Agatha Raisin and the Wizard of Evesham

unfaithful to her. I never knew before that the world of hairdressing was so riven with hates and jealousies.’
    ‘I suppose it’s just like the theatre, and if they’re not very good at the job, the bigger the vanity,’ said Mrs Bloxby. ‘I’ll get you a coffee. Come through to the kitchen. Did you find out why she killed Mrs Darry?’
    Agatha trailed after her. ‘The police told me they found a note from Mrs Darry to Eve, saying, “I know who you are and I am going to the police. If you want to talk about it before I call them . . .” and then gave her address.’
    ‘But why would she do that? Did she want to blackmail Eve?’
    ‘I think Mrs Darry, God rest her soul, was a nasty woman and I don’t think she thought for a moment that Eve was a murderess. I think she just wanted to torment her. Well, she paid for it.’
    Agatha sighed wearily. She thought of James, she thought of Charles. ‘I’m sick of everything. I’m sick of men. All men are rats.’
    ‘No, only the ones you seem to associate with. You are worth better, Mrs Raisin.’
    ‘I don’t think I’ll ever forgive Charles.’
    ‘I think it was probably the title. It’s supposed to be a classless society, but newspapers do get carried away by a title.’
    ‘I think Charles made sure he got all the glory and left none for me. I’m sick of everything. I’m sick of Carsely.’
    ‘Poor old Carsely had nothing to do with you going bald or some baronet upstaging you.’
    ‘True, but I want to kick someone or something.’
    ‘Don’t kick me. Have some coffee.’
    After Agatha had left, the vicar came into the kitchen. ‘Has that dreadful woman gone?’
    ‘I happen to be very fond of her. I think she is very brave.’
    ‘I saw her arriving. She looked stupid with that scarf round her head. Middle-aged women should never wear pink.’
    ‘That awful hairdresser used a depilatory on her. She’s quite bald.’
    The vicar began to laugh.
    ‘It’s not funny,’ said Mrs Bloxby sharply.
    ‘So what did she say when you told her the love of her life was due back?’
    ‘James Lacey? No, Alf. I did not. I wish she would get over him. I couldn’t tell her. With her looking like that, she would fly into a panic.’
    ‘Should have told her and given the old girl time to buy a wig,’ said the vicar heartlessly.
    Mrs Bloxby put a mug of coffee down in front of him.
    ‘Really, Alf,’ she said, ‘there are times when I wonder whether you are a Christian at all!’

Epilogue

    Two days later, Bill Wong called on Agatha. ‘What have you done to your hair?’ he asked.
    ‘It’s a wig,’ said Agatha. ‘Eve used depilatory instead of shampoo.’
    ‘Oh my. It’s an odd sort of wig, Agatha.’ Agatha’s face peered out at him from a long page boy of brown nylon hair.
    ‘There’s a good hairdresser in Evesham, Marie. Her son, Brian, over at Bidford-on-Avon, is making me up a proper one. I hate this one. I bought it in a store and it feels hot and scratchy. Excuse me a moment, I think I’ll take it off and put a silk scarf on instead.’
    She went upstairs and returned shortly with a Paisley silk scarf wrapped around her head. ‘That’s better. Now are you here to lecture me about the folly of interfering in police work?’
    ‘No, I’m here to thank you,’ said Bill. ‘We were still chasing the blackmailing angle, although we were still looking for the wife. But you did put yourself at great risk. We’ve got that tape Charles recorded.’
    ‘Charles!’ Agatha spat out.
    ‘Yes, tell me about that. How come he got all the headlines?’
    Agatha told him.
    ‘You do pick ’em,’ said Bill sympathetically.
    ‘Well, I’ve finished with him.’
    ‘And what about Lacey?’
    ‘I’ve forgotten about him,’ lied Agatha. ‘Tell me about Mrs Darry. What happened there? Did Mrs Shawpart say anything in her statement?’
    ‘Oh, yes. She talked and talked. She’s a real psychopathic villain. Mrs Darry recognized her and – would you believe it? – Mrs Darry tried to blackmail her . So all the dreadful Eve did was to mildly agree to the terms and say she would call on her. But there’s worse to come. Mrs Darry made things easy by telling her about the back way, said she didn’t want anyone in the village to see her calling.’
    ‘Somehow that makes me feel a bit easier in my mind,’ said Agatha slowly. ‘I thought she was a completely innocent victim.’
    ‘If Mrs Darry had come to us, she would still be alive. And think of