Agatha Raisin and the Christmas Crumble

What’s up?”
    “Come in inside and I’ll tell you after I’ve had a stiff gin.”
    Bill listened to her account of her visit to Freda, while sipping a glass of orange juice and trying hard not to laugh. When she had finished, he said, “Actually, I came to tell you that Freda has dropped the case against you. It appears she is very short-sighted and was frightened of being made a fool of in court.”
    “Thank goodness for that,” said Agatha. “Why do my cats always drape themselves round you? I feed the beasts and the only attention I get from them is when they need more food.”
    “Well, I’d better go,” said Bill, detaching Hodge from his neck and Boswell from his lap. “How’s your love life?”
    “Moribund. How’s yours? What about pretty Alice?”
    “Can’t have romances with colleagues,” said Bill. “Mum sends her love.”
    Agatha diplomatically accepted the lie, knowing that Bill’s mother detested her.
    After he had gone and she was getting ready for bed, a picture of Freda’s white and bruised face came into her mind. She bit her lip in vexation. Mrs. Bloxby had told her that, with the exception of Freda, her remaining dinner guests had become fast friends.
    Had one of them intimidated Freda? Was that how she got the bruise on her cheek?
    Let it go, she told her never-very-active conscience.
    But the following day was a Saturday and she decided to visit Simon Trent. If someone had been threatening Freda, then the least she could do was to put a stop to it.
    Matilda, who blushed like a schoolgirl when she saw Agatha, opened the door of Simon’s cottage. “I just dropped round to make Simon a late breakfast,” she said.
    “Who is it, darling?” came Simon’s voice from upstairs.
    “Darling?” queried Agatha with a crocodile grim.
    “Come in,” said Matilda. “Have you had your break-fast?”
    Agatha said she had, although breakfast as usual had consisted of two Bensons and a black coffee.
    As Agatha sat down at a chair in Simon’s kitchen, Simon came in to join them, freshly shaved and showered.
    “I came to tell you that Freda has dropped the case against me,” said Agatha.
    “What a relief,” said Simon. “Did you show Agatha your ring?”
    Matilda shyly held out her hand on which a sapphire and diamond ring glistened.
    “Oh, congratulations,” said Agatha sincerely, thinking, if you can nail a man at your age, there’s hope for me yet. “When’s the wedding?”
    “In about two months’ time,” said Simon. “We haven’t fixed an exact date yet. You’ve got to come. We’d never have met if it hadn’t been for you.” He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down opposite Agatha.
    “I’m a bit worried about Freda,” said Agatha.
    “Why?” demanded Simon. “She’s caused you nothing but trouble.”
    “She’s got a nasty bruise on her cheek. She said it was an accident, but I cannot see such as Freda suddenly deciding to drop the case against me. I wondered if someone had tried to intimidate her.”
    “Who would do that?” said Matilda. “Not me or Simon.”
    “Isn’t Jake Turnbull famous for drunken rages?” asked Agatha.
    “He’s pretty much sworn off the booze. Thanks to you, we’ve all been socialising a bit. He’s turned out to be good company.”
    “So that leaves Harry Dunster.”
    Simon laughed. “He’s old. He can barely walk. Freda would only need to blow on him to knock him over. I think you’ll find Freda had a change of heart.”
    “I doubt it.”
    “Look,” said Simon, “I’ll go along and see her and let you know what she says. She might talk to me.”

    After Agatha had left, Simon walked along to Freda’s cottage. “Come in!” cried Freda. “How nice to see you. Just excuse me a moment.”
    Freda rushed upstairs and applied heavy make-up and scarlet lipstick before going down to join Simon.
    “Have you had breakfast?” she asked.
    “Yes, thank you. I heard you had a nasty bruise on your face and I was worried about you.”
    “How like you!” cried Freda. “You were the only person at that dreadful party that I feel I had some rapport with. Please sit down. I had a nasty fall, that’s all.”
    “I am pleased you have dropped the case against Agatha.”
    “I decided she wasn’t worth the expense and effort of going to court. Besides, that lawyer of hers was trying to get me to take an eye test. He said he could prove I couldn’t have seen anything properly.”
    Freda was not wearing glasses, but