Murder in Abbot's Folly by Amy Myers Read Free Book Online

two older and much more serious, announced himself as Philip Faring. Neither of them looked as if they were enthusiastic about galas, however.
    â€˜I met Jill in the States,’ Philip explained, ‘and lo and behold she turns up in Canterbury. Luke says that you’ve just been to see Abbot’s Folly. How did it go?’
    â€˜Weird building but interesting. My father and I wanted to see where Robert Luckhurst was killed in 1985.’
    Philip looked somewhat surprised, not unnaturally, Georgia supposed.
    â€˜My step-ma is part of a crime investigating team, Marsh & Daughter,’ Mark explained. ‘Dad publishes their books.’
    The name Philip Faring had run a faint bell in Georgia’s mind, and she realized why. ‘You write literary biographies, don’t you?’ she asked Philip. ‘I’ve read your book on eighteenth-century novelists. Very good.’
    He muttered a thank-you, and Jake laughed. ‘Not much good at self-publicity is Philip. He wouldn’t last two minutes in the film world.’
    â€˜Is that your line?’ Georgia asked, then made a mental leap. ‘Is that the reason you’re here?’
    â€˜Our lips are sealed—’
    â€˜Until four o’clock?’ Georgia laughed. The great event was billed on the programme simply as ‘Speech by Mrs Laura Fettis’.
    â€˜You got it.’
    â€˜So let me guess. You’re working on a Jane Austen theme?’
    Jake’s glance at Philip confirmed this – and also that they were probably an item in their private lives as well. ‘Ask Tim Wilson,’ he answered lightly.
    â€˜Not the Fettises?’ Georgia was surprised – or was she? Tim seemed to be nicely in control, even if Laura was actually the owner of Stourdens. Jake shrugged. ‘Tim will be in the family soon enough, and he’s got a PR background. He’s getting things moving here to secure Stourdens’ future.’
    â€˜You don’t sound as though that’s a good thing.’ Georgia was curious.
    â€˜On the contrary. It’s a very good thing, isn’t it, Phil?’
    â€˜Yes.’ Philip seemed so tense that Georgia became even more puzzled. Maybe it was just that they did not get on with Tim Wilson. Jake and Philip seemed straightforward enough, but Tim was someone with whom she would not want to fall out.
    Philip ostentatiously looked at his watch. ‘Time to see Laura, Jake? Details to discuss,’ he added to them deprecatingly. ‘Sorry, we’d better be off.’
    â€˜Was it something I said?’ Georgia commented ruefully, watching them disappear with haste.
    Jill took her seriously. ‘I don’t think so, Georgia,’ she said kindly. ‘Phil gets easily wound up. I’ve known him for years. He was in the States on a temporary assignment, but now he’s back at Sandwich – the University,’ she added in case Georgia had missed the point that Phil was an important academic.
    â€˜Jake and Phil seem remarkably reticent,’ Luke said as Jill and Mark then moved away. ‘Not usually the case with authors and film directors. I wonder if Phil’s hunting for a new publisher?’
    â€˜You always wonder that.’ Georgia laughed. ‘They’re probably not very chatty simply because of this big announcement coming up. Perhaps Phil has a new book on Jane Austen to announce. I’m surprised he hasn’t cashed in on her earlier. She’s been high profile for donkey’s years.’
    â€˜It’s more likely to be the launch of this collection you told me about,’ Luke said. ‘The Fettises might not have had the know-how or the contacts, but Tim Wilson obviously has.’
    â€˜Especially as he’s hooked up to Jennifer Fettis.’
    â€˜Engaged is the more usual word,’ Luke observed. ‘Don’t you take to him?’
    â€˜Pleasant enough, but on a summer’s day at a show like