The Price of Butcher's Meat Aka a Cure for All Diseases

536 Pages·2016·3.49 MB·English

by  Hill Reginald

P
THE PRICE

F
BUTCHER’S

MEAT

REGINALD HILL
To Janeites everywhere
and in part ic u lar to those who ten years ago in San
Francisco made me so very welcome at the Jane Aus-
ten Society of North America’s AGM, of which the
theme was “Sanditon—A New Direction?” and dur-
ing which the seeds of this present novel were sown.
I hope that my fellow Janeites will approve the direc-
tion in which I have moved her unfinished story; or, if
they hesitate approval, that they will perhaps recall
the advice printed on a sweatshirt presented to me
(with what pertinence I never quite grasped) after my
address to the AGM
—run mad as often as you chuse, but do not faint—
and at least agree that, though from time to time I
may have run a little mad, so far I have not fainted!
Aye—that young Lady smiles I s ee—but she will come
to care about such matters herself in time. Yes, Yes, my
Dear, depend upon it, you will be thinking of the price of
Butcher’s meat in time.
JANE AUSTEN SANDITON

Contents
Epigraph iii
Volume the First 1
1
Hi Cass! 3
2
Omigod Cass! I must be psychic! OK—you say hes not… 11
3
Ho’d on. How the fuck do I know this bloody… 19
4
Hi! 29
5
There! What do you think of that, Mildred? 40
6
Had a little sleep there. Bloody pills! 45
7
Hi Cass! 61
8
Hi! 67
9
Morning, Mildred! 75
10
Okay, Mildred, I should have listened to you and put… 77
11
Hi! 79
12
Hi! Still no word. Working on the Headbanger principle that… 89
13
How do, Mildred! 94
14
Hi! 99
15
Hi again! 110
16
Hi! 119
17
Well, Mildred, here I am, back from my first official… 132
18
Oh, Mildred, what have I done? 148
19
Cass—omigod I was so wrong—nobody kills anyone in Sandytown I…153
Volume the Second 163
1
“And you’re sure this is our Franny Roote?” said Pascoe,… 165
2
Some thirty minutes before Pascoe arrived in Sandytown, Detective
Constable… 172
3
Hat Bowler’s smile had not been the subtle attempt at… 182
4
Dennis Seymour drove slowly along Seaview Terrace. 191
5
Pascoe stood and looked down at the mortal remains of… 195
6
There was a uniformed constable standing guard at the front… 203
7
The room he entered was of a different order from… 213
8
As Shirley Novello left Kyoto House, she felt reasonably pleased… 227
9
“You have arrived,” said Posh Woman’s voice confidently. 235
10
As Peter Pascoe approached the Avalon Clinic, he had a… 248
11
I’m sorry to trouble you, Superintendent. 253
12
The Fat Man switched off the recorder. 260
13
After interviewing Sidney Parker, Hat Bowler had planned to drive… 265
Volume the Third 275
1
Disaster!! 277
2
Could hardly keep me eyes open after Pascoe left last… 282
3
Hi! 297
4
I need to watch myself! 310
5
Andy! I didn’t hear you knock. 312
6
Well now, Mildred, that made interesting listening, didn’t it? So… 321
7
Pet! There you are, lass. All right if I come in? 325
8
So what do you make of that, Mildred? I could… 334
9
Hi! 336
Volume the Fourth 343
1
“Peter! Salvere iubeo! Willkommen! Bienvenu! In any
language, I am… 345
2
Sergeant Wield had had a trying morning. 357
3
Hat Bowler greeted him with a smile too bright to… 366
4
When Charley entered the lounge, Dalziel, occupying one of Tom… 374
5
After Peter Pascoe set off down the drive, Franny Roote… 390
6
Once again Pascoe arrived at Sandytown Hall to find Wield… 393
7
In the large drawing room, the late Sir Henry Denham… 408
8
Charley and George sat on the lawn and talked. Occasionally… 420
9
Dennis Seymour wasn’t good with hospitals. When his twin
daughters… 432
10
Seymour was by nature and by nurture an honest, straightforward… 437