The Last Draft - A cozy bookshop murder mystery full of twists: THE FIRST IN A NEW SERIES (The Meadowfield Bookshop Mysteries Book 1) by Agatha Frost

Author:Agatha Frost [Frost, Agatha]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pink Tree Publishing LTD
Published: 2024-07-23T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

And Then There Were Tourists

Sweat dribbled from underneath Ellie’s bun and between her shoulder blades. She fanned herself with a laminated card detailing the history of the Meadow Company’s name, grateful for the occasional breeze from nearby handheld electric fans clutched in the hands of tourists. The small local museum felt even more cramped than usual, packed with about twenty American tourists eager to learn about the village where the Meadow Company had stayed during World War II. The museum would have felt busy with half that number.

She hadn’t expected the humidity, but she knew the museum would be busy today; Maggie had mentioned over breakfast that a coach of American tourists was expected. Now, surrounded by enthusiastic visitors, Ellie could barely move without bumping into someone’s bulky backpack or camera slung around their neck.

Charles stood at the back of the small museum, fielding questions about the Meadow Company. Ellie watched as he did his best to answer, his forehead glistening with sweat in the humid air.

“Did the soldiers really stay in people’s homes?” an elderly woman asked, her accent thick with a Southern drawl.

Charles nodded, wiping his brow. “Yes, many villagers opened their homes to the soldiers. It created quite a bond between the locals and the Americans.”

“501st Infantry Regiment,” another man announced, folding his arms as his chest puffed out. “Our boys before the Normandy invasion.”

“And they left a lasting imprint of bravery and kinship on the village,” Charles said.

Ellie inched closer, curious about Charles’s knowledge of local history. She noticed how he seemed to relax slightly when talking about the past, his usual nervous demeanour fading as he delved into the details of Meadowfield’s wartime experiences.

She waited patiently as the tour guide herded the group towards their next destination, The Old Bell. She could overhear the tourists repeating the familiar story about the famous evening when the company decided to change their name sitting outside that very pub. As the crowd thinned, Ellie stopped pretending to read the displays, which had bloomed since her childhood visits.

Moving past the WWII section, she found Charles engaged in conversation with a lingering tourist. Their voices carried in the now quieter museum.

“Now, I’m from Texas, you see, but my great-grandfather was from England, and he was a bell maker. I’m so drawn to this Blackwood Foundry story, like I can feel it, in my blood, you know?” the American was saying, his enthusiasm palpable. “The craftsmanship is just awesome.”

Charles looked more nervous with the one-on-one interaction, but he nodded, fiddling with his glasses. “I do know, as it happens,” he replied. “I’m a direct Blackwood descendant.”

“Huh?” The American laughed, patting Charles on the arm. “No kidding?”

Ellie watched as Charles continued, his voice a mix of pride and something else she couldn’t quite place. “The family lost the business when trade moved abroad and techniques changed, but I’m still proud of it. The bell at St. Mary’s still rings with our family crest, and that’s important to me.”

The American nodded vigorously. “Important to know where you come from.

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