Amanda Cadabra and The Strange Case of Lucy Penlowr by Holly Bell (best english novels for beginners .txt) 📕

firmly in the face of the investigation. Years passed. The file gathered dust. No leads on the fire, the deaths, especially the mysterious end met by the lord of the manor, or what was going on with the Dowrkampyers at the Growan House school. Until … one day …’

‘Yes? One day?’ enquired Amanda animatedly.

Trelawney was equally curious. ‘Yes, what happened?’

‘Well, now I think that’s enough for one evening.’

‘Oh no! Please, Uncle Mike.’

‘Tomorrow, my dear. I have to make sure you come back for more of my cooking,’ he replied jovially. ‘I have to confess to being a little out of practice. I’m rather a take-away fan, you know, deep down.’

‘Your cooking is excellent!’ Amanda insisted.

‘Too kind. Now, I can see you’re all excited, so before you go, how about a nice relaxing nightcap, Amanda? I know Thomas is driving so he won’t, but for us I think I can find something rather special.’

‘Lovely.’

Hogarth went to the drinks’ cabinet, burrowed and then jubilantly brandished a bottle, announcing:

‘Cornish mead, no less!’

Chapter 12

The Lead, and the Oath

Thanks to the generous libations of mead poured out by Hogarth, Amanda not only enjoyed a peaceful night’s sleep, but awoke late. Breakfast for two, and for the human only, a shower and a beach walk followed.

Tempest, scorning sand and sea water, made it clear his human should leave him with one of his high-grade USA-grown catnip ‘bananas’. Amanda returned to find him on the sofa, the banana on his chest, all four paws in the air, and a look of vacant delirium on his face.

A Tempest-tummy-rub and reading session later, Ken arrived to take her into town for lunch and then to meet her new friend.

Pasco and Amanda, comfortably ensconced in the café, with tea and saffron cake, discussed the history and legends of Cornwall in Cornish. Pasco clearly enjoyed helping Amanda with forgotten vocabulary, and when she stumbled over awkward phrases. In spite of his gruff manner, she surprised a laugh out of him every now and then. This had the staff looking up with raised eyebrows and smiles.

As Pasco was so much older, Amanda felt it would not be polite to ask him personal questions, such as where he lived or what his work had been. She thought it likely he had retired.

He seemed to assume that she was just a random visitor. Pasco showed every appearance of savouring the opportunity to speak his native tongue, especially with someone so young, bright and happy.

When Trelawney arrived, that evening, Amanda invited him in while she put on her outdoor things. He sniffed the air.

‘Whatever is that?’ In reply, she pointed mutely to the sofa, where Tempest had spent the afternoon much as he’d spent the morning.

‘Good grief. He looks wasted!’

‘Catnip,’ Amanda informed the inspector.

Trelawney managed to maintain a deadpan expression.

‘I see,’ he replied in his most convincing stern policeman’s voice. ‘You’re supplying him with Class B substances now, are you?’

A dimple showed in Amanda’s cheek. ‘It’s perfectly legal, as well you know.’

Trelawney shook his head at her familiar. ‘How on earth has he been able to accompany you to Parhayle?’

‘He hasn’t.’

‘Spent the day on the sofa getting high as a kite, then,’ Trelawney remarked, observing Tempest with disapproval. Amanda giggled.

‘You should be pleased. Finally you’ve got the goods on him!’

‘So I have. Much he cares.’

Tempest opened a bleary eye and regarded the inspector vaguely.

‘Not coming with us?’ Trelawney asked hopefully.

‘Oo, of course Mr Fuffy-wuffy is coming wiv us, aren’t oo pwecious?’ Amanda responded, bundling him up in his radiator-warmed travel blanket.

‘Come on then,’ sighed Trelawney, ‘he’s clearly a lost cause.’

Soon, Amanda, smirking familiar in arms, and Trelawney were entering through Hogarth’s latched front door to a call from the back of the house. There they discovered their host emerging from under the sparkling new white butler sink, spanners and kitchen roll in hand.

‘Greetings, friends. You are just in time to congratulate me: no leaks!’

‘Looks very smart, Uncle Mike.’

‘New taps too?’ asked Trelawney.

‘And is that a new splashback?’ enquired Amanda.

‘Yes, on both counts,’ Hogarth replied merrily. ‘Could one of you stir the pot? The other one, light the fire? I’ll just tidy myself up and put the tools away.’

Trelawney headed out of the room. Amanda took the lid off the chilli and said quietly to the spoon:

‘Mecsge.’

It obligingly began to circle the thick, fragrant mixture while she went to join the inspector in the sitting-room. She found him kneeling by the hearth stacking kindling, firelighters and coal.

‘Inspector.’

‘Yes?’

‘Uncle Mike is very busy.’

‘Now, do you mean?’ He applied a lit split to various points and started to blow on the kindling.

‘In general. He seems to be doing a sort of refurbishing job. At least, on the bathrooms and kitchen.’

‘And the hall, judging by the Polyfilla. Ah, that’s catching nicely.’ Trelawney observed the small licking flames with satisfaction.

‘Yes. Do you have any idea why?’ Amanda persisted.

‘I expect the house needs it. It’s a long time since Mike redecorated. Now that he’s retired, he has more time, and wants to get it done.’

Amanda looked at him doubtfully.

‘Hm. I suppose so.’

‘And maybe he wants you to get to know this part of Cornwall, so he’s occupying his daytimes,’ he suggested.

Amanda smiled.

‘I hadn’t thought of that.’

***

Amanda poured some custard onto her jam roly-poly and, unable to contain her curiosity any longer, prompted,

‘So? You were saying there were no leads on the fire, the deaths, the mysterious murder of Lord Dowrkampyer or about the school, and then, “One day…”?’

‘One day, by which time I had risen to the rank of chief inspector,’ responded Hogarth, ‘I received a call from my sister Vera. It was a long conversation. I didn’t visit or