ‘I feel if I tell her, then somehow there will be no hope for me. It will make the brain tumour very, very real. I must get through this on my own.’
    ‘But I can see the whole thing is putting you under a great deal of stress. In fact, you are ruining your marriage by not telling Mrs Raisin.’
    ‘You must not tell her! You must promise me you will not tell her!’
    ‘Very well. But I beg you to reconsider. Mrs Raisin does not deserve the treatment you have been meting out to her. Tell her.’
    He shook his head. ‘It is my cross and I must bear it alone. Agatha is very independent. Why, she even still uses her old married name, as if mine isn’t good enough for her. You even call her Mrs Raisin.’
    ‘That’s because she asked me to. You see, she might have listened to you if you had only complained about that one thing, but you do seem to have criticized her a great deal.’
    ‘It’s her fault,’ said James