Death at Burwell Farm by Betty Rowlands

Author:Betty Rowlands [Rowlands, Betty]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781786819925
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2019-06-11T16:00:00+00:00

‘Well, what do you make of it?’ Sukey asked.

The pair were temporarily alone in the sitting room after the evening meal. Anita and Fergus were in the kitchen, the former having volunteered to do the washing-up. In normal circumstances this would have occasioned a considerable amount of lively and uninhibited chatter, but this time their abnormally muted voices were barely audible through the closed door. Since Sukey had earlier impressed on Fergus the need to avoid any reference whatsoever in Jim’s presence to the subject of her impending attendance at RYCE, she guessed that they were speculating on the possible outcome.

Jim thought for a moment or two before replying to her question. At length he said, ‘In my opinion, the people running this place are either eccentrics or out-and-out charlatans – probably both. I can understand sad, lonely or inadequate people going for this kind of thing and I suppose if they get comfort from it then Freya and Xavier, as they call themselves, could be said to be doing some good.’ He gave a sardonic chuckle. ‘Where on earth did they dream up those names, I wonder? I can see that Percy and Edith don’t exactly fit in with grand visions of the mystery of the cosmos, but—’

‘I’ve looked into that. Freya is unusual, but not all that uncommon – remember Freya Stark, the travel writer? It’s the name of a Norse goddess of love, according to a dictionary of first names I found in the library.’

‘What about Xavier? Wasn’t he some saint or other?’

‘Yes, Spanish, seventeenth century I think. It’s a Basque word meaning “new house”.’

‘I suppose it’s the nearest he could get to the new state of mind he’s promising his so-called initiates.’ Jim picked up the brochure, opened it and studied the portraits inside the front cover. ‘Love in a new house, eh? They’re like something left over from the days of flower-power, him with his beard and brooding eyes looking half-stoned, Freya with that daisy-chain on her head and Serena looking as if she’d be more at home at the Stowe horse fair.’

Sukey giggled. ‘I have a notion that you don’t take them very seriously.’

‘I have to admit that I haven’t found anything disturbing in what’s written in here. Reading between the lines, I suspect that they’re peddling some fairly well-known principles like auto-suggestion dressed up in a load of fancy new language.’

‘That’s been my impression.’

‘Well, just keep your feet on the ground and your eyes open while you’re there, that’s all.’

‘That’s why I’m going, remember?’

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