AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And it’s become commonplace. Last weekend there were four mass shootings in the country, and I’ll bet most people couldn’t even tell you where they were. There are just way too many.”
“You are so right, Maggie. But can we please change the subject to something more pleasant?”
“Of course. I was just trying to distract everyone from my eating habits!” She carefully balanced a gyoza on her chopstick. “See? I can do it!” There was a light round of applause.
To be sure the conversation wouldn’t turn dark again, Myra spoke. “Tell me, Zoe, what is your favorite place to visit?”
Zoe smiled and looked around the table. “This is beginning to become one of them.”
“You are too kind,” Charles said.
Fergus broke into the conversation. “I understand you spent some time in our old stomping grounds.”
“Yes. I was recently in London for a month. Old Windsor, actually. I was looking into some of the buildings there that need renovation.”
“Lovely place,” Charles said with a tone of nostalgia.
“Indeed.” Zoe paused. “But then the company pulled me out and sent me back to New York.”
“Any particular reason?” Fergus asked.
“They said the job was canceled.”
“Doesn’t surprise me.” Charles fiddled with one of the skewers. “They can’t seem to make up their mind what to do with some of those older buildings. The royal buildings have been well maintained over the years, but since the war, funds have been redistributed and many of the non-royal establishments are in dire need. With the Queen now gone, it shall be interesting to see what King Charles has in store. There are several royal residences and fewer people to occupy them. “It’s been a long debate. I doubt we will see any changes in our lifetime, though,” Charles said wryly.
“The royals don’t pay taxes and haven’t really had much to say about governing ever since Parliament took over,” Fergus said. “It is quite remarkable, the never-ending obsession people have with the royals. Although I agree with Charles, with the passing of the Queen, there may be a waning of interest in England’s celebrities.”
Alexis spoke up. “Please don’t get me started with celebrity culture, although those two words do not belong in the same sentence. We just finished a case where a star athlete put an elderly gentleman in the hospital. You could see the admiration in the jury’s eyes. Flashbacks of O. J. Simpson.”
Maggie shuddered. “And I get to report on all of these atrocities!”
Zoe instinctively steered the conversation back to England. She hadn’t realized how much she longed to return. Her life had been rather wonky lately and she hadn’t had time to dwell on matters outside of work. She looked at both Fergus and Charles. “Do either of you miss it?”
Charles let out a guffaw. “Certainly, some of it. But it probably misses me even less than I do it.”
“Ditto, here,” Fergus chimed in.
“I suppose the thing I miss is the countryside. South of Kent, East Sussex, the villages, old churches. And the south-west with the rolling hills and farms in Devonshire, the Cotswolds, and the farmland in Dorset County.” Charles took a moment to remember. “I think that’s why I like it here so much. Here, at the farm.” He reached over and patted Myra’s hand. “Right, lovey?”
“I think you miss the pubs the most,” Myra joked.
“That goes without saying.” Charles guffawed. “Speaking of pubs, would you mind if I switched over to a mild brown ale?”
“Count me in, mate!” Fergus exclaimed. “Don’t get me wrong, Yoko. I thoroughly enjoyed the sake, but it’s time for a heartier libation.”
Yoko smiled. “No offense taken. You should drink whatever you want.”
Charles got up from the table, went into the pantry and brought back two pints of room-temperature beer.
Maggie winced. “I could never understand why Brits drink warm beer.”
“Because one cannot appreciate the taste if it’s cold,” Fergus informed her.
“Blech.” Maggie made a face.
Charles tried to hand her his mug. “Here, give it a try.”
“Ew, no thank you.” Maggie pushed the mug away from her.
